a treatise of the sabbath and the lords-day distinguished into foure parts. wherein is declared both the nature, originall, and observation, as well of the one under the old, as of the other under the new testament. written in french by david primerose batchelour in divinitie in the vniversity of oxford, and minister of the gospell in the protestant church of roven. englished out of his french manuscript by his father g.p. d.d. primerose, david. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a treatise of the sabbath and the lords-day distinguished into foure parts. wherein is declared both the nature, originall, and observation, as well of the one under the old, as of the other under the new testament. written in french by david primerose batchelour in divinitie in the vniversity of oxford, and minister of the gospell in the protestant church of roven. englished out of his french manuscript by his father g.p. d.d. primerose, david. primrose, gilbert, ca. - . [ ], , [ ] p. printed by richard badger for william hope, are are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the glove in corne-hill, london : . g.p. d.d. = gilbert primrose, doctor of divinity. the title page is a cancel. the first leaf is blank except for signature-mark "a" with ornament. with a final errata leaf. reproduction of the original in the union theological seminary (new york, n.y.). library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database 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and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - jonathan blaney sampled and proofread - jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a treatise of the sabbath and the lords-day . distinguished into foure parts . wherein is declared both the nature , originall , and observation , as well of the one under the old , as of the other under the new testament . written in french by david primerose batchelour in divinitie in the vniversity of oxford , and minister of the gospell in the protestant church of roven . englished out of his french manuscript by his father g. p. d. d. london , printed by richard badger for william hope , and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the glove in corne-hill . . the translator to the reader . i wrote to my sonne , preacher of the gospel at roven , desiring him to set downe in a paper ( distinctly and clearely ) his oinion concerning the sabbath , with the confirmation thereof by such arguments which hee should thinke most pregnant , and a solide refutation of the contrary arguments ; which he did accordingly , but in the french tongue , as writing onely out of a dutifull affection to condescend to my desire , not thinking , and far lesse desiring it should be englished and made publike here : neither had i any such intention , as being most unwilling that he , who is a stranger to this nation , although not a stranger to the church , should goe formost to breake this yee . and therefore i kept it by me three yeeres , till being advertised that others were gone before , and their bookes were on the presse , and finding no man that would or could translate it into our tongue , and take the wearisome paines to place the additions ( which he sent me at divers times afterwards ) in their roomes : i undertooke this labour my selfe , hoping that things being compared with things , cause with cause , reasons with reasons , and the contrary arguments , which are to be found in so many bookes , for and against the morality of a seventh day of a weekly sabbath , being examined and conferred one by another , the christian , charitable , and judicious readers shall be stirred up , after they have proved all things , to hold fast that which is good , without imparing any thing of that religious service which they owe and yeeld publikely in the church , and privately at home with their families to the lord their god , who needs not the errours of men ( though never so specious ) for the upholding of his service . if in this end of my translation i have done any thing amisse , i say with david , let the righteous smite me , it shall be a kindnes , and let him reprove me , it shall be an excellent oile , which shall not breake mine head . in the meane while , let all christians , according to the exhortation of the apostle , put off anger , wrath , malice , and put on charity , which is the bond of perfection , and so walk worthy of the vocation wherwith we are called , with all lowlines and meeknesse , with long suffering , forbearing one another in love , endeavouring to keepe the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace ; that living in peace , the god of love and peace may be with us , and live in us for ever and ever . amen . the preface . the state of the question . . all men are bound to serve god every day privately , in some measure , according to his word . . they are also bound to serve him publikely , and to have a day stinted for his publike service . . there is among godly and learned christians a great controversie about the originall , nature , and observation of that day . . some hold the sanctification and observation of one of the seven dayes of the weeke to be morall , and therefore of perpetuall necessity , since the beginning unto the end of the world . . others maintaine , that the stinting of a day for gods publike service , is a point of order , and of ecclesiasticall governement , depending wholly on institution . . this treatise made for the defence of this last opinion , is divided into foure parts . all men are obliged to honour and serve god all the dayes of their life , by the heedfull practice of all the exercises of religion and godlinesse , which hee hath prescribed in his holy word . neither ought they to let any day slip without the imployment of some time , and the carefull applying of themselves in some competent measure to that duty , that thereby they may thrive in the knowledge of truth which is after godlinesse , and increase in sanctification , without which no man shall see the lord. neverthelesse , seeing god hath ordained , that man in the sweat of his face shall eat his bread , and live by the labour of his owne hands , gen. . v. . that this transitory and dying life is besieged with so numerous an hoste of difficulties , that it cannot be guarded without many necessary imployments returning every day , that the labour whereunto all men are tied , will scarcely suffer them to take their breath , they cannot , for the most part , apply themselves to the necessary actions of gods service , with such care , vigilancie , attention , and continuance , as is requisite . these ordinary paines of temporall callings are a far greater impeachment to the publike and solemne service that the faithfull are bound to render joyntly to god in their publike meetings . for the king of heaven is not satisfied with their private devotions in their closets severally , or together with their families at home : but will have them also to doe unto him full and absolute homage abroad , confessing him to be their creator , redeemer , and perpetuall benefactor , calling upon his holy name , and setting forth his praise in their congregations , and religious assemblies . now the dayes of man are a warfare upon earth , and his dayes are like the dayes of an hireling , and the life of the faithfull is intangled and diverted with so many necessary and toilesome affaires , that it is very difficult unto them , to have such holy and religious meetings every day ; yea , in many places it is impossible . therefore it is altogether necessary , that a day be chosen and picked out from amongst a number of other dayes , and peculiarly appointed , that in it , as often as it returneth , all persons , setting aside the care of all temporall and worldly affaires , and daily imployments , may extraordinarily set themselves with one accord to serve god publikely in the assemblies appointed for that end , and that each person may , on that day , serve him apart , before and after the publike service , with such a regard and assiduity , that it goe beyond the ordinarie devotion of every day . no body amongst true christians which take to heart the honour , glory and service of god , will make a controversie of this . neither is this the subject of the controversie which is canvassed and sifted on both sides with great earnestnesse , yea with too great eagernesse between many christians , which are learned , godly , and consenting in the profession of the same doctrine and truth of the gospel of peace . their variance and disagreement is about the nature , beginning , and particular observation of the day which is separated from all other dayes , that it may be especially applied to gods service ; to wit , . if it be a thing of naturall justice , of perpetuall necessity , and whereunto all are tied by a morall commandement appertaining to the new as well as to the old testament , that of seven daies of the weeke one be kept for the end aforesaid . . if before the law was given by moses to the people of israel , yea if from the beginning of the world god himselfe made the particular designation of this day , setting it apart for his service , and commanding to adam , and to all his posterity , the hallowing and keeping of it . . if under the new testament there be a divine ordinance of such a day of rest , as well as there was under the old testament . . and if by gods command the consciences of faithfull christians are under the gospell as much obliged to hallow it , as the iewes were under the law , and for the better , and more religious sanctification thereof , to abstaine from all outward workes , which are lawfull and are practised on other daies , lest they should transgresse that divine commandement , and so finne against religion and conscience . these are the maine points which some learned divines , and godly christians instructed by them demurre upon . . some of them deeme , that the keeping of one of the seven dayes of the weeke is a morall and naturall duty , that god himselfe sanctified it for his service by an expresse and perpetuall commandement , that so it was from the beginning , so it is still , and shall never be otherwise till the end of the world . . that before sin came into the world , as soone as adam was created , god prescribed unto him and to eve our first parents , and in them to all men which were in their loynes , and were to come out of them , the hallowing of one day of the weeke , which was the seventh day . . that he reiterated and renewed this commandement in the fourth precept of the morall law , which he gave in horeb to the people of israel , and hath bound all christians under the new testament to hallow and keepe it religiously , because it is of the same nature with the rest of the commandements of the decalogue , which are all morall . . that for this cause our lord and saviour iesus christ , and his blessed apostles have ordained and prescribed it unto them ; and so all men have beene , all men are , all men shall in all times be tied to the religious observation thereof by the necessity of a divine and morall commandement . . that we are bound in conscience by the binding power of this commandement , to refraine alwayes on this seventh day of sabbath or of rest , from all earthly workes used on the other dayes of the weeke . . this onely they acknowledge , that the particular observation of one constant day amongst these seven , as of the first or of the last of seven , is not morall , nor of a like obligation under the old , and under the new testament ; that it is onely a point of order , and of ecclesiasticall government , which god did otherwise order and settle under the old , than he hath done under the new testament : that under the old testament , from the creation of the world , till the comming of christ , he ordained the observation of the last day of the weeke , in remembrance that he created the world in six dayes ; and rested on the seventh or last day from all the works that he had made : whereas he hath ordained , that under the new testament , the first day of the weeke shall be religiously solemnized , in remembrance that on that day our lord iesus christ rose from death to life , and by the exceeding greatnesse of the power of his glorious resurrection hath performed the worke of the second creation , which is the redemption of the world , from the slavery of the devill , the power of the law , the bondage of sinne ; and therefore it behooveth the first worke of the creation to yeeld to this worke the prerogative of excellencie of nature , as likewise of the possession which it had till then of the solemne day of rest . that for this cause so important and peremptory the day of gods service was to bee changed and removed from the last day of the weeke , wherein was finished the first creation , unto the first day wherin the second was fully accomplished by our lord iesus christ , who hath himselfe appointed this alteration . others doe hold , that verily it is a duty naturall , morall , and perpetuall , to serve god publikely ; . that all men are obliged unto it ; and bound to meet together in the church for that purpose . . that being there , they ought to give their mindes to the exercises of religion with a more particular earnestnes , & diligence , than they are able to do every day at home , or abroad . . that they must have a set day purposely stinted for the fulfilling of a duty so religious , so necessary , and so fruitfull . . but that such a day must be one of seven , or of another number , & which in order of that nūber , they deny to be a morall point , & to have in it any naturall necessity . for their tenet is , that it is a thing of order , & of ecclesiastical government , depending intirely of institution . . that indeed under the law , which god gave by moses to the children of israel , this holy and most perfect law-giver , amongst other points whereby he directed the ecclesiasticall order and church-government which that people was to be ruled by , instituted and commanded the consecrating of a severall day for his service , even of one of seven , and of the last of those seven which he had rested on from all his works , & a most strict & precise forbearance of all worldly works on that day . . but appeareth not at all , that god gave any commandement to adam , either before or after his fall , binding him or his progenie to the keeping of any day whatsoever , as to a thing morall and necessarie , neither is there any trace of such a commandement to be found , till the comming of the israelites to the wildernesse , for till then god had left it free . . that under the new testament one day of seven is kept , to wit , the first day of the weeke , wherein our lord iesus christ rose from the dead ; but not for any morall necessity tying all men to observe one day of the weeke ; nay , not for any expresse commandement which god the onely law-giver hath given by iesus christ , or his apostles , to keepe such a day , and namely the first ; but through an usage which hath beene introduced and conserved in the christian church since her first beginnings , till this present time . . that therefore this observation is simply of ecclesiasticall order , and that a cessation from ordinary workes on this day , is more particularly requisite than in another day of the weeke , seeing the church hath appointed and set it apart for gods publike service : yea , that an universall refraining from all these workes , to the intent that the whole day bee without disturbance bestowed on gods service , is good and laudable . . yet this is not in such sort necessary , as if it were a sin against religion and conscience to a christian , after divine service finished in the church , to apply himselfe to outward actions belonging to the lawful and honest commodities and pleasures of this decaying and troublesome life , when they doe it with christian wisedome , which must be the guide of all our actions , leading us so warily that we transgresse not the wholesome lawes of the state , or of the church wherein we live , and that we shun all partialities and cause of schisme , which is the bane of the church , dismembring , and tearing in factious pieces the mysticall body of our lord iesus christ , which the true doctrine of faith had preserved from the poyson of mortall herefie . of these two foresaid opinions , the last , to my judgement , is the truest , and hath more solid and cleare reasons than the first , as shall bee seene by the canvasing and sifting out of the reasons that are broached on both sides . which to doe more distinctly and clearely , i will divide this treatise into foure parts : in the first i shall endeavour to prove , that the institution and observation of a seventh day of sabbath , is not morall , that it began not with the beginning of the world , that it had no existence , till the people of israel were brought from egypt to the wildernesse , and was not known in any part of the universall world till then , and that the commandement whereby it was confirmed in horeb , obligeth not under the new testament . in the second , i shall answer all the reasons that i have found alleaged for the contrary opinion . in the third , i shall discourse of the appointing of sunday for gods service , and shew whence , in greatest likenesse of truth , it taketh its beginning and establishment in the christian church . in the last , i will declare what was the cessation of workes enjoyned in the sabbath day under the old testament , and how far we are obliged unto it under the new testament . for these are the principall points that christians jarre and differ about in this matter of the sabbath . perlegi hunc tractatum , cui titulus est [ a treatise of the sabbath and the lords-day ] & nihil reperio sanae doctrinae , aut bonis moribus contrarium , quo minus cum utilitate publicâ imprimatur ; ita tamen ut si non intra septem menses proxime sequentes typis mandetur , haec licentia sit omnino irrita . ex aedibus lambethanis ianuar. . . guil . bray r. in christo patri d. arch. cant. capel . domest . the first part wherein it is proved that the ordinance and observation of a seventh-day of sabbath , is not morall , hath not its beginning since the beginning of the world , and obligeth not under the nevv testament . chapter first . reason i. . first reason . the times and places of gods service , are accidentall circumstances , and have no morall equity in them , but depend on a particular institution . . god tooke occasion of his resting on the seventh day to institute that day . . confession of some that are of the contrary opinion . to establish the second of these two opinions afore mentioned , and to refute the first , whereby the observation of one day of rest in the weeke is affirmed to be a morall duty , i say first , that the nature of the thing called in question is repugnant to this opinio . for it is a thing evident of it selfe , that as the places , even so the times of gods service are accidentall circumstances , which have no foundation in any naturall and essentiall justice and equitie , nor any necessity inherent in them , but depend absolutely on the ordinance of god , or of men . what hath in it one day of seven , more than one of a greater or lesser number , wherefore we should affirme , that the observation of that day , rather than of another day , is a morall duty , appertaining , yea necessary to whole mankinde , that thereby it may attaine unto the end for which man was created , therfore it hath an obligatory power over all nations in all ages , which may bee demonstrated and shewed perspicuously by naturall reasons , as some have too hardily pronounced , but without any evidence produced , saving their simple word , which to men that have eyes in their heads , and scorne to be pythagoras disciples is no good payment . it was the creation of the world in sixe dayes , and gods rest on the seventh day , that was to god the occasion of the appointing of the seventh day , for his service : now who can shew in that wonderfull worke of the creation in sixe dayes , and in gods rest on the seventh day the least appearance of morality ? as there appeareth no such thing unto us , so no other reason of this dispensation is made manifest unto us , saving the good pleasure of god , who would have it so . for who can conceive , and farre lesse expresse and shew by words , any essentiall justice in the observation of this number of dayes that god pitched upon for the framing of his workes , and his resting from them ? some of them against whom i have undertaken this brotherly disputation , have acknowledged and said , that we observe not one day of seven under the new testament , as a part of gods service , but only as the time thereof , which sheweth that it is not a morall thing . for if it were , it should bee essentially a part of gods service , as is universally whatsoever is morall . vnder the old testament it made a part of gods service , not of the morall , but of the ceremoniall and typike service , established then in the infancy of the church , and which was not to continue but during that time , as we shall see hereafter . chapter second . reason . . second reason , adam knew not the sabbath by naturall light , therefore it was not morall . . reply by a distinction of morall things , in those that are naturall or positive . . first answer , all morall things are naturally just . . second answer , all morall things are perpetuall , which morall are not . secondly , if the keeping of a seventh day were a morall duty , our first father adam , by that light of nature which god put in his minde when he created him , would have knowne it , as well as he knew all other things which in themselves are good and necessary . but he neither had , nor should have had any knowledge thereof , if god had not injoyned it unto him by a particular commandement , as those which maintaine the morality of the sabbath doe avouch , pretending that such a command was given him for that end , which we shall ponder and discusse in time and place . in the meane while of this it followeth manifestly , that the observation of a seventh day , is a thing depending meerely of institution and ecclesiasticall regiment , and that in the decalogue the fourth commandement , in as farre as it injoyneth a seventh day , is not of the same nature with the rest : for if it were , god had observed the same course towards adam for that commandement , as hee did for all the rest , and for all the rest as for that , which neverthelesse he did not : for he ingraved the substance and tenor of all the other commandements in adams heart , and made him to know them naturally , without any instruction by word of mouth , whereof he had no need . but he wrote not in his heart the knowledge of the fourth commandement , seeing , as they say , he declared it unto them by audible words resounding in his eares , that he might know it : whence it followeth , that all the rest are morall , but this is not whereof we shall have occasion to discourse more largely in the first chapter of the second part of this treatise . of those that defend the morality of one sabbath day in the weeke , some seeke to decline the weight and edge of the foresaid arguments by a frivolous distinction , saying , that morall things are of two sorts , the one that are founded in the law of nature , and therefore oblige all men naturally : the others that are of a positive law , depend on institution , and notwithstanding are parts of the morall law , of a perpetuall necessity , and of an immutable right , as well as all other morall precepts are ; that the morall law , as it is morall , is of farre greater extension then is the law of nature , and that the sabbath is morall in this last sort . but first , they speake against the ordinary sence and custome of all men , who by the word morall understand that which is naturally and universally just , that is , which reason when it is not misled , and the inward law of nature dictateth by common principles of honesty , or ought to dictate to all men , of it selfe , without any outward vsher : this law all men take for the law of nature , and reciprocally they take the law of nature for this law : which is proved by the ordinary and common distinction that all divines make betweene the morall , ceremoniall , and judiciall lawes , which in former times god gave to the iewes , in which distinction they referre to the last hands and sorts all the positive ordinances which pertained to the ecclesiasticall or civill government , and to the first the ordinances and rules of the law of nature , wherof these others were circumstantiall appendices and determinations . nay morall signifieth onely the duties of essentiall godlinesse and righteousnesse , in things belonging naturally to good and holy manners , towards god , or towards man , whether in doing good , or departing from evill , and not all things that may be usefull , and in some sort may bee referred to the rules of good behaviour . otherwise things ceremoniall and judiciall , as such , should not bee distinguished from morall things , for these also have an usefull reference to the foresaid duties of good and godly behaviour . and therefore if the ordinance of the sabbath , although advowed to bee a positive law , is notwithstanding called morall , it shall bee , in one and the same respect , both morall and ceremoniall , and all ther ceremonies may after the same manner challenge the name of moralities , which is absurd . secondly , after they have confessed the sabbath to bee a part of the positive law , grounded only on the order and discipline that god was pleased to establish , they broach an affirmation without ground and without reason , when they say therewith , that it is of an immutable right , and carrieth with it a perpetuall obligation . for where and from whence is there any evidence of this ? doth this right belong to all things that are of the positive law ? their condition and nature giveth it unto them ? will any divine , any lawgiver , any logician make of this a probleme , and hold for the affirmative ? away with sophistry and captious dealing . it must bee the revealed will of god that matcheth positive with naturall lawes , and marketh them with the silver stampe of immutability . now if god hath not communicated this dignity with any positive law ordained by him from the beginning of the world till this day , what appearance is there , that he hath given it , as it were by birth-right , to the sabbath ? have they to underprop this their assertion any cleere and evident testimony brought from the unreprocheable truth of holy scripture ? for we make no account of any mans bare affirmation . but the whole drift of the discourse following shall shew more and more , god willing , how short they come of their promises , and of the but and blank they aime at . chapter third . reason . . the pagans never knew , neither by nature , nor by tradition , the necessity of the keeping of a seventh day of sabbath . . yet they knew all morall duties commanded in the first and second table of the morall law. . they knew also , that god is to be served publikely , and that a part of his service consisted in the offering of sacrifices . . they knew likewise by naturall light , that some dayes are to be appointed for his service , and are blamed for the transgression of all other commandements that are morall , &c. . but are never blamed for the inobservation of one day of seven . . nay they did laugh to scorne the iewish sabbath . . answer to an objection taken out of philo against the foresaid affirmation . . to another from iosephus . . as also to other passages of diverse authors , pagans , iewes , and christians , which serve to overthrow it . . the pagans did never keepe regularly , for their publike devotions , any other seventh day of the weeke . . yea are never reproved for any such omission . . reply to this answer . . first answer to the said reply . . second answer unto it . my third argument shall be taken from this , that the gentiles never knew by naturall light , nor also by tradition come unto them from hand to hand by the care of their fore-fathers , the necessity of the keeping of the seventh day of the weeke , and never practised any such day . surely if it were a morality , and a point of the law of nature , or if god had prescribed it by a particular commandement to adam , willing him to sanctifie it particularly , and to celebrate in it the remembrance of his workes and rest , hee had done it purposely , that adam should instruct his off-spring to the like , seeing there was a like reason for them and for him . yea all his progeny and successors , in whom abideth still the law of nature , although darkened with sinne , had knowne in some sort by the residue of the light of nature glittering in them , that they were bound to keepe a seventh day . at least the notice of this commandement , which is pretended to have beene given to their first father from the beginning , should have come to them by tradition successively from the fathers to the children till their dayes . for we see that all the gentiles by the light of nature , and by tradition , have had some knowledge of all things that in themselves are good and lawfull , and of all morall precepts . they have knowne , that one true and onely god is to bee worshipped in spirit and in truth , and not in materiall idols : that his name ought to bee hallowed , and great heed is to bee had , that it bee not prophaned : that respect and honour is to bee yeelded to fathers , to mothers , and to all superiours : that murther , adultery , lechery , theft , false witnesse , covetousnesse of things belonging to another , are vices condemnable , and worthy to bee censured . we finde a great deale of good precepts and excellent documents in the lawes and writings of paynims pertaining to these points . and they all may be confirmed by naturall reason . therefore the apostle speaking of infidels in his epistle to the romanes , romanes . verse , . saith , that they doe by nature the things contained in the law , shew the worke of the law written in their hearts , and are a law unto themselves . if they have sinned against these points , as undoubtedly they have most horribly many wayes , as the same apostle sheweth in the first chapter of the said epistle , they have by such hainous and monstrous sinnes fought against their owne knowledge , and detained in unrighteousnesse the truth which god had imprinted in their mindes , and whereof they were not ignorant , romanes . . whereupon god thunders fearefull threats upon their unrighteous heads , which in all ages have beene accompanied with terrible thunder bolts of exemplary judgment . moreover , in things concerning gods outward and publike service , they have knowne , that all men ought to serve god publikely , and that to offer sacrifices unto him , is a service wherewith he is well pleased . this they knew , not onely by a naturall instinct , and by the voice of that inward doctor , saying to their hearts , that all sinnes whereof mortall men are guilty , must be expiated , and that atonement must be made betweene man offender , and god offended , by offerings and sacrifices ; but also questionlesse , by an acquired knowledge , come unto them successively , from these first fathers , who by gods ordinance and allowance had offered sacrifices of atonement to his most holy majesty : this is the true originall and source of the sacrifices , which these blinde and mis-led wights have alwaies offered to the god-head , which they in their ignorance thought worthy to be worshipped . they have likewise knowne by naturall and necessary consequence ; that seeing god will be served publikely , and by troupes of people , times must be appointed for their meetings . therefore they have with one accord consecrated festivall and solemne daies for the publike and common exercises of their religion : a and god hath often blamed the vices and abominations of their sacrifices and solemnities , propounding and traducing them in the persence of his people , to whom hee spoke , having regard to their instruction and correction , and not to the conversion of the gentiles , whom hee suffered to walke in their owne waies , acts . vers . . but as there is no naturall reason shewing the least sparkle of justice and equity , in the keeping of the seventh day of the weeke rather than another : so the gentiles did not keepe , and are no where blamed for not keeping one day of seven , which is to be thought on , and considered with great attention : for if they knew , or were bound to know the necessity of the observation of this day , if they were obliged unto it , as to a morall thing , or as to an ordinance of god , published by god himselfe to all men in the person of adam , father of us all , from the beginning of the world ; i aske , what can be the cause that god never accused , never reprehended them for the inobservation , or profanation of so holy a day ? seeing hee rebuked and threatned them so eagerly for the transgression of all other commandements of the morall law , as may be seene in divers places of the bookes of moses : fxodus . verse . . exod. . vers . . , , , . levit. . vers . . . levit. . vers . . deut. . vers . . deut. . vers . . . . . deut. . ver . . . . . of the prophets : king. . vers . . . chron. . vers . . &c. psal. . vers . . &c. esa. . vers . . , . esa. . vers . . esa. . vers . , esa. . vers . . &c. ierm . . vers . . . ierem. . vers . . . . , . ierem. . ver . . . . ezech. . vers . . ezech. . vers . . ezech. . verse . . . ezech. . vers . . . ezech. . vers . . . , . . ezech. . vers . . ezech. . vers . . . . amos . vers . . . . . obad. vers . . , . micah . vers . . nahum . . vers . . nahum . . vers . . nahum . . vers . . habak . . vers . . . . habak . . vers . . . . . . . . zeph. . vers . . . . zech. . vers . . . and else-where , and of the new testament , and namely in the first chapter of the epistle to the romans . againe , i would faine know , how it is come to passe , that gods ordinary custome was to withdraw the israelites from all the vices that he had forbidden , by telling them , that the profane and aliene nations had defiled themselves with all these vices , and when these vices of infidells were in some sort of such a quality , that they sorted well to his people , would most bitterly upbraide them with following the abominations of the nations , and yet hee hath never kept that course in the inhibitions that hee hath made so frequently to the israelites , against the breach of the sabbath , hath never told them that the gentiles were sabbath-breakers , hath never warned them not to follow in this crime their example , which had beene much to the purpose , if the gentiles had beene obliged to keepe the sabbath day . surely god never tied them by any positive law to such a day , neither gave hee them any notice thereof by the inbred light of nature ; and it appeareth not any where , that they ever heard amongst them any mention of a seventh day of sabbath , but as of a iewish ceremony and ecclesiasticall regiment , the rumour whereof ranne abroad , after the law was given to the people of israel in the wildernesse . hence it is , that this ceremonies is by their authours attributed to the iewes , as come from them , and particular to their nation . yea , many of them laid it in their dish with flowting and derision . whereunto some doe apply these words of ieremiah , in his lamentations , chap. . verse . the adversaries of ierusalem saw her , and did mocke at her sabbaths : and seneca , a wise heathen , said of the iewes , jeering at them , that by the observation of their sabbath , they made losse of the seventh part of their life . they object against this , that philo , a learned iew , who lived in the times of the apostles , in the second booke of the life of moses , speaking of other nations , which were aliens from the common-wealth of israel , and strangers from the covenants of promise made with the iewes , saith , with an affirmative interrogation ; who doth not honour the sacred and holy day that returneth every weeke ? but besides that , it may be hee spoke hyperbolically , and led away with a iewish affection towards the ceremonies of his owne nation , he designes , at the most , some reverend opinion which the observation of that day , solemnized with so great devotion amongst the iewes , had purchased amongst forraine nations , which seeing that iewish discipline and devotion , were in a manner , forced to admire it , and not that they also kept it commonly , as being , or holding that they were naturally obliged thereunto . it is manifest that wee must give this interpretation to these words of philo , by other places , where in the same , yea , in stronger termes , hee saith the like of the fast observed solemnely by the iewes on a certaine day of the yeere : who , saith hee , doth not worship with admiration , the feast which returneth yeerely in the sacred month ? and in generall , speaking of all the statutes observed by the iewes , and of all the lawes given by moses , hee saith , that men of all other nations almost had them in some veneration . this moses had foretold in the booke of deuteronomy , chap. . vers . . where speaking to the people of the statutes and iudgements which hee had taught them , even as the lord his god commanded him , hee saith , keepe therefore , and doe them , for this is your wisedome and your understanding in the sight of all nations , which shall heare all these statutes , and shall say , surely this great nation alone , is awise and understanding people . thus philo sheweth cleerely enough ; that the gentiles knew nothing of the sabbath day , no more then of the other ordinances of moses , but by the relation of the iewes : hee attributeth nothing to the sabbath , but hee affirmeth the same of all other ordinances of the law , and therefore no man can build upon his words a more universall obligation for the sabbath , then for all the rest of the iewish ceremonies . for who will say , that the fast and other ceremonies which he speakes of in the same discourse , obliged by a naturall or positive law other nations , or that they were ordinarily practised among them ? likewise , when he saith in his booke , of the workemanship of the world , that the sabbath day is a feast , not of one people only , but of all nations , hee uttereth onely his opinion concerning the dignity and merit of that day , and not what was in effect practised amongst other nations , as hee explaineth his owne words , adding , this day is worthy to be called a feast of all natitions , although no nation in the world , the iewes excepted , hath ever solemnized it with a common and ordinary observation . and indeed , this learned man , writing in his booke upon the decalogue , that the fourth commandement ordaineth the seventh day , and an holy and pious observation thereof , hee appropriates that saying to the iewes , adding , that every seventh day is holy to the iewes , and faith onely of other nations , that some of them observed a seventh day every moneth , beginning to reckon the daies by the new moone . if perhaps some amongst these people reverenced and observed the seventh day of the weeke in some sort , that came not from a naturall instinct inforcing them thereunto , nor from any knowledge derived unto them by the traditions and instructions of their fathers , but from imitations of the iewes , from whose practice and fashions in their religious devotions , and amongst the rest in the observation and celebration of the sabbath , questionlesse many particularities were introduced amongst the gentiles , in the celebration of their feasts and solemnities . as some among them , taking example from the iewes , circumcised their children . this is the meaning of iosephus , in his second booke against appion , when hee saith , that other nations had zeale and emulation for the piety and religion of the iewes , and forthwith alledgeth the custome of the seventh day , as which was come to them all : of which passage , those that alledged it , cannot take an argument for the moralitie and perpetuitie of the sabbath day , more then for the other ceremonies of the iewes admitted and allowed of all , which the same people and nations imitated , and whereof iosephus speaketh in the same place . for hee mentioneth with the seventh day the fasts , lights , prohibition of certaine meats , which hee saith also to have beene observed by them , not for any reason and naturall obligation that they saw in these things , or in the sabbath , more than in the rest , but through a facility and inclination of mans spirit to imitate the outward fashions of devotion which are practised by others . these passages of philo , of iosephus , and others , gathered out of other authors , iewes , pagans , christians , which make mention of a common knowledge of the seventh day of sabbath among the gentiles , and also of some kinde of observation thereof amongst some of them , are of no use : for all these authors have written long , yea , some thousand yeeres and more , after the establishment of the iewish government and religion . at which time the ordinance that god had given to the iewes , about the sabbath , might have beene knowne of all nations , and imitated of those who thought fit so to doe . were not the ten tribes transported out of their native soile , and dispersed among the medes , perses , and other nations ? had not the iewes beene captives in babylon threescore and ten yeeres , and sent home by cyrus , afore any man amongst the gentiles , set his hand to a penne to write histories ? were not the iewes spred over the whole roman empire before christ came into the world ? what wonder then , if their rites and ceremonies were knowne every where , yea , and followed by those of the gentiles that became proselytes , such as was the ethiopian . evnuch in his owne countrey ? acts . vers . . the roman centurion cornelius in cesaria , acts . verse . another centurion in capernaum , luke . verse , . and more , during the empire of the romans , and may be , before it also . what if whole nations had imbraced all the iewish ceremonies , or a part of them , or the sabbath onely , and a thousand writers should give testimony thereunto , can wee out of that cloud of heathen , iewish , or christian witnesses , make a necessary inference , that the observation of a seventh day of sabbath , is a point of the naturall and morall law , or that it had sway as soone as the world began ? which is the maine point in this question to be thorowly sifted out , and cleerely proved . as for the passages of a few heathenish poets , linus , homere , hesiode , which speake of the seventh day , as of a holy day , that all things were made in , exceptions may be taken against them , because either they are not to be found in those authors , upon whom they are fathered , and therefore they are justly suspected to be a cuckoes egges , or are mis-taken , and wrested into a contrary meaning , which is most cleere in the passage of hesiode , who speaketh not of a seventh day of the weeke , but of a seventh day of the moneth , consecrated to the remembrance of apollo's birth , and whose holinesse was not thought by him , nor others , to have a more ancient beginning . i say further , that these writers lived many hundred yeeres after the law was given by moses to the iewes , that some knowledge of the points of the said law , and by it of the keeping of the seventh day might have come unto them , but under a cloud so thicke and darke , that they spoke of it , as all the poets have done of the floud , saying , that on the seventh day all things were made , whereas on it nothing was made . some of those which lay hold on such passages , seeing this , acknowledge freely , that they are not strong enough to inforce men to beleeve , that from the beginning , and in all times , the gentiles celebrated the seventh day , and made of it a day of rest . indeed , if wee could finde that the gentiles have commonly , and regularly observed from time to time a seventh day , though not the same seventh , to wit , the last of seven that god rested in , and hallowed , a more probable inference might be made of that continuall practice , that the observation of a seventh day , is of the law of nature , or at least , that god from the beginning injoyned it to all mankinde , and that so it passed by tradition to the gentiles , yet not without receiving some alteration and corruption by processe of time , and by the trechery of men . but no such thing is to be found , nothing can be gathered out of the ancient writers , saving this onely , that the gentiles have kept holy and solemne daies , yet with great diversitie , which fits not the turne of the maintainers of the sabbath , but availeth onely to prove , that the hallowing of some daies to the god-head for his solemne service , is a point of the law of nature ; further it goeth not , and is no manner of way steading to prove the necessity of the consecration of a particular day amongst a setled number , rather then of another day , and farre lesse of a seventh day for gods service . i repeat what i have said before in part , that if the keeping of a seventh day had beene a point of naturall morality , and if god had commanded it from the beginning to adam , father of all mankinde , to be kept by him , and by all his off-spring after him , all the gentiles in all times should have knowne and practised it , either by naturall instinct , or by tradition , as they had the knowledge of all other morall duties , and in some measure practised them . of if they had utterly forgotten that day , god had rebuked them for this omission and inobservation , as he reprehended them most sharply for the transgression of all the rest of morall commandements . as indeed they had beene for such an omission and commission blame worthy , chiefly after they were informed by the renued institution of this day among the iewes , that god had ordained it from the beginning of the world , to be kept by all men , they should not have found any pretence to excuse the ignorance of their duty , whereby they were bound to keepe holy that day , if , as it is pretended , the fourth commandement of the law implyed an universall observation of that dutie amongst all people and nations of the world . for if they beleeved not , that the commandement did belong to them , their unbeliefe could not be unto them a cause of excuse , and make them blamelesse : nay , they were so much the more worthy of reprehension , that their blindnesse was voluntary : and in such a case god had not beene silent . some of those that acknowledge the ordinance of the sabbath to be a positive cōmandement , unknowne by nature , and depending wholly of institution , yet as ancient as the creation of our first parents , reply , that god did not checke the gentiles for the inobservation of the sabbath , because hee had matters worthy of reprehension of farre greater consequence then this was , namely hainous crimes against the law of nature common to them all , which made him to conceale this under the cloake of silence , as being onely an omission of a positive law forgotten by them , and of farre lesser consequence then these monstrous and ougly sinnes : that no man can infer of this silence , that the ordinance of the sabbath hath not beene , and was not obligatory from the beginning , seeing we finde some crimes committed even against the law of nature , which god hath not in any part of holy scripture censured in the gentiles . as for example , polygamy , or having of moe than one wife at once . and yet no christian will inferre thence , that the mariage of two persons only to be one flesh , hath not beene established by god from the beginning , to be practised of all men . this reply is of small weight . for although the forgetting and inobservation of the sabbath be a crime lesser , than are many which are committed against the law of nature , and that might have beene a reason to god to censure it more seldome , and not so eagerly in the gentiles , as he did in his owne people , yet in all likenesse of truth , it could not bee a reason to his wisdome and goodnesse , why he should not reprove it at all , but passe it under perpetuall silence , whiles he rebuked in diverse places most carefully their other crimes , seeing that when he made reflexion upon the iewes , although the inobservation of the sabbath , considered in it selfe , was in them also a crime of lesser moment , then others whereby they violated the morall law , neverthelesse hee hath most frequently and sharpely imputed it unto them . if the renewing of the sabbath to them , as is pretended , was afterwards to god a sufficient ground and just reason , to reprove them grievously , both for the oblivion , and for the contempt thereof , when now and then they transgressed in the one or in the other , supposing the first institution of the sabbath to have beene made for all men , and given to all from the beginning of the world , why was it not also a just cause to chide the gentiles , if not so eagerly as the iewes , yet in some sort , for transgressing it , namely when god set himselfe purposely to condemne their faults , and so much the more , that the oblivion of it could not in any sort bee a colourable excuse to helpe them . moreover the neglecting of such a day continually , by sinne of omission , for want of observation , and not only the setting at naught , but also the profaning of that day , which god had ordained to be holy , and to be used in all nations with great holinesse , for so notable , and so worthy an end , as is the commemoration of that great worke of the creation common to all men , and so falling into the most filthy sinne of commission , for polluting the said day by doing all kind of workes and actions contrary to the sanctification thereof , and thus heaping transgression upon transgression , was not a crime of so little importance , that it can make any man beleeve , that god would have exempted it from all kind of censure in the gentiles , when he checked their other sinnes , seeing he blamed it so extreamely in the iewes , and made the reproofes of that sinne to sound so a loud in their eares . the instance before urged , that god found not fault with the polygamie of the gentiles , although it was against the institution of god in the beginning , and also against the law of nature ( as is said , but not granted , ) is found to be false : for in the eighteenth chapter of leviticus , where god speaketh to the iewes , forbids all unlawfull and impure cohabitations , amongst many others in the . verse , he forbids them to take a wife and her sister , or to her sister , that is , to take another wife with the first , to vexe the first by conjunction with the other , in the first wives life time . for this is the signification of the hebrew phrase , as wee may see by diverse examples , genesis . verse . exodus . verse . exodus . verse . . moreover , god addeth in the same chapter of leviticus ver . . , . that in this filthy crime , as in all others that are there named , the nations had defiled themselves , for which the land had vomited them out . chapter fourth . reason . . the patriarkes from the creation till the law , knew not the observation of a seventh day in the weeke . . the publike service of god began in the time of enos , and was , in all likenesse of truth , solemnized every day of the weeke . . from noah till the law , the families of the patriarkes served god privately , and kept not the seventh day . . confirmation of this truth by scriptures , and by the consent of ancient and moderne divines . . answer to the first reply , the patriarkes fasted , and their fasts are not written . . answer to the second reply : the patriarkes are not reproved for polygamie , no more than for the inobservation of the sabbath . . answer to the third reply , taken from a pretended paritie of reason betweene the making of one man and one woman to be one flesh , and gods rest on the seventh day . . answer to the fourth reply , that no mention is made of the sabbath day in the booke of iudges , and some others written after the law was given in horeb. . conclusion of the foresaid reasons taken from the gentiles and the patriarkes . if the keeping of one seventh day of rest had beene a morall commandement , and if god had given it to adam to bee sanctified by him and his posterity , at least the patriarkes and holy fathers , amongst whom remained the exercise of true religion had knowne that day , and hallowed it by the ordinary duties of godlinesse , as they knew and observed in the whole course of their life all other morall commandements . wee finde in their lives written by moses many proofes and examples of the religious worship which they yeelded to iehovah alone , as to the only true , only perfect , only almighty and all sufficient god , walking in sincerity and integrity before his face , genesis . ver . . genesis . ver . . genes . . ver . . of their hatred against idols , which were to them things so abominable , that they buryed them under the ground , as not only unworthy , but also ougly to be seene , and infectious to be touched , gen. . v. . . of their religious care to hallow the name of god , by calling upon his holy name , genesis . ver . . by vowing vowes to his divine majesty , gen. . ver . . by taking holily and religiously in their mouthes his glorious and fearefull name in the necessary oathes that they made before him , gen. . ver . . . gen. . ver . . of the awfull observance and obedience wherewith they honoured fathers , mothers , masters , and all superiors , gen. . ver . . gen. . ver . , . gen. . ver . . gen. . ver . . gen. . ver . . of the abomination and detestation that was in their inward parts against murther , genesis . ver . , . whoredome , adultery , incest , gen. . ver . . gen. . ver . . gen. . ver . . gen. . ver . . theft , gen. . ver . . . gen. . ver . . . leasings and false witnesse , genesis . ver . . gen. . ver . . and consequently lust , which is the fruitfull mother of all those vices , gen. . ver . . . gen. . ver . . . but wee find no where that they kept holy a seventh day , for gods outward service , according to the fourth commandement of the law given afterwards in mount sina . this only doe we find , that they practised that service , builded altars , offered sacrifices to the lord indifferently in all dayes , and at all houres , as they had occasion . neither is it any where noted in holy scripture , that they had any set day , farre lesse a seventh day prefixed unto them for their exercises , which were never particularly tyed to a seventh , day with preference to other dayes of the weeke . yea considering that the consecration of a certaine day for gods service , whatsoever it be , is not properly necessary , but when many may troope together , and make up a body of a church to solemnize that service publikely , with great assemblies of people , it may be justly questioned , if when the patriarkes were alone , when they were with their little families , might with them serve god every day easily and with great assiduity , being , as they were , disposed to all exercises of godlinesse , and not being incombred with the many and great affaires which ensnare those that give themselves too much to worldly businesses , whether at all they kept any ordinary day more prrticularly then other dayes , if they served not god alike every day without distinction of dayes , unknowne at that time , and more particularly , if they erected not altars , and offered sacrifices on them , as god gave them some particular occasions , they not having a constant rule given unto them for the time and place of these devotions . when it is said in the fourth of genesis verse . that in the time of enos , men began to call upon the name of the lord , although this passage may suffer diverse interpretations , yet , it is likely , and it is the most current interpretation , that it betokeneth , that enos and the remnant of the faithfull associated with him , being growen to a competent multitude , withdrew themselves from the wicked and worldy brood of cain , and began to institute among themselves a more solemne service then had beene in former times , and for the celebration of that service ordained of free choice set times and places ; for which cause the scripture saith , that they began to call upon the name of the lord , to wit , publikely and in a numerous assemblie , which had not beene practised before . if this be the true sence of these words , yet it shall not follow by any necessary argument or reason , that they established for that publike service a particular day returning successively after a certaine number of dayes , seeing it is as probable , that this calling upon the name of the lord which they began in those dayes , was indifferently every dayes exercise , in each of which they came together to call upon god , and to serve him in the time and place that they had appointed , their number not being so great , nor their necessary imployments about the things of this life so many , but that they might set a part some houres every day for this holy businesse . nay granting that they appointed a certaine day out of a greater number , to remaine firme and unmoveable , what reason can any man produce , why it ought to be the seventh day of the weeke ? was it because god rested on that day ? but how could they guesse that this was a reason obliging them to the sanctification of that day , seeing it is not a reason carrying with it any naturall evidence of obligation , and is no reason at all , but by the free will and appointment of god ? will they say , that from the creation of the world god blessed and hallowed that day to men ? but this is the point in question . or that enos and his fellowes asked counsell at the mouth of the lord , to learne of him on what day they should meet to yeeld unto his majesty the publike service which they had instituted , and that god ordained unto them the seventh day of the weeke ? this is a conceit taken at randome , without any certaine ground . they know well enough already what kinde of service they ought to yeeld to god , and in what religious actions it consisted : for god from the beginning had acquainted his church with it , and their fathers had trained them in the knowledge and practise thereof , neither was it needfull that they should aske advise of the lord concerning this duty . therefore it was not necessary , nay it was rather unseemely , that they should aske him what was the time of the ordinary and publike practise of that service , as if they had not beene bound to judge , that having no great lets to interrupt their devotion , they ought to appoint a fit time every day for so holy and necessary a duty : or , at least , if they alloted any day of rest , the more frequent they should make it , so much the better should they performe their duty , and be so much the more acceptable to god. and in case god had named unto them such a day , there is no probablenesse that he ordained one of seven , as he did afterwards to the people of israel . for they were but a small number of people , and might easily keepe moe dayes in the weeke than one , without any hinderance to their worldly affaires . but the israelites being growen to a great and populous common-wealth , god assigned unto them the seventh day of the weeke , as a particular point of that ecclesiasticall government , whereof hee prescribed unto them all the particularities . therefore the consequence from the one to the other is manifestly of no value . but upon that which is said , that in enos his time men began to call upon the name of the lord , that is , to ordaine a publike service , and unmoveable times for it , i doe inferre with great probability , that before that time there was none such , and therefore no seventh day was kept . for if it had beene observed , how could it be said , that in enos his time men began to call upon the name of the lord ? this good course begun in the dayes of enos continued undoubtedly afterwards , as long as the malice of men could suffer it . for their wickednesse was great , and the corruption had crept from among the sonnes of men among the sonnes of god in such manner , that it drew upon the face of the earth an universall floud of waters , which destroyed all men then living , noah and his families consisting of eight persons only excepted . after the floud , there is little or no mention made of any exercise of the true religion , saving in the dayes of abraham , isaac , and iacob , and in their families . them god had chosen and picked out from the rest of the world , with them god made his covenant , they were religious and obsequious servants of almighty god ; but their families being small , gods service might with great facility be practised in them every day , and there was no necessity of setting a part an ordinary day for the gathering together of their children and servants , which ordinarily were never so farre separated , but that they might come together once or twice a day to doe homage to the lord their god. therefore there is no probablenesse that there was among them a particular keeping of such a day . at least we read not any such thing , till the time that abrahams posterity being much increased and multiplyed in the land of aegypt , god brought them out of that land , gathered them together in the wildernesse , and afterwards in the land of canaan , made choise of them amongst all the nations of the world to be his people , gave them his statutes , prescribed unto them all the particularities of his publike service , and ordained the observation of the seventh day of the weeke for the solemne practise thereof . this ordinance became then necessary , because gods church was become a great people . verily , it is not likely , that if the patriarkes had kept unmoveably a stinted day , and namely the seventh day of the weeke , as a divine ordinance , that the holy history would have beene silent , and made no mention of it . it relateth unto us carefully things of far lesser moment , it hath set downe their lives , hath specified the generall points of the service which they yeelded to god , by prayer , by building of altars , by offering of sacrifices upon them . but it maketh no mention , neither generall , nor particular of any day hallowed by them for the exercise of these their devotions , which undoubtedly they would have appropriated to that day : and so there was a fit occasion to speake of the day , in speaking of the service , if there had beene any such day consecrated by them . wherefore the particular times kept by them ordinarily , or extraordinarily in the practise of gods service , depended on their wisdome and will , which being carryed with most earnest affection to godlinesse , and to the performing of all duties belonging to gods service , there is no question to bee made , but that they imployed a good deale of time every day to the practise of all exercises of religion , and upon speciall occasions of new and extraordinary blessings , increased their devotion , and gave unto it proportionally a longer measure of time . all the service wherewith they honoured the lord their god consisted undoubtedly in prayers and in sacrifices , whereof mention is made in their lives registred in the scripture , but it is not likely that they honoured a seventh day of sabbath , because it is no where written . also the ancient fathers , for the most part , some rabbins of the iewes , many recent and orthodoxe divines deny it directly : amongst those that affirme it , the most learned and renowned dare not avouch it , but as a thing uncertaine and probable only . and amongst those that most confidently stand unto it , some are constrained to call in question , if the patriarkes kept it , after the manner which was afterwards prescribed to the iewes , to wit , with a strict obligation of an exact cessation from all workes , as from kindling of fire , &c. exod. . ver . . all these thought it a thing unsutable to the condition of the patriarkes , that they should have been loaden with so many scruples and difficulties . neverthelesse it is most probable , that if god had charged them with the keeping of the sabbath day , he would also have tyed them to this intermission of workes , in consideration whereof it was called the sabbath , it represented and called to remembrance gods resting from all his workes , and was a type of the spirituall , eternall , and glorious rest of the faithfull in the kingdome of heaven , which was the principall end of the institution thereof . i might stuffe the paper with the testimonies of all the foresaid authors , if i had not resolved to dispute by arguments taken out of holy scripture , and from reason , and not by authorities of men . divers replies are made against this argument , to impaire the strēgth , & debace the worth therof , when i say , it is not written that the patriarchs observed the sabbath , and therefore they kept it not . and first , they suppose that they celebrated divers fasts , whereof no mention is made in the booke of holy scripture , which is indeed a meere supposition , if fasting be taken properly for daies of abstinence from all kind of meat , through devotion , and for religious ends . for where is that written ? if it be not written , as it is not , why may i not mistrust , gain-say , and deny it , and pray the authors of this reply , to defend their cause , not with forcelesse and deniable suppositions , but with powerfull and undeniable reasons from scripture , or from nature . now , supposing their supposition to be as true , as i suppose it to be false , doe they not know that fasting is not a part of gods service , that god hath not beene earnest about it ; that by the law of moses , which exacted so many kindes of serviceable devotions , he commanded no ordinary and stinted fast , saving a yeerely one , for a typicall reason , on the feast of atonement , levit. . verse . . . and levit. . vers . . ? that he prescribed not any before the law , and hath not injoyned any to christians under the gospell ? therefore god having left the indiction and observation of such fasts free , as the patriarchs should thinke fit , although now and then they had humbled themselves before god with extraordinary fasting , it is no marvell that no mention is made thereof in the history of their religious exercises , because it was not one of them , but , at the most , a certaine helpe unto them , or an accidentall dependancy on them . the same must be said of all other doings of the patriarches , which either did not belong to gods service , or were not of great importance . for it was not needfull that the scripture should tell us all things done by them in their imployments about the affaires of this present life . this cannot be said of the observation of the sabbath day : for seeing it is pretended to be morall , that god from the beginning of the world ordained it to adam , and to all his progeny , that it hath alwaies been necessary for his service , undoubtedly it had beene mentioned in the history of the patriarchs , if they had practised it . but seeing it is not so much as once named , this perpetuall silence theweth , in all likelihood , that they never practised it , that therefore all that is pretended to the contrary is untrue . this , as i have said , the most part of the ancient , and many of our modern divine confirme by their consent . secondly , some doe make another reply , saying , that albeit the patriarches had not kept the sabbath day , nothing can be thence concluded , saving an oblivion and negligence of that day , which should not call in question the first institution and observation therof , no more then polygamie , which is the having at once of moe wives then one , practised in their time , not onely by infidels , but by them also , can justifie , that the holy law of marriage betweene two persons onely , was not established from the beginning . to this i answer , that there is no even match betweene these two . for the scripture teacheth us cleerely in the history of the creation , that in the beginning god formed but one man , and one woman , which he took from man , and established marriage between them two onely , that they might be twaine in one flesh , and no more , and that adam had a perfect and cleere knowledge of this truth , genes . . vers . , , . likewise in other places of the ancient testament , malac. . vers . . and of the new testament , matth. . vers . , . mark. . vers . , . ephes. . vers . . the unseparable union of two persons in wedlocke is confirmed by the institution of marriage in the beginning . moreover , this institution is grounded on justice and honesty , knowne of pagans , which had no light given them by instruction from the word of god. all the holy fathers that were before the flood , observed it faithfully . the first that violated it was lamech , a man of the posterity of wicked cain , of whom it is recorded , as a thing extraordinary and new , that he tooke unto him two wives , genes . . vers . . wherefore , if after the flood some practised polygamie , no man can thence make a sound inference , that by gods institution it was so from the beginning , seeing the contrary is evident and undeniable : and that abuse of marriage by plurality of wives among the patriarches , must be imputed to some other reasons . what if among the israelites , many stumbled at the same stone ? who will inferre thence , that god had not forewarned them to take heed to their waies , forebidding them to multiply their wives , by an expresse law , which may be seene , levit. . vers . . and deut. . vers . ? but seeing wee can no where finde , that before the law was given by moses , the patriarches kept the seventh day of rest , we have good reason to make a question , if that day was instituted from the beginning of the world : for the institution thereof appeareth not cleerely in the historie of the creation , it is not in any part of the bible referred to that first time , neither is it grounded on any naturall or morall righteousnesse , as shall be seene largely hereafter . this is a sufficient answer to a third reply , which some would faine take from purity of reason , saying , that as in the beginning god made but one man , and one woman , and matched them together to be one body , and to beget a lawfull and holy posterity . mal. . vers . . and as malachy gathereth thence a perpetuall rule , even so from gods resting on the seventh day wee ought to gather a perpetuall rule of the sanctification of that day . for , as it is manifest by that which hath been said , there is a great disparity betweene these two , cosidering that in the first , which is the union of two persons in wedlocke , there is a foundation of naturall honesty and righteousnesse , whereof the practise and confirmation hath beene alwaies since the beginning of the world , both in the old and new testament . but in the second , which concerneth gods rest on the seventh day , and his hallowing of that day , rather than of any other , there is no naturall righteousnesse , and therefore no necessity obliging all men from the beginning to the end of the world. as also no hallowing , no practising of it is to be seene in the old testament before the law was given by moses , and farre lesse is any confirmation of it to be found in the new testament . the fourth and last reply is , that after the law given by moses , no mention is made in the booke of iudges , nor in some other historicall bookes of the old testament , of the observation of the sabbath , and yet from this no inference can be made , that the sabbath was not observed in those daies ; in like manner none should inferre , that it was not kept in the daies of the patriarches , because , forsooth , there is no record in their history , that they hallowed it . this reply is so cleane from the matter , that no reckoning is to be made of it . verily the first conlusion were too bad , because the institution of the sabbath was made in a most expresse manner before the daies specified in the foresaid bookes , to continue thorow all the ages of the common-wealth of israel . and no doubt is to be made , but that it was kept in all those daies , although there was no occasion offered to relate so much in the foresaid bookes . it sufficeth , that it is often mentioned in other bookes , which shew the continuall practice thereof under the law , and the israelites are in them grievously censured , as guilty of a most hainous crime , when they observed it not . but the second conclusion is most reasonable : for if the sabbath had beene observed about two thousand yeeres by the patriarches , before the law was given , and if it was in all that time a part of gods service , is it not a thing uncoth , and farre from all likelihood , that no notice is given us , neither in the story of those times , nor in any other part of scripture , that the sabbath was then commanded , and religiously observed ? namely , seeing the church was at that time in a particular estate , and was ruled by an oeconomy , farre different from the government under the law , of which estate and oeconomy , there was a just cause why the whole service should be notified unto us ; and namely , this part thereof , which is pretended to be so necessary . now this is worthy to be marked , putting the case that assuredly neither the gentiles , nor the patriarches have observed a seventh day of sabbath , before the law was given by moses to the iewes , that the two reasons before alledged , are of great force to justifie , that the keeping of that day , is neither of the law of nature , nor of divine institution by a positive law given to adam , and to his posterity from the beginning of the world. but although it could be shewed , that either the patriarches or the gentiles observed that day from the beginning , no more can be gathered of these premises with a reasonable inference , saving that god had instituted and commanded the seventh day before the law was given by moses . but it should be a most unreasonable conclusion to gather from thence , that the keeping holy of the seventh day , is a point of the naturall and morall law , which , as i have said , hath in it a naturall , unchangeable , and universall justice , whereas positive lawes are of things indifferent , which have no justice but in the will of the law-giver , and stand or fall at his pleasure . chapter fifth . reason . if god had commanded the seventh day from the beginning , or if the observation thereof were a morall duty , god had enjoyned all adams posterity to keepe it . this was impossible , by reason of the divers situation of the earth . as also because of the impossibility that is in the most part of men to keepe such a commandement . therefore god gave it to the iewes onely , and hath not bound the catholike church to any regular and set day . if the observation of one day in every weeke , or of a seventh day were a thing morall , and if particularly god had ordained to adam the observation of the last day of seven , which hee rested on , and which afterwards hee prescribed to the isaelites by the law , undoubtedly hee had thereby intended to binde all adams posterity to the observation of one day of seven , yea , to the last day of seven , which he had prescribed to their first father , at least till he himselfe had changed it into another day of seven , as is pretended he did by our lord iesus christ. and indeed the common tenet of those which hold the morality of the sabbath day , is , that the keeping , not onely of a seventh day , but also of the last of seven obliged all men till the comming of christ. but this was , is , and ever shall be impossible . for adams posterity , after it was multiplied , extended it selfe abroad very largely , thorow all the quarters of the earth , the diverse situation whereof , in regard of the course of the sunne , diversifieth the daies extremely , the sunne rising according to the diversity of places with much difference , sooner or later . it is night in some parts , when it is day in others . yea , there are some regions , where the sunne goeth not under the horizon for the space of a whole month , others where it setteth not in the space of two , three , foure , five , sixe moneths together , which all make but one continuall day . and thereafter they have as many moneths of night , the sunne never comming nigh them in all that time . considering this great and well knowne variety ; i aske , how it was possible to all men thus dispersed under so many and divers elevations , to keepe this seventh day wherein god rested from all his works ? and how those to whom many moneths make but one day , and as many but one night , yea , to whom the whole yeere is but one day , and one night , could keepe distinctly and regularly but one day of seven ? was it necessary that these men , after the revolution of six of their daies , and of as many nights , which came to many , not onely moneths , but also yeeres , should observe the seventh following , that is , whole moneths , whole halfe yeeres , or a whole yeere for one sabbath only ? or these only have they beene freed from the observation of a fixed day for gods service , and left to their owne libertie to take such order about that matter as they should thinke good ? who seeth not in this a manifest absurditie ? doth it not remaine alwaies ? is not the situation of the earth , which is the same that it was from the beginning , as great an impediment under the new testament to the universall keeping of a seventh day in all places , and namely , of that particular seventh , wherein christ rose from death unto life , which is the first of the seven daies of the weeke , as it was under the old testament , to an universall observation of a particular seventh in those times , to wit , of the last of the weeke ? whatsoever is morall is universall , obligeth equally all men , and may be kept of all . likewise all commandements which gods purpose is to give to all men , are such that they may be kept of all . how then is a thing called morall , the keeping whereof the order of nature hath made impossible to many men ; such as is the regular keeping of a set day ? and how is it said , that the commandement enjoyning the keeping of a particular seventh day , whether the last or the first of seven , was on gods part an universall commandement , obliging all men , seeing it is farre more impossible to a great number of men to keepe it , because they dwell in more remote climats then we doe ? therefore it is more conformable to reason to say , that the commandement which under the old testament ordained the keeping of a seventh day , obliged the people of israel only , which was the onely people of god , was shut up within the narrow bounds of a little corner of the earth , and might with great facility keepe that day , even as all the rest of the politike and ecclesiasticall regiment established by moses pertained to them onely : and that under the new testament , in whose times the church hath beene spread abroad thorow all the earth , god hath not given any particular ordinance concerning the keeping of any day whatsoever , but hath left to the discretion of the church , to appoint the times of gods service according to the circumstances of places , and of fit occasions . chapter sixth . reason . . the observation of the seventh day of the weeke is no where commanded in the new testament , and therefore it is not morall . . iesus christ prescribing to his disciples the celebration of the sacrament of his body and bloud , appointed not a particular and set day for that holy exercise . . neither did he by himselfe , or by his apostles , appoint a particular time for the other exercises of religion . . whence it followeth , that the keeping of a seventh day for gods service , cannot be a morall point . the whole tenor of the gospell confirmeth our assertion . it is most certaine , that if it were a morall duty to keepe a seventh day , all christians should be obliged unto it under the new testament , as the iewes were under the old testament . now if christians were bound unto it under the new testament , we should finde some expresse ordinance concerning it in the writings of the evangelists and of the apostles . for if all the morall points which the law commandeth are ratified in many places of their bookes , and all the faithfull are often commanded to keepe them , as the worshipping of one true god , the shunning and detestation of idols , and of all services of mans invention , the sanctification of the name of god , the honour dew to fathers , to mothers , and to all superiors , the refraining from murder , from whoredome , from adultery , from theft , from false witnesse , from all lusting after evill things , and such like . also in them are often commanded and recommended the holy meetings for the hearing of the word of god , the administration of the sacraments , the publike prayers , and generally the appointing of times for that use , because it is a morall thing that god bee served publikely , whereunto fixed and stinted times are necessary . but as for the ruling and stinting of those times , god hath left it , as he hath done the appointing of places , to the church . for hee would not prescribe unto us any particular place nor time for his service , as hee did under the old testament , because he giveth greater liberty to the church under the new testament , then he did under the old testament , to whose bondage pertained this restraint of a certaine day and place of gods service by expresse commandement , as also because the greatnesse and dilatation of the church of the new testament , which is catholike , could not suffer such a particular determination , nay made it so impossible , that of absolute necessity it dependeth on the discretion and commodities of the church . when iesus christ made his last supper with his disciples , and commanded it should be celebrated to the worlds end , as hee determined the use and practise thereof , with certaine elements of bread and wine , he might , if hee had thought fit , allot unto it a certaine time , such as was of old , the time of passeover : but hee was pleased to say onely this in generall tearmes ; this doe yee , as oft as yee doe it in remembrance of me . likewise saint paul , as often as you shall eate this bread , and drinke this cup , you shall shew the lords death till hee come , both limiting the elements as the necessary matter of this sacrament . but neither of them prescribeth a particular time for the solemnizing thereof , which being an accidentall circumstance , he left the direction thereof to the church , to the which church , in things concerning times , places , and other circumstances of like nature , god hath given no other commandement , saving this generall one , let all things be done decently , and in good order . now there is no other ordinance of christ , or of his apostles concerning particular times for all other duties of the christian religion , then for the time of the lords supper : for seeing they were pleased to say of the holy supper , as often as you doe this , it is an easie matter to conclude thence , that they intended not to ordaine any thing over and besides , belonging to the other exercises , but to say only , as often as you shall come together to heare the word , to pray publikely , &c. leaving the determination of the fittest times for all such things to the church , and therefore there is not to bee found in the whole gospell any thing injoined to that purpose : also there is the same reason for all other exercises , and for the lords supper , concerning the determination of a set ti●● . for if our lord iesus christ had thought expedient to appoint a set time for the hearing of the word , there had beene as good cause to prescribe one also for the communion of his body and of his blood. i know that some passages of the new testament are produced , which are pretended by those of the contrary opinion , to injoine expresly a set day of the weeke for the exercises of religion ; but i shall shew hereafter , god willing , that they are deceived in their pretence . of this i inferre , that seeing in the gospell there is no expresse command touching the keeping of a seventh day of rest , it cannot be a morall point . for since all other morall points are so often and so expresly injoined therein , what likelihood is there , that god would have omitted this without making an evident injunction thereof ? nay , seeing under the old testament god was so carefull to recommend the keeping of his sabbaths , as may be seene every where in the bookes of the prophets ; is it credible , that if he had intended under the new testament to tie us to the observation of a seventh day of sabbath , he would have shewne as great care to recommend it unto us , as he did theirs to the iewes , seeing it is pretended , that on gods behalfe we are as straitly bound to the observation of the sabbath as they were ? chapter seventh . reason . manifest reasons out of the three first evangelists against the morality of the sabbath . what is meant by the sabbath second first . exposition of christs answer to the pharisees , who blamed his disciples for plucking the cares of corne , and rubbing them to eate on the sabbath day . first argument out of this answer , the sabbath is declared to be of the same nature that the shew bread , and sacrifices were of , and mercy is preferred unto it . therefore it is not morall . second argument : christ affirmeth , that the sabbath was made for man , not man for the sabbath ; therefore it is not morall . a reply to this argument refuted . third argument : christ addeth , that the sonne of man is lord , even of the sabbath day : therefore the sonne of man being taken for christ , as he is christ and mediator , it is not morall . fourth argument , christ did handie-works without necessity , and commanded servile workes to be done on the sabbath day without necessity : therefore it is not morall . christ , as the sonne of man , was not lord of the morall law , but only of the ceremoniall : therefore the sabbath is not morall . if the sonne of man , who is lord of the sabbath , be taken in its vulgar signification , for every man , the sabbath cannot be morall . hence it followeth , that the sabbath was onely a positive law , given to the iewes , and not to christians . i adde , that not onely there is nothing expresly set downe in the gospel , confirming the morality of a sabbath day , but much otherwise , that it furnisheth strong arguments to overthrow it . as among others , those namely , which are to be found in s. matthew , ghap. . vers . , &c. in s. marke , chap. . vers . . &c. in s. luke , chap. . vers . , &c. where is related a thing that came to passe on the sabbath day , which s. matthew and s. marke call simply the sabbath , and s. luke , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the sabbath second first , or second principall , which the interpretors take diversly . some understand it of two holy daies , the one following the other immediately , and more particularly of the second day after the first of the feast of unleavended bread : for that feast was kept seven daies , which all were sabbaths , although the first and the last only were solemne sabbaths of holy convocation . others take it for the seventh and last day of the said feast of unleavened bread , which was a very solemne day , and equall in holinesse to the first day of the said feast ; whence it was called second first , that is to say , another first , or the first called backe againe , and renued . a third sort expound it of the second solemne feast of the yeere , called the feast of weekes , or of first fruits , and by s. luke , the sabbath second first , that is , second in order after the first , and as it were another first in dignity : for all the feast daies were sabbaths . it may be also , that this sabbath second first fell out on an ordinary sabbath of the weeke . wherein there is a great apparence of truth , seeing the pharisees blamed christs disciples for plucking the eares of corne , and rubbing them in their hands to eat on that day : which they could not have done with any colour , saving on an ordinary and weekely day of sabbath , wherein god had forebidden all kinde of worke , and namely , the making ready of meat . for in all other solemne sabbaths of yeerely feasts , he had expresly permitted this particular worke of making ready whatsoever was necessary to every one to eate , as may be seene , exod. . vers . . but although this sabbath second first be understood of another day , then of an ordinary sabbath , it imports not much ; and no exception can be taken against it , to impaire the strength of the arguments which are gathered out of the foresaid places : for whatsoever , christ said in defence of that which his disciples did , and the pharisees blamed , in this sabbath second first , is manifestly generall , and pertaineth to all sabbaths kept in times past among the iewes , whether ordinary , or extraordinary . thus then the three evangelists doe record , that iesus went on the sabbath day thorow the corne fields , and his disciples plucked the eares of corne , and did eat , rubbing them in their hands . whereof being reproved by the pharisees , as profaners of the sabbath , whereon god forebad to doe any worke ; iesus christ , to cleare them , and refute the pharisees , alledgeth the example of david , and of those that were with him , which , when they were an hungry did take and eate the shew-bread , which was not lawfull to eate , but to the priests alone , and were not blamed for this , because the necessity of hunger was a sufficient excuse unto them . whence his intent was to inferre , that his disciples also in that which they did then , were to be excused of breaking of the sabbath , by the same necessity of hunger which they were pinched with , and which gave them liberty to doe that which otherwise was not lawfull to doe on the sabbath day . moreover , iesus christ addeth , if yee had knowne what this meaneth , i will have mercy , and not sacrifice ; yee would not have condemned the guiltlesse , of which argument this is the force , that if god preferred the works of mercy and of love to the sacrifices , which in all the outward service of the law were the most holy , and would have the sacrifices to give place to those workes , by identity of reason his meaning was also , that the keeping of the sabbath , or abstaining from outward works on that day , should give place to that mercy and love which man oweth to himselfe , or to his neighbours , and would not have allowed that a man should consent to die for want of meat , to be hunger-starved , or to bring harme to himselfe by some other evill , rather then to breake the sabbath by making meat ready , or doing some other necessary worke , which was otherwise forbidden on the sabbath day . hee confirmeth this , saying , the sabbath was made for man , and not man for the sabbath ; the meaning of which words is , that although god had ordained by the law of moses , that his people should surcease from all outward and servile workes on the sabbath day , yet he required not that cessation , as a thing essentiall to his service , or so necessary , that it could not upon any occasion be lawfull to man to doe such workes on that day , but rather that authority and power was given him , according to gods intention , in case hee were forced thereunto by some urgent necessity . as for example : the saving or sustaining of his life : for the keeping of the sabbath was not the scope and end which man was made for , or a thing of so great consideration before god , as is the conservation of the necessary interests of man. for if that had beene , it should not have been lawfull to man to breake it upon any case or necessity whatsoever : but nill he will he , he must be subject to the most straite observation thereof , notwithstanding any danger whatsoever hee may fall into thereby . nay , man was rather the scope and end of the sabbath , and of the observation thereof , and his interests were of greater importance then they . and therefore , when mans goods , life , or reputation are in jeopardy , the sabbath must give place unto them , as being a thing wherein consisteth not properly and essentially the glory and service of god , and which is to be kept onely as a helpe to his service , when stronger and more profitable considerations , for the glory and service of god , bind not to the contrary , as they doe , when life , honour , or such other things of great consequence to man come in question : for then it is more expedient for the glory and service of god , that a mans life , honour , goods , &c. be saved by some worke otherwise forebidden on the sabbath day , then that with a manifest hazard of his life , honour , or goods , he should tie himselfe to a precise keeping of the sabbath , and to a scrupulous cessation , which in such a case should become superstitious . it is questionlesse that the matter was to be taken so under the old testament , and this is the maine point that christ intended to maintaine and verifie against the pharisees , which urged a so precise and strict observation of the sabbath , that it turned to the prejudice and damage of man , made man slave of the sabbath , subjected not the sabbath to man , and god so inthralled man with the keeping of that day , that it was a thing unlawfull unto him , to prepare , and take in his pinching hunger a mouthfull of meate for his sustenance , although hee should starve and perish for want of food . vpon this reasoning of iesus christ , it followeth clearely , that the keeping of a seventh day of sabbath , appointed in the fourth commandement is not morall : for first , christ sorts it with the observations commanded in the law , touching the shew-bread , the sacrifices , and other ceremoniall services of the temple : matth. . vers . . as being of the same nature , that is , belonging simply to the iudaicall policie , order and government . and all the strength of his argument is grounded upon this point , that the sabbath is of the same nature with these ceremonies , and therefore as they might be dispensed with keeping of them , if stronger reasons obliged them to the contrary , so they might sometimes be released from the forbearing of all workes on the sabbath day , if they had just and necessary reason to doe some workes that day . else the pharisees might have most easily replyed , that although david in his hunger tooke the liberty to eat the shew-bread , which was not lawfull to eate , but to the priests , and albeit it was lawfull to any man to preferre the workes of mercy , in his owne , or in his neighbours necessity , to sacrifice , yet it followed not , that hunger could give him any licence to breake the sabbath , because these observations concerning the shew-bread , and the sacrifices , were but ceremonies , which might be sometimes omitted and dispensed with , whereas the sabbath and the keeping of it , was a thing morall and undispensable . secondly , iesus christ saith , that the sabbath was made for man , and not man for the sabbath , marke . verse . now it cannot be said of any thing truely morall , and ordained of god by a morall commandement , that it is made for man , and not man for it , that it is the end of man , and not man the end of it , that it should yeeld to the interests of man , and not man to the interests of it . for example , dare any man be so bold as to say , that the commandements to have no other god but the true god , to shunne idolatry , to abstaine from blaspheming and profaning in any manner the name of god , to honour father and mother , not to be a murtherer , a whoremunger , a thiefe , a false witnesse , not to covet another mans goods , not to love god and the neighbour , are made for man , and not man for them , and that man may dispense with them for his owe particular interests ? verily it is not lawfull to a man to breake these commandements , as it is lawfull to him to breake the sabbath for his owne conservation , in any thing that hath reference unto him . nay , hee should tread under foot all his owne interests , rather then transgresse in any of those points . which sheweth evidently , that the commandement concerning the sabbath , is not of the same nature that these others are of . that these are morall , are of the law of nature , have in themselves an essentiall justice and equity , and for that cause are undispensable ; so binding conscience at all times , that it cannot be lawfull at any time to doe any thing against them : that this of the sabbath was onely a commandement of order , of ceremoniall policie , of a positive law , and for that cause liable to dispensation and abrogation , as in effect it was dispensed with in the forenamed occasions , and christ by his comming into the world hath abolished under the new testament , the particular commanment given concerning it . the observation which is made by some , that christ saith , that man was not made for the sabbath , or for the day of rest , but saith not , that man was not made to sanctifie the sabbath , is but a vaine subtilty . for by the sabbath , christ understandeth both the rest of the day , and the day of rest . for in the scripture , the word sabbath signifieth the one and the other . and seeing the observation and sanctification of the day consisted , at least in part , in a rest and cessation of all externall workes , as is evident by the words of the fourth commandement , and of exodus , chap. . v. , . and of ieremiah , chap. . vers . . . yea , seeing this sanctification onely was proper unto it , and particularly tied unto it , and seeing it taketh from it the name of sabbath , wherewith it is honored , to say that man is not made for the rest or cessation , and is not necessarily tied unto it , but may dispense with it , not through a fancy , and at his owne pleasure , but in the extreme necessity of his just and reasonable interests , is as much as to say , that man is not made , in that respect , for the sanctification of the sabbath , but that the said sanctification is subject to him . now , this is the point in question , to wit , whether to keepe a seventh day for a day of rest , or of cessation , according to the injunction given in so precise termes in the fourth commandement , be a morall duty . i cannot see what other sanctification of the sabbath day can be understood by those which say , that man was made for it , in the sense that christ taketh this kinde of speech , is a morall duty . for if they understand a sanctification by workes truely and properly morall , such as are workes of godlinesse , mercy , and charity , whereby god is principally and directly glorified , and we and our neighbours are edified , and maintained for his glory , and say , that man is made for this sanctification , ought to observe it carefully , and to make , if neede be , the rest of the sabbath day , to stoope , and give place unto it , this is most true ; but our question is not about this kinde of sanctifying the sabbath day ; neither is it proper and peculiar to the seventh day , but is equally required in all the daies of the weeke . and by this is confirmed our saying , that the sanctification proper to the sabbath , as it is such , and which is the maine point that we treat of pro and contra , cannot be morall , seeing it yeelds , and submits it selfe to the morall duties of every day , and for their sake may and ought to be violated . thirdly , for the cleerer and better confirmation of the foresaid truth , is very usefull that which christ addes after these words , the sabbath is made for man , saying ; for the son of man is lord even of the sabbath day . for whether by the son of man , we understand particularly the son of god , as he is christ , and mediator , as he is often in that respect so named ; whether generally every man according to the common signification which it hath in holy scripture , the one and the other sense overthroweth the morality of the sabbath . if iesus christ speaketh of himselfe , as he is christ and mediator , under the name of the son of man , as in my opinion he doth , his meaning is , that as such and in that quality , he had power over the sabbath , as lord to dispense with the keeping of it , whom and when he would : as he said in the same sence and to the same purpose , in this place is one greater then the temple . yea hee insinuates , that he was come to make this abrogation of the sabbath , as of the temple , and of all the ceremonies practised therin : for what other end had hee to alleadge his soveraignty and maistery over the sabbath , but to say , that he had power to dispose of it , at his own pleasure , and to cause men worke in it , as he should thinke fit ? to declare only the lawfull use and practice of the sabbath , argued not that soveraignty and authority that christ challenged to himselfe . fourthly , to shew effectually his dominion in that behalfe , he chused often the sabbath day , to doe , or to injoyne to others on that day workes which might have beene done in any other day of the weeke , and were not simply workes of mercifulnesse , or of urgent necessity , permitted by the law , nay were servile and unnecessary workes , which the law forbad : as is manifest , by his healing the sicke ordinarily on the sabbath day , and that with handy worke , whereas he might have done those cures with a word of his mouth : as when hee restored to sight the man that was borne blinde , making clay of his spittle , and anointing the eyes of that blind man with the clay , iohn . ver . . . as also when he commanded some sicke , whom hee had healed , to beare burdens on the sabbath day , which god had forbidden , ierem. . ver . . thus hee commanded on the sabbath day the man whom he had cured of the palsie , to rise , take up his bed , and walke , ioh. . ver . , , . which was not lawfull to him to doe , no more than to anyother such man , who by ordinary meanes had recovered his health , if it had not beene for christs command , notwithstanding that miraculous deliverance after a so long and incurable disease : for he needed not , ntither for the glory of god , nor for his owne good , to take up his little bed on the sabbath day , seeing that without any such worke his recovery was doubtlesse cleere and manifest to all . now if the sabbath day , and the keeping thereof had beene morall , christ had never spoken , never done so . for he had not , as hee was the sonne of man , any authority and lord-ship over the things that are morall , and of the law of nature , to dispence with men for the doing or not doing , the keeping or not keeping of them . because in them shineth the justice of the most righteous and holy god , his glory to command them , the excellency of man to yeeld obedience unto them , as having a naturall righteousnesse and equity inherent in them , carrying with them an universall obligation , and being of perpetuall continuance grounded essentially in themselves , and on their owne nature : such are these commandements , thou shalt love god with all thine heart , and thy neighbour as thy selfe . also we see not , that christ at any time hath done or caused to be done , by any man , any thing whatsoever against them , nay he hath rather backed and confirmed them , hath himselfe kept them most religiously , and hath injoyned also to others the keeping of them . but as mediator he had power over all things which were simply ceremoniall , positive , adiaphorous , that is , neither good nor evill in themselves , wherein the true service of god consisted not , which were no thing but helpes to that service for a time , and were established of god simply for certaine reasons relative to some better things . for as iesus christ himselfe was not lyable unto those things , but so farre as it was his reason to apply himselfe unto them , least he should give offence to any man. and as the reason of their institution could not take hold on him , so likewise was it in his power to exempt from them whom hee would . for although they were to be usually in strength and practise till the houre of his death , that was no hinderance to that authority which he had in his life time , and during his conversation in these lowest parts of the earth , to give particular commandements whereby hee dispensed whom he pleased with their observation . such things were the circumcision , the sacrifices , other legall ordinances and among the rest the sabbath , whereof , upon this occasion , he declared himselfe to be lord. if christ , when he said , the sonne of man is lord of the sabbath , will have us to understand by the sonne of man , every man , as many interpreters doe take it so , meaning that every true beleever hath authority and freedome to exempt himselfe from the keeping of the sabbath for his owne need and to yeeld to such necessities which are more urgent , and of greater importance then was the sabbath , of which sort was the narrow strait , whereunto hunger had driven christs disciples , that is no lesse forcible to fight against the morality of the sabbath , as appeareth by that which hath beene already said . such then being the nature of the sabbath , it is evident that it is not morall , that of its selfe it obligeth not the conscience to the keeping of it , that if it bindeth conscience , it commeth from gods command by a positive law , such as he gave to the iewes , and that only when more inforcing reasons doe not dispense with the observation of it , as there be some such . now the positive lawes given to the iewes being wholly abrogated , no man can say , that the law of the sabbath bindeth the conscience of christians , if it be not shewed , that christ will have this law of the sabbath to continue under the new testament , and hath commanded the keeping of a seventh day , as he might have done . in which case , that law should bee obligatory , not for any morality it hath in it , but because christ had ordained it for the order of the church . this i pretend cannot be shewed , but rather that the stinting of the time of gods publike service hath beene left to the free will of the church , and that even now at this time when a seventh day is set downe , we ought to keepe it , in obedience to the church , as following herein the order which she hath thought good to institute , and not through opinion of any necessity proceeding from gods immediate command , farre lesse of religion inherent in the thing it selfe . chapter eighth . reason . . the apostle condemneth the galatians for observing dayes , and moneths , and times , and yeeres . . it is answered , that the apostle condemneth onely the observation of dayes , &c. prescribed in the ceremoniall law. . refutation of that answer , out of the drift of the whole chapter . . besides , that it maketh the apostle to condemne thàt which he approved , and so to contradict himselfe , if this answer were true . i further justifie this by the apostle in his epistle to the galatians chapter . verse . where hee blameth them for observing dayes , and moneths , and times , and yeeres , for they deemed that in the observing of them there was a point of religion and of gods , service , which they were necessarily obliged unto on gods behalfe , and that for conscience sake , either because the thing it selfe deserved as much , or through respect to gods commandement . it is this surmise which the apostle blameth . for if the galatians had kept some dayes , but as a thing indifferent , and an ecclesiasticall order , for the publike practise of divine service by the exercise of the ministrie , the celebration of the sacraments , and other holy duties more and more sanctified with prayers , thankesgiving , psalmes , hymnes , and spirituall songs , knowing and being perswaded by the lord iesus , that there was no divine obligation , no religion tyed to those dayes , in themselves , it is as sure as can be , that they had not bin worthy to be censured , for all that is done , and may be done in the church , under the new testament . hereupon i say , that we fall manifestly into the apostles censure , if we keepe a seventh day of sabbath , beleeving it to be a morall thing which god hath expresly commanded , and therefore necessary , and as such binding the conscience . for this is evidently to observe dayes after the fashion which the apostle condemneth . it is answered to this , that the apostle speaketh in that chapter of judaicall dayes , moneths , times , and yeeres only , as they are ordained to be kept by the ceremoniall law of moses ; as for example , to observe , in things belonging to the sabbath , the seventh day of the weeke . which law being abolished , he blameth the galatians , that they indeavoured to set up again the observation of dayes after the manner of the iewes , but reproveth them not for keeping a sabbath day . this answer giveth no content at all . i acknowledge freely , that doubtlesse the dayes kept by the galatians were the same which the iewes observed . for to esteeme that they were dayes consecrated to idols , which they had beene enured unto , when they lived in paganisme , and had observed unto that time , even after their conversion , is farre from all likelihood , and contrary to the text , which speaketh of dayes belonging to these weake and beggarly rudiments which god had ordained in the infancy of the church , which were judaicall dayes , and none other , and from which iesus christ was come into the world to redeeme men . and the apostle blameth the galatians universally , for observing such dayes , without exception of any other day , which he ought to have excepted , if there had beene any other obligatory : nay he blameth them not for keeping them after the fashion of the iewes , by the practice of the ceremoniall service which the iewes yeelded to god on those dayes whereof he maketh no mention , neither is there any likelihood that the galatians did any such thing ; but for keeping them for religions sake : and his reprehension is such a one , that the right thing he aimed at in it , is to condemne the observation of any day whatsoever under the new testament for religion and conscience sake in reference to any obligation from the day it selfe . the foundation of his reproofe , as appeareth manifestly by the whole drift of his discourse , is this , that to be religious about dayes , and to be tyed unto them by gods command , was a point of bondage belonging to the rudiments of the law , and that the gospell , which is the law of liberty , cannot suffer this bondage . therefore hee speaketh in generall tearmes , yee observe dayes , and moneths , and times , and yeeres , and addeth not judaicall , or after the iewish fashion : because also to keepe other dayes then those of the iewes , and that for conscience sake , and for the same opinion of religion which the iewes had of their dayes , although otherwise then they , h●d beene as bad , and contrary to the gospell , it is not so , when dayes are kept simply for ecclesiasticall order , although they were iudaicall dayes . and indeed the sabbath day of the iewes , to wit , the last day of the weeke was kept by the apostles and by diverse christians in the primitive church many yeeres constantly . as likewise the feasts of the iewish passeover and pentecost were observed by the first christians , without any fault or offence on their part , because this observation was not practised by them in the same respects that they were by the iewes , that is , through opinion of religious necessity and divine obligation . verily , if wee be obliged in our conscience , and by a divine commandement under the new testament , to the observation of a seventh day of rest , ●eligiously as the iewes were , as is pretended , although it be not the same seventh day ; who will not conceive , that it had not well become the apostle to condemne the observation of iudaicall daies , namely , of the particular day of the iewish sabbath , as being a yoake , and a ceremony of the law , considering , that in the meane while , hee tied the christians to the odinary and precise observation of a stinted day , even of a seventh day of sabbath , which was all one : seeing the day onely had been changed , and the yoake and the ceremony had been still kept . for the yoake and bondage of the law consisted in the observation of certaine stinted daies , and namely of a seventh day of sabbath by gods ordinance and obligation of conscience , and not in keeping the last seventh day , rather than another , seeing otherwise it is not a heavie yoake , nor a greater bondage to keepe the last , then to keepe the first of the seven daies of the weeke . chapter ninth . reason . a most forcible argument out of the epistle to the colossians , chap. . vers . . where the apostle teacheth , that christian mens conscience is not tied to the keeping of holy daies , and of sabbaths . answer is made , that the naming of sabbaths in the plurall number sheweth they must be understood of the sabbaths of holy daies , and not of the weekely sabbath . first reply . in the name of a holy day , the sabbaths thereof are included . second reply . sabbaths in the plurall number , include necessarily the weekely sabbath , which also is most frequently called sabbaths in holy scripture . third reply . the apostle by sabbaths , understandeth onely the weekely sabbath . fourth reply . the weekely sabbath did belong to the law of commandements , which is abolished , and the apostle speaketh without exception indefinitely of the ●●●gation of holy dayes , and sabbaths . . thence it followeth , that the fourth commandement , in so farre as it stinteth the seventh day for gods service , is not morall . of the same nature is the passage in the second chapter of the epistle to the colossians , verse . let no man judge you in meat or in drinke , or in distinction of a holy day , or of the new moone , or of sabbaths . where the apostle teacheth , that under the new testament the conscience of beleevers is not bound to make distinction and observation of any holy day , and namely of sabbaths , neither altogether , nor in part , no more than of meats and of drinkes , ranking all those with the ordinances and shadowes which have beene abrogated by iesus christ , ver . , . for like as in matters concerning meat and drinke , nature hath necessarily need of them for the entertainment of the body , but the conscience is not now bound to that distinction of them which was of old prescribed by the law of moses , even so it is necessary , for the maintenance of the soule , that times bee appointed for gods publike service in the church , but mens conscience is no more subjected to a seventh day which the law prescribed to the iewes . to this passage answer is made , that the apostle speaketh of the iewish holy dayes , the passeover , pentecost , &c. and of divers sabbaths which the iewes observed , such as were the first and last day of some annuall feasts , which lasted many dayes , to wit of the passeover , of the feast of tabernacles , of the feast of propitiations which was kept on the tenth day of the seventh moneth , every seventh yeere , which was the sabbath of rest unto the land , because in it they did neither sow their field , nor prune their vineyards every fiftieth yeere , which was a jubile . all which times are called sabbaths in the scripture . but it s denyed that he speaketh of the sabbath day which god had ordained to be kept weekely , as well under the new , as under the old testament : for which cause the apostle speaketh of sabbaths in the plurall number , and not of a sabbath in the fingular number , to signifie that he understood those sabbaths , and not this . this answer is not sufficient . for the apostle speaketh generally of an holy day , and of sabbaths , saying that we should not be judged or condemned in distinction and separation , or part and respect of an holy day , and putting the word signifying an holy day , in the singular number , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which word denoteth any holy day whatsoever . now if we be bound for conscience sake to the observation of a seventh day of sabbath , if we be tyed by religion to make a distinction of dayes , if we be condemned for the omission of that pretended duty , are wee not condemned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in distinction of an holy day ? againe , seeing he speaketh of sabbath in the plurall number , with what reason can it be affirmed , that his intention was to speak only of the sabbaths of certaine yeerely feasts , and not of the ordinary sabbath of every weeke , although he useth a word befitting it aswell , yea more , than the rest , and including it infallibly in its plurality ? namely seeing this word is much more used in the plurall number , then in the fingular , and is ordinarily taken both in the new and in the old testament for the sabbath whereof wee treat . the seventy greeke translators of the old testament are accustomed to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plurall number , when in hebrew mention is made of the ordinary sabbath of the weeke in the singular number , as we may see , exod. . ver . , , . exod. . uer . , . exod. . ver . . exod. . v. , . levit. . v. . levit. . ver . . numb . . , . deut. . ver . , , . and else where conformably to them . this plurall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used in the same sence by the writers in the new testament , as matthew . verse , , , . matth. . ver . . mark. . ver . . mark. . ver . , . mark. . ver . . luk. . ver . , . luk. . ver . . iohn . ver . , . acts . ver . . acts . ver . . acts . ver . . i say therefore , that to conclude that the apostle in the foresaid passage speaketh not of the sabbath day which returned weekely , because he useth the word sabbath in the plurall number , is a weake argument , seeing in the scriptures stile and manner of speaking this word in the plurall number hath a single signification . nay , it may bee affirmed with good reason , that the apostle , when he speaketh of sabbaths , understands only the ordinary sabbath of the seventh day , and under the name going before of an holy day , hath comprehended all other sabbaths which god had commanded in the law , even as god himselfe in leviticus chapter . ver . . by the word feasts understandeth all other solemne dayes which he had commanded , and ver . . by the word sabbaths the seventh day in every weeke , according to the ordinary signification thereof , not only in the greeke , but also in the hebrew tongue , to which purpose there is a most manifest place , exod. . ver . . where god saith , uerily my sabbaths yee shall keep , for it is a signe betweene me and you throughout your generations , that yee may know , that i am the lord that doth sanctifie you . and for more ample declaration , in the verses following , . , , . he expounds those sabbaths of the weekely sabbath only . although this were not so , whosoever speaketh of sabbaths in the number of multitude , and maketh no exception , understandeth whatsoever is contained in the signification of that word , and hath the same denomination . verily , when the apostle saith , that no man should condemne us in distinction of an holy day , or of sabbaths , if he had not understood all sabbaths , but had beleeved that god hath expresly ordained under the new testament , as hee did under the old , a day to be for his service a day of festivity and of sabbath , he was bound to except it particularly and by name , and so to keepe the church from falling into an error , namely seeing we are not taught in any part of his epistles , nor else where in the new testament , that god hath made such an ordinance , that in any time the observation of a sabbath hath beene injoyned unto us , that any such day hath beene excepted from those dayes and sabbaths which in the said new testament we are forbidden to keepe . when the apostle saith , that christ hath abolished the law of commandements , eph. . vers . . and hath made a change of the law , heb. . vers . . we see easily , that he understandeth the ceremoniall , and not the morall law , because in the same places he explicates his meaning , calling it , the law of commandements contained in ordinances , the middle wall of partition betweene the iewes and gentiles , ephes. . vers . , . the law of a carnall commandement , and of the leviticall priesthood , weake , unprofitable , and which made nothing perfect , heb. . vers . . , , . because also in many other places wee are taught , that the law abolished by christ , is the ceremoniall only , and doe see all morall commandements confirmed and ratified by him . but when the apostle discourseth of the abolishment of holy daies , and of sabbaths , without any limitation or modification , there is no cause why the seventh day should be excepted , seeing he excepted it not , neither is it excepted in any place of the gospell , which speaketh no where unto us of morall daies of sabbath , as also it is absurd to establish any such day . it sufficeth not to alledge , that the fourth commandement of the law injoineth the seventh day of sabbath , and to inferre from thence , that of necessity the apostles minde was to except that sabbath , as being morall . for i say rather , that the fourth commandement in as farre as it injoineth the observation of a seventh day of sabbath , is not morall , seeing the apostle without exception saith , that under the gospell our consciences should not be tied to sabbath daies ; words which he had never so uttered , if the sabbath of the fourth commandement had beene morall and obligatory : at least in some other places , information and instructions had beene given us of this , by him , and by the rest of the evangelists and apostles , who have instructed us in the knowledge of all other morall points , which is not to be found . for there is not to be seene in the whole new testament any injunction to observe a sabbath day : but of this point we shall speake more fully hereafter . chapter tenth . reason . the christians in s. pauls time , had no time appointed to them for gods service , seeing some of them esteemed one day above another , others esteemed every day alike . answer is made to this argument , that those which esteemed every day alike , were weeke , and therefore erred . refutation of this answer : first , by the analogie of the other point , where hee who did eat herbs onely , is called weake , and he who knew he might eat all things is called strong . second , because to esteeme all daies alike , cannot be called weakenesse . third , because , if christ or his apostles had appointed a set day for gods service , to esteeme all daies alike , had not beene weaknesse , but profanenesse , which neverthelesse it was not . fourth , otherwise the apostle would not have said , that he that doth not regard a day , to the lord doth not regard it , but rather against the lord. of what day it is said , that one regarded it , another regarded it not . fifth , seeing to regard a day is weaknesse , and not to regard a day is strength of knowledge , god hath not obliged the christian church to any set day for his service , by any morall or positive law. the same is plainly shewed by these words of the epistle to the romans chap. . vers . , . one man esteemeth one day above another : another esteemeth every day alike . let every man be fully perswaded in his owne minde . he that regardeth a day , regardeth it unto the lord : and he that regardeth not the day , to the lord he doth not regard it . in this place the apostle speaketh of religious christians , shewing that they were at variance about two divers heads . for some of them beleeved that a christian man should not sticke , nor make a scruple of conscience to eate indifferently all meats . others for conscience sake would eate nothing but herbs . some of them also esteemed every day alike , others esteemed one day above another . of those two parties he calleth the one strong , the other weak , and exhorteth them that were strong , to beare the infirmities of the weake , namely , seeing these things were of small moment , and that the weake did such things out of conscience , and through a religious respect to god ; that indeed their conscience was not well informed and directed , but at length might be , and affiance was to be had , that they should be holden up , because god was able to make them stand verse . as concerning eating of all things , or eating of herbs onely , the apostle calleth directly weake those which did eate nothing but hearbes ; and strong those which beleeved that they might eate , and indeed did eate all things indifferently . but on the other point concerning the disagreement which was among them about dayes , whether every day should be esteemed alike , or one day should bee esteemed above another , he declareth not expresly who were strong , who weake . some of those which urge the observation of the sabbath day , as a point of religion and of conscience commanded by christ , shunning the argument which this place affords against their opinion , doe say , that those which esteemed every day alike , were weake , and the others were strong , and that this is the apostle his intention . but it is easie to perceive , that the contrary opinion is true , that , say i , those which esteemed every day alike , were strong , and those weake which esteemed one day above another . first the analogy of the other point which the apostle alleadgeth concerning meates , sheweth it manifestly . for as those which did not sticke for conscience sake to eate all kinde of meates , because they esteemed them all to bee indifferent , were strong , and those which were scrupulous for conscience sake to eate any thing but hearbes , were weake , even so accordingly to that , wee must ac-acknowledge , those which made no difference of dayes for conscience sake , but esteemed all dayes equally , to have beene strong , and those which esteemed one day above another to have beene weake . secondly , i cannot see how any man should imagine , that the apostle in his judgement esteemed those to be weake which esteemed every day alike , seeing to esteeme every day equally , without distinction of any day for conscience sake , putting the case there were a fault in that opinion , cannot be called weakenesse and infirmity , in the sence wherein this word weakenesse is taken by the apostle in this place , and in other places of the gospell . for weaknes and infirmity is said to be in a man , when there is a defect in his beliefe concerning things which are lawfull to him , that is to say when hee beleeveth not that to bee lawfull , which is lawfull unto him , and therefore refraineth for conscience sake from that which he is not bound to forbeare . so he who beleeveth , that it is not lawfull unto him to eate all kinde of meates , although god hath given him the free use of them all , is weake and infirme . but when there is excesse in his beliefe , when i say , he beleeveth to have liberty to doe that which is not lawfull unto him to doe , and doth it without any respect of conscience unto it , that is not in the scriptures language , called weakenes , but rather ignorance , error , mistaking . if then those which esteemed every day alike had failed in this point , as they had done of necessity , if there had beene any fault in them , they had never beene esteemed and called weake by the apostle , as they are pretended to have beene , but rather ignorant , errants , nay dissolute , loose , profane . verily , if it were true , that iesus christ had ordained the observation of a set day of rest , that the apostles had commanded it , that the church had practised it , as a divine ordinance , and as a morall point belonging to religion , as is pretended , these christians , who could not bee ignorant of such things , and neverthelesse esteemed every day alike , established not religion and a point of conscience in any of them , and made no greater account of the lords day then of any other day , were of necessity profane men , and no better reckoning was to be made of them . yet the apostle reputeth them not to bee such : for he forbiddeth to judge and condemne them , as hee will not have them to judge and condemne those that were of contrary opinion , ver . . . nay , he affirmeth , that those which regarded not the day , to the lord regarded it not verse . the meaning of which words is , that in so doing they had regard to the glory and obedience due to god , knowing that he had made them free from the distinction of dayes , and received them , being well pleased with that which they did . now supposing the morality of the sabbath , and the commandement of christ and of his apostles , which made the observation thereof a necessary point of religion , which these men could not be ignorant of , i cannot conceive , how not regarding the day for religion and conscience sake , to the lord they regarded it not , seeing they had rather sinned against the lord by not regarding it . for they had manifestly vilipended him , by their misbeliefe , whereby they esteemed not the observation of a day of rest , which they knew to be morall , and most straitely commanded of god , to bee a necessary point of religion . it is therefore more conformable to reason , that those which made distinction of dayes and esteemed one above onother , were weak : and in this doe all the interpreters agree . neverthelesse the apostle saith with good reason of these weake ones , that what they did , they did it to the lord , because they did it through devotion , and tendernesse of conscience , having some religious ground , which was a colourable excuse to their infirmitie , and made it tolerable , not only to men , but to god also . now it being so , that the apostle did write to the romans who were gentiles converted to the christian faith , wee may esteeme with great appearance , that this day , which some of them , through infirmitie , had so much regard unto , was sunday , which was kept in the church , not by any divine ordinance , not also through necessity of religion , but simply by an ecclesiasticall custome , in remembrance , that on that day christ rose from death unto life , & was esteemed of them a day of necessary observation , in and for it selfe , which others better instructed esteemed not . this , being so , establisheth throughly the opinion that i defend , and evicts the other . but although the apostle had intended to speake of dayes commanded in the old testament by the law of moses , to the religious observation whereof many , not as yet well instructed in the knowledge of evangelicall liberty , thought themselves to be bound for conscience sake , the argument remaineth as strong as can be . for howsoever the apostle his meaning be taken , he speaketh generally , and imputeth to infirmity of knowledge and of conscience under the gospell , the esteeming of one day above another , and to strength and firmenesse the esteeming of all dayes alike , which he neither could nor should have pronounced so in generall tearmes , if at the same time there had beene a set day of rest binding the conscience of christians to observe it , for its owne sake , as being morall , and for gods sake who had commanded it . for by this meanes those had not well done , so farre were they from being strong in knowledge and conscience , for esteeming every day equally , which they should not have done . but the others had done well and religiously , to esteeme one day above another , so far were they from being weak : which yet notwithstanding is manifestly against the scope of the apostle , who declareth them to be weak , not simply as we have touched heretofore , for observing a certaine day , but for keeping it with a consciencious regard , and opinion of a religious obligation , particular unto it , more than to any other day which is the only thing worthy to be blamed , and might be a just cause of offence . chapter eleventh . reason ii. . the sabbath was to the israelites a signe of their sanctification . . not only in the toylesome ages of this mortall life , but also in the eternity and rest of the life to come . . through iesus christ , who hath perfectly accomplished the benefits which it represented imperfectly . . and therefore it was to continue till his comming only . . this truth is confirmed in the epistle to the hebrewes , by the type of the bodily rest of the people in the land of canaan . . as also by the type of gods rest on the seventh day . . gods rest and the rest of the people were two types of the same thing , but unknowne till the law was given . . this is acknowledged by the iewes , who confirme it by scripture . . hereof it followeth , that the sabbath was not given to adam . . as also that it is not obligatory under the new testament . . although the heavenly rest which it typed be not yet come . it is manifest enough by the foresaid passages , that the observation of a seventh day of sabbath is not a morall duty , and obligeth not by a divine commandement , mens consciences under the new testament , nay it is apparant that the sabbath day was instituted to the iewes only , and appertained to the ceremonies of the law. i confirme this againe by these words of god in exodus chapter . verse . and in ezekiel chapter . ver . , . verily my sabbaths yee shall keepe , for it is a signe betweene me and you throughout your generations , that yee may know , that i am the lord that doth sanctifie you . where is to be marked the sabbath is called a signe ordained of god , not to all men , but to the israelites onely , to signifie unto them their consecration to his service , and their sanctification , which consisted in a continuall abstinence from all vices and sinnes , which verily trouble and disquiet the soule , and also in a bodily rest sometimes from the turmoiles and cares of this life , that they might bestow some fit and convenient time without hinderance upon the contemplation of god , and meditation of his graces , and so give place to the operation of the holy ghost , whereby they might bring forth workes of godlinesse , and of true holinesse . to the end that the sabbath day might expresse this visibly , and also be unto them a helpe and meane to so necessary a duty , they were commanded to forbeare exactly all servile workes , and all bodily labour belonging to the worldly imploiments of this present life . which figured , and taught them sufficiently , that god obliged them farre more to cease from the workes of sinne , which are properly servile , according as it is written , whosoever committeth sinne , is servant of sinne ioh. . ver . . rom. . v. . and to abstaine from the lusts and acts of the flesh and of the old man , and to compose and quiet themselves conveniently with a spirituall rest , that they might receive the heavenly inspirations of his grace ; and as it is said in esaiah , chap. . v. . not follow their owne waies , nor finde their owne pleasure , nor speake their owne words : for , as i have said , god purposed to figure by that bodily and externall abstinence from ear●hly workes , the inward and spirituall abstinence from sinne . nay , to instruct and assure them by the sabbath , as by a signe , that it is hee , even the lord , that sanctifieth his owne children , that giveth them grace to rest in some measure from their sinnes and troubles in these lower parts of the earth , and shall fully performe their sanctification in heaven , where after the workes and turmoiles of the anger of this life , there shall be , as it were , a seventh day of sabbath , a time of perfect and eternall rest for them : for wee may esteeme , not without some likenesse of truth , that the generations of the world ought to be sixe , composed each of them of a thousand yeeres , and figured by the sixe daies of worke , in respect whereof it is , perhaps , said , that one day is with the lord as a thousand yeeres ; and a thousand yeeres as one day , psal , . vers . . and peter . vers . . the sabbath day was interrupted by other worke-daies , and returned onely every seventh day by a continuall reciprocation and vicissitude , whereby it represented but imperfectly the perpetuity of the true rest , as figures can hardly represent in perfection the truth whereof they are figures : but at the end of the world this reciprocation of daies shall cease , and there shall be , as it were , one perpetuall day , which , as zechariah saith , chap. . vers . , . shall be all one day , wherein there shall not be day and night , light and darknesse , but a perpetuall light without darknesse . after this manner the spirituall rest hath its interruptions and discontinuance in this world , the continuation of it is , as it were , by fits , and new beginnings : but in the world to come , it shall have a continuance without intermission , with an intire and solid perfection , without any trouble of sinne , or of labour . god granteth this rest to his owne children for his sonne the messias his sake , the onely consideration of whose death , the force and efficacy whereof stretched out it selfe as well forward to those that went before , as afterward to those that have , or shall come after the accomplishment thereof , was unto him in these times of the old testament , as since , a most forcible motive to conferre upon his elect sanctification , with other comfortable and saving benefits here on earth beneath , and there in heaven above . so the sabbath di●ected the iewes to christ who was to come , and was a figure thereof , representing unto them a benefit of the covenant , which christ was to purchase and ratifie with his owne blood , and therefore it ought to have its accomplishment and end in him , as have had all other ancient figures , whereby he was represented . and indeed , in the passages before cited , it is called a signe betweene god and the israelites , which is the same name that is given to the circumcision , the passeover , and other legall figures ; and moreover , it is said , that it shall be a signe betweene god and the israelites , for a perpetuall covenant , and for ever , but in the same sense that all other ordinances of the law , and divers temporall promises made to the israelites , are called perpetuall , that is , in their generations , which is expresly marked in the forenamed place of exodus , chap. . vers . , . where god saith , wherefore the children of israel shall keepe my sabbath , to observe the sabbath throughout their generations for a perpetuall covenant . it is a signe betwene mee and the children of israel for ever , meaning , that it should remaine till the comming of messias , during the oeconomy of the law , and whilest the people of israel should be the onely people of god , but no more in the time of messias , whose time and generation belongeth not to those generations which god allotted to the israelites , when he said , that such and such things should be done , and should continue in their generations , words which are ordinarily spoken of things that were to persist only in the time of the old testament . as when god ordained the sacrament of circumcision , he said to abraham , that it should be to him , and to his seed after him in their generations , for an everlasting covenant , gen. . vers . . . . when he commanded the israelites to fill an omer of manna , and to keepe it , he said , it should be for their generations , exod. . vers . . . that is , till the comming of messias , and not after . so he said to iacob , i will give this land to thy seed after thee , for an everlasting possession , genes . . vers . . so to the israelites of the passeover , you shall keepe it a feast to the lord throughout your generations , by an ordinance for ever , exod. . v. . so the ordering of oile in the lamps from evening to morning , in the tabernacle of congregation , before the testimony , by aaron and his sons , is called a statute for ever unto their generations , exo. . vers . . so to phineas , and to his seed after him , god promised the covenant of an everlasting priesthood , numbr . . vers . . what i have said and made good of the sabbath day , that it was of old a figue of the spirituall and heavenly rest , the beginnings whereof god giveth to his children in this life , and shall give them the full plenitude in heaven , may be confirmed by the words of the apostle in the epistle to the hebrewes , chap. . where intending to shew to the hebrews , that there is an heavenly rest , prepared & promised by god to them that are his , which they should labour to enter into by faith , and take heed to themselves , lest any of them should come short of it through unbeliefe , he alledgeth two types & figures thereof . the one is the bodyly and terrestriall rest which god had promised of old to the israelites , in the land of canaan , called for that cause , the land of rest , deut. . iosh. . ver . . and gods rest , psal. . vers . . which those of the israelites that were incredulous and rebellious in the wildernesse entered not into , but those onely that beleeved gods promise : by this god represented , that no infidells shall enter into the heavenly and eternall rest , but the faithfull onely . now hee verifieth that the rest of the land of canaan promised and conferred upon them that beleeved , and denied to those that were rebellious , was a figure of that other better rest which the faithfull receive , and all infidells are shut out of , by this , that after so long a time , to wit , foure hundred yeeres after the israelites were by ioshuah brought into the land of canaan , god speaking by the mouth of david , yet againe warneth the israelites then living , that at what time they shall heare his voice , they harden not their hearts , as their forefathers did in the wildernesse , lest they should come short of entring into the heavenly rest promised to them ; as their ancestors for their unbeliefe were bereaved of the effect of the promise to enter into the earthly rest of canaan . this advertisement is perpetuall , and belongeth also to christians : nay , we may say , that it hath properly relation to the time of the gospel , which is that certaine time determined and limited of god , whereof mention is made in the seventh verse , and is so called ordinarily in the new testament , gal. . vers . . . eph. . vers . . tit. . vers . . therefore we which are under the gospell to day , and have the gospell of christ preached unto us , and heare the voice of his gospell , must beware , lest , because of our unbeliefe and rebellion , wee enter not into the celestiall rest , no more then at that time the rebellious israelites entred into the rest of earthly canaan . for from hence the apostle maketh this collection , that considering the israelites were entred into the land of canaan , and possessed it peaceably without feare , when god by his servant david spoke againe the foresaid words of entring into his rest ; sure gods meaning was to signifie a farre better promise of a more excellent rest , then was the rest of the land of canaan , even a spirituall and an heavenly rest , whereof that other , and the promise thereof , was but a figure and shadow . for if the promise to enter into gods rest made first and foremost to the israelites had attained its full and whole accomplishment , after that ioshuah had introduced , and given them rest in the land of canaan , god after that introduction , had not exhorted them , to take heede that they hardened not their hearts in that day , in which he should make them heare his voice , lest they should not enter into his rest , as if they had not beene in it already . whereby hee therewith made them a promise of entring into his rest , if they beleeved and were obedient . therefore the apostle concludeth , that there remaineth a rest to the people of god , vers . . a rest spirituall and heavenly , purchased unto them by the true ioshuah , even by iesus christ , of whom the other ioshuah was but a figure . the other type which he propoundeth to the same purpose , is taken from gods rest on the seventh day , after the creation of all things , which rest could not be understood by the promise which god made so many ages after the creation , of entring into his rest , because it was past and finished then , when he ended and finished all his workes , as may be clearely seene by the history written in genesis , chap. . vers . . but the meaning of the apostle is , that it was a figure of this other spirituall and heavenly rest , ordained and prepared from the foundation of the world . for , if the rest promised and granted to the israelites in the land of canaan is mentioned as a type , this rest of god on the seventh day is alledged in the same quality , seeing they are both coupled together . the apostle confirmeth , that gods resting on the seventh day was a type , by the words written , genesis . vers . . where it is said , that god rested the seventh day from all his workes , heb. . vers . , . which had not beene thus so expresly written , considering that , to speake properly , god , who was not wearied , rested not , and his resting was only a ceasing from the production of his creatures , and from giving being to any more kindes then those which hee had made in sixe daies : seeing also one day is not of it selfe better than another day , if god in this seventh day , and his resting in it , had not intended to set downe a type , and to figure some mysterie , to wit , that as he had his workes of the creation by divers degrees in sixe daies , and rested on the seventh day , doing no more , but onely keeping and preserving his workes in the being he had given them , even so he produceth and sets forward by a continuall advancement the worke of his grace in his elect , during the sixe daies of this world , after which , having ended this blessed worke of his mercy , he shall rest from it , and shall intertaine and continue in this happy state of perfection for ever and ever , and shall make them to rest also with him on the seventh day of the world to come , which shall never have an end . vndoubtedly , to signifie this perpetuity , no mention is made in the history of the creation of any terme or end of the seventh day , that god rested in , as it is of the other daies , nor also of gods rest , which in effect hath continued ever since , because this other rest which it figured shall never have an end . now this figure of gods resting from the works of grace , which he had first resolved and determined in himselfe , and founded upon his owne rest from the workes of nature , was intimated by him , when giving his law to the israelites , he commanded to forbeare all workes , and by that cessation to sanctifie the seventh day which he had rested in , to the intent that this day , and their cessation on it , as an image correspondent in some sort to the example of his owne rest , should be unto them likewise a type and figure of the eternall rest which they should obtaine in heaven , after all the workes and toiles of this life , according to his good pleasure whereby he had ordained from the beginning that it should be so . and so gods rest on the seventh day , after the creation was ended , and the rest which he ordained also to the israelites on that same day after their six daies worke , were in effect two types of one and the same thing , to wit , of the accomplishment of the salvation , and of the blessednesse and glory of the faithfull in heaven ; but in divers respects , according as this accomplishment may have relation , either to god , or to the faithfull . to god , as to the author , who having begun and furthered it , will also accomplish and perfect it , in which respect it hath had properly gods rest for figure : to the faithfull , as unto those which shall injoy and possesse the benefit thereof after the turmoile of their irkesome workes in this world . in which regard it had properly for type the rest ordained to the israelites . it is likely that the apostle in consideration of this mystery , when he speaketh , vers . . of the heavenly rest , calleth it not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as he doth in all the former verses , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , using a word taken from the sabbath of the iewes , and that purposely to teach us , that the sabbath of the iewes in the relation it had to gods rest on the seventh day which it was founded upon , was a figure of the eternall rest prepared for the faithfull . and indeed , the iewes have alwaies understood it so . for they teach , that this rest of the seventh day , was a type of the rest prepared for gods people in the world to come . whereunto they apply this title of the . psalme , a psame of song for the sabbath day , saying , that this psalme is a song for the time to come , to wit , for the day of eternall life , which is all sabbath , all an holy rest , signified also by the sabbath named jointly with the new moones in isaiah . chapter verse . where god saith , that from one new moone to another , and from one sabbath to another , shall all flesh come to worship before him . which words , being applyed to the estate and condition of the world to come , as they may be most fitly , give to understand , that the new moones and the sabbaths , wherein holy convocations and solemne actions of gods service were practised , were types and figures of the great convocation of all that are his , in his heavenly kingdome , and of the eternall rest which they shall enjoy there , serving him without interruption , because there is no intervall , no space there betweene the sabbaths and the new moones , that is , betweene the times appointed for rest and the solemne service of god , as there was under the law among the iewes , but one sabbath following immediately another , one new moone succeeding , without interposition , another , as the words of the text doe import , and the whole time being nothing else then a continuall sabbath , that is , a perpetuall tenor , an unintermitted continuance without change , of serving god after a most glorious and unconceivable manner . and as god , after he had created and made all his workes in sixe dayes , ceased on the seventh day , ceased , i say , not simply , but with pleasure and content , enjoying that glory which from hence redounded unto him ; even so he shall then rejoyce and magnifie himselfe on that day in all his faithfull in whom he shall have accomplished his glorious work of their redemption , and they reciprocally shall rejoyce in him , shall rest from their labours , and their workes shall follow them , revel . . ver . . that is , they shall receive pleasure , glory , and reward of all their good works , and shall inherite a glorious rest conformable in some sort to gods rest . vndoubtedly the use which the sabbath day had to be a type and figure of this heavenly rest , was the cause that god did so precisely urge the iewes to observe and keepe it inviolably . for he designed by so severe an injunction of the exact observation of the typ● , the great importance and necessity of the thing signified thereby . of this i inferre , first that the day of rest , seeing it was ordained to be a type and figure of the heavenly and eternall rest which iesus christ was to purchase to those that are his , ●ons●●ering ●●so that the scripture for no other ●ause maketh mention o● gods resting on that day , and hallowing of it , out for this typicall and m●sterious use , that say i , that day was not ordained to adam from the beginning , to bee kept by him in the state of innocency , because there is great cause to beleeve , that although adam had persevered in that state and condition , he should not have entred into the heavenly rest , but had enjoyed simply a terrestriall and eternall blessednesse here below in the paradise of heden , where god had put him ; because the heavenly happinesse is alwayes proposed in the scripture as a supernaturall gift of the grace of god through christ iesus , and not at all as a naturall grace . and it is in that respect that the apostle in the epistle to the romanes chapter . ver . . , . saith , that we receive much more in iesus christ , then we have lost in adam , and that there is a superaboundance of grace by iesus christ towards us , going farre beyond all the losse wee have made in adam , which could not be said , if we had lost any thing over and above an earthly felicity , and immortality in these lower parts , and if adam persisting in the state of integrity , was to be , after many ages on earth , received into the kingdome of heaven . to which belongeth also that which is written in the fifteenth chapter of the first epistle to the corinthians , where the apostle making a distinction betweene adam and christ , saith verse . that adam was made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , into a living soule , that is to live a naturall life on earth , and to communicate it to his off-spring , but iesus christ was made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , into a quickning spirit , that is , to give to those that are his , a spirituall and heavenly life by the mighty power of the grace of sanctification . also that which he addeth , verse . the first man made of the earth , was earthy , ordained to abide on earth : but the second man is the lord from heaven , ordained to have his residence in heaven , and to introduce thither all that are his . so in all likelihood adam was not to be transported into the kingdome of heaven , although he had continued constantly in his first integrity and uprightnesse : nay in case hee had beene received into that glorious felicity , that could not , nor should not have befallen him by iesus christ , as such an one , that is , as saviour and mediator . and therefore it is not likely , that god ordained in the state of innocency , the seventh day of rest , which was never established by him , but to be a figure of the heavenly rest and eternall blessednesse which iesus christ imparts to all those that beleeve in him . secondly , i inferre againe from the same doctrine , that seeing the day of rest was first established to bee a figure of the heavenly rest , whereof christ is author , it hath no obligatory force under the new testament , but ought to cease , as have done all other signes , figuring the graces which iesus christ hath brought unto us , and among the rest the type and figure of the rest of the israelites in the land of canaan , which the apostle joyneth together with the rest of the seventh day , setting downe the one and the other as types , in the same fashion and of the same nature , of the heavenly rest . the exception which some take against this inference is most absurd , when they say , that if the sabbath day was a type of the heavenly rest , it ought to remaine in its vigor and strength , till this rest come , and all the faithfull have obtained it . for to the end it should continue no longer , it sufficeth that this heavenly and eternall rest hath beene purchased by iesus christ , and that the faithfull possesse it already in part , some of them being in heaven happy in their soules , and resting from their labours , the rest being here beneath , where they receive the first fruits , and an essay of that blessednesse , by the spirituall consolations , contentments and delights , which in the middest of their greatest afflictions are shed abroad in their hearts by the holy ghost which dwelleth in them . otherwise , if the foresaid reason were of any value , the other sabbaths , to wit , the sabbath of the seventh yeere , and the iubile of the fiftieth yeere , which were sabbaths of rest unto the the land should continue still , because they were figures of that rest which is not yet come . nay all the signes of the old testament should remaine , because they figured spirituall benefits , which are alwayes to come , either wholly , or in part , to all gods elect while they are here on earrh . the signification of the iewish circumcision , to wit , the circumcision of the heart shall not be brought to perfection and absolutely finished till wee be in the kingdome of heaven . but it sufficeth for an absolute abolishment of all the signes of the old testament , that iesus christ hath actually acquired all the benefits figured by them , although the elect inherite them not yet totally and perfectly . as for the day which the church hath appointed to be a day of rest under the new testament , it hath not beene ordained to serve for a type and figure , which it neither could , nor ought to doe , but only for order , and to be a meanes of the practise of holy duties , whereunto some day was of necessity to be allowed . chapter twelfth . answer to the replyes made unto the former argument . . first reply , the sabbath being morall from the beginning of the world , the figure was accidentally annexed unto it . . answer . the sabbath was a legall figure , and no thing else . . second reply . the sabbath was never a figurative and typicall signe , but only doctrinall , marking the straite communion betweene god , and those that are his , and is still such a signe . . answer to this reply , by the distinction of signes , in those that are onely doctrinall and onely memoriall , or which besides are figurative or typicall . . of which last sort was the sabbath . . and therefore it was to be abrogated , as well as all other types and figures of the law. . which were all , not only typicall , but also doctrinall . . why the signes of the christian church , are not figures & types . . third reply , concerning the raine-bow , which is a signe only , and no type at all , answered . . some things yet subsisting , which were signes , figures and types under the làw , may be yet lawfully used , but not as signes , figures , types . . for cleering of this , the types of the law are distinguished into those whose whole essence consisted in their typicall use , as the circumcision , passeover , sacrifices , &c. and in those , which besides the type , may in the new testament have some other good and religious use , as abstinence of certaine meats , observation of the first day of moneths , of feasts , of sabbaths , &c. but not as any part of gods service , or through necessity of obedience to gods commandement . of this last sort is the sabbath . fourth reply . the sabbath did not figure christ , therefore it was not a type . answer by a distinction of legall types , in those which represented directly christs person and actions ; and in those which represented directly his benefits , such as were the circumcision , all kinde of sabbaths , the weekely sabbath : all these are abrogated , and therefore this also . all other judaicall ceremonies , although they had no relation to christ , have beene abrogated ; how much more the sabbath . to the last reason heretofore alledged , some doe reply , that indeed in the sabbath there was a kind of figure & ceremony annexed only unto it accidentally , but as for the thing it selfe , the sabbath hath beene since the beginning of the world , and continueth still a morall thing , seeing it was ordained to adam before sinne came unto the world , and to the israelites before the law , since the giving whereof god added the ceremony to the day , to the intent it might be a part , not onely of the morall , but also of the ceremoniall law ; that christ hath taken away the ceremony , but a seventh day of sabbath hath alwaies the same vigor and force , it had from the beginning . it sufficeth to answer , that this reply layeth a false foundation , to wit , that a seventh day of sabbath is of it selfe morall , that it was in the time of innocency ordained to adam , and commanded to the israelites before the law. whereas it was first ordained by the law , and not before , and the figure was not annexed unto it , as an accident to a thing already subsisting ; nay , it was never of its owne nature but a legall figure , belonging to the government and ceremonies of the law , as hath beene already , and shall be more abundantly confirmed in the refutation of the arguments broached for the contrary opinion . others doe reply , by denying that in the observation of a seventh day of sabbath there was any legall figure and ceremony , which was to be abrogated by christ : that indeede god in the foresaid passages of exodus and ezechiel saith , that the sabbath day was to the israelites a signe that god sanctified them . but the word signe signifieth not alwaies a type and figure ; for love is a signe that we are christs disciples , and is not a type ; and the publike profession of a thing , is a signe of that thing , and is not a type thereof ; even so the sabbath in the strict keeping therof was a marke of the strait communion which was betweene god and the faithfull israelites , as it hath still the same use towards christians ; but was not a signe of the nature of those which were abrogated by iesus christ , to wit , a signe typicall and figurative of things to come , to the fulfilling whereof it ought to yeeld and give place , but only a doctrinall signe , that is , given to be unto them a document and instruction of gods benefits towards them , and of their duty to him , which therefore was such a signe , that it might , and ought to subsist together with the thing that it signified ; and so it followeth not , that it ought to be abrogated at the cōming of christ , but rather that it continueth under the new testament , to be unto us a signe and document of the same benefits which concerne us as much as the israelites . but this reply is of no better mettall then the former , and the distinction that it is founded upon is vaine and frivolous . it is true , that whatsoever under the old testament might in some sort be called a signe , was not alwaies a type and figure : for the word signe is now and then taken in a most generall sense , for any marke and token whatsoever , which maketh a thing to be knowne , for every effect shewing the cause from whence it proceedeth , or for every adjunct denoting the subject wherein it is inherent ; as in the examples aforesaid , the actions and courses that men take themselves unto , may be signes of their inward disposition , of their religion , or of some other thing that concerneth them . and as christ said to his disciples , that by this should all men know that they were his disciples , if they had love one to another , ioh. . v. . even so may it be said , that a pure and holy life , a religious and upright conversation under the old testament , made the true israelites to be knowne , and were a signe whereby they were denoted , as by the same badges the true christians are now knowne . there is an infinite number of such signes , which were never , neither could be types and figures . but these are not the signes that wee treat of , nor also other signes ordained purposely to be memorialls of things past , whereof there were , perhaps , some which had no other use , and were never types , and shadowes of better things . the signes we are about , are ceremonies and outward observations ordained of god to men , to signifie unto them on his behalfe the saving graces which he will communicate , and iesus christ hath purchased unto them by his death : and i affirme , that there was no such signe under the old testament , which was not a type and shadow of iesus christ to come . the sabbath ought to be sorted among these . i acknowledge it was a doctrinall signe , teaching the israelites , that god maker of all things , and therefore of all men , neverthelesse amongst all had consecrated and hallowed them particularly to himselfe , with which signe , the thing , to wit , their sanctification was present . as they also by it made publike profession of their religion and pious affection towards god. but that barred it not from being a typicall and figurative signe , in as much as it was a ceremony ordained of god to the israelites , that it might signifie unto them a most profitable benefit , which , although it was in that same time graciously bestowed upon them , had notwithstanding relation to the messias to come , for whose sake they received it , as we doe also at this time . wherupon it cannot be inferred , that we therefore ought to have the same signe at this time in the christian church : nay , on the contrary , we should not have it at all . for although the covenant of grace , in regard of the saving benefits comprehended in it , be in substance the same since the comming of christ , that it was before his comming , yet it is new in regard of their signes . for it behooved the old signes to cease for ever , and to give over their place to the new . the sabbath , and all other signes and sacraments of the law were of the same degree . they were all jointly doctrinall and figurative . they taught the faithfull what was their dutie towards god , and what were god's graces towards them , and figured unto them the messias to come , as the meritorious cause , and as that wonderfull one , who , in the fulnesse of times , was to purchase those graces , which in reference to that acquisition , and to a more full communication of them under the new testament , and their accomplishment in heaven , are called the good things to come , col. . vers . . heb. . vers . . although all true believers received them in part , even then , in as much as christs future death was no lesse present to god , then if he had suffered it already , and obtained the same worth , power and efficacy . their sacraments the circumcision , passeover , sacrifices , aspersions , &c. were they not signes of spirituall benefits , which god granted to his faithfull servants at the very instant of their celebration , as of the forgivenesse and blotting out of their sins , of their regeneration , and of other heavenly and saving graces ? were they not out of hand made actually partakers of these graces , as soone as they received the signes whereby they were signified , and they instructed and assured by them , as by most certaine documents and pledges of their present and reall exhibition ? did not god declare himselfe to be , and was he not really the god of abraham at that same instant , when he ordained unto him the circumcision in his flesh to seale that gracious promise in his heart ? and did not that promise containe the whole substance of the covenant of grace ? but although they received the graces signified , the signes were never the lesse typicall and figurative ; for as much as the messias to come , was the marke that they were levelled unto , and by whose death those graces were to be deserved and purchased . also they have all ceased at the comming of christ ; and although we receive under the new testament the same graces , we have no more those ancient signes : for christ hath given us other signes , which with greater clearenesse and perspicuity represent and assure us , that god giveth them unto us , but as being already purchased . which therefore to speake properly , are not signes and types , because they have no relation to the messias to come , nor to a future acquisition to be made by him , as were all other signes , wherewith under the old testament god had clothed the covenant of grace , and which also for this cause , christ hath abrogated . neither can it be shewed , that god will have to continue under the new testament , any thing that he had ordained under the old testament , to be an outward signe , signifying any saving grace , that christ at his comming was to purchase by his death to his church , god will have it to continue under the new testament . they alledge to this purpose , but most unfitly , the raine-bow in the clouds , which god gave of old for a signe to noah , and continueth still in this use of a signe . for it was a signe ordained onely to confirme a temporall promise , common , not onely to all men , but also to all living creatures of all flesh that is upon the earth , to wit , that there shall not any more be an universall floud to destroy the earth , and all the creatures that are therein , as he had done before , genes . . vers . , , , , , , . which was not a benefit of the covenant of grace founded upon iesus christ , but a naturall covenant , and therefore was in no sense typicall , had no relation to the messias to come , and for this cause ought not to be abolished by him , but was to continue , as in its naturall being , even so in its being relative , signifying this temporall grace , which the earth shall injoy to the worlds end . it is true , that some things which in the old covenant have beene used for types and figures , and subsist still in their naturall and absolute essence , may be freely and indifferently applyed to some good and lawfull uses , which they are capable of under the new covenant . but in regard of the end they had to be typicall signes , and of that necessary obligation which was in them by gods ancient ordinance for any end whatsoever , they are all abolished ; neither is there any one of them that hath vigour and strength vnder the new testament . which to explaine more clearely , i say , that typicall things under the old testament were of divers sorts : some of them were in such sort typicall , that their whole essence consisted in that ; neither can in matters of religion , the type & figure be severed from their lawfull use , nor applyed to the exercise of any religious function allowed in the state of the gospell . of this condition , for example , were the circumcision , the immolation of the paschall lamb , the sacrifices : the whole use of which signes was to figurate christ to come , and his benefits ; neither is there any respect fitting for the exercises of our evangelicall religion , for which any man may lawfully circumcise his children , offer the paschall lambe , or give sacrifices of beasts to god. others were in such sort typicall , that they may in themselves have another use then to be types , and be imploied lawfully in the practice of actions of the christian religion : as for example , these that the apostle speaketh of in the epistle to the colossians , chap. . vers . . to wit , the abstinence of certaine meats , the keeping of new moones , of holy daies , of sabbaths . for we may abstaine from meats , nay , from a certaine kind of meats , to fast , to keepe under our body , and bring it into subjection . we may observe the first daies of every moneth , the holy daies , the sabbaths , to rest from the toile of the world , and to apply our selves more carefully and particularly , then usually we doe , to the hearing of gods word , to singing of psalmes , to publike prayers , to bestowing almes on the poore , all which are evangelicall duties , for which it is not onely lawfull , but also fitting that some times be appointed . as indeed from all times both fasts and divers feasts have beene observed in the christian church . but to keepe all those things for religion and conscience sake , as a necessary point of gods service , or to believe that we are bound to doe so , by the commandements which god gave under the old testament , when he established them for shadowes and figures , were a thing altogether unlawfull . the sabbath day is wholly of this kind . it is certaine that christians may observe that day indifferently , as any other day , and in it give themselves unto all exercises of our christian religion . and indeed the christian church kept it in her first ages many yeeres together , as well as the sunday , which we shall shew more expresly hereafter . but to keepe it as a type and figure , as it was of old , or believe that we are bound to keepe it rather than any other day by the commandement which god gave at that time , or to make of it , for any other respect , a point of conscience , it is a thing in no case tollerable under the gospel , in the time wherof gods commandements given under the old testament concer-cerning any typicall thing , although capable otherwise to be applyed to som other use then to be a type , are not obligatory , and bind not the conscience . and as putting apart the typicall consideration , divers good uses may be found , for which a course may be taken to keepe the first day of every moneth , the solemne feasts of the passeover , of pentecost , of iubiles at the end of fifty yeeres , and others , yet all these daies are abolished , and if any man would lay a necessity of such observations upon christians , in the authority of the ancient commandements of the law , which the gospell hath not ratified , and establish in them a point of religion , he should withstand the gospel : even so , albeit reasons may be found , laying aside the type and figure , to make lawfull the observation of the sabbath day , by applying it to evangelicall uses , neverthelesse it should be a sin against the gospell to make the observation thereof necessary , by vertue of the commandements which god gave of old , but the gospel hath no more ratified then these others , or otherwise to establish in it any part of gods service , seeing it was a typicall thing which hath been abolished with all the rest . this is the maine point which i stand unto here : not that it is unlawfull to keepe the sabbath day just as any other day ; but that there is not on gods part any obligation to that day , more than to another day , and that it cannot be of it selfe a service of our christian religion , because it was a type of the old testament , and all the types of that time have ceased , in regard of their obligation , notwithstanding any lawfull use of them , which otherwise may be thought on under the new testament . and wherefore , i pray , if all other types be abolished , ought the sabbath onely to continue , seeing it was a type of the same nature with the rest , figuring to the israelites their sanctification by the messias to come ? vpon what grounds is it said , that it was not typicall and figurative as all the rest ? is it , because nothing can be seene in it figurative of iesus christ , as in all other signes ? as in the feast of passeover , the lambe which was killed figured manifestly the person of iesus christ put to death for our redemption : the sacrifices of beasts were figures of the sacrifice of christs body : the sprinklings and washings were types of his blood , of the shedding of it upon the crosse , of the sprinkling thereof upon our consciences by the holy ghost , and of the spirituall washing which we receive thereby . to this i answer , that the figurative and typicall signes of the old testament , were not all of one sort . it is true , that all had relation to christ , but some of them represented meerly and directly christs person , the actions of his person , and consequently the benefits depending thereon : others represented nothing directly but his spirituall benefits , yet as proceeding from him , and from his actions , which consequently they figured also . of the first kind was the paschall lambe , and the sacrifices that were offered , which properly were figures of christs person and of his sacrifice , and consequently of our redemption , and of the expiation of our sins made by him , which is the benefit proceeding from his sacrifice . of the second sort was the sabbath day , which properly and directly represented the sanctification of the people , and their ceasing from workes of sinne , but figured also therewith iesus christ : because by him , that benefit was to be purchased to the faithfull , and they were to receive it by his meanes . for it is by the offering of the body of iesus christ once for all that we are sanctified , heb. . ver . . of the same sort was the circumcision , wherein no thing can be found that figured properly christs person , and the actions thereof . but because it sealed the righteousnesse of faith , romanes . verse . figured the spirituall circumcision of the heart , rom. . ver . , . col. . ver . . and was a signe of the covenant of grace , genesis . ver . , , , . which benefits christ was to deserve by his death , in that respect it was a figure of christ , and a shadow , whereof the body was in him , who also hath abolished it . the like were so many sabbaths ordained on the first and last day of the feasts of the passeover , and of tabernacles , on the feast of pentecost , on the tenth day of the seventh moneth , in every seventh yeere , in the fiftieth yeere of iubile , which all confesse to have beene abolished by iesus christ , as things typicall . yet there was no thing in them that made them more particular to the iewes , more ceremoniall and typike , nay not so much as the ordinary sabbath , whereof god had said , that which he hath not said of these , that it was a signe betweene him and his people , &c. neither figured they iesus christ otherwise then this ordinary sabbath did . for they were not types of his person , nor of his actions , but only of the spirituall benefits which are alwayes received of the faithfull , and which the true iewes received then in him and through him . now if all the signes of this second kinde , which had of old a great sway in the synagogue , were accounted to be figurative , and as such are abrogated , wherefore should not the sabbath be likewise abolished ? yea how many things were there under the old testament , whereof no man can tell what relation they had to christ , either in his person , in his actions , or in his benefits , and which perhaps in effect represented no such thing , had no typicall signification , but were only ordinances belonging to order and ecclesiasticall government , servill exercises , childish rudiments , elements of the world , wherewith it was gods pleasure to burthen his people in those times , which were the times of the infancy and bondage of the church , and therefore were ceremonies , as well as those that had some typicall and figurative signification . ( for under the name of ceremonies may and ought to be comprised not only the types and figures , which properly and manifestly were such , but universally all the observations of the ecclesiasticall policy and government of the iewes , all the ordinances of the law of commandements , which were a partition wall betweene them and all other nations , as the apostle saith , ephes. . verse , . ) or were memorials of things past , which did belong to the iewes only , and for that cause have beene abrogated by iesus christ. so that , although the sabbath had not had any typicall signification , nor relation to iesus christ , as it had , it was enough to make it to be done away , that it did belong to the ecclesiasticall government of the iewes , and was also given them for memoriall of a benefit particular to them , to wit of their deliverance out of the land of aegypt , and of that miserable bondage wherein they had not any one day free , neither to rest from their labours , nor to serve the lord their god. for in the fifth chapter of deuteronomie , god repeating by the mouth of moses the commandements of his law , addeth to the fourth commandement this reason of the institution of the sabbath , ver . . and remember that thou wast a servant in the land of aegypt , and that the lord thy god brought thee out thence , through a mighty hand , and by a stretched out arme : therefore the lord thy god commanded thee to keepe the sabbath day , shewing by these words , that the deliverance which he had given them from that laborious bondage of the land of aegypt , should not onely oblige them to keepe the sabbath so much the more carefully and religiously , but was a cause why he ordained it , to wit , that it might be unto them a memoriall , or a token for remembrance of that glorious and wonderfull deliverance . chapter thirteenth . conclusion of the first part of this treatise . . the sabbath was not ordained , nor knowne , till after the deliverance of the israelites out of the land of aegypt . . the sabbath was onely a signe figurative of christ , and a memoriall of a benefit particular to the iewes . . all the dayes of the weeke ought to bee sabbaths to christians . of all that hath beene said heretofore we conclude , first , that the sabbath was not ordained till after the deliverance of the israelites out of the land of aegypt , and consequently , that they kept it not in aegypt , and therefore that they had not learned of the patriarkes their fathers to observe it ; that the patriarkes did not observe it ; that adam received not any commandement of god to keepe it , neither had any notice thereof ; finally that therefore it is not morall . for if it were morall , and therefore alwayes and in all times necessary , if god had commanded it to adam , if the patriarkes had kept it , they had taught their children to keepe it , and that being so , the israelites had assuredly kept it in aegypt . if there they had kept it , there had been no cause to ordaine it for a memoriall of their deliverance out of aegypt , and to say , that after their deliverance , and in consideration thereof , they were commanded to keepe the sabbath day , which is the thing that god pronounceth most expressely in the place lately cited , deut. . verse . and ezek. . verse , . where upon that hee had said ver . . that hee caused the israelites to goe forth out of the land of aegypt , he addeth , and i gave them my statutes , moreover also i gave them my sabbaths , &c. secondly , seeing the sabbath day was ordained to be a memoriall of a benefit particular to the israelites , to wit , of their deliverance out of the land of aegypt , and of their separation from all other nations , it followeth that the sabbath day obligeth not christians under the new testament , as if it were morall , and as if god had ●●dained it by an expresse commandement to continue till the worlds end . for this end of the sabbath , to be a memoriall of their deliverance and separation from all other people dwelling upon the face of the earth , with the other end afore mentioned , to be a figurative signe of iesus christ to come , and of the saving benefits , which were to be purchased by him , made up the whole use of the sabbath : of which end neither the one nor the other doth belong to the new testament . the faithfull christians are a people more spirituall then the iewes were , because they are under the gospell , which is an estate more spirituall and heavenly then was the condition of gods people under the law , for which cause it is called the kingdome of heaven : and therefore all dayes under the gospell should be to all the faithfull that live in that blessed and heavenly estate as many sabbath dayes , more particularly then to the iewes , to rest from their sinnes , and to give themselves to prayers calling upon the name of the lord , to reading and meditation of his holy word , and to other religious exercises of godlinesse , according to the words in isaiah chapter . v. . if they be applyed unto the estate of the church under the gospell , as they may be , and indeed are so expounded by many interpreters , when it is there said , that then there shall be no more new moones , nor sabbaths distinguished by intervalls and spaces of times , but one sabbath shall succeed immediately to another sabbath , and that all the dayes of the weeke and of the whole yeere shall bee as sabbaths unto them . this is the conclusion of all that hath beene said in this first part , which shall be more fully confirmed by the refutation of the arguments that are brought to maintaine the morality of the sabbath . which refutation shall bee the subject of the second part of this treatise . the second part wherein the reasons brought to justifie the morality and perpetuity of a seventh day of sabbath are confuted . chapter first . first answer to the first reason . . the opinion of those that hold the morality of a seventh day of sabbath cleerely set downe . . their first reason taken out of genesis chapter . ver . , . where it is said , that god rested on the seventh day from all his workes , and blessed the seventh day , and sanctified it , &c. . first answer to this reason . moses writing the history of the creation after the law was given , declareth occasionally the cause that moved god to blesse and sanctifie the seventh day to the iewes , according to the custome of the scripture , to joyne things done long before with those that were done long after , as if they had beene done together , and at one time . . confirmation of this by places named by anticipation . . by that which is written , exod. . ver . , . where it is said , that aaron laid up in a pot an omer of manna before the testimony , which was not done many yeeres after . . and by the history of davids combat with goliah , sam. . where it is written , ver . . that david tooke the head of the philistine , and brought it to ierusalem , but he put his armour in his tent , although there was a great intervall of time betweene these two actions . . this joyning of things farre removed in time , is not unsutable to him that speaketh or writeth . . first instance against this answer , taken from the connexion of the third verse with the second , from the same tence used in both , and from the identitie of the same seventh day spoken of in both , &c. . first answer to this instance , shewing , that in the holy scripture things distant in-time , are expressed by words of the same tence , when the one hath some dependancie upon the other . . application of this answer to the blessing and sanctification of the seventh day in moses his time , joyned with gods rest after the creation , because it was the foundation of that blessing . . second answer , it was not the same particular seventh day after the creation , but the same by revolution which god sanctified . . third answer , the hebrew article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confirmeth not , that the seventh day which god blessed was the same seventh day wherein he rested . . second instance , as gods blessing of his creatures after they were made , was present , so was his blessing of the seventh day immediately after the creation . . answer to this instance , the reason is not alike . . confirmation of the answer made to the words of moses in genesis , by the conformity of the same words used in the commandement given to the iewes concerning the sabbath . . as also , because the sabbath was not hallowed for adam who in the estate of innocency had no need of such a day . . first instance , adam was taught by gods example that hee stood in need of such a day , refuted . . second instance , as god ordained sacraments to adam , so he ordained to him a seventh day of rest , refuted by a reason shewing the nullity of that consequence . . and by the excellency of adams condition , to which the ordination of such a day was derogatory . . third instance , as gods rest on the seventh day was the foundation of the commandement given to the iewes to rest on that day , so was it from the beginning , refuted . those that hold the second opinion doe say , that the keeping of a seventh day of sabbath is a morall thing , which from the beginning of the world should continue to the end thereof , with this difference only , that god before and till the comming of iesus christ had ordained , that the last day of the weeke wherein hee rested from all the workes which hee had made , when he created the world , should be sanctified by all men , in remembrance of the creation , and of his rest on that day : but since the manifestation of iesus christ , it was his will , that instead of the last day of the weeke , the first day , wherein christ , rising from among the dead , rested from the work of our redemption , should be observed in the christian church , for a memoriall of this worke , which being more excellent then the former , it was beseeming and just , that this last day of the creation , should yeeld the possession of the day of rest unto it . to underprop this opinion , they have broached diverse reasons , amongst which we shall order in the first place the reason taken out of the second chapter of genesis , ver . . where moses , after hee had said , that god finished all his workes in sixe dayes , and rested on the seventh day , addeth , and god blessed the seventh day , and sanctified it , because that in it he had rested from all his workes which hee created and made . of which words they conclude , that as soone as ever the creation was ended , and the seventh day begun to subsist in nature , it was blessed and sanctified , that is , consecrated to gods service , and ordained , even then to our first parents while they were in the state of innocency , to be kept by them for this end , and therefore the observation of a seventh day is morall , is of the law of nature , and is in no wise ceremoniall , seeing it was established before sin came into the world , at which time there was no shadowes and figures of christ , because in that state of innocency our first parents had not stood in neede of him , nor of any direction to him by ceremonies . if then in that estate , wherein no corruption of sin had hindred them to serve god continually , and the bodily imployments had been no great disturbance unto them in the practice of that duty , god judged necessary to injoine unto them a seventh day , to the intent that giving over all other care , they should in it addict themselves only to the actions of his service , and all religious exercises , how much more in the state of sin , wherein men have so many hindrances from gods service , both by sin , and by the laborious occupations of their worldly callings , is it necessary , that a set day of rest be ordained unto them , to cease wholly in it from the turmoile of their secular affaires , and to give themselves only to holy and religious exercises belonging to gods service . this necessity is as great under the new testament , as it was under the old ; and therefore god hath not omitted to ordaine under both a sabbath day , yea , a seventh day of rest , which being established before sinne , and consequently being morall , bindeth all men perpetually . there be divers meanes to answer this objection : first , nothing obligeth us to believe , that the words written in the third verse of the second chapter of genesis should be thus translated : and god blessed the seventh day , and sanctified it , as if moses had meant to expresse a time past long before his penning of this booke ; and to tell , that this blessing and sanctifying was made even from the time that the creation was finished , and from the first seventh day of the world : whereas they may be translated thus , and god hath blessed the seventh day , and hath sanctified it , & understood , as being said with a parenthesis , and in regard of the ordinance which god had lately made in the daies of moses concerning the seventh day , when he gave by his ministery the law of the israelites ▪ which ordinance moses made mention of in his relation to the history of the creation , as of a thing established and knowne of the israelites when he writ , & by occasion of that he had said , that god after he had created all his works in sixe daies , rested on the seventh day . so we may give this exposition to moses words ; god made all his works in six daies , and rested on the seventh day , and thence he tooke occasion to blesse and sanctifie now that day , giving commandement by his law to his people of israel to keepe it in their generations : so it shall be a narration made in this place occasionally , according to the ordinary custome of holy writers , and specially of moses , when in the historicall relation of things that were come to passe long before , they find occasion to speak of things happened since , specially of those that were come to passe in their time when they wrote , to interlace , upon that occasion , a short rehearsall of them , with the narration of things more ancient , and to speake of both in such a manner , as if they had happened in the same time , whereof i will here set downe some examples . first we find divers places named by anticipation : as in the . chapter of genesis , verse . it is said , that abraham removed unto a mountaine eastward from bethel , which name of bethel was not in the daies of abraham the name of the place betokened by it in the foresaid words : for it was not called bethel , till in it iacob saw a ladder reaching to heaven , and the lord standing above it . then iacob called it bethel , that is , the house of god , whereas before that time it was called luz , as may be seene in genesis , chap. . vers . . . but moses writing the history of abraham , called it bethel , by an historicall anticipation , because in his time , bethel was the ordinary name of that place : we read in the fourth chapter of ioshuah , vers . . that the people came up out of iordan , and pitched in gilgal , which was not so called , till ioshuah in that place circumcised the people , chap. . vers . . likewise in the second chapter of iudges , and first verse , the author saith , that the angel of the lord came up from gilgal to bokim , because the place which he calleth bokim was so called when he wrote that history , although it was not yet so called when the angel came thither , but received that name afterward , from the teares which the people shed and powred out before god , after the angel had rebuked them ; for the text saith , that when the angel of the lord spake these words to all the children of israel , the people lift up their voice and wept : therefore they called the name of that place bokim , vers . , . secondly , we find the same anticipation in the description of things and actions : as in the . chapter of exodus , where moses reporteth , how god began first to give manna to the israelites ( which i pretend also to be the time of the first institution of the sabbath ) and how the israelites carried themselves about the ordering thereof , and immediatly he addeth , how he by gods command , ordained that an omer of it should be filled , to be kept for the generations of the israelites , vers . . and gave an injunction to aaron to take a pot , to put in it that omer full of manna , and to lay it up before the lord to be kept for their generation , vers . . he reciteth also at once , that as the lord commanded him , so aaron laid it up before the testimony to be kept , vers . . which things , as it is evident , were not done at the first , when god gave them that bread to eat , because then there was as yet neither tabernacle , nor arke , nor tables of the law. but because when moses wrote , all these things were done , and had their full performance , he taking occasion of the historicall narration , which he was writing of the first manna which god sent to his people , relateth also the ordinance that god gave to put a pot full of it in the tabernacle , before the arke , and the execution of the said ordinance , which neverthelesse must be referred to a long time after . so in the first booke of samuel , and in the . chapter , after the narration made of davids combat against goliah , of his victory of that giant , and of the defeat of the philistins , it is added in the text , verse . and david tooke the head of the philistine , and brought it to ierusalem , but hee put his armour into his tent , which notwithstanding was not done , but after that david , being anointed king , tooke the whole towne of ierusalem from the iebusites , with the strong hold of sion , and dwelled in it , calling it the city of david , sam. . vers . . . and therefore our french translation in the foresaid place , sam. . addeth the word depuis , that is , since , saying , and david since brought the head of the philistine to ierusalem , and put his armes in his tabernacle , to shew , that david did not this as soone as he had overthrowne the philistine , although it be related in the text jointly and at once , with his combat and victory , as if both had happened together , because when that history was a writing , the transportation of the head and armes of goliah to ierusalem , and to the fort of sion was done : and therefore it is related by occasion , as it were with one breath , in consequence of the victory gotten over him : other examples might be found to this purpose , if it were needfull . to keepe this course in discoursing and writing is no wise unfitting nor misbecomming . if any writing under the new testament the history of the first creation of the world , and relating the forming of light on the first day , should adde by occasion . and it is also on the first day , that the true light of the world hath shined by his resurrection from the dead , and for that cause wee observe that day : or if re-hearzing , that god brought forth bread out of the earth to strengthen mans heart , and wine to make it glad , he should adde joyntly upon this occasion : and it is in this bread and in this wine which nourish the body , that iesus christ hath instituted the sacrament of the nourishment of the soule by him , who should finde any thing blame-worthy in such discourses . wherfore then moses might he not most fitly , by occasion of that hee had written of the seventh day , and of gods rest in it , in the history of the creation , touch also in the same discourse the edict made about the sanctification of that day , seeing that edict had a great sway when he wrote the history of the creation , and gods rest on the seventh day was the cause and reason thereof , although it was not so ancient as the first seventh day ? against this answer the instance hath no force which they urge from the conjunction and , whereby the third verse is joyned with the second , that is , the blessing and hallowing of the seventh day , with the finishing of the workes of god , and of his rest on that day , as being done at the same time , and expressed in words of the same tence and moode . nor what they say further , that in these two verses , as most cleerely appeareth , the whole discourse is of the same seventh day , and as in the second verse is understood the first seventh day , wherein god , after he had finished his workes , rested , likewise in the third verse it is understood so , when it is said , that he blessed and sanctified the seventh day , which is also expressed by the demonstrative article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : to shew that it was the same seventh day : that otherwise the reason which is added , and taken from the rest of god , should be worthlesse , because god did not rest from the worke of creation on that day which he ordained to the iewes , to be their sabbath day , but on that day wherein hee finished first all his workes . for i answer to this , that the conjunction and may well enough joyne things distant in time , and farre removed one from another , that also they may be expressed by words of the same tence and moode , specially if they have any connexion and dependancy one upon another , as in this place , the blessing and hallowing of the seventh day , although done long after gods rest on the seventh day , dependeth upon that rest , as upon the cause and reason which was an occasion to god to make it . in the texts before mentioned of exodus . chapter the . and . verses , and of the . chapter of the first booke of samuel , in the . verse , which expresse manifestly things done many yeares after these which are rehearsed before , but depending on them , are joyned to the verses immediately going before , by the conjunction and , which is diverse time reiterated , and the words whereby these diverse things are expressed , are set downe in the same tence and moode . it imports not , that in these examples the thing subsequent joyned straight with the precedent , was not a great deale so farre remote in time from it , because both hapned within the space of the age of one man , as should be in the text of genesis before cited the sanctification of the seventh day from gods rest on the seventh day , if this being past on the first seventh day after the creation , that came not to passe till the dayes of moses , which should be an intervall of more than two thousand yeeres . for when two things separated and distant in time , are to bee coupled together in a discourse , if so bee the one hang upon the other , those that are remote by many thousand of yeares , may be joyned together , as well as those of twenty or forty yeeres distance . neither doe i see wherefore it is not as allowable and convenient to rehearse at once a thing come to passe two thousand yeeres and more , after another that it relyeth on , notwithstanding there be a great intervall of time betweene , as to recite one chanced twenty or forty yeares after another whereunto it hath some relation . in the one and in the other there is the same reason , and the same liberty . wherefore the blessing of the seventh day made in the dayes of moses , might bee fitly coupled with the rest of god , after the creation , which was the foundation thereof , notwithstanding any whatsoever distance of time betweene them . as indeed it is so joyned in the fourth commandement , exodus chapter . verse . where god speaking to the israelites saith , in sixe dayes the lord made heaven and earth , and rested the seventh day : wherefore the lord blessed the sabbath day , and hallowed it . in which place cannot be understood a blessing and hallowing done at the same time , that god rested first on the seventh day , but that only which was made in behalfe of the israelites , as is cleere by the repetition of the law in the fifth chapter of deuteronomie , where that which was absolutely said in exodus , therfore the lord blessed the seventh day , is restrained to the israelites , v. . therefore the lord commanded thee to keepe the sabbath day . and in exodus . v. . the lord hath given you the sabbath . and in the . chap. ver . , . the children of israel shall keepe the sabbath , to observe the sabbath throughout their generation , for a perpetuall covenant : it is a signe betweene mee and the children of israel for ever . for in sixe dayes the lord made heaven and earth , and on the seventh day he rested ; where it cannot be denyed , but that with the end of the creation , and gods rest on the seventh day , is immediately joyned the institution of the sabbath to the israelites , at least in quality of a signe . if then in that place moses might speake after this manner , and say , god created in sixe dayes heaven and earth , and rested the seventh day , and therefore he hath ordained to the israelites the sabbath day for a signe ; wherefore in the second of genesis ; might he not say after the same manner , god made heaven and earth , in sixe dayes , and finished them on the seventh day , and rested from all his workes , and this his rest on the seventh day hath moved him to blesse ánd sanctifie that day , to wit , to the israelites , to be a signe unto them according to that hath been said in the places before mentioned , which are an evident and cleere explication thereof . neither is it any wise necessary , as is pretended , that in the second chapter of genesis , in the second and third verses , one and the same singular seventh day should be understood , and that god hath precisely sanctified the same seventh day wherein he rested , and rested on the same day that he sanctified , and therefore because in the second verse the first seventh day after the creation is understood , it must be taken so in the third verse . for it sufficeth to understand in the third verse the same seventh day in likenesse and revolution , and generally a seventh day correspondent continually in order to that which god rested on , after his workes of the sixe dayes . and this reason , that god rested on the first seventh day , might have been to god a most reasonable cause to ordaine long after the sanctification of a seventh day , answerable in all points to that first seventh day . the sequell of moses his discourse is as fitting in this regard , as in the other ; as if i said , our lord iesus christ rose againe , and rested from the worke of our redemption on the first day of the weeke , wherefore the church hath dedicated the first day of the weeke that hee rose in , to be holy and solemne , the sequele is good , although it be not the same first singular day that christ rose on , and the church hath consecrated , but the same onely in likenesse and revolution , yea although there passed a long time after the resurrection of our lord and saviour before the first day of the weeke could be well setled as a day of holy and religious exercises . we say on friday before easter , this day christ hath suffered : on the ascension day , this day christ is ascended into heaven : at whitsunday , on this day the holy ghost is come downe , although those things came to passe on a certaine singular day which is past long agoe . but we name so all the dayes following which correspond to that first day , according to the similitude which is betweene them . and we call the day of the passion , of the ascension , of the descent of the holy ghost , those which are not such properly , but onely have by revolution correspondancie with the first dayes , wherein such things were done . even so , when it is said in the third verse of the second chapter of genesis , and therefore the lord hath blessed the seventh day , and hath hallowed it , because in it he hath rested from all his workes , that is to be understood , not of the same first day wherein hee rested , but of a seventh day answering unto it in the order and continuall succeson of dayes . the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put in the third verse , before the word that signifieth seven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proveth not , that it is a peculiar seventh , even that seventh day that god rested in verse . for although the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be often used to betoken emphatically a thing singular and individuall , already knowne and mentioned , yet this is not universall . for it is used much without any emphasis , or expresse demonstration of any thing , either singular or certaine , yea simply to serve for an ornament , and to make the word that it is joyned unto more full , which use hath also in the greeke tongue the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . verily in the third ver . which we speak of in this place , it is cleere , that the said article cannot be restrained to a seventh singular day , as it is in the second verse ; nay it betokeneth more generally a seventh day comprehending in it many singular dayes , which by similitude , in regard of the order and succession of times , have reference and analogie to the first seventh day mentioned in the said second verse , and have followed it from time to time at the end of sixe dayes . for it is such a seventh day that god hath sanctified , and not a singular seventh . and that seventh day may bee called a particular seventh , and considered as particularised by the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as it is in effect , in as much as it is not indifferently all seventh day , or any of the seven dayes of the weeke that god hath sanctified , but it is the last of them . we seeke only to know , when god began to blesse and to hallow it to men , to be kept by them . and i maintaine that this hallowing began not incontinent after the creation was finished , but more than two thousand yeeres after . neither is the contrary proved by this passage of genesis . no greater weight hath another instance which is much urged , that as in the course of the creation , when it is said , that god after he had created every living thing , blessed them , gen. . v. , , , . is to be understood a present benediction , and not put off to a long time : even so , when in the second of genesis , with the perfection of the creation on the seventh day , is joyned the blessing and hallowing of that day , a present sanctification is to be understood . for the reason is not alike in the one , and in the other . first , the blessing of all living creatures , and the blessing of the seventh day are not to be taken in the same sence . that is a blessing of actuall and reall communication of goods and graces : this is a blessing of destination to be solemnized by men . secondly , all living creatures , as soone as god had created them , stood in necessary need of this communication of his graces , without which they could not have subsisted in their being : and therefore we ought to understand , that at that time god blessed them after that manner , but there was no necessity , that man should solemnize the seventh day as soone as it was made , more than any other day of the weeke , and therefore it was not necessary that god should then consecrate it to that use . thirdly , it is clearely set downe in the text , that god blessed all living creatures as soone as he created them : for it is added , and god blessed them , and god said unto them , be fruitfull , and multiply , &c. but it is not said , that god blessed the day of rest , and at that same time commanded adam and his posterity to keepe it ; wherefore a like blessing and hollowing cannot be proved from thence to have beene made from the beginning of the seventh day . this first answer to the precedent objection , is moreover confirmed by the conformity of the words which moses maketh use of in this verse of the second of genesis , with those whereby the hallowing of the sabbath was injoyned in the law , for they are the same ; which is an helpe to shew , that moses writing since god pronounced the law , spoke of the hallowing of the seventh day , in regard only to the ordinance that god in his time had made thereof , seeing he imployeth the same words , and the same discourse . againe , the same answer is confirmed by this , that it is not probable , that god from the beginning sanctified the seventh day to ordaine it to adam for a day of rest , because adam in the estate of innocency should not have had any use of such a day . for he was without sin , which might have hindred him to serve god continually , and therefore needed not a signe , which by the similitude of a bodily rest and cessation , might teach him to cease and rest from sin , as if he had beene already obnoxious unto it , and so be for that purpose a good help unto him . and though he was capable of sin , and had a possibility of falling into it afterward : yet as the holy angells were and are still capable of sin , and might of themselves fall into sin , if god confirmed them not in grace , and yet a day of sabbath was not behoofefull unto them , because they are in a perpetuall course of serving god : even so to man , in that estate of innocency , a particular day of rest was neither very necessary , nor very sufficient to keep him from falling into sin . for to prevent that mis-hap he stood in need of daily helps far more powerfull , making him to cleave to god with purpose of heart , to call upon him , to thinke seriously on him , and consider deeply his favours and graces , which he might and was bound to doe , seeing he had no distraction from gods service by any temporall and earthly businesse . for although it be true , that god put him in the garden of heden , and commanded him to dresse it , genes . . vers . . yet seeing that place was unto him a place of pleasure , delights , and innocency , the dressing of it could not hinder him to serve god every day , with all necessary continuance and assiduity . it had rather been unto him a recreation and delightfull diversion , to keep him from idlenesse , then a necessary occupation , seeing the earth had of it selfe brought forth all fruits unto him ; no painfull imploiment , because it had not bin accompanied with toilesome travell and wearinesse , and had not required of him an oversight and imployment so long , that a particular day would have bin necessary unto him , to rest on it from his works , and to apply himselfe without distraction to gods service ; whereas the occupations of sinfull men are such , that they are forced of necessity to win their bread in the sweat of their face . moreover , in that estate of innocency , adam and eve being alone , had no outward exercises of religion , such as are those that are practised in a church assembled , and which , to attend on them , require of necessity a stinted time , and a cessation from all bodily works . but rather all the service that god required of adam , and which he might have applyed himselfe unto , was a particular meditation and consideration of his works , and the calling upon his holy name : which service he was able to discharge every day abundantly , yea , even then , when he was busied about the dressing of the garden , which was capable rather to stirre up and entertaine his spirit in the mediation of gods workes , then to hinder it . of no weight is the instance that some make , saying , that although adam in the estate of innocency had no distraction from gods service , nor trouble and wearinesse by his ordinary labour , yet it was behoofefull unto him to keepe a seventh day of rest , seeing god himselfe , although he was in no regard wearied and distracted by making all his works in sixe daies , neverthelesse rested on the seventh day . verily , if god after the making of his workes in sixe daies , had rested on the seventh day purposely , to the intent , that by an intermission of his painfull labors , and appointment and solemne applying of that seventh day to some particular holinesse for himselfe and his owne use , as having need thereof , because he could not in the sixe precedent daies be earnest enough about it , he might afterwards returne to the making of other works after the former , and so continue that reciprocation , the foresaid instance by far greater reason should be much worth . but that saying , that god rested on the seventh day , signifieth nothing saving this , that god ceased to make more workes , and viewed them when they were made , because in the former sixe dayes he had finished them all , and this cessation was only a resultance and necessary consequence of the intire perfection of all his worke , wherefore also it continued , not only on that seventh day , but ever sithence ; because god hath never since made any new creatures . whence it is cleerely apparent that the instance is altogether vaine , because there is not the same reason of gods rest on the seventh day , and of the rest , the necessity whereof they would faine put upon man in the estate of innocency . all that this example of god could oblige adam unto , was only to indeavour , after he had done his worke , to contemplate gods workes , and admire in them his glory , which , i say , he might have done sufficiently every day . now if this example bindeth us not at this time under the new testament , as shall be proved hereafter , how farre lesse obliged it adam ? no more force hath that which is also objected , that if god ordained to adam , when he was in his integrity , outward signes and sacraments , as the tree of life , and the tree of knowledge of good and evill , he might as conveniently ordaine unto him a day of rest . for the tree of life , and the tree of knowledge , of good and evill , to speake properly , were no more sacraments to adam , then the other trees of the garden , yea then all other workes of god , in all which he might have considered signes and markes of the grace and power of god ; but the one was unto him a meanes of the perpetuall conservation of his bodily life by eating of the fruit therof , and the other an occasion to try his obedience , by the prohibition made unto him to eate thereof . besides this the consequence is naught : for to establish signes and sacraments signifying to adam the perpetuall grace of god , and his immortality , if he persevered in obedience , and on the contrary threatning him with the disgrace of god , and with death , if he became a transgressor , was not a thing repugnant to his condition in the state of innocency , neither had it any unreasonablenesse joyned with it : but to ordaine a particular day of rest to a man , to whom all the dayes had beene sabbaths , and who day by day had served god , as much as was necessary , and as god did require of him , was not a thing sutable and convenient to his condition . as in the heavenly paradise there is no particular day of sabbath , but a perpetuall sabbath , because there god is glorified without stint or ceasing by the heavenly host , even so in the terrestriall paradise , where man was righteous and holy , and in a condition conforme , in some sort , to that of the kingdome of heaven , and a figure thereof , he had observed a perpetuall sabbath to god. for although hee could not doe it so perfectly as it is done in heaven , because he was obnoxious to the necessities of this naturall life , neverthelesse hee might have done it , and did it as perfectly as the quality and condition of his being here beneath could suffer , so that it was no wise requisite that he should have a particular day of sabbath . nay i esteeme , that to affirme , that god ordained unto him a seventh day of sabbath , derogateth too much from the excellency of his condition . for it is most sure , that the determination of a particular time of gods service made to a man expressely , supposeth that he wants the commodity , and is not able to serve god ordinarily , or hath not an inclination and affection to doe it , and it therefore must be layd upon him , as a yoake tying him thereunto , and withdrawing him from his other occupations , as also it is a marke of a servile condition , in witnesse whereof , the appointment of so many solemne dayes of gods service under the law , was a part of the yoke thereof , from which god hath freed the state of the gospell , as being more free and more perfect , wherein wee should be stirred up with a more free and voluntary affection to his service . to one that is both able and willing to serve god continually every day , as adam was in that state of innocency and of perfect righteousnesse , it is not needfull to limit a particular day . and though a day chosen and picked out from others had beene usefull to adam , to the end that giving over all other things , he might give himselfe intirely and only to gods service , doubtlesse god had left that choice to his liberty , considering the wisedome and godlinesse wherewith he had endowed him . to say that since gods rest on the seventh day , after the labour of sixe dayes in the creation , was the foundation and the reason of the institution made in the law , of a seventh day , to bee a sabbath day , the same reason being of the same force and use from the beginning of the world , should have caused at that time the same ordinance , and the same hallowing of the seventh day to all men , it is a forceles consequence . for there was not a like necessity of the institution of a particular day of rest in these first beginnings , when adam was in the state of innocency , nor afterwards when the church subsisted in a few families , or particular persons , as there hath been , after the church was become a great body of people , having need of a stinted order and government , whereof god would take the care upon himselfe , and for that end , among other points of ecclesiasticall order , and rules of his service , ordaine to his people of israel growen to a great number , a day of sabbath , and the seventh of the week , taking for the foundation and reason of the institution of a seventh day his own resting on the seventh day , which became , at that time only , a reason of this ordinance , because god grounded himselfe thereupon to make it , but it followeth not , that before that time , and from the beginning of the world this rest of god , which was on the first seventh day , should be a reason of the same ordinance . that should be right and prove good , if it were of its owne nature a reason absolutely necessary , and a cause bringing forth unfallibly such an effect , which is not . otherwise it should follow , that god was bound to hallow the seventh day , and could not sanctifie any other . it is indeed a reason , not of it selfe , but only for as much as god thought fit , and was pleased to ground upon it the sanctification of the seventh day . whereof this is a manifest proofe , that under the new testament this reason hath no force to make us observe the day of gods rest . now there is no necessity obliging us to inferre , that if god would and thought fit it should bee a reason in the time of the law , he was also willing , and thought fit , it should be a reason also before the law , and since the beginning of the world : whereas it is manifest by the reasons already alledged , that it was very fit it should be so under the law , but was not so from the beginning , and before the law was given . chapter second . three other answers to the first reason . . second answer , although god had from the beginning sanctified the seventh day , he gave no commandement to man to sanctifie it . . third answer , although god had sanctified the seventh day with relation to man , he had done it only with intention to command it afterwards to the israelites under the law. . for in scriptures sanctification is often taken for destination to some use in time to come . . the reply , that so god should have rested on the seventh day by destination only to rest afterwards , refuted . . fourth answer , although god had commanded adam to hallow the seventh day , that proveth not the morality of the sabbath , but only the necessity of a set time , for orders sake in gods service . . whence no necessity can bee inferred of the observation of the same time stinted to adam , by all men . . but rather of moe times to bee kept by them , seeing all are sinners . bvt secondly put the case that the mention made in the second chapter of genesis ver . . of gods blessing and hallowing the seventh day , should be understood , as done at that time , it followeth not , that his meaning was in that sanctification , to prescribe it to adam and to his posterity , to be observed by them . for it is said only that god blessed the seventh day , and sanctified it , but not that he commanded man to sanctifie it , as he did in the law. this sanctification includeth not necessarily a precept given to man. for we may conceive simply , that god in his owne mind blessed and sanctified it , that is , magnified it , gave it a speciall recommendation , made a particular account , and had a good liking of it , and , as it were , rejoyced and gloried in it , because then he rested from all his workes , beheld seriously their most beautifull and perfect structure , and his glory in them . which implyeth not , that he was willing to give an ordinance to man to observe it . for according to the stile of the scripture , times , as well as places , are called holy , and are said to be sanctified by the lord , simply in regard of his appearing in them by some famous action , or some other notable mark , whether he ordaineth them to men to be kept by them , or not , as may be gathered out of exodus chapter . verse . chapter . ver . . of deuteronomie , chapter . ver . . of ioshua chapter . verse . of psalme . ver . . of ieremy . ver . . of ezechiel chapter . ver . . of sophoniah chapter . ver . . of peter chapter . ver . . thirdly , although this blessing and sanctifying of the seventh day , were to be understood , as done at that first time , and relatively to man , it should not follow , that it was done for that time , that it had relation to adam and to eve , and that god had given unto them notice thereof . for god might have blessed and sanctified that seventh day by an appointment and designe to command the observation thereof to men , not at that time , nor long after , but onely when he was to give the law to his people of israel , as also he did . if any at this time relating the history how noah and his family were in the arke saved by the waters of the floud ; or how the israelites were delivered from the hands of pharaoh by the waters of the red sea , upon the occasion of that discourse should adde , that then god sanctified the baptisme of the new testament , he should speake fitly to the purpose , because these things were figures , which in gods intention had relation to the figure of baptisme cor. . ver . . and pet. . ver . . although god sanctified not baptisme to be practised at that time in the church , but long after : likewise moses might very well say , that god , as soone as he rested on the seventh day , sanctified that day , because he rested on it purposely , to ordaine it to bee to men a holy day , although hee ordained it not at that time , but long after in the dayes of the common wealth of israel . and indeed the hebrew word which is translated , by the word sanctifie , signifieth , to consecrate , ordaine , prepare , publish , proclaime , and is often taken relatively to that which is to come , whether it be applyed to persons , isa. . ver . . ierem. . verse . . to things , ierem. . vers . . or to times , king. . vers . . ioel . vers . . ioel . vers . . in which places , as may be seene there , the holy ghost speaking in the present tence , persons are said to be actually sanctified , that is , destinated and appointed for some actions which they were not to doe then , but long after : likewise actions are named , which were to be performed after a long time ; as also times and daies to be solemnized , which were not to happen but after a good while , the times betweene , which were correspondent to them in the ordinary course of moneths and weeks , having no part in this solemnity . and why may we not say , that even so , the seventh day was blessed and sanctified , that is , ordained to be kept , but not at that time by adam and eve , but only by their posterity many ages after , and to beginne to be observed , when the law should be given to the people of israel . it must not be thought more strange that such a sanctification done at the beginning of the world should be relative to the giving of the law , which came to passe two thousand yeeres after , then to see in the aforesaid passages divers sanctifications relative to actions which were to fall out some hundred yeeres after . more or lesse time are of no moment in such things . it sufficeth to sanctifie , and to say that a thing hath beene sanctified in the present time , for a time to come , which is evident by the places afore mentioned , and by others such like . if god is said to have chosen , set apart , and sanctified from the wombe certaine persons , because he was to imploy them in holy functions when they should be of a mature and ripe age , and such as he should thinke fit , before which time he suffereth them to remaine in a common condition with other men , as may be seene in ieremiah , chap. . vers . . and in the epistle to the galatians , chap. . vers . . why may it not be said , that after the same manner he sanctifieth a day to be applyed to holy uses a long while after this sanctification , and in the meane while leaveth it , till that time come , in the common and ordinary use of and with other daies . their reply is very light , when they say , that if the aforesaid answer be of any value , we must say likewise , that as god sanctified not in the beginning the seventh day , but by destinating it to be holy afterwards , even so he rested not on that day , but after the same manner , in as much as he appointed it for his rest in some time to come , which indeed is absurd . for this reply presupposeth , that gods rest on the seventh day , and the sanctification of that day are one thing , and that these two fashions of speech may and ought to be taken in the same sense and meaning : which is not so , when we say of any body that resteth and ceaseth to worke , that imports a thing present ; and not done by destination only : but when it is said , that one hath sanctified a thing , in the sense that the word sanctifie is taken , to wit , to destinate and appoint to an holy use , it is not necessary that such an use beginne , as soone as the thing is sanctified , for it may be very well appointed for a time to come . fourthly , although it should be granted , that the seventh day was prescribed to adam , to be observed by him continually , that toucheth not the morality of the sabbath . for this being granted , i say the seventh day was not ordained vnto him , as a morall thing , nor also as a ceremony and figure directing to christ , of whom he had no need in the state of innocency , but onely as a point of order and of government , which god was pleased to subject him unto , and to stint unto him that time , to wit , the seventh day , for the particular time of his service , even as he appointed unto him the garden of heden for the place where he would have him to make his residence , and there to apply himselfe to admire the workes of his creator , to serve and to worship him . and indeed , any man may with as good reason conclude , that it must needs be a morall thing to serve god in heden , because it was the place where god had setled adam to be served by him there in the state of his innocency , as they doe which seeke to prove , that it is a point of morality to keepe a seventh day of sabbath , because god ordained in that state a seventh day to adam . for the determination of a certaine time can no more be a morall point , then the determination of a place , neither of them being founded in the principles of nature , and of naturall justice and equity , as should be whatsoever is morall , and as indeed is all that is written in the ten commandements , saving the commandement of the seventh day of sabbath , which is a thing depending entirely on institution and government , as shall be seene more fully afterwards . or why may it not be inferred , that not only a seventh day , but the last of seven is morall , because if god ordained a seventh day to adam , it was the last of seven , as those against whom we doe dispute doe avouch . now if a seventh day could not be ordained to adam in quality of a morall thing , but onely as a point and rule of order , granting that it was prescribed unto him , it is inconsequent that it was to continue afterwards by a perpetuall ordinance given to all men . for there is no necessity , that all men after sinne came into the world , ought to be alwaies ruled in gods service , by the same outward order that adam was ruled by before he sinned , seeing things pertaining meerly and simply to order , are subject to alteration . it is most true , that if in the state of innocency god had ordained to adam a particular day amongst others to serve him , it should be as much , nay farre more fit and necessary , that wee under the state of sinne should alwaies have alike ordinance for us : but i say withall , seeing it is supposed that adam had one of seven daies prescribed unto him in that estate , although he applyed himselfe every day to gods service without distraction , that we in the estate we are in , and wherein we give our selves so seldome and so sparingly to gods ordinary service , by reason of our worldly imployments , should have beene tyed to more then one in seven . yet for all that , seeing god hath never prescribed to sinfull men but one seventh day , and that , as i pretend , for the time of the bondage of the law only ; seeing also under the new testament , although we be alwaies sinners , he would not stint unto us any day , but in that point hath left his church free ; i inferre from thence , that it is not likely , that hee ordained and limitted to adam a seventh day ; nay , not any other day of sabbath . for by such a limitation he had tyed and inthralled him in that estate of innocency , as much and more then his off-spring in the estate of sinne ; which seemeth to imply , that hee was as much and more led daily away from gods service , then are poore sinners which goe farre beyond all reason . chapter third . answer to the second reason . . second reason for the morality of the sabbath , that before the law was given , the people of israel went not out to gather manna in the wildernesse , on the seventh day of the weeke . . first answer , of this argument the morality of the sabbath cannot be inferred , no more than of many ceremonies which were religiously observed long before the law was given . . second answer , in the wildernesse god commanded the observation of the sabbath , and of sundry other ceremonies before the law was given , and then onely beganne the keeping of the sabbath . . therefore in vaine are urged the words of exodus , chap. . vers . , . the lord hath given you the sabbath , &c. which have relation onely to the command newly made . . third answer , if the institution of the sabbath had beene more ancient , and if it had beene kept by the patriarches , their children had knowne it , and practised it in egypt . . nullity of the reply made to this answer , that they had forgotten it , first , because god did never rebuke them for the inobservation of the sabbath in the land of egypt . . secondly , because many godly men which were in egypt , had not forgotten it , and yet before the commandement concerning it was given in the wildernesse , made never mention of it , nay , knew it not , as is proved by the text. . and by other places of the old testament . . second reply , that besides the generall reason which moved god to give the sabbath to all men , he appropriated it to the people of israel for some other reasons besides . . first answer to this reply , it cannot be proved , that god gave it to all men , nay , it is absolutely appropriated to the iewes . . second answer , there is not one of the reasons why god gave the sabbath to the iewes , adapted to other nations , although they were capable of many of them . . nor also to the patriarches , who had no notice of the sabbath . . if in the scripture any thing be adapted to the iewes , which was common to other men , it is knowne to have beene common either by the nature thereof , or by the testimony of scripture : but it is not so of the sabbath . the second argument alledged for the morality of the sabbath , is , that before the law was given by moses , it was observed ; which is proved by the sixteenth chapter of exodus , where it is said , that on the seventh day the israelites went not out to gather manna , but rested every man in his place on that day , because it was the holy sabbath unto the lord , which the lord himselfe had ordained : whence they would conclude , that it was already an ancient ordinance knowne of the israelites to be such , that for this cause they went not out on the seventh day to seek manna , that for the same cause god powred it not downe on that day , lest it should be an occasion unto them of violating the sabbath . for all this was done before the law was given , the giving whereof is described afterwards in the same booke of exodus , chap. . to this i answer first , that although it could be most cleerely shewed that the sabbath was observed from the beginning before the law , which notwithstanding cannot be proved , that availeth nothing for the morality of the sabbath . we see that from the beginning , and in all times before the law , the firstlings of the slocke , and the first fruits of the ground were offered to god. genes . . ver . . . distinction was made between beasts cleane and uncleane . genes . . vers . . tythes were paid . genes . . . genes . . vers . . circumcision was given to abraham foure hundred and thirty yeeres before the law : yet no man will conclude thence , that such things were morall : all things observed before the law were not necessarily morall ; many things may be found in them which were figures and ceremonies , and others which did belong onely to some order and rules concerning gods service , and of that nature should have beene the sabbath day , if it could appeare that it was kept before the law. but secondly , my opinion is , that this cannot be proved , and the testimony brought out of the sixteenth chapter of exodus for the proofe thereof is extreemly weake . it is true ; we find there that the israelites kept the sabbath , but no conclusion can be inferred from thence , that it was kept in all times before the law , nay , it is rather most likely , that then began the first observation of the sabbath , because afore that time , in the whole life of the patriarches , and in the whole conversation of the israelites in egypt , there is no mention found of such a day ; neither should the time wherin we see the israelites kept the sabbath , be reckoned as a time which went before the law , but as the proper time of the giving thereof , and the ordinance then made to keepe the sabbath , as one of the first legall ordinances . the ordinances of the law of moses were not all given at once , but by succession of time , and sundry resumptions , as may be seene in his bookes . as soone as the israelites went out of egypt , and about that very instant , god instituted the passeover unto them , and a few daies after he ordained the sabbath day . quickely after followed the other ordinances , as appeareth by the chapters immediately following this sixteenth chapter . god then being about to give solemnely his law a few daies after in mount sina , as it is apparent by the conference of the sixteenth chapter of exodus , vers . . with the ninteenth , vers . . . of which law the injunction of the sabbath was to be a good share , it pleased him to give them before hand a particular commandement concerning the sabbath , by occasion of the manna , which by and by he was to powre downe upon them from the cloudes six daies every morning , but not on the seventh day , and that to ratifie , by this his cessation on the seventh day , the commandement that he was to give them in his law a few daies after , for the sabbath of the seventh day , and to prepare them afore hand to the carefull and religious observation thereof . therefore it was necessary that he should warne them to gather on the sixth day bread for two daies , and not to goe out on the seventh day , but to rest in their tents , because there should be none found in the field . the injunction and warning which he gave them is cleerely set downe in the fifth verse , although abridged into few words . for god said to moses , on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in , and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily , to wit , because there shall be none found on the seventh day , and my will is , that they rest on that day . this is suppressed in the text , but certainly god expressed it to moses amply , and moses to the people , who obeying that advertisement , gathered twice as much bread on the sixth day . therefore , it is to no purpose that they inforce these words in the verses . , , . to morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the lord : on the seventh day is the sabbath : see that the lord hath given you the sabbath ; so the people rested on the seventh day , as if they denoted , that the sabbath was an ancient custome , that it was practised in all times from the beginning , and that the israelites conformably to the ancient custome rested then . for they had no regard but to the ordinance that was newly made , and which god had notified to moses in the fifth verse of the same chapter , when he spoke unto him of the manna : this is cleere by these words in the . verse ; this is that which the lord hath said , to morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the lord , and in the . verse , see that the lord hath given you the sabbath : which cannot be referred to any other thing , then to that which god had said and ordained to moses a little before in the fifth vers . for if it be not referred thither , when was it that the lord said and ordained to the israelites , that the seventh day should be their rest ? where shall wee find before this time the word and the ordinance thereof ? must we reascend to the first daies of adam , and have our recourse to the sanctification of the seventh day mentioned in genesis , chap. . which , as we have shewed , was not for adam , nor for his time , but was the same whereof god did beginne to speake in this sixteenth chapter , because it began then , and not sooner , but is occasionally rehearsed in the second chapter of genesis . and verily if it had beene an ancient ordinance practised by the patriarkes , how is it come to passe , that the israelites their children knew it not ? if they knew it , why did they not practise it of themselves ? if they practised it , what need was there of injoyning and laying it upon them so expresly , and with so great care , as god did by the occasion of the manna ? some doe reply , that the long captivity of egypt where they were tyrannized , as well in their consciences , as in their bodyes , might have beene the cause that they lost all remembrance thereof and kept it not : and therefore it was necessary , that it should be renewed unto them : but this is a supposition , not only without any shew of truth . for if the israelites had forgotten or neglected in egypt the observation of the sabbath , whereunto god had tied them , how is it , that god who charged and upbraided them now and then with the crimes and sinnes committed by them in aegypt , did not object unto them the inobservation of the sabbath ? in the twentieth chapter of ezekiel , ver . , . god saith , that he spake to the israelites in aegypt , and gave them commandements . but of what ? to cast away the abomination of their eyes , and not defile themselves with the filthy gods of egypt . and he blameth them for rebellion against him in this , and for refusing to hearken unto him , without making the least mention , that he had injoyned them to keepe the sabbath day , as also he imputeth not unto them the inobservation thereof , although in the same chapter ver . . he speaketh of that day , but as given unto them after he had delivered them out of the land of egypt , neither doth he cast in their teeth the carelesse regard that they had of it , saving since the time that they were in the wildernesse , ver . . secondly , supposing that some of the israelites had put the ordinance of the sabbath out of minde , this fault could not be common to all , not forsooth , to moses , aaron , caleb , ioshuah , and to other persons eminent in godlinesse , and authority . if these had it in memory , how did they not put the people in minde of it , to make them keepe it as soone as they were in the wildernesse in a full liberty to serve god without hinderance ? but so far were they from remembring it , that it is noted ver . . that all the rulers of the congregation , who should have had best knowledge of the divine and ancient ordinances , when they saw the people gather and prepare on the sixth day manna for that day , and for the seventh following , according to the expresse command which moses had given them , were astonished at it , as at a strange and extraordinary thing , whereby they were moved to come to moses , and acquaint him with it , who upon that occasion informed them of gods ordinance concerning the day of sabbath , not as of an ancient , but as of a new thing , which was unknowne before unto them , and which he had a fresh learned himselfe verse . so in the . verse , he said to the israelites , see that the lord hath given you the sabbath , speaking of it , as of an ordinance particular to them . it is also mentioned elsewhere in the same respect , as an observation which god had injoyned them particularly , and as a prerogative proper unto them , whereby god had separated them from all other nations , and consecrated them to himselfe , as he had done by the rest of the ceremonies of the law of moses . this the levites made a religious confession of in nehemiah . . chapter verse , . thou camest downe upon mount sinai , and spakest with them from heaven , and gavest them right judgements , true lawes , good statutes and commandements , and madest knowne unto them thy sabbath , &c. this the lord said to them by ezekiel in the twentieth chapter ver . , , . i caused them to goe forth out of the land of aegypt , and brought them into the wildernesse , and i gave them my statutes , &c. moreover also i gave them my sabbaths to bee a signe betweene me and them , that they might know that i am the lord that sanctifie them . which sheweth evidently , that the sabbath was never given but for the iewes , who also have acknowledged by those places , and taught in their bookes , that the gentiles were not bound to keepe the sabbath . they reply , that the sabbath is thus appropriated to the israelites in the places which we have cited , because besides the generall reason , which was the cause of the institution and ordinance therof to all , and for all , since the beginning of the world , to wit , to bee a memoriall of the creation , and of the rest of god , god renewed it againe to the iewes for other reasons particular to them , as to be a token for remembrance of their deliverance and rest which god had given them from the bondage of aegypt , and of the miracle done in the manna . this reply which they bring cannot bee of any weight , seeing it cannot be found that any one man hath kept the sabbath day , nor that god hath at any time commanded it to the israelites for any reason whatsoever , nor that the people of israel had kept and observed it at any time before their abode in the wildernesse : nay it is said , that god gave it to them in the wildernesse , and the sabbath is often appropriated to them absolutely , even in its substance , without mention of any circumstances , or particular reasons , as we proved in the places before cited out of the ninth chapter of nehemiah , and the sixteenth chapter of exodus verse . in the last of which places god establisheth not the sabbath for a memoriall of the miracle of the manna , but saith , that he had ordained to the iewes the sabbath to be kept by them , and for that cause rained not manna on that day upon them . moreover seeing there is not any of the reasons that moved god to institute the sabbath , found to be adapted to any other , but to them , it is unreasonable to extend the sabbath it selfe to others then to them . for although to be a memoriall of the creation , as also to be a signe of sanctification , are reasons capable of themselves to be common to others , as well as to them , yet god applyeth them never to others , but to them only . to them only he said , uerily my sabbaths yee shall keepe ; for it is a signe betweene me and you throughout your generations , that yee may know that i am the lord that doth sanctifie you , exod. . ver . . and verse . it is a signe betweene me and the children of israel for ever : for in sixe dayes the lord made heaven and earth , and on the seventh day he rested , and was refreshed ; which sheweth cleerely , that god took not occasion of his rest on the seventh day from all his workes , to institute that day for a day of rest , but for the israelites sake only , to wit , that it might bee a signe of their consecration to god to be his people , of their sanctification , and of their spirituall and eternall rest , which were benefits peculiar unto them , and not common to other nations . for it is against reason to say that god would ordaine a signe of these benefits to other nations , which he had excluded from the covenant of grace , and consequently from sanctification , and from eternall life . it is no more reasonable to say , that it was a signe to the patriarches and faithfull which were before the law , seeing that is not mentioned in the scripture , where it is said expresly , that it was a signe belonging to the generations of the israelites , that is , to the ages of the continuance of the law , under which the israelites did live , and not to them that had lived before , or were to live after . and as when god said to abraham , that he established his covenant , to wit , circumcision , with him and his seed after him , in their generations , genes . . vers . , , , . wee inferre from thence very well , that before the daies of abraham circumcision was not used . in like manner , from the institution of the sabbath to be kept by the israelites in their generations , we conclude soundly , that before that time it was not observed . nay with as good reason may it be thought , that circumcision was used before the dayes of abraham , and that god did onely revive it after some particular fashion , although no mention be made thereof before abraham , as many doe surmise the sabbath day to have beene kept from the beginning , and that god did only renew it to the iewes , although that be not written . i acknowledge , that in some places of scripture some things may be found appropriated to the israelites particularly , which appertained and did still pertaine to others as well as to them , and that by reason of some particular forme whereby god gave them more excellently unto them then unto others , and of certaine circumstances wherewith hee accompanied them , to make them more commendable unto them , and move them to keepe them more carefully , and that ordinances obligatory to all men were given them , clothed with certaine ceremonies belonging to them onely : but these are things which carry with them their owne evidence , or which the scripture teacheth otherwhere to have beene common to others . but as for the seventh day of sabbath , it appeareth not , neither by the nature thereof , nor by any declaration of scripture , that it did belong to others then to the iewes . and therefore from this that we finde it never appropriated to any people but to them , we conclude most rationally , that it was never ordained to any people , saving unto them . chapter fourth . answer to the third reason . . third reason for the morality of a seventh day of sabbath , from the knowledge the patriarkes had of the distinction of weekes , and the use they made of it . . first answer , this argument hath no consequence . . second answer , the faithfull before the law observed not the distinction of weekes . . impertinent allegation of the dove which noah sent forth after seven dayes out of the arke . . as of the weeke of the feast of iacobs mariage with leah . . of the insufficiency of the arguments alleadged to prove the distinction of weekes , it followeth that there was no such distinction before the law. . and yet it followeth not thence , that the patriarkes did not celebrate the remembrance of the creation which they had learned of their fathers , and taught their children by tradition . . although it was not necessary , that they should have a solemne and stinted day , and specially the last day of the weeke , for that use . to prove that the patriarkes and other faithfull which were before the law kept the seventh day of sabbath , some take an argument from the distinction of weekes , which is pretended to have beene usuall in their time . to this purpose they alleadge the eight chapter of genesis , ver . , , , , . where it is said , that noah having sent forth a dove to know if the waters were abated from of the face of the earth , and the pigeon returning unto him into the arke , he stayed yet other seven dayes , and sent her forth the second time , and again other seven dayes , and sent her forth the third time ; whence they would faine inferre , that noah observed weekes , and in them the seventh day . they alleadge likewise out of the . chapter of genesis , ver . . that iacob complaining of laban , who had beguiled him , giving him leah instead of rachel , for whom he had served seven yeeres , laban answered , fulfill her weeke , and we will give thee this also for the service that thou shalt serve with me yet other seven yeeres . moreover , they adde this inconvenience , that if the patriarkes before the law observed not the distinction of weekes , and in them the seventh day , they observed and solemnized not also the remembrance of the creation , which god performed in sixe dayes , and of his rest on the seventh day . to that i answer , first , that although the fathers before the law had kept a regular distinction of weekes , it should not follow , that they observed the seventh day particularly , and made of it a day of rest , and of exercises of religion . for they might have kept that distinction simply as a distinction of time , as they did of moneths and of yeeres , without tying unto it any rule for the exercises of religion , no more than to these other . but , secondly , i say , that it appeareth not , that before the law they observed the foresaid distinction . we find in the history of their lives , that they have observed distinction of dayes , of moneths , of yeeres , of which times expresse mention is there made , as also the distinction of these times is grounded upon the two great heavenly lights , to wit , the sunne and the moone , which god created purposely to bee for signes , and for seasons , and for dayes , and yeeres , as is to be seene in genesis , first chapter , verse . whereof the patriarkes were well informed , having a great knowledge of the will of god , and of naturall things . whereas the distinction of weekes is not grounded upon any naturall reason , nor also upon any ordinance of god which may be proved to have beene made from the beginning : neither is there any where mention made of any observation of weekes before the law : the passages alleadged to demonstrate it , being too feeble for that purpose . to the first of the eight of genesis i say , that the argument which is grounded upon it , consists only in a simple and uncertaine conjecture . indeed noah twice or thrice , one seventh day after another , did let out the pigeon , or as the text saith , after he had stayed seven dayes , but the history telleth us not what reason hee had to observe after that manner an intervall of seven dayes ; and it were too great rashnesse to determine it . howsoever , no man can gather from thence an ordinary and stinted distinction of weekes , such as hath beene since the law was given . for to come to that , they must suppose without any evidence produced , or testimony brought , that the first time that noah sent out the dove was the seventh day after he had let out the raven , and that the second time he sent forth the pigeon precisely on the seventh day following after the first seventh day , and so likewise the third time . for if he let her out after seven dayes fully expired , as the words may be taken , it shall be on the eight day , which should make a distinction , of a space not of seven , but of eight dayes . secondly , in case it was on each seventh day that he sent out the dove , it must be supposed , that it was precisely on the last , or on the first day of the weeke , and that hee observed exactly the one or the other for that purpose . for if he sent her forth on some other day , then the first or the last , and sent her forth againe on the seventh day following , that would only make a weeke perverted and irregular , and not the seventh day established and ordained by the law , whereof the sabbath day was the last day , which can be farre lesse proved by the passage before cited , to have beene observed by noah . for to make that good , it must be certaine that he sent forth his pigeon on the proper day of sabbath , and that of purpose to performe in so doing a work of sanctification belonging to that day : which not only is not certaine , but is also against all likelihood . for seeing the observation of the seventh day , ordained by the law , obligeth man to rest from all servile workes , and to cause all other living creatures that are in his possession to rest likewise , if noah had knowne and observed the sabbath day , such as the law ordained afterwards , hee had kept himselfe quiet , and had not applyed so holy a day to let forth the pigeon , that it might flye abroad here and there , and to observe what tokens she should bring unto him of the decreasing of the waters , which was rather a violation , then a sanctification of the sabbath , according to the tenor of the law. and therefore , although noah had let out the dove on the seventh day of the weeke , that should not be attributed to any particular designe tyed to that day , rather than to another , but taken as done on that day indifferently , as it might have beene done on any other day , without seeking any other reason thereof . to the other passage taken out of the . chapter of genesis , i answer , that the weeke there mentioned is not necessarily to bee understood of a weeke of dayes ordinary and regular : but it may be taken for a weeke of yeeres , or for a number of seven yeeres , and the pronoune this twice repeated , for rachel , the sence of labans words to iacob being this , as thou hast served seven yeeres , and hast received leah for reward to bee thy wife , fulfill also a weeke , that is , serve other seven yeeres , for this , that is , for rachel , and she also shall be given thee to be thy wife ; and so is this place explained by many interpreters . but if the pronoune 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the first place , is understood of leah , and the weeke , of a weeke of dayes , and if labans words to iacob be taken , as if he had desired him to fulfill a weeke of dayes ordained for the celebration of the solemnity of his mariage with leah , promising that after these seven dayes hee should also give him rachel , as others take it , that also availes not . for from thence is proved only , that the custome was to bestow seven daies on the solemnities and pastimes of weddings . but that there was then a weeke regular and ordinary , whereof the last day was the same that god rested on from all his workes , and was also to that people an holy day of rest , it is a conclusion which cannot be gathered out of that history , and will never be proved . seeing therefore there is no sufficient proofe of a stinted distinction of daies before the law , this may be to me a contrary argument to prove , that the sabbath day was not then kept . for seeing out of the observation thereof followeth of necessity the distinction of weekes , if it had been observed from the beginning of the world , frequent mention had bin then made of weeks , and the men of those daies had counted by weeks as well as by daies moneths , and yeeres , which is not to be found : nay it is most likely , that the distinction of weekes beganne first among the iewes , as soone as the law was given , and from the iewes came to the gentiles , as a distinction of time very commodious and convenient , though they corrupted it , consecrating the seven daies of the weeke to the seven planets , which they made idols of , and imposing unto them their names , whereas the iewes named them according to their order , with relation to the sabbath , the first , second , third , &c. of the sabbath . yet , although the faithfull before the law did not keepe a distinction of daies , the inconvenience propounded in the beginning of this chapter followeth not , to wit , that if so be they did not celebrate the remembrance of the creation which god finished in sixe daies , and from which he began to rest on the seventh day , or that they had otherwise forgotten that great worke of god. for considering the creation absolutely , they could not be ignorant that god had created the world , seeing the thing speaketh of it selfe , and all creatures cry with a loud voice , that they have one author that hath made them , seeing also the distinction of daies and months that was knowne unto them , by the ordinary course of the heavenly lights , led them of necessity to a beginning , no lesse then the distinction of weekes , which had in it no particular thing capable to teach them so much . as for the gentiles which were ignorant of the creation of the world , and weened it to be eternall , that was in them a grosse and blockish error against the light and documents of nature . yet it was not universall ; for there have beene some in all times , who have beleeved and taught , that the world hath had a beginning , and was made , though they have erred in their opinions concerning the framing thereof . adde to this , that in the holy generation of these first faithfull , the fathers had alwaies a speciall care to teach it to their children by a continuall tradition , which , with the manifestation of the creation in generall , might also make knowne unto them the particular order observed of god in that wonderfull worke , to wit , that in sixe daies he made heaven and earth , and rested the seventh day . for it is likely that adam learned it of god , that hee kept the knowledge thereof , and imparted it to his children , who called it to memory , and at all occasions glorified for it the lord their god. so they might know , without any regular observation of weekes , on what day god began , and on what day hee ended the creation of the world . for the foresaid tradition being supposed by the distinction of moneths and yeeres , which was alwaies observed , it was easie to make that supputation , although some , even of the chiefe men among the iewes , as philo in the first booke of the life of moses , sticke not to say , that the natall day of the world , wherein it was finished , beganne not to be knowne , but by the israelites , when god at first rained manna upon them in the wildernesse , and that it was wholly unknowne to the fathers , in which affirmation i see no inconvenience . but howsoever , it was no manner of way necessary , that they should celebrate ordinarily the memory of the creation , and of the rest of god on a solemne and stinted day ; yea , on the last of the seven daies wherein god rested ; and marke the revolution thereof from day to day ; neither doth it appeare , that they did any such thing . nay , it is farre more apparent , that god gave the first knowledge , and commanded the ordinary and common observation of this day , when raining manna upon the israelites sixe daies consequently , he gave then none on the seventh day , saying , it was the sabbath day , which he would have them to keepe in time to come , and which he enjoined expresly unto them in the decalogue , declaring that on that day hee rested from the workes of the creation . chapter fifth . answer to the fourth reason . . fourth reason for the morality of the sabbath , taken out of the fourth chapter of the epistle to the hebrewes , vers . & . . whence they gather , that the sabbath day was ordained to all men from the beginning of the world . . and that by three arguments inforced upon the words of the apostle . . first answer , in that place the apostle speaketh not directly of any rest ordained to man , but onely of gods rest . . second answer , indirectly gods rest on the seventh day , and the rest of the iewes commanded to them afterwards , being as types and figures of the heavenly rest applyed unto the said words , prove not that both are one rest , and the one as ancient as the other . . confirmation of this answer . . answer to the first argument , it is not necessary to understand that gods rest on the seventh day is a rest given to man , as the two other rests of god must be so understood . . answer to the second argument , shewing by the exposition of the words of the apostle , that there is no equivocation to be found in them , although the rest of god in one place be not understood of a rest given to man , as in the two other places . . answer to the third argument , shewing there is no defect in the argumentation of the apostle , although he speaketh not directly of the rest ordained in the fourth commandement . they object also from the fourth chapter of the epistle to the hebrewes , that the apostle citeth out of the . psalme verse . and applyeth to the hebrewes , the threat denounced of old against the incredulous israelites in the daies of moses , that they should never enter into his rest : that the psalmist adapted it also to the iewes of his time , exhorting them not to harden their hearts , when they shall heare the voice of god , as their fathers have done , lest they also should come short of entring into his rest . that , i say , the apostle citing that threat , as applyed by the psalmist to his time , observeth , that god at that time spoke on this wise ; i have sworne in my wrath , if they shall enter into my rest , although his workes were finished from the foundation of the world , for he spake in a certaine place ( to wit , in the second chapter of genesis ) of the seventh day on this wise : and god rested the seventh day from all his workes . and that from thence the apostle maketh this inference , that god in this threat , wherein hee spake in davids time of a rest to come , whereof the israelites should come short , could not understand the rest of the seventh day , mentioned in the second of genesis , because that rest had a great sway from the foundation of the world : as hee sheweth also in the verses following , that it could not be taken for the rest of the land of canaan , because ioshuah a long time before had brought the israelites into that rest , and therefore of necessity god spake of another rest then of these two , to wit , of a spirituall and heavenly rest , which those that beleeve are admitted into , and all those that beleeve not come short of . they endeavour to make out of this discourse this illation , that the observation of the sabbath day was ordained to all men from the beginning of the world , even from that seventh day wherein god rested from all his workes . for they put in this the force of the argumentation of the apostle , to wit , that the rest of the seventh day was not to be understood in the threat denounced in davids time against the israelites , that they should never enter into gods rest , because men were already entred into it from the beginning of the world , as it is written ; and god rested the seventh day from all his workes , and is so cited by the apostle , and by them urged as impossible to be understood onely of gods resting from all his works after he had finished them , and as of necessity to be taken , for a rest ordained of god to men , which at that same time hee brought them into . because , even as the apostle by the other rest of the land of canaan , which he alledgeth also , and by the heavenly rest , which he mentioneth likewise , understands a rest that men enter into , and whereof they have an enjoying and possession , the one and the other being called gods rest , because he puts them in possession of them ; likewise by the rest of god on the seventh day , which hee maketh mention of , as of a thing which had sway when the workes of god were finished from the beginning of the world , he understands necessarily a rest which men enjoyed and practised at that same time after gods example : for otherwise , and if it had not belonged to men , in vaine had the apostle excepted it , as a thing that could not be understood in gods threat . as also there should be an equivocation in this , that the apostle making mention of three rests of god , to wit , of the rest of the seventh day , of the rest of the land of canaan , and of the heavenly rest ; should by the first understand a rest whereby god onely rested , and belonging to him alone , and by the two others a rest which he had given , or was to give to men for their rest . that moreover , if by the rest of the seventh day he had not understood a rest ordained to men from the beginning , but only gods owne rest , his argumentation should be defective , and subject to an easie reply , because he had omitted ? the rest which out of all doubt god instituted , at least in the fourth commandement , concerning which rest , seeing hee excluded it not , the hebrewes might have replyed unto him , that god understood , and denoted it in that threat , wherewith hee threatned the israelites by david , that they should not enter into his rest , and so hee had not obtained his end , which was to shew , that god speaketh there of the heavenly rest , and not of any other . to all this reasoning , which , to some that make use of it , seemeth to be of great weight , to others but light and probable , i answer shortly , that albeit it hath some shew , it hath not strength enough to prove that which is in question , to wit , that the observation of the sabbath day was ordained to man from the beginning of the world . for the apostle in the place above cited , ver . . & . speaketh not expresly of any rest ordained to man , nor that men had at that time entred into any rest ; nay , he maketh no mention , that god had blessed and sanctified the sabbath day , but saith that god did rest the seventh day , as soone as his works were finished . therefore it is not his scope to teach , that the rest of the seventh day was kept by men from the foundation of the world , and that for that cause god could not understand it , when in the daies of david he spake to the israelites of a new entrance into his rest . for if hee had propounded to himselfe that end , doubtlesse he had uttered it in more expresse tearmes , at least he had rather cited these words of the second chapter of genesis , and god blessed the seventh day , and hallowed it , which had manifestly beene more unto the purpose , then these others , and the seventh day , god rested from all his workes . although that howbeit he had alleadged them , no man can necessarily inferre from thence , that he had such an intention : whereas his mentioning only of gods rest on the seventh day , and his omitting of the blessing and hallowing thereof which followeth immediately in the text , sheweth he acknowledged , that it was not practised from the beginning , and that also his minde was to speake directly of gods rest only , and to shew , as a thing most evident , that that rest , seeing it was past , and there was no possibility of entring into it , could not be understood in the promise which god so long after made by david to the faithfull , of entring into his rest , hebr. . ver . , . which promise was included in the threat , that unbeleevers should not enter into his rest ; but another rest , to wit , a spirituall rest prepared to the faithfull in heaven , whereof that rest of god on the seventh day was as a type and figure . which god gave them to understand , when he caused moses to observe in the description of the history of the creation , that on the seventh day hee rested from all his workes , conformably whereunto he commanded the iewes to keepe the seventh day , and to rest on it , as he had rested , that it might be unto them a type and figure of the heavenly rest . and in this respect we may grant , that the apostle speaketh also of the rest of the seventh day ordained to men , and excludeth it out of the sence of the threat , but indirectly and by consequence only , for as much as affirming , that even the rest of god himselfe on the seventh day after he had finished his works , was not understood in the foresaid threat when god denounced it by david , we may inferre from thence , that likewise the rest ordained to men was not understood in it . not because this was as ancient as that , for in such an asseveration there is no consequence ; but because that was the foundation of the institution of this to the israelites , and this had a great sway when god gave that warning with such a threat , as well as that , albeit not of so long a date . to confirme that i say serveth the tenth verse , where it is said , that he that is entred into gods rest , hath also rested from his owne workes , as god did also from his , the meaning of which words is , that they which are entred into the heavenly rest cease from all their labours and businesses of this life , even as god on the seventh day rested from all his workes , whereby the apostle signifieth , that god in his own rest established a figure of the heavenly rest , which he would conferre upon men , whereof he gave them notice afterward ; whence it followeth , that in the third and fourth verses ( which the tenth verse hath relation unto ) where it is observed , that god from the foundation of the world , after his workes were finished , rested the seventh day , and notified so much by moses in the second chap. of genesis , the apostle designed directly no other rest , but gods owne rest , and meant not rest ordained from the beginning to adam . for if he had meant such a rest , he had said in the . verse , he that entreth into gods heavenly rest , ceaseth from all the workes of this life , even as adam by gods commandement rested on the seventh day , and had not said simply , as god rested from all his workes . the instances alleadged are weak . for what necessity is there , that because by the two other rests of god mentioned by the apostle , he. . v. , , . to wit , the rest of the land of canaan , and the heavenly rest , a rest given to men is understood , even so by the rest of the seventh day in the . & . verses a like rest is to be formally understood , and in the same respect ; as if one and the same word were not often found in the scripture , in the same tenor of a discourse , taken in different respects , and much more different then is here gods rest , which in two places signifieth directly and expresly a rest of god , in as much as given to men , and in the third a rest of god , in as much as he himselfe rested : but indirectly and by consequence , in as much as he ordained afterwards to men to rest according to his example . which is an equivocation ( if they will have it to be so called ) of small weight , and inferior to many others which in other passages may be found in one and the same word , which moreover bringeth no inconveniency with it . for what necessity was there that this tearme the rest of god , should be alwayes in this discourse of the apostle taken in the same sence , seeing his only intention was to demonstrate , that all other rest of god , which the scripture calleth so , saving the heavenly rest , in whatsoever sence it be taken , could not be understood in the threat denounced by david . for i will here set downe a sence which may bee conveniently fitted to the words of the apostle . god in his threat wherewith he threatned the israelites by david , that if they were rebellious , they should not enter into his rest , understood either his owne rest which he rested on the seventh day , after his workes were finished , from the creation of the world ; and which was the foundation and occasion moving him to ordaine long after the rest of the seventh day to men ; or the rest of the land of canaan , or the heavenly rest , seeing there is no mention in the scripture of any rest of god , but of those three . now of necessity he understood the heavenly rest. for hee could not understand the rest of the land of canaan , because the israelites were already entred into that land , and enjoyed it : nor also his owne rest which he rested on the seventh day , because it was past and gone from the foundation of the world , besides that it was not of such a nature that men could enter into it : whence followed also that likewise god did not understand the rest of the seventh day ordained to men , because indeed it was not ordained unto them , but conformably to the example of gods rest , which was the cause and reason of the institution thereof : and therefore if this rest was excluded from gods intention in his threat , that was excluded also , although the apostle expresseth not this unto us , and farre lesse at what time god gave to men the ordinance of the seventh day , contenting himselfe with the expression of gods own rest , after he had finished his workes , on the first seventh day , which rest being excluded , excluded also the other ordained to men , in whatsoever time it was ordained unto them , whether in the proper time of gods rest , or long after : neither of which can be learned of the apostles words in this discourse , but may be elsewhere . according to this , it is cleere , that by the apostles reasoning the way was shut up to the foresaid reply , which , as is pretended , may be made of the maymednesse of his argumentation , wherein is left out the rest commanded to men in the fourth commandement , if by the rest of god wee must understand gods owne rest , and not the rest which he ordained to men . for i deny not , but that this was also understood by the apostle . but , as i have said , courtly , indirectly , and by consequence taken from the rest which he expresseth , from which this other hath its beginning and dependance , although it be not of the same antiquity , and that it cannot bee proved , that the apostle meaneth any such thing . moreover , albeit we could not find a way to answer such a reply , and to refute it , there should not bee in that any great inconvenience , seeing the thing it selfe affords an easie answer , and the apostle answereth not alwayes formally in all places to all replyes , which might be made to his allegations : it sufficeth , if their vanity bee evident of it selfe , or if they may be otherwise refuted , as here the reply which is broached against the apostle his reasoning might have beene easily . chapter sixth . answer to the fifth reason taken from the fourth commandement , and first to the generall argument taken from the nature of the said commandement . . first objection . the fourth commandement is a part of the morall law , and therefore it is morall . . a generall answer shewing the nullity of this objection . . a particular answer , shewing that the decalogue is an abridgment of the whole law of moses . . specially , that the fourth commandement is an abridgment of the ceremoniall law. . this is confirmed by the prophets , who by the profanation of the sabbath , understand the transgression of the whole ceremoniall law. . falsity of an objection , that the prophets urged not the transgression of the ceremoniall law. . second objection : the decalogue had divers prerogatives which the ceremoniall and iudiciall law had not . . cleere refutation of this objection . . third objection , god distinguisheth betweene his covenant comprehending the moralities only , and his statutes and judgements , which were ceremoniall lawes . . uanity of the said distinction . . fourth objection . the summarie of the decalogue is morall : therefore all the precepts thereof are morall . . answer , in this summary the ceremoniall law is comprised . . refutation of the fifth objection , taken from the union of the tenne commandements . . answer to the sixth objection , that our opinion mutilates the decalogue of a commandement , and authoriseth the changing of times . . another answer , the fourth commandement is morall in the principall substance thereof . . but is ceremoniall in the determination of a particular seventh day for gods service . . seventh objection , that if this were so , god would not have named it in the decalogue , more then the place of his service . . answer , these things are not alike . . eight objection answered , to wit , that god might have named in the decalogue the new moones , and other holy dayes . . the former answer confirmed . . a farther answer shewing that under the sabbath all holy dayes were comprised , as under the word sanctifie all ceremoniall duties . . those of the contrary opinion confessing that there is some thing ceremoniall in the fourth commandement , cast themselves into a great absurdity . . the falsitie of their doctrine , that a seventh day in generall is only commanded , shewed by scriptures . . and by reason . . how it may be said , that all dayes appointed for gods service are grounded on the fourth commandement . . one of seven dayes cannot be morall , and the seventh ceremoniall . . wherein consists the morality of the fourth commandement . . how the keeping of one of seven dayes may be gathered out of the fourth commandement . . answer to the first inconvenience , that of tenne commandements nine only should be morall . . answer to the second inconvenience , that papists may affirme the second commandement to bee likewise ceremoniall . . confirmed by the testimony of pagans , of the prophets and of the apostles . . answer to the third inconvenience , that the second commandement should also be ceremoniall . . confirmed by bellarmine . . answer to the fourth inconvenience , that the fourth commandement might be taken out of the decalogue . . the retorsion shewing that the doctrine of the morality of the sabbath , giveth a great advantage to the roman church . the principall reason alleadged to prove the morality of the sabbath , is taken from the fourth commandement , remember the sabbath day , to keepe it holy , &c. and first , they urge in generall the nature of the commandement , which is one of the ten of the morall law , which god himselfe pronounced with his owne mouth , ingraved with his owne hand upon two tables of stone , for a signe and token of perpetuall continuance , and caused the said tables to be put and kept in the arke , and therfore the fourth commandement must of necessity be morall and perpetuall , as the rest are , otherwise nine commandements onely shall be morall . but these nine being morall , it cannot be said reasonably that this is not morall . and if any man should dare to say it , profane men may be so licentiously bold , as to make the same exception against the rest , in all things wherein they cope with their particular vices , saying also , that they are not morall . that they of the roman church , who , to shrinke from the objection which we make against their idolatry by the formall words of the second commandement of the law , presume to answer that this commandement is not morall , and did belong to the iewes only , shall finde a sufficient colour to this answer , if it were true , that in the morall law there is to be found a commandement which is not morall , and that the fourth commandement is such a one . and therefore as they have taken out of the decalogue the second commandement , although without all reason , seeing it is morall and perpetuall , others may take out of it the fourth commandement , and comprehend it no more with the rest , and that with as good reason , seeing it is not morall , and concerneth us not . to this i answer , first , that in vaine doe they seeke to shew , that the commandement of the sabbath obligeth us , because it maketh a part of that law which god uttered with his owne mouth in the mountaine of sina with so many evidences of his majesty , and wrote it with his finger upon two tables of stone , which he gave to moses , and caused to be put in the arke , as if these considerations did give greater force and efficacy to this law to binde us , as it did binde the iewes , to keepe it in all things that it comprehendeth ; for they might prove with as good reason , that in these time under the gospell we are bound to have a tabernacle or temple like unto that which the iewes had of old , and to observe the same service which they observed in it , because god in the same mountaine with much majesty shewed the patterne thereof to moses , and commanded him to make it after that patterne . whereas much otherwise , we are not bound to keepe the law in that respect , that god pronounced it in the mountaine of sina , and wrote it upon two tables which were given to moses . for in those respects , it obliged the iewes only to whom alone also it was adressed in the preface put before it , heare israel , &c. no more are these considerations of value to make it continue for ever . the inscription therof in tables of stone might have had another end and usage , then that which is pretended by those which say that it denoteth the perpetuity of all that is contained therein ; for it represented the hardnesse of the heart of man , which is more refractary and thwart to the spirituall inscription of the law of god , then the hardest stone is to the materiall inscription , which hardnesse the law is not of it selfe able to vanquish and overcome , because it is a dead letter written in stone . it is god , god alone who by his grace , and by the power of the gospel , and of the spirit which accompanieth the gospell , changeth the heart of stone into an heart of flesh , ezech. . ver . . and cor. . ver . , , , . wee are bound to the observation of the law , and it is perpetuall only as it is morall , and written naturally in the tables of the heart , and as it commandeth us things which of their nature are good , just , and holy , or forbiddeth those which in themselves are evill , which also the gospel of iesus christ , our onely law , hath declared and confirmed to be such , as it confirmeth the other nine commandements , but maketh no mention of the fourth commandement , which is here brought in question , as if it did binde us to the observation of a seventh day . neither doe i see any inconvenience to affirme , that the law of the ten commandements which is called morall , is not such in its totality , but only in regard of the greatest part thereof , to wit , of the nine commandements , for whose sake it hath deserved the title given unto it , of morall , naturall , universall , and perpetuall law , as often the whole is named from that which is the principall in it : and that it is ceremoniall , particular , and temporall in regard of a parcell thereof , to wit , of the fourth commandement . for the scripture saith no where , that all the commandements of this law are without exception morall . nay , seeing this law is often called in generall termes gods covenant made with the israelites , exod. . vers . . deut. . vers . . . deut. . vers . . deut. . vers . . . . &c. king. . vers . . ( which covenant comprehended not onely the morall points , but also the ceremonies , as may be seene , exod. . vers . , . exod. . vers . . . levit. . vers . . levit. . vers . . . ierem. . vers . . ) it is most like , or rather most plaine , that god comprehended in the said law , as in an epitome or short discourse , all his ordinances , both morall and ceremoniall , which afterward hee declared more fully to moses , and which are dispersed here and there in his bookes . and as the other nine cōmandements are the summary of the morall ordinances , even so the fourth commandement concerning the sabbath day , and the sanctification thereof , which was done with the practice of ceremonies , is a summary of all the ceremoniall ordinances . for to this sabbath day all other sabbaths and legall feasts have relation , and to them all the ceremonies whereby they were solemnized , have reference . philo a learned iew , hath observed this very well in his exposition of the decalogue , where he saith , that the ten commandements are the summary of all the speciall lawes contained in the whole sacred volume of the law-giver , and that the fourth commandement containeth compendiously the feasts , sabbaths , sacrifices , vowes , purifications , and other ceremonies . and indeed the sabbath is joyned with all other holy-daies in the . chapter of leviticus , as being of the same nature , and is put in the first place before them all , as being the first and principall of them all . it is also joyned with the sanctuary , levit. . vers . . and with the new moones and other solemnities , esa. . v. , . where god declareth , that hee cannot away with it , and maketh no better account of it then of all the rest of their solemne meetings , and appointed feasts . * also the observation of the sabbath day is taken in divers places of the old testament , as denoting summarily all the ceremoniall service which god had of old injoyned to israel , as being a speciall and principall point of that service , and a meane for the observation of all the other points whereby he would be honoured . notable amongst other places is that of ezechiel , chap. . vers . . , . where god saith first , that he gave them his statutes , and made them to know his iudgments , which if a man doe , he shall even live in them , vers . . understanding by statutes and iudgements the morall commandements properly , as it is evident by the . chapter of leviticus , whence these words are taken , and where the statutes , iudgements , and ordinances , wherof we speake , are expresly opposed to the vices of the land of egypt , and of the land of canaan , vers . , , . as in the foresaid . chapter of ezechiel , vers . . . they are also opposed to the vices of their fathers , who in former times had lived in egypt , to which vices the commandement of the ceremoniall law could not be conveniently opposed , because before the times of the pilgrimage of the israelites in the wildernesse , they were unknowne , and had no sway . now after this , god addeth in the foresaid chapter of ezechiel , ver . . moreover also i gave them my sabbaths , to be a signe between me and them , &c. distinguishing the sabbaths from the statutes whereof he had spoken before , as a commandement ceremoniall and typicall , from those that are morall , and comprehending under it all other typike and figurative ordinances of the law , whereof for this cause , although hee had established them in the wildernesse , as well as the sabbath , he maketh no mention at all . and in the . chapter of the same prophet , god blaming in many particularities the crimes committed by the iewes against the morall law , condemneth their transgression of the ceremoniall law , saying simply , vers . that they had defiled his holy things , and had their eyes from his sabbaths . likewise in the . chapter , vers . . and in other places , the prophanation of the sabbath is set downe to signifie the violation of the whole outward and ceremoniall service which god had ordained in that time , because the sabbath day was then solemnly destinated to the practice thereof ; yea , the violation also of the internall , spirituall and moral service , but by consequence , because the externall service was ordained of god to be unto his people a help and meanes to fortifie them in the practice of the other , in such sort , that he who neglected , or set at naught the outward , could not in truth & sincerity practise the inward service . out of that i have said , resulteth an answer to an objection , to wit , that the prophets are accustomed to urge onely the morall law , and not the ceremonies , but run slightly over them , saying , he taketh no delight in them , esa. . vers . , , , . . esa. . vers . . psal. . vers . . ierem. . vers . . amos . vers . . micah . vers . . for it is false , that the prophets urge not the observation of ceremonies , seeing when they urged the observation of the sabbath , they comprised under it for the aforesaid reason , all the ceremonies of the law : moreover , we find other where , that they have recommended them by their names , as well as the sabbath , have blamed the inobservation , have deplored the interruption of them , as among other places may be seene : psal. . vers . . psal. . vers . . ierem. . vers . . ezech. . vers . , . dan. . vers . . ioel . v. . . malac. . v. , , , , . mal. . v. . . mal. . v. . &c. if sometimes they seeme to reject them , they doe it onely by way of comparison with the spirituall service , and in regard that they were joyned not with it . therefore it is without any solide ground , that the morall commandements are distinguished from the ceremoniall , by this , that the morall precepts onely were spoken to all the people with gods owne mouth , were written with his owne hand upon two tables , were put in the arke at horeb by moses , to be kept there , king. . vers . . that the ceremonialls had no share at all in these prerogatives , but were declared by god to moses in particular onely , and were written and taught by moses to the people , to inferre from thence , that the fourth commandement concerning the sabbath , must needs be morall , because it did partake of all the foresaid prerogatives . for i say with as good and better reason , that all the commandements , both ceremoniall and morall , were honoured with the foresaid prerogatives , for as much as the decalogue is the abridgement of the one and of the other , which it was gods pleasure to utter with his owne mouth , and writ so solemnely and summarily with his owne hand , to procure so much more authority to all his ordinances , leaving hereafter to moses the care to declare and explaine them more fully to the people , which also he did : for as may be seene in all his bookes , hee taught not onely ceremoniall things , but also moral , being in the one and in the other an interpretor and commentator of the decalogue , which god had pronounced , and wherein hee had by abridgement comprehended the one and the other . and indeed , in the foresaid . chapter of exodus , the connexion of the . with the . verse is worthy to be marked . for god having said to moses in the . verse , that he had made a covenant with him , and with israel , after the tenour of these words which he had at that instant pronounced unto him , and which are contained in the former verses , where there are ordinances not only morall , but also ceremoniall ; in the . verse following , these words are added , and hee wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant , the ten commandements . hee , not moses , but the lord himselfe , as moses declareth , deut. . vers . . where , by the covenant , is undoubtedly meant the same whereof hee had spoken in the . verse immediately going before . whence it followeth , that the decalogue written with gods owne hand upon two tables , was an epitome of all his foresaid ordinances appertaining to his covenant , which he commanded moses to write also , but more fully , and according to all their extent , exod. . ver . . and so hee did , exod. . vers . . deut. . vers . . deut. . vers . . deut. . vers . . there is no value in the proofe that they seeke in the fourth chapter of deuteronomy , to prop the aforesaid distinction , where , when it is said , vers . . that god declared to the israelites his covenant , which hee commanded them to performe , even the ten words , and vers . . that also he commanded moses to teach them statutes and iudgements , they fancy that by the covenant , are understood onely the moralities , and by the statutes and iudgements , the ceremonies and observations of order and of governement , and the one distinguished from the other , in this , that god pronounced the moralities wth his owne mouth , and moses taught the statutes and iudgements . for these two verses established not a distinction and diversity betweene the things spoken , written and taught , whereof mention is made in these verses , but onely betweene those that are denoted in them as proposers of these things , and the divers manner of propounding them by the one and by the other . the covenant , the statutes , and iudgements signifie the same thing in substance . but in the . verse god is said to have propounded them with his owne mouth , and written them with his owne finger upon two tables of stone , comprising them all in the abridgement of ten words or commandements . and in the . verse , moses is said to have taught them more amply and diffusedly , which is confirmed by that hath beene already said , as also by these words of the . verse , the lord commanded me also that same time to teach you statutes and iudgements . for it is certaine , that god commanded moses to teach , not onely ceremoniall , but also morall statutes : and moses saith no other thing but this , that god contented not himselfe with that short and summary declaration which hee had given them , of the one and of the other , but injoyned him to teach them more fully and largely . the conference of the . verse with the , . . . . of the same chapter furnisheth a most evident proofe thereof ; for the statutes and iudgements which god commanded moses to teach , verse . are the same which in the aforesaid verses going before moses saith , he taught , and commanded the israelites to keepe , that they might live , exhorting them to take heed that they neither adde unto them , nor take ought from them , because they were righteous statutes and iudgements , and their wisedome and understanding in the sight of all nations : which agreeth as well , yea , farre more with the morall commandements , as with the ceremoniall . and moses by expresse commission from god , taught them the one and the other , with this injunction , to keepe them , as may be seene in leviticus , chap , . vers . . & . vers . . & . vers . . and if we behold in exodus , chap. . and in the chapters following , and in deuteronomy , chap. . and in the chapters following , the things that god charged moses in the mountaine , to declare to the people , and whereunto moses hath regard in the . verse of the fourth chapter of deuteronomy , when hee saith , the lord commanded mee also at that time , &c. wee shall finde , that they were not onely ceremoniall , or meerly judiciall , but also morall ordinances , and illustrations more ample of the decalogue . they object againe , that iesus christ in the gospell , hath set downe the summary of the whole law of the decalogue in these two commandements , thou shalt love the lord thy god with all thine heart , with all thy soule , and with all thy minde : and thy neighbour as thy selfe , and that as this summary is morall , even so the law , whereof it is the abridgement , is purely morall , unlesse wee will accuse christ to have given a morall summary of a thing that is ceremoniall . but this objection is of no force . for , first , i might answer , that this summary hath reference to the law of the decalogue , in as much as it is morall , and that being in the greatest part of its commandements morall , and onely ceremoniall in one , it is not uncoth , that the summary thereof is propounded as morall and not ceremoniall . but , secondly , i say , that this summary hath reference not onely to the morall law , which is preten●ed to be alone contained in the decalogue , but also to the ceremoniall , which i maintaine to be likewise summarily comprised in it . and indeed moses having said in the sixth chapter of deuteronomy , ver . , , . these are the commandements , statutes , and iudgements which the lord your god hath commanded , and which i command thee , that thou mayest heare them , and take heed to doe them , he addeth in the . and . verses , heare o israel , the lord our god is lord alone : thou shalt therefore love the lord thy god with all thine heart , with all thy soule , and with all thy might , referring this summary which commandeth them to love god , to all the commandements , iudgements , and statutes of god , which he had before designed , as being the foundation of the obedience due unto them . and in the gospell the lawyer asked the lord in generall , which is the greatest cōmandement of the law , whereunto the lord answered , the greatest commandement ( to wit , not in dignity onely , but also in extent ) is , thou shalt love the lord thy god with all thine heart , and the second like vnto this , thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe . on these two commandements hang all the law and the prophets . which answer sheweth , that unto this summary did belong whatsoever is comprised in the law and in the prophets , and therefore the ceremoniall law as well as the morall . it cannot be denied , but that the ceremonies , as long as they were in force , were to be kept through love to god , as well as morall duties . and the love of god obliged the iewes as strictly to practise the ceremonialls as the moralls : for the love of god requireth the observation of all his commandements , and it is knowne to be sincere by the keeping of them all . now god had commanded the ceremonies to the iewes for the whole time of the old testament : and therefore in this respect , that god had commanded them , and also in regard they had all , or the most part of them a morall foundation , they might very well , nay , they ought to be referred to this morall summary , thou shalt love the lord thy god with all thine heart , as if christ had said , the commandement most generall and principall of all , and which is the foundation of the obedience that ought to be yeelded to all the other commandements , is to love god with all the heart . for whosoever loveth him so , will undoubtedly serve him alwaies according to all his commandements . as for the argument taken from the union which is betweene the fourth commandement and the other nine , wherewith it maketh up one law , to prove from thence , that it is of the same nature , and morall as they are , it is a light and slight argumentation : for it is an ordinary thing , and most manifest in all lawes of god and men , that in the same body of a law , which is framed of many articles following one another , there are some different in nature from the rest . vnder the same name of gods covenant are sufficiently understood all the heads and articles both ceremoniall and morall , as is evident by the passages already cited . and god comprehended them all together in grosse , when he spake so often to his people of the keeping of his whole law , of all his commandements , testimonies , ordinances , and iudgements . these tearmes occure ordinarily in holy scripture joyned together , and all acknowledge with one consent that by them and in them all points , as well ceremoniall as morall , are understood . why then , i pray , might they not farre more be distinctly and particularly set downe together in the body of the same law , without inforcing from thence , that they are of the same nature ? and ( to make my advantage of similitudes , which some of those against whom i dispute , make use of ) if in a naturall body , the diverse parts whereof it is framed , are not alwayes of the same nature ; as in the bodies of men and beasts , other is the nature of flesh , other of bones , other of gristles , &c. if in an artificiall body , as in a chaine and in a carkanet , graines of corall , of silver , of gold , &c. are fitly coupled together , why may not much more be different in nature the parts and articles of a legall body ( if i may name it so ) although they have no essentiall connexion together ? and certes in many places of the bookes of moses commandements morall and ceremoniall are to be found mixed one with another . now should not a man argue fondly and unsoundly , if , because in these diverse places , and namely in the foresaid . chapter of exodus , from the tenth to the eight and twentieth verse , god joyneth in one tenor certaine speeches to moses , wherein are expressed sundry ordinances of a diverse nature , hee would seeke to make an inference from that union , that they are all of the same nature , although the contrary be most evident and true ? for the commandements prohibiting to worship any other god but him , to make any materiall idols , and to worship them , to match with infidels , which are morall commandements , are there combined with other commandements of keeping the feast of unleavened bread , and other solemne feasts , as of consecrating unto him all the first borne of men and cattell that open the matrix , which are ceremoniall . yea , the commandement of keeping the sabbath day , which is in the . verse is placed there amongst commandements that are wholly ceremoniall : will they against whom wee dispute , allow us to inferre upon this , that the sabbath is ceremoniall ? doubtlesse not . let them therefore suffer us to reject this their argumentation , that the commandement concerning the sabbath is morall , because in the decalogue it is put among morall commandements , and on the otherside to judge it to be most reasonable , that god in the first table thereof , where his scope was to comprehend compendiously all that concerneth the service which hee would have yeelded unto him , hath set downe first three commandements concerning the morall and perpetuall service , and next the fourth concerning the ceremoniall service established by him at that time . neither is it a diminishing from gods commandements , against the prohibition which he hath made , deut. . vers . . to say that the fourth commandement of the decalogue was ceremoniall and for a season , no more then to say the same of all other commandements manifestly ceremoniall , which god gave of old to the iewes , and in consideration whereof , as well as of those of the decalogue , god gave in that place objected against us , whatsoever thing i command you , observe to doe it : thou shalt not adde thereto , nor diminish from it . it is not a diminishing from it , to explaine the nature thereof , and to sh●w of these ten commandements which are morall and perpetuall , which are ceremoniall and temporall . no more is it an unjust usurpation of authority to change times , with the wicked antiochus , dan. . vers . . to keepe no more the seventh day ordained by the fourth commandement , as it is no changing of times , to forbeare the keeping of all other daies ordained of god under the law , but it is a submitting of our selves to that changing , which god himselfe would have to be made , seeing hee had not ordained the sabbath , nor the feast daies , but for a certaine space of time , to wit , til the time of the new testament , as it is manifest by that hath beene said . but secondly , albeit that which the fourh commandement enjoineth in expresse termes concerning the seventh day , the sanctification of that day , and the ceasing from all workes in it be ceremoniall , neverthelesse , i grant that it is morall in its foundation , end , marrow and principall substance , which must be distinguished from particular determinations laid upon this foundation , and added to this principall substance . the foundation and principall substance hid and infoulded in the termes of the commandement , is , that there must be an order according unto which god is to be served and worshipped , not onely by each person by himselfe , and in his particular conversation , but also openly , publikely , and in common by the whole body of his people assembled and drawne together , that consequently , it is necessary a certaine time be appointed for this publike service , and applyed ordinarily to that use . for without a stinted time , how can many meet together to give their minde to the publike practise of religion . this is morall , grounded upon the principles of nature . witnesses be the gentiles , which having no other law but the law of nature , have acknowledged and practised this , appointing all of them set dayes for the publike exercise of their religion . this also is ratified by the gospell , * which recommendeth unto the faithfull the assembling of themselves together , for the preaching of the word , administration of the sacraments , common prayers , collections , and other holy exercises , which are in use under the gospell , and consequently that they have appointed times to attend upon them , and as under the old testament the word of moses and of the prophets was read and preached every sabbath day , acts . verse . acts . verse . that even so the word of the gospell have dayes appointed wherein it to be read and preached . in this doe agree and shake hands together the law and the gospell , moses and christ. because this is morall , god hath injoyned it in the morall law , and this is the scope of the fourth commandement . for as in the three first god ordained the inward and outward service which hee will have every particular man to yeeld unto him every day in private , and severally from the society of other men , so in this fourth commandement he injoyneth a service common and publike , which all must yeeld together unto him , forbearing in the meane while all other businesses , to give themselves without disturbance to that necessary duty . this is the end of the fourth commandement , for as in the three first he had ordained his service , according as it may , and ought to be rendred unto him every day , upon all occasions , particularly by every one apart , and out of the company of other men ; so in this fourth commandement , he injoyneth a solemne time for a publike service , which all are bound to render unto him , ceassing in the meane while from all other occupations , that they may without any disturbance apply themselves unto it , with all religious zeale and devotion . the thing which is not morall in the fourth commandement , and that i affirme to be an ordinance appertaining to the iewish government , and to the time , not of the new but of the old testament , is that which is expressed by the tearmes of the commandement , to wit , the determination of a seventh day , and of a particular seventh , even the last of seven . for in this there is no thing that hath any taste of morality . it is not founded on the law of nature , the gentiles had never any knowledge thereof , the gospell hath not ratified it , as hath beene shewed before . they object , that if there be no thing morall in the fourth commandement , more than i have said , the ordinance of the sabbath day for gods service shall no more be morall then was the commandement concerning the building of the ancient tabernacle to be the place of gods service , seeing this command teacheth us also , that of necessity there must be some place assigned for ecclesiasticall meetings , and that it was no more needfull to put in the decalogue , thou shalt keepe the sabbath day , then thou shalt frequent the temple . to this i answer , that verily there is a morality in this point , that the faithfull resort of ten to some place where they may attend on gods service , but it was not at all so needfull to make expresse mention thereof in the decalogue , as of an ordinary and set time , for that this ordinance concerning such a time , draweth of necessity after it the ordinance of some place , because it is not possible to flocke together on an ordinary and solemne day to serve god , if there be not a place appointed for that purpose : but the appointing of a certaine place , includeth not the institution of an ordinary time . for a place may be ordained for publike meetings , wherein there is no ordinary meeting . farre lesse was it necessary , nay it was no wayes necessary in regard of the morality , to put in the decalogue a commandement concerning a particular house , such as was of old the tabernacle ; because although there be some morality by consequence in it , or rather a necessary sequele of a morality , for as much as necessity being imposed to the faithfull to meet together , there must be some place appointed for their meetings , but it is not needfull that those meetings should be with that absolute necessity alwayes in a house builded and erected for that end . for although they should come together in an open aire , having no other cover but the skye , in grots and dennes under the ground , or in some other place , without house or temple , as the christians were forced to meet together in the primitive persecutions , in such a state of the church this sufficeth , and no more is required as morall . it is only the decency and commodity which obligeth us to have houses and temples builded expresly for gods service . for these reasons god would not make mention in the decalogue at a particular place , as hee did of a time stinted for his service . this is a sufficient answer to another objection , when they say , that god might as well have put in the decalogue , thou shalt keep the new moones , or the yeerely feasts , as the sabbath day , because that command , as well as this , had taught us , that there must be a time appointed and stinted for gods service . for i deny that such a command could have taught us this duty , as well as the other , because such dayes being rare , and returning only from moneth to moneth , or from yeere to yeere , had not taught us the convenient and sutable frequency of gods publike service , as did the sabbath day , which returned weekely . therefore it being more frequent , yea more holy and venerable then all the rest of festivall dayes ordained of god under the law , he made mention of it in the fourth commandement , rather than of them wherein god hath observed a way like unto that which he hath kept in the other commandements , which is , to set downe a principall head under which he compriseth all other points that have relation unto it . wherefore , as in the second commandement he forbiddeth to make images , to how downe to them , and under that point prohibiteth all will-worship : as in the fifth commandement under the name of father and mother , and of the honour which he commandeth to give unto them , hee comprehendeth all superiours , and the respect due to them : as in the sixth under murder he compriseth all other violences against our neighbour : and as in the seventh under adultery he understandeth all uncleannesse of fleshly lust ; so likewise in the fourth commandement , under the sabbath day , and the observation thereof , which was his principall festivall , he understandeth all other holy dayes , and all the ceremonies which he had injoyned , and the practice of them all ; as also , ( which i have already marked ) his custome is other where in the old testament , to range under that point all other semblable points of his service , yea all godlinesse and religion , and make it , in some sort , to consist altogether in the observation of the sabbath : whereof the reason is , that a man cannot bee pious and religious to god-ward , unlesse he observe the externall meanes and aides of religion and godlinesse which he hath ordained . now the principall meanes of this kind ordained by him at that time , was the sanctification of the sabbath : all other meanes of the same kinde were referred to it and were established and dressed as it were , upon the mould of it ; even as whatsoever is the first and head in every kind of things , is the rule of all others that are inferiour and subordinate unto it : wherefore it is no wonder , that god would in expresse termes set downe this particular determination of the observation of the sabbath day , rather than any other , and comprise under it the morall substance of that commandement . for having thought expedient to ordaine and stint to the iewes the ordinary celebration of his publike service on a set day , to wit , on every seventh , and on the last of the seven dayes of the week , the morall substance of the said commandement , which is to have a time regulate and frequent for his publike service , could not be so well comprised and designed under any other ordinance relative unto it , as under this which was the most notable and principall of them all : so the fourth commandement is morall and perpetuall in one respect , to wit , in this principall substance which it infoldeth covertly , and ceremoniall and positive in another , to wit , in the foresaid determination , as also of the sanctification which it expresseth . for when god saith in the beginning thereof , remember the sabbath day to sanctifie it , he understandeth by the sabbath day , not a day of rest indefinitely and without limitation , but a seventh day , and the last of the weeke wherein he rested , as is manifest by that is said after in the same commandement , for in sixe dayes the lord made heaven and earth , the sea , and all that in them is , and rested the seventh day : wherefore the lord blessed the sabbath day , and hallowed it : where the day of rest , or the sabbath day signifieth manifestly the same day whereof mention is made in the beginning of the commandement , which is the day of gods rest , to wit , the seventh that he rested on , as it is likewise so restrained in the second chapter of genesis , and god blessed the seventh day , and sanctified it : because that in it he had rested from all his workes : therefore it was not a day of rest in generall that he sanctified , but the particular seventh day of the creation , and not any other . also this name , the sabbath day , or the day of rest , doth never signifie in the scripture any other day besides the seventh and last day of the weeke , which god had ordained to the iewes . for these two appellations , the sabbath day , and the seventh or last day of the weeke , are indifferently taken for the same thing , and the one is the explication of the other , as may be seene in infinite places , exod. . verse . exod. . ver . , . exod. . ver . . exod. . verse . exod. . verse . levit. . verse . luk. . verse . &c. yea this name , the sabbath day , is the proper and particular name of the seventh and last day of the weeke , whereby it was distinguished from all the rest , which , as hath beene observed before , did take from it their denomination , being called the first , second , third of the sabbath , &c. also by the sanctification of this day , which god injoyneth in the foresaid words of the commandement , is not expressed and particularised formally any other , then that which consisteth in the abstinence of severall workes , whereof mention is made in the words following , which may be taken for an explication of the sanctification before injoyned , even as in this abstinence is expressely established the sanctification of the said day , evod. . verse . neh. . verse . ierem. . verse , , . and it is indeed that sanctification which ordinarily god betokeneth and requireth of the people of the iewes in the old testament , when he speaketh of the sanctification of the sabbath day , as on the contrary , the profanation of that day whereof he blameth them , is that which they committed in doing workes which he had prohibited . but if it be referred to a sanctification which was to be practised by the use of certaine actuall duties of religion , god understandeth a sanctification by the observation of legall ceremonies as well as of morall duties . yea he understandeth rather that then this , because the observation of morall duties is not tyed more particularly to one day then to another , but is a service appertaining equally and alike to all dayes of the weeke ; whereas the ceremonies of gods outward service , were to be observed more particularly on that day , then in all the rest : and therfore this commandement , in as much as it injoyneth the sanctification of the seventh day , is ceremoniall , and if in regard of this sanctification it is abolished , what inconvenience is there , that it be likewise abolished in regard of the day ? neither is it a thing singular to this commandement to have some particular determination belonging to the iewes only added to the substance which is morall , universall , and perpetuall . for the preface of the law , which some had rather make a part of the first commandement , concerning the deliverance out of the land of egypt , and out of the house of bondage , and the temporall promise of long daies upon the land of canaan added to the fifth commandement , are manifestly circumstances which have relation to the iewes only , and have no morality in them , nay , were ceremoniall and typike . now if a ceremoniall promise hath found a roome in the decalogue , there is no greater inconvenience , that a ceremoniall and temporall commandement be found in it also . neither is it a whit more repugnant to say , that the fourth commandement is both morall and ceremoniall , because it is not so in the same , but in a diverse sense and respect , as i have shewed . among the lawes given by moses , many are to be found , which are ceremoniall and temporall in that which they expresse , and morall in their foundation and end . as , for example , the lawes forbidding to muzzle the oxe when he treadeth out the corne , deut. . verse . to seethe a kid in his mothers milke , exod. . vers . . to take in a birds nest the dam with the young ones , deut. . vers . , . to plow with an oxe and an asse together , deut. . vers . . and others such like . and indeed those against whom i write , must acknowledge , nill they , will they ; that in the fourth commandement there is some thing that is not morall , that obligeth not for ever , and that did pertaine onely to the iewes , and to their ceremonies and ecclesiasticall governement , to wit , the ordinance about the observing not onely of one day of seven , but the last of seven . for wee keepe not any more this last day under the new testament , wherein wee should sinne , if it were a morall thing . neither can an instance be made from the fourth commandement , that the observing of a seventh day is a thing naturall and morall , but by the same meanes it shall be proved , against the intention of those that make use of this argument , that to observe a seventh day is also morall , because the commandement ordaineth not without restriction a seventh day , but stinteth particularly and by name the last of seven . there be some , who to avoid the strength of this argument , doe say , that the fourth commandement enjoyneth onely a seventh day , as the genus , and as a morall thing , but none of the kindes , whether the last of seven observed by the iewes , or the first of seven observed by christians is particularly enjoyned , because in this there is no moralitie : or if in the fourth commandement besides the seventh day in generall , a particular seventh is injoined , the generall is injoyned as morall , the particular as ceremoniall , and so the genus , to wit , a seventh day , as being morall , continueth for ever , as well under the gospel , as under the law , and the particular seventh , to wit , the last of the weeke , is only abrogated by the gospel . this is a bold reply , and maketh me to wonder at it , seeing on the contrary it is evident by that hath beene already said , that wee may affirme with good reason , that the fourth commandement maketh not at all any generall mention of observing an unlimited day , but particularizeth expresly a certaine seventh day , to wit , the last . for god after he had said , sixe daies shalt thou labour , and doe all thy worke , addeth , but the seventh day is the sabbath of the lord thy god , which expression alone and by it selfe , although there were no other thing said , sheweth , that he meaneth the seventh in order , following the other sixe . when a man uttereth his minde in this sort ; the third , the fourth , the fifth , &c. his intention is , to denote that which is such in order relatively to others going before , neither is there any man that will take it otherwise . but besides this , god unfoldeth forthwith which seventh he meaneth , to wit , the particular seventh wherein he rested , after he had made all his workes in the sixe daies which went before , which was the last of seven . moreover , it is evident , that in the fourth commandement , the seventh day , and the day of rest are the same , as also wheresoever mention is made of them . and the day of rest is there taken for the day that god rested in , as is manifest by these words following : and he rested the seventh day , wherefore he blessed the sabbath day , and hollowed it ; the which day wherein he rested is the seventh , or the last day after the sixe of the creation , as is evident by these words also ; he made his workes in sixe daies , and rested on the seventh day . wherefore it is the last seventh , and none other , that is designed in the fourth commandement as the object of the blessing and hallowing of god ; which is yet more cleare by the second chapter of genesis , and third verse , where after moses had said , that god in sixe daies made the heaven and the earth , and all the hosts of them , and after he had ended his workes , rested the seventh day , he addeth , and god blessed the seventh day , and sanctified it , because in it he had rested from all his workes , to wit , that seventh which afterwards he blessed . for the pronoune it , hath a necessary relation to a particular day specified in the foresaid words , as blessed of god , and limited forthwith , as the day of his rest ; so it is manifest that the day which god blessed , is the same that he rested in , the same , i say , by correspondency in the order and succession of daies , as i have shewed before : otherwise , what should be the sense of these words ? god hath blessed and sanctified the seventh day , that is , as is pretended , a seventh day undetermined , because in it he rested , &c. this pronoune it , can it fitly and conveniently denote a day uncertaine and unlimited ? where is to be found a seventh day unlimited , wherein god did rest ? moreover ; gods blessing and sanctification can it have an indefinite and uncertaine object ; so that god in particular sanctified nothing ? againe , can it be a convenient reason , having any likelihood , that god having rested on a certaine seventh day , and having considered in it all his workes which hee had finished , after hee had made them in the sixe daies before , which was the cause that hee loved and esteemed particularly that day , hath in that respect sanctified one of seven daies indefinitely , which by that meanes might have beene one of those wherein hee wrought , and not the same seventh wherein he rested ? if that were true , it should follow that the israelites did not observe the last day of the weeke , by obligation of the fourth commandement tying them thereunto , but onely in generall one of the seven daies of the weeke , and that by some other particular law they were taught to observe the last of seven , although all the rest of gods ordinances , which are to be found concerning the sabbath , say no more then doth the fourth commandement , and are relative unto it . whereas it is most sure , that the iewes in all times have professed , and doe still make profession , that they keepe the last day of the weeke by expresse obligation of the fourth commandement , which , according to this saying they did never understand . all these are as many palpable absurdities . and therefore it is most certaine , that the fourth commandement ordaineth expresly and formally the observation of a particular seventh day , to wit , of the last of seven , and not of another . neverthelesse , it may be said in some sort , that any day whatsoever , which is celebrated to the honour and glory of god , hath its foundation on the fourth commandement , and that so we now doe observe our sunday , and other solemne and extraordinary daies by vertue of that commandement : not that it enjoyneth them properly and directly , but onely indirectly , and by deduction or consequence taken from the foundation , and generall end thereof , which is to enjoyne all men , to serve god publikely , and to consecrate for that purpose , some solemne times , which in this respect , whatsoever they be , may be all referred unto it , not as being commanded in their particular kinde , but onely in their genus , which is covertly and fundamentally contained in it , and therewith determined expresly to one kinde only , to wit , to the seventh day , and to the last of seven , not for ever , but during the time of the old testament only . wherefore to say that the fourth commandement obligeth onely , and in expresse termes to a seventh day unstinted , and not to this particular seventh , which is here the point in question , is a thing altogether unreasonable , as is evident by that hath beene said . it is also a thing farre removed from all reason to say , that verily the observation of a certaine day of seven , to wit , the last , was a thing ceremoniall and positive , and that this is the day which the gospel hath abrogated , but to observe alwaies one day of seven , is morall , and that this is ratified and confirmed by the gospell . for the determination and particular observation of any day whatsoever amongst a certaine number , in quality of such a one , cannot be a morall thing . now to ordaine one of seven to be kept , maketh a determination and particular observation , not forsooth , so particular , as when one of seven : as for example , the last is by name determined and appointed , yet so farre particular , that none can devise , farre lesse tell reasonably , wherefore there should be a morality to ordaine and observe a seventh day regularly , rather then to ordaine and observe the last of seven ; wherefore the gospell should confirme that more then this , abrogate this more then that : wherefore finally , there is lesser inconvenience to avouch , that the fourth commandement is ceremoniall and positive , in as much as it ordaineth a particular seventh day , to wit , the last , ( whereof some of those against whom i dispute , are constrained to acknowledge the establishment in the fourth commandement , but as of a ceremony ) as to say , that it is also ceremoniall and positive in as much as it ordaineth one day of seven , which is the point i stand unto . verily there is farre more reason to say , that the fourth commandement ordaineth , as a morall thing , the publike service of god , and consequently that there be for that purpose a stinted day , ordinary , common , and so frequent in its revolution , that it may be sufficient for the practise and exercise of that service , for the continuall edification of the church . for nature teacheth , that it is fit that the publike service of god be frequently practised , which hath as great force under the gospell , as under the law , but that the said commandement obligeth precisely to a seventh day , and to that seventh day wherein god rested from all his workes , it is an ordinance of ceremony and of order , which was for the iewes only , and hath beene disanulled by the gospell . for since the gospell came , it is a thing in its selfe indifferent to observe , not forsooth one day of any number how great so ever it be , as of thirty , sixtie , of an hundred , or of a yeare , which as all the world may see , should not be sufficient to serve god publikely by his people , and should bewray in such a people a great negligence and want of affection to gods service , but one of foure , of five , of sixe , or in summe , of such a number wherein that day may returne frequently , and suffice for the intertainement of religion and godlinesse . and it may perhaps be gathered out of the fourth commandement that one day in seven is very sutable and fitt , and that we should not under the gospell dedicate lesse to god , for seeing god ordained to the iewes ( other wayes burthened with many other ceremonies and holy dayes ) one of seven , it is an argument probable enough that christians ought to consecrate to him , at least as much if not more of their time , which neverthelesse god left to the liberty of the church to ordaine with wisedome and conscience as hath beene already said . and so although the ceremoniall order prescribed in the fourth commandement concerning the day of rest , obligeth not precisely and directly the christian church , she may notwithstanding inferre from thence good instructions , whereby she may be directed in things concerning a convenient time for gods publike service , as she maketh a good use for her direction of many other ceremonies of the law. wherefore if there were any man who would rashly maintaine , that it sufficeth under the new testament to observe one day of twenty , or of an hundred , he should be sufficiently refuted by the foresaid reason , besides the practise of the christian church , which hath judged it fit to observe one of seven dayes , which practise no man shall gainesay , but he shall forthwith bewray himselfe to be new-fangled , fantasticall , and selfe-willed . of all that hath beene said it is evident , that the inconveniences alleadged in the argument , are not to be feared . for i have already shewed , that it is no inconvenience to say , that of tenne commandements contained in the decalogue , there are but nine morall which oblige us now , and that the law which is called morall belongeth not unto us in all that it containeth . yet in some sort all the tenne may be defended to be morall , because the fourth commandement is morall as well as the rest in its foundation and principall end , although the thing expressed in it be a particular determination , ceremoniall , and positive . whence profane fellowes cannot with any colour of reason inferre , that the substance of the other commandements is not morall nor obligatory to christians . for whatsoever is in them ( saving the promise annexed to the fifth commandement , which belongeth not to the substance thereof ) sheweth of it selfe , that it is morall , because it hath its foundation in the law of nature written in the hearts of all men , and is found so frequently , that no thing is more frequently , ratified and confirmed by the scripture of the new testament , which is the rule of christianity , and therefore obligeth all christians untill the worlds end , which can not be so said of the fourth commandement , in the expression that it maketh of a seventh day , for a day of rest : for fitly that is not of the law of nature , and is not prescribed by the gospell , it cannot oblige christians as a morall law. by the same meanes is taken from the roman church the pretence , which some think this doctrin furnisheth unto them , that the second commandement , whereof we make so great use against their idolatry , is not morall nor perpetuall , but was particular to the iewes , even as , according to our confession , was the fourth commandement . for all that the second commandement aimeth at , is contained and expressed most clearely in the words thereof , which is to forbid to represent and worship god by images , to make images to bowe downe to them , and to serve them religiously , and all that is essentially morall and perpetuall , grounded on the law of nature , which of it selfe teacheth and sheweth , that it is a thing most absurd and unworthy of god , who is a spirit infinite , almighty , eternall , immortall , inuisible , and the only wise god , to represent and serve him by mortall images ; as also a thing unworthy of man to worship the worke of his owne hands , as the paynims themselve have acknowledged and written . witnesses hereof are the most ancient romanes , who knowing by the law of nature , that god is a spirit , judged by the same light , that hee ought not to be figured nor served by images . and therefore they had no images at all during the space of more then an hundred threescore and ten yeeres . and uarro a romane , and a pagan , saith , that if that had continued so , the gods had beene served more purely , adding , that the first which framed images to the gods , abolished the feare due unto them , and were the cause of many errors ; as wee reade in s. augustine , in the fourth booke and . chapter of the city of god. the prophets also , in many places of the old testament , rebuke the nations which were strangers from the covenant of god , for their images and statues , as being guilty of a most hainous sin , in making and worshiping them , against a law which pertained to them , and which they were bound to know . these their reprehensions they confirme by naturall reasons , as may be seen , exod. . vers . . exod. . vers . . deut. . vers . . . deut. . v. . deut. . vers . . psal. . vers . . psal. . vers . , , . , . psal. . vers . . , , , , , , , . esay . vers . . . . . ierem. . vers . . &c , ierem. . vers . . ier. . vers . , , , . habac. . vers . , , . the apostles have likewise done the same in the new testament , and namely s. paul , who in the . chapter of the acts proved and made it knowne to the athenians ; and in the first chapter of the epistle to the romans , condemned the romans for transgressing the law of nature , darkening the light thereof , and smothering the secret and inward sting of their consciences , by changing the glory of the incorruptible god , into the image of a corruptible man , and of other living creatures . s. iohn in his first epistle , and in the fifth chapter and last verse thereof , exhorteth the faithfull to keepe themselves from idolls : and in the ninth chapter of the revelation , the crossnesse of false christians is noted verse . by this , that notwithstanding so many plagues , wherewith god had visited them , they repented not of the workes of their hands , that they should not worship idols of gold , and silver , and brasse , and stone , and of wood , which neither can see , nor heare , nor walke . therefore seeing the whole matter of the second commandement is morall , grounded upon the law of nature , and established , not only by the old , but also by the new testament , the commandement is also morall . for whereas some would referre and reduce to the second commandement , the whole externall service of the iewes , as contained , in some sort , therein , to inferre from thence , that if the fourth commandement be in part ceremoniall , because unto it are referred all the sabbaths of the iewes , all their holy dayes , and new moones , the second may likewise be called ceremoniall in part , for the same reason . to that i answer , that a reduction and reference of the externall and ceremoniall service of the iewes may , in some respect , be made to all the commandements of the first table : as indeed some ceremoniall ordinances are in certain respects referred to each of them by some interpreters : and may be all in this manner referred to the second commandement , which being negative , god under the prohibition to make any kinde of images for religious worship , compriseth all will-worship . and sith in all negative commandements the affirmative opposed unto them are comprehended , he commandeth on the contrary , that he be served according to his ordinance and commandement . now sith at that time the manner of his service consisted in the observation of holy dayes , and diverse ceremonies prescribed by him in the law of moses , it may be said , that in it he commanded them all : but indirectly , and a farre of : which cannot make the second commandement to be ceremoniall , because the ceremoniall and outward service appertaineth not directly and properly to the substance thereof , and is not expressed therein . but whatsoever is expressed in it , is of it selfe morall : whereas in the fourth commandement the foresaid feasts and ceremonies are directly and neerly comprised . for in it god ordaineth a principall holy day , and under it comprehendeth all others : all that is expressed in it is ceremoniall : and the ceremoniall service of the iewes maketh an essentiall part of the sanctification of the sabbath injoyned in it . so this commandement is not ceremoniall indirectly , and in regard only that unto it may be referred and appropriated , by a remote and farre fetched reduction , the feasts , new moones , and iewish sabbaths , but it is such directly and properly in it selfe , even in the neerest substance and matter which it propoundeth . so the foresaid exceptions against it should be absurd and impertinently inferred upon our saying concerning the fourth commandement , because these two commandements stand not in equall tearmes . if any papists should make such an inference , bellarmine himselfe will lend us his helping hand to refute it . for in the seventh chapter of his second booke of relikes and images , he acknowledgeth and affirmeth , that saving the commandement of the sabbath , all the rest are explications of the law of nature , and are naturall precepts , which all christians are bound to observe . this being so , the roman church cannot cleanse her selfe of a great crime , for cutting off from the decalogue , in all her service bookes the second commandement , and for not propounding it ordinarily to the people , for that it fighteth against her idolatry . and , in my judgement , it should be also an hainous fault , although not in the same manner and respect , to nip away from the decalogue the fourth commandement , or to make no mention of it in the church for though it be not morall , and obligeth not christians under the new testament in the particulars which it expresseth , yet sith it is morall in the foundation whereupon it is built , and in the generall end that it aimeth at , as hath beene said before , and sith god would insert it in the abridgement of his law which he gave of old to the people of israel , it should be foole-hardinesse to pull it away , and to remove it out of the roome where god hath placed it . even as , although that which is said in the preface of the law , concerning the deliverance of the people out of the land of egypt , and out of the house of bondage ; and in the fifth commandement , of the prolongation of dayes in the land of cannaan , is not addressed to us directly , in that which these termes doe expresse , yet it should be ill done , to cut these clauses quite off , or to make no mention of them , when we learne , write , rehearse , or teach the decalogue . we must keepe religiously , and mention whatsoever god hath beene pleased to put in it : but we must also understand every thing conveniently , appropriating to us whatsoever belongeth to us as well as to the iewes , and to the iewes only , that which was proper to them : and such was the ordinance of the seventh day . which day if it be not acknowledged to be ceremoniall , and therefore subject to be abrogated by iesus christ , and comprised among the points of the law which the gospell declared to be annulled , place should be given to an inconvenience that will follow thereupon farre better , then the former which is inferred upon the opinion that the fourth commandement is ceremoniall , for so the bridle should be loosed to the immoderate , transcendent and irregular authority which papists challenge to the church , to have power to change and alter the things which god himselfe hath established . for it is evident , that god by the fourth commandement hath established the seventh and last day of the week to be a day of rest , and it is agreed upon , as most true , that under the gospel that seventh day hath been changed into another , neither can it be sufficiently and clearely proved , that iesus christ , or his apostles , have made that innovation , as shall be seene hereafter : whence they doe inferre , that the church having done it of her selfe , without commandement , she may change the things established and ordained of god in the morall law. whereunto it is impossible to give a pertinent answer , but by saying , as it is most true , that the prescription of the seventh day of sabbath , although it be among the commandements of the morall law , is not morall for that but pertaineth to the government of the iewes , and is to be numbred with these things which were but for a time , to wit , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , untill the time of reformation , as the apostle speaketh , hebr. . vers . . of these shadowes of things to come , whereof the body was in christ , as they are named , col. . vers . , . where amongst other shadowes the sabbaths are specified . that therefore the church in not keeping any more the sabbath prescribed by the fourth commandement , but another , hath not usurped any authority upon the things established of god , but hath followed the order of god , who had not established that day , but for a certaine time , to wit , untill the comming of the messias , by whose death the ceremonies were to be abolished , and consequently the sabbath day was to expire and give up the ghost . chapter seventh . answer to the particular reasons taken from the words of the fourth commandement . . first objection , the sabbath was long before the law , because god commanded to remember it , and remembrance is of things past . . three answers to this objection . . second objection , from the first reason of the keeping of the sabbath , sixe daies shalt thou labour , &c. which is a reason of equity , binding christians as well as iewes . . answer to this objection , shewing what is morall and obligatory in this reason , what not . . third objection ; if the labour of sixe daies be not ceremoniall , the rest on the seventh day likewise is not ceremoniall , refuted by three answers . . fourth objection from the second reason in the words , but the seventh day is the sabbath of the lord thy god , it is gods day , therefore it is sacriledge to rob him of it . . two answers to this objection . . fifth objection from the third reason in the words , in it thou shalt not doe any worke , &c. where a great regard is had unto servants , beasts , strangers , whereunto christians are also obliged . . answer shewing what in this reason is morall , what belonging to order onely . . sixth objection from the words ; for in sixe daies the lord made heaven and earth , and rested the seventh day , shewing , that god after his example will have all men to keepe the seventh day till the end of the world . . first answer , denying that god ordained the seventh day for a memoriall of the creation . . second answer , although things past should be kept in perpetuall remembrance , their memorialls ordained in the old testament are not perpetuall . . third answer to the instance taken from gods example shewing in which attributes god is to be imitated , in which not . . as also in which of his actions , in which not , we are to follow his example . . this answer is applyed to the seventh day , shewing that it hath not inherent in it any essentiall righteousnesse why god did rest in it , but as many other actions , hath no other foundation but gods free-will . . whereby hee ordained the observation of that day to the iewes , and not to christians . . who in the observation of their holy day , follow not gods example , as they should , if it had any morality in it . . instance , the seventh day was changed into the first day of the weeke , in remembrance of our redemption by christ , which is a greater worke then the creation . . first answer , hence it followeth , that the observation of one of seven daies is not morall . . second answer , shewing divers absurdities following the opinion of the morality of one of seven daies , and of the substitution of the first of seven to the last by christ himselfe . . their reply , that when christ made the first alteration of the sabbath , the disciples observed the sabbath of the last and of the first day of the weeke consecutively , is but an imagination . . christs resurrection was of as great force to change the generall order of the observation of one of seven daies , as of the last day of the weeke , nay , to ordaine each fourth day of the weeke for gods service , as well as the first . . the day of christs resurrection is no more obligatory , then the day of his nativity , of his death , or of his ascention , and is a meer institution of the church . . seventh objection from the last words of the commandement ; and god blessed the seventh day , and sanctified it , whence they gather , that the keeping of the seventh day is a meanes of all kinde of blessings , whereof christians have as great need at iewes , &c. . first answer , christians have as great need of gods blessing as had the iewes , but not by the same meanes . . second answer , the sabbath was not a meanes of blessing to the iewes , by any inherent and naturall quality , but by reason of the exercises of godlinesse practised in it , and so the exercises of our christian religion bring a blessing upon us whensoever they are practised . . it is a fond assertion , that if god hath not appointed to christians a particular day for his service , as he did to the iewes , our condition shall be worse then theirs . . all the particularities of the fourth commandement may be applyed to christians , as well as to iewes . . as the reasons of the institution of their holy-daies . . which neverthelesse we are not bound to keepe . . item , the remembrance of the creation , &c. . the necessity of a new day for gods service inferreth not a divine institution . besides the generall argument which is taken from the nature of the fourth commandement , and hath beene refuted in the former chapter , others more particular are taken from the termes and words of the said commandement ; and first they urge vehemently these first words thereof , remember the sabbath day , from whence , as they pretend , it may be inferred , that seeing the remembring of a thing denoteth that it was knowne before ; god , when he commanded the israelites to remember the sabbath day , supposeth that it was not a new ordinance which he gave unto them then , but an ancient one , yet , which undoubtedly they had forgotten , and whereof it was necessary they should be put in remembrance , and the observation urged for the time to come . it is said also , that the sanctification of the sabbath day which god enjoyneth , saying , remember the sabbath day to keepe it holy , cannot be called a ceremony , but this instance is very feeble . for first , although it should prove that the institution of the sabbath day , which is here debated , did preceed the law from the beginning , it cannot for all that inforce the morality thereof . nay , much otherwise , some doe thinke , that god in the beginning and entrance of the commandement used the word remember , because it not being naturall and morall , as the rest are , the iewes might have more easily forgotten it . secondly , it doth no manner of way prove the antiquity of this ordinance . for when he that commandeth any thing , saith to him to whom he giveth instructions , remember what i say and command thee , such a speech implyeth not alwaies that an injunction is given him of a thing he knew before , which is againe recorded unto him , that he may call it to minde ; nay , most often , his intention is only to advise him to consider exactly , to meditate carefully , and to accomplish faithfully in time to come , that which at that time is injoyned him . for this terme , remember , when commandements are given , is not alwaies relative to the time past , but sometimes hath regard onely to the time to come , which joyning and continuing for some daies or yeeres successively , the time wherein they were given is past , and so men have need to call them to minde , as a thing past . so god instituted the passeover for a memoriall of the deliverance of the first borne of his people from the destroyer , when the first borne of the egyptians were slaine , although it happened after the said institution , exod. . vers . . . . so moses said unto them , remember this day in which yee came out from egypt , exod. , vers . . willing them in time to come to call to minde that whereof they had the first knowledge and experience , and not before , but at that instant . so christ instituted to his disciples the sacrament of the eucharist , saying , this doe yee in remembrance of me , that is , of my death , cor. . vers . . , . although hee was at table with them , and was not put to death , till the next day after . so this speech , remember the sabbath day , must be taken relatively to the time to come , as if god had said ; take heed that afterwards yee keepe in minde the ordinance which i give you at this instant , that you may observe it carefully ; and in the . verse of the fifth chapter of deuteronomy , in liev of remember , it is written , keepe the sabbath day , or , take heed to the sabbath day to sanctifie it . hee that commandeth another to doe any thing of moment , in a time future , ordinary , and regulate , may very well speake unto him in these termes , remember such a thing , and the time that thou art to doe it in , before it come , to the end , that when it shall come , thou mayest be prepared to doe it , and mayest doe it accordingly , which is all that god intended to say to the iewes in his commandement touching the sabbath , to wit , that before that day should fall out , they should remember it in the precedent dayes , and dispose themselves in time to sanctifie it . thirdly , although it should be taken as relative to the time past , it is needlesse to extend it to a long time before , and namely to the beginning of the world , but only to some few dayes foregoing , when god , through the occasion of the manna , spake unto them of the sabbath day , forbidding them to goe out of their place on that day , to gather of it , because they should find none , and commanding them to rest , and to abide every man in his place : which day , when afterwards he gave the law , he commanded them more particularly and expressely to remember , because they heard mention made of it a short while before , and to beware of profaning it , as they had done already , exod. . verse , . and questionlesse , to that which he said unto them concerning the sabbath in the sixteenth chapter of exodus , are to be referred these words which in the fifth chapter of deuteronomie are added to the fourth commandement , keepe the sabbath day to sanctifie it , as the lord hath commanded thee . as for the sanctification of the sabbath day which god ordaineth , and of which it is said that it cannot be called a ceremony , i answer , that indeed to speake universally and absolutely , it cannot be so called : for the sabbath day was and ought to be sanctified by morall duties : but in as much as it was tyed to the seventh day , and was practised by sacrifices , offerings , and other services of the like kind , and by an exact resting from all worldly travels , such as god ordaineth in the fourth commandement , it is ceremoniall . secondly , they stand much upon the words following , sixe dayes shalt thou labour , and doe all thy worke , but the seventh day , &c. where , as they say , there is a reason of the observation of the seventh day of sabbath , which hath its foundation in equity and justice . for if god giveth to men sixe dayes for their owne affaires , and for the workes of their worldly calling , is it not more than just , that they consecrate a seventh day to his service ? and is it not as just for christians , as for iewes ? and therefore , say they , christians , sith they take sixe dayes for their workes , are as much obliged as the iewes to observe a seventh day of sabbath to god. they adde also , that as the labour of sixe dayes which is mentioned in this reason , and whence it is taken , is not a ceremoniall thing , no more should the rest of the seventh day be ceremoniall . i answer , that in the foresaid reason there is a manifest justice and equity , which continueth for ever . but that justice is generally in this , that , if a man hath many dayes for himselfe and for his owne workes , it is reasonable hee consecrate one amongst many for gods service . yea , there should be a great deale more justice , to imploy , if it were possible , a greater number of dayes upon gods service , then upon our own businesse , nay , to bestow them all . also in consequence of this justice and equity , we have said before , that under the new testament , in whose time the christians are farre more beholden to god , then the iewes were , sith god hath discharged them of many burdens of outward ceremonies , which did lay heavy upon that people , and hath called them to bee in some sort a people more franke and more affectionate to his service , all the dayes of the weeke , as much as possibly can be , should be holy dayes unto the lord . and because they cannot possibly meet together every day to serve in common , which neverthelesse he looks for as well as for a particular service , they must stint some ordinary day for that end , and in this stinting must not shew themselves inferiors to the iewes , appointing lesse than one day among seven to gods service . this is all that can be gathered from the foresaid reason , as it is obligatory for ever . for to dedicate to god precisely a seventh day , after we have bestowed sixe dayes upon our selves , it cannot be denyed but that it is most just , yet it is not more just nor better proportioned , nor more obligatory , of it selfe and in its own nature , specially to christians , nay not so much , as to consecrate to god one of sixe , or of five , or of foure . for the moe we hallow to god , the more doe we that which is just , equitable , and well ordered , and the more doe wee performe our duty that wee are naturally bound unto towards him . if then god ordained in times past under the law , that the day which he would have his people to dedicate unto him , should be particularly one of seven , it was not for any naturall justice which was more in that number , or for any proportion which in it selfe was more convenient in that behalfe , then the appointment of any other number , but because it was his good pleasure to direct and rule for that season the time of his service , and to impose no more than one day of seven upon a people loaden already with many ceremonies . and therefore no particular justice being tied to this number of seven , more than to any other , this reason contained in the foresaid words of the fourth commandement , cannot be morall , nor consequently perpetuall , but only positive and for a short continuance , in that it commandeth to worke sixe dayes , and to rest the seventh day . it is morall only in the foundation and substance thereof , which is this , that if god giveth us liberty to bestow a number of dayes upon our owne affaires , it is reasonable , that there be one day appointed wherein we ought to serve him : we i say , that are christians , and that as frequently , nay much more than the iewes did , which we accord willingly to be perpetuall : but with this restriction , that under the new testament the choice of one day , amongst a number of other dayes , is not stinted of god , and that he bindeth us no more to one of seven , then to one of sixe , or of five . whereas they adde that as the labour of sixe dayes is not a thing ceremoniall , so neither should the rest on the seventh day be placed in that ranke . i answer , first , inferring from thence a contrary argument , that as to take paines in the workes of our temporall callings , considering the condition of this present life , is a thing just and necessary , and may be called moral , but to work of seven dayes six , hath not in it any speciall necessity , even so it is necessary , just , and morall to dedicate some time to gods publike service , but that such a time should be precisely one of seven dayes , is by no meanes morall . secondly , that which i say to be ceremonial in the . cōmandement , is the commandement it selfe , to wit , that which god expressely and purposely injoyneth to be kept , as belonging to his outward and publike service . now he commandeth not any thing in it precisely , saving the observation and sanctification of the day of rest , by refraining from all temporall callings . and whereas it is said , sixe dayes shalt thou labour , as that maketh no part of gods service , no more doth it make a part of the commandement ( although god thereby warneth men , that they ought not to passe their dayes in idlenesse , but should apply themselves every day to the labour of an honest calling , ) but is a permission put only by concession , and relatively to the commandement in this sence : thou art permitted to work six dayes , but on the th . day thou shalt abstaine from all kind of work . therefore it followeth not , that if these words put occasionally in the commandement doe not impart any ceremony , the commandement it selfe is not ceremoniall . thirdly , the scripture in the labour of sixe dayes establisheth not unto us any ceremonie , as it doth in the rest of the seventh day , which it maketh as expressely as can be , a type of the heavenly rest , as we have cleerely seene before . and yet in relation to the heavenly rest , figured by the rest of the seventh day , i may say , that the painefull labour of sixe dayes before the sabbath , was a type and figure of these troubles and afflictions wherewith the faithfull are tossed to and fro during the ages of this life , before they come to the rest of the kingdome of heaven , and that so this labour also was ceremoniall . they take their third argument from these words , the seventh day is the rest of the lord thy god , that is , it is the day which god hath not only created and made , as the other dayes , but also hath put a part , to the end that it be applyed to his service . whence it is often called , the day holy to the lord , the rest of god , or gods sabbath , &c. of this they inferre , seeing it is not lawfull to steale from god that which pertaineth unto him , nor to commit sacriledge , by devouring that which is holy , pro. . ver . . we must , if we will not incurre this crime , consecrate alwayes to god one of seven dayes . but i answer first , that if this argument be of any value it shall prove , that it is the last of seven which all are bound to keepe alwayes , as the rest of god. for it is this particular seventh day which is understood in the words before alleadged , and which also was the sabbath holy to the lord. secondly , i say , that these words serve not at all to prove the morality and perpetuity of the seventh day . in them it is truly said , that the seventh day is the lords rest , to wit , because at that time he ordained it to the iewes , to be observed by them in their generations , and if the iewes had not observed , but applyed it to their owne affaires , undoubtedly they had beene guilty of sacriledge ; but doth it follow , that , because it is called the lords rest , in regard of the ordinance whereby he injoyned the iewes to keepe it , we also are obliged under the new testament to sanctifie it ? doth he not also in the old testament , when he speaketh of the leviticall , sacrifices , and offerings , &c. call them most frequently his sacrifices , his offerings , and all the other sabbaths of the iewes , his sabbaths , as well as the sabbath of the seventh day ? in a word , doth hee not claime all other things which hee commanded to the iewes concerning his service , as his owne ? shall we then conclude by the same reason , that seeing it is not lawfull to touch holy things , and god did claime all these things as belonging unto him , we must yet dedicate and consecrate them unto him under the new testament ? who seeth not the absurdity of this consequence , and by the same meanes of the consequence which is inferred of these words , the seventh day is gods rest ? for as these things , which i have mentioned , did belong to god , but did oblige the iewes only to observe them , it fareth even so with the sabbath . in the fourth place they urge also these words , in it thou shalt not doe any worke , thou , nor thy sonne , nor thy daughter , thy man-servant , nor thy maide-servant , nor thine oxe , nor thy asse , nor any of thy cattell , nor thy stranger that is within thy gates : where they observe , that god hath respect to the easing of servants and of cattell , to the intent , that when they have beene kept sixe dayes at worke , a seventh of relaxation be given them to rest , and as it were , to breath a little , and specially that the servants as well as their masters , may set themselves about gods service , to learne and practise it . for which cause in the fifth chapter of deuteronomie this particularitie is added at the end of the th . commandement , that thy man-servant , and thy maide-servant may rest as well as thou . the same is likewise to be found , exodus . verse . all this is of perpetuall justice and equity . for god under the new testament hath not stript and cast away the bowels of compassion , and forsaken the care of servants , and poore beasts . they take also in consideration , that the stranger is by name and specially obliged to keepe the sabbath day , by refraining from all kinde of worke , from whence they inferre , that it was not a iewish ceremony , but a morall point , because nothing is universall , binding strangers as well as iewes , saving that which is morall , whereas the ceremonies were only for the iewes , and as it were a middle wall of separation between them and all strangers , eph. . ver . . and therefore , seeing the strangers which were gentiles , were by gods command bound to keepe the sabbath day , as well as the iewes , and when they were in the land of canaan , were constrained unto it by the magistrates , as may be seene in the . chapter of nehem. vers . . it followeth , that the observation of the seventh day of sabbath is a morall point , and not simply ceremoniall . i answer , that to give refreshment to servants and poore beasts after they have beene wearied with labour , and to be carefull that servants learne to serve god , and apply them to so holy a duty , as well as their masters , is a thing naturally just and equitable , and that the words of the fourth commandement , as farre as they have respect to that duty , doe denote a perpetuall morality , and therefore christians ought to give a time of relaxation and rest from labour to their servants and beasts , instruct their servants in the feare of god , and be carefull that they serve him , both in their particular devotions at home , and publike abroad with the rest of the faithfull , in such times and places that are appointed for that service by the order of the church , which if they doe not , they sin . but to set apart for the rest and easing of servants , and their imployment in gods service one of seven daies , rather then one of another number , and to rest precisely on the seventh day , according to the words of the commandement , the seventh day is the rest : in it thou shalt not doe any worke , that i say againe and againe , is a thing simply belonging to order and church-governement , and bindeth not necessarily for ever . as for the instance taken from the words whereby strangers are bound to keeke the sabbath day , it is altogether vaine and frivolous . for there mention is made onely of strangers that were within the gates of the iewes , that is , dwelling and sojourning among them . these strangers were either proselytes converted to the religion of the iewes , which were in effect obliged by religion to the observation of the sabbath , just as the iewes themselves , because they were of the same religion that the iewes were of , and by their conversion were become iewes : or they were strangers , pagans and infidels , sojourning in iudea for divers temporall occasions , such as were those of whom mention is made in nehem. chap. . these indeed were constrained by the magistrate to keepe , or rather not to violate the sabbath publikely , as those were of whom mention is made in the foresaid chapter of nehemiah , not for their owne sake , but only in consideration of the iewes , lest they should offend them , and give them occasion to breake the sabbath after their example . for the observation of the sabbath did no more oblige them naturally , then the other observation of the iewish religion . lust as in all politick regiment , which is well ordered , it is usuall to hinder those that are strangers to the religion professed in it , from giving any disturbance to the exercises of devotion , & namely in the solemnities and holy daies . to urge this point , is it not true , that among the iewes , strangers were obliged to keep all other sabbaths , new moons , holy daies , solemnities after the same manner that they were constrained to keepe the sabhath , that is , not to violate them publikely and with offence ? were they not forbidden as well as the iewes to eate leavened bread , during the seven daies of the passeover , exodus . verse . as also to eate blood , levit. , vers . . , . will any man upon this inferre , that the ordinances of all these sabbaths , new moones , feasts , unleavened bread , abstinence from eating blood , were not ceremonies , but morall ordinances obliging for ever all men , and consequently all christians under the new testament ? sure this must be concluded by the same reasoning , the vanity whereof is by this sufficiently demonstrated and discredited . fifthly , they inforce their opinion with these words ; for in sixe daies the lord maae heaven and earth , the sea , and all that in them is , and rested the seventh day . whence they gather , that sith the creation must be in perpetuall remembrance , and god ordained to the iewes the seventh day for a memoriall therof , and of his rest , all men ought to keepe it continually for the same end , and in that follow his example , which also hee proposeth in the words before mentioned , to the end , that as hee made his workes in sixe daies , and rested the seventh day , so likewise men following his example , should give themselves to the workes of their calling , during the sixe daies of the weeke , and rest on the seventh day , that they may apply it to the consideration of the works of god ; which they pretend to be no lesse obligatory towards christians under the new testament , then towards the iewes under the old testament , because wee cannot follow and imitate a better example then the example of god. to this i answer , first , that it may be denyed that gods end in the institution of the sabbath day was , that it should be a memoriall of the creation of all his workes on sixe daies , and of his rest on the seventh day . that is not said any where , but this onely is specified , that god sanctified the seventh day , because in it he rested from his workes after he had made them in sixe daies . which sheweth only the occasion that god tooke to ordaine and establish the sabbath day , but not the end of the institution thereof , which is declared unto us in the foresaid places of exodus . vers . . and of ezech. . vers . . where it is said , that god ordained it , to be a signe between him and the israelites , that he was the lord that did sanctifie them . this end of the said institution , as likewise the motive and occasion thereof , are coupled together in the . and . verses of the said . chapter of exodus , in these words ; the children of israel shall keepe the sabbath throughout their generations for a perpetuall covenant : it is a signe betwene me and the children of israel for ever . whereof a signe ? certainly , that they may know that i am the lord that doth sanctifie them , as it is written in the . verse . this is the end of the institution of the sabbath , which must be supplyed from thence . after that it followeth : for in sixe daies the lord made heaven and earth , and on the seventh day he rested , and was refreshed . this is the occasion and motive of the said institution . there be some that would faine of this for make that , and joine the two members of the . verse , as if they were but one , after this manner ; it is a signe betweene me and the children of israel for ever , that in sixe daies the lord made heaven and earth , to inferre from thence , that the sabbath was ordained expresly , to the end it might be a memoriall of the creation ; but although the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth that , as well as for , yet that in the foresaid verse it should rather signifie for , and that the said verse should have two distinct members , and each of them its owne particular sentence , it appeareth probably , both by the changing of the forme of speech that god useth , speaking of himselfe in the first person in the first member , it is a signe betweene mee and the children of israel for ever , and in the third person in the second member , for in sixe daies the lord made heaven and earth , whereas if it had beene the continuance of the same period without distinction , hee should have rather have said , it is a signe betweene me and the children of israel , that i have created in sixe daies , or that i am the lord , who have created in sixe daies heaven and earth , &c. as also by the hebrew accent , athnach , which it put at the end of the first member , and is an accent denoting usually a pause and notable respiration , and a distinction of a compleate sentence . secondly , to stand longer upon this first answer , although i should yeeld that the seventh day of sabbath was instituted of god purposely to be a memoriall of the creation , the argument is neverthelesse inconsequent . for although things past should be in perpetuall remembrance ; it followeth not that the signes and memorialls of such things instituted under the old testament , should be perpetuall : nay , they ought not to be , if they have beene therewith types and figures relative to the messias . god made a covenant with abraham , and promised unto him to be god unto him , and to his seed after him , gen. . vers . . which is a perpetuall benefit , and worthy to be remembred , by all his spirituall posterity , till the end of the world : yet the signe and memoriall that hee gave him at that time , of this covenant , to wit , the circumcision , was not to be perpetuall , and hath continued onely till the time of the new testament . likewise all the sacraments under the old testament have beene signes , and memorialls of perpetuall benefits , to wit , of justification , sanctification , &c. notwithstanding they ought not to persist for ever , because they also were types . the same is the condition of the sabbath . we may and ought to call to minde under the new testament the benefit of the creation , and of gods rest after it , although we have no particular signe thereof , which by gods ordinance is a signe of remembrance . in the kingdome of heaven we shall celebrate eternally the remembrance of our creation and redemption without any signes . and i cannot see a cause , why under the new testament , we should burthen our selves with a signe , which god declareth to have beene ordained by him to the iewes in their generations , as if without it we could not remember the thing signified unto them by it . let us content our selves with the gracions signes and memorialls , which iesus christ hath instituted and given us , of the worke of our redemption fulfilled by him , of our justification , of our sanctification , &c. these are baptisme and the lords supper , which being signes of a worke farre more excellent then the creation , have caused the ancient memoriall of that other worke to cease , which notwithstanding we may and ought to record , having in nature continually many memorialls thereof before our eyes , to wit , the heavens , the earth , all the creatures , which advertise us of their author , and of the beginning of their existance : and in holy scripture many documents which entertaine , and hold us most frequently in the consideration of this worke . yea , the sacraments also signifying unto us our regeneration and new creation , draw us back consequently to the meditation of our first creation . and we may in all places and times indifferently call to minde , and for it glorifie the lord our god possessour of heauen and earth , although we be not tyed by the law to any particular day . for of him , and through him , and to him , are all things . to him be glory for ever , rom. . . the example of god , who made in sixe daies heaven and earth , and rested on the seventh day , is of no force to this purpose . for to say , without restriction , that gods example is of necessity to be alwaies followed , as being of it selfe and of its nature imitable , or rather that god in all his works proposeth himselfe as a paterne and president to follow , is a proposition too generall . god may be considered , either in regard of his attributes , or in regard of his actions . of his attributes there be some , which wee ought to imitate , and they are in the scripture laid downe unto us as examples of imitation . such are his goodnesse , his mercy , his love , his justice , as it is written ; be yee holy , for i am holy , levit. . vers . . pet. . vers . . be yee perfect and mercifull as your father which is in heaven is perfect and mercifull , matth. . vers . . luk. . vers . . let us love one another , for love is of god , for god is love , ioh. . verse . , . if yee know that he is righteous , yee know that every one that doth righteousnesse , is borne of him , ioh. . vers . . there be others , which , to speake properly , are not paterns of imitation , neither are we in any sort able to imitate them . such are his eternity , the infinity of his essence , and knowledge , his omnipotency , &c. which also we are nev●● exhorted to imitate . it is consequently even so of his actions , and of his fashion in working . of them some flow immediatly from these first attributes of his holinesse , bounty , mercy , love , righteousnesse , &c. and are essentially actions charitable , mercifull , bountifull , righteous , &c. these of their nature , and of themselves are imitable , and that alwaies . for example , god is bountifull , and doth good unto all , forgiveth all those that have recourse to his mercy , giveth a convenient and sutable reward unto vertue , and a due punishment to vice , protecteth those that are strengthlesse and oppressed , upholdeth those that are infirme and weake , &c. whereof hee hath given triall by divers experiences : from thence wee may conclude truely and soundly , that , by reason of the righteousnesse , holinesse , goodnesse , which are essentially imprinted in these actions , men ought to imitate them in all times , to their power and abilitie , according to the calling wherein they are called , and the rules that he hath in his holy word prescribed unto them . there be other actions proceeding from these other attributes or proprieties of god : for example , from his omnipotency , such as are his miraculous actions ; god hath created the world of nothing , hath framed man of the dust of the earth , and doth a thousand more or such great wonders : these actions oblige us not to imitate gods example in them ; also god propoundeth them not unto us as examples to be followed , for we are not able to imitate them . likewise wee are not bound to immitate the actions and proceedings of god , which are grounded on his will pure and simple , whereof , although god had the reasons in his owne brest , yet we cannot on our part , alledge any reason taken from an essentiall righteousnesse inherent in them , but onely say for all reason , he hath done as it pleased him : as that he made the walls of ierico to fall downe by seven blasts of seven trumpets of rams-hornes , in seven severall daies , iosh. . vers . . . . cured naaman of his leprosie , sending him to iordan to wash in it seven times , king. . vers . . , &c. like in all things is unto this the course which god did observe in the creation , making all his works in sixe daies , and resting on the seventh day . for no man can tell why he did so , saving onely , because he would ; the thing it selfe not having in it any naturall equity , or evident morality . and therefore no kinde of obligation to doe the like can be naturally inferred from thence , i meane to observe sixe daies of worke , and one of rest . all these , and other semblable proceedings of god are not an example , and oblige not any man to imitate them , saving in case god be pleased to command them to doe so : as hee would , not through any necessity which was in the thing , and whereby he was bound to make such a commandement , but because such was his good pleasure , command the iewes to worke sixe daies , and rest the seventh day , who also afterwards observed that precept , not through necessity of imitation taken from the thing it selfe , nor that naturally it was emplary unto them , but because it pleased god to command them so to doe : as also in the fourth commandement this reason , that god in sixe dayes made and finished all his workes , and rested the seventh day , is not alleadged immediately for an example , and a cause of obligation to the iewes to doe the like , but as an occasion that god tooke , according to his free will , to bind them by that commandement to this observation , which also in consequence of the said commandement they practised . for it is said in expresse tearmes , in sixe dayes god made all his workes , and rested the seventh day , therefore he blessed the seventh day and hallowed it , to wit , to be observed by the iewes . and it was this blessing and hallowing , notified by commandement , which obliged the iewes to the observation of the seventh day , and not gods course of proceeding immediately . for undoubtedly this will be advowed , that if god had not declared his will by a commandement , the iewes had not thought themselves bound to this observation , and gods proceeding alone had not beene obligatory unto them , nor had the force of a law among them : which sheweth , that in it there is no morality , no example binding the conscience necessarily and for ever . this being so , it followeth not , that if god was pleased to give this ordinance to the iewes by occasion of the order that he observed in the creation , he would also have it to continue among christians , seeing it was not grounded in any morall thing , which should have life and vigor for ever , no more than so many other ordinances which he had given to that people upon good considerations , oblige not christians , because the reasons were not morall and as these ordinances are changed and abolished , without any blame of variablenesse or of turning that god hath incurred on his part , even so that ordinance concerning the sabbath might and ought to cease likewise . all the morality that can be gathered from gods example , is , that as god after he had made all his workes in the space of some dayes , rested on another day , so we should have some day wherein , leaving off our ordinary occupations , we may busie our selves about gods service , but not that gods example obligeth us to the same day of rest which god observed . and indeed , the christians in the observation of their day of rest doe not any more ground themselves upon gods example in the creation . for although they keepe sixe dayes of worke , and a seventh of rest , yet it is not the seventh day that god rested in , for they work on that day , and rest on the first day of the weeke , which god began in to make all his workes , and so they change gods order : which sheweth , that this example of god is not obligatory of it selfe , and for ever . for if it were , we should be bound to keepe , not only one of seven , but the same seventh which god gave us example to rest in , there being no reason wherefore one and the same example of god should neither be obligatory for ever in one of its parts , to wit , in that hee observed sixe dayes of labour , and a seventh of rest , then in the other , to wit , in that hee imployed the first sixe dayes of the weeke to worke in , and the last to rest in . they get no advantage to say , that under the new testament the alteration of the sabbath day hath beene made from the last day of the weeke to the first , because iesus christ rising on this day rested from the worke of our redemption , which is greater and more excellent than the worke of creation , seeing that by it , man , who was created in the flat mutable state of nature , and of a naturall grace , from which he fell away , and was also to remaine upon earth , is put in the supernaturall and immutable state of grace , to be received in heaven , to be admitted to the contemplation of god himselfe , and to live there in a light and purity , farre more perfect then that which he had in the first creation : that also heaven and earth shall be renewed , and established in a state a great deale more beautifull and excellent then the state they were created in ; nay that the angels themselves have thereby received many and great benefits : in a word , that in vertue of that worke , hath in part beene already made , and one day shall be made compleately a new creation of all things , as christ himselfe speaketh , matth. . verse . and therefore it deserved well , that the day wherein christ , after he had finished it , did rest , should be consecrated by all those that pretend to have part in it , and to whom the benefit thereof is offered , if they reject it not by their owne fault , to be a day of rest under the new testament , instead of the day which was observed under the old testament , in remembrance of gods resting from the workes of the creation . for i grant willingly this to be true : but with all i say , that the altering of the sabbath day upon the occasion of christs resurrection , sheweth plainely , that the example of gods proceeding in the creation , and the observation of one of seven dayes , and of the last of seven founded thereupon under the old testament , was not morall . for if it had beene , no alteration , no changing could have beene made of that time , neither altogether , nor in part , for any occasion occurring and falling out sithence , because all morall things are perpetuall , have beene confirmed and ratified by iesus christ , and have not been casheered by him , nor by his church . now it is constant by the practise of all christian churches , that a change hath beene made , and in the beginning of that innovation the order of the observation of one of seven dayes was of necessity subject to be changed , and ceased to be obligatory . for when christians began , or might have begun to omit the last day of the weeke , and to keepe the first , they might also then have neglected and violated the foresaid order of dedicating to god one day of seven , which neverthelesse is pretended to be morall , sith by the death of iesus christ all the iewish ceremonies , and amongst them the ancient day of sabbath , that is , the precise observation of the seventh , or the last day of the weeke , which is not denyed to have beene ceremoniall , being abrogated of right , in the weeke wherein hapned the death of christ , and on the friday of that weeke , the disciples were not obliged to observe the last day of that weeke , which was saturday , or the sabbath of the iewes immediately following , but they might have observed another in the weeke following : which being true , it followeth , that they might have overslipt all the seven dayes of the said weeke , without consecrating any of them to god : and in effect , in whatsoever time the church begun at first to overpasse the last day of the weeke , of necessity she passed a whole weeke , wherein there was no seventh day of sabbath , which she could not have done lawfully , if to observe one day of seven were a morall point . furthermore , according to this maxime , which proposeth the necessity of the observation of one day in the weeke , yea , of a whole day , as of a pointmorall , sith none can institute such a day but god alone , this also of necessity must be layd as a fundamentall point of our religion , that our lord iesus christ on the same day that he rose from death to life made this alteration of the last day into the first , and gave notice of it to his disciples , who other wayes could not have acknowledged so soone the necessity of this changing . for if he did it not , seeing they were no more obliged to the sabbath day of the iewes which was abrogated by his death , they might have beene not only in the weeke wherein christ died , but also in the weeke following wherein he rose againe , free from all obligation tying them to any sabbath day , which the aforesaid maxime rejecteth , as unlawfull . now what certainty or probability is there , that iesus christ on the first day of his appearing to his disciples gave them this ordinance ? further , although he had given it , sith he appeared not unto them till the evening following the day , in the morning whereof he rose againe , they were , at least all that day preceding his first manifestation unto them , free from all bond tying them to the observation of any particular seventh day , and their obligation to the observation of a certaine day hath begun by the extremity of the day , to wit , at the same time when christ appearing unto them injoyned them to heepe it , which difficulties i see not how those that hold the aforesaid maxime can well resolve . they say , that when the first change was made , the disciples kept two sabbaths consecutively , to wit , the last of the weeke , to put an end to the order of the ancient testament , and thereafter the first day of the weeke immediately following , to begin the new order , which was to remaine for ever under the new testament , and to keepe alwayes one day of seven . but this saying is a pure imagination . for who hath told them that the disciples did keepe that course ? besides , this giveth no satisfaction to the difficulties afore mentioned . for iesus christ being dead , and having by his death abrogated all the ceremonies of the law , the last day of the weeke , at the same very instant that he gave up the ghost ceased to be obligatory : and so , although iesus christ shewing himselfe to his disciples on the first day of the weeke that he rose in , had ordained unto them expressely that day , and made them to sanctifie it in quality of a sabbath day to persist afterwards till the end of the world , neverthelesse sith the day before , which was the sabbath , had not obliged them to keep it , and if they observed it , they did it not through any obligation binding them thereunto , because it was abolished , it followeth manifestly that the obligation to one day of seven was caused in one weeke at least , yea , in more then one , if he ordained not sunday to be kept as soone as he shewed himselfe unto them after his resurrection : nay , is casseered in them all , if he gave them no ordinance at all concerning that or any other day , which is more probable , as we shall see more fully hereafter : howsoever of this ariseth this conclusion , that the order of one of seven daies is not morall , sith it could suffer , once at least , an interruption in the obligation , or binding power which it had . i would againe faine know , sith christs resurrection might , without inconvenience , cause the changing of the particular day , wherein the sabbath was before observed , which was the last day of the weeke into another day , which was the first wherein it came to passe , why it might not likewise , without any inconvenience at all , give occasion to change the whole generall order of the observation of one day of seven , and deliver the church from all obligation unto it , sith , as we have already shewed , there is no greater necessity to observe one day of seven , then the last of seven ? sith also this resurrection of christ , which was , as it were , his rest from the worke of our redemption , cannot be said to have happened , as gods rest from the worke of creation , after sixe daies of labour , to ratifie thereby the observation of this number , but to reckon since the day wherein christ began to be in agony in the garden , which was , to speake properly , the beginning of the worke of our redemption , till the day that he rose out of the grave , which containeth the space of three or foure daies , wherein he suffered , died , was buried , came to passe after three or foure daies only of labour and of paine , whereby he redemed us , why may it not , with as good reason , be a foundation and powerfull motive , to change one day of seven into one of foure , sith christ rose on the fourth day after the beginning of his passion , as well as the observation of the last day of the weeke into the first , in consequence of his resurrection on that first day ? for there should be as little evill or danger in the one as in the other . but here is the maine point of the matter . for as much as the order which god observed of sixe daies for his labour in the creation , and of a seventh day for his rest , carrieth not with it any necessary and naturall obligation to imitate it , and was not obligatory under the old testament , but because it pleased god to command and establish it by his law , for that time onely , under the new testament there was no obligation to keepe it , and therefore the necessity of observing it , as of all other legall ceremonies , having come to an end , and being expired , the last day of seven hath wihout sinne , yea , with good reason been changed into the first that christ rose in ; the church thinking it fit to do so , whereunto she was not moved by an opinion , that the consideration of christs rising from the dead on that day was of it selfe obligatory . for why should the day of christs resurrection of its nature oblige us to observe it , as a day holy and solemne , rather then the day of his nativity , or the day of his death whereby he said all was fulfilled , ioh. . vers . . to wit , all that was requisite for the expiation of our sinnes , and redemption of the world , conformably to the ancient prophecies and figures of the law , or the day of his ascension , which might as well and better be called the day of christs rest , then the day of his resurrection ? sure the church might have in any of those daies called to minde and celebrated the remembrance of the worke of our redemption as well as in the day of the resurrection , because all the actions of christ have respect unto it . nay , she might have as well changed the order of one of seven into a day of another number , seeing the worke of redemption was not tyed to the same number of daies was that the worke of creation . but because there was no necessity in this , she thought it expedient to keepe this order of one day in the weeke observed by the iewes , amongst whom the weeke had its beginning , and to change onely the particular seventh day of the iewes into another , to make a distinction between them and that servile people , as also to keepe a memoriall of christs resurrection . of all this it appeareth evidently , that the reason taken from gods example , as it is alledged out of the fourth commandement , hath no force to prove that which it is produced for , and to shelter those that make a buckler of it . finally , they rely much upon these last words of the commandement ; god hath blessd the sabbath day , and hath sanctified it . now , say they , if god hath ordained this seventh day to be observed , and to be a meanes that procureth his blessing corporall and spirituall , temporall and eternall , upon those that keepe it , as these words doe insinuate , have we not as great need of these blessings of god , as the iewes ? god will he not grant them to us as well as to them ? wherefore then shall we not keepe that which he hath ordained to be a meanes whereby he doth communicate them , or if we keepe them not , how can we promise to our selves , that he will grant them unto us ? which is , as if wee should promise to our selves the grace of god by the usage of the sacraments which hee hath instituted as meanes thereof , changing the elements which he hath ordained in them . they say also , that if god had not ordained unto us who are christians a sabbath day , he had left us in a worse condition then the iewes . i answer , that verily we have as great need of gods blessings , as the iewes had , and that god promiseth them unto us as well as unto them : but it followeth not , that he should impart them unto us by the same outward meanes . god bestowed of old his blessings upon the iewes , not onely by the observation of the seventh day of sabbath , but also of their sabbaths , solemne feasts , sacrifices , offerings , sprinklings , and other legall ceremonies , and saith often , that he hath sanctified them , and would blesse them to their use . as then it followeth not , that we should keepe these things , and that they should be unto us meanes of gods blessing : likewise upon god saying , that he had blessed and sanctified the sabbath day to the iewes , doth it ensue , that we are still bound to keepe it . indeed , if the iewes , to whom , under the old testament , god had expresly ordained the observation of the seventh day , to be unto them a meanes of the grant of his blessings , had neglected or rejected that day , and had of their owne fancie chosen another , they had deprived themselves of the blessing of god , by rejecting a meanes of the communication thereof ordained by him . and if it were constant , that to us also god had ordained the seventh day , as it is constant that he hath ordained unto us the use of cercaine elements in the sacraments , and that the fourth commandement obligeth us , as it did the iewes , the same danger were to be feared for us , in case we observed it not , but sith that is not , we have no cause to feare . to come neerer unto them , i say , that the seventh day , in its nature , was not a holy day , nor a meanes of blessing , more then another day , but onely in regard of the duties of religion and of godlinesse , whereunto it was particularly destinated , and which were practised in it . therefore when we shall practice religiously , and according to the will of god under the new testament , the duties of religion and christian godlinesse , which iesus christ hath prescribed unto us in the gospel ; they shall be unto us meanes of blessing , as were unto the iewes their exercises , and whatsoever day the church shall appoint ordinarily for that use , seeing iesus christ hath left unto her that liberty , and hath not made any particular determination thereupon , it shall be unto us , by reason of those holy duties , a blessed and holy day , as well as was unto the iewes their seventh day , which god injoyned them to keepe . it is against all reason to esteeme , that if god hath not ordained unto us a particular day , as he did to the iewes , our condition shall be worse then theirs . for that is alike as if they should say , that christians are in a worse condition then the iewes , because god hath not appointed unto them a particular place whereunto he hath allotted the publike exercise of his service , as he did to the iewes . it is true , that if christians did not ordinarily meet together in one place and time , to serve god publikely , they should be farre inferiour to the iewes , and should have farre lesse religion and devotion then they had . whereas it is their great advantage above the iewes , that god would not stint unto them any place , nor any time of their holy exercises , but would have the choice and setling of the one , and of the other to depend on their liberty , and left that to their zeale and wisedome , even as it is their great prerogative , that he hath made them free from all other legall ceremonies : which testifieth , that he hath loved them more , and would not use them rigidly as little children , or servants , but as children of a ripe age , and as a willing people . so it hath beene shewed , that although the fourth commandement obligeth us alwaies to appoint an ordinary day for gods service , yet no solid thing can be gathered from the nature and words thereof , to prove the morality of a seventh day of sabbath , farre lesse of sunday , and a perpetuall obligation in gods intention , to the observation thereof under the new testament . and it is a most impertinent argumentation , that because all the particularities of the fourth commandement may be applyed unto us , as well as to the iewes , and that we may now , as they of old , rest on the seventh and last day of the weeke , as in it god rested , therefore we should doe it . for we may also observe all the holy daies and ceremonies which of old the iewes observed , and find reasons to apply them unto us : for example , as they observed the new moones , or the first daies of their moneths , to give thankes to god for his continuall government , and favorable intertainment , which his divine providence had shewed to them , making , after the last moneth , a new moneth to come , and to pray him to perpetuate the grace towards them , as also that it might be unto them a figure of the future renuing of the church by the messias . also as they observed the feast of pentecost , for a memoriall , as many doe esteeme , of the law given on that day , or , which is more certaine , to give thanks to god for the cornes , which by his favour , they had reapt , and whereof they offered unto him two loaves of new and fine flower : likewise , as they observed the feast of tabernacles for a remembrance that they had beene pilgrims in the wildernesse , and had sojourned in tents , during the time of their journey to the land of canaan , as also for a thanksgiving to god , for the gathering in of all the fruits of the land : even so might we observe all the same feasts , by an application of the reasons of their institution unto us . for god from moneth to moneth continueth his providence towards us , and hath granted us the renuing of the holy ghost . the law which he gave in sina to the people of israel , appertaineth to us in all the morality thereof , as well as unto them . it is his gift , that we gather in yeerely the cornes , and other productions of the ground for our nourishment , as they did . we are pilgrims , and strangers in this world , and we aspire to the heavenly canaan &c. all these things might be capable to afford unto us subject and occasion to celebrate a thankfull and religious remembrance of them on solemne daies answerable to these of the iewes . for although there were some particular reasons belonging only to the iewes , and taken from certaine circumstances , for which god ordained these feasts and others unto them , and though there was in them a figure of the good things to come by iesus christ , hebr. . vers . . in which respects they cannot be observed by us ( which also , by the confession of those against whom i dispute , is to be found in the sabbath day ) that is no let , but that the generall reasons , which are to be found in them , may be unto us a ground of observation , and that we may practise and celebrate , as a memoriall or signe relative to the time past , or present , that which they practised as a figure relative to the time to come . and what they observed in a respect circumstanced after a fashion which was proper to them , that we may observe in another respect somewhat diversified , and fitted to our estate . even as , although we observe not the sabbath for some particular reasons , in regard whereof it is avouched that it was appropriated to the iewes , yet many doe maintaine eagerly , that we ought to keepe it for some other generall reasons . yea , sith almost all the iewish ceremonies had some morall foundation , reason , or end , which considered in it selfe regardeth us , as well as them , that might be set abroach as a subject and occasion to observe them under the gospell . yet for all that , it followeth not that god obligeth us to such an observation . yea it should be contrary to the liberty and simplicity of the gospel . likewise whatsoever generall reasons may be considered , as capable in themselves , to be motives unto us , to observe the sabbath , it followeth not that god hath prescribed and determined the observation thereof under the gospel . all these reasons which were motives to ordaine these ceremonies , were not naturall essentiall , and necessary reasons of their institution , but depended simply on the will of god , who had the power to make them , and give value and authority to the said reasons by the observation of these ceremonies for a certaine time only , and at another time without ceremonies , or by ceremonies of another kind : as he willeth us to give him thankes under the new testament , for the continuation of his favourable providence over us , in the ordinary course of daies , of moneths , of the revenues of the earth ; for giving us , not only the law , but also the gospell of grace , and for preparing for us the heavenly inheritance , after the few and evill daies of the pilgrimages of this life , all which things concerne us , and yet he bindeth us not to celebrate in remembrance of these his blessings , the ancient festivall daies , nor any other . even so he will have us to celebrate the remembrance of our creation , and after we have bestowed daies upon our owne businesses , to appoint also some for his publike service , and to assubject unto it our wives , our children , our servants , and all other persons depending of us : as likewise to give a sufficient time of rest to our servants and beasts , after we have kept them at worke for us ; which are the reasons of the fourth commandement that concerne us also . and yet of them no inference can be made , that god will have us to observe one of seven , or the last of the seven dayes of the weeke , as in consideration of them he ordained the seventh day to the iewes . for we may doe it as well on another day , ordained after another manner . he had ordained the sabbath , as all other ceremonies to be signes for that time , and not for the time of the new testament , under which the world being , as it were , renewed , all things pertaining to the order and government of the religion were also to bee made new . new ministers , new sacraments , &c. were to be established , as it is written , esa. . verse . agg. . verse . heb. . ver . . heb. . verse , . cor. . verse . and therefore it was convenient and sutable to this new estate , that there should be a new day of gods service , different from the day which the iewes observed under the old testament : but it was not necessary , that it should be one of seven , or that christ himselfe should have ordained it ; which notwithstanding they indeavour to prove by diverse other passages and arguments gathered out of holy scripture , pertaining directly to the new testament , and obliging all christians living under it , to keepe the sabbath , as much as the iewes were under the old testament , yea to keepe a certaine and set day of sabbath , not by ecclesiasticall constitution , but by divine ordinance , as they deeme . chapter eight . answer to the sixth reason . . ob. isaiah hath prophesied , that under the new testament , strangers and eunuches , that is , christians , shall keepe the sabbath . . first answer : the words of the prophet may be understood of the state of the church of the iewes , after the captivity of babylon . . second answer , in the old testament the service of the new testament is set downe in tearmes taken from the service under the law. . which if they should be literally expounded , christians should be bound to keepe all the ceremonies of the law. . wherefore , this and such like passages , are to be expounded spiritually , of the spirituall service of the christian church . . another objection of the gate , which ezekiel saith , shall be opened on the sabbath day . . first answer , the words of ezekiel must be expounded mystically . . second answer , nothing can bee inferred from thence , but that the christian church shall have solemne dayes for gods service . . third answer , the sabbath may be said to represent the rest of eternall life in heaven , and the sixe worke dayes , the turmoiles of this life . they say to this purpose , that the . chapter of isaiah is manifestly referred to the time of the new testament , and that god declaring there , how he would not any more put a difference betweene the strangers and the iewes , and how the eunuchs , the barren , and those that want children shall no more be a reproach , and shall not be excluded from the privileges of his house , as they were under the old testament , saith in plaine tearmes , that those whom he calleth eunuches and sonnes of the stranger , shall keepe his sabbaths , verse , . from whence they make this inference , that god would have the sabbath to be kept by christians under the new testament , as well as by iewes under the old testament . to this i answer , that this argument hath little or no strength : for it is well knowne , that the iewes doe referre it to the time that followed the captivity of babylon . but not to debate about this question , whether this prophesie is to be referred to the old , or to the new testament , and to grant willingly that it is to be understood of the dayes of the new testament , it is a thing notorious , that when god in the old testament speaketh by his prophets of the service that should bee yeelded unto him under the new testament , he expresseth himselfe ordinarily , in termes taken from the fashions and formes used in his service under the old testament : so he saith , that under the new testament he should have altars every where , that in every place incense should be offered unto his name , that from one new moone to another all flesh should come to worship before him , &c. and in this same chap. . ver . . he saith concerning these eunuches , and the sonnes of the stranger which shall keepe his sabbaths , that hee will bring them to his holy mountaine , and make them joyfull in his house of prayer , and that their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon his altar . if then of that which is said , that they shall keepe his sabbaths , they will inferre , that the sabbath day is obligatory under the new testament , as it was under the ancient , by the same reason any may inferre , that the temple of ierusalem , the altar and the sacrifices should remaine in use , namely seeing god in the fourth verse speaketh of his sabbaths in the plurall number , and it is manifest , that besides the seventh ordinary day there was a great deale of other sabbaths ordained of god to the iewes , it may be as truly gathered , that under the new testament the faithfull ought to keepe all the sabbaths of the iewes , and the same dayes of sabbaths that the iewes did keepe , and particularly the same seventh day , to wit , the last : which should be a conclusion most absurd . the truth is , that the sabbath , according to the stile of the ancient testament , was taken of old for all the outward service of god , and god using the same stile or manner of speech according to his custome , in this prophesie concerning the time of the new testament , when hee saith , the eunuches , and the sonnes of the stranger shall keepe the sabbath , by the sabbath denoteth all the outward and solemne service which was to be rendred to him in that time of the new covenant ; but joyned with the spirituall service , signified in the second verse by these other words ; and keepeth his hands from doing evill : and consequently , he signifieth , that that outward service should have its times ordained in the church , even as the sabbath day was of old the time appointed for his service . but that it was gods intention to stint to the church of the new testament a seventh day , or any other particular day whatsoever for a sabbath day , and that he hath not left the determination thereof to the liberty of the church , that shall never be proved by the aforesaid passage . this answer may serve for a sufficient reply to the passage of the . chapter of ezekiel , where god continuing to represent unto the prophet in a high and magnificent vision , and difficult to bee understood , of a most glorious and sumptuous temple , the state of the church under the new testament , saith in the first , and third verses , that the gate of the inner court shall be shut the sixe working dayes , but on the sabbath it shall be opened , and the people of the land shall worship at the entrance of this gate . from whence it is fancied , that a necessity of keeping the sabbath under the new testament may be inferred . but it is evident , that in all this vision contained in the nine last chapters of ezekiel , the state of the christian church , and of the evangelicall service , is designed in tearmes and phrases taken from the temple and legall service , which must not be understood literally , but mystically , if we will not under the gospell bring backe , not only the sabbath , but also a great deale of other ceremonies , which are mentioned in that vision ; as for example , the new moones , which in the aforesaid verses are joyned with the sabbath . for it is said there , verse . that the gate shall bee opened on the sabbath day , and in the day of the new moone it shall be opened , and that the people of the land shall worship at the entrie of this gate before the lord on the sabbaths , and in the new moones , verse . which must be understood spiritually of the truth figured by the sabbaths and new moones , and not properly of these things themselves , which were but figures , that is , not that the faithfull should celebrate sabbaths and new moones , but that they should rest from their workes of iniquity , to practise the workes of the spirit of sanctification , and of gods true spirituall service , and should be renewed and illuminated for ever by the lord iesus their true and only saviour , and by him have alwayes free accesse and entrance to the throne of grace . all that can be , at the most , inferred of the forealleadged passage , concerning the externall service of the christian church , is , that the new testament shall have solemne dayes , wherein god shall be publikely served by all his people , but in no wise that they should be the same which were stinted under the old testament . for so we should be bound to observe the dayes of new moones , the last day of the weeke , and other holy dayes of the iewes mentioned in the aforesaid place , and betokened in the plurall number by the name of sabbaths . whereunto i adde , that it may be said , that the sabbath day , and the day of the new moone spoken of there , representeth the time of eternall life in heaven , where the faithful are in a perfect rest , and are new creatures without any blemish of sin , or defect of righteousnes : as the sixe work dayes , are a representation of the time of this present life , during which they travel , they rove , and trot up and downe upon earth , where so long as they sojourne , the prophet signifieth , that the marvels of the glorious grace of god are alwayes shut unto them , but in heaven shal be opened unto them , by a full and unconceivable manifestation , and perfect fruition of that joy , which is in the face of god , and of those pleasures that are at his right hand for evermore , whereby they shall worship and serve god perfectly for ever and ever . amen . this then is in meaning the same that wee read of in the . chapter of isaiah verse . where it is said , that in the new heavens and in the new earth , which god should make , from moneth to moneth , and from sabbath to sabbath , all flesh , ( i. all the faithfull ) should come to worship before him . of which passage i have spoken before . of all that hath beene said it is manifest , that all the passages of this kinde , which are to bee found in the prophets , are not to any purpose , when they are produced to prove that which is debated about the sabbath day . chapter ninth . . answer to the seventh reason . . ob. iesus christ is not come to abolish the law , whereof the sabbath is a part . . answer , sometimes by the law and the prophets , are understood the morall precepts only . . sometimes the ceremoniall only . . in christs words both are to be understood , but principally , the ceremoniall . . this is proved by the . verse . . frivolous instance from christs words , heaven and earth shall not passe , &c. . the same is proved by the scope of iesus-christ , in the foresaid words . . falsity of a second instance , that the lawes expounded in the rest of the chapter are all morall . . although it were true , it followeth not , that christs words in the . verse should bee understood of the morall law. . christs words rightly understood favour not the morality of the sabbath . . third instance from the . verse . . first answer , christ in that verse speaketh of an annihilating of the commandements , and not of the abrogating of some of them . . second answer , by retorsion . . third answer : christ speaketh of the whole law of moses , and not of the decalogue only . . fourth instance from saint iames words , chapter . verse ten . . uanity of this instance . as little to this purpose are the words of christ in the fifth chapter of saint matthew verse . i am not come to destroy the law and the prophets , but to fulfill them . from which words they make this conclusion , that seeing the commandement of the sabbath day is a commandement of the law confirmed from time to time by the prophets , iesus christ hath not abolished it . and therefore the obligation to keep the sabbath day lieth upon us still , and shall dure to the worlds end . to this allegation of christs words i returne this answer , that indeed sometimes , to wit , when a morall matter is in hand , the scripture by the law and the prophets , understandeth only the precepts of the law and of the prophets pertaining to this morality . as when in the twelfth verse of the seventh chapter of saint matthew , christ saith , all things whatsoever yee would that men should doe to you , doe yee even so to them : for this is the law and the prophets . but sometimes also , when the speech is of the fulfilling of things foretold or figured of old , by the law and the prophets , are to be understood only the prophesies , and the typike ceremonies of the ancient testament , as in s. matthew . chap. v. . s. luke . verse . acts . ver . . acts . verse . to apply this to the passage objected out of the fifth chapter of saint matthew , i say , that in it by the law and the prophets are to be understood , not only the precepts concerning the morall duties of this life , but also the ceremonies of the law , as may be clearely seene by these words of our saviour that are generall , i am not come to destroy the law , nor the prophets , but to fulfill them . now the ceremonies are a part of the law of moses , are called in the scripture by the name of the law , and make a part of the sermons of the prophets , as well as the moralities : the conjunction of the law and of the prophets in a generall matter , such as this is , sheweth that by the law we must understand all that is contained in the bookes of moses , as by the prophets all things contained in their bookes . now of the bookes of moses and of the prophets the ceremonies make a notable portion . i adde to this , that the predictions , types and promises are here as much , nay much more to be understood , then morall duties , as may be seene evidently by these words of our lord in the . verse following , uerily i say unto you , till heaven and earth passe , one iot , nor one title , one point , or one pricke of a letter , shall in no wise passe from the law , till all be fulfilled . it is certaine that these words iota , title or pricke , are not to be in this sentence taken properly , because letters , and titles or pricks of letters are not capable of accomplishment ; but by them christ understandeth the least things propounded in the law. having properly regard to all the things , whether great or small , figured by the ceremonies of the law , and foretold and promised by moses and the prophets , whereof he confirmed by these words the future accomplishment . neither can these words of the . verse be so fitly applyed to the morall commandements , as to the ceremonies , promises , and prophesies . this sense , the heaven and earth shall passe , rather then whatsoever hath beene figured , promised , and foretold by the law and the prophets , shall not be effected and fulfilled , being manifestly more sutable to the foresaid words , then this , the heaven and the earth shall rather passe , then the morall commandements shall not be kept and executed . the instance made upon these words , till heaven and earth passe , &c. is vaine , when they conclude , that there iesus christ speaketh of things of the law that were to continue in their being , and oblige all men to observe and keepe them till the worlds end , which is not true of the ceremonies which soone after expired by his death . for iesus christ doth in no wise say , that whatsoever is contained in the law was to continue stable in force and vigour , and to be kept till heaven and earth passe : but his meaning in this kind of speech is the same that i have touched , to wit , that heaven and earth shall passe more easily , and rather , than the law shall fall short of a full accomplishment , and the truth thereof shall faile to be ratified and exhibited in all the things contained therein , the impossibility of this being denoted by a comparison with that we have this explication in the . chapter of s. luke vers . . where christs intention is thus expressed , it is easier for heaven and earth to passe then one title of the law to faile : where also the evangelist sheweth , of what points of the law iesus christ did purposely speake , to wit , of the types and prophesies . for in the sixteenth verse immediatly preceeding he had said , the law and the prophets untill iohn , where we must understand the verbe prophefied , which s. matthew addeth in the eleventh chapter and . verse , saying , for all the prophets and the law prophefied untill iohn , that is , the ancient prophesies and figures , as having respect to iesus christ , finished in the time of iohn baptist , not in him , but in iesus christ , who lived in the same time , and whom iohn seeing comming unto him , shewed with his finger , saying , behold the lambe of god , which taketh away the sinne of the world , ioh. . vers . . after then that christ had said , the law and prophets prophesied untill iohn , s. luke addeth these words following , as spoken by christ to that purpose , and it is easier for heaven and earth to passe , then one title of the law to faile , where by one title are to be understood all the ceremonies , figures , and productions contained in the law and in the prophets . againe , the same is clearely seene by the intention and end of iesus christ in the passage that is in question , which is to shew , for the justification and clearing of himselfe , that although he urged above all the observation of the most weighty points of the law , such as are the morall points , and blamed the scribes and pharisees for tying themselves principally to the ceremonies , as to sacrifices , purifications , sabbaths , &c. which were of little importance in comparison with morall duties , and exhorted his disciples to be carefull that their righteousnesse should exceed the righteousnesse of these hypocrites , and for that cause , was by them accused as a destroyer of the ceremonies commanded by the law , and authorized by the prophets , neverthelesse he was not come to destroy them , but to fulfill them . the instance that they make , saying , that the lawes which iesus christ expoundeth in the verses following of the fifth chapter of s. matthew are all morall , is too weake . for they are not all such . in them there is something which hath expresse regard to the ceremonies , and a comparison of them with the moralities vers . . . and some other things which belong to the politike or judiciall law , vers . . . . but besides this , although they were all morall , that inforceth not by a necessary proofe , that in the seventeenth and eighteenth verses , christ hath spoken of morall duties , or that the twentieth one , the twentieth two , and verses following have so strait a connexion with the , and . verses which goe before , that they speake all of the same subject and matter . for how ordinary is it in the same sequele of a discourse to diversifie the particular subjects , and to passe from one to another ? and indeed our lord iesus christ passeth most conveniently from the ceremonies , which the scribes & pharisees accused him falsely to destroy , to the moralities , which they destroyed in effect : the tenor of his discourse being this , i am accused by the scribes and pharisees to destroy the ceremonies and ordinances of the law , because i blame the superstitious usage , and preferring of them to morall duties , which are of greater importance . but that is most false : for i destroy them not , but doe shew their true usage , and am come to exhibite the truth of them in my person , neither is there any of them , nor of the prophesies that shall not be fulfilled in me . but this accusation may be truly laid in the dish of the scribes and pharisees ; for they are the men which destroy the law , yea , in things that in it are of greatest moment , debasing and disrespecting it , as if it were nothing in comparison of their traditions and ceremoniall observations . therefore , i say unto you , that except your righteousnesse shall exceed theirs , yee shall in no case enter into the kingdome of heaven . for they make glosses upon the morall commandements which pervert their true sense , and in so doing , teach men to breake them . this then being evident , that in the foresaid . verse mention is made of the law , as much , nay much more as it containeth the ceremoniall ordinances , then the morall , the argument taken from it remaineth without force on the behalfe of those that alledge it , if they will not by the same meanes render us necessary keepers of all other ceremonies of the law , as well as of the sabbath day , which is not their intention . neither doth that follow of the saying of iesus christ. for it is most true , that he was not come to annihilate and destroy the ceremonies of the law , either by his doctrine or by his actions : not by his doctrine by declaring them to be vaine , idle and frustratory things : not by his actions , by saying or doing any thing contrary unto them , by casseering and abolishing them without fulfilling the truth of things figured by them . the verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used by the evangelist imports as much ; for it signifieth often to overthrow , and destroy , and is here equivalent to the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used by the apostle in the same subject , and to the same intention , rom. . vers . . saying , that through faith the law is not made void , but established , where by the law , he understandeth not onely the morall commandements , but also the ceremonies , figures , and prophesies , as appeareth by the . verse , where he speaketh of the righteousnesse of faith witnessed by the law , which belongeth to the whole law given by moses , yea , properly to the ceremoniall law , which led men directly to christ , which the morall law did not , but by an oblique and indirect way ; christ , i say , was not come to destroy the law of ceremonies , but to fulfill them , which he did both by teaching what was the end they tended unto , and by a reall exhibition in himselfe of the body of their shadowes , and of the truth of their figures , which was no impediment unto him , why he should not make them to cease , after he had fulfilled them : nay , much otherwise , it was necessary hee should make them to cease , seeing they had no other end but to figure and represent him , which was not a destroying of them , but rather the true meanes whereby he made them to obtaine their perfection , making them to abut to their end , in which respect the apostle in the tenth chapter to the romans , vers . . calleth christ the end of the law. now the sabbath day being a ceremoniall point of the law injoyned in the th commandement of the decalogue , in that wherein it was ceremoniall , as hath beene shewed before , iesus christ ought not destroy it , but by fulfilling the truth that it figured , make it to cease and expire , as all other legall ceremonies . and therefore , although iesus christ in the foresaid passage had intended to speake onely of the law of the ten commandements , the objection taken from this place , should not be of any moment and consquence . of this that wee have said , ariseth an answer to the instance taken from the ninteenth verse following in the same chapter : whosoever therfore shall breake ( or rather shall destroy ) one of these least commandements , and shall teach men so , hee shall bee called the least in the kingdome of heaven : of which words , presupposing still that iesus christ in them intendeth to speake only of the commandements contained expresly in the decalogue , they inferre , that seeing the commandement of the sabbath is one of them , iesus christ condemneth for ever the inobservation or transgression , and on the other part , ordaineth and establisheth the observation thereof . wherevnto , granting unto them , for their greater advantage , that iesus christ in these words hath regard to the commandements of the decalogue only , i answer , that he speaketh of the dissolving , annihilating , and overthrowing of these commandements ( for this the signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the originall ) and condemneth all those that dare to doe it . but to abrogate the sabbath day injoyned by the fourth commandement , seeing it was a figure and type , and that by fulfilling in himselfe , and in his faithfull servants , the truth of the thing figured by the outward sabbath , to free them from the necessity of the observation thereof , was not a dissolving and overthrowing of it , neither on his part , nor on theirs , but rather an effectuall ratification thereof , as in the same sence he hath not dissolved any of the legall figures , but hath fulfilled them all . secondly i say , that of necessity the broachers of this argument must advow , that iesus christ doth not blame in this place all inobservation of the sabbath , neither doth he establish precisely and absolutely the observation thereof for ever , according to all the tearmes , and the whole sence of the fourth commandement . for it should from thence follow , that he blameth for ever and ever the inobservation , and commandeth for evermore the observation and sanctification of the last day of the weeke , by a legall service , in remembrance of the creation of gods workes in sixe dayes , and of his rest on the seventh , because the commandement carrieth with it that necessity , to which is contrary the practise of the christian church . therefore this limitation must be added , that christ's intention is , to forbid the transgression , and to command for ever the observation of the commandement touching the sabbath , and of all the rest , as farre as it may and ought to oblige us according to the tearmes of the gospell . now we have shewed , that it obligeth us not , as it ordaineth one day of seven , or a certaine seventh day , or a legall sanctification , but so farre only , as it commandeth , that gods publike service be practised for ever , according as it shall be established by him , and that an ordinary day be appointed for that purpose . and therefore iesus christ in this respect only , and no further , condemneth the transgression , and injoyneth the observation of the fourth commandement . thirdly , iesus christ , in the place before alleadged , hath not regard to the decalogue only , but universally to all the commandements of god , whether morall or ceremoniall , contained in the law and in the prophets , which he had spoken of in the . verse , that is in all the bookes of the ancient testament ; and , to repulse the false accusation that the scribes and pharisees laid to his charge , declareth , what was his minde concerning all these commandements , to wit , that there was not any one of them , nay not of those that are the least , or may by men be esteemed , that ought to remaine unprofitable , vaine , and without effect , and that the man , whatsoever he be , that either by teaching or by practise shall despise and reject any of them , shall be despised and rejected of god. that on his part he fulfilled them all , and extended and setled the accomplishment of them for ever , to wit , of those that are morall by obeying them all in his owne person , and charging his disciples with their perpetuall observation , and sanctifying them inwardly , that they may observe them : of those that are ceremoniall , by performing and exhibiting the truth of all things signified and figured by them , which truth he should make to have an eternall continuance and efficacy towards all that are his , although he was to make the use of the figures to cease , as the intention of god , and reason did require . but that the pharisees were the men , who on their part made void the commandements of god , both ceremoniall and morall : the ceremoniall , by adding unto them over and above a thousand superstitious observations : the morall , by corrupting them with false glosses and interpretations , and preferring unto them the traditions of men , which he layeth to their charge in diverse places , and namely in the verses following of this fifth chapter of saint matthew . now according to this sence , which is true and naturall , it is evident , that they which alleadge this passage can inferre nothing of it for their purpose . they pretend in vaine to fortifie and confirme it with the words of saint iames in the second chapter and tenth verse , where the apostle speaking of the law of the decalogue saith , that whosoever shall keepe the whole law , and yet offend in one point , hee is guilty of all , because the same god who hath injoyned one of the points , hath also injoyned all the rest . whence they would inferre that the inobservation of the seventh day of sabbath , which is a point of the law , maketh a man guilty of the transgression of the whole law , that therefore wee are obliged to the observation thereof . for i answer in few words , that indeed saint iames saith , that to faile , or to commit a sinne against any commandement of the law , maketh him that committeth it guilty of the universall transgression of the law. but i deny the inobservation of the sabbath , as it is commanded by the law , to be under the new testament , a sinne and a fault properly so called , because in so farre as it commandeth the sabbath , it obligeth not any more : for it was for the iewes , and not for us . and therefore , not to observe the sabbath according to the tenor of the law , is not a fault and a sinne in any point , as saint iames understandeth it . so if one should say , that he that hath kept the whole word of god , if he offend in one point thereof , should make himselfe guilty of all , that saying should be true according to the meaning of saint iames : but if any should inferre upon this , that not to observe still , under the gospell , all the legall ceremonies , because they make a part , and are points of the word of god , is a trangression whereby a christian is made guilty of all this word , and therefore he is bound to keepe them all , it should be an absurd illation ; for not to keepe these ceremonies now , is not a fault nor sinne to us , because they oblige not any more . no man sinneth against a law or word but in as much as it obligeth : but neither the word of god , as it commandeth the legall ceremonies , nor the decalogue , as it commandeth the sabbath , is any more obligatory to us ward : wherefore we sinne not now , by not observing these points , and therefore we make not our ●●lves , in that behalfe , guilty of the law and word of god , who is author of all the points of this law , and of this word , but hath not given them all to all men , nor to continue in all times , but some of them only to some men , and to have vigor and being for a certaine time only . chapter tenth . answer to the eighth reason . . eight reason , iesus christ speaking to his disciples , advised them to pray , that their flight should not be on the sabbath day , that is on our sunday . . first answer , the sabbath day is ever taken in the new testament for the sabbath of the iewes , and is so here taken by christ. neither is our day of publike service any where in holy scripture , called the sabbath day . . true sence of christs words , and that they had relation to the iewes only . . although he spake them to his disciples . . second answer , although he had spoken to his disciples only , he might have had respect , not to them , but to their brethren among the iewes that were weake in faith . . third answer , although by the sabbath , the lords day were to be understood , the morality of one of seven dayes in the wee● cannot be inferred from thence . iesus christ speaking in the . of saint matthew and twenty verse , to his disciples , of the desolation that was to come upon iudea , and namely upon ierusalem , said unto them , pray ye that your flight be not in the winter , nor on the sabbath day . not in the winter , because then the wayes are incommodious , and there is neither driving , nor marching , but with difficulty . not on the sabbath day , by reason of the holinesse of that day , which being appointed and set a part for gods service , although it was lawfull unto them to flie in it , to save their lives , yet they should not be able to doe it , but with griefe , and sore against their will , being constrained to spend , on trotting , toyling , and much hurrying up and down , a day particularly consecrated to the publike exercises of religion , and so should have a just occasion to pray to god to keepe them from being brought to such a necessity . some alleadge this passage , esteeming it to be pressing , and of great weight . for , say they , iesus christ speaketh to his disciples of a thing that was to fall out forty yeeres after his ascension , when all the ceremonies of the law should be abolished in the christian church , and yet notwithstanding , he speaketh unto them of the religion of the sabbath , as of a thing that they ought alwayes to take to heart , in so high a measure , that they should be sorry and throughly grieved to be in that time of desolation constrained to flee on so holy a day , instead of applying themselves to gods service . therefore the sabbath day was not a ceremony comming within the compasse of those that he was to abrogate , but a morall point , and of perpetuall necessity : otherwise he had not done well to intangle their mindes with an unnecessary religion towards the sabbath day in the time of their flight , seeing it being abrogated by him , they might with as little grieve , in respect to the day , get packing as fast as they could , trot and toyle on that day , as on another day . i answer , that this argument is a silly one , and of no value . for iesus christ speaketh not in that place of saint matthew of the day of rest that christians were to observe after his ascension , but of the iewish sabbath day , as this word , sabbath day , sheweth clerely , which his disciples were farre from understanding other wayes , then for the last day of the weeke observed among the iewes . for it is certaine that it signified nothing else at that time , seeing there was not , as yet , any other day of rest in vigour , saving that alone . and iesus christ had not at all made himselfe to be understood of them , nay he had purposely given them occasion to mistake him , if by the sabbath day his intention was to denote another day then the last of the weeke , because this alone carryed that name , neither shall it bee found in the whole scripture , that any other day is specified by that name . the heavenly rest under the gospell is once called by the apostle in the epistle to the hebrewes chapter . verse . by a name drawne from the hebrew word sabbath , because it was figured by the sabbath of the iewes . but our day , wherein wee apply our selves to gods outward service , and to that intent doe cease from our ordinary labour , is alwayes called in the new testament the first day of the weeke , or the lords day , and not the sabbath which name the apostles and first beleevers had not failed to give unto it , if iesus christ had so qualified and stiled it . now if they would never tearme it by such a name , although it might have been in some sort attributed unto it , but only , the lords day , or the first day of the weeke , to distinguish it from the day which was so called among the iewes : for the same reason iesus christ in the foresaid place , if he had minded to speake of the day , which christians were to observe after his death , he had intitled it by some other name then of the sabbath day , to make a distinction betweene it , and the day of the iewes . wherefore those which use this argument doe most fondly suppose , without proofe or likenesse of truth , that by the sabbath iesus christ meaneth the lords day . now if it be understood of the sabbath of the iewes , as it must , for the foresaid reasons , and as all the interpreters , whom i have read and perused , doe take it , this argument , being urged according to the ratiotination of those that have set it on foot , shall yeeld , against their intention , this conclusion , that after the death and ascension of our lord iesus christ , the sabbath day of the iewes ought to bee yet kept in the christian church , and that the faithfull are obliged unto it by religion and conscience , and ought bee hartily sorrowfull , when being constrained to flye on it , to save their lives in a great desolation , they should not be able to consecrate it to gods service . the true sence of this passage is , that indeed our lord iesus < christ commandeth his disciples to pray to god , that their flight happen not on the iewish sabbath day . yet it was not his intention to make that day necessary unto them , and to urge them with the observation thereof , nor also to imbrew their spirits with a superstitious opinion , as if it were not lawfull to flye on that day for the saving of their lives from the day of desolation , although they had beene obliged to keepe it still , seeing on both sides it is agreed on , that a man may lawfully flie , and doe all necessary things on any sabbath day whatsoever , without feare of breaking it . in this speech the lord hath regard to this onely , that because there was a law amongst the iewes , forbidding them to travell on the sabbath day ordinarily , further then a certaine number of steppes , to wit , two thousand , and that for a religious end , which was called a sabbath dayes journey , acts . verse . he knew well , that many , not only of the iewes , which were not converted to the faith , but also of those which had professed the gospell , moved with devotion and religion towards the sabbath , for want of sufficient instruction , should bee scrupulous to prepare things necessary for their f●ight , and to flee far on that day , the desolation comming upon them on a suddaine , through feare to breake gods commandement concerning the sabbath : as we see in the history of the maccabees , that many of the iewes , which were gone downe into the secret places of the wildernesse , the battell being given them on the sabbath day , chused rather to be slaine with their wives , children , and cattell , then to make resistance for the safety of their lives , least they should profane the sabbath day , maccab. . verse . &c. there is another example of a like scruple in the second booke , chapter . verse . and we read in iosephus , in the eight chapter of the foureteenth booke of the antiquities of the iewes , and in the first booke of the warres of the iewes chapter . that when the romans under their generall pompeius , beleagured the temple of ierusalem , the iewes , which were fled thither , although they defended themselves on the sabbath day , if they were assaulted , yet they remained quiet and bonged not , if they were not assaulted ; which when the romans had perceived , they set not on them , and threw nothing against them on the sabbath day , but prepared only things necessary for the assaults , dressed terrasses and forts , brought neere their engines , to make use of them the next day , and the iewes of religion and great devotion toward the sabbath , suffered them to doe what they would , without disturbance . and iosephus approveth this religion , or rather superstition , as if it had beene conformable to the ordinance of the law , saying that the law permitteth on the sabbath day , if the enemies come to wage battell , or give blowes , to drive them backe . many might have beene intangled with the same superstition , during the desolation wherof christ speaketh in the place before alleadged . for although that upon such an occasion as this was , to wit , to save their lives , they should and might have beene informed , that they had full liberty to work and flie , yet the devotion so ancient , so usually practised , so exactly and scrupulously observed towards the sabbath , specially in these times , as may be seene in sundry places of the gospell ▪ this devotion , i say , was more than sufficient to forme many difficulties in their mindes , and cast into many perplexities , concerning the practise of this knowledge , even those that had it . wherefore our lord iesus christ foreseeing , that many , in the dayes of the future desolation of ierusalem , should be disquieted with such feares , should make such difficulties , or at least conceive a great displeasure to be constrained to worke and travell on the sabbath day , for the preserving of their lives , adviseth them , to pray to god that their flight be not on that day . if they reply , that iesus christ spake these words to his disciples , who were infallibly to be well instructed before the desolation of ierusalem concerning the evangelicall day of sabbath , and concerning all things that may be lawfully done on it , and therefore there was no occasion to feare , that they should suffer themselves to be carryed away with any religion , or rather superstition towards the iewish sabbath day , which before that time should be abrogated . to that objection i answer againe , that verily iesus christ spake to his disciples , who apparantly were alone with him , but not in regard to them . for he knew well , that about the time of the desolation of ierusalem they should be either dead , or farre removed from iudea , among the other nations of the earth , and therefore this danger was not to be feared on their behalfe . wherefore in their persons he spake to all the iewes , who were all to be in common partakers of this desolation ; or at least to all the faithfull , who in that time should be conversant in iudea , as if they had been present before him with his disciples : this is evident by these words in the . , , . verses , then let them that be in iudea flee into the mountaines : let him which is on the house toppe , not come downe to take any thing out of his house : neither let him which is in the field , returne backe to take his clothes : and woe unto them that are with child , and unto them that give sucke in those dayes , &c. for these are common advertisements to all that were to be insnared in that danger , and so is likewise this , pray that your flight be not on the sabbath day , which must be understood as said to all the iewes , to whom the preceding warnings are directed , amongst whom iesus christ knew that many christians converted unto him , and carryed away with a religious respect towards the law , should still have the opinion of the sabbath which i have specified . nay he knew , that amongst the faithfull iewes , the best instructed should tye themselves , for a certaine space of time , after his ascension into heaven , to the observation of certaine legall ceremonies , and specially of the sabbath , although of right they were all made of no effect by his death , not for any conscience to them-ward , nor through an acknowledgement of any obligation on their behalfe to the ceremoniall law , which had beene a thing hurtfull and dangerous , but simply through love , to shunne all occasions of giving offence to the other iewes , to imbrace all meanes of gaining them more easily to the faith , and to bury the ceremonies with honour , which in that respect was lawfull . so then for these reasons he might well exhort them all to pray that there flight should not befall on the sabbath day ; because those that are weake , and not so well instructed , should not dare to flie , or should flie with scruple of conscience , and the strong that had greater knowledge , should doe it , although without trouble of conscience , yet not without some griefe , remembring that on that day they were accustomed , till then , to apply themselves to religious actions , and foreseeing that their flight might be offensive , and make them odious to some , that also they might be hindered in their flight , and preparatives for it , by those which should superstitiously sticke fast unto the prohibitions , not to worke , to run , and to toyle on the sabbath day . i adde , that although we should consider this commandement of christ , pray that your flight be not on the sabbath day , as directed to the disciples only , and should advow , that being well instructed there was no cause why they should feare to flie on the sabbath day , and therefore no cause why they should pray for their particular , that their flight should not happen on that day , we may fitly say , that iesus christ commanded them to pray so , having regard , not to them , but to others that he foresaw should be ignorant and weake , and to whom the sabbath day should be an impediment to flie . for although christians strong in the faith make no such difficulty , and in that respect have no cause to feare for themselves , yet knowing that such difficulties to some other ignorants and weake in faith wil be a stumbling block , they ought to pray to god , having regard to them , that the causes and occasions of such difficulties happen not , if it be possible , and ●in this respect iesus christ might have said to his disciples , pray that your flight from the desolation to come be not on the sabbath day , if not for your owne sake , who , being well informed and instructed in the faith , shall know that yee may flee on that day , and make no difficultie for conscience sake , yet in regard of others , who shall be distressed with the same necessity to flee with you , but who being altogether ignorant of the liberty of the gospell , as the iewes not as yet converted , or the weake ones retaining , after their conversion and profession of the gospell , a religious respect towards the ceremonies of the law of moses , as many christians , who , for conscience sake towards the sabbath will be scrupulous to flie on it , for whom , in respect of their ignorance and weakenesse , you ought to pray , that your common flight be not on that day . for yee are all members of one body . i say more , that although iesus christ by the sabbath day had signified the first day of the weeke , which after his ascension was to be observed by all christians , and had commanded his disciples to pray , that their flight should not fall out on sunday , least they should be compelled to imploy , upon bodily working , travelling , and hurrying up and downe , a day , which otherwise they had applyed to gods service , of that no man can conclude , neither that a seventh day of rest is a morall point , nor also that christs minde was to injoyne the observation of the first day of the weeke , but only , that he foresaw , that after his ascension the first day of the week should be kept by christians , of their owne free will , through respect to his resurrection , which should befall on that day , and that it should be loathsome and grievous unto them to weary themselves with fleeing on a day wherein they were wont to rest from all worldly imployments , and to addict ●hemselves to serve god in his house . verily although a day be not ordained of god to be stinted for his service , yet if by the custome of the church it be ordinarily imployed for that use , a true christian will be hartily sorry that hee should be forced by necessity to busie himselfe in other exercises , then those which are proper to gods service , and he may with good reason make humble suit unto god , that he be not brought to such a hard strait ; and therefore christ might advise his disciples to pray , that their flight should not befall on the saturday , without any other inference that can be gathered from thence , saving a future use and custome to observe such a day in the church , and not any obligation proceeding from him , farre lesse a naturall and morall obligation towards a seventh day of the weeke which is the point in question . chapter eleven . answer to the ninth reason . . ninth reason , the apostles kept the sabbath . . first answer , they entred into the synagogues of the iewes on the sabbath day , not for conscience sake , but for the commodity of the place , and time , to convert the iewes . . second answer , in this , and in the observation of other ceremonies , they applyed themselves to the infirmity of the iewes . . passages alleadged , to prove that the apostles absolutely and simply did keepe the sabbath of the iewes . . first answer , acts . ver . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , may be interpreted indifferently , people , folke . . second answer , the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , may be interpreted of the weeke betweene . . if wee read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , they signifie in a day betweene the sabbaths , this answer is not refuted by the . verse . . third answer : the . uerse may be truly translated , not of the next sabbath day , but of the next weeke . . fourth answer , in both verses the sabbath being taken for the next sabbath , they prove not that which is intended . . the passage alleadged , acts . verse , . cannot be understood , but of those that were iewes in religion . . whether they had a synagogue or not , they met together out of the townes . . there they had a place appointed for prayer , &c. called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , an oratory , or place of prayer . . where saint paul and his fellowes joyned with them , to seeke to gaine them to christ. . why the apostles , which taught sufficiently the abrogation of the sabbath , and of holy dayes , did not preach against them , as they did against circumcision and other ceremonies . . answer to the last reason concerning the sabbaticall river . it is with as little shew , nay it is rather against themselves , that to prove a necessary and perpetuall obligation to keepe the sabbath , some make use of that which is noted in diverse places of the acts of the apostles , as in the chapter . verse , , . and . verse . and . verse . and . verse . and other where , that the apostles , after the ascension of iesus christ , kept the sabbath , going to the synagogues of the iewes , and expounding the scriptures there . for this argument , if it were good for any thing , would prove , that under the new testament the iewish sabbath day , to wit , the last of the week , is to be kept , because in the foresaid places mention is made of that day only . but the going of the apostles to the synagogues on that day , came not from any obligation of the law , tying them to the sabbath , nor from any religious respect to that day , as if it had beene still a necessary point of gods service , but because it was the ordinary day of the congregations of the iewes , whom they desired to convert , and it was expedient , for that end , that they should be present at such times and places that the iewes did meet in , to wit , on the sabbath day and in their synagogues , as , for the same reason , they observed also the annuall feasts , and indeavoured to bee at ierusalem on such dayes , as may be seene acts . verse . i adde , that they applyed themselves in this point , as in many other legall ceremonies , to the infirmitie of the iewes , acts. . v. . acts . verse . acts . verse , . and cor. . ver . . to gaine them more easily to the faith , and to preserve them in it after their conversion . for it is certaine , that the faithfull christians , converted from the iewish religion to the faith of christ , kept still a great zeale for the ceremonies , as it is said in the acts chap. . verse . and consequently for the sabbath day . there be some who would have the iewish sabbath to be still kept in the christian church , and to prove that the apostles did particularly and carefully observe the seventh day of the weeke without any occasion of condescent to the religion and devotion of the iewes towards the sabbath , doe alleadge the thirteenth chapter of the acts verse , , . where it is said , that when paul and barnabas were on the sabbath day gone out of the synagogue of the iewes , the gentiles besought them that they would preach the word unto them the next sabbath : which being granted unto them , the next sabbath day , almost the whole city , wherein were comprised more gentiles than iewes , came together to heare the word of god. they alleadge also the sixteenth chapter of the acts verse . where without any mention of iewes , or of synagogue , it is said , that paul and silas being in philippi , a towne of macedonia , where they sojourned certaine dayes , on the sabbath went out of the city , by a river side , where prayer was wont to be made , keeping the sabbath amongst the gentiles , without any respect to the iewes . to this i may answer without great difficulty . and first to the passage in the acts chapter . verse . i might say , that this intreaty made to paul and barnabas to preach the next sabbath day , is not by all the interpreters ascribed to the gentiles , but to the iewes , who before , as may be seene in the fifteenth verse , had intreated them to propound some word of exhortation . for the word gentiles , in some greeke editions , and in some versions , is not to be found : besides this , some are of opinion , that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , may be taken , not for the gentiles , as they are distinguished from the iewes , but indifferently for the multitude of people that was there present , in this sence , and the folke or people besought paul and barnabas , which may be referred to the iewes as well as to the gentiles . but not to stand upon that , i say secondly , that the originall text doth not shew manifestly , that the request made by the gentiles to paul and barnabas was , that they would preach unto them the next sabbath day , for it may signifie in the intermedium of the sabbath , that is , in any time betweene the sabbath wherein they had presently preached to the iewes , and the next sabbath following ; for seeing the sabbath was the day which the iewes reserved for themselves , and which the apostles imployed amongst them for their instruction , the gentiles , belike , desired to take some other day for them , wherein , with more commoditie , they might heare the word . and verily , there is no likelihood that gentiles , not as yet instructed , neither in the law , nor in the gospell , would aske , of their owne head , the sabbath day , rather than any other , and it is more likely , that they did aske any other commodious day betweene the sabbath of the iewes , such as paul and barnabas should be pleased to appoint unto them , whiles they were not busied with teaching the iewes . the words in the originall are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which many interpreters doe translate , not the next sabbath day , as if the gentiles had chused that day , but in the sabbath or in the weeke betweene , that is , in any day betweene , till the next sabbath . and there are some which probably esteeme , that these words should be red 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should bee taken for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifie cleerely , in any day whatsoever betweene the sabbaths . this interpretation is not sufficiently refuted by the allegation of the . verse , where it is clearely said , that the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to heare the word of god. for it is not necessary , that this . verse should declare the accomplishment of the request made by the gentiles in the . verse : it is rather likely , that the apostles having already fulfilled it betweene the two sabbaths , when the sabbath day came , wherein the iewes , according to their custome met together , and paul , as his manner was , preached unto them , as we may see acts . verse . and acts . verse . the whole city being moved with curiosity , by the rumour spread abroad of the former sermons made both to iewes and gentiles , ranne together in a farre greater number than before , to heare the word . thirdly , seeing the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , sabbath , is sometimes taken both in the old , and in the new testament , not particularly for the sabbath day , but for the weeke , as in leviticus . verse . and . verse . in saint matthew . verse . in st. luke . v. . wherefore may we not in the foresaid passages understand , that the gentiles , seeing it was the end of that weeke , intreated paul and barnabas to preach unto them the next weeke verse . and that they did so the next weeke , conformably to their desire , ver . . without expression of the particular day of that week ? so the sence shall be this , and the next weeke came almost the whole city , &c. but although we should grant , that both in the request of the gentiles , verse . and in the accomplishment thereof , verse . the sabbath day must be understood , it followeth not , neither that the gentiles ought to observe that day , nor that the apostles had any regard unto it for religion and conscience sake , but only that the gentiles of whom mention is made in the . verse , having beene present at the sermon which paul and barnabas made to the iewes on the sabbath day , and not having a particular day or time appointed to them for the hearing of the word of the gospell , because the christian religion was not as yet received nor established in their towne , as the iewish religion was , having her sabbaths and synagogues free , which the apostles resorted unto , intreated them , that they might heare them againe on another sabbath day , and in the synagogue of the iewes , because it was a most fit time and place for them , by reason of the liberty that the iewes injoyned for the exercises of their religion , which paul and barnabas yeelded unto , whereof the speech being spread abroad through the towne , great multitudes trouped together on the next sabbath , through curiosity , and ran to the synagogue of the iewes to heare them . so it was not any devotion , neither of the gentiles , nor of the apostles to the sabbath , but the simple commodity , that moved them to make choice of it . to the other passage cited out of the sixteenth chapter of the acts verse , . i say likewise , that paul and silas tooke occasion to observe the sabbath , because the iewes met together for the exercise of their religion on that day . for although it be not said , that those which resorted unto the place of prayer were iewes , no more is it said , that they were gentiles : but it may be gathered out of the text , that they were iewes , either by birth and of the same nation , or by religion , and religious communion , because they were persons which ordinarily assembled together to call upon god on the sabbath day verse . and who already served god , as amongst others it is said of lydia , verse . with whom the apostles made no bones to joyne themselves . which cannot in any wise be taken of gentiles infidels , and of their devotions to their idols , as is evident , nor also of the gentiles converted to the christian religion , seeing paul , silas and timothy were but new arrived in that place , where the word of the gospell had not beene as yet preached , as appeareth by the nine and tenne uerses . therefore of necessity they were iewes of religion dwelling in philippi , and worshipping god according to the law wherein they were instructed . it imports not much , that no mention is made of a synagogue where these persons came together , but only that they went out of the city , by a river side , where prayer was wont to be made . for it may be , they had no synagogue , because they were but few , or wanted meanes to build a synagogue , or because in that towne , which was a roman colony , they were not suffered to build one , and therefore they assembled together neere the river in some secret place out of the way , not daring to meet openly in the towne . peradventure also they had a synagogue , but , if that which is written by some be true , that the manner of the iewes was to meete , not only in their synagogues in townes , for the reading of the law , but also out of townes in the fields , for the exercise of prayer , even so these persons mentioned in the place aforesaid , went out of the towne by the river side for that end , and that paul and silas made good use of that place and time of their holiest devotions , as most commodious to goe and to speake to them , because since their comming to the towne , which was a few dayes before , undoubtedly they had not found the opportunity to speake unto them there nor elsewhere . yea , according to the exposition of some learned men , the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be taken in the thirteenth and sixteenth verse , for an house builded for the exercises of prayer , and other religious actions accustomed among the iewes : as also it was an ordinary name , whereby were entitled these houses wherein the iewes did flocke together to read , and to pray ; we may , keeping the signification of the word , call them oratories , or houses of prayer , as the temple is called , esa. . verse . so then it is evident , that this place of the acts , as the former , is most conveniently expounded of the iewes , and therefore that for their sake onely saint paul and his fellowes made choice of the sabbath day to intertaine them with religious and wholesome speeches of the gospell ; neither shall any place be found , where the apostles are said to have observed the sabbath , but with respect to the iewes , to whom they applyed themselves , seeking fit times , places , occasions to convert them , and not having any so fit as the sabbath , which they behoved to keepe to come to their intent . for at another time they could not have assembled the iewes so commodiously as they would , to preach unto them the gospell publikely , and loosing the sabbath day , they had lost the most favourable and advantageous commodities for the propagation and setting forward of the gospell . whereunto they had a speciall regard , catching that opportunity above all others , namely seeing to observe the seventh day , or any other day , is in it selfe a thing indifferent under the gospell , which hath onely abolished the type and ancient obligation to that day , leaving to the liberty of the churche to serve god on any day or dayes whatsoever which are or shall be appointed by them . which is , to my opinion , the reason why they did not preach against the sabbath day , nor also against the other holy dayes of the iewes , so vehemently as they did against other ceremonies , namely against circumcision , acts . v. . acts . v. . gal. . ver . . but condescended to the one farre more easily then to the other : because there cannot bee under the new testament any lawfull use of the circumcision , nor of other ceremonies like unto it , but very good use might bee made of the sabbath day , and of other dayes , after the manner before specified . yet they have not concealed the abrogation of the sabbath and of the feasts , but have sufficiently spoken of it , as is manifest by the prooffes before propounded . and therefore , of the custome they had to keepe the sabbath day , cannot bee inforced any obligation tying us to observe it , no more than other ceremonies , to which they conformed themselves for a time , because they did it onely to become as iewes unto the iewes , as the apostle witnesseth cor. . verse . having otherwise both in their discourses and in their writings taught cleerely and fully the abrogation of all these things . i scorne to ranke among the foresaid reasons , or to honour with the name of a reason that , which neverthelesse is by some set on foote , and inforced as a good reason , when they tell us of a certaine river in palestina , which , according to the relation of some writers , ranne regularly with swiftnesse enough , and waters in a sufficient abundance in the sixe dayes of the weeke , and on the sabbath day vanishing away in his force left his channell empty and drie : or on the contrary , as the thing is related by others , vanished away , or was dryed up all the sixe dayes before the sabbath , and on the sabbath dayes filled up his channell . iosephus maketh mention of this river in this last fashion , in the seventh booke of the warres of the iewes chapter . and saith , that the emperour titus passing that way remarked it . plineas also maketh mention of it , but in the first fashion , in the . booke of his naturall history , chapter . and some rabbins likewise : whereupon some seeke to build pretty allegories , to prove the observation of the sabbath on a seventh day of the weeke . but they take not heed , that in so arguing they imitate the iewes , who upon the marvellous nature of this river called sabbaticall , seeke to inferre the perpetuity of their sabbath day , wherin they are better grounded , then christians , who from thence inferre simply the perpetuity of a seventh day . for it was particularly on the last of seven dayes , and not on any other day of the week , that this river rested , or flowed ; and therefore we should be bound to observe the seventh and last day of the weeke , if the changings of this river could be a precedent to the matter in hand . but , if allegorizing were sound divinity , a conclusion might be made flat contrary to the former upon the proprieties of this sabbaticall river . for as galatinus saith , in the chapter of the eleventh book of the secrets of the catholike truth , the drying up of this river and the want of water in it on the sabbath day , betokened that the sabbath should be denyed , and loose all obligatory vertue under the new testament . if it ranne on the sabbath day , it could not bee a precedent of rest . for running is not resting . but whether it be true that such a river hath beene , or that it hath never beene , sith it is not now , and is no where found by the travellers that seeke it , the cessation and bringing of it to naught , teacheth , that the sabbath hath ceased , and is abrogated . and so having refuted all reasons that are put abroach for the morality and perpetuity of the sabbath , i end here the second part of this treatise . the third part of the originall and institution of the first day of the weeke for the day of gods publike service in the christian. church . chapter first . establishment of the opinion most admittable concerning the originall and institution of the lords day . . the first day of the weeke was kept from the beginning of the christian church in remembrance of christs resurrection , not for any necessity in the thing it selfe . . not also by obligation of the fourth commandement . . the state of the question : whether this day be an institution of iesus christ , or of his apostles ; or whether the faithfull , of themselves , without any commandement , made choice of it . . the first opinion hath no solid foundation : the second hath . . first argument against the first opinion : there is no record in the whole new testament , that christ or his apostles ordained that day , &c. . second argument , the first day of the weeke was not equally kept by all christians , till constantine by an imperiall law tyed them unto it , as also to the sixt day , which wee call friday . . first observation upon the imperiall law of constantine concerning the first day of the weeke . . second observation upon the same law , concerning the sixt day . . whence it is cleere , that both were of ecclesiasticall institution . . third argument , the first christians especially in the east observed for the space of three hundred yeeres and more , the seventh day of the weeke with the first day . . confirmation of this truth by the councell of laodicea , and sundry fathers , &c. . which shew evidently , that the christians in those dayes beleeved not that the first day of the weeke was by christ or his apostles subrogated to the iewish sabbath . it is plaine , and generally agreed on , that the first day of the weeke was kept from the beginning of the christian church , and that undoubtedly upon the consideration of the resurrection of christ , which came to passe on that day . yet this observation was not grounded upon any necessity of the thing it selfe , obliging christians to keepe that day of the weeke , rather than another . for , as it hath beene shewed before , it is impossible to explicate with shew of reason , either what morall necessity one day of seven hath in it , more than hath another number , or wherefore it was necessary that the day of the week that christ rose in , should be kept in the christian church , rather than the day wherein he was borne , or the day wherein he suffered on the crosse , or the day wherin hee ascended into heaven . or if the day of his resurrection must be observed , why these others of his birth , death and ascension ought not to be also kept weekely . the resurrection of christ might , did give occasion unto the observation of that day , but that it was a cause obliging necessarily , and having a fundamentall relation , or that christ by his resurrection on that day intended to sanctifie it particularly to the christian church , cannot bee proved . neither also hath the fourth commandement obliged christians to observe this day . for it injoyned the last day of the weeke precisely , and not the first , and in that respect was ceremoniall , which also hath beene shewed . and therefore the observation of the first day of the weeke cannot be grounded upon the tearmes thereof . for the foundation thereof should be absurd and unreasonable , thus . god ordained under the old testament , as a point of ceremony and of order for that time , the last day of the weeke , wherein hee rested from all his workes : therefore in vertue and through obligation of this commandement , men are bound under the new testament to observe the first day of the weeke , wherein god began to apply himselfe to the production of his works . who seeth not the manifest absurdity of such an illation ? therefore this observation of the first day of the weeke , must of necessity bee attributed to some other free and voluntary institution made concerning it in the new testament . here beginneth a new question , whether the institution therof be divine , or apostolicall ; if it was our lord iesus christ that ordained it after his resurrection , to be kept by all christians during the whole time of the new testament , if the apostles also injoyned it to all the faithfull till the end of the world , so that they are all bound to the observation thereof by the institution of christ , or of his apostles : or whether the faithfull did not , of themselves , without any commandement , through respect to the resurrection of our lord iesus christ , keepe the day wherein it came to passe , as also to make a distinction thereby between them and the iewes , and to shew that they were made free from all iewish observations , types and figures , amongst which was the sabbath day , and that they observed not a day in quality of type and figure , but onely for orders sake , and for ecclesiasticall government , to apply themselves together to the exercises of religion , and for that cause had changed the seventh day of the iewes into another : which usage and custome , as very fit and convenient , being begunne first amongst a few , faire and softly prevailed , and was established with the christian religion amongst all those that imbraced it , and since that time hath continued in the christian church till this day . although the first of these opinions were true , it cannot inforce the morality of a seventh day of rest , but only , that the first day of the weekes was instituted by iesus christ , or his apostles , as a point of order , whereunto , in such a case , the faithfull should be bound by the necessity of a divine and apostolicall commandement . but i see not that this opinion hath any solid ground , whereas the second is well founded . for there is nothing found in the new testament concerning the observation of the first day of the weeke , importing a commandement of christ , or of his apostles , neither is there any such commandement inferred , but by remote and most weake consequences , and it is more likely that all the places alleadged to that purpose denote onely a simple usage among some christians in those dayes , which by succession of time hath beene setled , and is become universall . indeed , if iesus christ , or his apostles by expresse commandement from him , or by divine inspiration , had ordained that day , as a point so necessary , as it is thought to be , i doubt not but their commandement should have beene expressely set downe in the books of the new testament , as are all other ordinances of necessary things ; and that in them we should finde reprehension against those that had neglected the observation of that day , as in them there are reprehensions against all kinde of sinners . but seeing there is no such commandement to bee found in them , that it cannot bee gathered from them but by consequences which are of no force , that no man is blamed in them for the inobservation of that day , whereas under the old testament god taxed so often and so sharply those that kept not his sabbaths , this is to mee a most firme and assured proofe , that neither iesus christ nor his apostles have ordained it . i adde , that if had beene an ordinance of iesus christ or of his apostles , undoubtedly the apostles and other ministers of the gospell , when they found and established the christian churches had established the observation of this day , as a point of the will of iesus christ , and of his service under the new testament , and it had beene kept equally by all the churches . for why had they not received it , as well as the other points of the christian religion and doctrine of the gospell , sith the same authority obliged them therunto ? now this is most true , that the observation thereof was not practised throughout them all , and became not universall & wel setled , but by the commandements and constitution of the emperours . there diverse imperiall constitutions for the observation of the first day of the weeke , eusebius in the fourth booke of the life of constantine chapter . and after him sozomene in the first booke of his ecclesiasticall history , and in the chapter , relateth , that constantine the first made a law , and ordained that on sunday which is the first day of the weeke , and on friday , all publike judgments should surcease , that all other affaires should be intermitted , that on these dayes all should apply themselves to serve god by prayers and supplications , and that so he reverenced sunday , because on it iesus christ rose from the dead , and friday , because on it hee was crucified . this passage is considerable ; for it sheweth , that sunday was not observed throughout al the churches , but that it was used as a work-day , and that on it common pleas and publike judgements were practised , whence we may conclude , with a great shew of truth , that it was not an institution of christ , nor of his apostles : for if it had beene , questionlesse the observation thereof had beene better known and practised , and christians had thought themselves more obliged unto it , for the commandement of christ and of his apostles , then for any imperiall constitution . the writers of that story telling also what reason constantine had to make a constitution concerning the observation of sunday , say simply , that he made it , because on it iesus christ rose from the dead , which indeed hath alwayes beene the foundation of this usage , but they say not , that it was because iesus christ and his apostles had ordained , which they ought not to be silent of , if that had been true , and it had been needlesse to alleadge any other reason . this is also worthy to be marked , that sozomen joyneth the friday with the sunday , and saith , that constantine ordained that day , as wel as this day : that day , because on it christ was crucified ; this day , because on it christ rose againe : which sheweth plainely that the day of christs resurrection is not of it selfe more obligatory to make christians keep it , then is the day of his passion upon the crosse , or of any other of his actions or sufferings : that the one may yeeld as just and peremptory a cause thereof , as the other , that christ also had not given a commandement more expresse and more necessary for the one then for the other , but had left all this to the liberty of the church . for if he had given a particular commandement concerning sunday , it had bin in constantine a great temerity to ordaine another day , in equall ranke with that which christ had ordained , because he ought to thinke , that christ had good reasons for the institution of that day , which had not beene valuable for any other day , and that by the institution of one day in the weeke particularly , and of no moe , he would have all christians to know , that no man ought to attempt to institute any other , besides that which he had instituted . constantine had beene guilty of farre greater rashnesse and indiscretion , by making friday , which was of his institution , equall to sunday , which iesus christ had ordained , yet he did so , as is manifest by the words of sozomen who maketh no ods betweene the ordinance made for friday , and that which was made for sunday . but seeing constantine in what hee did , did nothing amisse , it is evident thereby , that the observation of sunday was not of divine institution , but of usage and custome only , which was not received every where , nor well practised where it was received , because it was not esteemed necessary . wherefore constantine by his constitution made it necessary , adding another like unto it for friday , all this is flat contrary to the assertion of those , which to prove that sunday is of divine institution , yeeld this reason of their opinion that no humane authority can sanctifie a day . and lo , constantine sanctified friday , ordaining that it should be imployed in exercises of religion only : wherof we shall speake againe something hereafter , god willing . socrates in the fifth booke and chapter of his ecclesiasticall story , marketh sundry customes in the churches about the day of their assemblies , which some kept in one day of the weeke , some in another : and saith expressely , that iesus christ and his apostles have not ordained any thing concerning holy dayes , but have only given precepts of godlinesse , and of an holy life : and it is most likely , that the christian churches , which in the beginning god assembled among the iewes , kept not for a long while any other day , for the exercise of their religion , saving the th and last day of the week : and it is a thing most certain , that many churches of the gentiles , especially in the last more than three hundred yeeres after christ , observed the sabbath day of the iewes with the sunday , and made of the one a day of devotion , as well as of the other . saint ignatius martyr , an hundred yeeres after iesus christ , in his epistle to the magnesians , exhorteth the christians to observe the sabbath , not after the manner of the iewes , which there he describeth , but after a spirituall and holy manner , such as hee setteth downe , and addeth , that after they had observed the sabbath , they should also observe the first day of the weeke . the councell which met in laodicea , in the fourth age after christ , ordained , that christians must not keepe the sabbath day , and rest in it after the manner of the iewes , which sheweth , that till then they observed it . nay , according to the translations which we have , the councell did not forbid them absolutely to keepe the iewish sabbath , but permitted it unto them , if they would , with this caveat , that it were not after the fashion of the iewes , and that they should preferre sunday before it . saint athanasius , in the homily of the seed , saith of himselfe , and of other faithfull christians , that they assembled together on the sabbath day , not through malady of spirit , for iudaisme , but to worship the lord of the sabbath . gregory of nisse calleth these two dayes , to wit , the sabbath day and the lords day , brethren . sozomene in the seventh booke and chapter of his history saith , that at constantinople , and almost in all other parts of the easterne church , the ecclesiasticall assemblies met together on the sabbath day , and on the day following . socrates in the sixt booke and eight chapter of his history , calleth the sabbath day and the sunday the weekely feasts wherein christians came together in the churches : and in the foresaid chap. of the fifth book , amongst many diverse customes of the churches of these times , concerning their assemblies and exercises of religion , he alleadgeth a frequent and common observation of the sabbath . which sheweth , that the churches beleeved not sunday to be of divine institution , and subrogated to the sabbath by our lord iesus christ. for if they had beleeved any such thing , they had not observed another day : but knowing they had no particular commandement for any day of devotion , they observed both the sab - because it had beene a long while a solemne day of devotion ordained of god to the iewes , and sunday , because it was made honourable by the resurrection of our lord iesus christ. this that we say shall be better seene ; by the consideration of the reasons which are broached to prove , that the institution of the first day of the weeke to be a holy day , is of god himselfe , of iesus christ , and of his apostles . chapter second . answer to the first reason , taken from some texts of the old testament , to prove the divine institution of the first day of the weeke . . answer to the reasons taken from the circumcision administred on the eight day , and from the inscription of certaine psalmes , &c. . reasons taken out of the psalme . ver . and of the . psalme verse . . answer , in the hundred and tenth psalme no mention is made of any particular day . . nor also in the hundred and eighteenth psalme . . and although there were , a day of rest in every weeke cannot be inforced from thence . . no more then the words of isaiah chapter . and of the angels luke . verse , . can inforce a weekely observation of a day , in remembrance of christs birth . it were a losse of time to stay here upon the refutation of the reasons taken from the ancient circumcision , which was celebrated on the eight day , and which some say to have beene a figure of the spirituall circumcision that we were to obtaine by our lord iesus christ one the first day of the weeke which is as the eight day , succeeding immediately to the seventh and last day thereof : nor also of these which are overthwartly wrested out of these psalmes , which have in their titles or inscription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hascheminith , that is super octava , upon the octave , as if in these titles mention were made of the first day after the seventh , which is sunday . for although these reasons have beene alleadged by some of the ancients , they broached them rather as allusions and allegories , then as solid proofes to rely upon . wherefore leaving them , i goe forward to the consideration of two others , which have greater likenesse of truth . they would faine take advantage of the hundred and . psalm , and of the . ver . as also of the hundred and . psalme , and of the v. thereof , as if in these places there were a prophesie , that sunday , or the day of the resurrection of our lord iesus christ , should be observed in the christian church . in the hundred and psal. verse . mention is made of a day wherein christ should raise an army in a holy pompe , and his people should be a willing people . in the hundred and psalme verse . the people is exhorted to rejoyce and be glad in the day which the lord had made , day wherein the stone , which the builders refused , should become the head stone of the corner verse . stone which is christ. now christ in his ignominious death was like a stone rejected by the builders , that is , by the governours and rulers of the iewes ; and it was by his glorious resurrection , that he became the head stone of the corner , act. . ver . , . to this i answer , that no certaine argument can be drawne from the two foresaid allegations . for who dare affirme , that in them a particular day is denoted , and not rather indefinitely the time of the publication of the gospell , and gathering together of the christian church , which was done by the apostles after the resurrection of christ ? it is said in the hundred and tenth psalme ver . . that the lord should send out of sion the scepter of christs strength ; the meaning of which words is , that out of ierusalem he should send forth , and spread every where the preaching of the gospell , to wit , by the apostles and other ministers , and that in the day , that is , in the time wherein he should raise his army , that is gather together his church , she should be a free , voluntary and forward people . now the first assembling of the christian church happened not in one day , more than in another , but the apostles applyed themselves to that worke every day , preaching the gospell , wherefore we must not understand in that place of the psalme any particular day , but the whole time wherein this worke was done by the apostles , and their disciples . i say the same of the hundred and eighteenth psalme . for iesus christ is not become the head stone of the corner simply by his resurrection , but in as much as after his resurrection , he hath , by the preaching of the gospell , built up the faithfull upon himselfe , as so many lively stones , to be a spirituall house , as we may see in the first epistle of saint peter chapter . verse , , , . and therefore this day which the lord hath made , and wherein the psalmist exhorteth the faithfull to rejoyce , is not a particular day , but all this time , blessed and sanctified by the lord , wherein should begin and goe forward this great worke of the preaching of the gospell for the edifying in all places of the church upon iesus christ : for this is ordinary both in scripture and in the common language , when mention is made of a day wherein a thing is a doing , or shall be done , to understand , not alwayes necessarily a certaine particular day , but indefinitely the time of such a thing , which may be such that it cannot bee performed in one particular day , but requireth a continuation of time . so the apostle applying to the christians of his time the words of god in isaiah chapter . . saith , behold , now is the accepted time , behold , now is the day of salvation , cor. . verse . this time , and this day is now also in our time , and shall be till the worlds end . such was the worke whereof mention is made in the foresaid psalme , a worke which hath ever beene a doing since christs ascension into heaven , and shall not be performed till he come visibly from heaven , to judge the quicke and the dead . but granting that the psalmist speaketh of a particular day , which god ordained then for the resurrection of iesus christ , and wherein it was afterwards fulfilled , it followeth not , that he would binde the faithfull under the new testament to make weekely of that day a day of rest . for he exhorteth them only to rejoyce and be glad for it , as for a day wherein a great thing , and belonging to their salvation should bee performed , which they may well doe , according to the exhortation of the psalmist , although they make not that day every weeke a day of rest . for they may and ought to rejoyce every day privately at home , and also publikelie in the congregation as often as they meete together to serve god. and if the question be of the stinting of a solemne day for the commemoration of this great worke , the exhortation of the psalmist obligeth them not more particularly to one ordinary day in the weeke , then to a yeerely day . esay in the ninth chapter prophesieth , that the faithfull shall rejoyce with a great joy for the day wherein the child was borne , and the sonne was given , and the angels of god on that day brought to the shepheards good tydings of great joy , which should be to all people , because unto them was borne that day in the city of david a saviour , which is christ the lord , luke . verse , . and yet these words inforce not , that the day of christs birth must necessarily be observed as a day of rest , and farre lesse as an ordinary day everie weeke . and the church which hath thought fit to make commemoration thereof on a set day , was pleased to appoint for that purpose one day only in the whole yeere . neither can there a greater obligation then this be inferred of the foresaid passage , for the day of the resurrection . for we may , yea wee ought to rejoyce for the day of the nativity of christ , of his passion , of his ascension , and likewise of his resurrection , but for all that , we are not bound to make of them sabbath dayes . and so the foresaid places conclude nothing . chapter third . answer to the second reason , whereby they seeke to prove , that sunday was sanctified by our lord iesus christ for gods service . . second reason , christ forty dayes before the ascension spake to his apostles of things pertaining to the kingdome of god , and therefore of the sabbath . . answer , by the kingdome of god are to be understood the essentiall points of our christian religion . , not the circumstances thereof , which are left to the liberty of the church . . nullity of the instance urged from the commandement given to moses concerning the sabbath . . the church had authority to sanctifie sunday , as well as other holy dayes , for gods service . they alleadge out of the new testament , that our lord iesus christ , after his resurrection , was forty dayes with his disciples , speaking unto them of the things pertaining to the kingdome of god , act. . verse . that is , to the training and government of the christian church , which is often called the kingdome of god , as acts . verse . acts . verse . col. . verse . . &c. to which government , say they , did pertaine the determination of one day , wherein the evangelicall service ought to be publikely celebrated to god. for as god , when he gave the ancient covenant by moses , and taught him how hee would have his church to be trained , had a particular care to name unto him a certain day for his service , even so our lord iesus christ , when he taught the new covenant to his apostles , and how under it he would have his church to be governed by them , and by their successors , hath not omitted to appoint unto them a certaine day for his publike service . i answer , that this argument is not founded , but upon uncertaine conjectures , and so concludeth nothing necessarily . by the kingdome of god is meant ordinarily in the new testament , the word of the gospell , the christian religion , the state and condition of the church ; and is so taken in the places before alleadged . wherfore , when it is said in the first of the acts verse . that iesus christ spake to his apostles of things belonging to the kingdome of god , it is likely , that the meaning of these words is , that iesus christ spake unto them of things pertaining to the gospell , to the religion , and to the government of the church , and thence may be inferred , that he declared and prescribed unto them all things that are of the substance of the gospell , of the religion , and of the essentiall matter of his service , such as is the preaching of the points of faith and of doctrine , and the administration of the sacraments of the new testament , things that god himselfe ordaineth necessarily , and will never leave to the liberty of men , to dispose of as they think fit , but will have all men in these points to depend on his declaration and ordinance . as also they are most expresly declared in the new testament , as being established by our lord iesus christ. but as for the circumstance of a particular and ordinary time , for the practising of these exercises , no man can inferre of the foresaid text , that iesus christ prescribed it to his apostles , yea it is most likely , that he resigned that care to the wisdome of his faithfull servants , because there being no necessity nor essentiall importance of such a determination of one day , it is more agreeable to the state of liberty , which the scripture assigneth to the christian church under the gospell , that iesus christ would have it to depend on her liberty and wisedome , rather than prescribe it himselfe . vnder the old testament god ordained by moses a set day for the sabbath , because it was the time of bondage , as also he prescribed for a mark of that bondage an exact cessation from all servile works , yea of the least on that day , and besides , ordained unto them diverse other dayes and times for his service , as also a particular place for the publike exercise thereof , a tabernacle , a city , a temple , &c. now if under the new testament he hath left altogether to the first liberty and wisedome of the church the determination of places , such as she shall thinke fit , as also of diverse other times and dayes , which she may ordaine , and hath ordained in effect , for the celebration of the remembrance of sundry benefits which god hath vouchsafed upon us through our lord iesus christ , and for the solemnization of them by the godly exercises of religion , i see no reason , why we may not say , that he hath likewise left unto her christian wisedome the determination of the day of his service , which is more common and ordinary , specially seeing in the whole new testament there is not at all any expresse mention of a particular day instituted and ordained by him for that end ; which the evangelists and apostles had not , as it were with one accord , beene silent of , if it were true , that our lord iesus christ had ordained such a day . chapter fourth . answer to the third reason brought to prove the foresaid opinion . . third reason , iesus appeared to his disciples the same day of his resurrection at evening , and eight dayes after , which was the first day of the weeke , as also on that day the apostles were filled with the holy ghost . . first answer , christ appeared to his disciples in the beginning of the second day of the weeke . . this is proved by the distinction of the day , in a day naturall , artificiall , and civill . . it is proved by the creation , that the iewes began the naturall or civill day by the evening . . refutation of those which say , that by the evening must be understood the time after noone , and by the morning the time afore noone . . the same is proved by an expresse commandement given to the iewes , to begin the naturall day , and the celebration of the sabbath of at on 〈…〉 . . r●utation of the reply made against this argument . . it is proved also , by the commandement given them , to begin the eating of the passeover , and of unleavened bread at the end of the . day , of the first moneth . . saint matthew and saint marke speake figuratively , when they call the day wherein things necessary for the passeover were prepared , the first day of unleavened bread . . the same likewise is proved by the observation of the sabbath in the dayes of nehemiah . . and by the practice of ioseph and nicodemus when they buryed the body of our saviour . . first argument brought by some , out of the old testament , to prove , that the naturall day among the iewes , and consequently the sabbath day , began in the morning , & ended with the night . . refutation of that argument . . second argument taken out of the first chapter of s. iohns gospell ver . . answered . . third argument out of the chap. of s. matthew , ver . . . answer to this argument . . fourth argument out of the . chapter of the acts ver . . and . answered . . it followeth of all the foresaid answers , and besides is more fully proved , that iesus christ appeared to his disciples , after his resurrection , on the second day of the weeke . . second answer , although iesus after his resurrection , had appeared twice to his disciples on the first day of the weeke , that proveth not the sanctification of that day for gods service . . this is proved by diverse arguments and reasons . . the descending of the holy ghost on the first day of the weeke ▪ inforceth not the observation of that day . there is no greater force in the observation gathered out of the twentieth chapter of saint iohn verse . and . where it is said , that iesus the same day of his resurrection at evening , being the first day of the weeke , appeared to his disciples where they were assembled , and after eight dayes the doores being shut , he came and stood in the midst of them , to wit , on the 〈…〉 pretend to have beene the day of pentecost , wherein he sent downe from heaven 〈◊〉 holy ghost upon the apostles : from which places they inferre , that by this practise hee hath sanctified that day , for the preaching of his gospell , and the administration of his service . to this i answer , first , that it may be debated , if it be said in the foresaid passage of saint iohn , that our lord iesus christ appeared to his disciples on the first day of the week , and not rather , after the first day already ended , and the second begun . although the first interpretation was true , and that it was the first day of the week wherin christ shewed himselfe to his disciples after his resurrection , it carryeth not with it any consequence prejudiciall to my opinion , as shal be seene hereafter ; yet i wil confirme the second interpretation as only true , and take this occasion to speake of the distinction of dayes , fetching frō thence the grounds of my reasoning . the day is ordinarily distinguished into a naturall day , and an artificiall day . the naturall day is composed of foure and twenty houres , which is the time of the daily circuit of the sunne , arising , going downe , and returning to the place where he arose , in which day is comprehended all the time of light , and all the time of darkenesse . the day is so taken ordinarily both in scripture and in all common languages , when mention is made simply of dayes : as for example , when we say a moneth hath thirty dayes , such a thing shall bee done or come to passe within so many dayes ; abraham , isaac , iacob died being full of dayes , we understand all the time of their continuance , as well of the night , as of the day . the artificiall day continueth as long as the sunne is upon the horizon of every place , and by his light affordeth commodity to men to goe forth to their labour , and to worke in their arts , professions , and trades . the naturall day , although amongst all people it be composed of foure and twenty houres , yet it varieth in the distinction of the beginning and end thereof . for some take the beginning thereof at midde day , and count the continuance thereof till the next midde day . others from midde-night till the next midde night . some from the rising of the sunne till his next rising againe ; and some from the sunne setting till the next setting . this diverse supputation amongst diverse people , proceeding from a civill constitution , addeth to the distinction of the day in artificiall and naturall , a third member , to wit , the civill day , which is the same with the naturall day , in regard of the continuance of foure and twenty houres , but is diversely counted in diverse places in regard of the beginning and of the end thereof . . now among the iewes , this naturall or eivill day began by the evening , and ended at the next evening . moses distinguisheth it so , when he relateth the story of the creation . for he endeth alwayes the workes of each day , in these words , so was the evening , so was the morning , which was the first , the second , the third day , &c. where by the evening , he understandeth the whole night , which beginneth by the evening , and by the morning the whole day which beginneth by the morning , considering the evening and the morning , the night and the day , or the light , as integrant parts of the naturall day , and the evening or the night as the first part which goeth before the other part , which is the time of light . as indeed this distinction is grounded on that order and course of proceeding which god kept in the creation , making the darkenesse to goe before the light , as may be seene in the first chapter of genesis ver . , and . some doe reply , that moses , when he saith , so was the evening , so was the morning , &c. by the evening understandeth the whole time after noone , and by the morning the whole time of light in the same day , from the dawning till midde day , or the afore noone . this reply is not grounded on reason . for if that were true , moses had not fixe times put constantly the evening before the morning , there being no convenient order that could move him therunto seeing in all respects whereby one thing is first , and goeth before another , the aforenoone goeth before the afternoone . he might in the . v. name conveniently the light before the darknes , the day before the night , because he had not regard there to any natural dependance and following of the one upon the other , but only to the order of dignity , whereby the day is first in regard to the night : but when he saith , without varying , in the sixe dayes of the week , so was the evening so was the morning , it is evident , that he hath regard to the order of the creation , wherein darknes was first in time before the light , and the night went before the day , and that so by the evening he understandeth the night which is formost , and by the morning the day that followeth , which evening and morning make one naturall day . now as in the creation god observed this order , to make the night goe before the day , and to compare the naturall day of the darknesse and of the light ; even so he prescribed the same observation to the iewes , commanding them to begin their naturall day by the night , and to celebrate their sabbaths or solemne daies of rest from the beginning of such a night , till the beginning of the next night . this is manifest by the . chapter of leviticus vers . . where god commanded them , that in the ninth day of the seventh moneth , at even , from even unto even , they should celebrate as a solemne sabbath , the feast of atonement , which was to be on the tenth day of the moneth , vers . . and so the tenth day began by the night , and continued till the night following . and such was consequently the order of all the dayes of the weeke , from night to night . there is no force , no weight at all in the answer broached against this , when it is said , that this feast of atonement consisted not in one day alone , but in a part of two daies , to wit , of the ninth , and of the tenth , because it is said in the . vers . on the tenth day of the seventh moneth there shall be a day of atonement , and in the . vers . in the ninth day of the moneth at even , from even unto even shall ye celebrate your sabbath ; whence they would faine inferre , that both the ninth and the tenth day entred into this feast . for it is cleare , by the , , . verses , that the day of atonement consisted only in one day ; seeing in these verses mention only is made of one d●y . ye shall do no worke in that same day , for it is a day of atonement ; whatsoever soule shall not be afflicted in that same day , whatsoever soule doth any worke in that same day : which had not beene so often set downe , if two dayes had entred into the composition of this feast . the same is apparent by the sixteenth chapter of the same book , vers . , , . where the foresaid feast of atonement being the only matter handled in them , no mention is made but of one day , to wit , of the tenth of the seventh moneth ; and the ninth day is not so much as mentioned , whereas it had not beene omitted , if it had pertained to that feast . besides , it is without all likenesse , and as i beleeve , without example , that god would have any feast to begin at the end of one day , and to continue and end in a part of another day , and so establish holy-daies by halves . now the . vers . teacheth us which was the day of this feast , to wit , the tenth day of the seventh moneth ; and the . vers . sheweth how long it ought to continue , to wit , the whole tenth day ; beginning at the end of the ninth day , and continuing as long as the tenth day should last , from one even unto the next even . so the ninth day is not mentioned as a part of the feast , but as the terme that it was to begin at ; like as the even following is mentioned , as the other terme that it was to end at . in the ninth day of the moneth at even : that is , at the end of the ninth day ye shall begin the feast , and it shall last from even unto even ; that is , during the whole tenth day . like as in the twelfth chapter of exodus , . vers . god ordaineth , that on the fourteenth day of the first moneth , at even they should eat unleavened bread untill the one and twentieth day of the moneth at even : where the fourteenth day is not specified as one of the daies of unleavened bread : for so there should have beene eight , whereas it is expresly said , vers . . and every where , that they were but seven . but it is named in the end and extremity thereof , as the terme that the feast of unleavened bread began at , and the one and twentieth day finishing at even , as the terme it ended at . this observation of the daies of unleavened bread , which made up the feast of the passeover , is of great validity to confirme our intention . for as it is written , exod. . v. . . , . levit. . v. , . num. . v. , . neere to the end of the fourteenth day of the first moneth ; that is , betweene the declining of the sunne after midday , and the setting thereof ; the paschall lambe was killed and rosted , and eaten at even with unleavened bread , at the entrance of the night . the use of unleavened bread in the eating of the lambe , began precisely with the fifteenth day , which was the first solemne day of the feast , and lasted seven whole dayes to wit , till the one and twentieth day at even , which was also another feast-day , holy and solemne , as the fifteenth was . for it was not lawfull during those seven dayes to have leavened bread , neither in the day nor in the night , which also was comprised in the appellation of dayes : whence this infallible conclusion is gathered , that the naturall day among the iewes began at even , and ended at the next even ; seeing the first day of the feast of unleavened bread , which was the fifteenth day , began at evening , when the paschall lambe was eaten , and the last day thereof , which was the one and twentieth , ended at even , as it began at even . for whereas in s. matthew chap. . ver . . and s. marke chap. . v. . and s. luke chap. . v. . the day wherein the paschall lamb was prepared and rosted , is called the first day of unleavened bread , that is said figuratively because of the immediate cōjunction of the time wherein the lamb was prepared , with the time wherin it was eaten with unleavened bread : for it was prepared at the end of one day , and eaten at the beginning of the next day . or because the same day wherein the lamb was prepared , the iewes put away leaven and leavened bread out of their houses , and prepared unleavened bread for the day following : or also , because amongst the romans , of whom the iewes did at that time depend , the naturall day began by the light , and the night was the last part therof , whereunto it may be , the evangelists had regard . but otherwise , to speak properly according to the ordinance of the law , it is most certain , that the day wherin the lamb was rosted and prepared , was not the first day of unleavened bread . for that was the . day betweene the two evens , this was the . day at the entrance thereof : on that day leavened bread might be eaten , on this day , and on the dayes following all leaven was most strictly forbidden . that was not a day of rest , but of travell , and of preparation , as it is often called in the gospel , mat. . v. . mar. . v. . luk. . v. . ioh. . v. , . because on it were all things prepared for the feast following , as to search and put away all leaven , and leavened bread out of their houses , to kill , to slay , to rost the lamb , &c. nay we see that on that day , the iewes caused the lord iesus to be crucified , and two thieves with him , and vexed themselves extreamly all that day to come to their intent : this was a great and solemne sabbath , wherein it was not lawfull to doe any manner of worke . let us adde to that hath beene said , the practise of the observation of the sabbath , which we read in the thirteenth chapter of nehemiah . it is said there ver . , , , , . that because all manner of ware was brought into the city of ierusalem , and sold on the sabbath day , nehemiah commanded , that as soone as the sunne should withdraw it selfe from the gates of the city , before the sabbath , the gates should be shut , and that they should not be opened till after the sabbath , so that the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without ierusalem once or twice , from whence we gather manifestly , the sabbath began at the going downe of the sun , and that the night made the first part thereof . for if the sabbath had not begun then , wherefore did nehemiah command so carefully , to shut the gates , as soone as the sun should withdraw his beames from them , and it should begin to be darke ? and if , not the night preceding the day , but the night following had made a part of the sabbath , surely the merchants had beene of necessity constrained to remaine two nights out of ierusalem , whereas it is only said , that they past the night once or twice without the towne , to wit , the night after nehomiah had given order that the gates shold be shut , as soone as the sun should retire from them , and therfore that night with the day following composed the sabbath , which ending on the next even at the setting of the sun , nehemiah commanded that they should be opened again v. . a cōmandement being necessary for the opening of them then at that time , because the night returning , it was the time to keep them barred and locked , seeing they were already shut . if the sabbath had ended with the end of the night , it had not beene needful , that nehemiah should command to open the gates after the sabbath . for it was usuall to open them after the night was ended , and a particular commandement for that was needlesse . but although i had omitted these reasons which i have alleadged , the words of the original shew plainly and of themselves , what we say . these they are v. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( causher tsallou shahare ieroushalaim liphne hasshabbat ) that is , as the gates of ierusalem were darkned before the face , or in the presence of the sabbath , or before the sabbath : for the ordinary signification of this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 liphne , is before the face , in the presence . and therefore seeing the gates were darkened before the face , or in presence of the sabbath , it followeth that when the sun was setting , the sabbath was comming , and began at that same instant to shew it selfe , if i may speake so . likewise , we read in st. iohn chap. . v. , , . that ioseph of arimathea and nicodemus , having obtained leave of pilate to take away the body of iesus as soone as he was dead , tooke it , wrapt it in a winding sheete , with spices , as the manner of the iewes was to bury , and laid it in a new sepulchre , which was in a garden , in the same place where he was crucified , and laid it there , because of the iewes preparation day , for the sepulchre was nigh at hand , that is , the night being at hand , the beginning of the sabbath being nigh , and comming apace with the night , and the day of preparation , which preceded the sabbath , drawing nigh the evening and making hast to finish , they carryed not farre the body of iesus , but laid it in a sepulchre hard by , after they had wound it in linnen cloathes with aromaticall and fragrant drugs only , without any imbalming at that time , because they had no leasure to anoint and imbalme him , by reason of the neerenesse of the sabbath , which was unto them an high day of sabbath , as it is called in the one and thirtieth verse of the same chapter , for as much as at that time the extraordinary sabbath of the first day of the feast of unleavened bread occurred with the ordinary sabbath of the weeke . for the same reason the iewes ver . . that the bodyes of those that were crucified should not remaine upon the crosse on the sabbath day , besought pilate that they might be taken away betimes , that is before the end of the day , as the text sheweth plainely . now if the sabbath had not begun in the evening , but only in the morning , the iewes should not have had a cause to urge the taking away of the bodies from the crosse so quickly , nor ioseph and nicodemus to bury the body of iesus so speedily , and to interre it in the same place where hee was crucified , which the text sheweth they did on a sudden : for the iewes should have had all the evening and all the night following to procure the taking away of the bodyes , ioseph and nicodemus should have likewise had time enough to imbalme , transport , and interre at leasure the body of the lord , where they should thinke fit . this is distinctly observed by saint luke chapter . verse , . where he saith , that the day wherein ioseph laid the body of iesus in a sepulchre was the preparation , and the sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , drew on , was a comming , or at hand . which terme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , signifieth properly to shine , but is taken improperly by the evangelist , and signifieth to arrive , to draw neere . or he hath regard unto to the evening star , which was nigh rising : or rather to the lampes which on the evening of that day , were lighted betimes , and a little before the sabbath , as also great fires were kindled , that at the comming of the sabbath they should not have any such thing to doe . iosephus in the . booke of the antiquities of the iewes , chapter . relateth a decree of augustus caesar , that the iewes should not be bound to appeare in judgement on the sabbath day , nor on the parasceue , or day of preparation before the sabbath , after nine houres , that is , about three after noone , because soone after that houre at evening , their sabbath day began . of all this it is most cleere , that the sabbath gan by the evening , and the night was the first part thereof . against that i have laid downe , some arguments are opposed , to prove , that even amongst the iewes the naturall day , and consequently the sabbath-day began by the break of day , and the night made the last part thereof . first , they alleage out of exodus , chap. . v. . that the lord brought an east winde upon the land of aegypt all that day , and all that night , and when it was morning the east wind brought the locusts : and out of the booke of numbers , chap. . v. . that the people stood up all that day , and all that night , and all the next day , and they gathered the quailes . in which places they pretend , that the night , which is put betweene two dayes , is joyned with the first day as a part thereof , and separed from the second . but these places and other such like that may bee found , are nothing to the purpose . for they speake of the artificiall day , distinguished from the night , which is expresly named , without any declaration , whether it pertained to the day preceding , or to the day following , to make with it the naturall day . the placing of the day before the night , is according to the order of the things related in these bookes , and as they came to passe . for the east wind began to blow in the day , and continued all night , to bring the locusts : and the people begun by the day , and continued all night the gathering of quailes . moreover , when the day is considered distinctly and severally from the night , the day , as being of greatest dignity , is named first , without regard to the precedency of either in the order of nature , and in the naturall day . it is written in the gospell of saint iohn , chap. , vers . that two disciples of iohn baptists , went and saw where iesus dwelt , and abode with him that day : for it was about the tenth houre : from whence they infer , that seeing these disciples entred into christs lodging at the tenth houre , that is , two houres afore the going down of the sunne , according to the counting of the iewes , and it is said , that they abode there that day , we must understand , that they abode also the night , to the intent they might be instructed by the lord ; which was not possible to be done in two houres : wherefore the night was the last part of the naturall day . but this ratiocination is of small weight . for what necessity can move us to say , that these two disciples abode longer with christ , than the two last houres of the day , preceding the setting of the sun. the particle for , from whence it is inferred , they abode with him that day : for it was about the tenth houre , is not properly in the originall , which is better translated by and , than by for : and it was about the tenth houre ; which may be fitly understood after this manner , that being come to christs lodging at the tenth houre , they abode with him the remnant of that day , and about night went home , and tarried no longer with the lord. it is true that in the space of two houres , nay , not if they had staied the whole night , they could not be sufficiently instructed by the lord. but also it was not then only that they came to him , and abode with him : for they might have returned afterwards now and then ; as indeed andrew , who was one of the two , and brother to simon peter , became one of his ordinary and domesticall disciples . they make use also of the twenty eighth chapter of s. matthew , vers . . where it is said , that in the evening , or in the latter end of the sabbath , as it began to dawne towards the first day of the weeke , came mary magdalen , and the other mary to see the sepulchre ; the words of the originall are , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . from whence they would infer , that the sabbath ended about the morning , when it beginneth to shine ; and then began therewith the first day of the weeke . whereunto i answer , that the evening , or the latter end of the sabbath , whereof mention is made in this place , must be understood of the evening properly so called , when the sun setteth : which time is in this place specified , as the end of the sabbath day , or of the whole weeke . for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , hath both significations . besides that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is fit to shew as much : for it cannot be conveniently taken for an end of time confined unto the morning ; the conference of the other evangelists demonstrate it more forceebly . for s. marke in the . chapter , , . verses , saith , that when the sabbath was past , mary magdalen , and mary the mother of iames , and salome , bought sweet smelling spices , that they might come and anoint iesus ; and being come very early in the morning ( to wit from home ) they came to the sepulchre when the sun was risen : or if these words very early in the morning , betoken also the time of their comming to the sepulchre ; and signifie the same that is signified by the words following , when the sun was risen : we must understand these last words , not as if the sun was already ascended upon the horizon ; but only that it was risen , in regard of the first appearing of his shining beames above the horizon , at the breake of day : so both shall be true , that the sun was risen , and that they came to the sepulchre very early in the morning . and this shall agree very well with the words of s. iohn , chap. . vers . . upon the first day of the weeke , when it was yet dark : and with these of s. luke , chap. . vers . . uery early in the morning the women came unto the sepulchre ; where it is added , that they brought with them the sweet odours which they had prepared : from whence i infer , that the sabbath ended in the evening , at the going downe of the sun : sith after the sabbath was ended , these women bought sweet smelling spices , and prepared them to anoint the body of iesus , as s. mark saith expresly . to whom is not repugnant s. luke in the . chap. . vers . where he saith , that the women after they had beheld the sepulchre , and how the lords body was laid , returned , and prepared odours , and ointments , and rested the sabbath day according to the commandement ; which words seeme to import , that they prepared their spices before the sabbath . for the order and coherence of these words doe not designe the like order and coherence of things , but they must be understood after this manner ; being returned they prepared their odours , and , or rather but , they rested the sabbath day ; to wit , first , and before this preparation ; as appeareth by the conference of the . vers . where it is said , that when the body of christ was laid in the tombe , and the women beheld where it was laid , the sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , drew on , that is , was at hand , and ready to begin , as hath beene said before . so that it was impossible to them to prepare any kind of thing for the inbalming of christ before the sabbath . whence it followeth , that sith then it was evening , the end of the same sabbath fell upon the dawning or evening of the night following ; and so was both the end of the last day of the weeke preceding , and the beginning of the night following , whereby the first day began . and that was the time betokened by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned by saint matthew , and the night preceding the first day of the weeke , which he nameth afterward , did belong to the said first day , making with it the naturall and civill day of the iewes , and did not belong to the sabbath . for if it had pertained to the sabbath , and the first day of the weeke following the sabbath had begun in the morning , sith it is constant that before the sabbath they prepared not their aromaticall drugs , when should they have found the opportunity and leisure to prepare them ? they durst not doe it on the sabbath day , for it was a day of rest , and of cessation from all work . as also s. luke saith , chap. . vers . . that they rested the sabbath day according to the commandement . after the sabbath upon the first day of the weeke they could not doe it , granting that this day began in the morning ; for very early in the morning , as it was yet darke , they went with their spices already bought and prepared : and therefore we must of necessity say , that they bought their spices in the evening , after the sunne was set , and the sabbath ended , that during the night , which was the beginning of the first day of the week , they prepared these drugs , and that in the morning of the same day they came to imbalme iesus . which being so , we must interpret the words of s. matthew after such a sort , that they may agree with the sayings of the other evangelists . and it is in no wise necessary to joyne the evening or the latter end of the sabbath , with the beginning of the light of the first day of the weeke , as if the one and the other had met together in one time , and at once , as is pretended . there is betweene these two the intervall of a night , which pertained to this first day of the weeke , and we may translate the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as s. marke speaketh , that is , in the evenining , at the extremitie , or latter end of the sabbath , this extremity being already come and past : or in the evening , that is , in the night ( the first part thereof being taken for the totall ) after the sabbath , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to wit , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , at that same houre or time which began to shine , yet with a little remnant of the nights darknesse : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to bee the first day of the weeke , that is , the first day of light , the first artificiall day , which is a part of the naturall day : or wee may take these words , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in the time that was to shine in the first day of the weeke . for it was not s. matthews intent to specifie unto us the immediate conjunction of the first day of the weeke with the sabbath finishing , but only at what point of time the woman came to the sepulchre , to wit , at the first glimpse of the light of the first day of the weeke : and hee made mention of the evening , or of the latter end of the sabbath , in respect that the sabbath had hindred them till then to apply themselves to this pious and charitable worke which they had intended . moreover , they produce a passage out of the twentieth chapter of the acts , vers . . . where it is said , that the disciples in troas being come together upon the first day of the weeke , to breake bread , paul preaching unto them , continued his speech untill midnight , and after he had broken bread , and eaten , continued to talke unto them even till the breake of day . in which words they pretend that the night is mentioned , as the last part of the first day of the weeke . but first , nothing obligeth us to grant , that the night there mentioned , ought to be referred to the first day of the weeke . for we may affirme as well , that it pertained to the second day , and made the beginning thereof : the words of the text are very well verified , if we say , that the first day of the weeke , and towards the end thereof , the disciples were assembled , and their assembly having begun about the end of the first day , continued a good while with and after the beginning of the second day , paul , because he was to depart on the morning after the first day , taking this occasion to extend his discourse within the night following , which was the beginning of another day . there is no weight in the objection they make against this exposition , saying , that if it were true , paul had remained longer then seven dayes at troas , to wit , a part of an eight day , against that which is said in the sixth verse . for they presuppose without any ground , that paul was not precisely but seven dayes at troas , which the text saith not , but only that he abode there seven dayes , which should be very well expressed so , although he had remained there a part of the eighth day , which might have beene past under silence , and not counted with the dayes going before , because it was not a full and whole day , but only a part of a day . and putting the case , that it should come within the compasse of the seven dayes of the apostles aboade at troas ; we may say , it was taken for the seventh and last day . for it is not told exactly on what day paul came to troas , nor that he abode there full seven dayes , but only in generall , seven dayes . now although he had beene there but a part of the first , and a part of the last of seven , it may be well said , that hee was there seven dayes . secondly , granting that the night mentioned in the foresaid place , was the last part of the first day of the week , nothing can be proved from thence , but this only , that after the resurrection of our lord iesus christ , the faithfull among the gentiles celebrating in their congregations the first day of the weeke , in remembrance of the said resurrection , began it in the morning about the time that christ rose , as , perhaps the nations of whom they were , began the day by the morning ; but it followeth not , that such was the beginning of the day among the iewes . these things being thus cleered , it shall follow , that when iesus christ did shew himselfe to his disciples in the time mentioned , in the . of s. iohn , vers . . it was not in the first day of the week , but after it , in the second day . the conference of the twenty foure of saint luke sheweth , that at least it was midnight when iesus christ appeared first unto them . for it is said in that chapter , that the same day of his resurrection he drew neere to the two disciples that were going to emmaus , went with them , came thither with them towards evening , the day being far spent , and that they supped there ; that after the lord had left them , vanishing away out of their sight , they rose up the same houre , returned to ierusalem , distant from emmaus threescore stades , that is , a three houres journey ; entred where the apostles were , told them all the things that had happened unto them in the way , and in the village ; that after this iesus stood in the midst of them : therefore it was far in the night : whence it followeth , that seeing among the iewes the day ended at evening , and another day began ; the first day of the week was then finished many houres before , and the second day was well forward . the words of the text say nothing that is not consonant to this . these they are , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , the evening or the end of the first day of the weeke being come , in the same sense that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken in the foresaid place of matthew , chap. . verse . the disciples being assembled , and the doores shut for feare of the iewes , came iesus , and stood in the midst of them : which words have no other sence but this , that at the evening of the first day , which was also the end thereof , the disciples being assembled , and having shut themselves up in a certaine place , iesus christ a while after appeared unto them . so of that hath beene said it is manifest , that the opinion of christs appearing to his disciples on the first day of the weeke , is not grounded on a sure foundation . but although it were generally agreed on , that iesus christ appeared the first time to his disciples on the first day of the weeke , and the second time eight dayes after , i say , that his appearing to his disciples at two diverse times since his resurrection on the first day of the weeke , cannot inforce , by any good consequence , that his intention was to authorize that day , and to sanctifie it to bee a day of rest . to prove this with some shew of reason , it were necessary , that iesus christ , during the whole time of his abode on earth after his resurrection , should have shewed himselfe unto them regularly and constantly on each first day of the weeke , and not in any other day . for if he appeared not unto them every first day of the weeke , we may inferre quite contrary , that it was not his purpose to sanctifie that day unto them , more than another : and if he appeared unto them on other dayes , it may be said , with as good reason , that he consecrated them to be sabbaths , as that he sanctified the first day of the weeke to be a sabbath . now we read nothing of his appearing to his disciples on each first day of the weeke constantly and regularly after his resurrection , till his ascension . nay it is written in the first chapter of the acts verse . that after his passion he shewed himselfe alive unto them , by many infallible proofes , being seene of them forty dayes , and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdome of god , whereby wee see cleerely , that he shewed himselfe on many other dayes then the first of the weeke . for saint luke had not said , that he was seene of them forty dayes by many infallible proofes , if hee had not beene seene of them but five or sixe dayes of these forty . and there is no appearance , that he was forty dayes on earth after his resurrection , to shew himselfe only every first day of the week , and to withdraw himselfe , remaining solitary and apart , all the dayes betweene . in the one and twentieth chapter of saint iohn ver . . wee see that he shewed himselfe to them on a day when they were gone a fishing , commanded them to continue their fishing , and did then a notable miracle , neither is it said , that it was the first day of the weeke : and if it was , they wrought on it , and kept it not holy . moreover , when it is said in the twentieth chapter of saint iohn verse . that eight dayes after the first day of the weeke wherin he first appeared unto them , he shewed himselfe again to his disciples , a question may be made , if it was on another first day of the weeke . for this should be true , if in the number of eight be included the first day of the weeke , and the eight day following : but if they be not included and if we take the words of the apostle , that after eight dayes fulfilled and past , iesus shewed himselfe unto them , as the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , beare that sence , then it was not on another first day of the weeke , but one the next day after that he stood in the midst of them . and so the argument built upon this sand shall fall to the ground . neither doth the sending of the holy ghost upon the disciples and apostles assembled on pentecost day evince a divine institution of the lords day , granting that it was also on the first day of the weeke . for by what consequence shall it follow , that by this miracle iesus christ intended to make that day an ordinary day of rest , and of gods service ? seeing by the same reason it will follow , that all the dayes , wherein christ did some solemne action , have beene established and ordained to be stinted and ordinary sabbaths in every weeke : which is not so . chapter fifth . answer to the fourth reason . . fourth reason : the first day of the weeke was kept by the apostle , and the disciples at troas , acts . ver . . . first answer : the words may be taken of a certaine day , and not of the first day of the weeke , &c. . second answer , taking them for the first day of the weeke , it followeth not , that that day was an ordinary sabbath , but only was kept by occasion of the apostles departure on the next morrow . . third answer , it may be that day is named , because of the miracle done on it , and not to shew that it was a sabbath day , seeing the apostle did preach every day wheresoever he sojourned . . nullity of the instance , they assembled to breake bread , that is to celebrate the lords supper . . because that breaking of bread may be taken for a common refection . . . because the christians did every day celebrate the lords supper , without respect to sunday . . fourth answer , nothing can be gathered from the meeting of the disciples at night , to prove the sanctification of the day that went before . . fifth answer , supposing the first day of the weeke was kept at troas , it followeth not that it was kept in all other churches . . sixth answer , putting the case , that it was kept every where , it followeth not that christ or his apostles had ordained it . they alleadge againe out of the twentieth chapter of the acts verse . that paul being come to troas , and the disciples being assembled to breake bread , that is , to celebrate the lords supper , upon the first day of the weeke , st. paul came to their assembly , and preached unto them , continuing his speech untill midnight , being ready to depart on the morrow , &c. where they note that this meeting of the faithfull of troas on the first day of the weeke , is propounded there , as a thing ordinary and accustomed , and not as occasioned extraordinarily by the apostles arrivall to the towne . for it is said in the sixt verse , that he and his company abode there seven dayes ; and in the seventh verse , that upon the first day of the weeke , which was the seventh day preceding his departure on the day following , the disciples being come together he preached unto them . which sheweth manifestly , that he stayed expressely till that first day of the weeke , as being the ordinary day of the meeting of the faithfull : otherwise having been already amongst them five or sixe dayes before , he might have taken as well another day , as that day . to this i answer , first , that there is no necessity to grant , that the assembly of the faithfull of troas mentioned in the foresaid chap. met on the first day of the weeke . for the termes of the originall , which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , may be as wel translated , on a certaine day of the weeke , or on a sabbath day , on a day which was a sabbath . because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken in holy scripture sometimes for the week , sometimes for the sabbath day in the weeke , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes for one , sometimes for the first . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken so in a like construction , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , on a certaine day , lu. . v. . luk. . ver . . luk. . v. . and the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is superfluous , as it is often elsewhere , rom. . v. . and cor. . v. . and cor. . verse . and cor. . verse . this sence is approved , not only as admittable , but also as more probable than any other , by great divines . and although we should explaine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by first , wee may translate , vpon the first day of sabbath , to wit , which occurred in these seven dayes that paul was in troas , and which was the last of seven , so according to this sence an argument may be brought for the iewish sabbath day , rather than for the sunday of christians . but secondly , although we should grant , that the words should be translated upon the first day of the weeke , as the same phrase is taken , luk. . verse . iohn . verse . which interpretation i yeeld unto willingly , it is to no purpose in this question , because upon the meeting of the faithfull of troas the first day of the week , to heare the word of god , it followeth not that the observation of this day was ordinary and regular for the end which is supposed . it may be they did this indifferently on that day , as they did in all other dayes , as they had occasion . it may be also , that they came together on the night of that day , because saint paul was ready to depart on the next morrow , and they desired to see him , to heare him , to receive the communion with him , and recommending him to god bid him the last farewell : as hee likewise was desirous to speake unto them , and to intertaine them immediately afore his departure , which in such an occasion was very convenient and requisite . of such an action done for particular causes , can any reasonable man , with the least shew of reason , inferre a generall custome tyed ordinarily to that day amongst all christians ? it may be likewise , that this their meeting on the first day of the weeke is marked , as an occasion only of the narration which is made incontinently after , of the disaster that befell the young man eutychus , who being fallen into a deepe sleepe in the place of the assembly where paul preached , sunke downe with sleepe from the third loft , and being taken up dead , was miraculously raised to life by the holy apostle : but is not specified , to denote an order accustomed by that church to meet together every weeke on that day . and indeed , seeing paul in the visitation of the churches tooke not heed to the observation of particular dayes , but as long as he abode among them , was carefull to preach and instruct them every day , least he should loose the time and leasure that he had , and which ordinarily was not long in each place , as we may see , acts . verse . and acts . verse , . who shall beleeve , that having taried sixe dayes at troas , he or the disciples let slip sixe of them without any meeting to heare him ? now if they came together in the former dayes , as well as on the first day of the weeke , as it is more seeming to be true , the argument taken from their meeting on the first day of the weeke is utterly undone . if it be said , that they met together on this day , as being a day more solemne then the rest , and because also they came to breake bread , that is to receive the lords supper , the argument is of no value : for the breaking of bread that mention is made of in that place , may be taken , not for the lords supper , but for a common refection , and one of the feasts of charity which in those dayes were frequent amongst the faithfull , as we see in saint iude verse . it may be so taken in the second chap. of the said booke of the acts , as many interpreters in both these places understand it so . and it seemeth that the conference of the verse with the in the second chapter , and of the seventh verse with the eleventh requireth it . moreover , seeing it is most certaine that the apostolike and primitive church did most frequently celebrate the holy supper , yea in many places daily , as may be seene in the foresaid verses of the second chapter of the acts , if they be understood of the lords supper , and in the epistle of saint augustine , second chapter , no man can inferre of the meeting of the faithfull of troas on the first day of the weeke , to communicate to the lords supper , that day to have beene more solemne unto them then any other day of the weeke . and it may be , they delayed the communion till that day , rather than till another , because saint paul was to take his journey on the morrow after , judging they should doe well to end their conversation with him , which they had injoyed during seven dayes , by the celebration of this sacrament , which is a band of friendship and of brotherly conjunction , and so to testifie their mutuall love and christian respects , and by that meanes take and give a full assurance , that their separation and absence in the body , which was to happen the next day , should never be able to disunite it . adde unto this , that no mention being made in the foresaid passage , but of a meeting in night time , which began at the even of this first day of the weeke , without telling us on what exercises the day was imployed by the faithfull , i cannot see how an inference can be made upon a meeting by night , that the day preceding that night was then , and ought to be for ever sanctified for a sabbath day . further , supposing it was an ordinary custome in troas to keepe the first day of the weeke , it followeth not , that it was then observed every where abroad . we find in other places of the acts , as , amongst others , in the ch. v. and in the . ch. v. , . mention made of many meetings of the faithfull , whereof the day is not particularized , and if we consider well the circumstances of these places , it is likely , that it was as well on others dayes of the weeke , as on the first , and that in those dayes christians made no difference of dayes . nay in the booke of the acts we find often , that the faithfull held their assemblies on the sabbath day of the iewes , acts . verse , . act. . verse . act. . verse . &c. but to grant willingly that the churches after they were once established , were wont to keepe the first day of the weeke , that concludes not this day to have been appointed by christ by or his apostles , but onely that it was observed by use and custome , at the first through respect to the resurrection of the lord : which custome grew up afterwards into a constitution of the church , binding all christians unchangeably to the observation of it . chapter sixth . answer to the fifth reason . . fifth reason from the fifteenth chapter of the first epistle to the corinthians , where the observation of the first day of the weeke is commanded by the apostle . . first answer . the apostles words may be understood of a certaine day , or of each day of the weeke . . he doth not establish a generall and continuall order , but a particular collection for that time onely . . second answer . the same words may be interpreted of every sabbath day of the iewes . . third answer . although they should be expounded of the first day of the weeke , they inforce not an apostolicall injunction concerning that day . . because his injunction is of the collection onely , and not of the day . . this is clearely proved by the words the of text. . fourth answer . albeit the apostles had injoyned the keeping of that day , it followeth not that they received it of the lord , because it was onely a point of order left to their wisedome , and all order is in it selfe imitable . . an instance from the fourth chapter to the philippians and the ninth verse . . refuted by three answers . they argue also from the sixteenth chapter of the first epistle to the corinthians vers . , . where the apostle saith , concerning the collection for the saints , as i have given order to the churches of galatia , even so doe ye : vpon the first day of the weeke , let every one of you put aside by himselfe , as god hath prospered him , that there be no gatherings when i come . where they pretend to have found clearely an apostolicall ordinance , injoyning the observation of the first day of the weeke for the exercises of religion . for in these words mention is made of the keeping of it for the collections , which could not be levied so commodiously , as in the ordinary day of ecclesiasticall assemblies . now , as they say , the apostle ordained nothing but what he had received of the lord , cor. . vers . . therefore seeing hee ordained to observe the first day of the weeke , this day must needs be an ordinance of christ and of his apostles . . whereunto i answer , as before ; first , that these words of the originall , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , signifie not necessarily upon the first day of the weeke , or on each first day , but may signifie indefinitely , on a day , on a certaine day , or in each day of the weeke , as they are interpreted by some divines : and so the apostles exhortation shall have this sense , that the corinthians on a certaine day of the weeke at their choice , or on every day of the weeke , should keepe in store by themselves a part of the goods that god had liberally bestowed upon them , that the whole summe which should be gathered amongst them , might be laid out for the subvention of the faithfull of ierusalem , which at that time was required of them , and be ready at his comming . . for this is worthy to be noted , that the apostle doth not establish in these words a generall and continuall order of collections to bee received , and practised in all the christian churches , for the entertainment of their poore , and publikely levied in their meetings and congregations , but onely a particular collection , which he enjoyned to the church of the corinthians , and to some other churches of the gentiles , for the poore strangers of iudea , which collection he himselfe was to come and to receive , after he had sent before him some of the brethren to put it in order : whereof hee advised the corinthians aforehand , that they might prepare it before his comming , and that nothing more were to be done at his comming . this is manifest by the second , third , and fourth verses of this chapter : by the eighth and ninth chapters of the second epistle , and by the fifteenth chapter of the epistle to the romanes , vers . . he required also , that it should be prepared , not by a publike distribution in the ecclesiasticall assemblies , but by a particular separation , that every one should make a portion of his goods at home , and by himselfe : for such is the meaning of the words in the originall , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , let every one of you lay aside by himselfe , putting in store , as god hath prospered him : which words doe signifie a particular and domesticall reservation , and not a publike distribution , which consequently was to be done indifferently in any day whatsoever , according as every one should have the commoditie , till the apostles comming , and was to cease , after he ( at his comming ) had received the whole summe that these contributions should amount unto . and so of this passage cannot be gathered the observation of any day , and farre lesse of the first day of the weeke , for ecclesiasticall meetings , whereof , according to this exposition , which hath a great likenesse of truth , no mention is made in it . but secondly , although the apostle had intended to stint the corinthians to a particular day , wherein they were to put a part , every one with himselfe , a portion of their goods , to goe and distribute it that same day in their ecclesiasticall assemblies ; for all that , it appeareth not that he meant by that day the first day of the weeke ; for these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , may be translated in this other sense , on a sabbath day , or on every sabbath day , as excellent interpreters alleage , and approve this exposition ; and hath nothing for the divine institution of our sunday . thirdly , put the case that the apostle speaketh of the first day of the weeke , as of a day appointed for ecclesiasticall meetings , and in them for gods service , and for publike collections , no other thing can be proved from thence , saving that it was a custome received in the church of corinth , in the churches of galatia , and probably in others , to meet together on the first day of the weeke , but in no wise that the apostle had given them an injunction concerning that day . it is true , that in the foresaid words mention is made of an injunction given by the apostle , but of the collections only , not of the time wherein they were to be made , which time the apostle supposeth onely , as received and observed among them on the first day of the weeke , but commandeth it not . fo● the words are , concerning the collection for the saints , as i have given order to the churches of galatia , even so doe yee , cor. . vers . . where we see the injunction hath reference to the collections , as to the end thereof , and by no meanes to the day that they were to be levied in . he saith againe in the next verse , upon the first day of the weeke let every man lay aside by himselfe , and put in store , &c. where also the injunction is of the collection , and the day is not named by way of commandement , but onely as supposed to be ordinary for the ecclesiasticall meetings , and consequently for the collections . i say therefore , that it appeareth not , that the apostles have instituted the first day of the weeke . but although they had ordained it , it should not follow , that they had received of the lord an expresse commandement so to doe . it is true , that in matters concerning the doctrine of the gospel , and things essentiall to gods service , they have taught nothing , but what they received of the lord , as the apostle protested , cor. . vers . . and as christ had given them the commandement , matth. . vers . . but as for things which are wholly of order , they had power to dispose and ordaine of them with christian wisedome , as they should thinke fit . of that hath beene said we may see the vanity of the argumentation framed by some divines , upon the words of the apostle to the philippians , chap . vers . . the things which ye have both learned and received , and beard , and seene in me , do them . they saw in him the observation of the first day of the weeke , which we call sunday : therefore he willeth them to keepe also that day . whereunto i answer , first , that by a like ratiocination they may conclude , that the apostle would have the faithfull to observe and celebrate all the dayes of the week , but namely the sabbath of the iewes : for he was heard and seene often preaching all the dayes of the weeke , but principally every sabbath day : for his manner was to doe so , acts . vers . . secondly , that the foresaid argumentation may have some value , it must presuppose , that it was an order established by the apostle , and observed regularly by him , to celebrate the first day of the week . for to beleeve , that whatsoever he was seene to do sometimes accidentally and by occasion , the faithfull ought necessarily to doe it alwayes , were a too great impertinency . for he was seene shave his head , according to the ceremony of the mosaicall nazareat . num. . vers . . acts . vers . . acts . vers . . . and circumcise timothy acts . v. . but such a presupposition hath no foundation , as hath beene shewed . thirdly , the apostle himselfe betokeneth by the connexion of the . vers . with the . going before , what things he would have the philippians to do by imitation of his example , and according to his instructions , to wit , whatsoever things are true , honest , just , pure , loveable , of good report , if there be any vertue , or any praise ; that is , these things properly which are a part of godlinesse towards god , and of love towards the neighbour . but to observe for gods service the first day of the weeke , rather than an other day , is not of that nature , as being a thing meerely indifferent , and established by custome onely . it is also a conjecture without apparance , that the apostle among the things which he designeth in the ninth verse , meant to comprise the observation of sunday . chapter seventh . answer to the sixth reason . . sixth reason . mention is made in the revelation , chap. . vers . . of the lords day . . answer . it may be so called in two other respects , rather than that which is pretended . . instance . it is called the lords day , because he ordained it , as for that cause the sabbath is called the lords rest , the eucharist the lords supper . . nullitie of this instance . . many excellent divines of the protestant churches speake of the first day of the weeke , as of a custome of the church , not as a commandement of christ. it is said in the first chapter of the revelation and the tenth verse , that iohn was in the spirit on the lords day : whence also they would faine inferre , that the first day of the weeke , which hath obtained the name of the lords day , was instituted by the lord iesus , or by his apostles to be a day dedicated to the exercices of godlinesse . but from hence we cannot conclude a divine or apostolicall institution of that day , for s. iohn might make mention of that day , in respect of the lords rising on such a day , and not to signifie that it ought to be appointed , or was already set a part more solemnely than any other day , for gods service , and for the commemoration of christs benefits , and especially of his resurrection . yea although he had qualified it with this title , in respect of the consecration thereof , which was ordinary at that time , and in consideration whereof it had commonly the name of the lords day amongst christians in their times , as it hath had many hundred yeeres sithence in the christian church , which honoureth the first day of the weeke with the name of the lords day , it followeth not , that this consecration did proceed from the institution of christ , or of his apostles ; seeing it might be founded in the onely practice and custome brought in among the faithfull . * the ancient fathers speaking of the observation of sunday , give no other reason thereof , saving the lords resurrection on that day , and not any commandement of the lord , which they had not forgotten , if there had beene any . certaine divines , without any shew of good reason , will hold us in hand , that the first day of the weeke is called the lords day , even as the seventh day is called the lords rest , and the holy supper , the supper , or the table of the lord , to wit , not onely in consideration of their end , which is , to be a memoriall , that of gods rest after the creation , this of christs death , but also of their institution , which is from the lord himselfe . it is true indeed , that the one and the other are so called in these two respects . but this is also most true , that wee have in holy scripture an expresse declaration , that god of old gave to the iewes the seventh day , because on it he rested , and would have it to be a signe that he was the lord that sanctified them . it is true also , that iesus christ instituted the holy supper in the roome of the ancient passeover , to be a memoriall of his death , not a simple memoriall , but a sacrament exhibitive and confirmative of the benefits flowing from his death , which it could not be , but by an expresse institution from himselfe , necessary in all sacraments , because otherwise they cannot be sacraments . it is not so of this day which is called the lords day . for we finde not any institution or subrogation thereof in roome of the ancient sabbath day , neither by the lord himselfe , norby his apostles : and it may be the faithfull called it the lords day , in regard of that solemne action of our lord iesus christ , when on it he rose from the dead , an action whereof they thought fit to make in it an ordinary and weekely commemoration . the place . where the holy assemblies meet together , is called in greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in dutch , ( and scots ) kirk , by abbreviation ( in english , church ) as if we should say , the lords place , albeit there be no such place of the lords institution , but onely of the churches , who gives that name to the temples , because they are consecrated to the lords service . and wherefore , i pray , might not likewise the first day of the weeke be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the day of the lord , seeing the church hath appointed it to the honour and service of the lord , which she might doe , without any necessity of a divine institution by iesus christ our lord , or by his apostles ? this was the meaning of many of our most excellent divines , which speake of the observation of the first day of the weeke , as of an observation proceeding , not from some apostolicall commandement , which is not to be found in the gospel , but from a custome introduced and received in the christian churches : custome which in it selfe is free , and without obligation of conscience : they acknowledge also , that the argument drawne from the appellation of the lords day , is weak . their testimonies i might recite in this place and oppose them to the testimonies taken from others that are of a contrary opinion . but my intention is to dispute by reasons , and not by authorities of men , which in this point are different . chapter eighth . answer to the seventh reason . . seventh reason . the first day of the weeke is to be sanctified , in remembrance that christ on it ended the worke of our redemption . . first answer . this assertion is false . . second answer . christ fulfilled our redemption by his death meritoriously . . third answer . he hath fulfilled it by actuall execution after his ascension . . fourth answer , declaring the use of christs resurrection . . a notable difference betweene the day of christs resurrection and the day of gods rest . . the day of christs resurrection hath no advantage above the day of his passion , &c. . the true cause of the first observation thereof . . all that is said of the first day of the weeke being granted , it followeth not , that it hath any naturall obligation to be kept . of that hath beene said in the former chapters , it is apparent , that the passages , whereby our opponents pretend to prove , that the lord , either immediately by himselfe , or by his apostles , hath instituted the first day of the week for his solemne service , doe not prove any such thing : but they take another argument from that which is constant by the story of the gospel ; which is , that the first day of the weeke iesus christ rose againe from the dead : as if this day , for this only cause , that christs resurrection happened on it , had beene sanctified unto us , and obligeth us to a religious and solemne observation thereof . for , say they , christ rising from death to life on the first day of the weeke , came victorious out of the great combate which he had sustained , and rested from the dolorous and painfull travels which he had suffered in his death , and so ended the worke of the redemption of the church , and re-established it into a new estate . so the day that he rose in , was a new day , which he brought , as it were , from the sepulchre for her sake . and therefore if the day wherein god rested from the creation of the world was to be sanctified under the old testament , in remembrance and to the honour of that worke , so long as there was not another more excellent then it ; by the same reason , yea farre more , the day wherein christ rising hath accomplished the wonderfull worke of redemption , which is a second creation of a new world , farre more excellent than the first , was to bee sanctified under the new testament , in remembrance , and to the honour of this great worke , and the other day to give place unto it . i have already said diverse things pertaining to the solution of this argument . but i adde over and besides , and for better illustration , that it is grounded upon an attribution given to the resurrection of christ , of things , which being exactly considered , shall be found , that they belong not unto it , neither particularly , nor properly , as to have fulfilled the worke of our redemption , and second creation , and to have re-established the world , or the church in the world , into a new estate . which things , if we speake of fulfilling them by merit , or of purchasing the right to performe them really , have beene fulfilled by the death and passion of christ , which is the price of our redemption , whereby both the state of grace here below , and of glory in heaven is purchased unto us . but if we speake of fulfilling them by actuall execution , they have beene performed by the vertue of christs divinity , after his ascension into heaven , from whence he sent the holy ghost upon his apostles , to beget and assemble his church here beneath in all the parts of the world , by their ministry . the resurrection hath no other correspondency to the meritorious fulfilling of those things , but of a token and marke , evident , certaine and necessary , that christ by his death hath merited them unto us , having payed a most sufficient price for our redemption , which had not appeared to be , yea , on the contrary , had seemed not to be , and indeed had not beene at all , if christ had remained in the grave of death , and had not risen againe : even as the comming of a debtor out of prison , is a demonstration that he hath payed , although it bee not the payment it selfe . but if he did remaine alwayes in prison , that were an evident signe that he hath not satisfied . we must take in this sence the apostles words saying ; rom. . verse . that christ died for our sinnes , and rose againe for our justification , that is , to demonstrate that justification is purchased unto us by his death , and withall to confer and apply it unto us efficaciously . to which efficacious collation and application of all that was purchased by the death of christ , and to the actuall accomplishment of the second creation , and of the re-establishment of the church into a new estate , his resurrection hath no correspondency , but as a necessary antecedent thereunto . for it was necessary hee should rise , as also ascend into heaven , that from thence he might operate that great and notable alteration . wherein is seene a manifest difference betweene the day of christs resurrection , and the seventh day that god rested in from the worke of creation . for this day followed the creation finished and intirely effected , and it was a rest from it already done and accomplished : but that day cannot be called the day of rest from the second creation , saving only as it was merited by the death of christ : for it goeth and that many dayes before the actuall execution thereof , sith christ began not properly to frame and establish the church of the new testament till many dayes after he rose againe . wherefore there is by no meanes the like reason to keepe the day of christs resurrection , as there was to keepe the sabbath day . yea the day of the resurrection in it selfe hath no advantage beyond the dayes of christs passion , or ascension , or of pentecost , wherein came to passe the solemne sending of the holy ghost , wherby it was more worthy to be observed then they . for it was inferiour to the day of christs passion and death , in regard of the merit to purchase , and to the day of pentecost , in regard of the efficacy to communicate the spirituall and heavenly gifts . the ascension day is conforme and equall unto it in the same correspondency , both to the acquisition , and to the execution of the establishment of the church . the preferring of it by the faithfull to all other dayes , to bee kept ordinarily as a solemne day , came not from any worthier prerogative that it hath in it selfe , but because on it began to shine upon the faithfull a new light of joy and comfort . the death and buriall of christ had filled their hearts with sorrow , and abated their hope , because it seemed to them , that his death , and the sepulchre had taken him away , and ravished him out of the world for evermore . no wonder , for they knew not in the beginning the nature nor the consequences of that great humiliation , as is apparent by the discourse of the two disciples going to emmaus , luke . verse . after then that he rose againe , shewing himselfe to be the sonne of god with power , romans . v. . and that their hopes were revived by his resurrection , they thought fit to observe solemnly and weekely the day thereof , which began their joy , shewing unto them the first beames of the rising of the sunne of righteousnesse , rather than others which afterward increased it much by a greater manifestation of his glorious brightnesse , though they were not lesse unworthy to be kept and as frequently : and further they did it to change the ancient day of the law , into a new day of the gospell . in which change , that there was a convenient reason it cannot be denyed : the thing i deny is , that there was any necessary reason thereof . yea although all that in the objection is attributed to the day of the resurrection did belong unto it properly and particularly , it should not follow that in vertue thereof , and by a naturall consequence , the said day ought to be observed , rather than any other . for if the day that god rested in from the worke of the creation , had no naturall obligation in it , tying men to the observation thereof , but it was gods commandement onely that bound them to that duty , no more can the day wherein christ rested , though in another respect which is not so proper , from the worke of redemption , oblige us of it selfe to observe it . to tye our consciences to such an observation , it must needs have a divine institution , whereby god hath commanded us to observe it , which , i say , is not to be found . chapter ninth . answer to the eighth reason . . eight reason , from the excellency of things done on the first day of the weeke . . first answer . besides that this assertion is uncertaine , it proveth nothing . . second answer , it is grounded upon a superstitious opinion of the perfection and mysticall signification of the number of seven . . seeing there is no certainty in the observation of numbers , and the scripture maketh mention of other numbers observed in many things . . whence no solid argument can be gathered , and are disclamea by many which dispute for the authority and preeminence of the first day of the weeke . . in what sence the number of seven is called mysterious , and that there is no mysterie in it under the new testament . some fetch an argument from diverse solemne things recited in holy scripture , which they marke to have beene done on the first day of the weeke , as that on it the light was created , the pillar of a cloud covered at first the people of israel , manna rained from heaven upon them , aaron and his children began to exercise the priest-hood , god at first blessed his people solemnely , gave the law on the mount sinai , christ was borne , baptized , turned water into wine , fed five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes , shall come from heaven to judge the quicke and the dead . but , it is most uncertaine , that all these things were done on the first day of the weeke . for the scripture saith no such thing : besides this , although all these things had beene done on the first day of the weeke , it shall never follow by any necessary argument , that for such a cause the first day of the weeke ought to be solemnized under the new testament . diverse other things very solemne may be found , which god and iesus christ effected in other dayes of the weeke , whereof we might conclude with as great probability , that under the new testament the day wherein they were performed ought to be solemnized . this argument is like to another that is produced , to prove the necessity of the observation of one day of seven , when it is said , that this number of seven is perfect and mysterious , and hath beene observed in the scripture in diverse things , which some have searched with great curiosity , but with no profit . for there is no certainty to bee found in this observation of numbers . some for some reason find a great perfection in one number , and others for other reason give the preference of perfection to another number . the mathematicians doe hold the number of six for the most perfect , and the first of perfect numbers . and if the scripture pointeth out unto us the number of seven observed in many things , she doth the like in other numbers . the author of ecclesiasticus chapter . verse . and chapter . verse . saith , that god in all his workes hath observed the number of two and made them all double , coupling two and two , one against another . wee marke that god in the beginning made the two principall parts of the world , heaven and earth , two great lights the sunne and the moone , of all living creatures the male and female , in wedlocke two in one flesh . there were two tables of the law , two cherubims upon the ark , two precious stones wherin were graved the names of the twelve children of israel , and put upon the shoulders of the ephod . every day two lambes were offered in sacrifice to god , there be two testaments , two great commandements , two ordinary sacraments of the iewish , and as many of the christian church . hee that would search particularly all things subsisting in this number of two , or of three , or of foure , might devise thereupon a thousand mysteries . in summe , such arguments have no solidity . many also which dispute for the necessity of the sabbath in one of seven dayes , and for the divine authority of the first day of the weeke , disclaime them , acknowledging freely , that christ had no respect to these faire actions which are pretended to have beene done on the first day of the weeke under the old testament , and was not moved by them to institute that day for gods service under the new testament : that also these mysteries of the number of seven have no certainty , and were not the cause of the institution of one of the seven dayes of the weeke , to be a day of rest , and that god had no regard unto them in that institution . for rather , if the number of s●v●n be in the scripture a mysticall number , which i would not deny absolutely , seeing that among all other numbers it is used in it to denote perfection and perpetuity , it must be gods observation thereof from the beginning , when he rested on the seventh day , that made it mysterious , and the cause why god useth it , rather than any other day , in holy scripture , to denote perfection , for as much as he ordained and established the seventh day wherein he rested , for figure and type of the heavenly , perfect , and eternall rest which he hath prepared for all those that are his : but this consideration is of no force to make the number of seven or the seventh day to be mysterious under the new testament , and to be kept as a day of rest . for the types and mysticall figures of the heavenly rest , which god had established under the ancient testament , bind not christians under the new testament , seeing all old things are past away , and behold , all things are become new , cor. . ver . . chapter tenth . answer to the allegations of some pretended instances , conjectures , and inconveniences . . first instance . the observation of the first day of the weeke hath as solid foundations in the scripture , as hath the baptisme of little children . . first answer . baptisme is commanded in the new testament to all those that are in the covenant , wherin little children are comprised . . but there is no commandement in the new testament to observe one of the seven dayes of the weeke . . second answer , although our saviour hath substituted baptisme to the circumcision , he hath not put any set day in the roome of the iewish sabbath . . third answer , the observation of the first day of the weeke from the beginning , inforceth not a divine institution therof , no more than the observation of easter , and of other holy dayes , which are of as old date . . second instance , of diverse judgements upon those that have neglected or contemned the observation of the first day of the weeke , answered . . third instance , man is naturally averse from the sanctification of the first day of the weeke . . answer , shewing that he is sluggish and backward in gods service , not in keeping of dayes . . fourth instance , of diverse inconveniences that shall follow , if the observation of the first day of the weeke be not a divine institution . . answer to the first inconvenience , that the church should bee lady and mistresse of the sabbath , if it depend on her institution , shewing how the church may and may not sanctifie a day for gods service . . first answer to the second inconvenience , that she may appoint as many or as few dayes for gods service as pleaseth her . shewing that both extremities must be avoyded . . second answer , the church hath not failed in either of them . . third answer , the church in her reformation hath taken order with the multiplication of holy dayes , and brought them within a little compasse . . answer to the third inconvenience , that the church might change the lords day into another , shewing that she might have done so in the beginning . . the fourth inconvenience , that the appointing of a day for gods publike service injoyned in the fourth commandement , should depend on the church , is no inconvenience . . saving in case no day were appointed , which is not to bee feared . . answer to the fifth inconvenience , that many men will neglect the keeping of the first day of the weeke , if they be perswaded that it is not a divine institution , shewing , that profane men will , religious men will not . . this answer is confirmed by daily experience . all the foresaid arguments , taken in some sort from the scriptures , being most weak , as is cleere by what hath been said , it is to no purpose that some of those with whom we are indifferent , dare say , that the keeping of sunday hath as good a foundation , and prop in the scripture , as hath the baptizing of little children . for although we find no expresse commandement in the new testament to baptisme little children , no more than to keepe sunday or the first day of the weeke for a seventh day of rest , yet we find baptisme expressely ordained by iesus christ , to be a seale of the covenant of grace , and of gods promises contained therein , which because they appertaine to little children , as s. peter saith , act. . verse . and that in a manner so expresse , that st. paul affirmeth the children of faithfull parents to be holy , cor. . ver . . we conclude very pertinently , that the seale of these promises , which is baptisme , pertaineth to them . but we find not any ordinance in the gospell to observe the seventh day , neither in generall , nor in particular , neither i say , one of the seven dayes of the weeke in generall , nor in particular the first day , or any other comprised in the order of seven . the commandement to observe the seventh day under the old testament was ceremoniall as was gods ordinance concerning circumcision , and had in the law of the decalogue the same respect that circumcision hath in the covenant of grace . and as our lord iesus christ leaving the covenant of grace , firme and steady , hath abolished the signe of circumcision ; even so leaving the law stable in the principall substance thereof , which is the whole morality therof , he hath abolished the ceremony of the seventh day established in it of old . yet although he thought fit to put in the place of circumcision , which was ministred to little children , and which he hath abolished , the holy sacrament of baptisme , which consequently ought to be ministred to infants , he hath not judged convenient to doe the like , by establishing another stinted day in the roome of the seventh iewish day , which he hath abrogated . for if he had esteemed it convenient , hee had left us an institution thereof as expresse as of baptisme , which he hath not done , but was pleased to leave to the wisdome and liberty of the church the appointing of a time for his service . as indeed the church from her first beginnings , and as it were from her cradle , hath observed sunday . but of this practise and custome so long continued , some doe inferre too rashly , that the keeping of sunday is an institution of iesus christ or of his apostles . for by the same reason may be inferred , that the keeping of easter , and of some other holy dayes under the gospell , is a divine institution , because it hath beene practised in the church from her first age , not long after the times of the apostles . to which conclusion these disputers wil not consent unto , because our lord iesus christ hath made us free from the necessity of keeping feasts , by any divine obligation as is evident by the texts of saint paul alleadged and explaind in the first part of this treatise . the truth is , that custom hath introduced , and ever fithence hath intertained that day , and some other holy dayes in the church , without any commandement of iesus christ , or of his holy apostles , which also socrates hath recorded in the fifth book of his ecclesiasticall history ch. . they produce also examples of divers judgements of god upon sundry persons , who neglected or contemned the lords day , whence they would prove , that god thereby hath ratified the observation thereof , as ordained by him . whereunto i answer , that undoubtedly god may have punished many for the profanation of the lords day , not because he hath ordained and commanded it , but because ( according to the order of the church ) this day hath beene appointed for the excrcises of religion , which hee hath commanded . all persons which set at nought the preaching of the word , the administration of the sacraments , publike and common prayers in the assemblies of the faithfull , and the order of the church , whereby these holy actions are ordinarily practised on the first day of the weeke , deserve ( in the righteous judgement of god ) to be punished with exemplary and publike plagues : and when the wrath of god is revealed from heaven against their ungodlinesse , the cause of their punishment ( to speake properly ) is the carelesse disregard of the holy congregations , of the religious and fruitfull exercises practised in them , and of the order of the church , and not any necessity proceeding from a commandement given of god , to observe the first day of the weeke , rather than another day . they urge also the backwardnesse which is naturally in men to the sanctification of the lords day , which is our sabbath day . all wicked men are altogether averse unto it , and the faithfull and truly regenerate too remisse and restie . of this they inferre , that the commandement concerning the sabbath is morall , and the lords day is a divine institution , considering the great contradiction and opposition of the flesh against it . but it is easie to answer this argument . for this rebellion and stubbornnesse of the flesh , is not simply against sunday , no more than against another day , but against the keeping and applying of sunday to serve god , to heare his word , to powre out prayers before him , to meditate on godlinesse and other exercises of religion , whereunto the naturall man hath no inclination , no more in other dayes , than on the day that is stinted for them . for otherwise , to to observe a day for passing the time in sporting , in gaming , or in worldly solemnities , the flesh is too too forward to that . whence it followeth , that verily gods service , true religion , and godlinesse in it selfe is a morall thing established of god , seeing the flesh is so averse unto it . but it is not necessary , that the keeping of a certaine day of sabbath , as of sunday , should be of the same nature , because the flesh hath no aversion to that , saving in as much as the observation of such a day is ordained for gods service . but say they , if one of seven dayes ( and namely sunday ) be not under the new testament necessary to be kept by divine institution , but onely by the order of the church , it shall follow , that the church hath authority of her selfe to sanctifie a day for gods service , and consequently , that she is lady and mistresse of the sabbath , which prerogative pertaineth not to her , but to god alone . that if she hath that authority , she may ordaine as many , and as few dayes as pleaseth her , make all the dayes , or the most part of the dayes of the weeke sabbath dayes , or onely one of ten , or of fifteene , or of a whole yeere , if she will. that particularly , she may change sunday into another day , which should be absurd , seeing there shall never be any action so important to oblige us to the keeping of another day , as was the resurrection of our lord iesus christ , which fell upon the first day of the weeke , and to move us to consecrate that day to be a sabbath day . that easter , whitsunday , and other holy dayes instituted by the church , shall be equall in authority to sunday . that there shall be nothing in the fourth commandement injoyned to particular men , saving , perhaps to keepe the time which shall be appointed in the church , whereupon they shall brabble and strive about the number of dayes ; namely , about the particular day which is to bee observed , some jarring for one day , some for another , and so contending one against another , without hope of agreement , and comming to a certaine resolution . yea , they shall take licence themselves , to observe any day whatsoever they shall thinke good , and dispence with keeping of sunday , when they shall thinke that they are not tied unto it by gods commandement . i answer , that none of these inconveniences is to bee feared . as for the first , that the church should have authority to sanctifie a day for gods service , if so be god hath not appointed one , i see no inconvenience in it . it is true , that it is gods prerogative exclusively to all men and angels , to sanctifie a thing , if sanctification be taken for a reall and inherent sanctification , by impression of holinesse in the thing , or if a thing is to be sanctified , to bee an essentiall part , and properly so called , of gods service . for god will be served according to his ordinances , and not according to the ordinances of men . but this is not the sanctification that wee treat of here , for a day is not susceptible of such an impression of holinesse . and to speake properly , it maketh no part of gods service under the new testament , but is onely an accidentall circumstance thereof , whereof god hath left the determination to the liberty of the church . for in that he hath not in himselfe given an expresse , and particular ordinance concerning it ; hee hath testified that hee did leave that power to his church , teaching her onely in generall to doe it conveniently . and indeed , doth not she sanctifie places , when she appointeth , and setteth them apart , that in them god may be served ? doth she not sanctifie times , other than sunday , ordaining fasting dayes , when necessity doth require it ; and feast dayes , which she causeth to be solemnized in remembrance of the birth , passion , ascension of iesus christ , and of the sending of the holy ghost , &c. all christians hold this sanctification to bee indifferent , and no man brings her authority in question in that respect , neither doth any blame the holy use of those dayes , providing shee carry her selfe wisely , and keepe a due proportion and fit moderation in her stinting of them . why then might she not in the same manner , after iesus christ had abolished the iewish sabbath , sanctifie the first day of the weeke , to be an ordinary day of gods service , in remembrance , that on it christ rose from the dead ? wherein she takes not upon her a masterie that belongs not unto her . it is true , that she is not mistresse of the sabbath , to change a day that god hath ordained , and to dispence at her pleasure with the keeping thereof . but since there is no day ordained of god to the christian church for his service , and that which he had ordained of old being expired , she hath as great authority to appoint a day for gods service , as to ordaine other circumstances and helpes thereof . to the second inconvenience , i say , that the two extremities of excesse and defect are to be avoided in this point : for there must be , neither so many holy dayes ordained , that the faithfull bee inthralled and surcharged with them , as with an onerous yoke , which they are not able to beare , act. . vers . . nor so few , that they become unto them an occasion to give themselves over unto profanenesse and irreligion . it is certaine , that a day ordinary and frequent is necessary for many good and excellent uses , as for the maintenance of the true religion & godlines , of union and christian society among the faithfull , for the celebration of the name of god , and conservation of the remembrance of his benefits towards us , by hearing the same word , receiving the same sacraments , and above all , by common-prayers , and other points of divine service , which being practised in the same time and place with an holy affection , by many faithfull incouraging and exhorting one another , both by word and by example , are of great efficacie and availe much with god. if there were not such a day , these exercises not being practised ordinarily , these duties would also easily decay by little and little , and men would become slacke and faint-hearted in the performance of them : as on the contrary , if this day returned too often , and the one upon the heele of the other , that might bee troublesome to the faithfull , and would not onely incommodate them in their temporall affaires , which god is well pleased they apply themselves unto , but also would make the exercises of religion to bee grievous and loathsome unto them , by reason of their infirmities in this life . therefore the church ought not to sinne in this point , neither by excesse , nor by defect , and farre lesse through defect than through excesse , but having the establishing of gods publike service committed to her wisedome , ought to refraine from establishing , either an excessive number of dayes , lest shee should render the yoke too heavie ; or too few , as one in a fortnight , in a moneth , in a yeere , or in many yeeres , lest she should seeme to be slightly affected to devotion , and carelesse of gods service . for dayes so rare , and so distant , should not be sufficient for the entertainment of the ends above specified , which be so necessary for her edification . also god hath so governed her by his providence , that although iesus christ hath given her no ordinance for a particular day , yet we see that from her beginnings she hath alwayes kept at least one in the weeke , to wit , sunday , not through an opinion that in a seventh day there was some greater moment and efficacie for the entertainment of godlinesse , & for the obtaining of gods blessing , then in another number , but judging it a fit and convenient thing to keepe the distinction of weekes , which was already accustomed and usuall in the church , and to consecrate to god as many dayes , at least , as did the church of the iewes ; that is one of seven in ordinary , and some others extraordinarily , returning and following the one the other afarre off , as from yeere to yeere in remembrance of some things considerable , either in the person of iesus christ , or of some of his most excellent servants . this hath by time growne to a great abuse , through the multiplication of too many and divers feasts , serving almost for no use , but for idlenesse and riot : this we see in the romane church , which hath ordained an excessive number of holy dayes , not onely to the honour of god , but also of angels , of he and she saints of paradise ; yea , of sundry which having never beene men on earth , cannot be saints in heaven : to which dayes they oblige mens consciences , as to dayes more holy , and more capable to sanctifie the actions of religion done in them , than all other dayes ; nay , as more holy than those things which god hath commanded , founding that attempt ( but most fondly ) upon the fourth commandement . therefore the church , in her reformation , hath most justly redressed this abuse , and hath reduced the observation of the time of gods service , either to sunday onely in the weeke , or besides to a few moe , more rare in their revolution , and consecrated to the honour of god alone , to be observed onely for orders sake , and for ecclesiasticall government , that in them her children may apply themselves more particularly , then they doe on other dayes , to gods service , but without tying the consciences of the faithfull farther than to the order of the church ; not urging the holy dayes obligatorie immediately on gods part . to the third inconvenience , that she may change sunday into another day , if the stinting of a day depend on her . i answer , that happily she might in the beginning have made choice of another number than of seven , and in the number of seven of another than the first , which is sunday . for although it be true , that since the resurrection of christ , no action hath , or shall be done so important as this , which came to passe on the first day of the weeke , it followeth not , that the remembrance of that action was of necessity to be celebrated once in the weeke , and that a day should bee appointed for that end , more than for the remembrance of others of the lords wonderfull actions , or that the church was tied by necessity to appoint the first day of the weeke for that purpose , rather then another day , upon the sole consideration , that it happened on that day , which in it selfe is not more obligatory now , than it was then ; because the celebration of christs actions , in any day whatsoever , is ( in it selfe ) a thing indifferent , and the lord doth not require , that we tie our selves to the dayes wherein they were performed . and so this consideration was no hinderance , why in the beginning the church might not have made choice of another day then sunday . but seeing sunday is established by a long custome , for the regular and ordinary day of gods service , seeing the faithfull christians kept it in the beginning , through respect to the resurrection of christ , and so it is become usuall every where by degrees , seeing also time hath confirmed this custome , and it hath beene ratified by imperiall constitutions , and divers ecclesiasticall ordinances , i esteeme it should be an imprudent and impudent course to attempt the changing thereof into another day . the fourth inconvenience , that particular men shall have nothing injoyned of god unto them in the fourth commandement , nor in any other part of scripture , concerning the time of gods publike service , saving that they observe the time prescribed in the church , according to the will of those that are in authority , is not an inconvenience , but is in effect the whole substance of the commandement , in regard of particular men , to whom god having injoyned in the three former commandements , to serve him particularly every day , and upon all occasions , in the fourth he injoyneth them to doe it publikely together , and to observe the time appointed for that purpose by ecclesiasticall discipline . the inconvenience to be feared should be , in case no order at all were established in the church for the time of gods publike service , and every particular man were left to his owne choice , which should cause a disordered diversity . but this were to forge feares , where there is no cause . for order hath beene taken with that in the christian church from her beginning , and it hath beene fortified by use and custome , so that particular men , if they happen to come to places where there is no church , no discipline ordered , will not omit , being religiously disposed and fearing god , to observe the day which the christian church hath chused and practised since so many ages . and as god , when he commandeth a frequent resorting to the holy assemblies , giveth no injunction to particular men , but in dependancy upon the order which shall be established in the church for such meetings , even so he tieth them to the same dependancy , when he ordaineth that a certaine time be appointed for the said publike meetings . for the fifth and last inconvenience , some feare least particular men should presume to observe any other day at their leasure , and neglect the keeping of sunday , if they be taught that they are not bound unto it by gods command . whereunto i answer , that if these particulars be profane men , which make light of the exercises of godlinesse , and of the order of the church , in all likelihood they will doe worse , and keepe no day at all . but for such unruly wights wee need to disquiet our selves too much . for it is not in our power to prevent and hinder all the abuses and profanations which they would commit , although they were perswaded that sunday is a divine institution . he that is unjust , let him be unjust still : and he which is filthy , let him be filthy still : nay although they might be recalled , it is not reasonable , that to rescue them we should speake or write any thing against truth . if they be men which take to heart religion and godlinesse , and carry a due respect to the order of the church , no such unrulinesse is to be feared of them : for because the preaching of the word , the administration of the sacraments , publike and common prayers are meanes ordained of god for the maintenance of godlinesse and of true religion , and sunday is established by the order of the church for the practise of these exercises , they will make great account of that day , and observe it , not for its owne sake , knowing that it is not in it selfe more esteemeable , nor more belonging to gods service then another day , not also through opinion that god hath particularly sanctified it by his ordinance , and that their conscience is in that respect more tyed unto it then to another day ; but because they have a speciall regard to the order of the church , which being very good and profitable , they know they are bound to submit themselves unto it , seeing god hath commanded it , although in generall termes , yet most expressely in his holy word . they will also feare to contemne that day , and in so doing to sinne , not in consideration of any dignity of that the day hath of it felfe , or that god hath given it , whereby it should oblige more than another day , and make the contempt thereof more blame worthy ; but in consideration of gods service whereunto it is applyed by the ordinance and custome of the church . so then a particular church will conforme her selfe to the order of all other churches , and the particular members of each church will submit themselves to the order received in it , and so all shall religiously celebrate sunday , because by the order of the church , it hath beene observed so long and in all places where the gospell was preached , for the publike exercise of gods service . to shew that the foresaid inconvenience is not so much to be feared , it is a thing common and well knowne , that our churches ordaine upon diverse occasions extraordinary dayes of fasting , and of particular prayers , and command the whole people to come together for that end in these dayes , which are otherwise common and worke dayes . there are also in many churches yeerely feasts injoyned by the order and discipline of the church , as of the nativity , passion and ascension of christ , &c. wherein the people is gathered together to heare the word of god , and all the parts of divine service . do they not know that god hath not bound them by speciall cōmandement to the observation of such dayes , and that their conscience is not tyed unto them in that name ? and yet we see not any of them under that pretence neglect the keeping of those dayes , or presume to ordaine others at their pleasure . some profane men may attempt such a thing , but honest men which love the word of god , and the exercises of godlinesse , will submit themselves to the order of the church , and observe such dayes , not as i have said , for any particular commandement that god hath given concerning them , seeing in this respect they know they are free , yet through respect and affection towards the order of the church , and true devotion towards the holy exercises whereunto shee hath thought fit to apply such dayes . it is even so of sunday , betweene which and these other dayes there is not in effect any difference in regard of a necessity to keepe them , saving that sunday is more ordinary and frequent then these others are , which being joyned to the antiquity and generality of the observation thereof ever since the beginning of the christian church , hath worthily purchased unto it the precedence of credit and respect , to all other dayes which may be extraordinarily now appointed by the church for the exercises of religion . this is all that i have to say concerning the institution and setting a part of sunday for gods service , which hath beene the matter of the third part of this treatise . the end of the third part. the fovrth part : concerning the observation of the sabbath day under the ancient testament , and of sunday under the new testament . chapter first . what was the observation of the sabbath day under the ancient testament . . the two chiefe points of this fourth and last part . . all servile workes of profit , or of recreation were forbidden on the sabbath day . . yea the least unnecessary workes , as to goe out of doores , to gather manna . . to prepare it on that day . . commandement was given to the people to prepare it the day before . . refutation of the contrary opinion . . how it came to passe that the manna , being kept according to the commandement , did not stinke . . other examples of small things which it was not lawfull to doe on the sabbath day . . workes lawfull on that day were the workes of the ceremoniall law. . workes of love , of mercy and of compassion . . workes of urgent necessity . . whence it is evident , that the observation of the iewish sabbath was very precise and exact . having declared sufficiently the nature of the sabbath day , which was the maine point in this question ; i will dispatch briefely the last point concerning the observation thereof , by a holy rest and cessation of all servile workes commanded of god , and will shew , how farre the iewes were bound unto it under the ancient testament , and how farre , or whether christians are obliged unto it under the new testament : for this also is called in question . this is of it selfe cleere inough by that hath beene already said in the three first parts . neverthelesse to give a more full declaration and satisfaction , i say , that we know sufficiently what was the observation of the sabbath day under the old testament , seeing god had both in generall and particular ordered it by his lawes . in generall he commanded a most exact rest and cessation , and declared it by a redoubling of the words which he makes use of in this point , saying sometimes that the seventh day is a sabbath , or rest of rest , exod. . verse . exod . verse . exod. . ver . . leviticus . verse . that is , a day wherein he would have them to rest most precisely from all workes , as it is said in the same places , which workes he otherwhere intitleth servile workes , leviticus . verse , , , . numbers . verse . that is , appertaining to their temporall and ordinary callings , which they were wont to doe on the sixe former dayes of the weeke , either for profit , or for recreation , and other uses simply civill , domesticke , earthly ; which he particularizeth in diverse places , as for example , to husband the ground , to reape , to cut grapes , to tread wine presses , exod. . verse . nehem. . verse . to buy and to sell , nehem. . verse . hold markets and faires for buying and selling of wares , meat , drinke , to cart , to carry burthens , nehe. . verse , , , . ierem. . verse , , , . to goe out of their houses for any end whatsoever besides their resorting to the holy convocations , as to goe a voyage , and to doe such like actions , exod. . verse . this ordinance to doe no manner of work on the sabbath day , was so precise , that god forbad them to doe the least workes , even those which might be done without travell or distraction . for example , they were interdicted not only to make long and painefull voyages and courses , but also to goe out of doores to walke , although softly , without urgent necessity , as to goe out for to gather manna when they were in the wildernesse , exodus . ver . . which they might have done without paines , because it was to bee found at their doores , and they were not to goe farre , nor to take more paines than to stoope a little , nor bestow above a very short time , and that betimes in the morning , because when the sun waxed hot it melted , neither could that have hindred them from sanctifying the sabbath with all the exercises of gods service . neverthelesse , god forbad them that light and small worke , and least they should take that little and small diversion , purposely he rained not downe manna upon them on that day , but the day before gave them bread for two dayes , and when some of the people went out to see , if there was any on the sabbath day , they were eagerly blamed , as breakers of the sabbath verse , . and thereupon god commanded them to abide every man in his place , and that no man should goe out of his place on that day to gather manna verse . likewise concerning that measure which they had gathered the day before , for the sabbath day , he injoyned them also , to bake and prepare it on the sixt day , and to beware to delay and put off the preparing thereof to the seventh day , least they should profane the sabbath . this is expressely set downe in these words , exod. . verse . to morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the lord : bake that which you will bake to day , and seeth that yee will seeth , and that which remaineth over , lay up for you to bee kept untill the morning . the sense of which words is evident , that as god on the day before the sabbath rained manna for two dayes , so they should prepare it on the same day for two dayes , baking that which they would bake , seething that they would seeth , and frying that they would prepare so , and after they had eaten of it sufficiently for that day , they should lay up the rest so prepared , to be kept untill the next day . for if , as some doe esteeme , god would have suffered them to prepare on the sabbath day that which remained over , and the sense of the foresaid words were onely , that on friday they should prepare and made ready such a portion as they should thinke sufficient for the meat of that day , and keepe the overplus to be prepared the next day , god had not given them on friday bread for two dayes , and had not forborne to raine down manna upon them on the sabbath day . for it had been farre lesse paines unto them to gather on the seventh day the measure that was needfull unto them , then to make it ready afterwards . neither is it likely , that after he had forbidden them , and had taken from them the meanes to gather any on the sabbath hay , hee gave them liberty to bake , seeth , frie and prepare it on that day . therefore when he sent them twice as much manna the day before the sabbath , he did it manifestly , that they might both gather and prepare double portion the same day , and refraine from preparing any on the sabbath day . and wherefore had moses advised them so carefully on friday , rather than on the other dayes to bake that which they had to bake , but to tell them that the same day they ought to bake the double measure which they should gather ? for otherwise this advertisement had beene to no purpose , because they were wont every day to bake the portion which they had gathered for the day , knowing that without a warner . but they could not well know , without information , that they were bound to prepare on the same day the two portions which they had gathered for two dayes . and to shew yet more cleerely , that what they layd up for the next day they kept it baken , moses said not unto them , bake to day that which yee have laid up , but only , eat that to day , for to day is the sabbath unto the lord , verse . which reason was as valuable to hinder them from preparing , as from gathering it , the one being no more necessary then the other . for as god gave them the meanes to gather double measure on the sixt day , so had they on the sixt day the means and leasure to bake and prepare that double measure , and were not constrained by any necessity to reserve a part , or to prepare and bake it on the sabbath day . it is objected against this , that if they had layd by the manna prepared and baken till the next day after , it had not beene a wonder , that it did not stinke , neither was there any worme therein , where neverthelesse is related as a marvell , verse . seeing baking and seething hinder all stinke and breeding of wormes . but this objection hath no weight , and is not to be regarded . for although the manna so prepared might naturally remaine sound and wholesome untill the next day , yet by gods almighty power and righteous judgement , it had stunke and bred wormes , if it had beene kept otherwise then hee had expressely commanded : for undoubtedly , the manna unbaken and unprepared might have beene kept on any other day of the weeke , till the next day , without corruption or any noysome smell . the only cause why it stunke , and bred wormes , was gods prohibition to leave of it till the morning , ver . , . which prohibition , proceeding from so powerfull and righteous a lawgiver , was of such force , that it had stunke , and bred wormes being kept till the next morning of any day whatsoever , although the israelites had done their utmost indeavour , by baking , seething , frying , and by all other possible meanes to keepe it from putrefaction . and therefore it is well noted to the purpose , that being laid up baken and prepared on friday for saturday , it stunke not , because that being done according to gods commandement , he restrained his judgement , which he had displayed in another day , if they had kept it till the next morning . moreover , god gave another prohibition to his people , saying , ye shall kindle no fire thorowout your habitations on the sabbath day , exod. . vers . . although it was an action of little importance , soone done , and bringing no disturbance to gods service . a man went out , and gathered stickes on the sabbath day , for his present necessitie , as it is to be presumed . for this hee was , by gods expresse command , stoned to death , as a manifest transgressour of the commandement concerning the sabbath , numb . . vers . , , , . to say , that he was stoned , not so much for gathering stickes on the sabbath , as for doing it through a too bold contempt of that day , is a supposition uncertaine , and it is farre more likely that he did it through negligence and unadvisednesse , than through contempt and presumptuous audacitie : and that this unwarinesse , whereof he made an open declaration , or some other apparent excuse , wherewith he shielded himselfe , and which was thought to be true , or also the manifest slightnesse of the action was unto them a cause of doubting , if they should put him to death , according to the ordinance of the law , exod. . vers . , . and so much the rather , that god shewed indulgence to those which through errour sinned against his commandements , as may be seene in the same fifteenth chapter of numbers , verse , , . and therefore it was thought necessary in this occasion to consult the mouth of the lord , who ordained , that this man should bee stoned to death by the whole multitude : this he commanded to conciliate so much more credit and reverence to his law touching the sabbath , to give to understand , that it had particular reasons wherfore it ought to be exactly observed , and that the lightest faults against the rest of the seventh day were not pardonable , and to make ( by this example of severity ) the israelites so much the more fearefull to violate the sabbath , and carefull to abstaine in it from all servile workes , even from the least . and indeed , god in the denunciation of the punishments against the transgressours of this law , had not said , that he onely who should profane and vilipend the sabbath , but more generally , that he who should doe any worke therein should be put to death , and so cut off from among his people , as may bee seene in the foresaid . chapter of exodus , verse . also some of the contrary opinion to this which i defend , acknowledge that it is so , and thereupon vouch , that in this rigour of the law , condemning a man to die for gathering stickes on the sabbath day , there was some ceremonie added to the moralitie of the commandement concerning this day , and injoyned to the iewes in that time of infancie , and that it obligeth us no more than other ceremonies annexed at that time to moralities : whereof speech shall be againe made hereafter . mary magdalene , and mary mother of iames , durst not worke on that day , to imbalme christs body , but delayes to doe it , and to buy the spices necessary thereto , till it was past , though they might have done it in a short space , resting on that day , according to the commandement , mark. . vers . . luk. . ver . . and thinking themselves bound to the precise observation of the said commandement , because they knew not that it was abolished by our lord iesus christ. so it is evident , that the observation of the sabbath was to the iewes most precise and exact . neither was it lawfull unto them to doe any outward and corporall workes , saving those that were necessary for the outward and ceremoniall service which god required on that day , as to the levites and priests , to kill and dresse the beasts for the sacrifices , and to burne the fat upon the altar , numb . . vers . . matth. . vers . . to particular men to circumcise their children , iohn . vers . , . to walke a certaine space from home to the place of gods service , where there was an holy convocation ordained of god on the sabbath day , levit. . vers . . which may be gathered out of the second booke of the kings , chap. . vers . . where the husband of the shunamite asked her , wherefore she would goe to the prophets , seeing it was neither new moone , nor sabbath : which sheweth , that it was lawfull to goe on the sabbath day to the places where gods prophets abode to teach the people , or the priests to minister to the lord in things belonging to his service . and this distance of way was by tradition limited and stinted to two thousand common steps , as may be gathered out of the twelfth verse of the first chapter of the acts , where the distance betweene the mount of olives and the towne of ierusalem ( which was of so many steps ) is called a sabbath dayes journey : which tradition and ordinance concerning a sabbath dayes journey , which is not formally prescribed in the law , some are of opinion that it had its originall from the injunction given to the israelites in the second chapter of numbers and the second verse , to pitch under their standards about the tabernacle of assignation over against it , or a little farre off from it . and in the third chapter of ioshua , verse , and . which doe explicate this distance , to goe after the arke of the covenant , keeping betweene them and it the space of two thousand cubites by measure , which journey by consequent they were of necessity to make every sabbath day during their abode in the wildernesse , to come to the tabernacle of assignation where the arke was , and to assist there to the holy convocation ; which by gods command was solemnized on that day , levit. . vers . . which afterward the doctors of the iewes tooke and established for a rule of the journey , which a man might make on the sabbath day for gods service , and for holy and religious ends . there be some who say , that they extended this licence of two thousand cubits , to walke for recreation and pastime . but this hath no ground in the law , as i conceive . moreover , they were also permitted on the sabbath day to doe workes of charity , mercifulnesse , and compassion ; necessary to themselves , or to their neighbours , yea and to their beasts also . as to flie , and to fight , to save their lives , and to defend themselves in time of warre . as eliah threatned by iezebel fled for his life , and went forty dayes and forty nights unto horeb , wherein there were many sabbaths , kings . v. , . as the iewes decreed to defend themselves on the sabbath day , if their enemies came to make battell with them on that day , maccab. . v. . having learned wisdome by the example of their brethren , who being assaulted on the sabbath , chused most unadvisedly to dye rather than to make resistance for their lives , v. , , . as , according to the opinion of some , it was on the sabbath day that the israelites fought against ierico , ios. . verse , , , . and against the syrians , king. . verse . but this is not evident enough . as also to care , dresse , cure , heale sicke folkes , which christ taught the iewes to be lawfull , and did often himselfe , as we see in diverse places of the gospell : as to lay hold on a poore beast , and lift it out of the pit , that it was fallen into on the sabbath day , mat. . ver . , . lead it to watering , give it foode , and doe unto it all other necessary things , luk. . ver . . an important and urgent necessity , which could not be foreseene , prevented , hindred , and admitted no delay , made lawfull unto them on the sabbath day , actions which otherwise had beene unlawful ; as although they were forbidden to prepare meat to eat it on the sabbath day , yet if a man could not get meat to prepare , or was deprived of all possible meanes to prepare the meat he had , nor find meat made ready on the sabbath day , and that he were in danger to starve , i esteeme that rather than he should suffer incommodity in his health , or danger in his life , god was well pleased that hee should prepare some on the sabbath for his sustentation . for upon this ground iesus christ maintained against the pharisees the action of his disciples , who being an hungred in following him plucked eares of corne , and did eat , rubbing them in their hands , mat. . verse . luk. . verse . likewise , although they were forbidden to kindle the fire on the sabbath day , yet if they had beene pinched with some urgent necessity , i doubt not but to kindle the fire had beene acceptable to god. i esteeme , that the like judgement is to be made of all other actions of the like nature , although otherwise forbidden on the sabbath day . these reasons taken from gods service , when externall and corporall actions pertained unto it , from charity and compassion or from some great and urgent necessity , being excepted , it was not lawfull to doe any workes of common and ordinary labour , nay not the least , during either the time of gods service in his house , either afore or after it , publikely or privately in the whole space of . and twenty houres betweene the two evenings , as is evident by the prohibitions , so expresse , so particular , so frequent made concerning that matter . philo in the second booke of the life of moses , saith , that it was not lawfull to the iewes to plucke on the sabbath day a bough , a fruit , a leafe of a tree . and all the rabbins of the iewes , which writ of the observation of the sabbath , goe farre beyond whatsoever is exact and precise in the law of god , forbidding actions farre lighter , and of farre lesser moment , then all those that are particularized in the law. chapter second . what is the obligation of christians to the observation of sunday for the manner of it . . they are not bound by a divine prohibition , and for conscience sake to abstaine from any servile worke . . first reason , the fourth commandement bindeth them not thereunto . . second reason , the order of the church neither doth , nor can oblige their conscience to a iewish abstinence . . third reason , those of the contrary opinion urge not the riged abstinence of the iewes , from all manner of worke . . wherefore they should not urge any abstinence at all , contrary to christian liberty . . for christian liberty extends it selfe equally to all , and is not restrained by the fourth commandement . as for christians living under the new testament , they are not obliged to such an observation of their sunday , as the iewes were to their sabbath day . and i beleeve not , any worke externall , corporall , servile of their ordinary callings , lawfull on another day , to be unlawfull on that day , by a divine prohibition , and obligation of conscience , to abstaine from it in consequence of such a prohibition . this resulteth by necessary consequence from that hath beene said before . for if the fourth commandement , in as much as it prescribeth a certaine day of rest , to wit , a seventh day , or the last of seven , bindeth them not , as hath beene shewed ; there is no reason why it should rather oblige them in the exact prohibition of all worke on the sabbath day , because this was as well a part of the ceremonies and government of the iewish church , as was the appointment of a seventh day of sabbath . if they keepe not their sunday by gods commandement , but according to the order and use of the church , as i have also proved , no more are they bound by gods commandement , to cease on sunday from all their ordinary workes , but only as farre as the use and order of the church established for the publike exercise of gods service on that day doth require it , without any further obligation of their conscience . now this order cannot and should not oblige them to an abstinence like unto that of the iew●s under the o●d testament . for it were needfull for this , that god himselfe had substituted sunday to the sabbath day , and posted over to that day the rigorous right of this day , commanding the same abstinence in the one and in the other ; which is not . the substitution of one day to the other was done by the church , and the reasons of an abstinence so precise on the iewish sabbath , which were wholly typicall , having no place at all in the new testament , the said abstinence ought not to be any more in vigor , neither ought our sunday to usurpe the same rigour of authority over us , to make us refraine from all kind of worke , which the sabbath day possessed over the iewes , by gods expresse commandement . the same is easily proved by good reason , grounded upon things which those against whom we dispute are constrained to advow . for if christians were obliged also to an abstinence of outward and servile workes , which to the iewes were unlawfull on the sabbath day , it must be in consideration and by vertue of the prohibitions given to the same iewes in the fourth commandement , and in other places of the old testament , to doe such workes on that day ; seeing otherwise , to doe them is not a sinne , if we consider the thing absolutely in it selfe . this power of the fourth commandement is extended to all christians by those that are contrary to the opinion which i maintaine . and neverthelesse , they avouch almost all of them , that under the gospell we are delivered from the rigour of an exact observation , such as was the observation that the iewes were subjected unto , that we have greater liberty , that wee may on our sabbath day kindle the fire , make meat ready , not only for our ordinary refection , but also for feasts and bankets , so they be not too sumptuous , goe abroad for other ends then for gods service , as to walke , and doe other such things , and that without the case of urgent necessity , which sometimes made them lawfull to the iewes themselves . they call such actions workes of christian liberty , which they acknowledge to be permitted to christians , although they were not permitted to the iewes , as were the workes of godlinesse , mercy , and urgent necessity , whereof there is no difficulty but they may be done on the sabbath day . this only they require , that these workes of christian liberty bee done without scandall , without any disturbance of gods service , and without any hinderance to the sanctification of the sabbath . now it is most true , that we are delivered from the necessity of this so rigid observation . but i aske them , wherefore we shall bee permitted to doe some workes which were prohibited to the iewes on the sabbath day , as to kindle the fire , prepare and dresse meat , walke abroad without necessity , and not other workes , which were not forbidden more severely than the former , as to plough , sowe , reape , carry burthens , &c. the one and the other were alike unlawfull to the iewes , in vertue of the interdiction given in the fourth commandement , and reiterated so often elsewhere . if this interdiction tyeth still our hands under the new testament , and suffereth us not to do these last workes and other such like , i would faine know , upon what ground they hold , that it releaseth and suffereth us to doe these former workes ? what reason have they to extend our christian liberty to the one , and not to the other , seeing there is no relaxation given us for the one more expressely than for the other ? seeing also meanes may be found to doe the last , as well as the first , without scandall , and without any let by either to the sanctification of the sabbath day ? therefore we must of necessity confesse , that they are equally permitted , or equally forbidden , seeing the fourth commandement maketh no distinction . now they advow that some workes are permitted to us , which were by the fourth commandement forbidden to the iewes , and are workes of christian liberty . whence i conclude , that all other workes are also of the same nature , that we have liberty to doe them all on our sunday , and that as the fourth commandement obligeth not christians to keepe the seventh day which it prescribeth so precisely , no more doth it oblige them to do no manner of worke on that day . for these two parts of the commandement are alike precise , and the one is of as great authority as the other . chapter third . answer to a reply made to the argument of the precedent chapter . . a generall reply , that the workes forbidden particularly , had reference onely to the abode of the people in the wildernesse . . first answer , the commandement to tary at home on the sabbath day was perpetuall . . second answer , the prohibition to prepare meat was perpetuall . , the first reply to this answer refuted . . the said reply is not well grounded on the example of a pharisee , who called christ to eat bread on the sabbath day . . confirmation of the refutation of the said reply by the scriptures . . by the testimony of saint augustine , and of saint ignace , and by reason . . the second reply taken from equality , yea from oddes of reason refuted . . a mystery hid in the prohibition to cooke meat on the sabbath day , &c. . third answer , the prohibition to kindle fire was perpetuall , and not referred to the building of the tabernacle . . if it was referred thereto , it was onely by application . . if it was not lawfull to kindle fire for the uses of the tabernacle , farre lesse for other uses . . confirmation of this answer by reason , and by the testimony of philo. . fourth answer , the particular prohibitions were explications of the generall prohibition of the fourth commandement . . fifth and last answer , god hath no where made an exception of any worke on the weekely sabbath , as he did on the sabbath of the passeover . some of the contrary opinion have seene the difficulty propounded in the former chapter , to wit , that there is no reason to say , that some workes which the iewes were forbidden to do , as wel as all other , by the fourth commandement are permitted , but the rest are not permitted , if it be true that the prohibition of the fourth commandement obligeth us , as they pretend . therefore they say , that these workes , which , as they confesse , we are permitted to doe , as to kindle the fire , and to make meat ready on the sabbath day , were permitted to the iewes as well as unto us , and are not comprised in the prohibition of the fourth commandement , and that the particular prohibitions which are made in exodus chapter . and . were temporall , had respect only to the time of the peoples sojourning in the wildernesse , and were grounded on reasons particular to that time . but this is an affirmation without ground , and without all likelihood . for to speake of the injunction given them , to tarry every man in his place , and not to goe out of it on the sabbath day , exod. . vers . . it is true , that it was given them by occasion of the manna , to the intent that they should not goe forth to seeke any , yet undoubtedly it was extended also to all other things of the like nature , to wit , to all bodily and earthly ends , god by that one example forbidding them to apply themselves to the seeking of them , there being a like reason for all . i say , bodily and earthly , because a spirituall and heavenly end was excepted by the third verse of the three and twenty chapter of leviticus , and there was no other end but such a one , which might be an exception from the said prohibition . will any man say , that during their abode in the wildernesse , they might freely and without offence goe about other worldly businesses , the gathering of manna excepted ? this goeth beyond all semblance of truth : and therefore , if this was not left to their liberty , the prohibition of the sixteenth chapter of exodus had a farther regard than to the manna onely . now if they were restrained in the wildernesse , and durst not goe forth for earthly imploiments , as to gather manna , what reason can be alleaged , why in the land of canaan they were free to come and to goe , and trouble themselves with the care and pursuit of the bread that perisheth , and of other things of this world ? the same judgement ought to be made of the prohibition to to cooke and dresse meat in the wildernesse on the sabbath day , which meat was manna : wherefore ought not this prohibition to have place in the land of canaan for all other meats ? the israelites had they not leisure in canaan to prepare their meat the day before the sabbath , as much , nay more than they had for the manna in the wildernesse ? neverthelesse , the day before the sabbath , which was the sixth day of the weeke , god said to them concerning the manna , bake that which ye will bake , and seethe that which ye will seethe , and all that remaineth lay it up to be kept till the morning for you . and why ? to morrow , saith he , is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the lord , exod. . vers . . words which shew , that the observation of the sabbath day by him prescribed unto them , with respect not onely to their pilgrimage in the wildernesse , but also to their abode in canaan , was the cause why hee rained not manna upon them , and suffered them not to prepare any on that day , and by his law forbade them universally in their generations to cooke and prepare any meat on the sabbath day . for if it were a thing that he left to their libert● by the law , wherefore did hee not raine manna upon them on the sabbath day ? or if hee gave them not any , lest they should goe forth and gather it on that day , and if he obliged them to gather twice as much the day before , giving them that day bread for two dayes , vers . . which necessity forced them to doe , seeing the next day there was not any to bee found in the fields , wherefore did he not , at least , suffer them to deferre till the sabbath day , the cooking of that portion which they had gathered and laid up for that day , rather than to injoyne them , as he did , to make ready twice as much the day before , and so take from them all occasion of preparing it on the sabbath day , which they might have done easily , although there was none to be found in the fields that day ? certes he did betoken , that not onely the seeking and gathering , but also the cooking and preparing of meat on that day displeased him , because it was a day ordained by him to rest in : which is a perpetuall reason for all the dayes and times that the law of moses was to continue . to say , that god commanded both to gather , and to prepare the manna the day before , and to keepe it till the sabbath day , because he would manifest his miraculous power in preserving from corruption the manna , which else had bred wormes , and stunke , exod. . vers . . from one of these dayes to the other , is an unsufficient answer . for first , the same miracle had beene although the manna had beene kept crude and unbaked , to be sodden and prepared the next day . secondly , god might have done , if it had pleased him , the same miracle in respect to another day , as well as to the sabbath day . wherefore then did he it for the sabbath day , but to ordaine to the israelites the cessation from all workes , and amongst others from making meat ready on the sabbath day in their generations ? also wee see no examples of preparing of meat on the sabbath day among them . to prove that they did , is unfitly alleaged the first verse of the fourteenth chapter of s. luke , where it is said , that iesus christ entred into the house of one of the chiefe pharisees , on the sabbath day , to eat bread , that is , to take his refection . for it is not said , that this pharisee had caused the repast to be made ready on the same sabbath day , which he had never done , seeing the pharisees found sault with the simple action of christs disciples , who on the sabbath day going thorow the corne fields , plucked some eares of corne , and did rub them in their hands to eat them , luke . vers . . which is againe a most manifest argument , that in those dayes the iewes prepared not any meat on the sabbath day , and also that it was not permitted by the law. for if it had beene permitted , the accusation of the pharisees against christs disciples had wanted all ground and colour of reason , when they said unto them , why do ye that which is not lawfull to do on the sabbath dayes ? luk. . vers . . and it had not beene needfull , that christ should have alleaged , to defend them , that the hunger wherewith they were pinched , and their present need of sustenance , excused their action , even as a like cause excused the action of david , and of those that were with him , when being an hungred they tooke and ate the shew-bread , which was not lawfull to eate but for the priests onely : as also that god will have mercy , and not sacrifice , matth. . vers . , , . for he might have answered in one word , that the action of his disciples to prepare meat , was not at all forbidden by the law , and that there was no semblance of reason to blame it ; whereas by his answer he supposeth , that indeed it was forbidden ordinarily , as well as to eat of the shew-bread to all others but priests , and he maintaineth not his disciples to be excusable , but by their present necessity , which made lawfull that which otherwise had beene unlawfull unto them . for if that whereby hee defended them had beene lawfull otherwise than in case of necessity , what need had hee to excuse them upon their present necessitie . s. austin in the fourth chapter of the sixth booke against the manichees , saith that the iewes on their sabbath gather not any kinde of fruit in the field , that they mince and cooke no meat at home . also s. ignace martyr in his epistle to the magnesians , teaching how the sabbath is to be observed , and that by opposition to the fashions of the iewes , amongst other things saith , that it ought not to be kept by eating meats prepared and kept the day before , ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) which sheweth , that the iewes prepared not their meat on the sabbath day , but the day before , which for this cause they have called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , preparation , mar. . . because on it they prepared all that was needfull for the sabbath following : as also the same name for the same reason is given to the day that went immediately before the first day of the unleavened bread of the passeover . this abstinence from making ready all kinde of meat on the sabbath day , was undoubtedly the cause that moved some pagans to beleeve and say , that the iewes fasted on that day , “ as we see in the one and thirtieth booke of the history of iustin , and in the life of augustus caesar written by suetonius , * chap. . the inference which is made from equality , or rather odsof reason , that sith the law permitted the iews to lead their cattell to the water on the sabbath day , as is cleare by the testimony of s. luk. . . it permitted them also to prepare their own meat , is of no value . for there is not a like necessity of the last , as of the first . a man must every day water his beast , that it may be fed & entertained , but it is not necessary that a man prepare meat every day for himselfe : for he may in the day before prepare meat enough for the day following . the inference that can be lawfully and in equall tearmes made of the foresaid permission concerning a mans beast , is , that farre more should a man be licensed to eat and drinke on the sabbath day , if he be an hungred , or a thirst , and give meat and drink to another that is very hungry or dry , yea & to make meat ready too in an urgent and present necessity of hunger and thirst , in case there were not any already prepared to be found , which i would not deny but the law did permit . but it followeth not hereof , that it was permitted to make an ordinary preparation of meat on the sabbath day , as on other dayes , and to deferre the preparation thereof , which might have beene wisely done the day before , till the sabbath day , which is the point in question , and which i have clearely shewed before to be expresly forbidden by the law , exod. . . which ordained not for the time onely of the abode of the people in the wildernesse , but also for all their generations in time to come , that all workes necessary for the sabbath should be prepared before it came . wherein may be considered a type and a mysterie , god giving to understand thereby , that during the time of this life , we ought to prepare good workes , to the end we may injoy the profit and utility issuing of them , and eat their fruit , as the scripture speaketh , in the eternall sabbath of the life to come , and not to differre from day to day , till that great sabbath come , the preparing of our lampes , and filling them with abundance of oyle , left we knocke and cry in vaine , lord , lord open unto us , matth. . . &c. mat. . vers . , . as for the prohibition to kindle fire on the sabbath day , exod , . vers . . it is cleare , that it speaketh , not onely what the israelites were to do in the wildernesse , but also in canaan . the words are plaine , ye shall kindle no fire thorowout ( or , in any of ) your habitations upon the sabbath day ; which words thorowout , or in any of your habitations , ought to be referred rather to the land of canaan , than to the wildernesse , because it was in canaan that they were to have their habitations and seats , as is implied by the word in the originall , whereas in the wildernesse they sojourned onely in tabernacles : and it is very unreasonable to imagine , that because immediately after mention is made of the building of the tabernacle of god , this prohibition to kindle fire on the sabbath day had respect onely unto it , as if god had forbidden onely to kindle fire for preparing and fitting their tooles , and imploying them on that day about that work . for although the speech of the building of the tabernacle followeth immediately after the prohibition to kindle fire , yet it followeth not , that there is any connexion betweene these things , and that they are relative one to another : nay they seeme rather to be dis-joyned and severed in the text it selfe . for after the injunction to kindle no fire , these words are added , and moses spake unto all the congregation of the children of israel , &c. which may very well denote a discourse depending on the former , made upon another matter , and perhaps also in another time . but although this last discourse had beene made in dependance upon the other , & the other relatively unto it , that is , though moses had forbidden in the third verse to kindle fire for the use of the artificers & handicrafts men that were to build the tabernacle , wherof he speaketh afterward , lest the israelites should surmise , that it was lawfull unto them for to doe it , for the hastening and setting forward of that excellent edifice , which god had appointed to be his house , it should be nothing else but an application of a prohibition , in it selfe generall , to a particular subject , whereunto it extended it selfe as unto others ; even as the prohibition of the second verse to doe any work on the sabbath day , under the paine of death , is undoubtedly in the meaning thereof generall , although moses had in that place referred it particularly to the edifice of the tabernacle . yea , moses of set purpose had applied the one and the other to the particular subject or the building of the tabernacle , to make better knowne , and to inferre from thence the generality and extent of both . for if it were forbidden to worke , and to kindle fire on the sabbath day for the edifying of the tabernacle , farre more was it forbidden for all other worke , sith scarce could there be any more important than that , and which could so well deserve a particular licence to labour and kindle fire to doe it , as which had no other regard , saving the accelerating and rearing up of the house of god. the prohibition to cooke meat on the sabbath , whereof i have spoken before , sheweth that this kindling of fire , should be referred unto it ; to wit , that it was not lawfull to kindle any to make meat ready , which must be also understood of all other ends of the same nature . this is confirmed by philo the iew , who in the booke of abrahams pilgrimage , and in the third booke of the life of moses , among the works which it is not lawfull to doe on the sabbath day , putteth these two , to dresse meat , and kindle the fire . i adde , that the fourth commandement of the law , was to the israelites the cause of their abstinence and cessation on the sabbath day , when they were in the wildernesse . so was it in canaan also , and after the same manner as it was in the wildernesse . the particular prohibitions given afterward unto them , and which they received , were onely explications , illustrating the sense and the end of the commandement . now sith the words of the commandement are generall , in it thou shall not doe any worke , with what shew of truth can it be said , that the workes to bake and cooke meat , to kindle the fire , and such like , were not forbidden by these words , but onely by particular and speciall commandements , and that for the time of the abode of the israelites in the wildernesse , seeing there is no place to be found , where they are excepted from this generall tearme , any worke , expresly set downe in the commandement , and where licence is given to the israelites to do them in the land of canaan ? if god had meant that it was lawfull to the iewes to kindle fire , dresse meat , and travell on the sabbath day , questionlesse hee had made an exception & particular declaration therupon , as he did concerning the two sabbaths , the first and the last of the feast of the passeover . for he forbade also to doe any work on these two daies . but he excepted the preparation and dressing of as much meat as every man must eat , exod. . vers . . and he permitted them after they had rosted and eaten the paschall lambe in the evening , to returne to their home the next morning , deut. . vers . . vndoubtedly the same is to bee understood of the sabbaths of other feasts , but not of the ordinary sabbath properly so called , wherein god required a rest more exact , because this day was ordained to be a particular type of the spirituall and heavenly rest , as we have declared before , and shall touch it againe hereafter . chapter fourth . confirmation and illustration of the matter set downe in the precedent chapters . . all kinde of workes forbidden by the law of moses on the sabbath day , are in themselves lawfull to christians on the sunday . . first reason . cessation from all workes on the sabbath was a part of the ceremoniall law , and of gods service . . and not a helpe and furtherance onely of the said service . . second reason . it was a type and figure of the heavenly rest . . which our sunday is not . . third reason . gods service under the new testament consists not in observation of dayes , but in actions of godlinesse and righteousnesse , &c. . this is proved by application of the apostles words , rom. . vers . . . and most clearely by his warning given to the collossians , chap. . vers , . . abstinence of workes is necessary in the christian church in any day whatsoever , as it is a helpe to gods publike service . . the publike service being ended on sunday , christians may use lawfull recreations , &c. . it is proved by reason , that they may doe the like betweene the houres of divine service . . fourth reason . there is no injunction in the new testament concerning a cessation from such recreations and workes . . fifth reason . the two disciples went to emmaus on the same day that christ rose , and christ meeting them , gave them no instruction to the contrary . sixth reason . the faithfull of troas did worke on sunday till night . . seventh reason . the first injunction not to worke , &c. on sunday , came from christian emperours . . constantine the first permitted many workes on sunday . . which sheweth , that the christians of those dayes tooke not sunday to be an institution of iesus christ. therefore seeing those against whom this treatise is made yeeld unto us , that certaine outward and servile workes are under the new testament permitted on the sabbath day , which , as i have clearely shewed , were forbidden to the iewes by the law ; i conclude againe , that all other workes forbidden by the law on the sabbath day , are likewise permitted to us after the publike & solemne service of god , & that the prohibition of the law to doe any worke on the sabbath day , concerneth us not . surely if it pertained to us , as containing a point necessary of gods service , as well under the new , as under the old testament , i see no reason why we should not be as exact in this service under the new testament , as the iewes were under the law : nay , wee should be farre more affectionate to doe , as well , or more precisely , with an equall or greater care than the iewes were , all things belonging to the true service of god , commanded by him . but here is the point , which will furnish us with a new reason , why it is neither necessary , nor likely , that although the iewes were bound to abstaine from all manner of worke on their sabbath day , we should be bound to a like cessation on our sabbath : seeing the time of the old testament was a time wherein gods service consisted in ceremonies , elements , and rudiments , which were servile , childish , weake and beggarly , as the apostle saith , gal. . vers . . . col. . vers . . the observation of a certaine day of sabbath , rather than of another , and on it a cessation from all outward workes , made in it selfe a part of that service , and was not ordained by accident , as a helpe to gods service , required onely for that end , but as being of it selfe properly a point of religion , and of gods service , and an essentiall duty of the sabbath day : for which cause it was so exactly injoyned with an interdiction , even of the smallest and least things , as to gather and prepare manna , to kindle fire , to walke a few steps abroad , and such like , which was not lawfull for any person to doe , although hee were alone , and out of danger , by doing them , to give offense to any man : although also they might have beene done , as it were , in a moment of time , without any diversion of the minde to think on better things ; as on god , on godlinesse , and on other holy exercises , because that not to doe such workes was at that time a part of gods service , and that which belonged to gods service could not be too exactly recommended and observed . for otherwise , if the substance of gods service had not at that time consisted , partly in this exact cessation from all workes , and if it had beene injoyned , but as a helpe and furtherance of that service , such little workes , which were of no paines , and of lesse distraction , had not beene forbidden , because , in effect , they are no let to a true spirituall sabbath . and when the iewes were come backe to their houses , from the place of their holy convocations , it is evident , to consider the matter according to the state we live in under the gospell , that they might easily compasse these actions , and other such like , without any prejudice thereby to true godlinesse , and to the sanctification of their hearts . but as they were bound to serve god on the sabbath day by divers sacrifices , offerings , perfumings with-incense , and other ceremoniall and bodily exercises , for which they had need of a carnall holinesse and purity , and to restraine themselves from a great deale of ceremoniall pollutions , as to touch a dead man , or any meat declared to be uncleane , &c. and as gods service consisted in keeping themselves unspotted with such things , even so an exact refraining from all outward and servile workes made a part of that sabbaticall holinesse and purenesse , whereof i have spoken . if they had put their hand to any ordinary worke , that worke had polluted them : and all the legall workes of the sabbath , such as were the sacrifices , &c. had beene in some sort profaned by the common workes of other dayes , if they had beene done on that day . therefore they were bound by necessity to abstaine exactly from them all . i adde , that as i have said formerly , the sabbath was given them expresly , to be unto them a type figurative of the spirituall rest , whereby a man resteth from all iniquity , and namely of the heavenly , wherein there shall be a perfect cessation , not only from all sinne , but also from all bodily labours , that the saints may give themselves wholly to glorifie god. and therefore , that the figure might correspond ( the neerest that could be ) to the truth , the signe to the thing signified , and to represent to the iewes , and give them to understand , that they ought to abstaine from all kinde of sinne the most precisely and exactly as possibly they could , because sinnes are verily opposite to gods service , and pollute all the actions thereof , and that in heaven they should injoy an intire and perfect rest , a most precise cessation from all bodily workes and imployments was injoyned them . and these are , in my judgement , the true reasons of that injunction . now these reasons concerne us not under the new testament . wee have no day of rest ordained of god , to be unto us a type and figure of the spirituall and heavenly rest ; and if sometimes our sunday , which is our day of rest , bee imployed to represent the heavenly rest , as it is by some of the ancient fathers , it followeth not that the end of the institution thereof was to bee a figure and a type , seeing it is not so much as a divine institution . wherefore the fathers have called it so by application and allusion onely , grounded upon some outward resemblance . no more doth gods service under the gospell , to speake properly , consist in the observation of any particular day more then of another , nor in the abstinence of outward workes on it . and as one of the contrary opinion , speaking of the prohibition given to the israelites , to kindle the fire on the sabbath day , hath vouched and said , that it was unto them a childish restriction and instruction , and as for us who are christians , and who live also in countreys farre colder than was iudea , that wee have a greater liberty than they had , to kindle the fire , and that the said prohibition tieth us not , saving in the equity thereof ; to teach us , that we must not abuse our liberty to the intertainement of a carnall licence , and hinderance of gods service . verily there is the same reason of all other outward workes , which god prohibited so exactly to the iewes on the sabbath day , for that was also a puerile instruction ; we have a liberty to doe them that they had not on that day , and nothing obligeth us , but the equity of these prohibitions ; to wit , that we must not doe these workes licenciously , making of them a pretence to neglect gods service . indeed , we are bound to serve god under the new testament , as much , yea much more than the iewes under the old testament , because we are farre more beholden unto him than they were : but this obligation is to a more spirituall service , which is such essentially , consisting in the carefull practice of actions of true godlinesse , holinesse and righteousnesse : but we are not obliged after the same manner as they were , to serve him with a rudimentall , materiall and servile service , to which appertained this abstinence so exactly prescribed , of all workes on a certaine day , and which was one of the points of the unsupportable yoke of the ceremoniall law. and as wee are made free from these actions which the iewes were obliged to performe on the sabbath day , with twice as much as on other dayes , such as were double sacrifices , double meat and drink offerings , &c. num. . . by which things god fashioned them to the outward and typicall sanctification of the sabbath ; it followeth , that we are even so made free from the necessity of forbearing absolutely all workes , because this did belong also to these weake and beggerly rudiments of the world . as the apostle saith , that the kingdome of god , that is , the state of the gospell , is not meat and drinke , rom. . vers . . so may we say , that it consists neither in baking , nor in not baking meat ; neither in kindling , nor in not kindling the fire ; neither in carrying , nor in not carrying burdens . for the gospell establisheth no holinesse in the abstinence of such actions upon one day more than upon another day , and declareth no man guilty for doing them , but leaveth in the one and in the other the conscience free . when the same apostle saith in the epistle to the colossians chapter . verse . that we ought not to be tyed by our conscience to sabbaths , no more than to meat and drinke , by sabbaths he understandeth not only certaine dayes , but also a scrupulous abstinence and cessation from outward workes in those dayes , which also is properly denoted by the word sabbath , and obligeth us no more than the dayes doe . neither is it required of us immediately by god , but as it is a helpe to further us on any day whatsoever in the practice of gods true service , as in hearing of his word when it is read or preached , in receiving the sacraments that he hath instituted , in calling upon his name , in meditating on him and on his graces , that so we may strengthen our selves in godlinesse : and , on the contrary , in case the busying of our selves about such workes , should be unto us a let and disturbance in these our heavenly exercises . so that the obligation whereby we are bound under the gospell to these essentiall points of gods service , and the time wherein they are exercised , being excepted , all honest workes remaine equally lawfull on all the dayes of the weeke , to apply our selves unto them , without scruple and trouble of conscience . neither is it a sinne to doe all corporall workes , that are lawfull , in one day , yea on sunday , as well as on another day . and as on other dayes of the weeke it is not ill done , yea it is rather well done , to bestow a part of them to preach and heare the word of god , to minister and receive the sacraments , to pray and to sing psalmes , not only privately , but also publikely in the eyes of the world , according to the order of the church , and as occasions shall be offered ; also on sunday , to my opinion , it is not a sinne to a true christian after service done to god in his temple , to give himselfe to some honest exercises , and wel ruled recreations of this present life . neither can i see any greater inconvenience , or that a christian is more guilty , if , after he hath heard the word of god , prayed and called upon his name , and practised the other duties of gods publike service in the holy congregation of his people , so if it be according to the order received in the church whereof he is a member , he goe to plough and husband the ground , or to doe any other exercise of his lawfull trade , then if he kindle the fire , or cooke meat for his refection . and considering that the spirit of man can hardly be continually bent the space of a whole day to any serious and important action , such as are namely the holy actions of gods service , without some intervall of relaxation , if betweene the houres that are imparted to this service publikely or privately , on the sabbath day , he imploy some other houres to doe the actions of his temporall calling , or other workes of the same nature , by way of diversion and refreshment , i cannot conceive that god should be displeased therewith , because gods service and godlinesse are not hindred nor indammaged thereby . for i aske , after a man hath heard gods service , read the word of god , called upon his holy name , or ended devoutely any other religious action , during a pretty space of time , and the vigor of his spirit slacken , so that he is not able to persevere in his attention and devotion any longer , he diverts himselfe , and sitteth quiet for a while , without doing any thing , to take his breath as it were and returne to his devotion afresh with greater force , doth hee sinne by this cessation ? i thinke not . now if hee sinneth not , when hee sitteth idle , and doth nothing , why shall it bee said , that hee sinneth , if hee doe some bodily worke , seeking thereby some diversion and refreshment , rather than by a meere cessation from all kinde of action ? to doe nothing at all shall it bee more acceptable to god , then to doe a worke that is honest and lawfull in it selfe ? this shall it profane the day of holy exercises rather than that ? i see no apparent reason in such an opinion : which moveth me to esteeme , that the liberty to doe the foresaid workes on the sabbath day , was intirely taken from the iewes , for some ceremoniall reasons , and that it was upon them a servile yoake in the ancient time of servitude , as hath beene declared before . this is a most inforcing consideration upon this purpose , that in the whole scripture of the new testament , there is no injunction at all concerning such an abstinence and refraining from all outward workes , as is urged and layd upon christians on their sunday , conformably to the cessation that was imposed upon the iewes on their sabbath day . verily , if christ had required it under the new testament as a thing necessary to his service , and if his intention had beene to binde us unto it , undoubtedly he had given , or commanded his apostles to give an expresse injunction concerning it , which because he hath not done , i inferre that he had no such intention . nay on the contrary , the liberty to worke on sunday is rather authorized by the example and practise of christ , and of the first faithfull . for in saint luke chapter . we see that on the same day that christ rose in , which was the first and most illustrious sunday of all , he met with two of his disciples going from hierusalem to emmaus , and that questionlesse for the ordinary affaires of this present life , seeing it was not an holy day among the iewes : which voyage was of three leagues , or thereabout . he went with them , he spake unto them of the mysteries of salvation , as he would have done in any other day , if he had lighted upon them , according to his ordinary custome of every day during his conversation here below in the flesh , and as all pastors are bound to do at all occasions that god offers unto them . but he advised them not , that in time to come they should observe that day , as a sabbath day , and abstaine from voyaging , or doing on it any other toylesome and painefull worke . and indeed after he had left them at emmaus , they returned thence the same day to hierusalem , as the lord did also , going other three leagues . now if it had beene the intention of iesus christ to ordaine the first day of the week for a sabbath day , and to injoyn to all christians a leaving and discontinuance of all ordinary worke on that day , it is likely , that he would not have forgotten to warne his two disciples thereof on that first day , and thetwo maries to whom he shewed himselfe earely in the morning of that same day , and by the other disciples , to whom he sent them , had made them practise the observation of that day , and he had shewed them the example of that observation in his owne person , which he did not then , neither doe we find that he did it at any other occasion . in the twentieth of the acts we perceive , although uncertainely , as i have shewed before , some observation of the first day of the weeke by the faithfull of troas . they met not together till about the evening of that day ; for mention is made of an upper chamber , of many lights , of saint pauls long preaching untill midnight , and thereafter till breake of day . apparently they made choice of the night time , and of an upper chamber , for feare of the infidels , even as the apostles on the first day of the weeke that christ rose in , were assembled at evening , and held the doores shut for feare of the iewes , iohn twenty verse . now who doubteth , but all that day from the sunne rising till the evening , that they came together to breake bread , they were busied , as in the other dayes of the weeke , about the ordinary exercises of their trades , handicrafts , and callings , as having liberty to worke on that day , like as on all other dayes , besides the care they had to shunne all giving of discontent to the infidels amongst whom they lived , and the drawing , by an unnecessary cessation , a most certaine persecution upon themselves ? there is no question to be made , but that all christians in the places of their residence among iewes or gentiles did the like . this is also a reason considerable in this question , that albeit among the lawes of christian emperours there be sundry , which forbid the ordinary occupations of trades and handicrafts on sunday , as to keepe a court of pleading , and to goe to law , to open the shops for buying and selling , to act stage playes in play houses and publike places , to hold markets and faires , &c. which lawes were made , to prevent in time to come the contempt of the exercises of religion used on that day , and to establish an order in the state and in the church which they most judiciously and religiously thought to be more recommendable , decent , and well suting to the holy actions whereunto it was appointed , yet all these lawes shew , that , before they were published , christians were wont , saving the houres of the publike exercises of religion , to apply themselves on that day to all the ordinary workes of this present life . yea , there be many other lawes of other emperours , and amongst others of constantine that great and holy emperour , which permit on sunday some of these ordinary imployments , as to labourers , to sow the ground , to weed , to reape , to plant and set vineyards , if need bee ; to bakers to bake bread , to masters to give liberty to their slaves , to iudges to put to death malefactors : which undoubtedly these christian emperours had never permitted by their lawes , if it had beene in their time a received opinion in the church , that the observation of sunday , and cessation from all workes in it , was necessary by vertue of a commandement of our lord iesus christ. but knowing certainely , that no dayes are instituted of god under the new testament ; that sunday was not kept by a commandement from heaven , but by the use and custome of the church ; that a discontinuance and intermission so exact of all workes pertained to the ecclesiasticall policie and regiment of the iewes , and is no where and in no wise commanded in the gospell , they made no bones to permit diverse occupations , which might seeme to have some pretext of necessity , yet were not of such importance , but that they might have beene done before sunday , or put off till the next day following it . chapter fifth . declaration of diverse absurdities and difficulties insuing upon the contrary opinion . . the opinion is , that christians are bound to refraine from all workes during the . houres of sunday . . first absurdity , this opinion bringeth backe the servitude of the iewish ceremonies . . second absurdity . no man can tell where must be the beginning of the said . houres . . diverse disputations thereupon amongst the authors of this opinion . . third absurdity , it troubleth the conscience , leaving it without information concerning the imployment of that time , and the doing of unnecessary workes therein . . as also about the doing of charitable and necessarie workes . . fourth absurdity . confusion of the doctors in the explication of this opinion . . first , they consent not in the explication of christian abstinence from bodily workes on sunday . . secondly , they distinguish workes of necessity , into those that are of present , and those that are of imminent necessity , and permit the first onely , whereby they trouble tender consciences . . they contradict their distinction by suffering some handicrafts men to worke on sunday . . as also by the permission of many actions which have no present necessity . . likewise by forbidding some workes in an apparent danger , as to gather corne , &c. . great absurdity and inconvenience of this prohibition . . the commandement , exod. . v. . to rest on the sabbath day in earing time , &c. serveth not their turne . . they hold that it is not lawfull for a man to receive any reward for his necessary labour done on sunday . . great inconveniences and absurdities of this opinion . . answer to their objection about servile workes forbidden in the fourth commandement . . they hold also that servants ought not to serve their masters on sunday . . this doctrine crosseth their other decisions . . they intangle themselves in the distinction of bankets . . absurdity of the●r rigid prohibition of all kind of recreation to all men on the sabbath day . . how farre christians are bound to abstaine from worke on that day . . how working is not , or may be an hindrance of our sanctification . we ought to leave our workes on sundayes during the time of service . . saving in some important necessity . . objections taken from the care of worldlings , &c. . answer concerning the care of worldlings . . how we ought to make the sabbath our delight . . our sunday is improperly called the sabbath day : those against whom we dispute doe hold , that our sunday , called also by them the sabbath day , which is the name given in the scriptures to the day that the iewes hallowed weekly , obligeth us to keepe it during the whole space of foure and twenty houres , by a religious abstinence from all manner of workes , during all that time , conformably to the observation of foure and twenty houres practised by the iewes on their sabbath day . this opinion is absurd , and bringeth backe under the new testament a ceremonie , which is meerely servile and iewish . for times and places were in themselves to the iewes a part of the legall and ceremoniall service , as hath beene shewed before : and therefore they were precisely named and stinted unto them . when god appointed unto them sabbath dayes , hee would that they should rest as long as the day lasted ; that is , foure and twenty houres , even as when hee granted unto them dayes of worke , hee permitted them to worke night and day , which may bee gathered out of leviticus , chap. . vers . . where god said unto them , from even unto even shall ye celebrate your sabbath . in hebrew , ye shall rest your sabbath : to rest all that time was unto them a part of the observation and hallowing of that day . but under the new testament the times appointed in the church make no part of gods service , and are not observed , but relatively to the publike exercises of religion and of godlinesse which are established to be practised in them . and therefore that practise being ended they oblige not necessarily . and indeed , if christians were bound , for conscience sake , to observe exactly full foure and twenty houres , by abstinence from all works , they should be in a marvellous great trouble & vexation of minde . for ere ought else be done , they must know certainely where they shall begin the sanctification of the foure and twenty houres of that day , if it must be from even unto the next even , beginning the day at the setting of the sunne , as under the law ; or from the morning unto the next morning , beginning the day at the rising of the sunne . for if they be not clearely informed of that , they may sinne by working , during a part of the time which makes a part of sunday . the authors and fautors of the foresaid opinion cannot give a certaine resolution of this point . for they are at variance among themselves about it . some deeme , that we must begin our sunday by the evening , and continue it unto the next evening , like to the fashion of the iewes , who rekoned so the houres of their sabbath . and so is this time stinted by the authour of the . sermon de tempore in s. augustines workes . others will have it to begin by the morning , at the same time that our lord iesus christ rose from the dead , and to end at the next morning ; and there are some which hold , that the iewes ordered so their sabbaths . we finde others who beleeve , that god obliged not his people on the sabbath day to a cessation from all workes , saving from the rising till the going down of the sun. the one and the other have arguments for their opinions , but which want a sufficient perspicuitie to give a full satisfaction and resolution to a christian , about the time when he must begin to forbeare all bodily and servile workes , least he should profane the sabbath day , by doing them in a part thereof . and so he shall be perpetually troubled in his minde with that difficultie , and farre more with the exact abstinence which is required of him . an unnecessary walke , a bodily action about something concerning this present life , which he hath done by occasion , will disquiet him . if he hath put his hand , how little soever , to the doing of any temporall and earthly thing , without urgent necessity , if he have given but one stitch with a needle , hath fastened a button to a garment , if he hath swung a broome about his chamber , wiped a vessell , dusted his apparell , or done any other thing which he might have done the day before , or put off till the next day , he shall stagger and make a question , whether he hath broken the sabbath , or not . yea , although the defenders of this opinion avouch , that it is lawfull to eat , drinke , sleepe on the sabbath day , because these are workes of charity , and are necessary to every man for his subsistence ; yet seeing the sanctification of the sabbath consists not in such actions , and they are not permitted but in case of present necessity , i know not , if , according to their maximes , a person that can well enough , and without incommoditie , be without meat , drinke , sleepe all that day , or at least can well enough away with lesse meat , drinke and sleepe , must not be grieved and pestered in his spirit , and feare lest he hath profaned and broken the sabbath , in bestowing too much time to eat , drinke , and sleepe , and giving to his refection and sleepe a portion of time which he might have set a part for religious actions ; as , if he hath beene halfe an houre at table , whereas a quarter of an houre might have beene sufficient ; if he hath slept six or seven houres , when a nap of three or foure houres might have served his turne . in summe , no bodily thing can bee done , which shall not afford an hundred difficulties , and matter of great doubtes and scruples of conscience : experience sheweth often in many which are made to beleeve that it is not lawfull to doe any worke on the sabbath day , according to the precise tearmes of the fourth commandement , pitifull carkes , strange scruples and troubles of conscience , a superstitious precisenesse , tending to the detriment , not onely of the quietnesse and peace of god that should be in their soules , but also of the families whereof they are members , and of the common-wealth wherein they live . nay , the doctors that are the broachers and teachers of this opinion , intangle themselves and their followers in the explication of the workes that are permitted or forbidden on the sabbath day . they prescribe so many limitations upon divers actions of temporall callings , that may bee done so , but not so , after this manner , not after that manner , in that respect , not in this respect , that to pause on their minced distinctions , is to runne into a labyrinth of most intricate difficulties , and inextricable vexations of spirit . verily i beleeve , that the observation of the iewish sabbath day , was not so onerous and full of difficulties , as is the observation of sunday , wherewith many of these doctors seeke to master and bring under the consciences of christians . to verifie that i have said by some instances . first , the foresaid doctors agree not among themselves about the obligation of christians , to abstaine from all bodily and worldly workes , whether it be as exact and precise under the new testament , as it was ordinarily to the iewes under the old testament ; whether we be in the same servitude that they were in ; or if they in that respect injoyed the same liberty that we possesse under the gospell . for there be some among them that deny it , and doe say , that the rigorous observation of the sabbath , prescribed of old to the iewes , is abrogated , and the prohibitions to kindle the fire , to make meat ready , and other such like , which they acknowledge to have beene perpetuall during the whole time of the old testament , and comprised in the generall prohibition of the fourth commandement , not to doe any worke , did belong to the pedagogie and bondage of the law. others advance so farre , that they apply them to us also , saying , that we are obliged to that precise abstinence as well as they , that there is no worke of so great consequence for our temporall estate , that we may lawfully doe it , and that it is more expedient that our temporall estate be indammaged , than the sabbath violated . likewise , that there is no worke so slight , and of so little and so short occupation about the affaires of this world , which is not prohibited to all christians : as for example , they hold that a workman hath not the liberty to array his loomes and tooles , and set them in some order on sunday at night , that he may set them on worke the next morning . others againe affirme , that we are obliged to a rest as precise as the iewes were ordinarily , and there is no reason why we should not be as precise and circumspect in this respect , as they were . but that the particular prohibitions , to kindle fire , to bake , and make meat ready , were extraordinarie , and for a short while ; to wit , during the time of the pilgrimage of the israelites in the wildernesse , and not perpetuall for the whole time of the old testament , nor comprised in the prohibition of the fourth commandement . behold a variety of opinions , capable to pester a man with great perplexities . secondly , when they speake of workes of necessity , which they acknowledge and teach to be permitted on the sabbath day , they distinguish necessity into present necessitie , and into imminent necessitie , and say , that the workes of present necessitie are onely permitted , as to quench the fire when a house is burning : for then god giveth us commission , and establisheth us , as his ministers , to bring the best remedy we can to a present evill . but as for the other necessitie , which is not present , and whose event is in gods hand , we must leave unto him the care to prevent it with such remedies as his wisedome shall thinke expedient , and not trouble our selves with it . this also is a distinction able to intangle and disquiet a tender conscience . for how shall a christian settle his minde upon this distinction of present and imminent necessities ? some will take for present necessitie , that which is imminent onely : others will esteeme that to be imminent onely , which indeed is present . for example , when a house beginneth to be set on fire , but in such a sort , that there is no assured evidence that it shall continue , and endammage the house , but perhaps shall , perhaps not , and shall quickly die of it selfe , he that seeth the fire begin to burne , shall not know how to take this necessity , whether he ought to beleeve , that undoubtedly his house shall be presently consumed , if he take not order suddenly to extinguish the fire , and upon this runne , worke , doe what he can , as in a present necessitie : or if he ought to presume , that the fire will cease of it selfe , which may happen , and therefore leave that to gods providence , as an imminent necessity . likewise , if a man begin to perceive a beame , a cheuron , or some other thing in his house cleft , and feare lest it breake , and breaking fall , and falling bring a notable dammage to the house , and to all that are in it , what shall hee doe ? the necessity is not evidently present . for it be may that the beame shall subsist yet a pritty while , and no harme ensue thereupon ; it may be also that it burst & fall the same day , and the house be overthrowne , and those that are in it hurt or killed . in this perplexity the poore man shall not know whether he shall call the carpenters , and doe with all speed his best indeavours to prevent this uncertaine mischiefe , or leave the redresse thereof to gods providence . for if the necessity be onely imminent , as it seemeth to be , according to the foresaid distinction he must forbeare to doe any thing unto it , lest he breake the sabbath . as also in time of warre ; how shall we get a firme and assured resolution , if we may lawfully worke , and prepare all things necessary for our defence on the sabbath day ? for it may be , there is no certitude that we shall be assaulted by the enemie , that there is nothing but some suspicion of his approaches , that the danger is onely apparant , and not imminent : yea , although wee should see the enemy hard by , and in a manifest resolution to set on , may not god by his all-wise , and all-mighty providence , forme and oppose unto him a thousand obstacles , dissipate all his counsels , disappoint all his enterprises and attempts , although we have no hand in it ? must we in this case be carelesse , stand still , and looke on ? there is a great number of such examples : yea , wee shall finde few necessities that are undoudtedly present , and which may not be considered as imminent onely . for if in a danger , which is onely apparant and imminent , we ought to relie on gods providence for the preventing and hindering thereof , as he shall thinke most expedient , and not set our hands to worke to helpe our selves on the sabbath day ; in a present evill which is onely begun , and is in the beginning of no great moment , may wee not thinke and say , that wee must commit to god the care to stay the progression thereof , and not undertake to stay it our selves by our paines & endeavours , because that should bee injurious to his providence , as if he could not , or would not helpe us , in case he thinke fit so to doe . againe , how doth that consent with their deportments towards some artisans , whose trades and handicrafts are , as they say , of such a nature and quality , that they require some travell and oversight every day ? doe they not give them licence for such imployments on the sabbath day , with this proviso , that they doe them early in the morning , or at night very late , after all publike exercises are finished ? for they give not this permission , but in regard of some dammage that these workmen may receive , if they work not at all on sunday : and yet that dammage is not present , is not to be feared but in the time to come , and withall is not infallible , unrepairable , and remedilesse . doe they not say elsewhere , that no man ought to object the losse of some temporall gaine , and make it a pretence to worke on the sabbath day , seeing such a losse is not to be parallelled with the losse of the glory of god , which is violated by the breaking of the sabbath ? now , what can all these trades-men alleage , but the losse of some temporall profit ? wherefore then make they an unequall distinction , and permit some travell to them , rather than to others ? moreover , how agreeth the foresaid distinction of present and imminent necessitie , with their doctrine concerning the nourishment , the application of remedies , and other actions of charitie , and of necessarie compassion towards men and beasts , which they avouch may be done on the sabbath day ? and yet in these things there is not alwayes present necessity . for although a man take no sustenance for himselfe , should not give any to other , should not give physicke , or apply some other remedy to a sicke man , it may bee the body should not bee enfeebled , nor receive any detriment thereby ; and in case it did , it might bee easily repaired by taking food and physicke the next day . i would faine know why in this case , rather than in others , a necessity or a danger apparant onely , and not present , shall it licence any man to worke ? they acknowledge , that on the sabbath day is permitted , not onely that which is absolutely necessary for the entertainment of the creature , but also whatsoever is usefull for a convenient and comfortable mainetenance thereof , as to prepare , give , take meat , apply a medicine to our selves or to another , although there be not in it any present necessity . if this doctrine be true , it is not a present necessitie that licenseth a man to worke , but also an imminent evill , the event and issue whereof is onely apparant , in case it be not prevented in time . will they say , that more is permitted in things that concerne immediately a mans person , as nourishment and medicaments , than in things that are more remote ? but there is to be found a great deale of imminent necessities in these things that come not so nigh to mans person , which if they be anticipated by a prompt remedie , it shall be as much , yea more convenient , and bring greater comfort to a man ; than if he should eat and drinke in his present hunger , and take physicke without delay when he is sicke : and the danger of delay in these present necessities should not be so great , as in those others that are onely imminent . i will alleage to this purpose , an example of a thing , which the precise defenders of a cessation from all workes on the sabbath day , stand much upon ; that is , to gather corne , to lay it up , or to doe some other worke for the preservation thereof on the sabbath day , in an imminent necessitie , i meane , in an apparant danger , that if this be not done , the corne shal be endammaged , shall rot , and become unprofitable . loe , the day is faire , dry , and commodious , the corne may be saved if it be gathered and laid up on this day , and a great losse to the owner prevented . this they will not suffer to bee done . nay , when the corne is already cut , they cannot abide that it bee transported from the floore to the barne , saying , that the care thereof must bee wholly committed to gods providence , who will keepe it , if hee thinke it expedient ; and that we must rather chuse to let the corne rot and perish upon the ground , than to breake and profane the sabbath day . but , i pray , in what fashion will they adjust this , and match it fitly with their other positions , that the workes of necessitie are permitted on the sabbath day , which , according to their owne interpretation , are such , that if they be not done man shall be endammaged ? also , that it is lawfull to doe all things requisite , not only for the entertainment that is absolutely necessary , but also that is agreeable and comfortable to the creature ; so that time may be taken before , betweene , or after the publike exercises . now is not this a thing of great comfort to a poore christian , that his corne perish not , as in all likelihood it shall , if he take not order at that same instant for the preservation thereof ? if it be said , that this dammage is not infallible , i reply , that they should have much adoe ( as i have before ) to explicate what infallibility and certitude they require , and that hardly shall they finde any danger which may be called infallible , and for the preventing whereof they may put their hands to work on the sabbath day . for gods providence may anticipate evils before they come , or arrest them in their beginning , or repaire all their dammages if he suffer them to come . i aske , shall it not be lawfull to a man in his pinching hunger , or of his familie , to gather on the sabbath day of his owne wheat , to carry it home , and to prepare of it as much as they shall need , he having no other meanes , but that alone , to nourish himselfe and them in this extremity ? vndoubtedly , all christians will confesse , that he may ; yea , that although ( to speake absolutely ) they might want it for a day , yet the onely conveniencie to take meat when they are hungry , will permit them doe it . now if it be lawfull to gather corne , to carry it home , or to doe some other worke to satisfie an hungry and barking stomacke , although this present evill be not such , that it should for a dayes fasting cause a great detriment without a present remedie : why shall it not bee lawfull to seeke ( by the same meanes ) a present remedie for the hunger to come , the danger whereof is apparent , and farre greater , if it be not remedied out of hand , than of present hunger ? for if the corne of man ( wherewith he and his family were to be fed many moneths together ) rot , and perish ; he shall have leisure enough to be hunger-starved farre longer , and with greater dammage , than if he suffered hunger one day . will they say , that he must leave that to gods providence , and trust that he will keepe his corne , or shall recompense the losse thereof , and supply his wants with competent food by some other meanes ? but why ought he not much more to abstaine from seeking remedies to his present hunger , wherewith he is pinched on that day , relying upon gods providence , trusting assuredly , that he will preserve him from being dammaged by that hunger , or in case he receive any dammage , will repaire it ; namely , considering he seeth the danger to be lesser , as being but of one day , which is soone pas● and the remedie more prompt and easie then in the other ? the passage of the . chapter of exodus vers . . whereof they make a buckler , where god commandeth the people of israel to rest in the seventh day , both in earing time , and in the harvest doth not prove that they pretend . for first , we may understand , that he forbiddeth onely in earing time , and in the harvest , to take liberty to worke on the sabbath day , as they were wont on all other daies of the week , but extends not the prohibition to the extraordinarie necessity of an imminent danger , as if he forbade in such a case to transport the corne from the field onely to the floore , or from the floore to the barne , whereof he speaketh not , which notwithstanding is the case or matter that is broached for a divine truth . for if other prohibitions of the law concerning other kindes of labour are as precise , or more in the tearmes that they are set down in , as this is , receive by urgent necessities some modifications , wherefore not this also ? secondly , if the foresaid prohibition had sway in the necessity that hath been supposed , i returne the answer , that is made by some of them against whom i dispute , upon the prohibitions to kindle fire , to cooke meat on the sabbath day , &c. that they pertained to the bondage of the law , which is most true . furthermore , when they speake of bodily and worldly workes which some necessity permitteth , yea obligeth us to doe on the sabbath day ; they say , that they must be done through meere charity and compassion for the preservation of the creatures which have need of our helpe , and not as workes of our callings whereby we win our living ; for this cause , that we must doe them without any respect to any gaine and profit that may come to us thereby , and which we cannot lawfully receive , being bound to doe all things on that day freely and of meere good will. for example , if a chirurgion or apothecarie give remedies to their patients on that day , that they must not gaine the value of a farthing , and if they take any money , it must be onely for the just and true price of the remedies , and not for the imployment of their industrie and painefull labour about the patient . likewise , that he who waters his beast , or giveth it physicke , should have onely before his eyes the health and reliefe thereof , and in no wise the utility and service that hee hath received , and may receive hereafter of it , which is the end wherefore he feedeth an● entertaineth it in other times . this indeed is a distinction and limitation very subtill , and is besides inveloped with many difficulties . it is true , that when a man is bound to these and such like workes on the sabbath day , he ought to doe them through christian love and compassion ; and so ought he to doe all his workes towards his neighbours in all the dayes of the weeke : but that he ought to doe them without any regard to his owne profit and commoditie , that goeth beyond the reach of my apprehension and understanding . for if he may doe them in charity and compassion towards persons that are not so neere unto him , or towards beasts , why may hee not doe them through charity & love to himselfe and to his family ? may he not be in such a condition and estate , that he hath not sufficiently wherewith to entertaine himselfe and his family ? the beast which hee feedeth , is , perhaps , the onely meanes whereby he gets his living . therefore when god offers unto him the occasion , yea layeth upon him the necessity , to doe some worke , why may he not , when he intendeth and hath before his eyes the reliefe of his neighbour , or of his beast , thinke on his owne profit which depends on that worke , and proceedeth from it , and judge , that god by the occasion of this worke which he hath put in his hands , affords unto him the meanes to gaine something for himselfe , and for the maintenance of his wife , children , and servants ? it may be that he worketh for rich folkes , which will not take his paines for nought , should thinke they receive a great injurie and affront , if he offered to give them freely , and hold him to bee a foole . what shall hee doe in this case ? they are constrained to answer , that in such a case he may take the fees of his labour , but with this addition , that receiving them with one hand , he must with the other give them to the poore , to testifie that what he hath done , he hath done it onely for the lord. but what if he be poore himselfe , having no more than is needfull , or not so much as is behoofefull for him and his familie ? what if the hire which he hath received bee notable , and more worth then he shall be able to win in many dayes following , as if a physician or a leech that is poore , received on the sabbath day of a rich patient a liberall and ample salarie of his industrie and paines , must he give it all to the poore ? in these places where we live , and where we are constrained to goe a great way out of the townes of our abode , to the places appointed for the publike exercises of our religion , there be coachmen that carry many persons by land in their coaches , which they let out for a certaine hire : and boat-men which doe the like by water in their boats . this is so necessary , that without these helpes , these persons cannot goe to heare service , and to call upon god in the congregation of the faithfull . these coachmen and boatmen are they bound by christian charity to carry them for nought , to give them freely the usage of their coaches , boats , and labour , and to refuse all gaine , although it countervaileth all the profit they can make of their labour in the whole weeke , and the whole yeere affordeth not unto them so notable , so certaine , and so present wages ? or must they be content to take no more then will suffice for the reparation of the dammages of their coaches and boats , which would be a thing of little consideration ? now if it be lawfull to receive money on the sabbath day , for recompence of a thing which i have furnished to another , and of the dammage that i have received by the furnishing of it , why may i not also receive a reward of my paines ? there are trades whose gaine consists in things which they give , and others whose gaine dependeth simply on their travell and paines , their paines and industrie being the whole matter whereupon their gaine is formed , and answerable to the things furnished by others . they will , perhaps , answer , that he who furnisheth something , hath bought it first , and it is reasonable that he be rewarded . but what if he hath not bought it ? if a chirurgion or apothecarie , for example , hath drugs that were given him , or simples and physicall herbs which he hath gathered in his garden , on the mountaines , or in the fields , and he hath bestowed onely his paines to gather and prepare them , and to make of them by his industrie divers compositions and medicaments for the use of his patients , must hee give on the sabbath day these drugs and medicaments for nought ? he must , if all christians be obliged to give their travell and paines freely , and bestow their labour upon their neighbours through meere and simple charity . but i demand , why may not he rather that hath imployed his labour upon another , receive of him that which he giveth ; taking it , not as a reward , but as a benevolence ? for the giver , to relieve him of all scruple of conscience , may say truly , that he giveth it in that quality . and indeed , if a man may give his money freely to one who hath not done or wrought any thing for him , and if this man may receive it without sinne , i see no reason why he may not , yea ought not to give money to one that hath bestowed his travell on him , or for his benefit , and why this man may not take it . moreover , what if after a man hath wrought upon the sabbath day , and other dayes successively , and he for whom he hath wrought procrastinate his pay till all be done , and then satisfie him for all those dayes workes together , as commonly chirurgions , apothecaries , physicians are never otherwise paid ; that is , never till the disease of their patient is come to an end , either by health or death : shall he in such a case separate the labour of the sabbath day from the labour of other dayes , and if in the hire or reward that is given him , the salarie of the seventh dayes worke be comprised , must he defaulk the sabbath dayes worke , and refuse to take any thing for it ? i would be glad to know on what ground all these distinctions are founded . they alleage , that god in his ordinances concerning the sabbath , hath forbidden us to doe in it our workes , and servile workes , and that all workes which we doe for our profit and utility are our workes and servile workes , even as servants worke for their hire ; which they say to be signified by the hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imployed in the fourth commandement , and translated by this generall word to doe , as likewise by this noune , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which wee translate worke , although it signifie not all kinde of worke , but that onely which is done for gaine and worldly profit : by which words god hath intimated , that he forbiddeth to doe any thing whatsoever for that end . but this is too much subtilizing about words , which signifie generally all travell , worke , function about any thing , and done to any end whatsoever . is not gods worke betokened by this name melacah , genes . . vers . , . is not the offering of sacrifices called by this verbe , habad , esa. . vers . . and the function of the levites about holy things , chron. . vers . . besides this , i say , that indeed god prohibited on the sabbath day all worke for gaine , but even as he forbade all other bodily worke , which was not done for gaine ; to wit , to make an ordinary course and custome of it , as in other dayes , and when there was no necessitie . but as ( in case of necessity ) he permitted the labour that brought no gaine , even so hee prohibited not the worke that might bring gaine to the worker , nor the gaine that might come of the worke . thirdly , when they speake of servants , and others that are under authority , they say , that their servitude and subjection is not a sufficient warrant unto them , to worke on the sabbath day by the authority of their superiours , to whom , when they receive any such commandement , they ought to answer , that they are first the servants of almighty god , who is the king of kings , lord of lords , maker of heaven and earth , whom they ought to obey , rather than men , and suffer to be railed upon , and buffeted rather than to doe any worke on that day . but how doth this consent with their decisions concerning messengers and posts ? for they say , that being dispatched and sent away quickly by the magistrates , they may runne and make hast on the sabbath day , without inquirie of the necessity of that laborious voyage , which they are put unto , because simple subjects ought not to make inquirie of the affaires of their princes and lords , which often it is not expedient that they should know ? for why may not , by the same reason , a domesticall servant doe some worke to obey his master without searching curiously upon what necessity his master layeth this worke upon him ? for the master may have good reasons and great importance to his family of this command , which it is not expedient his servant should be privie unto , nor that hee should bee inquisitive and curious to know them afore hee obey . for this should draw with it a most dangerous consequence . againe this permission that they give to posts to ride hard , and make hast for the affaires of the countrey , how doth it agree with the difference that they have made betweene present and imminent necessity , permitting no worke for this , but for that onely ? for the necessities , for which posts are hastened , and they post so speedily , are seldome present , and are often but imminent , having regard only to something that may happen in time to come . fourthly , when they give their advise concerning bankets , they distinguish betweene solemne bankets , and those that are bankets of friendship , and more moderate . and forbidding the first , they permit the last . but they ought to have determined first , which bankets are to be called solemne , which not , how many courses of meat must be prepared , how many persons , and of what quality must be invited , to make a solemne banket . also a man shall be vexed in his minde , not knowing , if to invite so many persons , and to make ready so much meat , and so many services , will make his banquet solemne , or not . besides that in regard of some persons of great riches and quality , such as are kings , princes , lords , &c. it is not a solemne feast , which in respect of some other persons of lesser meanes , authoritie and dignitie , may carry that name . now if these persons of great note and quality are suffered to make such banquets , which in regard of their degree and meanes are not solemne , yea are nothing but their ordinarie diet ; why may not other persons of inferiour condition and meanes make them also , although to them they be solemne ? for there is not greater distraction from gods service to the persons whom the one put on work for the preparing of their feast , which to them is solemne , than to those whom the other set about the dressing of their feast , which to them is ordinarie , and not solemne . if a great man may have a great number of servants busied about the dressing of his ordinary refection , and if his table be every day well furnished , by reason of the eminencie of the noble stocke that he is come of , and of his dignity , and withall not breake the sabbath ; why may not a man of a meaner condition have ( extraordinarily ) as many people for a solemne banquet , which he hath occasion to make on the sabbath day ? and seeing a solemne banquet may be made by a great number of servants in as short time , as a banquet that is not solemne may be prepared by a lesser number , i see no cause why a man shall commit a greater sinne , if hee set on worke twenty servants to dresse a solemne banquet , than if he set foure or five onely about the dressing of one that is not solemne . for twenty shall not toyle and have more adoe , they shall make as speedy an end of their businesse , and so shall not be more distraught and withdrawne from gods service , than foure or five , and may equally ( before or after their worke ) get leisure to apply themselves unto it . and as for the persons invited , thirty persons in a solemne feast may have done as soone , and be as little diverted from the exercises of the sabbath , as six or seven in a feast that is not solemne . a thing that many together cannot doe lawfully , cannot be lawfull to a few : or if it be lawfull to few , it is also to many . but i wonder , how those which have made this distinction of banquets , can have the heart to make use of it , seeing they teach otherwhere , that it is not lawfull to doe on the sabbath day , but things of present necessity , and not those that are simply of imminent necessity , or at the most , they suffer onely those that are requisite for a comfortable entertainement of the person , as to prepare meat for his refection . for banquets , howsoever named and qualified , are not requisite for that day , for the entertainement either necessarie , or comfortable of men ; they may be put off till some other day without harme or displeasure to any man by this delay , and cannot easily be kept without much hurrying up and downe , and divers discourses , which are not sutable to such a day , which they will have to be so precisely and exactly observed . i wonder farre more , why they are not scrupulous to suffer weddings on that day : for seeing they will have all mens thoughts , words , and actions to be spirituall and holy all that day , and suffer not any that are naturall and worldly , otherwise than in a present and urgent necessity , seeing also there is no necessitie to marry on sunday , that this may be done as well on any other day , and that the thoughts , words , and actions of weddings , can hardly have the qualities which they require ; would it not be more sutable to their maximes , to forbid them absolutely on that day ? fifthly , as for playes , games , pastimes , recreations , which are honest and lawfull , they forbid them altogether and absolutely on the sabbath to all men , without exception of those that are sick , saying , that to those which are dangerously sicke , it is fit time to pray , and not to play , and spend time on gaming : and as for those that are not dangerously sicke , they need not these pastimes , and may apply themselves to heare , reade , conferre of things of instruction and consolation , and seeke in these holy exercises their recreation . wherein they speak , as if the one and the other might not be done successively , and a sicke man , or any other person , after an honest and short pastime , were not capable to seeke this spirituall recreation , although they be not incompatible , and that god improveth not the succession of the one to the other on our sabbath day . i adde , that by this prohibition they overthrow their former position , that it is lawfull to doe on the sabbath day things , not onely absolutely necessary for the entertainement of the creature ; but also comfortable and agreeable unto it . now some honest play or pastime taken by a man , and namely by a sicke man , may be very usefull for his comfort and recreation , and often much more , than if the best meats and drinkes , and most comfortative cordials were given him , if he stand not absolutely in present need of them ; nay , they may make him farre better disposed afterwards for gods service , than the best restoratives of the best furnished apothecaries . if then it be lawfull unto him , and to others also , to bestirre themselves to prepare for him , and make him take these things , why may he not likewise take some pastime , which are farre more necessary unto him ? and although he hath no need of them by absolute necessity , may they not be needfull unto him for his commodity and comfort , as well as food and medicaments ? if it be said , that he may deferre his pastime till another day , i answer , that so he may prolong , without any perill , the preparing of meat or of medicaments . but not to say longer upon the rehearsall of the intricate difficulties which occurre in their explications of workes that are permitted on the sabbath day , and of the conditions and tearmes whereupon they are permitted ; i say , that there is no kinde of workes , but they may be done as lawfully on that day , as on any other , and that as in the fourth commandement the ordinance to keepe the sabbath day obligeth christians in this onely , that because god must bee served publikely in the congregations of his people , by the exercises of religion which he hath ordained , it is necessary , that some time be appointed for that use , but not that it ought to bee one day rather than another by vertue of that command , or that the day appointed ought to be kept during foure and twenty houres , which god hath not in any case prescribed to his people of the new testament , as he did to his people of the old testament . but being pleased to injoyne unto them the exercises of religion wherewith he will be served , he hath left to their libertie the determination of some dayes , and of the continuance of the time wherein they are to be practised . i say likewise , that the commandement to doe no worke on the day consecrated to gods service , obligeth in this regard onely , and no more ; to wit , that as much as the publike exercises of this service , when they are practised in the church , doe require ; wee must forbeare all ordinary imployments and workes , that with tranquillity of minde , and stillnesse of body , we may bend all our forces to these exercises ; resort unto the holy assemblies , and glorifie the lord our god there in the company of the faithfull . i grant willingly , that all travell about corporall and terrestriall workes is forbidden , in as much as it is an impediment and hinderance to the service of god. and therefore an honest and religious man must observe publikely all the time of holy exercises observed in the church on the holy-dayes appointed for that end , whereof he hath for rule , the order of the church . this time excepted , the remnant of the day is his to dispose of it discreetly and conscientiously , and to doe on it all manner of worke which is lawfull on other dayes , according to the order of the church wherein he lives . and sith sunday hath beene appointed by the order of the church , for the prime day wherein these exercises are ordinarily to be practised , all are bound in regard of them , to cease from all other workes , during the whole time that they are practised in the church publikely , without purposing to doe , or give willingly any worldly businesse to be done on that day , capable to make the least diversion from so holy and necessarie a duty , and to dispose in such sort all their ordinary affaires of this life before sunday come , that they be not , when it is come , an hinderance to sanctifie it : and so to shew that they are full of love and respect to those blessed exercises of religion , and to the order of the church , from which they should never be absent without reasons of great consequence , whereof every ones conscience ought to iudge by the rules of godlinesse , and of christian prudence . i say without most important and weighty reasons . for considering that gods externall service , for which a day of rest is appointed , is not the principall service that god requireth , and that it ought to give place to the workes of true godlinesse and love , according to gods owne words , i will have mercy , and not sacrifice , hos. . vers . . matth. . vers . . it is certaine , there may be many lawfull reasons taken from true charity which we owe to our selves , or to our neighbours , whereby we may be dispensed with in the practise of gods outward service on the sabbath day , and licensed to doe on it bodily und servile workes , in stead of that service . but against this liberty which i maintaine all christians have to worke , or to cheare up themselves on sunday , in the manner before specified , it is objected ; that worldlings , when they are lured with some worldly advantage , & when they seek or look for some gaine on market , or faire dayes , take heed lest they loose so good an occasion , shun all games and pastimes , that may withdraw or divert them from their gaine , make alwayes pleasure to plie and give place to profit . and therefore farre lesse ought christians on the lords day , which is , as it were , the great market-day for their soules , wherin they have need to prepare to themselves a great spirituall gain , and make all their provisions , to seeke or take any leisure for the occupations and pastimes of this life ; namely , seeing our diligence cannot be so great , our care so vigilant , our labour so profitable , but that we have much more profit to be made , than all the profit we haue purchased already . but if we make of the sabbath our delight , according to gods exhortation in esa. chap. . vers . . we shall finde neither leisure nor place for worldly affaires . to the which i answer , that the care of worldlings , lest they should bee any wayes diverted from their trafficke , and from the search of gaine on market-dayes , by any game or pastime , is nothing to the purpose . it is true , that we ought to be more carefull of the spirituall food of our soules , than they are of the temporall profit of their bodies . but this argument is made , as if sunday were onely gods market-day , to speake so , wherein wee may purchase unto us that profit , as if ( it being past ) our hope of the acquisition thereof on another day of the weeke were utterly lost ; and as if a small and short occupation or recreation of this world , taken on that day , could bereave us of so great a good : which foundation being sandie , the building upon it fals to the ground . we ought to make of the sabbath our delight , but not in the same sense as the iewes , that is , not of an externall and ceremoniall , but of a spirituall sabbath , which the prophet betokeneth in the place quoted ; that is , not to follow our owne wayes , and not to doe our owne will , which is the dayly sabbath of the new testament . for god hath not ordained unto us a corporall one , saving in some respects specified before , which is much different from the sabbath which the iewes were obliged to observe . it is manifest of that hath beene said , that our sunday may in some sort be called a day of sabbath or of rest , because wee ought , for the publike exercises of religion on it , give over all our ordinary workes . but it cannot be absolutely qualified with this name , and with regard to an abstinence as precise as was required on the iewish sabbath day . moreover , as wee have observed heretofore , this name of sabbath day , is the proper name of the ancient day of the iewes , and not of the new day of christians , wherefore it were better done to abstaine from denoting it by the qualification of that name , and to call it onely , the lords day , or sunday , seeing these names have beene appropriated unto it by the christian church . chapter sixth . a more particular explication , how the faithfull ought to carry themselves in the observation of sunday . . duty of the governours of the church , and of all particular christians about the ordering and practise of gods service . . the faithfull ought to submit themselves to the order of the church , and to keepe the dayes appointed for gods service , by the publike practice thereof in the congregation . . how they ought to carry themselves where there is no church . . how where there is a church , during the service . . how after the service . . the sanctification of sunday is grounded on the holinesse of the exercises practised in it , and is so considered by the faithfull . . profane men , because they have no heart to gods service , contemne the lords day . . godly men doe quite contrary . god for the edification and entertainement of his church here below , injoyneth to those that have charge of her governement , to offer up prayers and thankesgivings , to preach the gospell , to minister the sacraments , to assemble the faithfull together , to establish good order in the church ; and to particular christians to pray devoutly , to love gods word , to keep it , receive the sacraments , frequent carefully the holy assemblies , obey in things belonging to order and discipline those that have rule over them , and submit themselves unto them , not to be contentious against the good customes of the church , and to doe this , not each of them for himselfe onely , but also to procure that all persons subject to their governement , their subjects , their children , their servants doe the same . all christians , when they know that there are holy convocations for the hearing of the word , and the practice of other religious exercises , and that the order of the church hath appointed unto them set dayes , as in every week a sunday , are bound by these injunctions to resort carefully unto them , and to take paines that their inferiours ( over whom they have authority ) follow their example : and if indeed they love the word of god , and the exercises of godlinesse , to shew it by a diligent frequenting , and serious practice of them , as of a thing which god hath injoyned to all , and for the things sake , to observe the day wherein it is practised , although god hath not prescribed nor appointed it , and it hath no other foundation but the order of the church , whereunto neverthelesse god hath commanded in generall all men to submit themselves , cor. . vers . . for it is not for the dayes sake that we ought to practise and respect the holy exercises which ordinarily are done on it ; but it is these exercises that make the day considerable , and give credit , authority , and respect unto it : the exercises are to be much esteemed for themselves , and for gods sake , who hath expresly injoyned them : the day is not honoured and accounted of , but for their sake , in as much as the church is pleased to doe them on it . yet , if a christian were brought to that extremity , that hee must remaine in a place , where there is no church , nor order established for the publike exercises of religion ; neverthelesse , because sunday hath beene alwayes used in the christian church for a day of divine service , and all religious exercises , he ought not to forbeare to apply himselfe unto them privately on that day , with greater assiduity than on other dayes : and because , where there is an order and discipline established , the rulers of the state , and of the church , to prevent all disorders , and stirre up greater respect to the exercises of religion which are practised on sunday , have thought fit to forbid on that day the publike and ordinary workes of the other dayes of the weeke , he shall doe well to refraine on it from the ordinary workes of his worldly trade and calling , to obey these high powers that god hath subjected him unto . it is then the order of the church principally that must be to every christian the rule of the abstinence and cessation from ordinary workes that he is to observe on sunday , or on another day . that is , he must not apply himselfe to such workes without great necessity , during all the time wherein this order calleth upon him to resort to the house of god , to come to the holy assemblies , not to sit idle , not to busie himselfe about bodily occupations , when he ought to be in the congregation , hearing the word of god with attention , praying , and singing with heart and mouth to the lord in the company of his faithfull brethren . if divine service be publikely practised before and after noone in the church , whereof he is a member , he must not soothe himselfe with a fond opinion , that he hath done his duty when he hath beene present at either of them , and forsaken one of the two , to bestow it on some other thing . that time ordained by the church being expired , and the whole service of that day finished , when he is come home , and is alone , he is free to doe what he will , so it be honest and lawfull ; to worke , or to refresh himselfe , for in that he sinneth not against god , & transgresseth not his commandements . if he will passe the rest of the day in actions of religion , he shall do well ; if he will spend it on other ordinarie and common actions of this life , he shall not doe ill ; with this proviso , that he be carefull to prepare himselfe by religious meditations for the publike and holy exercises before they begin , and take time to call them to minde after they are ended , that so he may make them faithfull and profitable to his soule , feele in his heart their efficacie , and shew it by an holy conversation in the whole sway of his life . otherwise the wicked one shall come , and catch away that which was sowne in his heart , matt. . v. . all that can , and should be propounded to teach us how wee ought to sanctifie the lords day , must be grounded upon the necessitie , holinesse , and utility of the religious exercises of divine service , upon the respect due unto them , and upon the authority of the church commanding upon these grounds . this is the only reason of the sanctification of that day ; in this is the strength of all the arguments whereby gods servants ought to stirre up devotion in the hearts of their hearers ; and not in the nature of the day wherein god is publikely served , not also in any obligation whereby the conscience is tied unto it . those that feare god , and have respect unto his commandements , will not omit the observation of this day , although they be informed that it obligeth them not , neither of it self , nor also by a divine commandement , more than another day . for it is not the day that they regard , but the great need they have to be instructed , comforted , fortified in the knowledge of god , in the love of his glorious majestie , in true godlinesse , by the exercises which god hath ordained to that end , not onely particular at home , which they may doe at all times , as they shall have occasion , but also publike in the church , in any day whatsoever the church shall appoint . on the other side , those that have not the love god , and of the exercises of religion in their hearts , will never be moved to give their minde with more affection and assiduity to gods service , by beleeving , that sunday is a day of gods owne institution . for if they make no account of that which is the principall , and the end , which god hath injoyned , and urgeth so carefully , what reckoning can they make of a thing , which , putting the case it were a divine institution , could not injoy that prerogative , saving as a helpe and a meanes tending to that end ? if they should cover their forsaking of gods service and of the holy exercises on sunday , with this pretext , that it is not a divine institution ; should they not discover a manifest profanenesse , for as much as that under a slight & frivolous pretence , they should disdaine that which they cannot be ignorant of , but that god hath ordained it ; to wit , the holy convocations , the communion of the faithfull in them , his word , his sacraments , the publike calling upon his name ? such profane ones must be left to the judgement of god , who will finde them out in his owne time . as for the true faithfull , the glory of god , and their owne salvation being their principall end , they will alwayes keepe religiously and chearefully all things whereby they come to their end : first , the meanes which essentially and by gods ordinance belong unto it , such as are the exercises of religion particular and publike : next , those which being in themselves indifferent , and having no obligatorie power over the conscience by a divine commandement , are notwithstanding lawfully established by the church for orders sake , and to set forth the former by ordinary practice , such as is the institution of sunday . by which behaviour , they shall draw upon themselves from the father of lights , the blessing of grace during their abode in these low parts of the earth , and of glory in heaven , through the precious merits of our onely saviour and redeemer iesus christ , to whom with the father and the holy ghost , be all honour , glory , and praise for ever and ever . amen . a confirmation of the things contained in the preceding treatise , by humane authorities . that the world may not thinke , that in my tenets and proofes , i have onely set down that , which in my owne judgement i thought to be warrantable by the word of god , and reason , which are the chiefest foundations , on which we ought to build ; i thought it not unfit , for the further confirmation of the premisses , to adde , as an appendix to my former discourse , some passages of learned writers , both ancient and moderne , especially of the reformed churches , who were first , both in time , and worth , and who deservedly have great credit and authority amongst us . in quoting the passages , i shall reduce them to the chiefe heads of my treatise . passages concerning the nature and beginning of the sabbath . iustin martyr in dialogo cum tryphone iudaeo . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . all the forenamed righteous men ( adam , abel , &c. ) and after them abraham also did please god , though they observed no sabbath . irenaeus l. . adv . haeres . c. . speaking of circumcision , and of the sabbath , ( which he maketh to be types and figures of the same nature ) saith , quia non per haec justificatur homo , sed in signo data sunt populo , ostendit , quòd ipse abraham fine circumcisione , & sine observatione sabbatorum credidit deo , & reputatum est illi in justitiam ; that man is not justified by these things , but that they were given him for signes , and tokens , is manifest from this , that abraham not being yet circumcised , nor observing the sabbaths , beleeved in god , and it was accounted to him for righteousnesse . and a little after : reliqua omnis multitudo eorum qui ante abraham fuere justi , & patriarcharum qui ante moysem fuerunt , sine his quae praedicta sunt , & sine lege moysis justificati sunt . all the company of them , who before abraham were just , and of the patriarches that were before moses , were justified without observing the things above-specified , and without moses law. tertullian also libro advers . iudaeos cap. . in fin . joyntly speaking of circumcision , and of the sabbath , saith , cum neque circumcisum , neque sabbatizantem deus adam instituerit , consequenter quoque sobolem ejus abel offerentem sibi sacrificia , incircumcisum , nec sabbatizantem laudavit , accepta ferens quae offerebat in simplicitate cordis . noe quoque incircumcisum , sed & non sabbatizantem de diluvio liberavit . enoch justissimum , non circumcisum , nec sabbatizantem de hoc mundo transtulit . melchisedech summi dei sacerdos incircumcisus & non sabbatizans ad sacerdotium dei allectus est . that god created adam , neither circumcised , nor observing the sabbath , and afterwards also he praised his sonne abel sacrificing unto him , although he was neither circumcised , nor kept the sabbath , accepting of those things which in the singlenesse of his heart he offered . he delivered also from the deluge noe , who was neither circumcised , nor an observer of the sabbath . hee translated just enoch out of this world , who neither was circumcised , nor observed the sabbath . melchisedech also was made high priest of the great god , though neither circumcised , nor a keeper of the sabbath . abraham indeed was circumcised , but hee was accepted of god before hee was circumcised , nor did hee at all observe the sabbath . and in the fourth chapter , doceant adam sabbatizasse , aut abel hostiam deo sanctam offerentem sabbati religionem placuisse , aut enoch translatum , sabbati cultorem fuisse , aut noe arcae fabricatorem propter diluvium immensum , sabbatum observâsse : aut abraham in observatione sabbati isaac filium suum obtulisse , aut melchisedech in suo sacerdotio , legem sabbati accepisse . let them prove to us , that adam did observe the sabbath , or that abel , when hee offered up his sacrifice to god , observed the sabbath , or that enoch who was translated from this world , or that noe the builder of the arke against the deluge , were observers of it : or that abraham observing it offered up his sonne isaac , or that melchisedech during his priesthood received any lawes concerning the sabbath . and a little after he inferreth , that this commandement of the sabbath was temporall , and ought not to be observed under the new testament , no more than circumcision , and the leviticall sacrifices . eusebius l. . c. . hist. eccles. proveth , that the fathers before moses were in effect christians , though they carried not the name : for , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . they cared not for the circumcision of the body , because nor we neither : nor for the observation of sabbaths , because nor we neither . and in his first booke de demonstrat . evangelicâ c. . shewing , that the patriarches before moses did not observe the ceremonies of the mosaicall law , amongst them , in expresse termes , he ranketh the observation of the sabbath , and saith of melchisedech , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . moses maketh mention of melchisedech , priest of the most high god , who was neither circumcised in the flesh , nor anointed with a compound ointment ( exod. . . ) according to the prescript of moses law , nor knew any such thing as a sabbath , nor heard any thing at all of those lawes , which afterwards by moses were given to the whole people of the iewes . and a little after of iob , he saith , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; what shall wee say of most blessed iob , that thrice unblamable , just , and religious man ? how came he to that height of holinesse and righteousnesse that was in him ? was it by observing the mosaicall law ? no truly . but was it then by keeping the sabbath day , or any other of the iewish rites and ceremonies ? how could that be , seeing he was before moses , and the making of his lawes ? s. august . tom . . l. despiritu & liter . c. . in decem praeceptis in lapideis tabulis digito dei scriptis , dicatur mihi quid non sit observandum à christiano , excepta sabbathi observatione , &c. in the ten commandements written by the finger of god in tables of stone , let them tell me , what is not to bee observed by a christian , except the command of the sabbath ? and a little after . an propter unum praeceptum , quod ibi de sabbato positum est , dictus est decalogus litera occidens , quoniam quisquis illum diem nunc usque observat sieut litera sonat , carnaliter sapit ? is the decalogue called a killing letter , for that one precept of it concerning the sabbath , because whosoever observeth that day according to the literall sense , is carnally wise . and afterwards , ranking the sabbath with circumcision , and the other ceremonies , hee calleth them all typicall sacraments : and cap. . having said that the grace revealed under the new testament , was vailed and covered under the old , he addeth , that to that vaile and covering did pertaine the precept concerning the sabbath , which is in the decalogue , which also he calleth typicall , and sheweth in what consisteth the type and figure , and saith , the iewes observed the sabbath as a shadow . and tom . . l. quaest . in exod. quaest . . moses after hee came downe from the mount the second time , exod. . ex decem praeceptis hoc solum ( de sabbato ) praecepit , quod figuratè ibi dictum est : alia quippe novem sicut praecepta sunt , etiam in novo testamento observanda minimè dubitamus . illud autem unū de sabbato usque adeo figurata diei septimi observatione apud israelitas velatum est , & in mysterio praeceptum fuit , & quodam sacramento figurabatur , ut hodiè à nobis non observetur , sed solum quod significabat , intueamur . of all the ten commandements hee repeated to the people this onely of the sabbath , which is there set downe for a figure : for we doe not doubt , but that the other nine are also to be observed under the new testament , just as they were commanded . but that of the sabbath was amongst the israelites so farre vailed with a figurative observation of a seventh day , and mystically commanded , and prefigured by a certaine signe , that at this day we observe it not , but onely looke upon that which it signified . and tom . . in exposit . ex . ad galat. in cap. . about the beginning . opera legis sunt tripartita : nam partim in sacramentis , partim verò in moribus accipiuntur . ad sacramenta pertinent , circumcisio carnis , sabbatum temporale , neomeniae , sacrificia atque omnes hujusmodi innumerae observationes . ad mores autem , non occides , non moechaberis , non falsum testimonium dices & talia caetera . the workes of the law are of two sorts , for they consist partly in signes and types , partly in morall actions . in types , such are circumcision of the flesh , the temporall sabbath , new moones , sacrifices and such like innumerable observations . in morall actions , as , thou shalt not kill , thou shalt not commit adultery , and such like others . and tom . . de genes . ad liter . l. . c. . iam tempore gratiae revelatae , observatio illa sabbati , quae unius diei vacatione figurabatur , ablata est ab observatione fidelium . now that grace is revealed , that observation of the sabbath , which figuratively consisted in one dayes rest , was taken away from the observation of the faithfull . to which passages , the answer that some men make , that the fore-quoted fathers speake of a ceremoniall keeping of the sabbath , and meane onely that the first patriarches did not observe the sabbath with such ceremonies , as the iewes afterwards did : this answer ( i say ) hath not so much , as any shew of truth ; for if they had meant nothing else but that , they had never spoke in so direct and expresse tearmes as they doe . moreover , they expresly distinguish betwixt the sabbath and the other ceremonies of moses law , and flatly affirme , that the patriarches did neither observe the sabbath , nor the other iewish ceremonies . besides the testimonies of the fathers , which above have been , and of our owne doctours , which presently hereafter shall be cited : if you will give any credit to iewish writers , there are some of the old rabbins ( as galatin reporteth , l. . de secret . veritatis catholic . c. . & . ) who writing upon these words , genes . . and god blessed the seventh day ; and upon these , exod. . . see , for that the lord hath given you the sabbath : say , that abraham observed not the sabbath , that the law of the sabbath was given but to the iewes onely , and not to other nations , and that they are not obliged to keepe the sabbath . rabbi salomon iarchi in his comment . on gen. . . god blessed the seventh day , and sanctified it . god blessed it ( saith hee ) in the manna , because on the rest of the dayes of the weeke there fell one homer for every person , and on the sixth day there fell a double proportion . hee sanctified it in the manna , because on it none at all fell : and this is written with reference to the time to come . in which words he manifestly referreth the blessing and sanctifying mentioned gen. . . to the time that the israelites were in the desert . amongst our owne writers i will begin with calvin , who institut . l. . c. . sect . . speaketh thus of the fourth commandement ; umbratile veteres nuncupare solent , quòd externam diei observationem contineat , quae in christi adventu cum reliquis figuris abolita fuerat : quod verè quidem ab illis dicitur . ancient writers are wont to call this command a typicall one , because it containeth an externall observation of a day , which , with the rest of the types and figures at the comming of christ were abolished : in which they speake truth : ibidem sect . . neque sic tamen septenarium numerum moror , ut ejus servituti ecclesiam astringam . neque enim ecclesias damnavero , quae aliis conventibus suis solennes dies habeant , modò à superstitione absint : quod erit , si ad solam observationem disciplinae , & ordinis benè compositi referantur . i doe not so regard the number of seven dayes , as to tie the church precisely to it : for i should not condemne those churches , who should make choice of other dayes for their publike assemblies , so they did it without superstition : which is done , if the observation of those dayes be onely for discipline and good orders sake . and a little after : ita evanescunt nugae pseudoprophetarum qui iudaica opinione populum superioribus seculis imbuerint ; nihil aliud afferentes nisi abrogatum esse quod ceremoniale erat in hoc mandato ( id vocant sua lingua diei septimae taxationem ) remanere autem quod morale est , nempe unius diei observationem in hebdomada . atque id nihil aliud est , quàm in iudaeorum contumeliam diem mutare , diei sanctitatem eandem animo retinere : siquidem manet nobis etiamnum par mysterii in diebus significatio , quae apud iudaeos locum habebat . so are refuted the foolish conceits of some false doctors , who in former ages possessed the mindes of the vulgar with a iewish opinion , saying nothing for themselves but this , that what was ceremoniall in this command ( which in their expression they call the taxation of a seventh day ) is abrogated , but that the morall part of it , namely , the observation of one day in seven , remaineth still in force unto this day . which is nothing else but to change the day in contempt of the iewes , and to retaine the same opinion of the holinesse of the day . for if so be the same mysterie is implied to us in the number of the dayes , which was implied to the iewes ; and whoso will take the paines to read over all that he saith in the fore-quoted chapter , shall finde , that his opinion is , that the principall end for which at first a seventh day was appointed for rest , was to be a type and figure of a spirituall rest , that the sabbath is abrogated , that the fourth commandement doth onely oblige us so farre , that there must be set times set a part for the publike service of god ; that if it were possible to make every day a sabbath day , and so take away all difference of dayes , it were a thing much to be desired : but seeing this cannot be done , it behooveth that there be one appointed from among the rest , and that this is all which is obligatorie in the fourth command in regard of us . and writing on the sixteenth of exodus vers . . the seventh day ( saith he ) was consecrated before the promulgation of the law , although it is uncertaine whether this day of rest was observed by the fathers , which seemeth probable , but i would not contest in this . item on the twentieth of exodus expounding the fourth commandement . that the commandement was ceremoniall s. paul telleth in plaine termes , calling it a shadow of things , whose body is in christ. we must see therefore how christ hath exhibited to us that , which was a figure . and afterwards . from these words , for god in six dayes created the heaven and the earth , and rested the seventh day . this probable conjecture is inferred , that the holinesse of the sabbath was before the law. bullinger sermonum decade . serm. . scimus sabbatum esse ceremoniale quatenus conjunctum est cum sacrificiis & reliquis iudaicis ceremoniis , & quatenus alligatum est tempori : caeterùm quatenus sabbato religio & piet as propagatur , & justus or do retinetur in ecclesia , perpetuum & non ceremoniale est . wee know that the sabbath is ceremoniall , so farre as it is joyned with the sacrifices and the rest of the iewish ceremonies , and so farre as it is tied to a certaine time . but so farre as by the sabbath , religion and piety is advanced , and good order preserved in the church , the observation of it is everlasting , and not ceremoniall . xml:lang="lat" musculus in locis commun . in praeceptum . deus diem exprimit , quo sanctificandum sit sabbatum , unum videlicet de septem diebus , eumque nec primum nec secundum , &c. sed postremum . . septimum . god doth specifie the day , in which the sabbath is to be sanctified , namely , that it is one of seven , and that neither the first , nor the second , &c. but the last . that is , the seventh . item , legale sabbatum non erat naturâ suâ ita comparatum , ut esset perpetuum . erat enim , non verum , sed umbratile ; non perfectum , sed elementarium ac paedagogicum , adeóque imperfectum , & populo elementario accommodatum . quare novi testamenti tempore desiit , ut spiritus libertati locus esset . christus est corpus , cujus adventu rectè cessarunt umbrae . the legall sabbath , considered in it selfe , was not appointed to be of a perpetuall duration : for it was not a true one but onely typicall : not perfect , but elementary and pedagogicall , and by consequent imperfect and appropriated to an elementary and rude people . therefore it was most reasonable that it should have end under the new testament , that the christian liberty of the spirit might have place . christ is the body at whose comming it behooved all shadowes to vanish away . cal. . item observantia legalis sabbati non perinde imposita reliquis nationibus , atque israelitis . etenim non extat praeceptum dei , quod gentes ad hanc septimi diei observationem astringat , sicut ad illam israelitae manifesta lege obstringuntur . quare convinci non potest , quòd septimi diei sabbatum ante hanc legem , vel ante diluvium ab adamo ad noe usque , vel post diluvium à noe ad mosem usque , vel per abraham , vel posteros ejus servatum fuerit : unde & quidam hebraeorum fatentur , non esse scriptum de abrahamo , quòd sabbatum observârit . quin etiamsi de patribus , qui ante legem vixerunt , certò constaret quòd sabbati hujus religionem servârint : haud tamen quisquam mortalium illorum exemplo ad consimilem alligaretur observantiam , nisi dicturi sumus esse nobis & pecudes immolandas , propterea quòd patres ante & post diluvium de pecoribus sacrificâsse leguntur . the observation of the legall sabbath was not so imposed upon other nations , as upon the iewes : for there is no divine precept that obligeth the gentiles to this keeping of a seventh day , as the iewes by an expresse law are tied to doe . wherefore it cannot be proved that a seventh dayes rest was observed before the law , either before the deluge from adam to noe ; or after the deluge , from noe to moses ; or by abraham and his posterity . hence it is that some of the iewish writers doe confesse , that it is no where written of abraham that hee observed the sabbath . but grant that there were any certaine proofe , that the fathers who lived before the law did keepe the sabbath . notwithstanding , it doth not follow that any man by their example should be tied to the same , except wee will also conclude , that we must now sacrifice beasts , because we reade the fathers before and after the flood did so item , decalogus hic quatenus pertinet ad legem israeli per mosem in monte sina divinitus datam , pertinet ad solos israelitas . this decalogue so farre as it hath reference to the law given to the iewes from god by moses in mount sinai , doth onely pertaine to the iewes . item , qui baptizatus est in christum servatorem , & spiritum gratiae accepit , profectò non sive grandi christi gratiae injuria jugo se legis serviliter subjicit , si se legalis sabbati servandi debitorem esse judicat . hee who was baptized in christs name , and hath received the spirit of grace , doth not without putting a grosse affront upon the same spirit , slavishly subject himselfe to the yoke of the law , if he thinketh himselfe bound to keepe the legall sabbath . item , ad legem pertinet , ut aliquo die vacetur sacris ritibus , & exercitiis . hactenus non debemus sabbati , id est , quietis sanctificationem abjicere , quae usque adeò naturali lege traditur , ut & universae gentes stativas quasdam ferias , universo populo communes , & rebus sacris obeundis consecratas habuerunt . ad legem verò mosaicam referendum est , quòd non primus , non secundus , non tertius , &c. sed septimus dies sacro otio expressè & legaliter deputatur . ista legalis septimi diei deputatio & consecratio neminem mortalium constringit praeter iudaeos : idque non nisi ad tempus usque novi testamenti , quo lex mosis unà cum sacerdotio christo sacerdoti cessit . quare haud est praeter rationem , quòd apostolus tantopere & legis & sabbati legalis observantiam rejicit , &c. it is a branch of the law of nature that some day be set apart to the performing of holy rites and sacrifices . and thus far we are not to reject the sanctifying of a sabbath , a day of rest , which by the law of nature is so clearely taught us , that even all nations have had set holy dayes , generall thorow the whole people , and consecrated to holy exercises . but it is by moses law , that not the first , not the second , not the third , &c. but the seventh day is expresly and legally appointed for a holy rest . that legall appointing and consecrating of a seventh day doth oblige no people under heaven but the iewes , and that for a certaine time , till the time of the new testament , under which moses law and priesthood gave place to christ our saviour . wherefore it is not without reason , that the apostle is so zealous for the cancelling of the law and the legall sabbath , &c. ursin. in tractat. theolog. de praecept . . praecepti hujus duae sunt partes , quarum una est moralis , sive perpetua , videlicet , ut sanctificetur sabbatum ; id est , aliquod tempus certum tribuatur ministerio ecclesiae , sive publico dei cultui . altera ceremonialis ac temporaria , videlicet , ut tempus illud sit dies septimus . there are two parts of this commandement , one morall and perpetuall ; namely , that a sabbath be sanctified ; that is to say , some set time is to bee appointed to divine service , or the publike worship of god. another ceremoniall and temporary , namely , that that time should be a seventh day . item . cùm igitur sabbathum septimi diei typus fuerit , admonens populum , & de suo officio , seu de pietate erga deum , & de beneficio dei erga populum per christum praestando , unà cum aliis ceremoniis adventu christi , per quem est impletum , quod illa significabant , abrogatum est . quod etiam paulus testatur col. . seeing therefore a seventh dayes rest was a type remembring the people both of their duty , or piety towards god ; and also of gods bountifulnesse towards them , which in christ was to be manifested , both it and the other ceremonies at the comming of christ were abolished , by whom was fulfilled that which they signified . which also s. paul col. . doth testifie . item . decalogus est perpetuus , quatenus est moralis : appendices autem , sive determinationes moralium praeceptorum significationis causâ , usque ad messiam servandae . the decalogue is perpetuall so farre as it is morall : but the appurtenances and determinations of the morall precepts ( such as is that of the sabbath ) are , because of that which they typifie , to last till christ. et capite de lege divina quaest. . quae sint partes legis divinae . leges morales ( inquit ) non sunt certis circumstantiis definitae , sed sunt generales , ut tempus aliquod esse dandum ministerio , &c. leges verò ceremoniales & forenses sunt speciales , sive circumstantiarum determinatio , quae observandae sunt in ritibus vel actionibus externis , ecclesiasticis & politicis , ut , septimum diem esse tribuendum ministerio , &c. the morall lawes are not limited by circumstances , but are generall and indefinite , as , that some time is to be assigned to divine service , &c. but the ceremoniall and judiciall lawes are speciall , or are the very determination of the circumstances , which are to be observed in outward rites or actions , whether ecclesiasticall or civill , as that a seventh day is to be assigned to divine service , &c. viret . on the fourth commandement towards the end , we must distinguish , as is fit , betwixt the ceremonie of this precept , and that which it retaineth of the law of nature imprinted in every mans heart : for setting apart the ceremonie of it , yet notwithstanding our conscience beareth witnesse unto us ( if we hold this for a certain truth , that there is a god to whom we owe honour and glory ) that it is necessary that we hearken to his word , and that both we and all ours be carefull of the ministery of the same which he hath ordained . zanchius in explicat . praecept . apostolus ad col. . . aperte ait praeter alia ceremonialia , sabbatum etiam fuisse umbram rerum futurarum , corpus autem , hoc est , veritatem earum rerum esse in christo. the apostle col. . . saith in plaine termes , that besides the other ceremonies , the sabbath also was a shadow of things to come , but that the body , that is to say , the truth of them , was in christ. item . mandatum quartum ceremoniale est , quatenus talem diem , nempe septimum diem , quem sabbatum vocant , exercitio divini cultus destinat , & praescribit . ita ad solos indaeos pertinuit nsque ad christum . per christum autem unà cum aliis ceremoniis abrogatm fuit . the fourth commandement is ceremoniall , so far as it appointeth and prescribeth for divine worship such a day , namely , a seventh day , which is called the sabbath . and thus considered , it pertained to the iewes onely till christs time . but by christ it was abrogated , together with the rest of the ceremonies . item . although elsewhere he declareth his opinion to be , that the sabbath hath beene celebrated since the beginning of the world , notwithstanding , here he speaketh of it , as of a thing questionable , as of a private opinion of certaine men . quomodo autem sanctificavit ? ( inquit ) non solum decreto & voluntate , sed & re ipsa : quia illum diem ( ut non pauci volu●● , & probabile est ) mandavit primis hominibus sanctificandum . how did he sanctifie it ( speaking of the sabbath ? ) not onely by his decree and purpose , but really , and in very deed : because he commanded our first parents to hallow it , as is the opinion of a great many , and it is also probable . and afterwards disputing against the sabbatarians , who will have all christians obliged to the observation of the seventh day , because the fourth commandement is morall , and concerneth all nations , which they prove thus , because ( say they ) from the beginning before moses law was given , god sanctified it , and the patriarches kept it holy . to which he answereth , quod ●iunt , patres ante legem diem septimum sanctificâsse : quanquam hoc non facili & apertè demonstrari potest ex s. literis sicut & tertullian . adv . indaeos contendit , ego tamen non contradixerim . sed quod inferunt esse igitur naturale , ita ut etiam ad nos pertineat , tam facile sequitur , si dicas : patres ante legem offerebant animalia , item circumcidebantur : ergo utrumque naturale est , & ideò utrumque etiam à nobis praestari debet . as for that which they affirme , that the fathers before the law kept holy the seventh day : although this cannot easily and clearely be proved out of scripture , which also tertullian . adv . iudaeos doth maintaine , notwithstanding i for my part will not gainesay it . but the consequence which thence they inferre , that therefore this law is morall and concerneth us also , is as pertinent , as if you should argue thus , the fathers before the law did offer the sacrifices of beasts , and were also circumcised : therefore both are morall , and are to bee performed by us also . item . non ita morale est , quin etiam sit ceremoniale mandatum hoc de sabbato . morale est , quatenus natura docet , & piet as postulat , ut aliquis dies destinetur quieti ab operibus servilibus , quo divino cultui vacare possit ecclesia : ceremoniale est , & ad iudaeos particulariter pertinens , quatenus septimus fuit praescriptus & non alius . this precept of the sabbath is not so morall , but that also it is ceremoniall . it is morall thus farre , in that nature teacheth us , and piety bindeth us to it , that some one day be appointed to a rest from servile works , that the church may more freely give it selfe to the worship of god. it is ceremoniall , and peculiarly belongeth to the iewes , so farre as a seventh day is prescribed by it and no other . item . substantia hujus praecepti quatenns ad nos quoque pertinet , & confirmatum à christo , non est ut diem septimum sanctificemus : sed ut sanctificemus diem sabbati , hoc est , quieti destinatum , quisquis ille sit . the substance of this command , so farre as it concerneth us also , and was confirmed by christ , is not that we keepe holy a seventh day : but that we sanctifie a sabbath day , that is to say , a day of rest , whatsoever day it be . item . praeceptum hoc quartum morale est , quatenus hôc mandatur ●ura religionis , & exercitium etiam externi divini cultus : & ut certo tempore conveniat ecclesia ad audiendum verbum dei , ad publicas preces , ad debita sacrificia facienda , ad collectiones faciendas . id quod etiam confirmavimus : quoniam apud omnes gentes semper recepta fuit haec consuetudo , ut certis diebus convenirent omnes ad deum celebrandum , colendum , invocandum . mosaicum autem & ceremoniale fuit , ad solos iudaeos pertinens , quatenus talis dies , septimus nimirum , fuit illis praescriptus : & quatenus illis etiam praescripti fuerunt certi ritus , quibus deum die sabbati colerent : atque eatenus etiam fuisse abrogatum . ergò ut certo tempore conveniat ecclesia , cum scilicet potest , ad deum celebrandum , ex dei est institutione in animis cujusque inscripta . this fourth command is morall , so farre as by it is recommended unto us the care of religion , and the exercise of gods externall worship : and that at a set time the church assemble together to heare the word of god , to publike prayers , to offer up due sacrifices , and to make gatherings for the poore . which also wee have proved , because it is a custome received amongst all nations , that on certaine dayes there be publike assemblies to praise , worship , and call upon god. but it is mosaicall , and ceremoniall , pertaining to the iewes onely in this respect , that such a day , namely a seventh , was prescribed unto them : and in this also , that they had certaine rites prescribed unto them , by which they were to worship god on the sabbath day : and in this regard it was also afterwards abrogated . that therefore the church meet together at some certaine time , to wit , when it can conveniently , is gods institution engraved in every mans minde . and in the very close of his explication of the fourth command , treating of the abrogation of the sabbath , hee saith thus , prima cansa , ob quam institutum est sabbatum , est , ut figuraret cessationem , eamque perpetuam ab operibus nostris , scilicet à peccatis patrandis , & quietem in domino , sinentes scilicet deum operari opera s. s. in nobis . et quantum ad hanc causam , quia erat tantùm figura alterius sabbatismi , erat ceremoniale praeceptum : ideoque & abrogatum est , sicut & caeterae figurae , adveniente christo figurato : ad praesentiam veritatis , id est , christi , evanuit figura , id est , sabbatum , col. . quatenus verò institutum est , ut status dies esset , quo ad legem audiendam , & ceremonias peragendas conveniret populus : vel saltem quem operum domini meditationi peculiariter darent omnes ; abrogatum non est . nam & apud nos locum habet , ut statis diebus ad audiendum verbum , ad sacramenta percipienda conveniamus . the first cause for which the sabbath was instituted , was to typifie a perpetuall cessation from our workes , that is , our sinnes , and also our rest in the lord , suffering him to worke in us the workes of his holy spirit : and in regard of this cause , because it was onely a figure of another sabbath or rest , it was ceremoniall : and therefore was abrogated , as likewise the rest of the types , at the comming of christ who by them was typified : when the truth , that is , christ appeared ; the shadow , that is , the sabbath vanished away , col. . but in that respect , that it was instituted to bee a set day , for the church to meet together on , to heare the law , to performe the ceremonies prescribed , or at least to meditate on the workes of god , it is not abolished . for it is thus in force even amongst us , that on appointed dayes we assemble together to heare the word and receive the sacraments . in many places also of this his exposition of the fourth command , he affirmeth , that the law concerning the sabbath was onely given to the iewes , and not to other nations , and they were not bound to the observation of it . lib. . de oper . sex dierum . c. . having said , that the seasons of the yeare , the new and full moones are times common for all people ; for the distinction of which , god hath given to all the sunne and the moone , and appointed them their courses , he addeth ; alterum est genus eorum temporum , seu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quae peculiaria sunt certis gentibus , & quae quisque sibi ex toto anni tempore ad certa actionum genera deligit ; ut quod deus voluerit , ut ipsius populus sex diebus operaretur : septimo autem , qui sabbatum dicitur , quiesceret ab iis operibus & vacaret cultui divino . item quod voluerit calendas observari & certis temporibus & non aliis festa celebrari paschae , pentecostes , &c. haec erant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 populi israelitaci . voluit & vult ut singulae gentes habeant stata tempora , quibus cultum praestent deo , sed libera cuique genti esse voluit . there is another kinde of appointed times , which are peculiar to certaine nations , and which every one doth make choice of for himselfe out of the whole yeere for certaine actions . as that god would have his owne people the iewes to worke six dayes , but to rest from those workes on the seventh day , which is called the sabbath , and give themselves to divine worship . also that he would have them to observe the first dayes of every moneth , and feasts of easter , pentecost , &c. to be kept at certaine times and no other . he would , and willeth that every nation have appointed times for his worship , but he hath left them to the liberty of every nation to be appointed by them . danaeus ethic. christian. l. . c. . speaking of the fourth commandement , quatenus hoc praeceptum ceremoniale fuit , hodiè cesset : sed quatenus externa quaedam verae pietatis exercitia fieri praecipit , praeceptum continent haec verba . this precept so farre as it was ceremoniall , is now of no force : but so far as it appointeth some outward actions of true piety to be performed , the words still containe a precept . item . fuisse ceremoniarum partem sabbatum , apparet ex eo , quod appellatur signum faederis veteris inter deum & iudaeos icti , exod. . . & cum sanctuario conjungitur , levit. . . item & paulus inter ceremonias enumerat , col. . . heb. . . dupliciter sabbatum fuit ceremoniale , quatenus fuit . cessatio severa ab omni opere servili & corporali . . septima dies nominatim & disertè à deo praescripta erat , non autem tertia , quarta , quinta , aut sexta . it is manifest that the sabbath was a part of the ceremonies , because it is called a signe of the old covenant betwixt god and the iewes , exod. . . and it is joyned with the sanctuarie , levit . . . also s. paul reckoneth it amongst the ceremonies , col. . . heb. . . the sabbath in a double respect was ceremoniall ; first , in that it was an absolute and precise cessation from all servile or bodily worke . secondly , in that a seventh day was expresly by god commanded , not a third , fourth , fifth , or sixth . item . sabbatum significat ab omni opere vitioso , & ab omni peccato abstinendum esse . erat sacramentum iudaeis vitae quietisque aeternae , in quo non modò ab omnibus peccatis liberatio contingit , sed etiam cessatio ab omnibus operibus , &c. the sabbath did signifie that wee must abstaine from all wicked workes , and from sinne . it was a sacrament to the iewes of life and rest eternall , in which we shall not onely be freed from all our sinnes , but also we shall rest from our labours , &c. passages concerning the lords-day ( commonly called sunday ) its institution , and how farre it obligeth us . ancient writers when they speake of the lords-day , put this for the ground and reason of the observation of it , that christ did rise againe on that day ; but they say not , that christ ordained it . ignatius in epist. ad magnes . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . all that love christ , let them keepe the lords-day , as a festivall day ; which was the day of his resurrection . iustin. martyr . apolog. . versus finem . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . on sunday wee have our publike meetings , because it was the first day , that was , in which god having changed the darknesse , and chaos , or confused masse ( in heb. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) made the world , and because iesus christ our saviour on the same day rose againe from the dead . augustin . tom . . ep . . quae est ad ianuarium cap. . dies dominicus non iudaeis , sed christianis resurrectione domini declaratus est , & ex illo habere caepit festivitatem suam . the lords-day was declared so to bee , not to the iewes , but to christians by the resurrection of the lord , and with reference to him ( or since that time ) it began to be a holy day . idem l. . de civ . dei. c. . dominicus dies christi resurrectione est sacratus , aeternam non solùm spiritus , verumetiam corporis requiem praefigurans . the lords-day became sacred by the resurrection of christ , and prefigureth the eternall rest , not onely of the spirit , but also of the body . idem . tom. . serm. . de verb. apost . domini resuscitatio consecravit nobis dominicum diem . qui vocatur dominicus dies , ipse videtur propriè ad dominum pertinere : quia eo die dominus resurrexit . the resurrection of the lord hath consecrated to us the lords-day . that which is called the lords-day , seemeth to belong to the lord properly : because the lord that day rose againe . idem serm. . de tempore ; ( which notwithstanding ; and the most of the sermons de tempore , are suspected not to bee his ) dominicum diem apostoli & apostolici viri ideò religiosa solemnitate habendum sanxerunt , quia in eadem redemptor noster à mortuis resurrexit . the apostles and apostolicall men have therefore appointed the lords-day to be kept with a religious solemnity , because on it our redeemer rose againe from the dead . s. augustin . in expos . in ioan. tract . . una sabbati est , quem jam diem dominicam propter domini resurrectionem mos christianus appellat . the first day of the weeke is that which christians usually call the lords-day , from the resurrection of our lord. calvin . institut . l. . c. . sect . . dies dominici citra iudaismum à nobis observantur : quia longo intervallo differimus in hac parte à iudaeis . non enim ut ceremoniam arctissimâ religione celebramus , quâ putemus mysterium spirituale figurari : sed suscipimus ut remedium retinendo in ecclesia ordini necessarium . we observe the lords dayes without iudaizing , because in this particular we much differ from the iewes : for we doe not celebrate it as a ceremonie with a precise observation , by which wee thinke a spirituall mystery is typified ; but we use it as a remedie necessarie to keepe good order in the church . item . quod ad evertendam superstitionem expediebat , sublatus est iudaeis religiosus dies : quod decoro , ordini , paci in ecclesia retinendis necessarium erat , alter in eum usum destinatus est . quanquam non sine delectu dominicum quem vocamus diem veteres in locum sabbathi subrogârunt , &c. the day which the iewes religiously observed , was abrogated , which was expedient to take away superstition : another was substituted in its place , which was necessarie to retaine decencie , good order , and peace in the church . nor was it hand over head that the primitive church made choice of that which wee call the lords-day in stead of the sabbath , &c. item com. in ep . ad gal. . . quando discernitur dies à die religionis causâ , quando feriae pars divini cultus esse censentur : tum dies perperā observantur . nos hodiè cum habemus dierum discrimen , non induimus necessitatis laqueū conscientiis , non discernimus dies , quasi alius alio sit sanctior , non constituimus illic religionē & cultū dei , sed tantùm ordini & còncordiae consulimus . ita libera est apud nos & omni superstione pura observatio . when a distinction is made betwixt dayes out of devotion , when a feast or holy day is esteemed a part of gods worship , those dayes are observed amisse . we in having now a distinction betwixt dayes , do not put a snare of necessity upon mens consciences , we make not such a distinction , as if one day were holier than another , nor in this doe we place religion , or gods worship : but in so doing provide for the good order and peace of the church . and so such observation of dayes amongst us is free and pure from all superstition . bullinger . decad. . serm. . vetus ecclesia diem mutavit sabbati , ne videretur iudaizare , & ceremoniis affixa haerere : & caetus otiaque celebravit primâ sabbati , quam ioannes appellat dominicam haud dubiè propter gloriosam domini resurrectionem . et quamvis nullibi legatur praecepta in apostolicis literis dominica dies , quia tamen quarto hoc praecepto primae tabulae praecipitur cura religionis & exercitium externi cultus diligenter , alienum à pietate & charitate christiana foret , dominicam nolle sanctificare : praesertim cum sine tempore stato & citra otium sanctum cultus ille externus constare non possit . idem sentiendum arbitror de pauculis quibusdam christi domini feriis , aut fostis , quibus peragimus memoriam nativitatis , incarnationis , circumcisionis , passionis , resurrectionis , ascensionis in coelum , & missionis s. spiritus in discipulos domini nostri iesu christi . the ancient church changed the sabbath day , lest it should seeme to iudaize , and be addicted to iewish ceremonies : and kept its assemblies , and rested on the first day of the weeke , which s. iohn calleth the lords-day , without doubt because of the glorious resurrection of the lord. and although it is no where read in the writings of the apostles , that the lords-day was commanded to be kept holy , notwithstanding because in this fourth commandement of the first table is injoyned the care of religion , and a diligent plying of gods externall worship ; it were a thing much contrary to piety and christian charity , not to sanctifie the lords-day : especially seeing that externall worship cannot be performed without a set time , and without a holy rest . bullinger . in apocalypsin cap. . v. . hanc diem ut sacram loco sabbathi in memoriam resurgentis domini delegerunt sibi ecclesiae , in quâ sacros & celebres coetus agerent . ibid. sponte verò ecclesiae receperunt illam diem : non legimus eam ullibi praeceptam . ac ecclesiae viderunt omnino necessarium esse certum tempus , in quo conveniant sancti : delegerunt ergo diem resurrectionis : neque de his odiosiùs contenderunt inter se , ut postea factum in ecclesia testantur historiae . the churches of free choice received and set apart this day , in stead of the sabbath , in remembrance of the lords resurrection , that in it they might have their holy and solemne meetings . for wee reade not that it is commanded any where : but the churches saw that it was necessary that a certaine time should be stinted for the holy meetings of the saints of god : and therefore they chose the day of the resurrection . neither did they strive eagerly about this , as histories beare witnesse that they did afterwards . musculus in locis commun . in mandatum quartum . christiani relicto iudaico sabbato sacrum otium eo die servant , quo servator non solos israelitas , sed universum genus mortalium non de domo aegyptiacae servitutis , sed de potestate & regno satanae liberatos eduxit . the christians forsaking the iewish sabbath , keepe their holy rest on that day on which our saviour did bring forth , not the israelites onely , but all mankinde ; not out of the house of aegyptian servitude , but from the power and kingdome of satan . p. martyr in his common places , which were collected out of the rest of his workes , cap. . quod is dies magis quàm ille eligatur ad dei externum cultum , liberum fuit ecclesiae per christum , ut id consuleret , quod magis ex re judicaret . nec illa pessimè judicavit , si memoriam instaurationis perfectae , id est , resurrectionis christi , in observatione diei dominici praetulit huic absolutioni mundanae fabricae . the church had liberty by christ , to make choice of one day , rather than of another , for gods externall worship , to doe therein what shee thought fittest . nor was her choice ill in preferring , by observing the lords-day , the remembrance of our perfect redemption , that is , of christs resurrection , before the remembrance of the finishing of the world . item . quòd unus dies certus in hebdomada cultui divino mancipetur , stabile & firmum est : an verò hic vel alius constituatur , temporarium est ac mutabile . that one day of the weeke be consecrated to gods worship , is an ordinance of perpetuall force : but whether this or that be appointed , is temporarie and may be changed . item . quando facta sit haec mutatio , in sacris literis expressum non habemus . in apocalypsi tamen ioannis dominici diei expressam mentionem habemus , & verisimile est , aliquamdiu primos christianos morem iudaicum retinuisse : ut in die sabbati convenirent : postea verò , ut videmus , res mutata est . it is not expressed in holy writ when this change ( of the sabbath into the lords-day ) was . notwithstanding , in s. iohns revelation there is expresse mention of the lords-day , and it is likely that for a while the first christians retained the iewish custome in meeting together on the sabbath day : but afterwards ( as we see ) the day was changed . ursinus tract . theol. in quartum praeceptum . cum non minùs alio die meditatio ac celebratio operum dei possit fieri , quàm septimo . sicut initiò propter causam accommodatam primis temporibus , defignavit deus ministerio diem septimum , sic deinde propter causam accommodatam messiae temporibus , legem eam abrogavit , & liberum ecclesiae reliquit alios dies eligere , quae propter causam probabilem delegit diem primum quo facta est christi resuscitatio . seeing one can meditate on , and celebrate the workes of god , as well on another day , as on the seventh . as in the beginning , for a reason proper to the first times , god appointed for his publike worship a seventh day ; so afterwards , for a reason proper to the times of christs exhibition , he abrogated that law , and left it to the power of the church to chuse other dayes , which for a probable reason made choice of the first day , on which christ rose againe . item . differt observatio dominici diei à sabbatho iudaico , primò , quod sabbatum septimi diei , tanquam partem cultus divini oeremonialem , non licebat iudaeis omittere , aut mutare propter expressum dei mandatum : ecclesia verò christiana , sive primum , sive alium diem tribuit ministerio , salvâ suâ libertate etiam aliter agendi , si sint probabiles causae , hoc est , sine ulla opinione necessitatis aut cultus . secundò , sabbatum vetus erat typus , five umbra rerum in novo testamento per christum implendarum : in novo autem testamento illa significatio cessavit , & ordinis at que decori tantum ratio habetur , sine quo ministerium ecclesiae aut nullum aut saltem non bene constitutum esse potest . the observation of the lords day differeth from the iewish sabbath ; first , because it was not lawfull for the iewes to omit the sabbath , or rest of the seventh day , as being a ceremoniall part of divine worship , nor to change it , because of gods expresse command for the keeping of it . but the christian church appointeth for divine service a day , whether the first or another , reserving still to her selfe the liberty to doe otherwise , if by good reasons she be induced thereunto ; that is to say , she allotteth such a day to the service of god , without any opinion of necessity or worship . secondly , the old sabbath was a type or shadow of things which under the new testament were to be fulfilled by christ : but under the new testament that type ceased , and onely regard is had of good order and decencie , without which , divine service either cannot subsist at all , or not well . and in his exposition of the second commandement , speaking of ecclesiasticall lawes , which determine the circumstances necessary or profitable for the observation of the morall precepts of the first table , and which are no part of gods service , and doe not oblige the conscience , but in case of scandall , amongst the rest ( saith he ) dies dominicus ab ecclesia est substitutus sabbato in usum ministerii , &c. the lords-day was substituted in lieu of the sabbath for gods service , &c. idem in explicatione catechet . in praecept . . sabbatum ceremoniale est duplex , aliud ueteris , aliud novi testamenti . vetus erat astrictum ad diem septimum , & ejus observatio erat necessaria , & cultus dei. novum pendet ex arbitrio ecclesiae , quae elegit diem primum propter certas causas , & is est observandus ordinis causâ : sed fine opinione necessitatis , quasi ab ecclesia oporteat eum observari , & non alium . the ceremoniall sabbath is two-fold , one of the new , another of the old testament : that was restrained to the seventh day , and the observation of it was necessarie , and a part of gods worship . this dependeth from the will of the church , which made choice of the first day for certaine causes , and it is to be observed for good orders sake : but without any opinion of necessitie , as if it behooved the church to observe it , and no other . item . oportet non minùs nunc in christiana , quàm olim in iudaica ecclesia esse aliquem certum diem quo verbum dei doceatur , & sacramenta publicê administrentur . interim non sumus alligati , ut diem septimanae , , . vel quemcunque alium habeamus . apostolicaigitur ecclesia , ut se à iudaicâ synagogâ discerneret , pro libertate sibi à christo donata pro septimo die elegit primam propter probabilem causam , quia eo die facta est christi resurrectio . it behooveth as well now in the christian church , as before in the iewish , that there be some certaine day , on which the word of god may bee taught , and the sacraments publikely administred . but we are not tied to have tuesday , wednesday , thursday , or any other for this set day . the apostolicall church therefore , to make a distinction betwixt her selfe and the iewish synagogue , according to the liberty given her by christ , in stead of the seventh day chose the first for a probable reason , because on that day christ rose againe . uiet on the fourth command towards the end . the primitive christians did not change the day , only with regard to a difference to be made betwixt iewes and christians , for thus the matter were not much mended , to have changed onely the day , and have retained the superstition , which the iewes fasten to it : but they had regard to the resurrection of our lord , which is the true accomplishment of the spirituall rest , which we hope for , &c. bucer . in matth. cap. . v. . loc . de feriis . hinc factum , non dubito , ut communis christianorum consensu dominicus dies conventibus ecclesiae publicis , ac requiei publicae dicat us sit ipso statim apostolorum tempore . i doubt not , but that by the common consent of christians , the lords-day hath beene appointed for the publike meetings of the church , and for publike rest , even in the apostles dayes . zanchius in praecep . . in tractatu de feriis . praeceptum de die dominico sanctificando ab apostolis expressum non habemus : apostolicam tamen traditionem esse minimè dubitamus . wee have no expresse command from the apostles to sanctifie the lords-day : notwithstanding , we doubt not but that it is an apostolicall tradition . and having alleaged some proofes out of scripture to that purpose , he addeth , exsacris literis colligitur non ineptè ab apostolis profectum esse , ut omisso sabbato , dies dominicus fuerit in illius locum substitutus . it is not impertinently gathered from holy writ that the substitution of the lords-day in place of the sabbath proceeded from the apostles . acknowledging , as appeareth by his words [ not impertinently ] that those proofes were but weak . but afterwards in expresse termes he avoucheth , that the said day is appointed for gods service without putting any tie upon the conscience . hoc ( inquit ) liquet ex sacris literis . nullibi enim legimus , apostolos hoc cuipiam mandâsse : tantùm legimus , quid soliti fuerunt facere apostoli & fideles in illo die . liberum igitur reliquerunt . accedit , quod apostolus ad gal. c. . & ad col. . non vult servari à fidelibus praecepta dei de sabbatis , aliisque festis mosaicis : quia nolebat fidelium conscientias illis praeceptis astringi : quantò minus igitur voluerunt apostoli obstringi conscientias sanctificando diei dominico , qui nullum habebat domini mandatum . liberum est igitur illud etiam tempus , hoc est , nullius obligans conscientiam : sed ita tamen liberum , ut omnino iste dies sanctificandus sit , nisi charit as aliud postulet . this ( saith he ) is manifest from scripture . for we reade no where that the apostles gave this command to any man : wee reade onely , what the apostles and the faithfull were wont to doe on that day . they therefore left it free . moreover , the apostle gal. . and col. . will not have the faithfull to observe gods precepts concerning sabbaths , and other mosaicall holy dayes : because he would not have the consciences of the faithfull obliged to those precepts : how much lesse would the apostles have their consciences obliged to keepe holy the lords-day or sunday , for which we have no command from god. therefore that time also is free , that is to say , tieth no mans conscience . but notwithstanding it is so free , that altogether it behooveth us to sanctifie this day , if charity doth not require the contrary . item . quis prohibuit , quin ecclesia , ficut diem septimum transtult in diem dominicum : sic etiam illos reliquos dies festos in alios transferre potuerit ? what hindereth , but that the church as it removed the seventh day to the lords-day , may also change the rest of the feasts of the iewes into other dayes ? item . at the very end of the explication of the fourth command . in locum sabbati subrogatus est dies dominicus , quia eo die evanuit sabbatum quatenus figura erat , quo christus resurrexit : ut ergo racondemur evanuisse per resurrectionem christi , ecclesia non retinuit sabbatum , sed diem dominicum . the lords-day was substituted in place of the sabbath , because on that day on which christ rose againe , the sabbath was abolished so farre as it was a figure . that therefore wee may remember that it was abolished by the resurrection of christ , the church hath retained not the sabbath , but the lords day . bourgoin minister of geneva in his histor. eccles. written in french , lib. . of feasts . it is not written , when it was , that the christians difunited themselves from the iewes , and began to keepe holy the lords-day . item . after the apostles some did celebrate the sabbath , others the lords-day . and lib. . of publike assemblies . there is no great certainety at what times it was that christians had their publike assemblies , and yet lesse , in what places . item . the christians serving of god was tied neither to certaine times nor places , but rather by that which iustin martyr hath said of the lords-day , it is likely , that necessity or custome assigned them to the time , and that conveniencie designed the place . danaeus in ethic. christian. in praecep . . libertatem suam in die octava eligenda ostendunt christiani , & se à iudaicis ceremoniis christi beneficio liberatos . porrò neque praecise octava dies ab omnibus ecclesiis pro solenni 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 facienda observata est , sed ab aliis ecclesiis tertia dies , id est , martis : ab aliis quarta , id est , mercurii , vel alia ut tradit socrates scholasticus in lib. . c. . dies autem dominica , quae & solis dicitur , postea communi omnium ecclesiarum consensu sub imperatoribus christianis statuta est , quia videbatur haec etiam apostolorum temporibus probata . the christians in making choice of the eighth day , doe shew the liberty they have , and that by christ they are freed from the ceremonies of the iewes . but neither was the eighth precisely observed by all churches for the keeping of their solemne assemblies , but by some churches the third day , that is , tuesday : by others the fourth : that is , wednesday , or some others , as socrates reporteth , hist. l. . c. . but the lords-day , which is also called sunday , by the unanimous consent of all churches under the raignes of christian emperours wee pitch upon , and the rather because it seemed to have beene approved of , even in the apostles times . passages concerning the observation of the sabbath in regard of a resting from the workes of our ordinarie vocations . s. augustin . tom . . contra faustum manichaeum l. . c. . cessationem sabbatorum jam quidem supervacuam ducimus ad observandum , ex quo spes revelata est nostrae quietis aeternae . now we thinke the observation of sabbaths to be superfluous , since the hope of our eternall rest was revealed . contra adimantum c. . sabbati quietem non observamus in tempore , sed signum temporale intelligimus , & ad aeternam quietem quae illo signo significatur , aciem mentis intendimus . the sabbaths rest we observe not in time , but we understand that it was a temporary signe , and we fasten our eyes upon that eternall rest , which is represented by that signe . and tom. . epist. . ad ianuar. c. . observare diem sabbati non ad literam jubemur , secundùm ocium ab opere corporali , sicut observant iudaei . we are not commanded to observe the sabbath day according to the letter , by a rest from bodily worke , as the iewes observe it . calvin . in ep . ad colos. c. . v. . atqui , dicet quispiam , nos adhuc retinemus aliquam dierum observationem . respondeo , nos dies nequaquam servare , quasi in feriis aliqua sit religio , aut quasi fas non sit tunc laborare : sed respectum haberi politiae & ordinis , non dierum . but some will say , we till this day retaine some observation of dayes . i answer , wee doe not observe dayes as if there were any holinesse in them , or as if it were not lawfull then to worke , but we have regard to the good government and order of the church , not to dayes . uiret on the fourth command towards the end . if i had that authority which magistrates have , i would take this course ; if i could not keepe men in better order , either they should labour in the service of god , or in some other worke which is not hurtfull , or altogether unprofitable . it were much better that those who spend their meanes in gaming and hunting tavernes , did labour according to the commandements . notwithstanding , i thinke it better to give order that that whole day be imployed , as much as shal possible , in gods service , and in works of mercy : for if it were permitted to worke on this day , as on other , it were to be feared that by little and little they would come to make no difference betwixt this and working dayes , &c. from whence it is manifest , that he did not think that a labour honest and lawfull in it selfe , was unlawfull on the lords-day ; but onely that it was expedient that the magistrate suffer not men to labour on this , as on other dayes , to prevent inconveniences . zanchius in praecep . . quaest . . de festis , blameth the papists in that , gravius accusatur & punitur in papatu , si quis in die paschatis aut nativitatis domini . vel dio dominico agrum coluerit , etiamsi eo id fecerit tempore , quo non occupantur in templo , quàm si quis eodem die perpotet , inebrietur , chore as ducat , &c. amongst them hee is more sharpely accused and punished , who on easter , christmas , or the lords-day laboureth his ground , although hee doe it not in time of divine service , than hee who tippleth , is drunke , and danceth on those dayes . by which words he implieth clearely enough , that he did not disprove an honest labour on sunday , so it be not done in time of divine service . item . opera servilia per se non prohibentur in die festo , sed eatenus tantùm prohibentur , quatenus in cultu divino , unà cum reliquis fratribus exercere to possis & occupari impediunt . servile workes are prohibited on a holy day , not because they are evill in themselves , but because they hinder us from joyning with our brethren in gods worship . and a little after hee quoteth and approveth of that , which constantine wrote to helvid us , that he should suffer the countrey-men , if necessity did so require , to labour their grounds on the lords-day , to sowe , and to doe other things necessary . and addeth moreover , quantò magis licet haec opera servilia praestare , si ita possis illis vatare , ut interim tamen ab exercitio divini cultus minimè per illa voceris ? how much more lawfull is it to doe these servile workes , if so they may be done , that they be no disturbance to thee , nor avocation from the exercise of gods worship ? danaeus in praecept . . nobis christianis non tanta támve severa & rigida cessatio imposita est : non & ex lege constantini licet & serere & metere die dominico , si commodum sit ? et ita videmus quae sit libert as christiana . vpon us christians is imposed , not so great nor such an exact , and rigid cessation and rest , as was upon the iewes : for even by constantin's law it is lawfull both to sowe and to reape on the lords-day , if there be cause for it . and so we see what is our christian liberty . item . liberê hodiè & solùm quantum ad communem ecclesiae aedificationem pertinet , ab operibus nostris cessamus , ut dei cultui inserviamus , & ut neminem offendamus . on this day we rest from our workes freely and so farre onely , as the common edification of the church requireth , that on it we may give our selves to the worship of god , and give no scandall to any . item . omnino operari die dominica nos christiani non vetamur , modò a dei 〈◊〉 propterea non avocemur , neque à publicis concionibus & precibus , neque à meditatione verbi dei : modò item proximis offendiculum non praebeamus . we christians are not forbid to worke at all on the lords-day , so that it be no distraction unto us from gods worship , from publike meetings , and prayers , nor from meditating on the word of god : and that we scandalize not our neighbour . many other passages to the same purpose might be alleaged out of our owne writers , but these which i have transcribed out of the bookes , which i had by me , shall suffice , to confirme the most part of that which i have avouched , and to shew that the learnedst men that have flourished in our churches , were not of the opinion of them , who at this day so obstinately adheere to the religion of the sabbath , that indeed they fall into a direct superstition . finis . errata . pag. . lin . . which morall , reade which positive . p. . l. , . r. but this is whereof . l. . hands and sorts , r. kinde of lawes . p. . l. . r. to be as . l. . r. hundred . p. . l. . dew . r. due . p. . l. . owe. r. owne . p. . l. . . r. at least . l. . wecke . r. weake . p. . l. . figue . r. signe p. . l. . r. established . p. . l. . r. which was done but many . p. . l. . r. or if rehearsing that . p. . l. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. . l. . r. practised . l. . mediation . r. meditation . p. . l. . r. understood . p. . l. . farre better . r. farre greater . p. . l. . r. the iewes did , are bound to serve god , which , &c. p. . l. , . emplary . r. exemplary . p. . l. . productions . r. predictions . l. . r. in comparison of morall . p. . l. . bonged not . r. did not stirre . p. . l. . saturday . r. sunday . p. . l. . plineas . r. plinius . p. . l. . r. that if it had beene . p. . h . r. there be divers . p. . l. . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. . l. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. . l. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. . l , . dele and. p. . l. . loveable . r. lovely . p. . l. . baptisme . r. baptise . p. . l. . r. so much the rather because god. p. . l. , . r. a little way from it . p. . l. . riged . r. rigid . p. . in mar . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. . l. . r. unspotted from such . p. . l. . r. doe them which they had . p. . l. . r , slackens . l. . r. shall thus profane . p. . l. , . r. worke and doe . p , . l. , . improveth . r. disalloweth . p. . l. . contious . r. contentious . p. . l. . aliis . r. alios . p. . l. . r. thus , holinesse of the day , if so be the same . p. . l. . r. gal. . l. . sive . r. sine . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e thess. . . psal. . v. . col. . v. , . ephes. . v. , , . cor. . v. , notes for div a -e a exod. . verse . numb . . verse . kin. . psal. . v. , , . hos. . v. . cor. . verse . august . de civitat . dei lib. . ca. . . com. . com. . com. . com. . com. . com. . com. com. . com. . com. cor. . v. , . cor. . v. . os● . . v. . mar. . . mat. . v. gal. v. . lev. . v. , , , , . lev. , v. , . rom. . v. rom. . v. notes for div a -e exod. . vers . , , , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 zoth . * esa. . verse . esa. . v. ier. . v. . . ezech. . v. , , mat. . ve . . . luk. . ve . . mat. . v. , , , . * mat. . v . rom. . v. , eph. . v. . . cor. . v. , . heb. . v. , . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 luk. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i fast twice in the weeke . act. . ver . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and the next weeke . 〈…〉 . . philo legat . ad cerema . iuvenall . satyra . in quâ te qu●ro proseucha . notes for div a -e concil . laodicen . can. . non oportet christianos judaizare , & in sabbatho vacare , sed operari eos in eadem die , dominicum praeponendo eidem diei . si hoc eis placet , vacent tanquam christiani . quod si inventi fuerint judaizare anathema sint . psal. . v. . psa. . ver . . &c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . col. in loc. eras. in pasaph●●● . heming . in loc . calvin in loc . idem instit . lib. ca. . sect . ● . aretias in loc . * iust. martyr . apol. . ignat. ad magnes . aug. epist. . idem de civit. dei l. . c. . idem de verb. apost . ser. , &c. . calvin inst. l. . c. . sect . . bullinger . in apoc. ca. . vers . . vrsin . in exposit . decalo . aret. loc . commun . de sabbatho . zanch. de operib . redempt . l. . in . praecept . paraeus in gen. c. . simler . in exod. c. . r● . 〈◊〉 . v. . notes for div a -e “ moses septimum diem more gentis sabbatum appellatum in omne avum jejunio sacravit . * ne iudaeus quidem tam diligenter sabbatis jejunium servat . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cod. lib. . tit. . l. . theod. ibid. l. . leo & authemius . cod. lib. . tit. . l. . & l. . valent . & l. . valent. & l. . honor. & theod. habad . melacah . god's sabbath before, under the law and under the gospel briefly vindicated from novell and heterodox assertions / by hamon l'estrange ... l'estrange, hamon, - . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing l ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing l estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; :e , no ) god's sabbath before, under the law and under the gospel briefly vindicated from novell and heterodox assertions / by hamon l'estrange ... l'estrange, hamon, - . [ ], p. printed by roger daniel ..., cambridge [cambridgeshire] : . reproduction of original in thomason collection, british library. eng sabbath -- biblical teaching. a r (wing l ). civilwar no gods sabbath before under the law and under the gospel. briefly vindicated from novell and heterodox assertions: by hamon l'estrange, gent. l'estrange, hamon d the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the d category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion gods sabbath before the law under the law and under the gospel . briefly vindicated from novell and heterodox assertions : by hamon l' estrange , gent. nemo nostrûm dicat jam se invenisse veritatem , sic eam quaeramus quasi ab utrisque nesciatur , aug. cont. epist. manichaei . cambridge , printed by roger daniel , printer to the universitie , . and are to be sold at the angel in lumbardstreet . . maii . at a committee appointed by the honourable house of commons , for the examination of the licensing and suppressing of books , &c. it is ordered that this treatise be published in print at cambridge , unlesse the vice-chancellour do shew just cause to the contrary , within convenient time . edward dering . i have read over this treatise , and am so farre from pretending any thing against the printing of it , that i must needs professe it to be a work both learned and orthodox , and highly meriting both the best care of the printer now , and the best attendance of any reader afterwards . rich. holdsworth procan . to the most honourable the court paramount within this realm , the high court of parliament , or assembly of the three estates . august senate , mightie sovereigne of courts , when i call to mind that of aristides , that the gods are to be honoured with the consecration of temples , but eminent men with the dedication of books ; i could not represent to my consideration a fitter patrone for these my weak labours , then the glorious assembly and bright constellation of the chief and prime lights of the kingdome . i invoke not your aid to boulster out mischievous doctrine ( the main scope of too many late dedications ) but to vindicate the truth , to maintain that truth , which contrary to the proverb hath fled to corners , hath lived in blind recesse , ( and like a needy bankrupt ) dareth not yet walk confidently abroad without a parliament protection . but you being now ( the lord be praised ) upon the great work of reformation , your wisdomes will ( i doubt not ) make narrow inquiry not onely into state but church-monopolists , those gnosticks i mean , which seemed to have ingrost all knowledge to themselves , and under that pretence have in stead of truth obtruded upon us their own pernicious errours . amongst those truths which these projectours have laboured to suppresse , none have been more furiously persued then those which relate to the lords day ; and ( which maketh the prodigie ) none have stickled therein more then they who have with so much clamour cried up tithes and the episcopacy ( things innocent , yea , commendable enough : onely i wish with the athenian in gellius they had been defended by other men . ) whence we may collect that if this unhappy day could any thing have promoved their greedy or ambitious desires , it had surely escaped the late indignities which these mens liberall malice hath profusely shed upon it ; it had still continued in the esteem of a day divinely instituted , immutable , and totally to be sanctified ; three essentiall properties thereof , which they have much endeavoured to evert , i in this my work as much to uphold . at the first instant of its manumission , it hath a strong ambition , ( great councel ) to live under the influence of your favour ; a boldnesse on which it durst never have adventured had it not been assured , the truth which it professeth will gain it some measure of acceptance with so profest a patriot of truth . the god of truth prosper you , and in you , us ; he direct all your consultations , that their issue may be his glory , in the peace and safetie both of this church and state : with all true english christians so fervently prayeth , illustrious assembly , in the highest degree of the lowest obedience your l' estrange . to the right worshipfull , his highly honoured father , sr. hamon l' estrange knight , of hunstanton in norfolk . most honoured sr. to this worthlesse tract , having meditated a double dedication ( not then purposing to prefix both , or that i thought one not enough ) which of these two should preponderate my equall inclination to either , i could not though with long debate determine ; at length therefore that i might dwell no longer in this suspence , i resolved to issue out both , and the rather because their errands were so difform , so divers : for this treatise is the first fruits of my studies , therefore of common right sacred to god ; and the rather because the main subject thereof is his day : his , by institution ; his , by denomination , and ( it being the first fruits of dayes , as saint basill elegantly calleth it ) of right his . now seeing all offerings were according to gods prescript ; first , to be brought to the high priest , who was to examine them whether they were such as god would accept , and then to present them before the lord . to whom sooner then to your self , sir , should i bring this my petty oblation ? it is said that cain and abel brought their offerings , that is , ( as most learned men conceive ) to adam their father , that he might present them ; why then may not i mine to you ? if he was their priest , why may not you be mine ? fathers of families ( you know ) were anciently all such : and though consecration and ordination hath somewhat dimmed their wonted splendour , yet i hold for certain that their priestly office neither is , nor shall be utterly extinguished . to you therefore , sir , i hope not impertinently , i bring this my poore oblation ; i know too well how strong frailty is in me , to say it is without blemish , or not lame ; yet if your judgement shall conceive it a work acceptable to god , and beneficiall to his church , i most humbly crave you would be pleased to present it to him for me . and this is the first cause of this addresse to you ; the other , this : sir , you are my parent , second in honour to god ; so the wisdome of the ancients styleth you : and certainly if any parent may challenge honour from a son , you may from me . to which honour you have a double title : one , wherein all fathers intercommon by generation ; the other , almost peculiar to your self by education , i had almost said , regeneration ; perhaps not altogether unfitly , for good nurture is a kind of morall regeneration , and usually a preparative to the spirituall . i call the education you have bestowed upon me almost peculiar to your self , because that whereas most parents are either sordid in their allowance , or negligent in instructing , or become lewd patterns to their children ; you have in breeding me failed neither in purse , nor in precept , nor in example . i write not this to flatter you , but to manifest that i set a due and just value upon this your fatherly care , and that though there were no divine law to constrain me to it , yet this alone were sufficient reason for me to honour you . and if every the meanest part of my education obligeth me to this acknowledgement , sure your training me up to letters much more , especially in this age , when to know even fundamentalls and necessary truths , is accounted at least pedanticall , if not as ( saint paul said of preaching ) foolishnesse . i do not hereby arrogate to my self the name of a scholer ; for my delight in learning hath been more then my proficiencie , which god knoweth is very slender , so slender as these my simple labours dare not approach you from any assurance of their own worth , but because they are the products of those studies , which derive their originall from your extraordinary both charge and care , they think themselves of right to belong to you , and so their motion towards you is not more voluntary then naturall . be pleased , sir , to entertain them as testimonials of my filiall gratitude , which is the chief end of this their second resort to you ; for they exceed their commission , if they speak so much what they are themselves ( though that is mere weaknesse ) as what i am , that is , sir , your most honouring and most obedient sonne , hamon l'estrange . the preface . concerning the publishing of this treatise , i expect to meet with two interrogatories : first , why so late , considering the antisabbatarians have possest the stage without controul so many years ? secondly , why at all , in regard there have of late issued out tracts homogeneall , wherein the truth hath been evidently enough demonstrated , errour convinced ? to both these i hold it requisite to give my answer , and ( if i can ) satisfaction : to the first then i say , i was retarded upon these reasons especially . first , though my studies have been most conversant in eristick theologie , yet i delight therein more as a stander by and spectatour of others digladiations , then out of an itch to enter the lists my self , which of all things ( through a desire to suppresse from publick notice my private infirmities ) my genius most declineth . secondly , being conscious of mine own failings , i was loth to betray so good a cause by so mean a champion as my self , and so — ipsíque oneríque timebam . lastly , being of a lay condition , i held it discreet and good manners to leave the work to be performed by others who had both greater abilities , and a calling more suitable to it . to the second my answer is , that this tract was not onely commenced ; but ( as i then * thought ) finisht before intelligence arrived at me of any books extant of the same subject : and when i first heard thereof , i forthwith destined my pains as a sacrifice to eternall oblivion ; but having after compared our labours together , it manifestly appeared that we varied much in frame , every of us having somethings proper and peculiar to our selves , verifying that , * one man may find out more then another , no man all things , for which reason , alone some learned friends , to whom i had communicated it , animated me ( with the advice of some additions ) to publish it . let no man therefore fore-judge me so obliquely , as if i thought the labours of those worthy men either imperfect or impertinent , to any whereof whosoever resorteth shall there find antidote enough against the anti-sabbatarian infection ; a disease which hath prevailed rather through a secret disposition of naturall corruption to embrace it ( as any thing which rellisheth of liberty ) then from predominancy of arguments , though backt with the authority of men eminent for their knowledge in letters ; three * of them especially , to whom though i willingly afford all titles of honour which learning meriteth , yet i boldly affirm , had they left us no other demonstrations of their excellency that way then their sabbatary tracts , they should never have attained so high a repute amongst us . but let them without envy possesse the laurell they have deserved ; yet if any shall therefore wonder ( as i doubt not some will ) that such a sciolus as my self have dared to oppose them , i must reply what luther did before in the like case , god once spake that by an asse , which he concealed from the prophet ; and revealed to the child samuel what he hid from eli the priest . they then that upbraid me with personall frailty ( be what they say as great and evident truth as they desire ) must know they quite mistake the question , which is not whether i be illiterate , ignorant , weak , or what else they please to call me , but whether it be truth which i have here delivered ; and if any man will yield me the last ( yea whether he will or not ) i will freely grant him the first . but to him who misliketh truth , and shunneth her because he meeteth her in my apparell , let me give augustines check , think of me your pleasure , but beware what opinion you have of truth . this short advertisement being premised , i addresse my self to the ensuing discourse . errata . page . l. . the matter , reade this matter . p. . l. . r. arguments and opinions . p. . l. . view , r. vive . p. . l. . their , r. others . p. . l. . ceremony , r. caremoni● . p. . l. . prosekenique , r. pro-selenique . gods sabbath before the law . i begin a work whose hardest work is to begin ; a work of the sabbath : and the beginning of the sabbath , which ( like fame ) — caput inter nubila condit , a must begin this tract. a task intricate and obnoxious to many precipices ; davids curse i am sure to meet with , a way dark and slippery . i could indeed solace my self in this , that i walk not alone , and that on which side soever i fall , i shall have learned associates . but to erre for company , or for singularity , are to me alike odious . truth i serve , and so farre as ( that primary light ) holy writ shall enlighten me truth will follow , not at all disanimated though the spark which should direct me to her seemeth to burn somewhat dimme , as being a portion of one of those three first chapters of genesis , which were for their obscurity ( with the canticles , and some part of ezechiel ) by the hebrews interdicted to be read of any under thirty years of age b , and which hath set eminent doctours , as well ancient as modern , at oddes . for whereas it is said , gen. . . god blessed the seventh day and sanctified it , because that in it he rested from all his works which god created and made , it is by some supposed , that moses regarded not the time whereof , but wherein he wrote , by a prolepsis , and that it was onely an intimation of the reason , why god imposed upon the jews the sanctification of the seventh rather then of any other day ; the subsequent of which glosse is the assertion , that the sabbath was not , or commanded or observed , untill moses his dayes ; for the sustaining whereof they produce reasons specious , and authority venerable . first , there is ( say they ) no other means for us to understand what gods will and act was gen. . . but onely divine revelation . but the holy scripture neither maketh mention of any command of god given to adam concerning resting upon the sabbath day , neither maketh any historicall narration of adams , or any other the patriarchs observation of the sabbath day : now in cases of this nature athanasius his rule is , because the scripture is altogether silent in this matter , we may be assured there was no such thing done . the hebrew word {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} signifieth as well a preparation and destination , as actuall application to holinesse ; as exod. . josh. . . & . . jerem. . . if god at that time whereof moses wrote did give any command to adam to sanctifie the sabbath , it must of necessity follow that the sabbath was instituted in paradise . but in paradise there was no need of a sabbath , where there should have been no toyl ; no necessity of sanctifying any day to gods worship , where every day should have been a day of rest , and the hole life a continuall sabbath . god would not then impose the sabbath as a law when he himself brake it , for ( according to hierome and catharinus ) he formed eve upon the seventh day , and so wrought upon it . god imposed upon adam in paradise no other positive law , then that of abstinence from the fruit of the tree of knowledge . it is probable that jacob whilest he kept labans sheep , the israelites while they were under the bondage of pharaoh and his mercilesse taskmasters kept no sabbath ; but if it had been commanded sure it had been kept . lastly , it is said nehem. . vers. , . thou camest down also upon mount sinai , &c. and madest known unto them thy holy sabbath . the authorities they alledge are especially emergent from the primitive church . justin martyr leadeth the way ; before moses , none of the righteous observed the sabbath . let them shew that the ancient patriarchs did sabbatize , is tertullians a challenge to the jews . all the patriarchs before moses were justified without the sabbath , saith b ireneus there was no observation of the sabbath among the patriarchs , as also none amongst us , so c eusebius . when there was no scripture nor law divinely inspired the sabbath was not consecrated to god , d damascen . of late adherers to this opinion the most eminent are tostatus , musculus and gomarus . in this array the arguments and authorities upholding the prolepsis are marshalled , yet is it not universally entertained : many there have been and are ( and those of no mean note neither ) who have applied themselves to the genuine and proper sense of the words , and from thence deduced the institution of the sabbath , from that very article of time whereof moses wrote . and this interpretation i conceive most agreeable to the mind of moses , for many reasons which shall exhibit themselves in their due place ; for first i bend my self to encounter the objections formerly made , and to lay open where they are crazy or invalid . divine revelation is indeed the best means to understand gods will and act : and though the scripture doth not mention gods expresse command to adam , though we reade it not said to him as after it was in the law , remember thou sanctifie the sabbath day , yet a command we find ; and there being then at that time whereof moses wrote none on earth capable of a command but adam and eve , it necessarily followeth that they received the command . for what is meant by gods sanctifying of the seventh day , but the application of it to divine worship ? those things are said to be sanctified in the law , which are applyed to sacred worship , saith a aquinas : now if it was then applyed to sacred worship , sure it was by command . nor is the argument of force , the scripture mentioneth it not , ergò it was not : many things were to the first patriarchs commanded , which are not recorded . it is by farre the major part of learned men b affirmed that god dictated and prescribed to adam all circumstances of his worship , which by tradition past to his posteritie , and were in every severall family untill moses observed ; and it is in part evidently and infallibly confirmed by scripture it self , for we reade that cain sinned : but {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , rom. . . where there is no law , there can be no transgression : for {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , sinne is the transgression of the law , . john . . yet of this , or any other command concerning religious duties , holy text hath not one syllable . perhaps the command was not so solemn as afterward , not vivâ voce , in an audible voyce , there being not the same reason ; and yet a command there might be internall though not externall . god might by his guiding spirit direct adam to sanctifie the seventh day , as he did both him and other patriarchs to other observances , if aquinas a hath aimed right . it is credible , saith he , that the patriarchs by divine instinct , as by an hidden and tacit law , were induced to worship god in a set and determinate form agreeable to the inward worship and signification of mysteries to be fulfilled in christ . the want of an historicall narration of the praxis of those times , is also as weakly urged . you know ab autoritate negativè nihil concluditur ex argumentis , arguments drawn from silent authority conclude nothing . an axiome never firmer then when applied to the history of the world , from the creation to the law , the period of this discourse . there is no mention of adams penitence after his fall , none of his sacrificing , of his performing any other pious exercises during his hole abode upon earth , none . what then shall we say ? that he lived like an atheist ? never invoked , never praised god ? we reade of no parents that melchisedech had : what shall we hold with the letter of s. paul that he was {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} and {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , really whithout father or mother ? ● heb. . . he that in so compendious a story as this of moses looketh for a full relation of every small circumstance , is like to lose his longing , and may as wisely seek pauls steeple in hondius his map of the world . abbridgements of stories are nets of a larger mash which onely inclose great fishes , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , things worth mentioning ; smaller fry , things of lesse consequence , escape them . athanasius his rule is right enough it self , if it be not bowed by violence . comparing the miracles of christ with those of the prophets , he demonstrateth the oddes to be this ; christ was born of a virgin , so none of them ; christ made the lame to walk , the deaf to heare , the dumbe to speak , the blind to see , so did not they : for then ( saith he ) the scripture would not have omitted it . therefore because the scripture is altogether silent in the matter , it is sure there was no such thing done . the father speaks of miracles , but i hope the observation of the sabbath was none , and therefore athanasius stands you in little stead . my margent directs to the place omitted by the bishop . the word {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} little also avails them : for be it granted that it signifies a preparation to holinesse ; doth this preparation exclude application thereunto ? nay doth not preparation imply application , are they not coordinate and coincident together ? examine the places quoted , and see if they will not confesse as much . moses was commanded to sanctifie the israelites the third day , that is , to prepare them , as you say : to prepare them ? how ? nothing but to have them in a readinesse , that they lasily wait the time or so ? no there is more in it yet : application to holinesse you shall meet with positive , let them wash their clothes , vers. . negative , come not at your wives , vers. . a thing so clear as the very heathen were enlightned with it , and not onely in the generall decorum of it , which they couched under their ite , missa est , or procul ô procul este profani , hence all prophane , before their sacrifices ; but some glimpse they had even of those externall mosaicall ceremonies i now mentioned : preparatory lotions they had before they durst approch their sacred mysteries . aeneas would not so much as touch his tutelary gods , till he might rinse himself in fountain water . abstinence also from the nuptiall bed was at least for one night interdicted : — discedite ab aris queis tulit hesterna gaudia nocte venus , casta placent superis . and though we reade in this text onely of externall preparatory rites enjoyned , yet must we know that they were but as significant emblemes of that spirituall preparation , which should truly dispose the soul in a sanctified frame for the approching near that god which is clothed in majestie and honour . apply that which i have now said for illustration of this portion of exodus to those parallel places of joshua , and there will onely remain that of jeremie unanswered , where the prophet is said to be sanctified in his mothers womb ; which i confesse could no otherwayes be then in the preordination of god . but what ? because the word signifieth destination in jeremy , must it needs inferre as much in genesis ? i see no such law imposed upon interpreters : that of jeremy could not without extreme violence be wrested to any other sense then that of destination , which out of gen. . is neither necessarily nor probably emergent . i see no necessitie that the institution , genesis . must suppose it to be in paradise , and before the fall , for it is not improbable ( i determine nothing ) that adam sinned and was expelled out of paradise the very day he was formed , as the fathers almost universally have thought , from whose full consent in this point proceeded that greek saying , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , the same day he was created he fell . neither was paradise ( in my opinion ) compounded of any such ingredients as would in no wise incorporate with a sabbath : it was indeed a place exempted from the works both of toil and sinne , and therefore no otium to refresh the body , no sabbath to sanctifie the soul , in respect either of the one or the other , necessary . and though the whole tract of time spent in that innocent condition might worthily seem a continued sabbath , yet some parts and portion even of that time should ( i conceive ) have been allotted to a more solemn worship then others . for god imposed upon man a calling of husbandry : should he so incessantly have intended his tillage , as never to intermit , never to give over ? should he have spared no time to exercise himself in the contemplation of his creatour , the truest object of perfect beatitude ? or could he simul & semel at one instant , intend both his vocation and gods worship ? god created in him the naturall appetite of food and sleep : is it likely that adam would have applied himself either to repast or repose , without some more then ordinary thanksgiving . it is by all confessed that in adams heart the law of nature was most perfectly implanted and imprinted ; and as unanimously agreed , that to consecrate some time to the worship of god was and is a member of that law ; nay more then so it must be certum aliquod tempus , some certain and determinate time , as the very atlas of the prolepsis tostatus assureth us : which being granted it followeth that the state of innocency was no barre or obstacle to the seposing times , not onely occasionall , and pro renata , but set and constant , to the service of god . that god framed eve upon the seventh day , is a most horrible and grosse untruth , and giveth the lie to moses , or rather to the holy ghost , who saith , thus the heavens and the earth were finished , and all the host of them , that is , all things visible and invisible , according to the nicene creed ; and this was before gods rest on the seventh day : and evident it is that the hole second chapter of genesis , from the fourth verse to the twenty fifth , is but a larger narration by way of {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , or postscript , of what was most remarkable in the third and sixth dayes work , and was for brevity sake omitted in the first chapter , but upon weighty cause mentioned in the second . for , as s. a basil excellently , if moses had onely said that god made man , thou mightest have thought that he made him after the same manner that he created brutes , plants , and herbs ; therefore to denote to thee that thou oughtest to have nothing common with unreasonable creatures , the scripture hath mentioned a peculiar and distinct work of god in framing thee . besides , it is most evident out of genesis . . that adam and eve were both created on the sixth day ; male and female created he them , not by prolepsis ( as they fancy ) but really & truly upon that very day that wherewith they would palliate this errour , is the second verse of genesis . on the seventh day god ended his work : whence they collect that he wrought upon part of it ( which meaning a learned commentatour b acknowledgeth the text will bear ) and because eve is the last work of creation whereof the scripture maketh mention , they inferre that she must have been formed on the seventh day . but to uncase this foul errour , and to shew it in its proper deformities , is no hard task . what meaning the text will bear , is many times not so considerable as what the context c : {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} or contradiction is for the spirit of truth no companion ; nor will he own that sense which maketh him speak things repugnant . if in the end of the sixth day god beheld all that he had made , c. . . and had finished the heavens and the earth , and all the host of them , c. . . what could be left for him to finish and actually to perfect on the seventh day ? well ; but then there is an interfering , a jarring betwixt scripture and scripture , how shall they be reconciled ? i answer , it is not amisse to acquaint you , that whereas the hebrew readeth it , and on the seventh day god ended his work , the septuagint and samaritanes a render it , on the sixth day god ended his work : perhaps those copies which they followed expressed it so , or else their aim was to suppresse the seeming discord , which they knew not otherwise how to salve . a discord indeed i confesse there is , yet such an one as disturbeth not the sacred harmony ; yea , rather a discord elegantly gracefull . for you must know that in no operation the end is attained whilest the operation is in progression and untill it ceaseth a ; rest being perficientis perfectio & perfecti c , the perfection of the perficient and of the thing perfected . now because rest demonstrateth the motion consummated , therefore god is said most properly to have perfected his work on the seventh day whereon he rested ; so that the finishing and perfecting mentioned in this verse or period is no actuall operation , but a mere desisting à motu creationis . and indeed moses giveth the honour of the perfection of the world to both the sixth and the seventh day , not without great and weighty cause : to the sixth , to exclude all thought that god wrought upon the seventh ; to the seventh , to assure us that he did not rest and give over on the sixth : for the end of the sixth day gave end to the work of creation and denihilation , and the beginning of the seventh gave beginning to gods rest . therefore it is said that on the seventh day god perfected the work which he had made , viz. on the six dayes before ; whence it is that junius and mercer a render it in the preterpluperfect tense , cùm absolvisset deus , when god had now perfected his work , meaning that as soon as the seventh day arrived , it might be truly said , god had now perfected his work b : and perfected it was undoubtedly on the sixth day ; god did not abruptly break off till he had throughly perfected all . i confesse the jews tell us a pretty story c , how that god about the end of the sixth day was making faunes , satyres , and such imperfect creatures , and that the evening of the sabbath overtook him so fast , that he was fain to leave them but half made up : and therefore on the sabbath dayes these creatures usually hide themselves in their kennels , not daring to look out . a perfect jewish fable , and by mercer suspected to be rather derived from tradition and heare-say , then from any hebrew authour extant , because he could never in all his reading light upon him : for the satisfying of the like doubt in others , i have troubled my margine with the authours name as i find him cited by a wierus . that god gave but one positive law to adam in paradise , is neither in it self likely , nor in respect of repugnant scripture credible : for is it not said that god put adam into the garden to dresse it ? was not this a command ? augustine b holdeth clear it was so : if a command , then a law ; for lex dicitur à ligando , a law is called a law because it bindeth c , and every command is , so farre as it bindeth , a law . if then it was a law , it must be either merely naturall , or positive ; if merely naturall , then immutable , still in force , and we must all , tag and rag , turn gardiners or plowmen : if it was positive , then their prolepsis halteth on that foot . consider the law it self , and you shall see the positive accrue to the naturall by way of superfoetation ; man must be alwayes busie , alwayes in action , there is the naturall ; his imployment is limited to tilling of the garden , there is the positive law . but if adams apostasie and fall was the same day he was formed , as many have thought , and is still disputable , this argument might well have been spared , because the command concerning sanctifying the sabbath might have been given in his corrupt and vitiated estate . if we should yield them , what they fain would have , viz. that jacob and the israelites observed no sabbath during their thraldome , yet shall they never be able to inferre from thence , that they had no command concerning it . for did they alwayes observe whatsoever was commanded them ? moses said to pharaoh in the person of god , let my people go that they may hold a feast to me in the wildernesse . was not this feast some solemn time consecrated and commanded of god to be observed ? no doubt it was ; for will-worship is to god abominable : did they keep this feast ? certainly no . it is resolved by all divines , ancient and modern , the patriarchs before the law were by god appointed to offer sacrifice : did the israelites under pharaoh keep this commandment ? the scripture answereth , no . god strictly injoyned that every male child eight dayes old should be circumcised : was this performed by the israelites in the wildernesse ? the scripture answereth , no : there was not one circumcised all that while , and yet they abode there fourtie years . now if they had upon such occasions a dispensation for not observing of other feasts , for not sacrificing , for not circumcising , might they not have one for the weekly sabbath also ? to their last argument from nehemiah , i say , the sabbath was at the time of the law given made known to them , yet not then first , but in a more solemn manner then before . we have a saying , none more frequent : when the sunne hath dispelled a cloud or mist , and sheweth it self in its brightnesse , we then say the sunne shineth , and yet no man is so simple but knoweth it shined before , even while it was most befogged , though not with equall splendour : so the sabbath is said to be made known to the israelites upon mount sinai , because it was then as it were revived , and proclai●●d in more state and pomp then before . and if you restrain it strictly to mount sinai , as the letter seemeth to import , you must of necessity offer violence to exodus , where at the fall of manna it is clear the sabbath was made known before the law pronounced on mount sinai : and so the prolepsis faileth in this her last refuge as in the former . having thus disarmed them of those reasons wherewith they esteemed themselves sufficiently fortified , i now apply my self to their authority , the authority of men , many of them , singular both for learning and piety : but shall we without more adoe yield to bare authority ? doth the end of dispute depend merely upon what they have said ? may we not examine the matter yet a little further ? may we not question whether these men spake as they meant , whether their arguments jumped together ? for did they alwayes so ? no , if hierome be of any credit ; the ancients are sometimes enforced to speak , not so much what themselves think , as what they conceive may most non-plus the gentiles . this was their policy against the heathen , might not they use it also against the jews , with whom they were in continuall conflict ? if they spake as they thought , might not vehemency of dispute transport them to inconsiderate speeches in their heat , and through too eager opposition to one errour to incurre the contrary : the ancients , whilest might and main they endeavour to beat down one errour , many times fall into another . so a sixtus senensis . a thing too infallibly true ; witnesse three of the foresaid fathers , justin , ireneus , and tertullian , who in their fierce bickerings with the valentinians , marcionites and manichees , violently bare down their chrysippean fate , and inevitable necessitie , but upon the ruines of that errour laid the foundation of the doctrine of freewill , which afterwards was so augmented by the superstruction of pelagius , and his ape arminius . if they writ in cool blood , did they throughly scanne and sift the point , did they ruminate upon what they delivered , or did it rather carelesly escape from them in passage ? b every man though never so learned is one way to be esteemed when he onely glanceth upon the question , otherwise when he undertaketh to examine and discusse it throughly , saith our great prelate . lastly , it must be inquired , whether the question was started before they delivered themselves thus ; for if it was not , they are not so much to be regarded : for they often delivered things somewhat negligently , not doubting but what they writ was orthodox enough , because it had past once for currant till it came to the touch . augustine hath no other shift to salve the fathers aforesaid from pelagianisme in the point of originall sinne , and freewill . many things indeed go a while for granted , and without controul , which in tract of time are discovered to be of dangerous consequence , and then justly exploded ; for men are wont , till they foresee the mischief which may ensue , to deliver things ( as they took them ) by way of frolick one from another , and so , in a plodding carelesnesse , a which way most go all follow . but all these exceptions laid aside , one there is from which no appeal will be admitted , it is naturall to man to erre . men they were and might erre , yea and did ( every one ) in other things , why might they not in this ? i speak not this to avile them , or abate any thing of the reverence we owe them ; and if it be suspected that i bear them no good will , of my self , ( they were b zanchy's words once , but shall now be mine ) and mine own genius i speak it , from the unanimous consent of the fathers , where necessitie compelleth not , i am very scrupulous to differ . no , my onely scope and intention is to tell you what saint augustine c hath told me , that humane authoritie , though never so learned , never so holy , is not to be trusted , unlesse it produceth canonicall scripture to prove , or probable reason to demonstrate , what it saith . how farre the fathers slipt in other things , is not cognoscible in this place ; whether in the point in question they did yea or nay , is now to be debated : and that they did , i think it probable at least if not evident . for is it not said , god blessed the seventh day and sanctified it ? what is this blessing , but the dispensing a peculiar favour towards it ? what this sanctifying , but a separation and consecration of it to holy worship ? if yea , what then shall hinder but that we think the sabbath instituted in that very article of time whereof moses wrote ? shall this prodigious prolepsis ? a nothing is easier then to cry out , o that is a trope , a figure , a peculiar manner of expression . a strange wantonnesse in expositours , to apply tropes devised upon necessity to places clear as the mid-day . that ( according to augustines b rule ) is a figurative speech , which being properly understood , can neither be applied to faith , charitie , nor edification . somewhat fuller is that of bellarmine ; c the scripture ought to be understood according to the true proprietie of the words , where we are not diverted by some manifest absurditie : and this he calleth , commune axioma theologorum , the universall tenet of all divines ; which i take to be granted on all parts , the rather because neither chamier , amesius nor any other ( as farre as i have examined ) hath accriminated the jesuite for it . now lest we should misconstrue the word absurd , he explaineth himself in another place thus , d vnlesse we be inforced by some other portion of scripture , or other article of faith , or the universall interpretation of the church : let this rule then judge us : i for my part compromise to be tried by it . god blessed the seventh day , and sanctified it , there is the text : god did honour the seventh day , and consecrated it to his worship , there is the genuine and proper sense : and because in the tissure and series of divine story moses hath inserted this sanctification of the sabbath immediately next after the six dayes creation ; why should we not conclude that it was sanctified then , and in the same order of time whereof he wrote ? why should we not take moses his meaning as we find his words ? is there any portion of scripture , any article of faith , the generall explication of the hole church repugnant to it ? is there any absurdity compelleth us to think otherwise ? ostendant , let them shew it ; which till they do , let them give us leave to hold our first opinion , to which the absurditie of the prolepsis hath compelled us . absurd it is : for it is clear the patriarchs had a sabbath ; and that they observed the seventh day sabbath is evident from the reasons thereof common to both times . they had a sabbath : for the law of nature instilleth this notion , a that ( as every thing else which excelleth , so especially ) god paramount and superlative in excellency is to be worshipped ; as also , that to the performance of this worship , certain times are to be b deputed . is it likely that the patriarchs failed in so necessary a dutie ? was gods church then so supinely governed , or indeed so not governed at all , that no time was set apart for solemn assemblies ? there was a consecration of materials for sacrifices , whereof ( beasts therefore distinguished by clean and unclean ) a consecration of persons , who ; a consecration of places , where : was there none of times , when ? assuredly yes ; and therefore s. c augustine hath put the quando , as one of those circumstances wherein cain might have been deficient : so a sabbath they had . the seventh day sabbath they had . look into the essence , the body and soul of that sabbath ( as d brerewood calleth them ) what are they but vacation or rest from bodily labour , and the sanctification of that rest by dedicating the soul to gods worship ? were the bodies both of man and beast before the law of a more brassie and adamantine durablenesse then after ? were they not conditioned , not attempered alike ? was not the sweet repose of lucid intervalls equally necessary and welcome to both ? did not devout sequestration to pious exercises as well sute and become the souls of them as of these ? look especially into the end peculiar to it , as the seventh from the creation ; what is it but to eternize the honour of the creation in indeleble memory , and that whilest man is amused with admiration of so miraculous a structure he may be excited to a gratefull recognition of the goodnesse of god , who created all these things for man , and onely man for himself ? is not this benefit of creation common and universall ? do not all participate of it , but the elect especially and inexplicably ? had not the church before moses as ample a share in the blessings which result from it , as that since ? and ought it not then as freely , as frequently to celebrate its sacred festivall ? if then before and since the law there were the same reasons , sure there was also the same thing observed , yea and the same commanded ; for from the reason to the law , from the cause to the effect , from the end to the means , is a solid argument , and never faileth but when that end may be acquired by a better means ; and impossible it is to demonstrate how the tyred bodies both of man and beast could have been more charitably provided for , gods solemn worship in a more sweet decorum performed , and the memory of the creation better preserved from the immerging deluge of time , and profanenesse , by any day other then the weekly sabbath , the day which god indigitated for the same purposes by his own example ; an example equivalent to a law : for though there had been no vocall , no verball institution of the sabbath , yet adam and the succeeding patriarchs ( who had a view and clear notion of all gods works , their orderly existencies , and exact consummation ; but especially who were manuducted and guided by an inerring spirit ) could not but collect from gods example a the analogicall equity for man to imploy six dayes in the works of his calling , and to interferiate the seventh , consecrating that to religious duties . and therefore that main argument from the want of a solemn institution , is but like a ruffled arrow , that maketh a great noise in the aire , but falleth short of the mark : for the controversie is not de modo , neither of the command , whether internall or externall , nor of the observation , whether voluntary or imposed by precept ; but de re , whether it was or observed or commanded yea or nay : that it was observed , the equity thereof common and agreeable to both times evinceth ; and observed it could not be otherwise then in obedience to command , either prolated or tacitely inspired by the holy ghost : for impute we must not to those sanctified men superstitious and will-worship . if then the sabbath was both observed and commanded before the law , why might not the command arise out of gods blessing and sanctifying the seventh day , mentioned gen. . ? why should we not rather embrace the proper and grammaticall sense of the words , then resort to a peerlesse and senselesse prolepsis that hath neither fellow to associate , nor reason to strengthen it ? it hath not its match in the hole sacred volume , which is another note of its absurdity : there is not one prolepsis ( of such an institution , saith amesius ) of any institution at all ( so i , and yet i doubt not to find many seconds . ) one place there is , i grant , which at the first blush seemeth to perswade the contrary : but upon more mature consideration it exhibiteth nothing lesse . the text is , exod. . . the words these , this is that which the lord commandeth , fill an omer thereof ( viz. of the manna ) to be kept for your generations , &c. and as the lord commanded moses , so aaron laid it up before the testimony to be kept . lo here ( say they ) an institution of the lords related by anticipation , as the former was : for how could aaron lay up a pot of manna to be kept before the testimony , when as yet there was neither ark nor tabernacle , and so no testimony before which to keep it . an institution indeed i see here , but no anticipation , nor can i without your spectacles : i say , no anticipation of the institution . for might not ( i pray ) this command , this institution , be dictated to moses at the same time whereof he wrote ? might not the precept be given now , though the execution of the precept was adjourned ? nay , is it not most likely it was so ? for where in the hole bible meet you with any injunction concerning it but here : touching the building of the tabernacle , and the ordering every thing else appertaining to it , god did exactly lesson moses on the mount , but of the filling the pot of manna , and placing it before the testimony , no hint at all was given there , nor anywhere else but here onely . and though we should grant that this command was given after the tabernacle finished , yet cannot the mentioning of it here be properly said to be by prolepsis . this narration taken hole and together is ( i confesse ) mentioned by prolepsis ; not so the parts of it : hole and part have not things so common betwixt them , that what belongeth to the hole , belongeth also to the part . a total prolepsis of an entire story before another there may be , and yet no partial of one part of that story before another : the parts may be marshalled in their due order , though the hole be antedated . all that series of divine story , from genesis to job , may be said to be related by prolepsis ; for it is the currant opinion that job was comtemporary with jacob and joseph : but improper it were to say that the fall of manna , the giving of the law , the building of solomons temple , and such particulars , are , in respect of the history of job , set down by way of prolepsis . prolepsis onely aimeth at what is next her ; she beholdeth not things remote : so it is in this text ; the verses from the to the end of the chapter constitute a narration distinct , and in a canton by it self . for moses having , in the former verses , reported so much of the history of manna , as was peculiar to that time whereof he wrote , thought it not amisse to superadde what else concerned it ( though he delayed a while the ensuing occurrents , which should have been precedents to it ) because it being not much he had to say , and that so homogeneal with what went before , he was resolved to take now an ultimum vale of it : therefore he telleth you of an after ordinance of god , concerning the filling an urn with manna , the disposing of it before the testimony , the execution of that command by aaron , and lastly the duration of the use thereof by the israelites fourty-yeare ; which last is supposed to be the supplement of joshua or eleazar . if now you consider this digression , abstracted from the ensuing story , you will find the hole preposterously related , and yet the parts not at all inordinate ; and if you look wistly upon calvines a words , you shall find him not repugnant to what i have here delivered . lastly , it is absurd : for there can no solid reason be given why moses should by a prolepsis of about years insert this institution . it could not be to instruct the israelites , that gods resting from his works on the seventh day was the reason why he had selected and appointed by his commandment given to them that day rather then any other to be sanctified for his sabbath . indeed if the fourth commandment had onely mentioned the seventh day to be the sabbath , without more ado , and had supprest the reason , moses had had fit occasion to give them here this observation : but seeing that reason was fully and with indeleble characters ingraven in the decalogue , it had been mere supervacaneous and impertinent tautologie to recite it here ; especially considering it is the most received opinion , that moses compiled the history of genesis after the law was promulgated on mount sinai , and so this reason was no news to them . if any , notwithstanding these grosse and palpable absurdities , seemeth desperately enamoured of this forlorn and despicable prolepsis , enjoy her he shall without me his rival , i envy him not . come we now to survey that little which the divine remembrancer hath afforded us of the actual observation of the sabbath before the law ; whereof two onely examples are extant , the one for the observation notable , the other for the violation . for the observation , we reade , exod. . . when the israelites had on the sixth day gathered twice as much manna as on any other day before , the rulers of the congregation came and told moses , and he said to them , this is that which the lord hath said , to morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the lord : we do not find here that the israelites were amused at the word sabbath , that they expostulated with themselves ( as before concerning manna ) what it should be ; no , they knew well enough what it was , with the rest of the holy sabbath unto the lord they had been long acquainted , it was no novelty to them ; the new attendance , and long train of strict observances that now waited on it were the things so puzzled , so possest them with wonder of a how is it changed from what it was ? their old wont was to dresse their necessary viands upon the sabbath , and being now interrupted , now disturbed in their accustomed practice , by an uncouth innovation of bake that which you will bake to day , and seethe that which you will seethe , and that which remaineth over lay up to be kept untill the morning , well might they be in a study , well demand a reason of this change . and whereas it is by some stiffly affirmed , that the jews did bake their manna on the sabbath day , an opinion ascribed to theophilus brabourn , the first ( as my authour telleth me ) that looked so near into moses his meaning ; he must know , that in opticks , amongst other requisites to perfect discerning , justa distantia , a a fit distance , is one ; and mr brabourn might perhaps by looking too near see to little : where the fault was , whether in this , or in some defect of the organe ( his understanding ) or through what other cause , i not dispute ; sure i am that an hallucination , an errour of the sight there was , and that a grosse one . the paraphrase they give of this text , bake that which you will bake to day , &c. is this , as much as you conceive will be sufficient for this present day , that bake or boyl as you use to do , and for the rest lay it up to be baked or boyled to morrow : and to this interpretation they the rather betake them , because the israelites laid it up as moses bad , and it did not stink ; now ( say they ) it had been no wonder at all , that it did neither breed worm , nor stink , had it been baked the day before : things of that nature , so preserved , are farre enough from putrifying in so short a space . not to dwell long in discussing this point : they have mistaken both gods miracle and moses his meaning . gods miracle ; for the baking or boyling excludeth not the miracle of its not putrifying : things so dressed are indeed the lesse disposed to corrupt ; therefore the putrefaction which manna contracted by procrastination on other dayes , notwithstanding the same order taken for preservation of it by baking and boyling , was the greater miracle : and because it tainted against nature , and miraculously reserved upon other dayes , gods ceasing to work the same miracle upon the sabbath might it self seem a miracle . the mind of moses they have not reacht , whose words resolve themselves into this construction , what you mean to bake , bake to day , what to seethe , seethe to day , and what remaineth ( not unbaked or unboyled but ) of that which you have baked , or boyled , more then sufficient for this dayes food , lay up for you to eat to morrow : and therefore hierome hath rendred it , quodcunque operandum est facite , whatsoever belongeth to the dressing of the manna , dispatch it now . but to put it out of all doubt , that this errour may never readvance , god himself , vers. . commanded moses that the people should prepare that which they bring in , and it should be twice as much as they gathered daily : what was this preparing but dressing , but cooking of it ? so the english will bear ; and by a word of the same energy and signification it is rendred in , i am sure , most translations ; so the septuagint , so hierome , so the spanish , so the french : a thing so manifest , as the very friday was thence denominated {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , the preparation to the sabbath . for the violation of the sabbath , we have it recorded vers . . that there went out some of the people on the seventh day to gather , and they found none : this i conceive most likely to have reference to the chap. . v. . now , because it is held by some that the primum esse and first dawning of the sabbath began at this fall of manna , though i hope i have already sufficiently proved the contrary , i would further know , why it should begin then , and but then : was it to chalk out to the israelites the precise seventh day from the creation , whereof they were at that time ignorant ? it could not be ; for of the seventh day whereon god rested they were not , they could not be ignorant : in some profane and irreligious houses it might perhaps have been lost , but in others more piously affected it was certainly preserved . for it is most undeniable , and irrefragably true what sr. walter raleigh a hath delivered ( and it is in substance affirmed by many others ) that if the story of the creation had not been written by divine inspiration , yet it is manifest , that the knowledge thereof might by tradition ( then used ) be delivered unto moses , by a more certain presumption , then any or all the testimonies which profane antiquitie had preserved , and left to their successours . and this he proveth by the light which moses might have , either by cabala or letters : for that the most notable occurrents of every severall age were transmitted downwards by tradition and heare-say , is without all controversie a ; and for letters , it is so clear they had the benefit of them , as some have not set down content to believe that the prophesie of enoch , mentioned by s. jude , was written ; and that what josephus relateth of the pillars errected by the posterity of seth , is true ; but they conceive also that adam and all the succeeding patriarchs compiled the histories of their own times . but how moses attained his knowledge , i leave to the disquisition of them who affect curiosities : yet this give me leave to note as received amongst the best divines , that the holy ghost was not so much an intelligencer , as a directer and guide to moses in the framing the history of genesis . for the omniscient wisdome , foreseeing that it would not be alwayes safe to make tradition the perpetuall depositary of so rare & choice a jewel as the story of his primitive church , which might either through carelesnesse loose part of what was betrusted to her , or under colour of sole possessing the truth , vend counterfeit and sophisticate stuff , thought it necessary for the good of his church , that a set and certain story of the first times should be compiled : to which purpose he selected moses as his amanuensis and register , aiding him extraordinarily with his holy spirit , by whose assistance he was enabled to distinguish truth from fables , which had by surreption intruded ; exactly to describe many minute circumstances of time , place , persons , names , &c. which memory was not able to comprehend , and to digest it into that perfect order wherein we now see it . so that one way or other , either by tradition or letters , or both , the precise seventh day could not at that time have been lost or forgot , and consequently that no cause for the sabbath to begin at the fall of manna . and was there any other ? what ? to be a preamble and preparation to the subsequent sabbath ? this would be proved . a preparation to the after strictnesse of the sabbath it was , that i confesse ; not to the sabbath it self , this i deny : an introduction it might be to the solemnity of the sabbath , which began after , not so to the sabbath it self , which was long before . for though it was but in its minority , but magni nominis umbra , a very shadow of the after celebrity , yet a sabbath it was , and the seventh day sabbath too ; and this not my singular assertion , but the consent of the most profound doctours , as well ancient as modern . so the fathers . origen , a what was afterward commanded in the law concerning the sabbath , the same job both observed himself , and taught his children to do the like . cyprian b , this septenary number gained authority from the creation of the world , because the first works of god were made in six dayes , and the seventh was dedicated to rest as sacred ; it being honoured with the solemnity of a command , and entitled to the sanctifying spirit . basil c , the sabbath , which was the seventh day from the first creation , is a type of our perfect rest in the remission of our sinnes . nazianzen d , the creation began on the lords day as is evident , because the seventh from it is made the sabbath bringing rest from labours . athanasius e , as long as the first age or creation was inforce , so long the sabbath was observed . epiphanius f mentioneth a twofold sabbath under the old law : the naturall or weekly , which was defined from the creation ; the legall or ceremoniall , which was enjoyned by the law of moses . at the heels of the fathers follow the schoolmen , who busying themselves about nicer subtilties have left us little of their opinions concerning the sabbath . alexander halensis , a the irrefragable doctour , though he thinketh the sabbath was not observed by virtue of any precept before the law , yet he granteth that it was inspired as a thing meet and fit to be observed . all these before ambrose catharine ; b he then not the first that understood moses according to the letter , nor yet the last , no not of his own partie . genebrard , c the sabbath was sanctified in paradise , which was also observed all the time till the law promulgated , as the hebrews and lyranus upon gen. . deliver . and in another place he telleth us out of rabbi abraham that job did observe it . cornelius à lapide , d it is manifest that the sabbath was instituted and established , not first by moses , exod. . but long before , to wit , from the beginning of the world . salianus also in his ecclesiasticall annals , doth at large refute the prolepsis as absurd . as for protestant writers , whether they be lutheranes , calvinists , or our own english , we dare vie it with the anticiparians , and give them oddes , two for one at least , and bate the preciser sort too . luther e himself shall lead the van , the sabbath was destined from the beginning of the world to religious worship . baldwin , f the sabbath was observed from the creation . calvin in exod. apud a prideaux . gualter , b doubtlesse the fathers before the law diligently observed the sabbath . p. martyr , c that people rest from labour one day in the week , did not onely appertain to moses law , but had beginning from gen. . zanchy , d i doubt not ( mine own i relate without prejudice to others opinions ) i doubt not , i say , but the sonne of god in humane shape was all this seventh day busied in most holy colloquies with adam ; but he fully revealed himself to him and eve , shewed him how and in what order he created all things , wisht him to meditate upon these works , and in them to praise and acknowledge the true god his creatour , & taught him that after his example every seventh day , all labour set aside , he should spend in this exercise of pietie , &c. what could modesty her self more modestly assever ? he doth not imperiously obtrude for truth what he saith , he onely telleth you his own conceit ; and it hath ever been permitted for men in such cases as this , both to think what they will , and speak what they think , as the historian saith . can any therefore but wonder that the bare delivery of a private opinion , so soberly without incrochment upon others liberties , should gain the authour no better esteem then to be reckoned amongst lying legendaries and fabulous rabbines ? what zanchy was , his works speak him : a learned and good man , in that repute he lived , in that he died . i never heard him defamed for a palephatus or tale-coyner till now , and i hope never shall again . a ursin , the sabbath was commanded from the beginning of the world by god unto all men . b bullinger , the sabbath was observed from the beginning of the world by a law naturall and divine . c beza , the precept of the sabbath was established in the very creation of the world , even before mans fall ; and elsewhere he saith that job did sanctifie at least every seventh day . a saucy fellow to controul justin martyr his better ; and therefore is taught manners by my authour : d hence forward he must know his distance . comparisons ( gentle sir ) the proverb saith are odious ; therefore this excursion might ( no disparagement to your discretion ) have been spared . yet hath your luxuriancy erred not more in civilitie then moralitie : you impute this opinion to beza as a device of his own , which were it true , yet your presumption exceedeth your knowledge : for how , i pray , is it possible for you to be assured of this , unlesse beza had either mediately or immediately revealed it to you ? and if he did not , you were very rash , very ill advised , to father it on him , when as i have proved he might probably enough have derived the opinion from origen , or r. abraham , if not from others . junius , e god gave testimony of the institution of the sabbath by his own exemplary rest , and by instituting it in the church , that adam and eve ( then living ) might acknowledge that day to be holy by the ordinance of god . pareus , f god sanctified the sabbath in the very prime creation , and doubtlesse that sanctification was observed in the patriarchall families . i could tire both the reader and my self , should i amasse all foreiners , whose suffrage hath been given for this patriarchall sabbath ; if any desireth further authorities , i transmit him to rivet or waleus , who can furnish him completely . to come home and encounter tostatus with one of our own , in dignitie of order a bishop , in that his match , and for learning so beyond him , as ( if i might use your libertie of comparison ) i might say he is but another didymus , a mere scribbler to this man . the beginning of the sabbath , saith he , was in paradise before there was any sinne , and so before there needed any saviour , and so before there was any ceremony or figure of a saviour . i could produce perkins , willet , babington , amesius , &c. all famous lights of our church , and that most incomparable piece , the practice of pietie ; but because it will perhaps be thought that their affection was better then their judgement , i forbear them , and the rather because also our most rationall adversaries begin to reel towards us : brerewood confesseth it to be instituted in paradise , which is as much as any ever affirmed ; for according to the canonists , leges instituuntur cùm promulgantur , laws are then instituted when they are promulgated : and though he explaineth himself afterward , denying the commandment to be then instituted , yet this he acknowledgeth that gods resting from creation ( his sabbath ) and resting in himself ( the sanctification of it ) might be exemplary , though not obligatory to men to observe the sabbath then . nor doth a prideaux vary much from him : which is enough , for if it be granted that adam or the patriarchs observed it , we shall soon discover a command . having thus laid down the arguments which support the prolepsis , and to every one fitted the proper solution , having also set before you those reasons which most seem to advantage the grammaticall sense , and having with authoritie encountred authoritie , i desire now nothing more then a neutrall judge , and that this difference may have the same decision which aristippus b advised in another case , mitte ambas ad ignotos ; let disinteressed arbitratours end it . and thus i have finished my first stage . gods sabbath under the law . the precedent discourse was spent in the discovery of a sabbath before the law ; a time ( for so much as concerneth gods externall worship ) nearest allied to varro's {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} or uncertain time before the ogygian flood . our next station must be under the law , a time more enlightned with the ray of divine story then the former : yet is not the light , even of this time , so uniform , so evenly diffused , but that some opake parts are therein discerned . for though we are not now ( as before ) at a losse for a sabbath , yet doth not the sabbath we discern shew it self in so perfect lineaments and just proportion , as excludeth all diversitie of opinion concerning it . the questions indeed which relate to it are neither very numerous , nor absolutely necessary to be discussed ; yet as they are by accident subservient to my ensuing tract , an elucidation i must and will afford them , according to that order wherein method disposeth them , which i take to be this . some result from the precept , some again from the practice : from the precept , quis , quibus , quid. quis , who gave the precept ? who promulgated it ? and this question is not peculiar to the fourth precept distinctly taken , but onely as it is a member of the decalogue , whereof the question is especially made : for controverted it is , whether the ten commandments were on mount sinai promulgated by gods immediate voyce , or the ministery of his angels , or one or more . and not unworthily : for moses seemeth to attribute it to god himself ; but stephen , acts . vers. . . and paul , gal. . . and heb. . . to the angels : in regard of which specious opposition , eminent and famous men have been diversly inclined : some to moses are propense , for these reasons . first it is said , dixit jehova elohim , god spake these words , not an angel create : and though the word elohim is once ( and but once ) applied to the angels in the plurall , but never in the singular number , as psalm . yet here it can have no such signification : for the verb is dixit , and the pronoun ego , both singular . secondly , the person speaking saith , i am the lord thy god which brought thee out of the land of egypt ; but an angel create did not deliver them out of egypt . lastly , saint paul himself saith , that it was the voyce of christ which shook the earth , heb. , . therefore where it is said , acts . . that moses was with the angel in the wildernesse , the word angel must not be understood of an angel create , but of christ , who is often called both an angel and god in similary places , as gen. . vers. , . and . . exod. . . in all which places the word angel can mean no other person then christ . thus farre a zanchy ; but short still of the full solution . for though acts . . the word is angel in the singular number , yet in the other place it is angels in the plurall , excluding utterly the application of it to christ , or any single person . where zanchy brake off , the explication is continued and supplied by the thrice-excellent b junius , who resolveth it thus , at the delivering of the law on mount sinai , god was attended with many millions of angels , ( so both the state and service of their lord , and the great businesse in hand required ) and from amidst this glorious host he spake unto the people , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , inter angelos , amidst the c angels ; all the angels being witnesses to the covenant , god proclaimed the law : so he interpreteth it ; a glosse rather new then absurd . others incline to stephen and paul , and conceive that god did not utter the law himself , but by delegation of his angels : to which they are the rather disposed , because in some places of scripture the angels use such a form of speech , as though god himself spake , and yet it is manifest that themselves were the immediate utterers of those words as , numb. . . if it be now demanded which interpretation i favour ; i answer , neither : the scripture salved by both i see , but the mind of the holy ghost is ( i take it ) atteined by neither . that which hath misled the whole stream of expositours , is a conceit that stephen and paul spake of the pronouncing of the law in mount sinai , whereas indeed their words onely aim at the delivering of the tables of stone , called the law also by a metonymia subjecti , the conteining by the name of the conteined ; these being put into the hands of moses by the ministery of his angels , as is evident , gal. . . for where is it said that the angels pronounced the law ? that god did , we reade often . as scripture saith not they did ; so reason , that they did not : for how could the vocall prolation by many angels but generate confusion of sound ? or if god by extraordinary guidance of their voice might make them speak not onely one and the same thing but in one and the same articulate sound ; yet seeing frustrà fit per plura , it might full as well have been uttered by one , why should he imploy so many ? no , out of all question ( if duly considered ) it is that god did himself , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , in his own person , as philo saith , speak the law ; and not onely for those reasons ( yet solid enough ) mentioned by zanchy , but especially because it is agreed by all the ancients , not one ( s. augustine onely excepted ) impugning . that god ( the second person ) did himself often appear to the patriarchs , and bespake them vivâ voce , so justin d martyr , e tertullian , f athanasius , g eusebius and h hierome affirm ; and that he did so expressely on mount sinai or horeb , i ireneus , k nazianzen , l basil and divers others have affirmed . that immovable pillar of sound doctrine ( as an eastern m bishop calleth him ) n theodoret shall speak for all , treating of the narration of moses . and further , saith he , he recounteth how the word , the god of all things , exhibited himself openly to the israelites , appearing through the fire , but not in any visible shape . and throughout the whole systeme or body of the old testament , there are not so evident marks of gods immediate presence , as in this text : for first there is thunder , the voice of god , psalme . . and the concomitant of it , john . . secondly , the words are very direct , very expresse , where moses telleth the israelites , the lord spake unto you , deut. . out of the midst of the fire ; ye heard the voyce of the words , but saw no similitude , onely ye heard a voyce . now take it for a {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , an infallible token , of gods immediate presence , wheresoever in the scripture he is said to speak ( except in vision or so ) and no visible shape is seen . lastly , there are degrees of distance injoyned , the people not to approch nearer then the foot of the mount ; aaron and nadab , abihu and the seventie elders , up to the mount ; but moses onely into the cloud : from hence also note another certain argument of gods immediate presence ; which is alwayes concomitant with such procession-bounds , as exod. . . josh. . . for the full clearing then of this seeming repugnancy , i say , acts . . with zanchy , the word angel denoteth no angel create , but the angel creatour , christ , the second person in the trinity . for stephen alluded to that of malachy . . where our saviour is called angelus foederis , the angel of the covenant , viz. with whom the covenant was made , exod. . , . and deut. . . as also to that of the prophet , or rather evangelist , o isaiah . . where he is called the angel of gods presence . in the vers. of the same chapter , the word law intendeth not the law promulgated , but engraven in the p diptykes or tables , which could not be delivered to moses by god himself , seeing he assumed no sensible shape , nor was moses admitted to so near an approch to god , as to receive them from him : therefore s. paul saith , it was delivered by angels into the hand of a mediatour , that is , not christ , as calvine and some others suppose , but moses ( as basil q ) who was the internuncius betwixt god and the israelites , deut. . . lastly , that place of heb. . . is merely mistaken : for neither in the text or context is there any , either expresse or implicite , mention of the law . and so much for the quis. the next is , quibus . disputed it is , whether the law considered as delivered in mount sinai , and abstracted from the ratification which it derived from christ and his apostles , was onely given to the jews , and so onely obliged them ; or under them to the gentiles also , who were to become the church and people of god . zanchie r , dominicus à soto s , and some others are of opinion it was peculiar to the jews onely , from these reasons . first , laws onely bind them , to whom they are onely given : but the decalogue was given onely to the jews , as is manifest by the preface : ergò , it onely bindeth them . the decalogue was indeed given to the jews ; but was it as jews , or a nation distinct by themselves ? no ; rather as covenantees , and the then select people of god , so that whosoever were after implanted in the covenant , and inrolled gods people , to them , as pòst nati , did and doth the decalogue belong . nor was the preface prefixt to invest the israelites with a sole propriety therein : for god , being now to give them ( as they were then his holy and chosen church , which is alwayes formally though not materially the same ) his morall and immutable laws , had here just reason to apply himself first to them , as jews , and to rowze their attention by inculcating into their memory the recent and signall blessing lately conferred upon them , thereby to excite their more strict observance of what he was now to give them in charge . so that this introduction might , i confesse , be proper to the jews onely , and yet the decalogue it self have a larger province and extent , and be spoken s omnibus similiter , to all alike . though , should i denie what i partly grant , i could vouch men of no mean note to rescue me from errour . t in this preface god bespeaketh the israelites more especially , but yet so as under them he comprehendeth all the gentiles . so beza . and for the romane party , u bellarmine . secondly , if the law as given on sinai obliged the gentiles , then were they at that time , before , and now are since christ , bound to observe the sabbath : but they neither were , nor now are astricted to that observation : ergò , &c. that some gentiles were thereto bound , the pellucid fountain of verity sheweth plainly ; let not the sonne of the stranger that hath joyned himself to the lord speak , saying , god hath utterly separated me from his people . if you say , that these were israelites by covenant though not by seed ; then why may not the christian gentiles , who are covenantees as well as the jews , who are also the seed of abraham , and heirs according to the promise , and united in christ jesus , why may not they observe it also ? will you say , because the day is abrogated and annulled ? and can you demonstratively prove it so ? the jewish sabbath was questionlesse indeed abolished , but was the sabbath of the fourth commandment so ? if you say , yea , for they were both one ; i reply , it is with greater facility said then proved . and now we arive at the last circumstance considerable in the precept , quid. of this it is controverted , what day the precept enjoyneth , whether the jewish sabbath , the saturday , or any other particular and expresse day ? most hold the jewish seventh from the creation to be the day directly prescribed there ; but i think it no hard task to beat them , or from that hold or in it . for first i would gladly know where in expresse terms the saturday-sabbath or seventh from the creation is commanded in this precept ; examine and dissect it throughly : remember thou sanctifie the sabbath day ; the sabbath day it is you see , not the seventh from the creation . therfore a zanchie hath set a nota bene upon it , that god ( not without cause ) said not , remember thou sanctifie the seventh day , but , the day of rest ; that is , saith he , b the day consecrated to rest by god , either immediately by himself or mediately by the church directed by the holy ghost , whatsoever day it be . thus he ; more circumspectly then what he delivered three columnes before : where he saith that the word sabbath here comprehendeth all the jewish festivalls . what hath moved him and other learned men to this fantasie , it much amuseth me : god telleth us distinctly what sabbath he here meaneth , the weekly ; of any other there is altum silentium , not a word . he saith , sanctifie the sabbath , in the singular , not sabbaths in the plurall number : c the observation , not of many festivals , but of one onely is there enjoyned . and what necessity of bringing these feasts within the compasse and obligation of this precept , which have commands proper and peculiar to themselves ? as therefore ancient canons d said to pragmaticall bishops , which invaded their jurisdiction , so i to these jewish feasts , let them keep their own home , their own stations , they have nothing to do here . well , the sabbath must be sanctified , but what day that should be is not yet explained : in the subsequent words indeed there is some hint of it , six dayes shalt thou labour ; there is one character by which we may know it : six dayes are at our own dispose , but we must not hold over our term ; the seventh is the sabbath , it is as philosophers say terminus minimus quod sic , the least proposition of time we must allow god : in a narrower limitation his worship will not subsist , a seventh day he will have . the seventh is the sabbath : the seventh ? what seventh ? he saith not , the seventh from the creation , he nameth no day ; if he had , it would have restrained the law to that day : but because he meant the day should change , and yet the law continue , he saith onely the seventh , that is , the seventh after six , or one in a week e . for f to depute one day in a week , is formally to depute the seventh day , though materially one and the same day be not alwayes deputed . well ; but will one in a week serve the turn ? is there nothing else required ? is the determination of this one in seven in our power ? no , there is a proviso for that ; it must be the sabbath of the lord thy god , that is , which he hath already , or should declare to his church to be his sabbath : and this is another character of the sabbath , it must be of gods own choice . but still not one word of the jewish sabbath , no discovery of it yet ; but we have not done with the precept , perhaps we shall find it in what remaineth : it followeth then , for in six dayes the lord made heaven and earth , and all that therein is , and rested the seventh day , wherefore the lord blessed the seventh day and hallowed it : here , i confesse , the precept seemeth very apposite , very full , so full as we are accused for no lesse then high treason against the holy ghost , in daring to affirm the contrary . f these dogmatists , saith one , are not affraid to make the holy ghost a liar , who teacheth in most clear and expresse terms , that god almightie blessed the very seventh day on which himself rested . an heavie charge , did we not plead , not guiltie . that god blessed the very seventh day whereon he rested , we not deny ; but whether he did expresly command the observation of that day by this or any other member of the fourth precept , that is the thing whereof we demand clear demonstration . nor yet should we call this into dispute , had we not just cause to appeal from the old translation , which hath herein imbraced a strange singularitie ; for where it readeth , god blessed the seventh day , the geneva , spanish , that of hierome , all that i have perused ( the septuagint onely excepted ) render it , god blessed the sabbath day , as our most correct and new translation hath it : indeed the very fountain it self , the hebrew giveth it so ; which being true , can what we have said deserve so loud an outcry as hath been made ? let any neutrally affected judge . secondly , the defect of direct and expresse command is not the onely , the principall motive it is , i grant , which allureth us to think the jewish sabbath in especiall manner not injoyned here : another argument there is accessory to it . for if god had here expresly commanded the observation of the seventh from the creation , or jewish sabbath , the fourth precept would have been in relation to that particular ceremoniall , and by consequent changeable : but i think it was and is in all parts intirely morall , and perpetuall ; and my opinion is founded upon two not very defeasable reasons . first , it is marshalled in the decalogue amongst the morall and immutable laws , which were notably distinguished from the ceremoniall by many circumstances ; the morall uttered by god himself , ( proved page . ) in the presence of the whole multitude , written by gods own finger , given without restraint to time , how long ; or place , where : contrarywise the ceremoniall given to moses onely , and by him declared to the people , called ceremonies , judgements , ordinances , and limited onely to the land of g jury : now it could not be agreeable to the wisdome of the god of order to shuffle and misplace a ceremoniall amongst his morall laws . secondly , if you cast your eye upon the sabbath of the fourth precept , you shall behold it quite deplumed and stript of all legall observances : for those things which are all urged as ceremoniall , and severall of the jews , touching the sabbath , are all , every one , postscripts and by-laws , not one emergent from the fourth precept . it was a signe betwixt god and his people , exod. . . ezech. . . it was injoyned with extreme rigour , no meat to be drest , exod. . . no fire to be kindled , exod. . . these were all peculiar to the jews : if the commandment of the sabbath was so too , how cometh it to passe they are thus discriminated , thus severed ? very suspicious it is then that they were not uniform precepts , not all of a piece . but you will say that deut. . . the observation of the sabbath is inserted in the fourth precept , as peculiar to the jews , in regard it was a commemorative of their strange deliverance out of egypt . i answer , true : but there is a great diversitie betwixt the decalogue given on mount sinai , and that described in deuteronomie ; that appertaining to gods church indefinitely taken , this to the jews onely : and this is evident from the due consideration of deuteronomy : for though there be many things in it which may of common right belong to the hole church , yet certain it is that book was especially penned for the jews , it being {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , an explanation of that law ( whether morall , ceremoniall , or judiciall ) which moses received on the mount , and application of it to the particular state and condition of that people : so that this objection doth not onely not evert but establish my assertion , it being a manifest argument that the sabbath of the decalogue ingraven in the tables was of larger extent then that mentioned in deuteronomie : for else why should the reason of one be universall , viz. as a monument of the creation ; of the other , particular , as a memoriall of the redemption out of egypt : and consequently it may perswade that the sabbath of the one was morall , of the other ceremoniall . and therefore when aquinas had framed this question , whether the commandment concerning sanctifying the sabbath was fitly delivered in the decalogue ? he found no evasion but this ; h it is placed , saith he , in the decalogue as it was a morall precept , not as ceremoniall . which is in effect but one and the same thing with what i maintain : for i distinguish betwixt those precepts of the sabbath which occurre elsewhere , and the fourth commandment , and therefore i apply what is ceremoniall in the sabbath to them , what is morall i restrain to this . so much for the quid , and indeed for the precept . survey we now the practice and observation thereof , wherein the circumstances which offer themselves to our consideration are these , quando , quomodo . by the quando i understand the terminus à quo and beginning of the sabbath , which some derive from the evening preceding the artificiall day , and deduce it from levit. . . others i again suppose it commenced in the morning ; and are induced thereto by the two evangelists , matth. . . in the end of the sabbath as it began to dawn towards the first day of the week ; mark . , . when the sabbath was past , very early in the morning , the first day of the week : and therefore the leviticall law they conceived onely concerned the passeover , and such solemn feasts . but i rather imbrace the more received opinion , that the sabbath began at eve , and suppose k that the evangelists respected the manner of the gentiles , whose day commenced from midnight : for me thinks the restriction of that ordinance in leviticus to the solemn feasts onely , is more nice then solid ; and the contrary is very probably indigitated in both the old and new covenant . in the old , nehemiah saith , that when the gates of jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath , he commanded they should be shut , and not be opened till after the sabbath : whence i inferre that the sabbath began at twilight ; for else why should the gates be shut up so soon ? in the new testament also luke saith , that the women when they had bought their spices rested the sabbath according to the commandment ; which seemeth to insinuate that the sabbath presently succeeded the buying of those spices . and ( though it be {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ) give me leave to note to you that by saint luke here it is evident the spices were bought on friday towards evening , not on munday morning , not penitus exacto sabbato , as l casaubon affirmeth . saint mark m indeed , whom he citeth , seemeth to relate it otherwise : but i say first with judicious calvine , that n mark relating two divers things in one and the same context , did not so exactly distinguish their times as saint luke ; for what was acted before ( viz. the buying of the spices ) he mingleth with the setting out and going forth of the women . and in truth s. mark minded more the substance then circumstance of the story ( a thing so familiar in scripture as it hath begot a proverb , there is not alwayes an orderly disposition of first and last in holy scripture : ) nor doth it reflect at all to the debasing and disparagement of the divine history , for a small diversitie touching circumstance is nothing ad summam narrationis , to the substance of the narration , as the same casaubon hath well observed . secondly , it is very probable what beza hath applied by way of salve to this of mark ( though it relisheth not well ( and perhaps the worse because beza's ) with the learned heinsius ) that there is a dislocation of the words by some unwary scribe , who hath put them out of joynt : for the latter part of this verse ought , as he conceiveth , to conclude the preceding chapter : as though the words had been thus ordered , and mary magdalene , and mary the mother of jesus beheld where he was laid , and bought spices that they might come and annoint him ; and that which maketh it seem still to him more probable is an ancient copy , reading it , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , i. e. they went and bought spices , without repeating the name of any woman . the quando i have briefly dispatched ; and the dispatch of that giveth me accesse to the quomodo , the manner of observing the sabbath , that is , what holy duties were performed that day . and from this arise two questions : first whether the law was read publickly every sabbath , or onely in the yeare of release at the feast of tabernacles ; and this question is limited too , to the period from the law given to the captivitie . the other quaere is , what law , whether the hole pentateuch , or deuteronomie onely , was read in that yeare of release . as concerning the first ; they which hold the negative ground their opinion on these reasons : first , that there should be any publick or solemn reading of the law upon sabbath dayes , is not expressely required and commanded in the pentateuch . secondly , it appeareth not by any relation of sacred history , that before the babylonish captivitie there was any weekly reading or expounding the law upon the sabbath . lastly , it is a thing to be admired , that if the reading of the law had been in continuall use among the jews every sabbath day , there should be found in the dayes of king josiah one copy onely or book of the law , and that hilkiah should present this book to the king , as a great raritie , . king. . , . but the unsoundnesse of the foundation argueth the assertion erroneous : for , first , will nothing but expresse text satisfie you ? suppose we find it not {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , not verbatim commanded thus , reade the law publickly every sabbath day ; is not , i pray you , necessary and inevitable deduction out of text scripture with you ? if yea , then we need not travel farre for a command , no farther then the fourth precept , and not farre into that , but to remember thou keep holy or sanctifie the sabbath day . i told you before that things are then said to be sanctified , when they are applied to holy worship ; now holy worship is the exhibiting to god his due and just honour : and that is performed two wayes , either by reverent attention to what he offereth us in his word , or an humble presentment of what we preferre to him in our prayers . for hearing of the word & adoration are the two hands of religion ; the one we extend to receive what god communicateth to us , the other to represent what in mercy he accepteth from us : so as they are indeed the proper instruments of mutuall commerce betwixt him and us ; and though i allow them a parity of honour , yet hath the one a precedency of order before the other , and this belongeth to hearing of the word : for the first of religious offices wherewith we publickly honour god on earth ( saith that worthy m hooker ) is the receiving that knowledge which he imparteth to us in his word . the reason is evident ; for , prius est nosse deum , consequens n colere : or rather according to that golden chain , how o shall men invoke him in whom they have not believed , how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard , and how shall they heare without a preacher ? hence it is that the primitive church had ever the sermon before the service , to intimate that none ought to be admitted to pray with the church , before they have been inlightned in saving doctrine : all , tag and rag had free accesse to the sermon ; to the service onely the faithfull , and catechumeni . p let the bishop interdict none , neither gentile , nor heretick , nor jew , to enter into the church and heare the word of god , untill the service of the catechumeni , saith the councel of carthage . for the clear understanding of which canon , you must know that missa catechumenorum signifieth here not the dismission of the catechumeni , but the service so called ; which began at the introitus , and ended at the offertory . if then the sanctification of the sabbath be the application of it to gods worship , the consequence must and will be , that all sacred actions tending to this worship as parts thereof ( but the hearing of the law read most especially , it being of the essence of that worship ) were commanded in and under the word sanctifie . but you 'l say that many doctours of note maintain that the letter of the fourth commandment imposed upon the jews no other externall form of sanctifying the weekly sabbath , but resting from bodily labour . i answer , the literall sense of the fourth commandment imposed upon the jews the sanctification of the sabbath , viz. by all such religious actions as are proper to holy worship ; the specialties whereof it not determineth , least it should be thought to exclude any . it also imposed rest and cessation from secular businesse ; but that it commanded it as any at all , much lesse the onely externall form of sanctifying the sabbath , pardon me , i cannot believe . for what honour could accrue to god through an idle and lazie rest ? what worship could man perform waking more then a sleep ? how could the day be lesse sanctified by beasts then men ? rest was injoyned as necessary indeed necessitate medii , as a fit means ; but not necessitate causae , as a necessary cause constituting sacred worship . against these doctours of note , i will oppose a doctour of note too , and of such note as his dictates never any of the primitive church durst call into question a , athanasius the great , who in refutation of this jewish fancie hath amongst others this invincible argument , b if rest sanctifieth , then by consequence labour polluteth : for , contrariorum eadem est ratio : yea , the father maketh the knowledge of god to be the chief end of the sabbath , because knowledge is more necessary then rest c . and therefore the beam of truth hath extorted from them this confession , that some other religious actions were intended by god as the end of the precept , but no other were formally commanded d . what i pray , did god intend those religious actions as the end of the precept ? how come you to know gods intention ? hath he anywhere revealed it ? if yea , then tell me , is not that overture , that declaration of his intendment equipollent to a command ? besides , when and where did god open this his mind ? in this precept , and at the giving of the law ? if now , and here , then these religious actions and rest were coordinate together , both imposed at one and the same time , the thing you deny : if after , then god imposed , and man observed rest to no end and purpose all that while , untill the manifestation of his intentions concerning the end of that rest came forth . but god and nature do nothing in vain e ; even philosophy could tell you so , and sure divinity much more . their second argument is upon the old haunt still , the want of expresse narration ; which were it true , yet is it no {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , no demonstration of what they affirm , as i have proved before , pag. . besides , the contrary may be probably collected without detorting scripture against reason : for first , when the shunamite desired to go to the prophet elisha to acquaint him with the death of her sonne , and to see if he could afford her any comfort , her husband expostulated with her , saying , why wilt thou go to day ? it is neither new-moon , nor sabbath day : which had been an impertinent question , if they had not accustomed to resort to the prophets on those dayes , to heare the word expounded . that this was their practice scarce any expositour upon the place but assureth us . though here is onely mention of the new-moon and sabbath , yet as we need not doubt but that they practiced the same upon other festivalls also , so i conceive it to be implyed in both or either words , which are often in scripture taken in a generall notion , not denoting any certain or particular but an indefinite feast . the word sabbath especially , this so frequently as no meanly lettered man is such a novice to whom it is a novelty : the new-moon more sparingly , yet when mated with sabbath seldome retaineth it any other signification . examples whereof are first this text of the kings , then that of isaiah . . from one new-moon to another , and from one sabbath to another , shall all flesh come to worship before me , saith the lord . again , that of ezech. . . the people of the land shall worship at the doore of this gate before the lord in the sabbaths and in the new-moons . lastly , that of amos , . . when will the new-moon be gone that we may sell our corn ? and the sabbath that we may set forth wheat ? in all these portions of scriture sabbaths & new-moons , by the figure {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , that is , when one thing is expressed by two words , are onely put for solemn feasts generally not particularly accepted . nor is the word new-moon taken thus onely when linked with the sabbath , but somewhile also when single and alone , as . kings . . for where in our translation ( as in i am sure most , if not all others ) it is said that jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth moneth , the hebrew word for that feast is {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , which signifieth the new-moon ; but to speak properly the new-moon it could not be , for the moon was then in her full , it being the day : and the feast is thought by learned men to be devised by jeroboam in imitation ( indeed to suppresse it in oblivion ) of the feast of tabernacles which was to be on the of the seventh moneth . but not to expatiate too farre in collaterall transcursions ; the reading of the law may ( not absurdly ) be expiscated out of acts . . where james giving definitive sentence in the councel of hierusalem , saith , moses of old time hath in every citie them that preach him , being read in the synagogues every sabbath day . but against this place they except , viz. that {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} is used in scripture of many things not very ancient , as matth. . , , . acts . . but this objection is easily repelled : the question is not what sense the like phrase hath , matth. . , &c. but what it meaneth here ; and that it is to be taken in the construction we make of it , an eminent bishop r witnesseth , the sound of the spirit ( viz. preaching ) all the law-long sounded in them , by whom moses was preached every sabbath day . so he upon this very text . but in defence of the contrary interpretation , it may be objected , that the text speaketh of synagogues , which came not into use untill the captivitie . to which i say , that the most and best divines s hold it probable that synagogues had their beginning from the plantation of the land of canaan , when the priestly and propheticall offices ceased in the first-born , and masters of families , but were supplyed , the first , by the leviticall priests ; the second , by the seventy elders , as some suppose t , but more certainly by the prophets , whose ordinary calling was to reade and expound the law . the numerous provision of which sacred preachers maketh it incredible that they were destitute of places ( no matter how , or colledges , or synagogues , or otherwise denominated ) destinate to that and such like holy-duties . their last argument is not compounded of much better stuff . for first the finding of the book of the law by hilkiah , and presenting of it to josiah , is no infallible signe , quod alioqui nulli ejus essent alii codices , that there were besides no other books thereof , not to genebrard u i am sure : and it may well be controverted . for if in times of harder pressures , when the temple and the authentick books in it were burnt , when utter havock was made of all , and the people of god led captives into babylon ; even in the extremitie of that desolation , if some copies were no doubt preserved in private mens hands , as daniels , ezechiels , a jeremies , &c. ( for how otherwise could esdras restore the sacred volume to its first integrity , then by comparing divers exemplaries then extant together , and so reforming what errours had been committed by negligent penmen ) if i say , some copies escaped the fire at that time , probable it is that all perished not before josiahs reign . but be it granted that all were lost , not one to be found before hilkiah chanced to light upon that , yet are you short still ; your argument is not ad idem : for the question is of a duty , part of gods publick and solemn worship , and your instance is of a time under persecution , when the ensigne of the church was the crosse , when there was no solemn worship of the true god publickly tolerated ; and you may as well upon this instance inferre that there was no sabbath observed , as deny the observation of it by this dutie of reading and hearing the law . no man ( for ought i know ) contendeth that the solemn reading of the law alwayes every sabbath , and that in times of distresse , was practiced : and that it was at other times , even cajetan b himself ( who holdeth that that book which hilkiah found was of all other the onely remnant ) acknowledgeth : holy exercises ( as reading and expounding the law ) during manasses his wicked reign were so long neglected ; ( and neglect i hope insinuateth a dutie formerly practiced ) that the book of the law is related as a thing new discovered . so he . true it is , he mentioneth not the sabbath day , as whereon these neglecta divina ought to have been performed ; but seeing the words seem to referre to duties which ought to have been publickly performed , their publick performance ought to have regard to both times and places destinate thereto . this point i prosecute no further : enough i hope ( if not too much ) hath been said to perswade that the law was read on the weekly sabbath , as well as on the annuall of tabernacles in the septennuall of release . i passe then to the last question . in this as brief i shall be , as in the former i was tedious . at the end of every seven years , in the solemnitie of the year of release , in the feast of tabernacles , thou shalt reade the law before israel in their hearing , saith the text : upon which words tostatus thus , c the law , saith he , is meant especially of deuteronomy . and d others since have imbraced the same opinion , but none have thought us worthy to be privy to the reasons inducing that opinion , nor indeed can any be devised . for who knoweth not that the word law importeth the whole pentateuch of moses : of ( i believe ) an hundred of instances , i will produce but one ; and that ( of any ) the likeliest to make for their purpose . god injoyneth the future king should write him a copy of this law in a book : now i pray , tell me , is deuteronomy onely understood by this law ? no , it is not : all expositours take it for the hole five books ; and yet for this there may be some colour , because the . render it {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , hierome , deuteronomium legis hujus . but to return to the first text of moses ; we need no other expositour then himself : what law he appointed then to be re●d , he telleth us in the immediate precedent verse , it was that law which he delivered to the levites ; that law which he commanded them to put in the side of the ark . now if they can prove that onely deuteronomy was delivered to the levites and laid up there , they shall gain my subscription . having thus proceeded as farre as my first intendment bounded me , lest this discourse should jut too farre into that insuing , of the sabbath under the gospel , now no more . gods sabbath under the gospel . we have at last shaked off those remora's which retarded our arrivall at the christian sabbath , at gods sabbath under the gospel . for a sabbath god hath still , but not the jewish , not the seventh from the creation : no ; a the seventh day is vanisht , our lord is buried ; the first now dawneth , our lord is risen , and his resurrection hath consecrated to us a new sabbath : for a sabbath god must have by the immutable law of the fourth precept , remember thou sanctifie the sabbath day , that is , that day which for the time being god hath marked out and appointed for his own , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . for if this commandment injoyneth now no particular and set time under the gospel , then is the law an ennealogue , not a decalogue , and so god hath lost one of his ten words ; but he payeth no tithe out of his commandments , his full denary he must and will have . if you say the morall equitie , viz. to yield god a competent and convenient time for his worship remaineth still , and so the commandment is not lost . i answer , this fundamentall law is tacitly implyed in this precept , but so it was also in the institution of all other ceremoniall festivals , the passeover , pentecost , &c. to which we may as well resort as to the fourth precept for it . and if this morall or naturall law be the onely reliques of that commandment : i would fain learn what was in the sabbath extraordinary more then in other feasts , which might intitle it to a roome amongst the morall laws of the decalogue , when as the other feasts were excluded . besides , if this morall law of festos dies coles maketh a distinct precept by it self , i see no reason but there should be another for going to church , another for allowing god a convenient portion of our substance ( for these are also morall equities ) and so there will be an even dozen . lastly , how cometh this morall equitie to be a peculiar of the gospel onely ? god had from the creation to the law , from the law to christ , a day appropriated ( and that by himself ) to his worship : what ? hath he lesse reason to require it under the gospel ? hath he left the christian church to that liberty that every man may serve him as the toy taketh him , and so god stand to our courtesie to be worshipped when we list ? you will say nay ; we are not left at that libertie : the observation of the holy dayes appointed by the church , is reduced to the fourth commandment , as a speciall to a generall : viz. gods people must observe holy times , because the equitie of the fourth commandment obligeth thereunto : but easter and christmasse day , and sunday , &c. are holy dayes lawfully appointed by the governours of the church , and subordinate to the equitie of the fourth commandment ; therefore christian people are bound to observe these holy dayes , in obedience to the equitie of the fourth commandment . i answer , the church hath a power indeed to ordain festivals ; but is the observation of her constitutions concerning them , a fulfilling ; the disobedience , a breach of the fourth commandment ? how can this be ? first , what needs an obligation be derived from the last precept of the first table , when the first of the latter is alsufficient ? secondly , is it not a mere non sequitur ? the fourth commandment bindeth us to yield god a convenient time for his worship : ergò it obligeth us to observe the festivals of the church ? where learned you this logick ? suppose i pray , the church should injoyn but one day in a moneth , doth he i pray who observeth her order that one day , and not once more in the interim serve god perform his dutie which god in this commandment requireth ? or doth he who plieth god with frequent addresses , who strictly observeth canonicall houres , yet onely perhaps faileth that one day which the church injoyneth ; doth he , i say , violate the morall law of this precept , which saith not , set apart such times for pious exercises as thy governours prescribe , but , such as thou thy self thinkest meet . in short , to make this more evident , every law positive is built upon some morall , as upon a foundation ; now it is manifest that the foundation may stand , and yet the superstructure fall , as may be demonstrated in an example familiar to us : the equitie of state requireth that particular persons be not inriched any way which reflecteth to the damage of a communitie ; upon this sociable equitie , there is a positive , a statute law b inacted , that none shall buy or contract for any victualls or wares before they come to the market , fair , or port. but in some parts of this realm , especially in norfolk , such plentie of corn there is growing in most towns , as maketh every of them a kind of market , so as few men need go out of their own villages to be supplied with materialls either for bread or beer ; yea the superfluitie is such , as many towns vend a thousand quarters of grain , over and besides what supplieth their families and lands ; by reason of which great plenty little or none is sold in many markets : and the usuall practice hath been , and is , for merchants to buy , not in open market , but at the barn doore great quantity thereof , and export it into other parts of the kingdome where scarcitie is . this act of theirs some merchants have by smart experience lately found to be illegall , but yet no violation of the foresaid equity : for who complaineth that they are damnified thereby ? not the norfolcians , they are eased ; not the shires deficient , they are relieved : either part desireth it : one , ut impleatur , that it may be stored ; the other , ut depleatur , that it may be disburthened . nor doth the fourth commandment onely inferre out of these words , remember thou sanctifie the sabbath , that god must have a sabbath in a speciall manner ; but it declareth also his will concerning the quotient and limitation thereof , six dayes shalt thou labour and do all that thou hast to do , but the seventh is the sabbath , so that one in a week he must have . if you say , the limitation of one in a week was ceremoniall , and so abrogated . i answer , prove you it ceremoniall , and i will yield it abrogated : but there hath not yet been any argument or reason shewn us whereby we might be perswaded to conceive it ceremoniall , nor hath it so much as one character of a ceremony in it . for first , it was not typicall ; it did not prenote any thing to ensue or be accomplisht under the gospel . if that fancy of the jewish cabala be true , that the world shall continue but six thousand years , and then the day of judgement shall follow , it might prefigure that , and yet no ceremony proved ; for that time is not yet elapsed , and the type must continue till the thing typified be fulfilled : so that this rather evinceth the duration then abrogation of this limitation . secondly , it had no particular relation to the land of canaan , the proper place of ceremonies ; nor yet to the jews , upon whom it was not imposed as jews , as a mark of difference to distinguish them from the gentiles . if you object , exod. . . & . ezech. . , & . where the sabbath is called a signe betwixt god and them ; i say , the sabbath was at that time a mark of difference and separation betwixt the jews and gentiles , that is confest ; but was it so as a seventh day ? no ; that which caused the distinction was the sanctification of them on that day , not any thing in the number of seven . gods seposing of a certain time for their , and onely their ( for , god worthily neglected those of whom he was not worshipped a ) sanctification was an argument that he had an especiall care of them above others , and that they were his onely people . it was not imposed as an heavy burthen upon the jews . if the sequestring one day in a week had been burthensome to them , it would be also a grievance now to us christians , who observe the same : but we are under the law of grace and liberty , exempted from such pressures , and if it were in any respect onerous , we would and might renounce it ; so that it being not to us heavy , it is consequently probable , that it was to them tolerable . and indeed in the explanation of the law , or rather application of it to the state of the jews , it is rather recited as an ordinance of comfort , and refreshing , as of mercy and and favour , then of rigour , or severity , then of depression and of servitude . lastly , it was not commanded in recognition of any speciall favour conferred upon the jews : it was a memoriall of gods creating the world in six dayes , and his resting on the seventh ; but this being a benefit wherein all mankind inter common , the jews can claim no property therein several to themselves . and so in respect of this character , as of the three preceding , no tidings of a ceremony yet , and so no cause of abolition : for you will not have more abrogated then was ceremoniall , will you ? if you say , it was and must be ceremoniall : for morall it was not , and therefore positive ; and because positive , ceremoniall . i answer , denying that positive either necessarily implyeth ceremoniall , or excludeth morall . nay more : disputable it is whether positive may be admitted here or no . sure i am a great prelate d hath resolved it , in divine constitutions positive law hath no place ; and so e schoolmen and civilians use to speak : but in regard the propriety of the word signifieth the imposing of what before was in its nature arbitrary , whether the imposition be divine or humane , it constituteth ( in my opinion ) a law positive denominated accordingly . be it then positive : is it therefore ceremoniall , or not morall ? let the definition of either word end the strife . morall is derived from mores or mos , and may be defined as lirinensis f doth catholick , quod ubique , quod semper , quod ab omnibus , that which hath been observed every where , alwayes , and of all men . and though in its remotest latitude of signification it is synonymall with what civilians call jus gentium , or the law of nations , yet may it not unfitly be restrained to lesser societies , as to gods church ; and so what hath been alwayes observed in his church , may not unfitly be called morall ; and then the observation of a weekly day will become so too ; yet with this restriction and difference , that one is morall by naturall infusion , the other by externall imposition g . but suppose it granted that positive were a privative of morall , yet can you never prove that it must inevitably inferre ceremoniall : for ceremonies are in their very nature changeable , to last but a while ; their etymologie giveth them that definition , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ( therefore they who write ceremonie do ill deduce it from ceres ) whereas positive laws may be , and are some of them , immutable . the prohibition of incestuous matches within certain degrees , decimation and tithing , were positive ; and yet i hope you will yield unchangeable : the last , i am sure , you demand by virtue of the first injunction . nor doth the tenth content you , you are ( you think ) defrauded of your right , unlesse we allow it as due jure divino , the truth whereof is here not to be discussed ; and though i as yet rather incline to the affirmative , yet this for undeniable veritie i dare and do averre , that to evince a jus divinum , there is farre , infinitely farre clearer evidence and demonstration in the scripture for the lords day then for tithes . but i digresse . all laws divine derive their firmnesse or mutability two wayes : either from that which giveth them their first constitution , reason ; ( qualis ratio praecepti tale praeceptum , as the reason is permanent or moveable , so is the law ; for the form of all laws is the reason , as that which diversifieth all things is the form ) or from the subject , or matter about which they are conversant ; for if that be constant , the law must also be the same . for those laws divine , which belong , whether naturally or supernaturally , to men as men , or to men as they live in politick society , or to men as they are of that politick society which is the church , without any further respect had to any such variable accident as the state of men , and of societies of men , and of the church it self is subject to in this world ; all laws that so belong unto men , they belong for ever , although they be positive laws , unlesse being positive , god himself that made them altereth them , saith hooker . now no man will deny the reason of commanding a weekly day in memory of the creation to be immutable ; therefore the law it self for that cause also , though at first positive , must be so . and that it was imposed on gods church , without respect had to any particular place , people , time , or the like variable occasion , is so clear as none can solidly refute : and for this cause also it must continue so long as that society the church , for which it was first given , shall abide . therefore we may conclude this point with leo , h the shadows being dispelled by the presence of the verity , those things which tending either to morality or the pure worship of god for piety sake were instituted , do still continue in the same form with us wherein they were at first framed , and what was agreeable to both testaments , is by no change altered . they i to whom positive-immulable seemeth so prodigious a thing , may now spare their wonder at amesius , and bestow it upon their own ignorance : what he taught in this point he might and did learn ( no doubt ) in england , and not onely of the puritanes . for what say you to whitgift ? k no man doubteth the meaning of these words , six dayes shalt thou labour , &c. to be this , that seeing god hath permitted to us six dayes to do our own works in , we ought in the seventh wholly to serve him . to hooker l ? we are to account the sanctification of one day in a week , a duty which gods immutable law doth exact for ever . to donne m ? god seposed a seventh of our time for his exteriour worship . to andrews n ? the numbers of seven and ten are not without their weight : the seventh the sabbath , the tenth gods part ; the sabbath and tenth both sacred to god . to bacon o ? god demandeth a tenth of our substance , and which is more strict a seventh of our time . what say you to these ? but what if amesius had been born and lived an alien to this kingdome , had he then escaped the contagion of this errour ? is england in this assertion divided from the continent of other christian churches ? assuredly no . those two lights of the reforming age , bucer and his achates p. martyr , as in other things their judgements concurred with a rare and happy identity a , so in this they differed not . our god hath sanctified one day in seven for the promoving of our faith , and consequently of eternall life , bucer b . that someone day in a week men attend divine worship is no humane device , martyr c . it is a morall precept as it biddeth us dedicate one day in a week for the externall service of god , so zanchie . d god therefore sanctified the seventh day , that man might know that in the weekly circuit one day is to be bestowed upon the publick worship of god , pareus e it is a naturall law that every seventh day be sacred to god , junius f . that enemy of god , g arminius , h it is morall to set apart one day of seven for gods service . the lutherane churches dissent not : conradus dietericus , as my authour i informeth me . baldwin , k it is morall to sanctifie one day of seven . and to make up the harmony complete , the papists themselves are in this reconciled with us . god would have at least one day in a week to be allowed him , saith fenus l . to depute every seventh day in a week , is formally to depute the seventh day , though materially the same day be not alwayes deputed , so suarez m . the divine law required that one day in a week should be sequestred for holy worship , so bellarmine n . nor is the opinion an upstart : i appeal to chrysostome o , who calleth it {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , an immoveable law , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , to sepose one day in a week for religious actions . and thus i have proved that one day in seven he must have by the perpetuall ordinance of the fourth commandment . nor will the allowance of one in seven satisfie him , unlesse he have the designation and determination of that one . p it must be the day consecrated by god , either immediately by himself , or mediately by his church directed by the holy ghost , whatsoever the day be , as i told you before out of zanchy ; so that the day must be of divine institution . and this is evident : first de jure ; christ calleth himself lord of the sabbath : his dominion was not onely over the old sabbath , to abrogate that ; but over the new also , to surrogate that as succenturiate to the other . secondly , de facto ; for gods own act is the best interpreter of his will , and if he had meant the church should have had her libertie , her conge d' eslier , leave to chuse , he would not have anticipated her with his own act of instituting the evangelicall sabbath , whereof ( as well as of the legall ) he was not onely the efficient but the exemplary cause , by finishing the work of our redemption on that day . but here it is demanded , p is the old sabbath translated into the lords day ? if yea ; by whom ? by any commandment of christ , where is it ? produce one precept or one word of god out of the old testament , that it should be translated , or out of the new commanding it to be translated , or intimating that by christs commandment it was translated . take both , or which you will , either the old or new covenant , and withall the best and ancientest interpreters thereof , and then i dare presume you will soon discry a translation . for the first , it was adumbrated in their circumcision on the eight day , it was a type of that eight day whereon our lord rose again for our justification . so saith cyprian q ; and with him augustine , r the lords day could not but be known to the holy prophets , for there is a psalme entituled for the eight day , and on the eight day children were circumcised , and the like elsewhere . it was prophecied in the title of the psalmes , the sixth and eleventh , in finem pro octavo . so ignatius s , nazianzene t , & augustine . prophecied in the * . psalme , scribatur illa in generationem novam , this shall be written for the generation to come , vers. . so athanasius . in the * . for so basil understandeth diem virtutis , the day of power : but above all prophecied in the . vers. . this is the day which the lord hath made . so all the fathers who have saluted and cited that place . for the second or new covenant , we need search no higher then to the practice of our saviour , and his apostles from the resurrection downwards , to warrant and assure us of this translation ; i say , from the resurrection : for this their practice did not , as some suppose , begin in long wast of time . there was no interregnum , no vacancy at all , no cessation of a sabbath ; no , not the first week : no sooner was the old sabbath abolished then the new established and installed . the jewish sabbath , that slept ( we all know ) its last in the grave with our saviour : its ghost ( according to countrey dialect ) or the shadow of that shadow walked indeed a while after , but it self , the old sabbath , expired then , and immediately entered the lords day . immediately , when christ himself was but newly up , from that very day whereon he arose , doth s. augustine u derive the primum esse of the lords day . the lords day was by the resurrection of christ declared to be the christians day , and from that very time ( of christs resurrection ) it began to be celebrated as the christian mans festivall . so hath a profound a bishop rendered him ; and truly , unlesse ex illo relateth to christ , which i believe you will difficultly grant , though it be lesse monstrous then to marry it with resurrectione , in despight of priscian . nor is augustines opinion utterly of truth abandoned . for ( though we reade not of any sabbath-duties expresly performed on that very day of christs resurrection by the apostles , yet ) this we find , that when christ appeared to them on that day , they were {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , assembled on that day ; and the place is thought by learned men to be the coenaculum , in which christ celebrated the last passeover , and from thence derived a perpetuall consecration : nor is it likely that he would inspire them in an ordinary place . if then they were assembled , and in a church , we may safely collect they were busied in sacred exercises . the first day of our saviours appearing to his disciples , this , and the first christian sabbath he honoured with his beatificall presence . the next was the next : {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , saith s. john . what ? on some indefinite time after eight dayes , as you b would have it ? a word with you , sir . saint mark telleth us that our saviour should * {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , will you therefore have our lords resurrection to be on some one day after three expired ? you will not sure , nay ( though i think you dare as much as another , yet this ) you dare not . no , by after eight dayes is meant the eighth day after , which was the next sunday . so the * fathers agree : it is necessary that that day should be the lords day , saith cyrill c , and he thence deriveth the equity of assemblies upon that day . nay more , this very day is so farre honoured by nazianzene d as he made an homily on purpose for it , as he hath entitled it , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , nova dominica , because the first lords day solemnized in the weekly revolution after the resurrection , or rather because it was the encenium of the resurrection : for betwixt the day of the resurrection and this he thus distinguisheth ; that was , saith he , salutifera , this , salutis natale , that the day that brought forth salvation into the world , this the commemorative festivall of that day . though this be the last first day mentioned in holy writ , which our saviour hallowed in his assembling with the apostles , yet probable it is that he practiced the same even till his apoge and ascension . but conjecturall arguments we will not urge , when demonstrative are so hardly obtained . well ; our saviour is ascended : let us now behold what honour the spirit of comfort ( which in his late valediction he promised to send his apostles ) hath conferred on this day . our saviour is ascended , and the holy ghost descendeth ; but on what day ? the first of the week ? not expresly , yet consequently and by deduction , yes : for it was when pentecost was arrived , and this fell that yeare on the sunday . the allwise god so disposing that the gospel should every way parallel the law : the one given on mount sinai , on the day of pentecost , the then legall sabbath ; the other on mount sion , on the day of pentecost , the then evangelicall sabbath . but some are of opinion the lords day need not brag of this honour , it being more then was meant it ; for it was , say they , a casuall thing that pentecost should fall on the sunday : which i confesse seemeth to me a prodigy in divinitie . for those things onely are casuall , which happen , praeter intentionem operantis , contrary to the expectation of the agent : but here god was the agent , whose omniscience nothing could escape , who is privie to all events as the disposer of them . true it is , that necessarium and contingens necessary and contingent are terms which theology can endure well enough , when they are spoken with regard to intermediate and second causes ( for those effects which are the emanations of such causes as can in nature produce no other , are said to be necessary ; and those which proceed from such as are in their own nature not determined to certain and definite effects , are called contingent ) but when they are referred to the supreme and paramount cause of all , they are then , and must be called , necessary . nor could the falling of pentecost on the sunday be a contingent thing in respect of the second causes , which were all ( no doubt thereof is made ) necessary . for scaliger hath informed you right , that the pentecost's terminus à quo was {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , or the morrow after the passeover : so ever ; no contingency there : and the passeover it self ever as certain , alwayes upon the fifteenth day , or the full moon following upon or next after the vernall aequinox : and so none there . there were certainly other reasons which induced the holy ghost to make choice of this day and time ; yet seeing all antiquitie hath accounted his descent upon the apostles amongst those titles of honour which have been dispensed upon this day , i see no reason why it should be now denied it . and though no glory at all ( the thing by some over eagerly desired ) should accrue to it thereby , yet this is most legible , that on this day the apostles were solemnly though closely assembled in prayer and holy duties . but so , you will say , they were on other dayes ; which i grant , with this distinction of aequè and aequaliter : for some dayes amongst them were doubtlesse dignified with a more solemn observancy then others , in respect whereof they were especially reputed , if not denominated , holy-dayes . for how else can our church e be understood , where she saith that the christian people , immediately after the ascension , began to chuse them a standing day of the week to come together in : so that both the preferring one day before another , and the time of that choice , viz. immediately after the ascension , she indigitateth to us . the next mention of apostolicall observation of this day occurreth , acts . vers. . the first day of the week , the disciples being come together to break bread , paul preached unto them . against this text two exceptions lie : first that by breaking of bread is onely meant their ordinary repast , no sacred duties or celebration of the eucharist ; and this they seem to make good by saint chrysostome and lyra , as also by the english bible , which paralleleth this place with acts . verse . i answer , some have indeed interpreted this text of bodily repast ; yet the major part take it for the mysticall breaking of bread in the communion : and for our church , b. andrews out of this very place affirmeth positively that the apostles were assembled , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , to preach , to pray , to break bread on this day ; and b. white averreth as much . and as to that text of acts . vers. . whether the margent of our english testament transmitteth us , i say , that it is not inevitably , not evidently to be understood of common food . for f humbertus taketh it for the eucharist , behold the true evangelist testifieth that the faithfull in the apostolicall times assembled every day in prayer and breaking of bread : what are you then who say that full masse ( that is , the celebrating of the eucharist ) ought to be performed onely twice a week ? and though the words {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} may seem to boulster out the contrary opinion , yet if you take them , as they are both by the syriack and arabick , and our own margent rendered , for at home , the meaning may very consonant to truth be ( as my learned * tutour conceiveth ) that when they had performed their dayly devotions in the temple , at the accustomed times of prayer there , they used to resort to this coenaculum immediately , and there having celebrated the mysticall banquet of the holy eucharist , afterward took their ordinary repast with gladnesse and singlenesse of heart . in which interpretation there is enough to reconcile both parts , something for illustration being super-added . for the holy ghost doth here ( so i take it ) regard the practice of the christians in their love-feasts g ( and happily from hence they took their commencement ) which consisting of divers viands provided by a common purse and collation , their fashion was to take so much thereof as they thought sufficient for the communicants , and so to celebrate the lords supper together ; which done they presently fell to their spare and slender chear , entertaining and solacing themselves with spirituall and divine colloquies . so that the fraction of bread here might have reference to their mysticall repast in the blessed eucharist , which was the first course or part of their agape ; and the latter part of the verse might look at the other part thereof , viz. corporall refection . their next cavill is , that this {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} denoteth not the first , but some one day of the week , wherein as they are become separatists from our church in her most absolute translation , so them and her i leave to end the quarrel . we meet with it also , . cor. . . and there an ordinance of the apostles , that their oblations should be upon that day . now i would gladly learn why this day rather then any other should be appointed for an almes-day , had it not been observed holy in those times . lastly , we meet with it apoc. . . but not now as formerly styled the first day of the week , but apparelled in a christian name , and called the lords-day ; which certainly the holy ghost would not have done , had it not passed for currant amongst christians by that name : and how could it obtain that name , had it not been destined then to religious actions as a weekly holy-day ? laying all these premised evidences of apostolick practice together , do they not clearly demonstrate the translation of the sabbath into the lords day ? for why should the christian church , even in those times when every day was sanctified with devout exercises and seemed an holy sabbath , select any one distinct and peculiar day to be kept holy ? and why one in a week , rather then in a moneth or yeare ? and why not in the weekly circuit , the old sabbath rather then the lords day , had not god some way made known his will to them , that he would still have a sabbath exempted from the common condition of other dayes , & that sabbath to be weekly , and that weekly , not the old jewish , but the new christian , to be the first of the week , as dignified by the resurrection of our saviour , and the anabaptisme of the apostles . vtrumque mysterium nostrum , utrumque utilitas nostrae , as hierome a in another case : dispensers both of inestimable benefits upon his church ; the one of her justification , the other of her sanctification : and so this day a fit memoriall of both . but here it will be demanded , by whom this translation was made ? and to clear this doubt , hic labor , hoc opus est . athanasius the great hath resolutely affirmed that christ was the authour thereof ; {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , the lord translated the sabbath into the lords day . but some have found ( as they think ) an evasion for this , viz. that christ was not the authour by any mandate of his , but onely the occasion of the translation : which unparalleled glosse suggests to my memory that of augustine , b it is easie with every man to reply who can not hold his tongue . but let us look upon the colour or fucus wherewith this interpretation ( as false as new ) is dawbed over , and see if it will not with great facility wash off . if christ himself translated it , then the father thwarteth what he said before c , where he tells us that the lords day was taken up as a voluntary usage , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , we honour the lords day ; he mentions no command , whereas of the sabbath he saith , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , he commanded it to be kept . this indeed were something to decline our objection out of the father , if we were not assured otherwise of his mind ; for apparent it is that the father neither regarded in his {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} voluntary usage , nor in his {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} imposed command ; for do we not meet in him the same in effect counter-changed ? doth he not elswhere say as much of the sabbath , as here of the lords day ? that when god had finished the prime creation he rested , and therefore men did observe the sabbath in those dayes while the first creation was especially in force d . he mentions here no command ; was therefore their observation of the sabbath a voluntary usage ? nay , saith he not as much of the lords day , as of the sabbath ? e when god had renewed and restored man by finishing the work of redemption , he willed that the same day should be dedicated to that restauration which the holy ghost foreshewed by the prophet , saying , this is the day which the lord hath made . and again , f gods will was that the lords day should be manifest and declared , that thou mayest know the end of the first generation to be accomplished . what say you now , sir ? will your ingenuity descend to recant , or your pregnant invention afford you another refuge . now there be many wayes by which christ may be said to be the translatour of the sabbath : either by immediate institution , and example , as junius a ; or by ratifying and approving the translation already made by the apostles , as maldonate b ; or by giving them direct and expresse commission to do it ; or lastly , by revealing his will to them by the holy ghost after his ascension . to render mine own opinion , and beyond opinion i will not adventure , furiosares est in tenebris impetus , it is madnesse to run too boldly in the dark ; where the scripture is silent , it is never safe dogmatically to determine any thing : to render ( i say ) mine own opinion , the first way seems to me the more probable , considering our saviours apparition , the assembling of the apostles upon that day , whilest he abode with them , and the testimony of athanasius , nazianzene , and augustine ; but especially , because clemens a contemporary of the apostles , in his genuine epistle to the corinthians , saith , g our saviours pleasure was that oblations and publick service of the church should not be inordinately and uncertainly performed but at times appointed . which if it were true , we need not then doubt but that christ himself made the lords day a weekly holyday , it being the principall day we reade of , destined to sacred duties in the apostolicall age . but the matter is not much , by which , so we be able to prove that at least by one of these waies he did it . and this is a thing very feasable . for ( to take a short and speeding course ) the most embraced and popular opinion is , that the apostles instituted and translated the sabbath into the lords-day : this is agreed upon by all , ancient and modern . augustine , a the apostles and apostolick men ordained the lords day to be celebrated with religious solemnity . the authour b of that tract ( or at least of that chapter ) falsely ascribed to basil , affirmeth the station and custome of standing upon the lords day to be an apostolicall tradition ; if so , then the day it self much more . isichius c , we following the tradition of them ( that is , the apostles ) sequestre the lords day for holy meetings . epiphanius d saith that the apostles ordained the synaxes to be held {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , on the wednesday , friday , and lords day . i keep the originall word synaxes , because of the diverse sense whereof it is capable e . the same is affirmed by zanchy , in quartum praeceptum , pag. . melancth. tom. . fol. . bucer , ratio can. examin . mercer , in gen. beza , in apoc. pareus also ascribeth the translation of the day , apostolicae ecclesiae , to the apostolick church ; onely of the time when they translated it he leaveth , as he findeth , doubtfull : quando autem facta sit haec mutatio in sacris literis non apparet . and so 〈◊〉 his words in two severall editions i have perused , that in quarto , and the other in folio : which i note the rather to whisper to you d. heilens fidelity , who in his also two severall editions hath by a new transsubstantiation converted quando into quomodo ; and to make it apparent he did it de industria , he descants on it and renders it , how , by what authority . ursin , catech. p. . in decalogum , is of the same mind : and so junius in gen. baldwin cas. pag. . alsted . catech. in praecept . . bellarm. de cultu sanctor . l. . c. . and infinite others : indeed what needs more ? it is confest by our very antagonists themselves , brerewood a , b. white b , heilen c , who all {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , with one mind acknowledge the apostles to be the instituters of the lords day . this foundation of apostolicall institution being thus laid , i advance forward to enquire whether this act of the apostles did flow onely from the generall authority delegated to them by christ , or some definite and expresse command to that effect ; or rather ( in clear terms ) i proceed to discusse that great question , whether the lords day be established jure divino . great i call it , not for any abstruse and perplexed intricacy in it , no ; learned and eminent maintainers it hath got , and therefore great : but it is not her great patronage shall advantage errour , magna est veritas & praevalebit , truth is great and will prevail : yea , but that is the question , whose truth is . it is so , and come then for the decision of this question , d to that truth which is neither mine nor thine but the equall object of us both let us give attention , our clear and 〈◊〉 judgements not beclouded with peevish stubbornnesse . to entitle a command divine , it is not onely required , saith ( that thus farre judiciously learned ) brerewood , that the authority be so whereby it is originally warranted ( for there may be divine authority for humane decrees ) but that the authour also by whom it is established be divine . because divine commandments are not so much evidences of gods authority , as they are declarations of his will and pleasure . which being without controversie true , that which we are to make good is , that this act of the apostles was but the execution of a particular and severall command to that purpose ; which can no sooner render it self manifest , then by surveying the apostolicall both mission and commission . as for their mission , it was with all the grace and honour that might be , nothing wanting that might any way enhance it ; as my father sent me , so send i you , john . . he that heareth you , heareth me , luke . . where our saviour maketh them a kind of letter of atturney , to receive what obedience himself might claim . and having dignified their embassage with these previous expressions , go , saith he , matth. . . there is their mission and legation ; and teach , there is their commission . but what ? to teach what themselves think fit ? no , there is a limitation , a restriction , it must be onely the observation of what thin●s i have commanded you ; and lest through frailty of their memories any thing should perish which was essentiall to their message , christ himself will have an eye to them , i am with you alway even to the end of the world , saith he . with them ? how ? in corporeall presence ? that could not be , for he was now ready to leave them . no , he was with them in spirit by the comforter , whom he promised to send them , john . . and this comforter had his commission too , to bring all things to their remembrance , whatsoever christ had formerly said to them , john . ● . and though this comforter is called the spirit of truth , and so impossible it is that he should inspire any thing lesse then truth ; yet when christ telleth his apostles that this comforter should guide them into all truth , he presently saith withall , that he shall not speak of himself , but whatsoever he shall heare that he shall speak : he shall receive of mine , and shew it to you : which denoteth to us that the doctrine of the gospel is in a more especiall manner to be ascribed to christ , then to the holy ghost , who was but our saviours delegate and committee ; therefore s. paul saith that christ spake in him , . cor. . . it being then indisputably clear , that the apostles were inspired by the holy ghost , and that that divine enthusiasme was but the revelation of christs will , there is nothing else now desiderable , but onely to prove , that in this very act of instituting the lords day or sabbath of the new covenant , they were {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , or prompted by that guiding spirit ; a thing little lesse visible then the former : for shall we say that the spirit seised upon them onely at certain tides and fits ? that he assisted them in their office , both of writing and preaching the gospel is most certain : but did he onely then ? was every act of their superintendency a spell to drive him away ? did he onely wait upon them in the publication of the gospel , and abandon them in the moderation of the church ? was the doctrine they taught inspired from above , and were their constitutions ecclesiasticall an humane device ? certainly no ; the voyce of truth it self soundeth the contrary . for in their first councel we reade of a visum est spiritui sancto & nobis , it seemed good to the holy ghost and to us . but that was a businesse of great weight , and so might require a more then ordinary assistance : let us behold more triviall and petty matters . s. paul was to give his resolution concerning a question , which ( amongst others ) the corinthians put to him of digamy , whether it was lawfull for a widow to marry again after the death of her first husband , and he determineth affirmatively , yes ; but rather commendeth her containing her self in her widowhood . did s. paul deliver herein his own opinion ? certainly no . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , i think i have the spirit of god , evinceth the contrary : and i hope no man will affirm this to be a businesse of importance comparable to the instituting of the lords day . to dispatch without more ado ; there is a question ( the first hint whereof aerius the heretick is supposed to have given , and hierome is not altogether dissenting from him ) whether the episcopacy be jure divino . much hath been said either way , yet not enough to end the bickering ; and though the conflict be still on foot , yet both the one and the other side grant the hole controversie to move upon apostolicall institution : that which the one to prove , the other to disprove , do equally eagerly labour , is onely apostolicall institution , the decision whereof endeth the dispute . king james ascendeth no higher , that bishops ought to be in the church , i ever maintained as an apostolicall institution , and so the ordinance of god . beza for the other part yieldeth as much , if i could ( saith he ) be assured that this superioritie of a bishop over the rest of his clergie hath proceeded from the apostles , i would not doubt to attribute it holly to divine institution . now if episcopacy can contract jus divinum , divine right , from apostolicall institution , why may not also the lords day ( which i am sure can shew as good cards for her descent ) do so too ? and then with what face can it be gain-said by any that either is or would be a bishop ? yet so it hath come to passe that they , who have most cried down the paritie of clergy , have most cried up the paritie of dayes . but let any ( be he what he will ) that maligneth the honour of this glorious day , mutter his pleasure ; yet nor he , nor all the learning of the world , shall be able to produce one solid argument , sufficient to withstand this inevitable inference of divine right from apostolicall institution . it being by all learned men agreed upon , that whatsoever the apostles ( as apostles and in their apostolicall function ) or did , or spake , or writ , is simply without modification juris divini ; the reason being evident , because they were not sui juris , not {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , they had no power of themselves to speak , or act any thing either in teaching or governing the church , but all was suggested by the spirit , who could embreath nothing not divi●e . with this argument our adversaries are hard beset , something they fain would retort , knew they what ; and at last to shew their courage , and that — nec victi possunt absistere ferro , they will not yield though overcome , forth steps one , and assaults us with two distinctions ; of apostolicall inspirations one , of apostolicall traditions the other . concerning the first he saith , the apostles are to be considered , either as apostles by extraordinary mission sent to plant the gospel , or as pastours to govern the church already planted . as apostles they were infallibly inspired with all truths , upon all occasions . as pastours , their inspirations were onely such irradiations , influences and concurrences of the spirit , as are afforded at this day to pastours of the church , unlesse by some personall miscariages they procure unto themselves spirituall derelictions . i answer , a it is your dutie to prove indubitately both these to me , but i am not covetous , make good but one and i am satisfied . and first , tell me , good sir , ( if to awaken you out of this dream i be not over-rude ) where find you the pastorall and apostolicall office , in the same persons , distinct ? where reade you of a double commission , one to plant the church , the other to govern the church already planted ? were not both these parts of the apostolicall function ? were they not apostles , i. e. sent to do the one as well as the other ? instance in any one act of their pastorall office , which was not in the latitude of their apostolicall patent . secondly , admit them for severall functions : where i pray learn you that they had a distinct inspiration , according to those severall functions ? if those irradiations you talk of , which were shed upon them as pastours , were no other then what god now dispenseth to ordinary ministers , then ( i say ) the beams or species intentionall of such irradiations must needs have a tincture of the medium ( naturall corruption ) through which they passed ; and every thing , which as pastours they did , not onely may but must have a rellish of sinne or errour , which ever did , and ever shall , more or lesse , distain the best action of the justest man ( infected with originall corruption , and not extraordinarily and infallibly inspired ) living upon earth . if then the apostles as pastours were but ordinarily inspired , and that ordinary inspiration did not exempt their pastorall works from sinne and errour , it were a worthy labour to put the new testament into purgatory , to weed out all those passages which relate to the pastorall office of the apostles , and to bind them up with the old apocrypha ; i see also no necessitie why children should be baptized , why women , nay why any of the laitie should be admitted to the eucharist , which are apostolicall devices , whereof expresse command from our saviour to them we find none : and to speak to the point in question , i see no necessitie of celebrating the lords day , but of observing the jewish sabbath i see a necessitie ; for i see gods command to observe it , and i see no countermand to abolish it . if the apostles abrogated it without expresse warrant from god , they did it as pastours ; and their pastorall constitutions by your rule ought not oblige the church for ever . but let us take view of the proofs which confirm this your distinction . first you say the apostles considered as pastours , were subject to mistake , as appeareth by saint peter ; who living at antioch as a pastour , was justly reproved by saint paul , for not walking as behoved a pastour . and paul and barnabas dissented from one another , and that in such heat , as it maketh it apparent they were not both , if either , directed by the spirit . i answer , that peter and the other two apostles were too blame , i not deny ; but were they in cathedra , or doing any pastorall work ? assuredly no . he offended about the choice of meat , these about the choice of a companion ; which are not things relating to the pastorall office . and for ought i see , you may as well argue , such a minister is a temporizer ; such and such a pastour were cholerick one with another ; ergò they preach false doctrine , and so transferre the faults of the person , to the office or calling . secondly , you instance in places of scripture , where you bring in the apostle speaking some things of himself , not as dictates of gods spirit . i speak this by permission , not of commandment , vers. . to the rest speak i , not the lord , vers. . and , i have no commandment of the lord , vers. . and , i give my judgement , vers. . i answer , your first is nothing ad oppositum : for the apostle there distinguisheth not his permissive counsel from christs command . in the following text , where s. paul is said to speak , and not the lord , it is onely meant , that christ did not expresly determine the doubt , whilest he conversed on earth , it being not then on foot : and this is the solution of the . verse also . where it is said , verse . i give my judgement , we must not think it to proceed from his own head , but dictated by the spirit ; and so by way of precaution he telleth us , i think i have the spirit of god . nor do these words , i think , imply , as though the apostle were not confident of it , but by way of irony seem to gird those who boasted of extraordinary illumination : and this is the constant interpretation of all learned expositours . let us now see how you distinguish apostolicall traditions : these ( you say ) are either such as they received immediately from christ , or such as were suggested to them by the spirit ; the first ( you say ) they delivered as apostles , and they are therefore divine ; the other as pastours , and may be dispensed with . i did expect you would have derived this distinction from the primitive fathers , or some reformed writers , men of some credit with us ; but i see you are put to hard shifts , and are glad to appeal to them whom we renounce as incompetent judges , the papists . but you say , according to this sense you find the fathers speak of traditions . your talk of fathers at first affrighted me , till i saw your instance onely attain a bare singular number . but what find you in cyprian , your fathers , or universall particular ? when stephen accused his anabaptisme for novelty , and repugnant to the ancient tradition , true , saith cyprian , but whence is this tradition ? from christ in the gospel , or from the apostles in their epistles ? for what is written must be observed . there ( you say ) we have the first kind . but elsewhere saint cyprian saith , that the choice of bishops and ministers in the presence and with the approbation of the people , was of divine and apostolicall tradition . now who seeth not that here saint cyprian speaketh of those other traditions , delivered and practiced by the apostles as the churches pastours , which are no longer in force then the church ( you forget your self , you mean the pope , for so your canus singeth ) shall like . i answer , what you see i know not ; this i dare affirm , that whosoever shall behold directly and with equall angles this passage of cyprian , will clearly discern these two things : first , that he couples divine and apostolicall traditions together . secondly , that he annexeth to apostolicall tradition an observandum & tenendum est , it must be observed , which implieth their perpetuall obligation : and by both these , cyprian will be discovered to differ from your assertion , secundùm terminos oppositos , as wide as may be . and whereas you would enforce your interpretation upon us , as agreeable to the mind of this father , from an assurance that such a choice of bishops and ministers is neither delivered in the gospel , the acts , or the epistles ; the thing is not so evident as you perswade : yea the contrary is the more probable , for acts . vers. . where it is said , they had ordained them elders in every church , the word is , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , which most properly implieth that the suffrage of the laity was used therein . mistake me not , i say not the popular vote made , but onely confirmed the election : to chuse is one thing , to ratifie the choice made another ; therefore to commentatours and others , who render the word {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , to elect by popular suffrage , i cannot subscribe . the energy of the word may best be collected from junius his description thereof : chirotony ( saith he ) is a signification of suffrage by the hand , the people being entreated thereto by the common cryer in this form , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , let him that approveth not of this lift up his hand . and in like manner i have observed xenophon a bespeaking his souldiers , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . this description with some small elucidation will give you a plenary notion of the athenian chirotony . for further illustration therefore you must know , that regularly in whatsoever thing this popular suffrage was required , the matter it self was first debated and resolved upon by the nomothetes or legislatours in their counsel-house , and after such consultation it was then posted up in the most remarkable place of the citie some few dayes , to the end the people might have time to consider of it ; which time elapsed , the common cryer in open market propounded it to the people : next an oration b was made to them , wherein the convenience and necessitie of the thing offered was laid open : that oration ended , the people were last demanded by the publick cryer their vote , ut suprà , according to whose suffrage the businesse in agitation or stood or fell . conformable , to this custome apostolicall practice , in the ordaining ministers , most probably was , viz. that they first chose the men , and then presented them to the people , who if they had any thing to oppose against them were then required to declare it . and this is the rather likely , because the primitive church , curious in imitating apostolick usage , did universally a observe the same order ; which is still retained also in our church , as appeareth by the rubrick of her book of ordination of b. p. and deacons b : so that your assurance , as sure as you take yourself to be , may in this , for ought i see , deceive you . but be it as you would , that such an election is not to be found expresly written , yet will it neither follow , that it being an unwritten tradition apostolicall , it is not divine ; or that cyprian in that place thought so . what his opinion there was , i have already told you ; and sure i am , his words as well agree with your new-fangled distinction , as if he and you had been at crosse purposes . as for traditions apostolicall , the greatest papists hold them for divine . so bellarmine c : and his reason is , quòd non sine spiritu dei eas apostoli instituerint , because the apostles did not institute them without the direction of the holy ghost : and for the same cause roffensis d calleth consecration ( by which transubstantiation is effected ) a divine tradition , licèt nullis possit scripturis comprobari , though it cannot be proved by any written word . but none more home then gerson , e it is not in the power of the pope , counsel or church to alter traditions , delivered either by the evangelists or saint paul , as some blunderers think . thus you see your self deserted by them whom you took to be the greatest fautours of your opinion . let me advise you , sir , if you have any more distinctions of the same stuff with those former , — habitent tecum & sint pectore in isto , suppresse them , for they will never credit you . though i have by main force of this invincible argument of apostolicall institution and tradition reinvested the lords day into a possession of jus divinum , assured and confirmed enough against all machinations of her greatest oppugners , yet wanteth she not other ( should need so require ) auxiliary to her . for that evangelicall day , which was prophecied of , and prefigured in and under the old law , could not certainly be an humane device : but the lords day was shadowed under circūcision on the eighth day , prophecied in many psalmes ( both proved by sufficient testimony of the fathers ) ergò the lords day is no humane ordinance . lastly , as the eucharist is called the lords supper , because he instituted it ; for the same reason is the sunday denominated the lords day . for these two , the day , and the supper , have the epithete of {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} in scripture , to shew that dominicum is alike to be taken in both , saith b. andrews . before i take cognizance of other questions pertinent to the lords day , lest i be thought over partiall to mine own assertion , painting it as apelles did one-eyed antigonus , who presented him half faced ; and lest our adversaries should upbraid us , that they have not been allowed to object , the negative arguments shall have audience , and , as they lie in order , their refutation . whatsoever is of divine institution is to be found either in the naturall or positive law of god : but that the first day of the week should be the christian mans sabbath , is not so found : ergò , the lords day no divine ordinance . it is found in the positive law of god delivered by his apostles , and founded upon the moralitie of the fourth commandment , as i formerly shewed . but saith one , you onely shewed what the apostles observed themselves ; that they imposed the keeping of the lords day as necessary upon the conscience of gods people by any law or precept whatsoever , that we reade not ; and so it will become a tradition , which ( though apostolicall ) is no commandment . is not this fine stuff ? assuredly an argument rather that they have not left speech , then that they are returned to their right senses : for ( to omit augustine's sanxerunt , bucer , junius , beza , and others , who make it the institution of the apostles ) doth not brerewood himself confesse it to be the ordinance of the apostles , and b. white b the same also ? what i pray is an ordinance but a law ? and was this a law that bound themselves onely , and not at all the succeeding church ? is it like they would constitute a law to expire with themselves ? and whereas we are now taught a distinction betwixt tradition and command , we will for quiet sake ( though it biddeth defiance to all antiquity ) admit it in the same sense you impose upon it , and accept it for a mere leaving of the observation of this day to the church , without any expresse command to observe it ; yet , i say , you shall find command so implicitly complicated with apostolicall tradition , as all your waters of separation , all your chymicall extracts of school-distinctions , shall never be able to sever them . for are you able to unmake tradition ? to make that no tradition which is tradition ? if you be not , so long as it is tradition , it hath expresse command affixt to it , tenete traditiones , hold the traditions , . thess. . . so that if tradition were it self no command , yet hath it here command annext to it . and though i grant that our expositours understand this place especially of the written word , yet extend they it to traditions unwritten also , such as are clearly held to be apostolicall , and have , if not mention , yet foundation in scripture : amongst which the observation of the lords day is worthily accounted . a it hath the approbation of the scriptures , and therefore cannot be numbred amongst unwritten traditions , saith the reverend salisbury with others b . and for the church succeeding the apostles , it is most evident she held her self obliged to the same observation : for even in times of persecution , before any either imperiall edict , or canon of councel enjoned it , the observation of this day was so taken notice of by the heathen , that it became a constant interrogatory to the christians in their examining , dominicum servasti ? have you kept the lords day ? to which their answer was ever ready , c i cannot intermit it , for i am a christian , and the law of god prompteth me to it . here we see these holy saints had a law for the celebrating of this day ; and have we none ? perhaps you will say , it may be questioned whether dominicum here signifieth the lords day , because baronius d and bellarmine e apply it to the masse , and it may also well be understood of the eucharist , which is often in antiquity called dominicum . i answer , it cannot properly and distinctly be understood of either : not of the masse ; for though papists inform their disciples of i know not what pro-sekenique antiquitie it hath , yet sure we are that ( as now stated ) it was not in being above a thousand years after our saviour , and so it could not be meant in this place . besides , the question was propounded as well to the lay as clergy-christians , of whom it had been absurd to expostulate , num dominicum egissent ? whether they had said masse ? which is onely done by the priest . nor can it respect the eucharist otherwise then by implication , as it was then an usuall work of that day ; because it is said that they might not intermittere , which especially relateth to time ( as interpose to place ) and inferreth the not doing of a dutie in its proper quando : which cannot be well interpreted of the celebration of the eucharist , it being not restrained by any positive law of god to a certain time . and indeed it was more proper to examine them whether they held their christian assembly , whether they met on the lords day , considering it consequently inferred the performance of all sacred duties , then to inquire whether they had celebrated the eucharist , which according to the custome of those times was often performed at home , being reserved for the same purpose . if christ had either here on earth , or after by revelation from heaven , given his apostles any such charge of instituting a new sabbath , sure christs apostles would not have concealed christs command . besides , the apostles holding their first synod would doubtlesse have exprest as much to the gentiles . first , christs apostles did not conceal christs command : for what if perhaps it be not extant in their writings ? they were indeed our saviours executours , performers of his will ; but was his hole will exemplified in scripture ? certainly no : some part thereof was declared in ima cera , ( as civilians say ) and by tradition . for tradition , which is clearly known to be apostolicall , is as perfect evidence of christs will as the canonicall scripture it self . for the scripture before it was scripture was but a part of tradition , and became scripture that it might be of more ready use and better preserved from perishing , but mainly because it was the fundamentall canon of our religion . secondly , the apostles in their synodicall epistle had onely respect to the judaicall , not to evangelicall observances . moreover , the solemnity of the lords day was made known to them by former practice ( equivalent with precept ) at least , if not by precept it self : for according to our church , a the christian people immediately after the ascension began to chuse them a standing day of the week to come together in . my learned authour biddeth us here observe , that the day was chosen by christian people ; and if chosen by them , then not injoyned by the apostles . i see a man may learn something every day ; for i professe ingeniously , till this instant i took the apostles to be christians . lastly , the precept was in the negative , not in the affirmative . if you say , true , and hence we may inferre that the first christians were tied to no affirmatives , but such as were expresly commanded by evangelicall precept . i answer , then it must follow that women did not communicate , children were not baptised , ministers not ordained , incorrigible persons not excommunicated , these being not expresly commanded by any evangelicall law . whatsoever is of divine institution , and by necessitie of precept laid upon the whole church , is a necessary dutie , without which ( if it may possibly be observed ) no salvation can be had : but no man will affirm so of the lords day : ergò , &c. the major is false ; for positive precepts omitted do not inevitably damne any man , but where there is a malicious contempt , or wilfull neglect of the ordinance . the sacrament of baptisme shall be mine instance . it was in the primitive church procrastinated , by some many years ; by most in their usuall practice some moneths ; and is even in our own church some dayes . in all this delay , no inevitable impossibility debarreth the competent or person to be baptized from this sacrament : will you then say that heaven gates are precluded against all those whom hasty death cutteth off in this delay ? heare the most uncharitable of all the ancients in this point d s. augustine , the sacrament of baptisme is invisibly accomplished as long as the fault proceedeth from absolute necessitie , not from contempt of the ordinance . the gospel commandeth onely such observations which are either means of grace , as the word and sacraments ; or wherein the exercise and use of grace doth consist , as the duties of love towards god and man : but the observation of the lords day is neither a means of grace , nor exercise of grace : ergò , &c. that which is a part of divine worship is a means of grace : but the observation of the lords day is so : ergò , &c. the minor i prove thus , that is a part of divine worship , whose institution is divine : but the institution of the lords day is divine , as i have made evident : ergò , &c. if you say that junius , * amesius and others , who hold the day to be jure divino , make it yet onely an adjunct to not a part of divine worship . i answer , that as it is a time set apart for holy worship , it is an adjunct to it ; but as it is a time determined by god himself , the very observation thereof is a part of divine worship , which is nothing but a religious observance of the true god according to the prescript of his own will . besides , it is a means to stirre up our souls to the exercise of grace in pious meditations , when we consider it in all its prerogatives superlative above other dayes ; as that which was the {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , and in all probability shall be the {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} of dayes , and therefore aptly dedicated to him who calleth himself {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} and {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ; as the day of our saviours resurrection , by which we are justified ; as the day of the holy spirits descension , by whom we are sanctified ; as the day which mystically prefigureth our eternall rest , when we shall be glorified . and therefore it is worthily and truly called by * ignatius , the sublimest and primate of all dayes . that day which cannot be kept universally throughout the whole world , was never commanded the whole church of christ by an evangelicall law : ( for the gospel is given to all nations ) but the lords day cannot thus be universally observed , considering the diversitie of meridians , and unequall rising and setting of the sunne in divers regions , in some whereof time is not distinguished into weeks or dayes , by morning and evening , as in groinland , finmark , lapland , &c. the positive laws of god do not alwayes imply a possibility in them upon whom they are imposed . the jews were injoyned many observances of sacrifices , feasts , &c. which could not alwayes be performed by them , as in case of captivity or durance . so the christians are commanded the celebration of the eucharist , and yet the condition of some countreys is such as they have not bread a ▪ of others , as they have not wine b . the truth is , gods commandment may impose , but never oblige unto , things sometimes impossible : where there is an utter impossibility of observation ( as in this or the like case ) that impossibility is a necessity with which the law dispenseth . and this is the reason ( to speak to the point in question ) why the sabbath being given to adam , and in him to all mankind , gen. . was not described as the other six dayes by evening and morning ; as also why the sabbath of the fourth commandment , of like latitude with the former , is not set out by expresse bounds of from eve to eve , as that in the leviticall law , which onely concerned the jews : to intimate that the journall or dayly round of the sunne , should be no precise rule or character of his sabbath in such places where time is not so distinguished , but that there his people are to give him a seventh of their time , as it is with them distinguished . and though the regions abovesaid have not naturall dayes described by the circulation of the sun from east to west , yet times they have holding so near correspondence with such naturall dayes , that in some parts they are denominated dayes ; and for island ( if my intelligence misleadeth me not ) their dayes are homonymall with ours in england ( an argument of their not different either planters or conquerours ) as derived from the same idoles in planetary computation , whereof the learned selden and verstegan can inform you . there is the same reason of keeping a determinate set sabbath under the gospel , that there is of preaching , praying , administering the sacraments , &c. but these are not determined how often they shall be done : ergò , it is not limited what time shall be a set sabbath . every of these , though they be not absolutely restrained , yet their proper time is this very sabbath , whereof those duties were a finall cause : to speak in particular , it is a day of preaching , and so ever was in the primitive church . origen alluding to the first fall of manna in the wildernesse saith , the lord ever raineth down manna from heaven on our lords day : and so in the apostolicall age , acts . . it is a day of prayer . we must by all means intend our prayers on the lords day , that by them on that day we may expiate for all our negligences and escapes in the week-dayes . so acts . . the christians were assembled {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , with one accord , on this day : and how they were wont then to be imployed , the historian telleth you c. . v. . it was {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , in prayer . it is a * day proper for the eucharist , and therefore anciently called dies panis , and in some places ( as in alexandria ) the onely day and time for it . so acts . vers. . the disciples came together to break bread , that is , to communicate of the eucharist . it is a day proper for the sacrament of baptisme , and therefore anciently called dies lucis , the day of illumination . this sacrament not usually being conferred unlesse in case of eminent necessity , but upon this day . so acts . . ( the most notorious president extant ) no lesse then {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , very near three thousand were this day baptized . lastly , it was a day of almes : pro arbitrio quisque suo quod visum est contribuunt , & quod ità colligitur apud praepositum deponitur , saith justin martyr . and so . cor. . . saint paul ordained it should ( the first of the week ) be a day of collection for the poore . that which is expresly against christian libertie was never commanded by christ or his apostles : but to have the conscience burdened with any outward observations , putting religion in them , as being parts of gods worship , is directly against christian libertie : for how is he free that is thus bound to times and dayes ? what you understand by christian libertie i know not ; sure i am that christ onely delivered us from the observation of the old ceremoniall laws , and from the sting of punishment due to the breach of the morall ; but that he exempted us from all outward observations whatsoever , is a fancy of your own , without warrant from the scripture . for would he then have imposed the outward observation of sacraments , if we had not been obliged to them ? and you are in this implunged in errour beyond the anabaptists : for they cry up christian libertie to free them from the constitutions of men onely , but you will have it reach to the very ordinations of god . there is no dutie essentiall in religion ordained by christ or his apostles , of which we find not either exhortations in respect of performance , or reprehensions in regard of their neglect , either in the gospel , epistles , or acts : but the keeping of the first day of the week sabbath , is no where pressed or exhorted unto , the neglect thereof no where reproved in all the new testament : ergò , &c. paedobaptisme , the communicating of women , is i hope essentiall in religion , secundùm esse perfectum ; but where do you find any exhortation to the observation , any reproof for the neglect of these duties ? besides , i see nothing to the contrary but it may be included in saint pauls admonition of tenete traditiones , whereof before . had the observation of the lords day been of divine institution , it is very probable that the apostle reproving the corinthians for going to law , would not have omitted the advantage of this circumstance : for plain it is that their pleadings were ordinarily upon the lords day : but he omitteth , &c. that which you make so probable , was , i affirm , ( considering the spirit which alwayes assisted him ) utterly impossible in the apostle : for how could he ( who knew his lord and master had often determined the contrary in very like cases , opposing pharisaicall strictnesse ) how could he , nay how durst he prevaricate or swerve from christs rule ? he knew it lawfull to cure a crazie body , and was it sinne to consolidate a crackt estate upon the sabbath ? it was justifiable to drag a beast out of the ditch , why not also land out of the oppressours claws on that day when it could not be done on another ? if christ had appointed this day as the day of his resurrection , then the eastern churches which followed s. john transgressed this ordinance of christ when they kept their easter on another day : but they sinned not in it . ergò , &c. christ nor his apostles ( for ought we know ) gave no commandment concerning easter , neither is it necessary that the anniversary and weekly memoriall of one and the same benefit should alwayes jump together . gods own precept , in almost the same case , we know was otherwise : the jewish sabbath and passeover were both commemoratives of their redemption out of egypt , yet one was fixed to the day of the week , the other to the full of the moon , so as they seldome met together . had it been a divine institution , doubtlesse those fathers and synods which have spoken so much in praise of the day , displaying the prerogatives thereof , would never have omitted this which is the greatest of all : but none ever affirmed a divine institution : ergò , &c. they do not indeed mention it sub terminis , because it was not questioned in their dayes ; but if they make it instituted by christ ( as some ) or by his apostles ( as almost all ) and if they tell us , * whatsoever the apostles delivered by the dictate of the holy ghost is as firm and indefeasable as what christ himself , then i hope by necessary consequence they make it of divine institution . that which the orthodox condemne for popery should not be consented to by us : but that the lords day is a part of gods worship , and more holy then other dayes ( as from divine authoritie ) is condemned by reformists in the papists : therefore we ought not to symbolize with them . no reformed writers condemne this in the papists , because they hold the lords day more holy then others , but onely such , and those very few , as think the day to be of ecclesiasticall not of divine institution . the orthodox thesis is this , * festivall dayes cannot by humane constitution be made more holy then others , as amesius , to whom you appeal , could have informed you . lastly , socrates affirmeth that the apostles never intended to establish laws concerning holydayes ; s. augustine also maketh it will-worship or idolatry to observe any day as commanded of god . s. hierome likewise saith , we have no dayes having any holinesse in them and necessitie from divine institution . the book of homilies affirmeth that christian men of themselves without any divine precepts did take upon them the observation of the lords day . all reformed churches consent with us ; and many martyrs in the marian dayes , as tindall , frith , barnes : lastly , master perkins speaketh doubtfully herein , yet he was one of the first that took up this tenet . socrates must have a candid reader , or be argued of overbold singularitie against all antiquitie , who affirmed the contrary . augustine saith that the christians in his time did not observe so much the festivals themselves as what was signified by them ; and therefore he saith that the apostle did blame the galatians in this , because they did observe appointed times servilely , not knowing the mystery to which they tended : he speaketh nothing of their institution , not one word . hierome indeed , i grant , was inclining to your opinion , but his single judgement is not equivalent to the many reasons and authorities urged on the contrary . the book of homilies affirmeth no such thing as you say : these words , of themselves without any divine precept , are yours not the churches ; not expresly , not interpretatively , so not hers as she is positive in the direct contrary . for there being two things wherein the divine right of the lords day is founded , upon legall institution in the fourth commandment , and evangelicall by either christ or his apostles , for the first she saith that god expresly in that precept commandeth the observation of the sabbath which is our sunday ; and not onely commandeth it , but also by his own example doth stirre and provoke us to diligent keeping of the same . for the second , having a while after declared it to be gods will and commandment to have a solemn time and standing day in the week consecrated to him , she presently addeth , this example and commandment of god the godly christian people began to follow immediately after the ascension of our lord christ , and began to chuse them a standing day in the week to come together in . now where she speaketh of godly christian people , she doubtlesse meaneth the apostles ( for who else durst at that time take upon them to begin such a custome ) and so as touching the institution of the day as a weekly day , she reduceth it to the fourth precept , and as the first of the week , she foundeth it upon apostolick practice . what some other reformed churches think in this point of the lords day , may plausibly enough against us be urged on your parts , i confesse , and it is your drusian , your keenest objection ; and yet we can oppose many things to turn the edge of it . for first , they are onely positive in setting down their own opinions , but the reasons inducing them thereto they suppresse ; and seeing they are not {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , we must not be governed by their bare thesis . secondly , those confessions are not generall , but particular to some churches . thirdly , were they the canons of a generall councel , yet must they not predominate over truth : a nationall and provinciall councels ought to give place to the authoritie of vniversall and oecumenicall ; and these have been oftentimes amended , when experience hath cleared some truth which before lay hid , saith augustine . lastly , ( though some will think it b periculosa praesumptio judicare de caeteris , ipsum ab omnibus judicandum ) to speak the truth , yet to speak it with all terms of venerable regard to those famous churches , i dare pronounce they are not right in this point , not so full reformed but they stand yet in need of further reformation . nor ought we to wonder at their mistake herein : for first the precept of the lords day is not so legible in sacred scripture as the rest which concern matters of faith , thereby to instruct us to put a difference betwixt fundamentalls and ceremonies ; it is written in a finer character , in a smaller print , and therefore might well escape the eyes of those churches at the first break of day of reformation , when the light shone somewhat dimme . secondly , the question was never on foot in their times , and so the evidences demonstrating divine right were never laid open to them ; and having inquiries concerning sacrifice of the altar , adoration , &c. more proper for those times , to imploy them , they were not like to inform themselves better upon accident . what i have said concerning the reformed churches , may also be applyed to those holy and blessed martyrs you cite , and partly to master perkins , who had he lived now would ( i dare say ) have been as positive and resolute as any other . and whereas you make him the prime inventer of this tenet , though what i have urged out of the book of homilies is your sufficient confutation , yet will i produce one testimony more , and that no lesse then royall , and as reformation it self ancient . the sabbath day was used and ordained but for mans use , and therefore ought to give place to the necessity and behoof of the same whensoever that shall occur ; much rather any other holy day instituted by man . what say you now , sir ? if perkins was the first that took up this tenet , who i pray laid it down ? and down it was laid for certain , if he took it up ; for up it was you see in henry the eighths time . having thus waded through all the objections , and discovered their frame to consist of very loose and defeasable stuff , wherein truth is no ingredient , i step forward to other questions incident and pertinent to this discourse . and first , it is to be examined ( the lords day being an apostolicall tradition ) whether it be immutable , whether the church hath power to alter the day , and substitute another in liew thereof . i answer , nay , the church hath not such a power , the sphere of her activitie extendeth not so farre , she cannot null and rescind the act of god . if the sunday be established ( and established so i have proved it ) jure divino , it is without all dispute unchangeable ; for immutable is one ingredient into the definition of jus divinum , as the canonists compound it , who make it , which is comprehended in the law and gospel , and remaineth perpetuall a . true it is , i grant , that many positive divine laws are changeable by the same authority which first imposed them , but that a divine law can be abrogated , yea or displaced , by humane authority , that no sober man will yield to : and i hope ( though many have of late set her on her tip-toes , and advanced her to a tickle point ) the churches power and authority reacheth not divine . besides , there is an especiall and peculiar reason of the inalterability of the lords day more then is usuall in other constitutions though divine ; for god hath a propriety therein . six dayes in the week he hath bestowed upon us , but the seventh he reserved for himself , wherein he hath as good , nay better freehold estate , then any man in his possessions ; and then the rule of the law is , b what is ours without our assent cannot be transferred to another . so that the church hath no power to make that a work-day , which god himself hath consecrated to his holy worship . nor mattereth it whether this designation were performed by christ immediately , or by the mediation of his spirit assisting and infallibly directing the apostles , and so it becometh an apostolicall tradition ; for even this ( though the lowest degree of divine appointment ) doth conferre exemption enough upon this day , to secure it from any jurisdiction the church can claim over it . i will not dissemble it , some learned men have i confesse ascribed to the church an authoritie over this day , so as she may if it please her transferre it to another : but you must know withall , that not one of these do repute it as an apostolicall tradition , which is the hinge upon which the hole question moveth ; nor if they did , are we to give absolute credit to their dictates . men they were of excellent endowments , great both for their piety and learning , and amongst them i honour none more then that famous bishop c of geneva mr calvin ; yet in some things ( as this for one ) i may say of him as augustine of cyprian , d as there were many things which learned calvin taught others , so were there some things which he might learn of others . if you can , produce any one who hath affirmed it to be an apostolicall institution or tradition , and withall an alterable ordinance , and i will promise you to affoard you two at least for him who have resolved the contrary . but here perhaps you will demand , what ? are all apostolicall traditions immutable ? that restriction from eating bloud , or things offered to idoles ? that of collections for the poore every lords day ? &c. i answer , let it be first agreed what apostolicall traditions are , under which name many upstart and recent customes intruded themselves into the church . a every province accounteth the constitutions of its forefathers apostolick traditions , saith hierome . apostolicall traditions then i say were of two sorts , the one particular , the other generall . particular were such , as were framed by the apostles either joyntly or severally , but restrained to some especiall circumstance of time , place , persons , or the like ; and so having onely reference and regard to such circumstance , the removall of that circumstance made the observation of the law to cease : such are those traditions above named in the objection , such are supposed to be the different rites of the east and west , b one observing both the sabbath and lords day , the other the lords day onely , and fasting on the sabbath ; one celebrating the festivall of easter on the fourteenth day of the moon , the other upon the sunday after . generall were such as neither regarding any circumstance of time , place &c. nor any moveable occasion were universally agreed upon to be received , and so prescribed to the christian church by all the apostles : such were the creed , the books of the canonicall scripture , the observation of the lords day , paedobaptisme , &c. whereof that golden rule of s. augustine b is a character . what the catholick and vniversall church holdeth , not decreed by councels but ever observed , we may safely believe it proceeded from no lesse then apostolick authoritie . now these generall traditions i averre to be immutable , and such as must ever be observed in the church , not onely because they have or mention , or foundation in the scripture ( for so the particular have also , and they which have not are not by us owned for traditions apostolicall ) but because they were at first made without limitation and restriction ; and herein i have the suffrage of zanchy c , pareus d , and other learned men . as for particular traditions , they being at first framed for speciall occasions , are now ( those occasions being ceased ) but as laws dormant , untill the emergency of the like occasion awakeneth them again . dormant i said , not dead . life , vigour , and force they have still , and should the same occasion arise again , god would expect from the church the same observation : for they being apostolicall , and so evidences of the divine will upon severall occasions , we must not think that one and the same cause can operate in the immutable essence a diverse will , seeing in philosophy , the same agent , whilest he is the same , effecteth the same thing : dead therefore they cannot be , so long as there remaineth a possibilitie for the same occasion to set them on work again ; and so that school-rule may fit them well , e they oblige alwayes , but not upon all occasions . well , be the lords day divine , be it immutable , what then ? are we obliged to observe it with that severe and rigid vacation , which the jewish sabbath required ? i answer , yes , f he which succedeth into anothers jurisdiction , is invested in his predecessours right . the same strictnesse of observation belongeth to the lords day , that anciently did to the sabbath ; i say by the fourth commandment : for that commandment hath not lost under the gospel the least scruple or atome of obligation , which it injoyed during the law , but bindeth still without abbreviation of time , or alleviation of restraint during that time . as for the duration of time , though i cannot discern such distinct abbuttalls thereof in this commandment as some seem to perswade , yet am i of opinion that the word day comprehendeth {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} a hole naturall day . and as touching restraint from negotiation and toil on that day , the words are very direct , thou shalt do no manner of work . what , not quench an house of fire ? not water a beast ? not provide necessary food ? yes , works of necessitie , works of mercy , thou mayest do : the precept onely interdicteth servile work , ordinary work of our vocation ( all doctours whatsoever so understand it : ) which being granted , the fourth precept for ought i see little exceedeth in rigour touching the sabbath , the canon and statute law of this land , concerning the meanest holy day . differ i do herein from my sacred mother the church of england , it cannot be denied ; she hath expressed her self otherwise , viz. that this commandment of god doth not bind christian people , so straitly to observe the utter ceremonies of the sabbath day , as touching the forbearing of work and labour in times of great necessitie . but seeing in the substance , viz. that we are not bound to observe the lords day with that extreme severitie which once belonged to the jewish sabbath , we consent , i hope a difference in the manner of expression is at most but a peccadillo , but a veniall fault ; our dissent is onely this : that strictnesse which she reduceth to the fourth commandment , i rather lodge and settle in those accessory and occasionall laws , which are quite of another parish , and have nothing to do here . if it be here objected , that this precept bindeth not to the observation of the lords day , and therefore no matter what it injoyneth . i answer , it doth oblige to the observation of this day ; for no other day can properly be called gods sabbath then this , because no other day is weekly solemnized in the church , and thereto destined by divine appointment , which are the certain characters of the sabbath of that commandment . besides , all expositours interpret this precept of this day especially , and some of none other ; and above all , our church it self is so full as nothing can be desired more apposite to our purpose , then what she hath delivered . like as it appeareth by this commandment , saith she , that no man in the six dayes ought to be slothfull and idle , but diligently labour in that estate wherein god hath set him ; even so god hath given expresse charge to all men , that upon the sabbath day ( which is now our sunday ) they should cease from all weekly and work-day labour , and give themselves wholly to divine exercises of gods true religion and service . and a few lines after she saith , that to keep the christian sabbath ( which is the sunday ) is gods expresse commandment . these are lowd and clear demonstrations of what our church then thought ; wherein two things are remarkable : first , that she reduceth the observation of the lords day to the fourth commandment : and secondly , that without any scruple she very broadly calleth it our sabbath , yea and the sabbath . a word whereat much offence hath lately been taken , and all that use it are checkt by our great schoolman ; who ( good man ) in a tender care of us , adviseth that we follow the language of the holy ghost , as also of the primitive church , that we vary not from other reformed churches , that we gratifie not the jews in their obstinacy against christ , that we offend not our weak brethren , and lastly that we use that name which doth most edifie , viz. the lords day . as concerning the style lords day , we quarrell not at it , we are no enemies of it , we use it for ought i know more frequently then sabbath ; yet were it truly sensed , and according to right sense duly observed , it would contract not onely the title but nature of a sabbath ; for what is our lords day but the evangelicall sabbath ? as the legall sabbath was the jewish lords day . be the lords day thus stated , call it then by that name ever if you please , it not at all offendeth us ; but when it becometh from the sabbath an ordinary holy day , or rather playday ; from the lords day , the churches day , we have then just cause to rouse the world by shrill expressions , and lowd manifestations , that it is both the sabbath of the fourth commandment , and also the lords day , that is , of his institution . but to persue this not without wonder , behold the strange condition of these men who inveigh so bitterly against the word sabbath , which hath notwithstanding warrant both from our book of homilies , the canons ecclesiasticall , and edicts of our princes , behold their perversitie : the words altar , priest , sacrifice , holy of holies , will down with them so easily , as now they begin to rellish nothing else . it is rare , very rare , a great novelty to heare the course and homely terms of table , minister , lords supper , or chancel in their mouths . now i say , and aver , the word sabbath hath not in it any semblance of danger to gods church , comparable to that of altar , priest , &c. for first the lords day is a sabbath , & the sabbath {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , properly and directly ; whereas these words altar , priest , &c. are used {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , but figuratively and symbolically . besides the word sabbath giveth no offence , for if any incline to judaisme it is in the strictnesse , not now in the day . but the other words stumble many , especially in these times wherein we have cause , and just cause , to fear they are meant and intended of things other then metaphoricall : and are not our fears just ? when transsubstantiation beginneth not to be instilled in some subtile and paracelsian spirit of school distinction , but according to the galenists to be exhibited in the grosse masse of corporeall presence in a corporeall sense ; so as the most unprepared and unbelieving receiver eateth his part thereof as well as the faithfull . but admit this to be the tenet of some few extravagants ; yet are not our fears just ? when that uncouth and apish bowing toward , if not to the altar is not onely warranted and defended , but commended to our observation by the chief of our church : which whosoever shall dive into it , and search antiquitie , will find it one of the parents ( elevation or ostension being the other ) which begot adoration of the host , which begot impanation or transsubstantiation . let not any think here that by antiquitie i understand the very primitive church , with whom we challenge so near alliance in matters of doctrine ; for certain it is , that the first church was utterly ignorant of this novel device : you shall indeed many times , very often find in the fathers a that they bowed or worshipped towards the east , and this they did onely at their entrance into the church according to the poet , vt templi tetigere gradus procumbit uterque pronus humi . but of bowing ( for what some urge of nazianzen's gorgonia was geniculation , not genuflection , as will appear to any that duly peruseth the place ) towards the altar as you call it , or ducking as often as they approched unto , or departed from it , you shall not find mention anywhere till you arrive at chrysostome's liturgy , which requireth {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , adorations to be made , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , towards the holy table ; and this we all know is a piece of yesterday , the authour whereof was in being not full six hundred years past , which we are also as certain was the very time about which the incarnation of bread or transsubstantiation began first to be whispered . i should not have dwelt so long upon this , but that i find it pressed as a necessary dutie , yea a dutie of necessity adequate to the observation of the lords day , a tenet which deserveth rather to be hist at then answered . but to return from whence i have digressed : let whatsoever is positive in the fourth commandment stand for a cipher , is the lords day to be observed one jot the more remisse ? doth not apostolicall institution imply an equall obligation both concerning the continuance of time and restraint from labour ? what did they ordain ? what institute ? was it not , that the first day of the week should be consecrated to god and spirituall negotiations ? you cannot yield us lesse . if then it was the first day , of what is it meant ? of a naturall day from sun to sun , or of an artificiall from the sun-rise to his set ? i answer , of the first , for these reasons . if all the other dayes of the week contained both night and day , why should not the lords day have as large a proportion of time as the rest ? do not all the dayes in the week hold by gavelkind ? and if it contained onely daylight , then there was a night to spare , whereof i would gladly know what should become : should the saturday have it all ? if so , then this would by sesquialter proportion exceed all the rest : should it passe by way of dividend amongst the other six , then there would be two houres in every day more then the suns revolution maketh . moreover , when god requireth any thing dedicated to him , his constant caveat and proviso is that it be {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , not defective and without blemish , not lame , or imperfect . now that which wanteth one minute of its full time cannot properly be called a day : regularly i say , and de jure , of right , it cannot , where the day is seposed by divine designation . and this is the more evident by observing what god required under the law , it being no lesse then a full and complete naturall day from eve to eve ; which was , not ( as a learned doctour conceiveth , and i think aright ) to set out the beginning and end , the boundaries of a naturall day , but to declare his own claim of a naturall day to be dedicated to him which should begin at evening . if then the day must be understood of a naturall day of houres , it will then necessarily follow that vacation from labour during that time must be concomitant with it : for vacation from worldly affairs , which may impeach the worship of god , is so inseparable from times consecrated to that worship , as it is by brerewood rightly accounted part of the moralitie and substance of the fourth commandment , and so in the christian church perpetually to be observed . if any shall now object that this vacation is onely necessary and required during the time of publick assembling in the church , and that no more is exacted of us then that we attend such assemblies . i answer , that god will admit no sharer in any thing consecrated to him ; and though the cardinall and chief end of the sabbath is , that god be publickly honoured , yet doth he not leave the remainder thereof so at our dispose , that we may dispend it either in carnall pleasures , or terrene negotiations those oratories which , from their dedication to the lord , are in english denominated churches , do from their destination to publick and solemn addresse contract the name and repute of sacred : and though they be superlatively and above all venerable while employed to their destinate end , yet alwayes , even at times of cultustitium ( as i may so say ) or vacation from publick worship there remaineth in them an indeleble impression of awfull regard , which ought to preserve them from all profanation inviolable . mistake me not , i place no inherent sanctitie , i immure not god in them , i approve not of their decoring , even to effeminate curiositie , nor allow them an honour as some of late ( too close followers of nazianzene a ) even to ridiculousnesse superstititious ; yet this i hold , gods houses they are , places where his honour dwelleth , for which cause such a relative veneration is due to them as alwayes dignifieth and ennobleth them above any other house whatsoever , and secureth them from common use : and in this men both learned and moderate have led me the way , as zanchy b , hospinian c , &c. now * places and times consecrated to gods name are to be sanctified with equall religion ; and so the rituall of the old testament coupleth them together , ye shall keep my sabbaths and reverence my sanctuaries : and then i say , that the lords house may as well be impropriated to a ware-house , as his day to a work-day , when the congregation is dismissed . and this priviledge it as well deriveth from evangelicall , as legall institution : therefore leo d , when he made that edict of generall restraint on the lords day , pleadeth conformitie wth the evangelicall constitution , we ordain as it seemed good to the holy spirit & to them whom he instructed . but it will be here opposed , that neither the apostles themselves , nor the primitive church , observed this day with any such strictnesse untill constantine's decree ; and therefore it is like they enjoyned it not . i answer , as touching the practice of the apostles , there is , i confesse , nothing either the one way or other clearly evident , nor much of that of the primitive church during the time limited : onely justin martyr e ( if i be not mistaken ) hath something reflecting that way ; for in his description of the custome of publick assembling in those times upon the lords day , after he hath insisted awhile upon the duties performed in the church , he setteth down what the christians did postea , after their dismission , as their visiting & relieving the poore , their consorting together , and their repeating to one another what they had learned that day in the church . of the remainder of time , the solemn assembly being ended , i understand this postea probably enough , yet will not warrant it with over much pertinacitie ; if any other construction can vouch better reason in its defence , let that obtain . but though we should find no evidence of the primitive practice of cessation from labour on this day , yet will it not follow that they did not forbare it if possibly they could : for we meet with exhortation to it by origen , f on the christian sabbath day we ought not to do any worldly businesse ; if therefore thou dost surcease from all secular affairs , and dost nothing but employ thy self in spirituall negotiations , this is the right observation of the christian sabbath . is it now likely that the doctrine of so eminent a teacher as origen should perswade none to conformitie with what he here delivered ? but suppose the worst , and that you were able to afford us an example or two of labour on this day , must it therefore follow that there was no decree of restraint made by the apostles , and that we are at libertie to plow and cart on this day , notwithstanding any divine law to the contrary ? nothing lesse : for as his late majestie g judiciously said , it is not sound reasoning from things done before a church be settled and grounded , unto those which are to be performed in a church estalibshed and flourishing . there might be , and was , weighty cause to dispence with so strict a vacancie from worldly businesse , as the state of the church then stood . heavy were their pressures , many thousands were the slaves of miscreant masters , who in likelihood would not forbear their servants work an hole day in a week , but exact it from them under the penaltie of many stripes ; so that should any of that servile condition have refused his masters work on that day , nothing could he expect but severe if not inhumane usage : and should the christian church have engaged herself in the vindication and justification of such contempt , it had been the high-way to have made both her religion and self ( even to eradication ) odious , as the incendiaries of disobedience and maintainers of anarchie . and therefore very discreetly the fathers of the laodicean councel , wary of giving offence , yet willing to shew how they stood affected , decreed in the twentie ninth canon of that councel , that christians should rest from labour on the lords day , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , if they could , that is , if their pagane masters would not constrain them to work ; and so it is by brerewood understood . but here it will be excepted , if the law of god commanded their rest and cessation upon the lords day , the law of man enjoyning the contrary was not to be weighed : for in such cases , h no man is subject to a law of an inferiour repugnant to another of a superiour . or it is better to obey god then man , acts c. . v. . i answer , better it is indeed to obey god then man , when they command things repugnant ; but it must be with this proviso , that the law of god be fundamentall and paramount , from which there is no appeal to an higher : for if it be a positive or ceremoniall law , a law of lesser caract , then aquinas his rule must be retorted with the losse but of one letter , no man is obliged by an inferiour law against a superiour . all positive laws whatsoever are subordinate , and when they stand in competition with moralls and fundamentalls they must strike sail . because the point is tickle , and may perhaps give offence to weaker apprehensions , i will illustrate it with two examples taken out of holy writ , where god dispenced with ceremoniall laws for a while , that the morall might be preserved inviolate . the ceremoniall law of god enjoyned the israelites to offer such and such sacrifices , at such and such times , in such and such places ; directly crosse to which , pharaoh their king imposed upon them such a task , as would not afford them any leisure to perform those sacred duties : now the fundamentall law of god enjoyned them ( as it doth all men ) to obey their superiours in all things either simply good , or not simply evil ; and betwixt this fundamentall and the other ceremoniall laws stood the contest . but what was the issue ? did god with the israelites in this case ( as popes in their fury , by a nos sanctorum , with the subjects of an heretick prince ) absolve them from their obedience ? the israelites were more and mightier then their adversaries ; did he instigate and spurre them on to rebell , or by assassination to make away their king ? no , he sent to pharaoh and commanded him to let his people go ; he knew the fault and impediment to be in him alone , the israelites were blamelesse : and as augustine saith in a similarie case , i the obliquitie of the command made the king blame-worthy , the ordinance of obeying made the subject innocent . nay , to pursue this example a little further : when pharaoh condescended to let the people go to sacrifice , provided they went not farre , moses refused the leave upon such conditions as were like to bring them in peril of their lives . it is not meet so to do : shall we sacrifice the abomination of the aegyptians before their eyes , and will they not stone us ? exod. . . a true confirmation of gods impresse , i will have mercie and not sacrifice , hos. . . both he will have , where both may be had ; but if he must part with one , mercie he will have , let the other go . upon this text a learned commentatour thus , k god preferreth the moralls of the second table before ceremonialls of the first . and the same is the opinion of divers others * . the second dispensation was in the wildernesse , and that from observation of a sacramentall law : for we reade joshua . . that circumcision was omitted all that time , and the israelites abode there years . the most probable cause of this omission was , because they were every minute to watch the motion of the convoy-cloud , and to march with it ; but circumcision would either retard their expedition , or hazard the lives of the infants : therefore god in mercie had rather respect to the safety of those innocents , then to his ordinance of circumcision . i could also instance in gods dispensation during the persecution under manasses and other idolatrous kings , as also under the captivitie of babylon ; in all which severall times , doubtlesse , there was a fail in many ceremoniall duties otherwise observable . the truth is , all ceremoniall laws have respect to the latitude of jury , and the land of canaan , as well in a morall as a literall sense ; viz. they are framed onely for the church , whilest she enjoyeth a visible and open profession of her religion , whilest her peace remaineth indisturbed : for when the fury of persecution hunteth her like a partridge on the mountains , when times of tribulation and calamitie seise upon her , god then accepteth what service she can with her own safety afford him ; he standeth not upon shadows , the substance is that he onely then looketh after . ceremonies are but the outward dresse of religion , onely made to decore her in publick profession , and therefore not absolutely of the essence of a church ; and so but respectively necessary : the very sacraments themselves are but so , as the glory of our church l hath rightly observed upon that fail of circumcision in the wildernesse ; yet sacraments ( i take it ) are the highest stair and degree of ceremonies . now these premises considered , nothing discern i to the contrary , but a constitution of the apostles concerning labour to be omitted on this day there might be , though not to take a full effect untill the church should attain her land of canaan , a settled and flourishing peace . and the event seemeth to prove the ordinance : for no sooner did constantine ( a second joshuah or josiah ) sit sure in his throne , then gods externall worship began to be magnificently solemnized , and ( as an especiall badge thereof ) his day superlatively honoured both by imperiall edict and example ; and that with strict vacation from all worldly avocations : ab omni opere , from all work , so his histriographer m reporteth . elsewhere ( i grant ) there occurreth a constitution of this religious emperour tolerating labour on this day , but it was in countrey villages onely , and that too but in case of necessitie , n lest pretermitting the opportunitie offered by the divine providence it might not occurre again . o this dispensation is much urged by the anti-sabbatarians , but it hath no great force with us . for first , it may be well controverted , whether constantine ever made any such indulgence or no ; because if he had , is it credible it could have escaped eusebius , who was not onely contemporary but in a manner companion with this emperour ; who took speciall notice of all his actions , having in designe the compiling of the historie of his life , and who over lived him ; yet this bishop hath not one word of it . but be it constantine's ; sure we are it was after rescinded by leo with a we ordain that all men cease from labour on the lords day , that neither husbandmen nor any other take in handwork unlawfull on that day . and before leo , divers of the fathers in their popular tracts or sermons pressed this vacation upon the people : on the festivall day all handy-work is prohibited to the end that men may more intirely exercise themselves in sacred matters . so cyril o . chrysostome p calleth it {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , an immoveable law , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , that this first day of the week be holly set apart for sacred exerc●s●s . but there are also fathers , you will say , that seem to incline to the contrary . first hierome : he relateth of a religious woman , governesse of the nunnes at bethlehem , how she every lords day resorted to the church , and after service she and her company fell to their ordinary work of making garments for themselves or others . to this i answer , consider paula as a subject , and then tell me how can you acquit her of the breach ( i will not say of the fourth but ) of the fifth precept , if bethlehem was within the latitude of constantine's decree ; and certainly it was : for that reached omnes romano imperio parentes , all men subject to the romane empire . and if this lady was not within the verge of the dispensation , for that was for husbandmen onely , was not then this her act a disobedience to her princes law , and therefore her example no rule of those times , it being it self irregular . besides , s. hierome telleth us of religious persons of the other sex , monks , that they did orationi tantùm , & lectionibus vacare , busie themselves in prayer and reading on the lords day . now consider paula and her nunnes as women , and compare their practice with that of these monks , and then if the masculine practice be not more worthy then the feminine , let grammar scholars judge . out of gregory they tell us , that he giveth it as one cognizance of antichrist , q that he shall enjoyn the lords day and the sabbath to be o●served with abstinence from all work . to which i answer , there are two things which gregorie here reproveth in the observation of the dominicall day : first a jewish not a moderate and sober restraint ; and this is certain , for in the very same epistle he saith , r on the lords day we must cease from labour , and by all means attend our prayers ; secondly , the celebrating it together with the sabbath , for it is diem dominicum & sabbatum , the lords day and sabbath both , which was the errour of the ebionites . and therefore gregorie , for ought i see , standeth their friend no more then hierome . this gregory was a man of the sixth centurie , an age wherein themselves acknowledge this restraint took deep root , and so it continued successively downward , even to the times of reformation ; nor did the first reformers , those of our church especially , exercise themselves in varying any thing at all in this point from the received practice , as may appear both in the statute and canon laws both of this and other countreys . but hitherto i have onely insisted upon restraint from labour and servile work , there is yet another question concerning restraint , not from work , but play , and from recreations , viz. whether recreations ( such as are at other times lawfull ) are tolerable and lawfull on the lords day . to this i answer in short , all recreations at other times lawfull are interdicted on this day , but such whereby the mind is better disposed towards the sanctification of the day , or such as are no impediments to that sanctification . for the day is appointed to be sanctified , that is to be an holy , not a playday : and it is a rule in the decalogue and all other divine laws , that where any thing is commanded to be done , all things subservient to the performance of it are consequently enjoyned , as also all lets and hinderances prohibited . besides , gods house hath been ever thought profaned and polluted by sports and meetings of good fellowship , why also not his day ? nor is it enough that these recreations be not an hindrance to publick exercises in the church , but they must not disturb even private duties at home , as meditation , prayer , holy conference , &c. for god commandeth not the sanctification of some few houres , but of a day , that is an hole day , allowing sufficient time for repose and repast to the body . and so our church a interpreteth the command : gods obedient people , saith she , should use the sunday holily , and rest from their common and dayly businesse , and give themselves wholly to heavenly exercises . and consonant to her , her sister the church b of ireland , the lords day is wholly to be dedicated to the service of god . if holly to gods service , where have recreations a room ? these articles are it seemeth called in ; for what reason i not dispute : sure i am the nulling of them was very acceptable to the disciples and followers of arminius ( men too bold and frequent in these dominions c ) whose accursed tenets were there damned . as an appendix to this discourse of recreations , if now my opinion be demanded concerning his majesties book , i shall say of that onely this , his princely intentions were therein ( i doubt not ) pious enough ; not so , i fear , theirs who first suggested the convenience and fitnesse of that liberty unto him . but in regard the foundation thereof seemeth especially to be the preserving in observation encaenia or church dedications , of them i shall say somewhat , perhaps not known to all . of their first institution ( innocent enough ) i will not speak nor trouble my self and you in shewing by what gradations they ceased to be what they ought , and became what they ought not ; of their corrupt and degenerate estate i purpose onely to give you some small hint , collected from what i have read , and partly from what i have seen . first therefore you must understand , there were in the late times of superstition and blindnesse in our church ( in our church i say , for in other countreys i confesse they were united ) two feasts , maenechmi , very near resembling one the other ; one called the feast of dedication , the other , the feast of the patrone or church holiday : the impious and profane fooleries were almost the same and common to both , onely the feast of the patrone had this peculiar to it , the idol or image of the patrone richly deckt and drest was set forth upon a table near the church doore , to the view of the people , — quod quia mutum est , aut nondum populi linguam or áque barbara novit , assidet interpres quidam ; clamánsque rogánsque intrantes , atque ingredientes munera praestent patrono , & nummis redimant indulta paparum , — which because 't is dumb and kennes not yet the peoples idiome its spokesman's by , who begs of all that come toll for his patrone , and sits there to sell pardons for sins , but men must pay him well . but the first spark of light which shone in the beginning of reformation soon quitted the world of this grosse abuse : king henry the eighth , anno amongst other things , enjoyning that this feast of the patrone of every church , commonly called the church holiday , should be no more observed within the realm . the feasts of dedication indeed continued still , yet much eclipsed in their former wicked and abominable solemnity ; for whereas before the custome was for divers vicine parishes to assemble themselves together there where the feast of dedication was to be held , to feast and riot in the very churches , to erect stalls for pedlars in the churchyard , to spend the hole day in swinish swill , lascivious wantonnesse , in cudgellplay-matches , and in the true service of satan ; and because every parochiall church had its proper sunday whereon the feast was kept , and it was rare by reason thereof to have a lords day observed ( especially in summer time , wherein these feasts are most frequent ) with any tolerable devotion and exercise of piety , it was therefore by the same prince strictly injoyned , that the feasts of dedication of churches should in all places of the realm be celebrated upon the first sunday in october for ever , and upon none other day . the scope of this king was doubtlesse to restrain the disordered licentiousnesse of the people on this day , being occasioned by their joynt resort to other parishes where these feasts were observed ; and in this i cannot but commend that declaration of his sacred majesty , which restrained and prohibited that disorder so far as in it lay . had there been due inquiry made into the violation of his majesties will in this , and punishment inflicted upon the offendours , great i dare say had been the good it would have produced : but through generall impunity , and the perverse corruption of humane nature , chusing in every thing that which serveth its own ( though never so inordinate ) ends , and neglecting the rest , his majesties godly purpose was ( i know ) much abused , and gods sacred day not lesse dishonoured . and for proof thereof , i will give you a relation of mine own autopsie , of what these eyes saw . it was some few years since my fortune to visit a kinsman ( seated in a countrey where these feasts are frequent ) upon a saturday , and though i purposed to depart that day , yet he importuned and prevailed with me to repose my self with him the ensuing lords day . i did so , and as dutie required , in the morning i accompanied him to church : a full assembly there was ; service being read , the preacher , a man of no mean note or degree , maketh a sermon , lest such profanation should want its due ceremony , upon this text , there is nothing better for a man then that he should eat and drink , and that he should make his soul to enjoy good in his labour : he insisted his hole time upon the lawfulnesse of feasting , and of christian liberty in the use of the creatures ; and to give him his due , nothing did he deliver amisse : something i grant he might , nay ought to have added , as in setting down the properties of a christian feast , and in opening to the people his majesties will and pleasure concerning these feasts , which certainly gave them not so free a scope as they took . well , the sermon ended and congregation dismissed , in our return home i inquired of my kinsman the occasion of that text ; he told me it was the feast of dedication of their church . home we went , took a moderate repast , and scarce had we dined before the bells summoned us to church , whither with all convenient speed we hasted ; and being come , behold the congregation , which in the morning amounted to about nine or ten score , could not ( except the family we brought with us ) make up now so many single persons : as the congregation was thinne , so was the service suitable , being posted over in great haste . after this service , i was much requested by my kinsman to accompany him to the place of rendez-vous where the feast was kept ; many denials had i given him , as fearing to be a spectatour of gods dishonour , and did partly expresse as much , but he assured me i should find nothing but honest and innocent disport : at length , i confesse not without much inward conflict , i yielded to him ( and the rather out of a desire to inform my self of the manner of those feasts , whereof i had heard much talk ) so i accompanied him to the green which was the scene of their pastime , where loe we beheld a multitude of people , the muster whereof could not be lesse then a thousand . the main pretence of that assembly was to give testimony of their manhood by wrestling , cudgel-play , &c. ( there being to that end a confederacy , league and siding of the neighbour towns , so many against so many ) which exercises imployed the body , and greater part of that multitude : but they who listed not to be either spectacles or spectatours wanted not wherewith to entertain themselves , there being an ale-house by . the disorders of that meeting by drunkennesse , swearing , malicious reviling one the other , which may easily be conceived , i purpose not to relate ; that which i offer to consideration is , whether there was not by this assembly a great affront to his majesties royall declaration , which prohibited all concourse of people out of their own parish , yea or in their own parish untill evening prayer were ended , when as i dare say there were near a thousand of this meeting , which were not of the parish wherein it was held , and of those not fourtie ( i verily believe ) had been present at evening service ; for how could they in regard some of them came foure or five , most two or three , and all at least a mile off ? which abuse of our princes pleasure is i think condignly meritorious of severe punishment , the execution whereof i leave to those whom it concerneth . having thus stated the dominicall day , having proved it to be a day divinely instituted , a day immutable , a day holly to be appropriated to sacred duties , i have finished my last part , and in that ( my imperfect way ) perfected what i first intended . which done , my earnest sute is that my christian perusers would fervently pray that this work undertaken for the honour of my lord and blessed saviours day may through his merits so much ( to speak with devout salvian ) avail the authour with god , as he seriously desires it may profit all men . to which onely wise god our saviour be glory and majestie , dominion and power , now and for ever , amen . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- lib. . c. . notes for div a e- hexam. phocylides . notes for div a e- * at christmas la●● . * unus alio plura invemre potest , nemo omni● , ausonius . * b. whi●e , dr. prid. mr. brerewood . si cui displiceo , non ●tatun 〈◊〉 opponat , tu solus sapis , &c. per asinam enim quandoque locutus est d●us quod prophetam c●lavit , & samu●li puero ostendit quod ●li sacerdoti non rev●l●v●● , tom. res●l . super propos. lipsie 〈◊〉 . conclus . . de me existima ut libet , tantùm de ipsa veritate cave quid sentias , aug. cont. m●nich . lib. unus . notes for div a e- a virgil . b orig. pr●oem . h● . in cant. hieron. ●pist . ad paul . in bibl. hier. naz. orat . . . reason . b. white , pag. . . reason . brerew p. . . reason . b. white , ubi suprá . . reason . d. heilen . p. . . reason . b. white , ubi suprá . . reason . . reason . dialog. cum tryphone . a adv. judaeos b l. . c. . c hist. eccles. l. . c. . d fid. orth. l . c. . solut. of the . reas. a ae . qu. · a●t . . ●●la dicuntur in lege sanctificari quae divino cultui applicantur . b athanas. de sabb. & circum . genebrard . chronol. l. . zanch. de ser. bell. de v. dei l. . c. . pa●aeus com. in gen. . v. . mercer . praelect. in gen. rawly hist. l. . c. . s. . a . ae . q . act . . musculus in gen. c. . v. . de incarn. verbi . solut. of the . reason . exod. . . virg. aen. . tibul. l. · el. . cap. . v. . solut. of the . reas. tost . in exod. . qu. . solut. of the . reas. gen. . . a hexaem . hom. . b mercer . in loc. c ex antecedentibus & consequentibus colligitur verus scripturae sensus , aug. de doct. christ . c. . a seld. marm. arundell . a in motu continuo quamdiu aliquid potest mover● ulteriùs non dicitur motus perfectus , aquin. p. . qu. art . . c scal. exerc. a in loc. b ubi primùm dies septimus advenisset , verum erat de deo dicere , quòd jam complesset opus suam , merc. in loc. c rabbi abraham . autor libri zeror hammor ( vel fasciculus myrrhae apud buxdors . ) in gen. a de praestigiis lib. . c. . sol. of the . reason . b de gen. ad lit. l. . c. . c aqu. . ae . qu. . solut. of the . reas. exod. . v. . solut. of the last reason . veteres interdum coguntur loqui , non quod sentiunt , sed quod necesse esse ducunt adversùs ea quae dicunt gentiles . veteres dum unum errorem , omnium virium conatu , destruere adnituntur , saepe in alterum deciderunt . a praefat. l. . bibliothec. b quivis , vel doctissimus vir , aliter habendus est cùm salurat quaestionem , & perstringit leviter ; aliter cùm in manus sumit , atque excu●it , winton . opusc. posth . de usuris . a tacitus . quò plures eunt , omnes sequuntur . humanum est errare . b epist. l. . epist. ad bez. demeloquor deque meo ingenio , a communi patrum consensu , nullâ cogente necessitate , dissentire mihi summa est religio . c epist. . a nihil faciliùs est quàm dicere , tropus est , figura est , modus quidam dicendi est , aug. de doctr. christ . l. . c. . o b oratio figurata est , quae proptiè intellecta , nec ad fidem , nec ad dilectionem , nec ad ullam aedificationem accommodari potest , ibid. c oportet scripturam intelligere secund●m verbor●m proptietatem , ubi non cogimur evidenti absurdo , de bapt. l. . c. . d nisi cogamur ab aliqua alia scriptura , vel ab aliquo articulo fidei , aut certè à communi totius ecclesiae explicatione , de euch. lib. . c. . . absurditie . a habet venerationem ● justam quicquid excellit , cic. de nat. deor. l. . b aqu. . ae . q. . art . . gen. . ● . c de civ. dei . l. . c. . d part. . p. . a omnis actio dei nobis pietatis & virtutis est regula , basil. ascet. . absurdity . medul theol. lib. . cap. . d. heilen , part . . cap , . p. . quicquid totius est , idem & partis . a in exod. last absurdity . brerew . p. . quantum mutatus ab illo ? heilen , p. . pag. . a bacon . persp . dist. . a hist. lib. . p. . c. . s. . a basil schol. in psal. . . a quae in lege post hac praecepta sunt de sabbato , haec nimirum anticipans job , & ipse implevit , & filios implere docuit , hom. sup . job . c. . v. b septenarius hic numerus à conditione mundi autoritatem obtinuit , &c. de spiritu sancto . c per●ectae qu●e●s & remissioni● peccatorum signum est septimus à primo●ciis generationis dies , hexaem . d creatio principium à die dominico accepit ; ideo liquet , quòd septimus ab ea dies sabbatum efficitur , nimirum cessationem ab operibus ferens , in nov. dom. e quamdiu prior aetas & cr●atio vim su●m & efficaciam obtinebat , tam diu sabbata suam observationem habuere , de sabb. & circum . f contra ebionaos , p. . tò {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . a part. . quaest. . memb. . art. . b com. in 〈◊〉 c in paradiso fuit sabbati sanctificatio , quod & observatum toto legis naturae tempore tradunt hebraei & lyranus in gen. . chron. ad annum mundi . . d patet sabbatum institutum fuisse & sancitum primitus non à mose , exod. . sed longè anter●ùs , pu●à ab origine mundi . e sabbatum ab initio mundi destinatum est ad cultum dei , com. in gen. f sabbatum ab initio mundi observatum est , cas. conscien . circa fest. l. c. . cas. . a praelect. de sabb. b non dubiū quin patres ante legem diligenter observarint sabbatum , in matth. c in gen. . d ego quidem non dubito , &c. de creatione hominis , l. . a catech. part. . b decad. . serm. . le sabbat . este observé , &c. c thes. . art . . praeceptum sabbati sancitum fuit in ipsa mundi creatione , etiam ante hominis lapsum . d d. heilen . p. . pag. . e deus institutum sabbati exemplo suo ac cessatione , &c. anal. in gen. . f deus in prima creatione sabbati sanctificationem sanxit , & haud dubiè in familiis sanctorum patrum sedulò observata fuit , com. in gen. winton . catechist . doct. in . praecept . p. . dist. . can. in istis temporalibus . a praelect. de sabbato . b diog. laert. in vit. arist. notes for div a e- apud censorinum . a zanch. de tribus elohim . l. . c. . b parallel . l. . c mixtis penè hominibus atque angelis , sab. de gub. del , l. . d dial. cum tryph. e d. trinit. f contr. arium serm. . g hist. l. . c. . h in gal. . i l. c. . k orat. . l serm. de jejun . m {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , jo. euchait . aet. editus . n qu. in deut. o hieron. praefat. in isaiam . p aug. contr. f. man. l. . q de spir. s. cap. . vide sis cl. vir . d heinsi● , ex. sacr. in loc. r in decalog. s lib. . de justitia & jure , qu. . art . . reason . answer . s irenaeus , l. . c. . t in hac praefatione ità deus israelem compellat speciatim ut in eo tamen omnes gentes comprehendar , thes. . art . . u de justif. l. . c. . answ. isai. . . gal. . , . a in . praecept . p. . b di●m quieti consecratum à deo ipso v●l im●●edi te p●r ●e , v●l med●tēper ecclesi●m à spiritu s●ncto 〈◊〉 , quisquis ille sit . c non festorum observatio ibi praecipitur , sed unius festi dies , jun. animaedv . in bel. cont. . p. ● . d conc. nicenum ancir . &c. e jun. pol. moses c. . f suarez , de dieb . festis , c. deputa●e septimum diem in hebdomade , est formaliter deputare septimum diem , licèt materialiter non idem dies semper fuerit deputatu● , episcopus brech . in epist. dedic. praefix . artic . per●h . f 〈…〉 g h●oker . eccl. pol. l. ▪ §. . object . answ. u●rùm praeceptum de sanctificatione sabbat● , convenienter trad●tur inter praecepta decalogi ? h ponitur inter praecepta decalogi in quantum praeceptum morale , non in quantum est caeremoniale , . ae . q. . art . . i perkins , cas. consc. l. . c. . q. . k beza , casaub. & al●i . c. . v. . c. v. . l exerc. . c. . m cap v. n marcus duas res divers●s eodem contextu referens tempora minùs accuratè quam lucas distinguit ; nam quod priùs actum ●rat unà cum profectione miscet , calv. h●●m evang. non est prius & posterius in scripturâ saciâ . annot. in loc. exercit. in loc. b. white , p . m eccl. pol. l. §. . n lactant. inst. l. . o rom. . p episcopus nullum prohi●eat i●gredi ad ecclesiam & audire verbum dei , sive gentilem , sive haereticum , sive judaeum , usque ad missam catechumenotum , concil. . can. . b. white , pag. . a hieron. apud aquin. pag. . qu. . art . . b si otium sanctificet , ergò sequitur ut negotium contaminet , de sabb. & circumcis . c quia cognitio magìs est necessaria quàm otium , idem , ibid. d b. white , p. . e aristot. de coelo . lib. . cap. . seld. marm. arundel . pag. . hospin . de origine fest. pag. . r winto● . serm. pentec . . s hosp. de orig. templi è c. bertramo t genebrard . chron. p. . u chron. in ann. . a bell. de verb . dei , l. . c. . & jun. anim . adv. in eum . b cajet. in locum . tanto tempore neglecta erant divina tempore manassis , ut liber legis tanquam res noviter inventa scribatur . c accipitur specialiter lex pro deuteronomio , tostat. in matth. . q. . d b. white d. heilen . deut. . v. . cap. . , & . notes for div a e- a finitur septimus , dominus sepultus ; reditur ad primum , dominus resuscitatus , aug. de verbis apost. serm. . object . solut. b. white p. . b . ed. . c. . object . solut. a eos à quibus non coleb●tur meritò neglexit , august . de civ. dei , l. . c. . exod. . . object . sol. d in divinis non datur jus positivum , winton . op. posth. determ de decimis . e aqu. . ae . qu. . art . . f contr. haer. cap. . g halens . . qu. . memb. . eccl. pol. l. . §. . h cessantibus significationibus & peractis figuris , &c. de jejunio decimi mensis , serm. i heilen . p. . pag. . k defen. of the answ. to the adm. p. . l eccl. pol. lib. . §. . m epist to s. h. goodier . n serm. ● . of the p. treas . vide etiam catech. doct. pag . o adv. of learn . p. a bucer . epist. p. martyr . de euch. b deus noster è septem diebus unum instaur●ndae fidei nostrae atque adeò vitae aeternae sanctificavit , de re●n . christ lib. . c . c ut aliq●o die in heb●omade homines cult●● divino v●●ent non est humanum commentum , loc. com . c . d morale est quatenus 〈…〉 diebus ut●●m consecremus externo ●ultui divino , in praecept . e ideo deus diem septimum sanctificavit , ut homo sciret in circulo hebdomadico diem unum esse di●ino cultui publico tribuendum , com. in ge● . c. . vers. . f naturale est , diem septimumquemque d●o s●crum esse , in gen. g k. j. declar . adv. vorst . h morale est ut ex septem diebus unus cultui divino consecretur , disp. . §. . i heilen . p. pag. k morale est sanctificare unum ex septem diebus , cas. consc. circa fesla , l. . c. . cas. ● . l voluit deus ad minus unum diem in hebdomade sibi impendi , in gen. m deputare septimum quemque diem in hebdomade , est deputare septimum diem , licèt idem dies non semper fuerit deputatus , de diebus f●stis , c . n jus divinum requirebat ut unus dies in hebdomade dicaretur cultui divino , de cultu sanct. l. . c. . o hom. in math. p di●● quieti consecratus à deo ipso , vel immediatè per se , vel mediatè per ecclesiam a spi●itu sancto gubernatam , quisquis ille sit . object . p b●erewood , p. ● . solution . q sacramentum hoc fuit diei illius octavi , quo dominus resurrexit ad justificationem nostram , cypr. epist. ad fidum . l. . c. . r sanctos patres plenos spiritu propherico non lateret dominicus dies , nam pro octavo psalmus inscribitur , & octavo die circumcidebantur infantes , aug. de celebratione paschae . s ep. ad magn. t de nov. domin . * it is the in our translation . * in our translation , . v. . u epist. ad jan. . c. . christi resurrectione declaratus est , & ex illo coepit habe●e festivitatem suam . a winton opusc de sp. c. trask . john . . meade churches , p. . b heilen , p. . pag. . * cap. . . * aug. ad cas. epist. . chrysost. ser. de resurr . c dominicum diem esse necesse est , in john l. . c. . d orat. . acts . heilen p. . pag. . e hom. of time and place of prayer . similiter brer . pag. . heilen , p. . p. . so. contra tr. pag. . f ecce verax evangelista testatur sub apostolis fideles quotidie oras●e , & panem fregisse : et vos , qui e●tis , qui dicitis duobus tantùm diebus hebdomadae missam fieri debere perfectam ? contra lib. nicet . ap. cassand. liturg . cap. . * mead . churches ▪ pag. . g chrysost. in . cor. . hom. . baptismo flaminis die pentecost . a serm. de nat. dom. t. . homil. de semente . heilen . p. ● . pag. . b facilè est cuiquam videri respondisse qui tacere noluerit , de civit. dei , lib. . cap. . c de sabb. & circumcis . d sabbatum in die illo observabant homines istius generationis . e cùm creaturam intra sex dies conditam renovatione interpolasset , ideo diem illam huic instaurationi consecratam voluit , quam in psalmo spiritus praenunciat , haec est dies quam fecit dominus . f deus dominicum diem certum decla●a●úmque esse veluit , ut finem praeteriti sentites . a in gen. . b in iohn cap. . v. . g dominus oblationes & liturgias non t●me●è , vel inordinatè voluit fieri , sed statutis temporibus , pag. . a dominicum diem apostoli & apostolici viri religiosâ solemnitate habendum sanxerunt , de temp. serm. . b de spir. s. cap. . c nos illorum ( apostolorum ) sequentes traditionem , dominicum diem divinis conventibus sequestram u●in levit. c. . d de fide cath. l. . c. . e casaub. exerc . p. . heilen , p. . cap. . §. . a pag. . b pag. . c part. p. d rationem veritatis , quae nec mea nec tua est , sed utrique nostrûm ad contemplandum proposita , sine pervicaciae caligine , serenatis mentibus attendamus , aug. contra man. l. un . brerew . p. . pag. . vers. . matth. ult. cor. ● . cor. . . epist. praemon . winton . opusc. posth . athanas. ad dracont . de diversis grad eccl. cap. . cantuar. c. fish . p. . junius animadv. in bel. c. . l. . ironside , p. . a utrumque abs te fine ulla dubitatione cognoscere debui , sed non sum avarus , unum horum doce , aug. contr. epist. manich. lib. un . idem . . gal. . ● . . cor. . canus , loc. l. . cap. . cypr. epist. ad pomp. . cyp. ep. . diligenter de traditione divina & apostolica observandum est & tenendum . animadv. in bell. contr. . l. . c. . a . a {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . b hence came that scomme of anacharsis , sapientes in concionibus sententiam dicere apud graecos , stultos verò dijudicare , alex. ab alexand. gen. dierum , l. . a alexander severus observed the same ( according to the christian practice ) in his ordaining of magistrates , ar governours of provinces : nomina eorum proponebat , hortans populum , ut si quis quid haberet criminis probaret manifestis rebus ; dicebátque grave esse , non fieri in provinci●rum rectoribus , cùm id christiani & ju●ae● facerent in praedicandis sacerdotibus , qui ordinandi sunt , lampridius in vita ejus . b in the ordaining deacons and presbyters . c de verbo dei non scripto . cap. . d defens . reg. assert . co●tr . capt. bab. luth. e non est in potestate papae , aut concilii , aut ecclesiae , immutate traditiones datas ab evangelistis , vel à paulo , ut quidam del●rant , de vita spir. animae . opusc. sp. cont. traske . object . . ironside , p. . solut. object . heilen . p. . pag. . solut. b pag. . a habet approbationem scripturarum itaque inter non-scriptas traditiones haud possit collocari , de iudice ac norma fidei . b zanch. de tradit . pareus in . cor. . whitakerus , controv. quaest. . c. . c intermittere non possum , quia christianus sum , & lex dei de eo agendo admonet , apud baron . ● . num. ● . d ubi suprá , n. . e de carem . missae sub tit. collecta . object . . brerewood , page ● . ironside , p. . solut. a hom. of the place and time of prayer . h●ilen . p. . pag. . object . . ironside , c. . p. . solut. d impletur invisibiliter , cùm mysterium baptismi , non contemptus religionis , sed articulus necessitatis , excludit . de bapt. c. donat. l. . c. . object . . ironside , c. . p. . solut. * medull . l. . c. . aug. d. civ. dei l. . c. * ad magnes . object . . ironside , ubi suprá . solut. a as the indians , teste arriano , l. . de reb●s ind. and the venetians , ut habet ●e treas . polit. b as the norwegians . levit. . . le tresor . polit. l. . object . . ironside , ubi suprá . solut. dominum nostrâ dominicâ semper manna de coelo pluere , hom. in exod. . omni modo orationibus insistendum , ut si quid negligentiae per s●x dies agitur , per diem resurrectionis dominicae precibus expietur , greg. m. li . . epist . * chrysost. s. . de resurrect . athanas. apol. . chrysost. ubi suprá . apol. . object . . ironside , ubi suprá . solut. object . . ironside , ubi suprá . solut. object . . ironside , ubi suprá . . cor. . solut. object . idem . ibid. solut. object . idem . * non minùs ratum est quod dictante spiritu sancto apostoli tradiderunt , quàm quod ipse christus tradidit , cypr. de abl. ●edum . object . . id. ibid. solut. * dies festiab hominibus non possunt fieri aliis sanctiores , tom. . de diebus fest. c. . object . . id. ibid. soc. l . c. . aug. cont. adam manich. c. . hieronym . in gal. c. . solut. serviliter , non intelligentes ad quarum rerum significationem pertinerent . a ipsa concilia quae per singulas regiones vel provincias fiunt , plenariorum conciliorum autoritati , quae fiunt ex universo orbe christiano , sine ullis ambagibus cedere , ipsáque plenaria , saepe priora posterioribus , emendari , cùm aliquo experimento verum aperitur quod clausum erat , & cognoscitur quod latebat , august . de bapt. c. don. l. . c. . b hieronym . ep. ad dam. pap. in . evang. injunct . of h. . anno . apud fox martyr . a quod in lege & evangelio continetur , atque immutabile semper permanet , l●ncelot . inst. juris canon . lib. . tit. . b quod nostrum est , sine assensu nostro , ad alium transferri non potest , reg. juri● , lex . c p. paraus , de vit. & ob . patris . d sicut multa erant quae doctus calvinus doceret , sic erat & aliquid , quod calvinus docibilis disceret , contr. donat. l. . c. . object . solut. a unaquaeque provincia praecepta majorum leges apostolicas arbitratur , hieron. epist. ad lucinum . b azor. inst. moral . l. . c. . b quod universa tenet ecclesia , nec conciliis institutum , sed semper retentum est , non nisi autoritate apostolicâ traditum , rectissimê credimus , cont. donat. de bapt. l. . c. . c de tradition . d com. in . cor. . idem , quà idem , semper facit idem . e obligant semper , sed non ad semper , bonavent . diet. salutis . f qui in dominium alterius succedit jure ejus uti debet , reg. juris lex ▪ hom of the time and place of prayer , hom. . hom. of the place and time of prayer . see before , p. . injunct . of h. . ironside , p. . a just . m. q. ad orth. . tertul. apol. c. orig. in num. hom. . clem. alex. strom . . athan q. . basil. de sp. s. c. . ovid . met. l. . deut. . . neque ideo jussisse ut à vespera ad vesperam sabbata sua celebrarent , ut diei initi um & finem designaret , sed ut integrum diem naturalem sibi vendicaret , dr garnons determ. m. s. de die dom. cant. junii ultimo , . pag. . object . solut. a de funere patris . b in decalog. c de orig. templ. . * eâdem religione sanctificanda sunt domino loca & tempora eju● nomini dicata , bucer . cens. angl. ord. . p. . levit. . . d novell . leon . c. . statuimus quod spiritui sancto ab ip●óque institutis placuit , &c. e apol. . f die sabbati christiani nihil ex omnibus mundi actibus oportet operari ; si ergò desinas ab omnibus secularibus operibus , & nihil mundanum geras , sed spiritualibus operibus vaces , haec est observatio sabbati christiani , hom. . in num. g conference at hampton court , p. . h nullus subjicitur legi inferioris contra superiorem , aquin. . a q . . ad . nullus subjicitur legi inferiori contra superiorem . gratian d●e . p. . q. . causa . exod. . i reum regem fecit iniquitas imperandi , innocentem subditum ordo serviendi , cont. f. man. l. . c. . paraeus in loc. k deus caeremonialia primae tabulae moralibus secundae tabulae post ponit . * zanch. in loc. jun. parall. l. . c. . l perkins , case consc. l. . c. . q. . m eusebius , de vita const. l. . c. . n nè occasione momenti pereat commoditas coelesti provisione concessa . cod. l. ● . tit. . l. . statuimus ut omnes a labore vacent , neque agricolae neque quiquam in eo ( die dominico scil ) illicitum opus aggrediantur . o prohibetur die f●sto opus quod manu exercetur , ut integriùs rebus divinis exercere vos possitis , in joan. l. . c. . p hom. . in matth. q l. . ep. . diem dominicum & sabbatum ab omni opere faciet custodiri . r dominico die à labore cessandum est , & omni modo orationibus vacandum . synod . antisiodor . can. . a hom. ubi suprá . b art. . c k. j. cont. vorst . p. . naogeorgus , de dedicat. anno praedicto . nè tantum nefas non rire fieret , eccles. . . tantum apud deum scriptori suo profit , quantum eum prodesse ipse omnibus cupit , epist. salonio episcopo . jud. ult. a briefe polemicall dissertation, concerning the true time of the inchoation and determination of the lordsday-sabbath. wherein is clearly and irrefragably manifested by scripture, reason, authorities, in all ages till this present: that the lordsday begins and ends at evening; and ought to be solemnized from evening to evening: against the novel errours, mistakes of such, who groundlesly assert; that it begins and ends at midnight, or day-breaking; and ought to be sanctified from midnight to midnight, or morning to morning: whose arguments are here examined, refuted as unsound, absurd, frivolous. compiled in the tower of london, and now published, for the information, reformation of all contrary judgment or practise. by william prynne of swainswick esq;. prynne, william, - . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text in the english short title catalog (thomason e _ ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; :e [ ]) a briefe polemicall dissertation, concerning the true time of the inchoation and determination of the lordsday-sabbath. wherein is clearly and irrefragably manifested by scripture, reason, authorities, in all ages till this present: that the lordsday begins and ends at evening; and ought to be solemnized from evening to evening: against the novel errours, mistakes of such, who groundlesly assert; that it begins and ends at midnight, or day-breaking; and ought to be sanctified from midnight to midnight, or morning to morning: whose arguments are here examined, refuted as unsound, absurd, frivolous. compiled in the tower of london, and now published, for the information, reformation of all contrary judgment or practise. by william prynne of swainswick esq;. prynne, william, - . [ ], , - , - , - [i.e. ], [ ] p. printed by t. mabb for edward thomas dwelling in green arbour, london, : . p. is misnumbered . annotation on thomason copy: "nouem: d"; the in imprint date has been crossed out and date altered to . reproduction of the original in the british library. eng sabbath -- early works to . sunday -- early works to . a (thomason e _ ). civilwar no a briefe polemicall dissertation, concerning the true time of the inchoation and determination of the lordsday-sabbath.: wherein is clearly prynne, william f the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the f category of texts with or more defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - jonathan blaney sampled and proofread - jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a briefe polemicall dissertation , concerning the true time of the inchoation and determination of the lords day-sabbath . wherein is clearly and irrefragably manifested by scripture , reason , authorities , in all ages till this present : that the lordsday begins and ends at evening ; and ought to be solemnized from evening to evening : against the novel errours , mistakes of such , who groundlesly assert ; that it begins and ends at midnight , or day-breaking , and ought to be sanctified from midnight to midnight , or morning to morning : whose arguments are here examined , refuted as unsound , absurd , frivolous . compiled in the tower of london , and now published , for the information , reformation of all contrary judgment or practise . by william prynne of swainswick esq. levit. . . from even to even shall yee rest , or celebrate your sabbath . capitula caroli & ludovici imperatorum lib. . cap. . . diem dominicum secundum reverentiam colite ; opus servile , id est , agrum , pratum , viniam , vel si qua graviora sunt , in eo non faciatis ; nec causas , nec calumnias inter vos ditatis , sed tantum divinis cultibus serviatis , & a vespera ad vesperā dies dominicus servetur : placuit ut fideles diem dominicum , in quo dominus resurrexit , omnes venerabiliter colant . nam si pagani , ob memoriam & reverentiam deorum suorum quosdam dies colunt , & judaei more carnali sabbatum carnaliter observant , quanto magis iste dies à christianis honorifice colendus est , ne in illo sancto die vanis fabulis , aut locutionibus , sive cantationibus vel saltationibus , aut divisionibus , stando in biviis & plateis , ut solet , in serviant : sed ad sacerdotem , aut ad aliquom sapientem hominem & veniant , & eorum praedicationibus & bonis locutionibus , quae ad animam pertinent , utantur , & illo die seu sabbato ad vesperas , & ad matutinas , sive ad missam cum eorum oblationibus , si fieri potest , omnes cavendo , kyrie eleision , decantent . similiter pastores pecorum eundo & redeundo in campum , & ad domum faciant , ut omnes eos verè christianos , & devotes cognostant . london , printed by t. mabb for edward thomas dwelling in green arbour , . to the christian reader . kinde reader , give me leave to inform thee of the true original cause impelling me to compile this dissertation at least years since , whiles a prisoner in the tower of london . when i was a student and puny barrester in lincolns inne , it was the constant custome of that house and all other inns of court from all-saints eve , to candlemas night , to keep open revels , dancing , dicing and musick in their hals ever saturday night ( as we usually call it ) till eleven or twelve of the clock , and many times till . in the morning or later ; by reason of which abuse , the lordsday was much prophaned , and god publike ordinances on the lordsday morning , neglected , by the revellers , students , officers , gamesters , musicians and spectators , who slept out the forenoon sermons and other divine exercises for the most part , either in their beds or at church , if they resorted to it : which being a great corasive to my spirit , grief to my heart , and scandall to many religious lawyers , students and our lecturers . i used my best endeavours to reform this long continued abuse ; and by my interest in some pious benchers of lincolns inne , procured them by an order of counsel to suppresse all publique gaming and dicing in the hall , with all grand christmasses and disorders on that abused season ; and likewise to restrain the length of their revels on saturday nights , by confining them to a certain houre , though they could not totally suppresse them , as they and i desired , being over ruled therein by the majority of the benchers , pleading long prescription , custome , and unwillingness : to displease the revellers and young students , for their continuance : whereupon i did in my histriomastix printed . ( dedicated to the * benchers of lincolns inne ) produce the decrees , laws , statutes , canons of many christian emperours , kings , states , councils , and resolutions of fathers , casuists , schoolmen , and protestant divines forraign and domestick , to prove the unlawfulnesse of stage plays , revels , dancing , gaming , sports , and pastimes on the lordsday , and on saturday nights , ( as we usually stiled them ) proving at large page . to . by sundry reasons and authorities in all ages ( there cited ) and likewise in the table : that the lordsday begins saturday evening , not at morning or midnight following ; that so , i might in point of conscience , suppresse all revels , gaming and disorders used in our innes of court and elsewhere throughout the realm , on saturday nights , being part of the lords own dayes , fit to be spent in better exercises of piety and devotion . this assertion of the lordsdayes inception at evening , being contrary to the received opinion of most of our modern writers and divines , was looked upon as a strange novelty by many , as well as my histriom●stix , and censure of stage playes as unlawfull , unchristian pastimes ; for which ( though licensed by archbishop abhots chaplain ) i was committed prisoner to the tower of london by the lords of the councill , febr. . . and afterwards severely censured in the starre chamber , for it , as scandalous to the king , queen , court , state through lawds and others malice and prevailing power ; which sentence was since reversed by the unanimous vote of both houses of parliament , as illegal and given without any cause at all . hereupon for the satisfaction of some christian friends as well lawyers as divines , who scrupelled this opinion of the lordsday●s evening inchoa●ion ( though they could not answer , nor deny the reasons and authorities there produced by me , for its justification ) i did in the year . compile this dissertation , in the tower●which i communicated to my learned friends of the law and ministery , who professed themselves aboundantly satisfied with it ; some of them transcribing copies thereof for their private use . after which , to passe my solitary prison houres with as much publike benefit , as i could , i went through all the controversies touching the sabboath , lordsday , and more especially concerning the use of pastimes on it ; which the kings ( or rather lawds ) declaration for sports , occasioned ; and bishop white , dr. heylin , dr. pocklington , and others had then raised , debated in their discours●s , and histories of the sabbath ; with an intention to have published them at that season . but the printing presses being locked up and strictly watched by lawd and the bishops then swaying , against all treatises of this subject in opposition to the anti-sabbatarian pamphlets , i was necessitated to lay them by for that season , and to communicate some of them to such friends , who made use of them in some of their printed discourses of the sabboath , and lordsday , since the prelates power was ecclipsed : onely i then contenting my selfe with a preface to my brother burtons divine tragedy , or examples of gods judgments upon sabbath-breakers ; and some necessary additions to the second impression of his dialogue between a. and b. concerning the sabbaths morality , and unlawfulnesse of pastimes on the lordsday , both printed in the year . beyond the seas , to the great satisfaction of godly christians . after which , gods providence diverted my thoughts and studies to other seasonable subjects and publications , * against our lordly prelates pretended divine right , popish innovations , usurpations on the kings prerogative , and peoples liberties , treasons , schismes in all ages , which occasioned their downfall not long after . these wily foxes being unable to answer my books against them , thereupon by a * second unrighteous tyrannical censure in star-chamber , and extravagant councel table orders sent me close prisoner , first to carnarvan castle in northwales , and from thence to mountorguiel castle in jersey , debarring me the liberty of pen , ink , paper , books , accesse of friends , and all humane conversation , to hinder me from writing ; seised all my books , writings , papers they could meet with , searching divers of my friends houses as well as my chamber and study for that end : yet god● providence preserved this small treatise ( with some others touching the sabbath lordsday , and unlawfulnesse of sports or pastimes on them , against which i mustered up the concurrent opions of fathers , councils , christian emperours , princes edicts , popish , protestant writers of all sorts in all ages , yet unpublished ) from their clutches , and the strict seaches of other late grandees since ; and brought them safe to my hands again , when i deemed them quite lost . whereupon , conceiving it agreeable to gods good pleasure ( who miraculously preserved this dissertation above twenty years space , during all my troubles , and amids our publique wars and revolutions ) that it should be made publike for the information and benefit of his church , people , and not be buried in oblivion ; and being the onely compleat treatise of this subject , i ever yet beard off ; which others have but briefly , slightly touched , rather then handled in their discourses os the sabbath or lords-day ; i thereupon resolved to make it publike , and committed it to the presse , in this sceptic all age , when too many divines , as well ( as * jesuits and sectaries ) make it the main part of their divinity and religion , to vent and cry up new , empty , frothy notions , whimsies , fancies , old forgotten herefies , and uncouth conceipts , in a kinde of new canting language , ( which themselves and others hardly understand ) to * draw away disciples after them , and undermine those ancient setled truths and principles of religion , which all orthodox christians in former ages have constantly believed , received , practised without dispute ; which hath produced very sad effects , eaten ●ut the sinew , practise of piety ; the life * power of godliness , as well as the form thereof , and made many sorward professors heretofore meer seekers , self-seekers , sc●pticks , anti-scripturists , ranters , nullisidians , hereticks , separatists , blasphemers , covenant-breakers , antinomians , ( trampling all laws of god and men under feet like dirt ) and some professed atheists as well as anarchists . to prevent which mischiefs for the future , i shall recommend this advise of the apostle to all sincere christians , john . . beloved believe not every spirit , but try the spirits ( by the word of god ) whether they are of god ; because many false prophets are ( now ) gone out into the world . * preferre ancient truth , before new pretended light , as most * do old wine before new . * illud verius , quod antiquius : and if so , then they need not doubt , but in this controversie , i have the truth on my side , because all antiquity concurs unanimously with me , as well as the scriptures . i shall conclude with jer. . . thus saith the lord , stand yee in the wayes and see , and ask for the old paths , where is the good way , and walk therein , and ye sholl find rest to your souls . and though many now say ( as the obstinate israelites did then to god ) we will not walk therein : yet i trust all the true saints and servants of god , will readily obey this divine and safe command in these * pe●illous times of novelty , desperate apostacy , and antichristian pride , when too many * oppose and exalt themselves , above all that is called god , or that is worshipped , obeying no laws of god or man , and carrying all laws divine and humane in the arbitrary rols and records of their own breasts , like so many roman pontifs , making their own * wils and lusts their onely law ; to gods dishonour , religions slander , all good mens grief , the ill example of future ages , and hastning of gods judgments on us to our scourge or ruine . farewell . a brief polemicall dissertation concerning the trve time of the inchoation and determination of the lords-day . it hath been a great question of late times among private christians , and divines , when the lords-day ( being no artificiall , but a a naturall day consisting of hours , as they generally acknowledge ) should begin and end ? whether at evening , morning , or midnight ? certainly , if i may freely vent my thoughts without offence , i conceive ( under correction of graver judgements ) that in divine & true account , it begins & ends at evening , immediately after sun-set , when the twilight ends , and the b evening starre begins to shine : a truth so manifest , in my poor apprehension , that it is uncap●ble of any dispute . for the clearer resolution whereof , i shall in the first place admir , that men in civil respects may begin and conclude their dayes at severall houres , according to the received computation of their countr●y : c some nations commencing and closing up the day at morning ; others , at noon ; o-others , at midnight , others at evening . d and the canonists likewise beginning and concluding the day at midnight in regard of contracts ; at morning , in respect of judgements passed ; in at evening regard of sanctification and religious observation . but yet in all divine relations , men are not left at liberty to setwhat bounds or limits they please to dayes appropriated to gods more speciall worship , but they must observe those meets , which god himself ( the e soveraign lord of days and times ) hath prefixed to them , beginning , ending their sanctication of them ( being a part of his own worship and service ) at such time as he hath appointed , which is none other than the evening , the boundary he first set to dayes , both for naturall and sacred uses . to put this out of further controversie , i shall first of all propound such reasons and authorities as irrefragably evidence ; that the lords day ought to begin and cease at evening : then answer such objections and replyes , as are , or may be opposed against it . and here for the more perspicuous manifestation of the truth , before i proceed to any punct●all probation of the point in question , i shall premise and make good these five couclusions , which will soon over-rule and resolve it . first , that all dayes in scripture and divine calculation , begin and end at evening . secondly , that the seventh day sabbath in scripture account , did alwayes commence and determine at evening ; and that the jews did ever solemnize it from evening to evening . thirdly , that the very first day of the week whereon our saviour rose again , began and ended at evening , in divine computation , or scripture account . fourthly , that this beginning and concluding of dayes at evening , is perpetuall and immutable . fifthly , that christs resurrection in the morning , did no wayes alter the beginning or end of dayes , nor yet translate the beginning of that first day whereon he arose from evening to morning ; nor change the former limits thereof . for the first of these , that all dayes in scripture and divine calculation begin and end at evening ; it is most apparant . first , by genesis , . , , , , . where the scripture is expresse in point ; that at the very creation of the world and beginning of time and dayes , the evening and the morning made the first , second , third , fourth , fifth , sixth , ( and by consequence the seventh ) first dayes that ever were ; the onely patterns for the inchoation and determination of all dayes since : the f evening , being here placed before the morning ( as expositors observe ) by god himself , because the day in naturall and divine account begins at evening , the evening and darknesse being preceding to the morning and light , even in point of time , gen. , , . secondly , it is evident by exod. . , , , , , . compared and paralelled with levit. . . numb. . . cap. . . deut. . . josh. . . chron. . . c , . . ezra . . . and ezech. . . ( all treating of the time when the passeover was to begin ) in the tenth day of this moneth , they shall take to them every man a lamb , a lamb for an house , and ye shall keep it up , untill the fourteenth day of the same moneth , and the whole assembly of the congregation of israel shall kill it in the evening : for i will passe through the land of egypt this night , and will smite all the first born of the land of egypt both of man and beast . in the fourteenth day of the first moneth at even , is the lords passeover ; the fourteenth day at even shall they keep it . and the children of israel went away , and did as the lord had commanded and it came to passe that at midnight the lord smote all the first born in the land of egypt , &c. it is a night to be much observed unto the lord , for bringing the chilaren of israelout of the land of egypt , and it came to passe the self same day that thé lord did bring the children of israel out of the land of egypt by their armies . from which words it is apparant ; . that the fourteenth day of the month abib , on which the passeover was kept , began in scripture account , at evening : . because they were to keep the paschal lamb , untill the fourteenth day , and then to kill it in the evening ; therefore that day began at evening . . because the feast of the passeover , with the killing , dressing and eating of the paschall lamb did commence at evening ; thererefore the day too , which no doubt the feast began : for if the day began not till the following morning , the passeover had been kept before it , not upon it , upon the thirteenth not the fourteenth day of the month . . that that evening and night on which the passeover was kept , was part of the following , not of the foregoing day . . because this feast of the passeover was to be kept the whole fourteenth day , in remembrance of gods passing over the israelites , slaying the egyptians , and delivering his people out of egypt : since therefore they began not to kill and eat the passeover in the morn-ning , but at evening , the evening must necessarily begin the day , and be a part onely of the following day , not of the day preceding it ; else it would have been but an half-holy day , and no more , the whole preceding day being not solemnized , but the night alone ; or at least , a holy day made up of the evening of the fourteenth , and the morning of the fifteenth day , not of the fourteenth day alone ; both which are directly contrary to the text . . because this celebrating of the passeover the fourteenth day at evening , was done in memory of gods passing over them , and slaying the egyptians at midnight following ; and bringing them out of egypt with their armies the next morning : this evening therefore must be part of that day to which midnight and the morning following did belong , which must necessarily appertain to the fifteenth , not the fourteenth day , if the fourteenth day began the midnight or morning before , and not that very evening ; and so the fourteenth day should be solemnized for a deliverance happening on the fifteenth day , not on it ; which were absurd to think . the deliverance therefore happening the midnight and morning which succeeded this evening , it must doubtlesse be solemnized as part of the subsequent , not of the precedent day . . because the text saith expresly , exod. . . the same day the lord brought the children of israel out of egypt by their armies : therefore this evening and midnight were part of the ensuing day , because the israelites departed not out of egypt with their armies till the g morning following , as that chapter manifests : and yet the scripture saith ; that they departed out of egypt the same fourteenth day , whereon they did eat the passeover , and god slew the first-born of egypt . this fourteenth day therefore in divine calculation , both as a naturall day , and as a passeover day too , began and ended at evening ; and so by consequence all other dayes . thirdly , it is most clear by exod. . , . compared with levit. . , . and numb. . . in the first moneth on the fourteenth day of the moneth at even : seven dayes shall there be no leaven found in your houses : seven dayes shall unleavened bread be eaten . this feast of unleavened bread was to continue seven dayes : but these dayes and this feast by gods own limitation did begin and end at evening : for the text is expresse , that on the fourteenth day at even they should eat unleavened bread till the twenty first day at even : the evening therefore was both the alpha and omega of this feast , of all these dayes in scripture reckoning , and so by consequence of all other dayes . fourthly , this is as clear as the sun at noon-day , by the ceremoniall laws concerning uncleannesse . on any dayes or seasons of the year , if any of the israelites chanced to be legally unclean , in some cases they were to remain unclean for one day : in others , for seven dayes . but how did these dayes begin and end , in gods account ? certainly at evening : for all the texts run thus concerning him who was unclean for one day ; he shall be unclean untill the even : and when the evening cometh on , he shall wash himself with water , and when the sun is down , he shall come into the camp again . and thus concerning the other : on the seventh day he shall purifie himself , and shall be clean at even , witnesse deut. . . num. . , , , , , , , . letit . . . to . c. . . to . c. . . c. . . all dayes therefore in divine computation , began and concluded at even , since all the dayes of mens ceremoniall uncleannesse did so ; which uncleannesse might befall them upon any day whatsoever . fifthly , it i● perspicuous by the israelites solemne easting-dayes , which commenced and ended at even , for they usually fasted untill even , judges . . . sam. . . their dayes therefore b●ing but the limits of their fasts ( for they fasted sometimes h one day , sometimes two dayes , sometimes three , or more ) did question lesse begin and determine at even : in their own and scripture computation . sixthly it is apparent , by deul . . , . if a man be p●● to death , and thou hang him on a tree , his body shall not remain all night upon the tree ; but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day : compared with joshua . . and cap. . . and the king of ai he hanged on a tree untill eventide : and assoon as the sunne was down , joshua commanded that they shouldtake his careasse down from the tree , &c. and he smote the five kings , and hanged them on five trees , and they were hanging upon the trees untill the evening , and at the time of the going down of the sun , joshua commanded , and they took them down off the trees , and cast them into the cave wherein they had been hid , &c. compared with joh. . , . mat. . . . mar. , , . the je●s therefore because it was the preparation , that the bodies should n●● remain upon the crosse the sabbath day ( for that sabbath day was an high day ) besought pilate , that their legs might be broken , and that they might be taken away . and when the i even was come ( that is the evening of the day about sunne-setting , or evening tide : ) joseph of arimathea went to pilate and begged the body of jesus ; then pilate commanded the body to be given him . and he took it down and wrapped it in linnen , and laid it in his own tomb . which texts ( paralell'd with ephes. . . let not the sun go down upon your wrath : ) do fully evidence , that the day in divine resolution begins and ends at even ; because the bodies of malefactors , which were to b● buried the same day , and might not remain on the tree all night , were then taken down and interred . seventhly , that speech of david to jonathan ; sam. . . let me go that i may hide my self in the fields unto the third day at evening : annexed to that of sam. . . and david smote them from the twilight , even to the evening of the next day ; is a direct proof , that the scripture begins the day at even , making it part of the subs●quent , not of the precedent day , as these phrases , unto the third day at evening , and to the evening of the next day , import . eighthly and lastly , it is clear by the joynt confession of all sorts of authors , of all commentators on the fore-quoted and the ensuing texts , that the penmen of the scriptures ( who were guided by the holy ghost , with the whole jewish church , nation , directed by the same spirit , and the scripture computation ) did ever begin and end their daies at evening , not at morning , or midnight , as the jews k yet doe . a truth so evident that our opposites in this point of the lordsday's inchoation , for the most part grant it , without any contradiction ; having nought else to plead for themselves but this , that christs resurrection in the morning did translate the beginning of days , from evening to the morning . therefore it is undoubtedly true , that all daves in scripture and divine resolution , begin and end at evening : so that this first conclusion is uncontrolable . for he second , that the seventh day sabbath , in scripture account , did ever begin and end at evening ; and that the jews did constantly solemnize it from evening to evening : it is most apparent . for first , all dayes in scripture and jewish computation commenced and concluded at evening , as the former conclusion manifests ; therefore the seventh day sabbath too . secondly , the scripture peremptorily commands this beginning and close of the sabbath . levit. . . from even to even , ye shal celebrate your sabbath : which though it be specially meant of the sabbath of attonement , yet it is true of the seventh day sabbath too , it being the original pattern , by which the sabbath of attonement was squared , and thus bounded out . thirdly , it is apparent by nehem. . . and it came to passe , that when the gates of jerusalem began to be dark , before the sabbath ( that is , when the twilight began ) i commanded that the gates should be shut , and charged that they should not be open till after the sabbath : and some of my servants set i at the gates , that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day . by which it is evident that the seventh day sabbath began at evening , not at morning , or midnight . for why should nebemiah command the gates of jerusalem to be shut just as it began to be dark , a little before the l evening star began to appear ( when the evening & sabbath actually begin ) but to prevent carriers and others who brought burdens into jerusalem , from prophaning the sabbath , which would have begun before they could have passed to their innes , and unladed their burdens , had they admitted them to have entred the gates so late ; the sabbath being to begin almost presently after when the day light ceased , and the starres began to appear : which had it not commenced till midnight or morning following , he would not have closed up the gates so early , since they might have unladed their carriages a good space before the sabbath , though they had not entred jerusalem till the twilight ended . his timely shutting up of the gates therfore to prevent this breach of the sabbath by unlading burdens , is a m pregnant evidence , that it began at even , soon after , or just when the gates were barred . fourthly , it is clear by luke . , , . compared with luke . , . mark . , . c. . , . john . , . cap. . . &c. matth. . . . by all which it appears , that our saviours body was taken down from the crosse and laid in the sepulchre upon our friday at evening a little before night , and that they took it down , and buried it then , that it might not remain on the crosse upon the sabbath day : to which saint luke addes this as a corollary ; n and that day was the preparation , and the sabbath drew on , and the women also which came with him from galilee followed after , and beheld the sepulehre , and how his body was laid : & they returned , and prepared spices and ointments , and rested the sabbath day according to the commandement . and when the sabbath was past ( writes o st mark ) mary magdalene , and mary the mother of james and salome had bought sweet spices , that they might come and anoint him : and very early in the morning , the first day of the week , they came unto the sepulchre , at the rising of the sunne , as it began to down ( saith p saint matthew ) whiles it was yet dark , ( writes q saint john ) and they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre : by all which it appears , that the sabbath begun and concluded at evening . for first , saint luke saith , the sabbath drew on ; when christ was taken down from the crosse about the evening , implying that it was then almost ready to begin . secondly , they took him down them , because he should not hang upon the crosse any part of the sabbath . thirdly , the women shortly after their return from his buriall began their sabbath dayes rest . fourthly , the sabbath was past , the first day begun , and our saviour risen , before the women came to his sepulchre : yet they came thither at day-dawning ; whiles it was dark : and their apparelling themselves , their buying of spices , and coming from their houses or lodgings to the sepulchre ( all after the sabbath was fully ended ) would take them up some hours time perchance , or more . it is apparent therefore by all these particulars , that the sabbath even in the evangelists account , both at and after our saviours passion and resurrection , commenced and ended at evening : so that saint r matthews ; in the end of the sabbath , as it began to dawn towards the first day of the week : ( which some object to the contrary , as if the sabbath then ended not till the morning ) must be interpreted by saint ſ marks ; after the sabbath was ended ; and the other t evangelists , on the first day of the week ( that being the true sence and scope of his words ; ) else christ , in his account did rise again upon the seventh-day sabbath , not on the first day of the week : and so by consequence , upon the second , not the third day after his passion ; which is directly contrary to all the other evangelists , and scriptures , to the article of our creed , and to christs own predictions of his rising again the third day , recorded thrice by saint matthew himself , mat. . . c. . . c. . , . which he would never contradict in the history of his resurrection . fifthly it is certain by the constant practise of the jewish church , who both before and since christs time ( even to this present day ) did ever begin and end their sabbath at evening . witnesse josephus that famous jewish historian , contra apionem l . c . hierom comment . in jonam , c. . tom. . p. . eusebius de praeparat . evangel l. . c. . tom. . p. . s. augustine de tempore serm. . chrysostome , homil. . in genes . tom. . col. . b. hom. . in matth. tom. . col. . b. anastatius sinaita , anagogicarum contemplationum . he●am . l & questio , . . eibl. patrum . tom. . pars , . p. . e. , . hospinian de o●igine festorum , fol. . . b. , . , . marlorat in matth. . v. . joseph scaliger , de emendatione temporis , l. . & . p . , . god win his jewish antiquities , ● . c. c. . p. . ainsworth , his annotations on genesis . v. . levit. . together with most ancient and modern commentators upon gen. . . . . levit. . . exod. . . matth. . . c. . . c. . . mark . , , . luke , , . c. . . john . . acts . . cor. . . with those authours quoted in my histriomastrix . p. , . and u others in the margent : who all subscribe with one consent , that the seventh day sabbath , ( and all other dayes else ) in the scripture and jewish account , did ever begin and determine at evening ; this second conclusion therefore , is past all question . for the third ; that the same first day of the week , on which our saviour rose again , began at evening in divine computation : it is most certain . . because all dayes in scripture account did then begin , as the premises evidence : therefore this day too . secondly , because that seventh day sabbath , on which our saviour rested in his grave , began and end●d at evening : as is clear by matthew . . compared with levit. . and other fore quoted scriptures : by the joynt attestation of all divines and expositors on these scriptures : and by the second conclusion : therefore it must necessarily begin at evening , when this sabbath ended : else the evening may and night between the end of the sabbath , and our s●viours resurrection should be part of no day at all ( like that of job , job . , . being no parcell of the sabbath , nor yet of that first day of the week on which christ arose ) which can-not be . thirdly , all the evangelists with one consent , record , that our saviour rose again upon the first day of the week , very early in the morning , whiles it was dark , before the women came to his sepulchre , and after the sabbath was past . mark . , , . matth. . , . luke c. . , . john . , . the chief reason alledged by all ( especia●ly by our opposites in this controversie ) why christians solemnize this day as their sabbath . if then he arose upon the first day , the day was certainly begun some space before his resurrection ; else he must rise with it , or before it , not upon it . neither did or could this day-begin at morning , day-dawning , or sun-rising in divine compute , because our savior was risen , and the women were come to the grave before that time , as these texts affirm ; and yet then the x sabbath was past , and this first day begun ; which could not be if the day commenced not before the morning ; ( begining but at break of day , or sun-rising : ) n●ither did it begin at midnight , because the scripture , jews , and ecclesiasticall writers know no such naturall or divine incep●ion of the day ; therefore questionlesse it began at evening ; as the generality of expositors on these texts acknowledge , it being the true time of the dayes inchoation in divine accompt . fourthly , mat. . c. . . c. . . mark . . c. . luke . . hosea . . acts . . cor. . . and all our creeds assure us , that our saviour rose again the third day from his passion : which he predicting to his disciples , useth this expression , matth . . and mark . . after three dayes ( that is , after the beginning of three dayes , or of the third day from my passion , not after three dayes ended , for then he had risen again upon the fourth day , not the third ) i will rise again : which phrase ( being all one in sense with , upon the third day i will rise again , as appears by matth. . . ) implies that a good part of the third d●y on which he arose , should be past before his rising , which could not be , had the day b●gun just at morning or midnight , not at evening ; he being risen very early , whiles it was dark , john . , . the question then for the clearing of this article of christs resurrection upon the third day , will be onely this ; what is meant here by three days ? how these dayes are and ought to be computed ? and from what time they did begin ? to which all y ancient & modern divines , who have commented on the evangelists , or written of christs resurrection , reply with one accord . . that by three dayes in these scriptures is meant , not three intire dayes , ( for christ lay not three whole dayes in his grave ) but one whole day and a part of two other dayes , ) but part to wit part of the sixth day whereon he was crucified ; the whole sabbath day following it , and the evening or night which was part of the first day whereon he arose . . that these dayes must be thus computed , and did thus begin and end . the first of th●m being our good friday ) began at evening and ended at evening , shortly after our saviour was taken down from his crosse and intombed . the second of them ( being the th day sabbath ) began and ended at evening ; all which day christ rested , and kept a sabbath in his grave . the third day ( the jews first day , & our lords-day ) began at even , when the sabbath concluded , and ended the evening following , a little after our saviours appearance to his disciples , john . . by which calculation , our saviour lay part of the first , the whole second , and a good part of the third day in his grave , ( to wit , the evening and greatest part of the night ) and so well nigh half the third day , was past before his resurrection ; so that he might well be said to rise again the the third day ; and by a synechdoche membri , to lie three dayes in his grave , and z after three dayes , ( that is , after the beginning of three dayes , the latter part of the third day being included , and the forepart onely excluded in this phrase of speech ) to rise again : which he could not be properly said to do , had this third day , begun at morning , he being risen again when it was dark john . . matth. . , . and so upon the second day ; before not on or after the third day , in this strange accompt , which no divine in this particular of christs resurrection ever followed ; all of them joyntly resolving , that the third day on which our saviour arose , and the two preceding dayes , according to divine computation , began and ended at evening . wherefore this third conclusion , even by the unanimous consent of all men , is indubitable , and quite overturns our antagonists foundation for the lords dayes inc●ption in the morning , to wit , that christs resurrection in the morning , did translate the beginning of this first day , from evening to morning ; which is but a grosse mistake , directly contrary to all the recited scriptures , the resolution of all judicious divines , and writers in all ages , as i shall anon more fully manifest in its proper place . for the fourth , that this beginning and concluding of dayes at evening is immutable ( i mean in divine respects , not of civill ; ) it is most clear for these ensuing reasons . first , because it is that bound which god himself ( the a lord of times , and ancient of dayes ) hath prescribed them , both by his word , his works , and own divine calculation , as the three foregoing conclusions evidence : and what god himself hath thus limited and prefixed , cannot be altered but by himself alone ( who never changed this beginning or period of dayes for ought appears in scripture ) eccles . . jer. . , . c. . , . secondly , because it is that termination of days wch god himself instituted at the very creation , whenas he prefixed such limits to days & times , as were to contiue in all succeeding ages , till time should be no more , witnesse gen. . , , , , , to . . . where god made darknesse to precede the light , the evening antecedent to the morning , and to begin the day ; the evening and the morning , ( not the morning , and the evening , i mean in point of priority ) making the first seven days , and so by consequence all succeeding dayes ; the dayes and weeks being now the same , and of the same dimension , as they were at the creation ; and therefore retain the self same beginning and end now , as god designed to them then ; and that by a natura ; unchangeable ordinance . for god at the creation ordained the sunne , the moon , and starres , to rule over the day and night ; to divide the light from the darknes , ( that is , to bound out the day and night ) to be for signs and for seasons , and for dayes and years : gen. . . to . psal. . , , . psal. . . and that so long as the world should endure , or the sun and moon have a being . witnesse gen. . while the earth remaineth , seed time , and ha●vest , and cold and heat , and summer and winter , and day and night shall not cease : that is , they shall observe the bounds and times that i have pr●scribed them at the creation , without any alteration . jer. , , . and c. . . . makes this m●st clear . thus saith the lord , which giveth the sun for a light by day , and the ordinances of the moon and of the starres , for a light by night : if these ordinances depart from before me , or if you can break my covenant of the day and of the night , that there shall not be day and night in their season ( that is , at the time which i appointed at the creation ) then also might my covenant be broken with david my servant . which texts do fully evince the beginning , end of dayes , and limits of time instituted at the creation , to be unalterable so long as the world remains : which is likewise backed by psal. . , . ps. . . ps. . . ps. . . ps. . , and , , . the day is thine , the night also is thine , thou hast prepared the light and the sunne , thou hast made summer and winter . he appointeth the moon for seasons , the sunknoweth his going down : thou makest darknesse , and it is night . praise him sun and moon , praise him all ye starres of light , for he commanded and they were created , he hath also established them for ever and ever , he hath made a decree which shall not passe . from all which scriptures it is infallible , that god at the creation fixed immutable limits to dayes and times , both for their beginning , end , length , which shall and must continue the same for ever ; ( the dayes , weeks moneths and years , being of the same extent for the present , as they were at the beginning ) therefore the inception and ending of the day at evening , being settled at the creation , doth and must remain unalterable . thirdly , this inchoa●ion and conclusion of the day at evening , is ratified by the fourth commandement , a morall and perpetuall precept , founded on the very course and l●w of nature at the creation , as most assert , gen. . , . . for this commandement enjoyning men , b to keep holy the sabbath day , to do no manner of work upon it , and to labour six dayes , and do all their wor● : for in six dayes the lord made heaven and earth , the sea and all that in them is and rested the seventh day : wherefore the lord blessed he sabbath day , and hallowed it : doth her● in apparently confirm for ever , the beginning , ●nd , and limits bo●h of dayes and weeks , as they were ●●ttled at the creation . for this precept having a retrospect to gods six dayes work , and his seventh dayes rest , when he created the world ; and enjoyning men to work six dayes , to rest the seventh day , and keep it holy , as god did then ; doth apparantly intimate , that these foresaid seven dayes , were as so many royall standards of time , by which all subsequent dayes and weeks must be measured : which must begin , end , and have the same dimen●ions , with that originall week , and those first seven dayes . wherefore since they began and ended at evening then , as i have proved : all other dayes likewise must do so , by vertue of this command . the rather , because it prescribes men , to finish all their work in six dayes , and then to begin their rest , when their work ends , as god did his : but their six dayes work usually c ends at evening ; therefore their six days also should then d●termine , and their sabbath or seven dayes r●st begin ; and so by consequence all the six dayes , the sabbath day , and so all dayes ( for ever ) should commence and end at evening , so long as this commandement is in being , or dayes and weeks shall last . fourthlv , the beginning of dayes must needs be immutable , because the alteration of it from evening to morning , or midnight ( which thwarts the scripture computation ) would falsisie , corrupt many passages and texts of scripture ; call into question the truh of our saviours resurrection on the third day ; and somewhat alter the scripture chronology , which is most exact and punctuall ; neither of which are sufferable by god or christians . lastly , this beginning and close of dayes , hath an influence into gods worship : who as he hath prescribed men , how ; so likewise , when to worship him : to wit , especially on the sabbath , which he hath appropriated to himself ; stiling it , his own sabbath , and holy day , exod. . , . levit. . . deut. . . neh. c. . isa. . . exod. . , c. , . the sanctification therefore of the sabbath being a part of gods worship , and the sabbath his own peculiar day ; * which most hold , christ and his apostles , and the primitive christians by gods warrant translated to the lords day ) that beginning and limits of it , which god hath fixed , must not be changed but by god ; because it would alter both gods day and worship too . to prevent which inconvenience , god hath given not onely generall commands to sanctifie this day , but likewise a speciall precept to begin and end it at even , levit. . . from even to even you shall celebrate your sabbath : there being no such particular precept given for the limits of other dayes , ( which are bounded out in more generall termes ) it being both dangerous and absurd , to leave the inception , or bounds of the sabbath arbitrary unto men , to begin and end it when they please ; the day being gods not theirs ; the sanctification thereof , a speciall part of his service , which men have no power to alter or diminish : and whatsoever in god● service is not of faith ( warrantted or prescribed by his word ) being sinne and will-worship , rom. . . col. . . , , , . from all which i may safely affirm ; that this beginning and ending of dayes at even ( especially of the sabbath day ) is immutable , and so my fourth conclusion undeniable . for the fifth ; that christs resurrection in the morning did no wayes alter the beginning or end of dayes , nor yet translate the inception of that day whereon he arose , from evening to morning ; it is unquestionable . first , because this commencement and conclusion of dayes at evening , is immutable ; as i have manifested in in the fourth conclusion , therefore not altered by christ● resurrection . secondly , because christs passion and resurrection abolished or changed nothing , but that which was typicall and ceremoniall : witnesse gal. . , , . col. . . to . acts . . , . heb. . , . c. . . , . with the unanimous suffrage of all divine● . but the beginning and end of dayes at even ; was no wayes typicall or ceremoniall , but rather naturall and morall , being instituted at the creation , ratified by the fourth commandement , and immutably fixed for ever , as the premise● testifie . therefore it was not abolished , or translated by christs resurrection or passion from evening to morning . thirdly , christ abrogated or changed nothing , but what was necessary to be abolished or altered upon warrantable reasons and substantiall grounds : see heb. . , , . c. . . to . c. . . to , . col. . , , , . ephes. . . gal. . . to . acts . . . but there was no necessity , reason , cause , or ground at all , of altering this begining and end of dayes at evening : therefore christs resurrection did not alter or abolish it . fourthly , the alteration , limitation , of times , dayes , and seasons , is a peculiar prerogative of god the father , reserved in his own power , not in christs , as is manifest by acts . . matth. . . mark . . levit. . . &c. psal. . , . exod. . , , , . exod. . , , , . compared with daniel . , . psal. . , . jer. . . c. . . psal. . , , . upon which priviledge royall none anciently durst encroach , but that presumptuous horn , typifying the papacy . dan. . . christ therefore by his bare resurrection made no such alteration of the dayes inchoation , having no speciall commission from his father so to do . fifthly , there is not one word or sillable in all the scripture , which either affirms or intimates , that christs resurrection made any mutation of the beginning or end of dayes , neither can any man produce one substantiall reason , grounded on scripture , why christs resurrection should cause such a change as this : or why his resurrection should do it , rather than his nativity , passion , or ascension . therefore i may saf●ly conclude , that it made no such change untill the contrary can be proved . sixthly , the scripture is expresse , that christs resurr●ction did no wayes change either the order , name , or nature of that day whereon he aros● . for all the evangelists speaking of it as christs resurrection day in their histories of the resurrection ( penned some space after it ) ever stile it , the first day of the week , math. . . mark . . luke . . john . . . the very name that was given it at the creation , gen. . . which was still retained after our saviours resurrection and ascension : acts . . cor. . . having no other title at all imposed on it but this in scripture . ( that of revel. . . to wit , the title of lords-day , being applyed by some to the seventh day sabbath ; by others , ●o d easter day onely : yet by * most to the lords-day ) for ought that certainly appears . which name implies , that it continued the same after christs resurrection , as before ; the first day of the week , for number , order ; beginning the week as afore ; and so by consequence commencing at evening as before ; it being the same in name , in order , in nature ( though not in use and observation amongst christians ) as it was at the creation : therefore the same in its inception too , and so not altered from evening to morning . seventhly that very first day on which christ arose in scripture and divine account began and ended at evening ( not at morning or midnight ) as i have undeniably proved at large in the third conclusion : christs resurrection therefore , did no wayes alter or translate the beginning of it from morning to evening , as some f●lsely affirm , but never prove : and if it made no such mu●ation of the beginning and end of that same first day on which he arose ; much lesse then of any other that succeeded it , or of the other week dayes on which he did not rise again . christs resurrection did not actually translate the beginning of that first day on which he arosegain from evening to morning : for had that day begun at morning , just at or from the time which he arose ( 〈◊〉 some pretend ) then he had not risen again upon the third , but on the second day from his passion ; which directly oppugnes the e scripture , and the article of our creed , that he rose again the third day from the dead , not the second . to make this reason evident . the morning of this first day began not till day breaking , or day-light : and if this first day began then too , christ certainly did not , could not rise upon it , but before it , and so on the second day : for the women came to the sepulchre when it was yet dark ( before day-light appeared , or the f day began in this accompt ) and yet christ was then risen : john . , . therefore before the day began in this computation . and if they will begin it from the time that christ arose , since christs resurrection was the cause ( as they sayd ) of this its new inception , or the terminus à q●o , from whence it began ; they still sti●k fast in the same mir● . for if christs resurrection changed the commencement of this day , he must be actually risen ere this change could be made , since the cause must necessarily precede the effect ; which must begin from and after it , not before , or with it ; and if the moment of christs resurrection was the terminus whence this day began ( as they affirm ; ) his resurrection must needs precede the day , that point of time , from whence the day begins being exclusive , as precedent to it , not inclusive , as any part or parcell of it : and so christ must necessarily rise , before this first day ( to wit , upon the sabbath or second day ) not upon or g after it began ; and so , not upon the third , or first day of the week , as the scripture affirms : and by consequence not upon that lords-day which they solemnize , from morning to morning , in memory of his resurrection on it ; which by their own reasoning ●nd computation was before it , not upon it . all which considered , i may undoubtedly conclude , that christs resurrection did no way●s alter the beginning or end of dayes , ( no not of that first day on which he arose ) from morning to evening : so that this last conclusion is infa●lib● . these five conclusions being thus premised , and i hope undeniably proved ; i shall now deduce five unanswerable arguments from them to prove , that the lords-day , doth and ought of right to begin and end at evening ; not at morning or midnight . . if all dayes in scripture and divine account do alwayes begin and end at evening ( not at morning or midnight ) then the lords-day ( being the first day of the week , and included in the universality of dayes ) must do so too : but all dayes in scripture and divine computation , do alwayes begin and end at evening , ( not morning or midnight ) as the first conclusion mani●ests . therefore the lords-day doth so too . . if the seventh day sabbath in scripture account did alway commence and determine at evening , and the jews did ever solemnise it from evening to evening ; then the lords-day ( which succeeds it , and begins when the sabbath ends ) must then begin and conclude ; seeing all the week-dayes are of the self-same length , and must have the same inception and conclusion : & since this sabbath was thus solemnized long after our saviours resurrection by the apostles , jews , and christians too . matth. . . . acts , , . . c. . . c. . , c. . , , . c. . . but the seventh day sabbath in scripture calculation did alwayes commence and determine at evening , and the h jews did ever solemnize it from evening to evening ; as the second conclusion testifies : therefore the lords day must then begin and conclude . . if that very first day of the week whereon our saviour rose again , began and ended at evening in divine accompt , even as it was his resurrection day : then the lords day ( kept in memory of his resurrection on that day ) being the self same day of the week , and having the self same limits as that day had ; must then begin and end likewise . but that very first day of the week , whereon our saviour rose again began and ended at evening in divine compute , even as it was his resurrection day : therefore the lords day in respect of its weekly observation and solemnization in memory of our savlours resurrection on it , must commence ●nd detemine at evening too . the s●quel is u●deniable ; the minor is fully proved in the third conclusion ; so the argument is unanswerable . . this beginning and determination of dayes at evening be naturall and immutable , therefore the lords day must have , can have , no other inception or conclusion , but at evening . . i christs resurrection in the morning did no ways alter the beginning or end of dayes , nor yet translate the beginning of that day whereon he arose , from evening to morning ; then we ought to make no such alteration ; ( for that were to be wiser than christ , yea to usurp gods speciall prerogative , to alter times , dan. . , . c. . . ) & so must keep the lords-day from evening to evening , not from morning to morning , or from midnight to midnight . but christs resurrection in the morning , did no wayes alter the beginning and end of dayes ; nor yet translate the beginning of that day whereon he arose from evening to morning ; therefore the lords-day ought to be kept from evening to e●vening , not from morning to morning , or midnight to midnight . what can be truly and substantially replyed to these five arguments , i cannot conjecture , they being of sufficient weight to oversway the ballance of this controversie . now to clear this truth more fully ; i shall to these five arguments , accumulate ten reasons more , proving , that the sabbath , and lords day , ought to begin at evening . first , because this inception of the sabbath and lords day , is most suitable to the nature of these dayes . for the sabbath being nothing else in proper speech , but a day of rest , and being oft times stiled in scripture a sabbath of rest , exod. . . c. . . c. . . c . . c. . , levi. . . c. . . . c. . c. . . c. . . deut. . . ( both man and beast being enjoyned to rest from their labours on this day : ) it is most agreeable to reason , and the equality of the day , that this resting day should begin at evening , when men naturally and customarily begin their rest , and end their labours : rather than at morning , when they commonly begin their work ; or at midnight , when as they are in the mid●est of their rest and sl●ep . for when can a day of rest so aptly commence , as when men begin their rest ? their resting on it from other labors , being one part of the solemn zation of it ? this therefore being the fittest time to begin the day ; no doubt , but god ( who doth all things wisely and in the * aptest season ) hath ordered that it should then commence , ( ●s i have manifested in the foregoing conclusions ) it being most proportionable to the nature of the day . secondly , this commencement is most agreeable to gods own example , and to the fourth commandement : for god began his seven dayes rest , i so soon as ever he ceased from his six dayes works of creation , gen. . , . . exod. . , . yea the fourth commandement prescribing us to labour six dayes , and to do all our work , and to rest the seventh day ; implies , that we should b●gin our sabbath dayes rest , when as we finish our six dayes wo●k : and that is at evening , not at morning or midnight . therefore we should then commence our sanctification of it , and rest upon it . thirdly , this beginning of the sabbath and lords-day , is every way best for men , as most consonant to the course of nature , and their common practise , for men naturally and customarily ( and that by gods own appointment , and the scriptures approbation ) end their weekday labours at evening and b●gin their rest at k or night , witnes ps. . , . the sun ariseth man goeth forth unto his work , and to his labour untill the evening , john . . i must work the works of him that sent me , whiles it is called to day , the night cometh when no man can work , judg . . behold there came an old man from his work out of the field at evening , z●ph . . in the houses of askelon they shal lie down in the evening , thess. . those that sleep , sleep in the night , together with gen. . , . exod. . gen. ● . . numb . . levit. . . n●b . judg. . . . eccle● . num : . judg. . . c. . . c. . . hos. . . is . . . whereas as by a natural insti●ct , and gods command they usually begin their work in the morning , not their rest , as is evid●nt by eccles . . in the morning sow thy seed , mat. . , , . the kingdome of heaven is like to a man that is an housholder , which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard , and by gen. . c. . . . . exod. . . c. . . judg. . . ruth . , . psal. ● . . chron. . mat. . . psal. . . now the sabbath being a day of rest from labour , and being likewise made for man , no●man for it . mark . . and men naturally and ustomarily in all ages , all ●l●ces , by gods own ordination , determining their weekly labours , and beginning their rest at evening ; it is most fit , mo●● proper , and convenient , in respect of men , and this their naturall use , that the sabbath , and lords day should begin at evening , when as they voluntarily and naturally ce●se their secular labours , and devote themselves to r●st . but most unsuitable and inconvenient to begin it in the morning , the time when work begins , or at midnight , when half their rest is past . neither is this reason to be sl●ighted ; for all things being made l for man , and the sabbath too , no doubt but god did accommodate and suit them in such manner , as should be most commodious and convenient for men , and most consonant to the naturall course of their affairs . this inchoation therefore of the sabbath and lords-day , being most proportionable to the naturall order of mens working , and rest ( and so the more easie and possible to be observed by them ) is no doubt the truest , the properest of all others ; and therefore ought to be embraced . . that the beginning of the sabbath , and lord-day which is easiest for christians to observe , and doth best of all begin the sanctification of them , is questionlesse , the best , the tru●st : but this beginning them at evening is such : . because men then naturally end their worldly imployments , and begin their rest , ●ven of their own accord without constraint : and what so easie , as that which is naturally and voluntary ? . because all men that have any religion or shew of christianity in them , do then constantly fall to their private devotions and family duties , the evening being a fit time for holy meditations , prayers , and religious exercises , gen. . . chron. . . chron. . . psal. . . psal. . dan. . . now what time so fit to begin the sabbath and lords-day ( appropriated n wholly to gods worship ) as that whereon most christians voluntarily and constantly apply themselves unto his immediate service in their closets or in their familie devotions ? . these dayes are dayes of o holynesse , and being such , ought alwayes to begin and end with holy duties . every christian will grant it fitting and convenient , if not necessary , that the lords day should be begun and ended with private , and continued with holy , publick exercises , suitable to the day . which being so , if it should begin and end at midnight , what christians usually do , or can conveniently begin & end it thus ? they being then at rest yea * fast asleep in their beds , & that by the course of nature , and gods own appointment , without any sinne at all , thes. . . mat. . , . c. . . and for men to be tied to rise up at midnight , or to sit up til then , to begin then the lords-day , with holy duties , what an inconvenience & burthen would it be ? again if it should begin and determine at morning , so soon as day-light begins ; how many christians are then up through the whole year on lords-day mornings , and the mornings following , to commence and conclude it with holy duties ? yea what a vexation , and trouble would it be ( especially to aged and sickly persons ) to rise every lords day , and monday at day-dawning , or some space before , to begin and close it with meditations , prayers , praises , devotions ? certainly if the lords-day should commence and end either at morning or midnight , and christians were tied in * point of conscience , to begin and conclude it with holy exercises , most men would grow weary of observing it , and cast off the sanctification of it as an intollerable burthen . but now if we begin and end it at evening ( when every man is up , and ends his labours , and goes unto his private devotions and familiar duties of his * own accord , and then enjoy this rest as on other evenings ) how easily and conveniently without any toyl or inconvenience may all sorts of men begin and conclude it in an holy manner , without any disturbance of their na●ural sleep , or endangering their health ? and how sweetly , how comfortably may they embrace the inception , and take their farewel of the conclusion of it ? with what delight , pleasure , ease & conuenience , may they sanctifie it : this beginning and ending therefore of the sabbath and lords-day , being the easiest of all others , the best for all christians to take hold of without any pain or inconvenience ; the best for the true , & pious commencement and conclusion of these dayes with holinesse and devotion , is undoubtedly that which godhimself hath instituted , and all christians must retain ; this being one main cause why god commanded the jews to sanctifie their sabbath , and keep their festivalls from evening to evening ; lev. . . exod. . . because the evening in all the foreuamed respects , was most convenient and proper , to begin and end all sacred dayes . . the lords-day ( as all of the contrary opinion acknowledge ) is substituted in the place of the seventh day sabbath , in memoriall of our sauiours resurrection upon it : but that sabbath ( as the premises evidence ) began and concluded at evening : therefore the lords-day should do so too , it being but the ancient weekly sabbath transl●ted to another day ; and there being no preceptnor president in scripture , to begin the sabbath or lords-day at morning or midnight ; but both precepts and examples to commence and end it at evening , as the foregoing conclusions prove . the rather because it is confessed by all my opposites in opinion ; that the lords-day succeedeth the seventh day sabbath , & is to be weekly , wholly & intirely consecrated to gods publick and private worship ; and that by the very equity and morality of the fourth commandement . which is the received opinion not onely of most of our own writers , who have written of the sabbath or lords-day , and commented on the fourth commandement by learned henry bullinger , decad. . c. . joannes pappus enar . in isaiam c. . and very many of the learnedest protestant writers in forreign parts , quoted by learned wallaeus in his disputatio de sabbato , to which i refer the reader for fuller satisfaction ; but likewise of the learnedest popish schoolmen , commentators , and writers of all sorts ; as namely of peter lombard lib. . sententiarum : distinctio . richardus de media villa , joannes scotus , henricus de veru-maria , christopherus , silvestranus , gulielmus estius and others in lib. . sententiarum . distinct . . dionysius carthusianus , in lib . sententiarum . distinct . . & in fxod enarratio c. . where he thus writes . memento ut diem sabbati sanctifices , id est , in sanctis operibus diem illum expendas , & divino cultui arplicas eum : per quod & nunc diei dominici jvbetvr cellebritas . bonaventura in lib. . sentent . distinct . . sermones de decem praeceptis . sermon . . operum , tom. . p. . & speculum animae c. . ibid. p. . where he determines thus . per hoc autem in lege nostra dominica intelligitur observatio siquidem diei dominici e●t de jvre divino , scilicet praeceptum divinvm , ut habetur in exodo : memento ut diem sabbati sanctifices , &c. sancti raymundi lumina . lib. . tit. de feriis ac festis , p. . . acutè thomas aquinas in lib. . sentent . distinct . . artic. . & . quaest. . artic. . with all his fo●lowers on these places . hugo cardinalis comment in exod. ● . tostatus abulensis in exod. . qu. , , . ( an exc●llent pregnant discourse to this purpose ) and in . regum tom. . p. . joannes gerson compendium theologiae in . praeceptum operum tom . p. . astensis summa lib. . tit. . de observantia sabbati , ang●lus de clavatio , summa angelica . tit. praeceptum sect. , , . bernardinus senensis . sermo . . de observantia sabbati , ( an excellent , full , pious discourse ) paulus de sancta ma●ia , sc●utiniun : scripturarum , pars . distinct . . c. . antonius cadubi●nsis quastionarii lib qu . jacobus de valentia adversus judaeos . qu. . soto , de justitia & jure , lib. . qu. . art. qu. domincus bannes a secundae qu. . artic. . didacus stella comment in luc. c. . couarruinas , resolutionum lib. . c . conclus . . & . joannis nyder , as also michael marspurgiensis in . praeceptum . enchiridion christianae institutionis , set forth by the whole council of colen , an. in . praeceptum . f. . to . hector pintus : comment. in isaiam cap. . & in ezech. cap. . ambrosius . catherinus enar. in genesis c. . p. , . petrus binsfeldius enchiridion theologiae pastoralis pars . c. . p. . cardinal bellarmin , de cultu sanctorum , lib. . c. . azorius the jesuit . instit. moralium pars . lib. . c. . lorinus comment . in deut. c. p. , , . petrus vincentius de marzilla , annotatio in exod. c. . annot. . p. . corne●ius à lapide comment. in deut. . p. . leonardus marius comment . in exod. c. . num. . p. . vincentius filiucius . moralium quaestionum . tom. in . praecepium deoalogi c. . sect. . to p. . &c. . p. . ludovicus ystella comment . in exod. . p. . to whom i shall annex our own irresragable english doctors , alexander alensis , summa theologie pars . qu. . memb. . nicholaus de lyra , a converted english jew , comment . in exod. . john peelham archbishop of canterbury , and william lyndwood constit . provincialium . lib. . de officio archiepresbyteri , f. . . thomas waldensis ; doctrinale fidei tom. . tit. . c. . de celebrando festivè , diem dominicum sine mundanis operibus . the flower of the commandements of god on the third commandement . dives & paurer on the third commandement , c. . f. . printed in times of popery : all of them resolving , the fourth commandement to be morall still in force , obliging all christians under the gospel to the weekly observation and sanctification of the intire lords-day , that totvs ille dies tvtaliter divino cvltvi applicandvs est ; & nihil aliud agendum nisi deo vacandum : and that because dies integer , & sabbatum totum cultui divino sacratur : not two or three hours of it onely devoted to the publick exercise of gods worship in the church as some new * doctors assent ; who allot the rest to sports , pastimes , and wordly labours or affairs ; being more lic●ntious and prophane than papists in this point , who are generally as strict as the greatest puritane writers in their doctrines , for their intire sanctification of the lords day ; and against the use of all ordinary labours , sports , pastimes , dancing , enterludes , and carnall pleasures on it or any part thereof , even from evening to evening , when they begin and end it . now if the lords-day it self , be thus to be sanctified and solemnized by christiaans , even by the equity and morality of the fourth commaudement it self , literally commencing onely the sanctification of the seuenth day sabbath , which began and ended alwayes at evening . then it must by the very equity and morality of the sourth commandement , be sanctified and solemnized by christians from evening to evening , as the seventh dae sabbath was , both by jews and christians , heretofore by vertue of this precept , which reason our opposites can no wayes evade . . our opposites themselves , apply all texts and precepts in the old testament , for the sanctification of the seuenth day sabbath unto the lords-day sabbath , as being all one with it in substance . why then should they or any other , reject that text of levit. . . from even to even ye shall celebrate your sabbath . refuse the usuall scripture computation of the beginning and ending all dayes , all festivalls at evening ; and affix a new incep●ion or ●nd to the lord-day ( and all other dayes too ) at morning or midnight , which the sacred writ doth no wayes warrant : as therefore they apply most other things concerning the seventh day sabbath to the lords day , so must they now the time and texts for its beginning too , unlesse they can give good scripture reasons for it , which no man can do . . the beginning of the lords-day and sabbath at evening , as soon as the sun sets , or the evening-star begins to shine , as it is most certain , ( whereas the beginning of it from the hour or moment of christs resurrection , which is not certainly known nor expressed by the evangelists , is arbitrary and uncertain , and so not to be embraced : ) so is it m●st consonant to that rest or sabbath in heaven , of which these sabbaths are a reall type . heb. . to . for our heavenly sabbath ever begins in the very evening , and sunset of our dayes , when death puts a period to them , rev . . job . , . or at least at the evening and period of this world , when dayes shal be no longer , rev. . , . therefore by the analogy of the type to the substance , those sabbaths should begin at evening too , when the day-light ends : the rather , because the evening usually puts an end to our labours , and begins our ordinary rest , as death ( the evening of our dayes ) concludes our earthly toyls and travels , and commenceth our heavenly rest , rev. . . . this beginning of the sabbath and lords day at evening , doth best prepare men for the sanctification and duties of it , and most of all prevent the profanation of it . for first it makes men to put a timely period to their weekly labours on saturday evening , and then to begin the sanctification of it with private meditations , prayer , singing of psalms , reading the scriptures , catcchifing of their children , and families , examination of their own hearts and wayes , and such like holy duties : where as the doctrines of its beginning at midnight or morning light ( as wofull evperience witnesseth ) makes many spend a great part of the satturday evening and night , ( when the sabbath and lords-day begin in true calculation ) especially in cities and market towns , in buying , selling , drinking , gaming , who●ing , and such like worldly or carnall imployments ; which this doctrine of its commencement at evening would easily redresse . . it causeth men to go to bed , and take their rest in due season , to rise the more early in the morning , to come to the publick duties of gods worship , with greater chearfulnesse , and better preparation , and so to receive more profit by them : to resort more timely to the church , to dispatch their own private devotions , before they go to the publick assemblies , and to be every way more holy and active : wheras the other midnight or morning inception of it , makes trades men & others to set up saturday nights ( as we erroneously both call and repute them , very late about secular , or vi●ious , sinfull imployments ( there being more sinnes for the most part , and disordrs committed that evening and night , then on any , or all the other six : to lie long in bed the lords day morning ; to come very late to church , or not at all ; to repair to publick duties without any , ( or at least with small ) preparation , bringing along with them heads , and hearts full of worldly cares , of sinfull thoughts , of unlamented iniquities , and as full of deadnesse , and drowsinesse ; which makes them either to sleep out prayers and sermons too , or not to observe and mind them , as they ought : all which the evening , beginning thereof would readily & best prevent . wherfore i may safely conclude , that the sabbath and lords-day ought of right to b●gin at evening since god ( being * only wise ) would certainly institute such an inchoation of them , as might best prepare and enable men to their sanctification , and most anticipate their prophanation ; the cause why he prescribed the celebration of the sabbath from even to even , levit. . . if i righly conjecture . . it is confessed by all , that in the scripture and israelites account , all dayes began at evening , as i have proved at large before : it is likewise most certain that christ and his apostles being israelites , did ever constantly observe the scripture , and their own nationall computation of the beginning and end of dayes , it being that which christ himself , and all the evangelists follow , as i have evidenced at large , in the third and fifth conclusions ; neither is it any way probable that christ and his apostles , ( or the primitive-church and christians , who were in all things guided by them ) did or would alter this their nationall and divine beginning , or concluding of dayes , there being no ground or reason for it , for ought that yet appeares . if therefore the lords-day were instituted and consecrated for a sabbath , by christ himself , as many or by his apostles , as most ; or by the primitive church christians onely , soon after the apostles time , as others affirm ; ( one of which three opinions is and must be granted by them for undoubted truth ) then it is most certain , that it must and did ( at its very first institution and observation ) begin and end at evening ( not at morning or midnight or b●cause christ himself , his apostles , and the primitive church did ever constantly observe this computation ; therfore they would not , did not institute any other beginning of it , but this alone : which reason ( in my poore weak apprehension ) is so solid , that it admits of no evasion or reply . lastly , that beginning and end of the lords-day , which the church & people of god in all ages , from the first institution of the lords-day to this present age , have constantly observed , and the church and learned in those ages pofitively in expresse terms resolved , to be most true and genuine , is * questionless the proper infallible inception & conclusion thereof ( this no man i presume , either will or can deny . ) but this beginning and ending of the lords-day at evening , which i here pl●ad for , is that which the church and people of god in all ages , from the first in stitution of the lords-day to this present age have constantly observed , and the church and learned in those age , have positively in expresse termes resolved to be most true and genuine : none ●ver oppngning i● till q wolphius , about some sixty years since , the first i find or hear of , that broached ●● is new opinion of its beginning at morning , because our saviour did then rise again ; whose authority and sophisticall reason ( a meere non sequitur , as i shall prove anon ) hath s●duced and drawn over many unto his opinion , both in their judgements and practise too ) therefore it is questionlesse the proper infallible inception and conclusion thereof . the minor which is onely liable to exception ( and may seem a paradox to some , who over-rashly stile this position of the lords-dayes beginning at evening , an upstart novelty never heard of in the church of god till this present age , in truth because th●mselves are ignorant in antiquities , and versed onely in late modern writers , who fome●t the contrary error , which i da●e affirm , to be the late sigment of some modern auth●●u●s , not once so much as heard of in any former ages , which i here challenge them to disprove : ) i shall make good by unanswerable reasons and authorities , ( as i conceit them ) even from the very apostles time to this present century ; and that in a chronologicall method , beginning with the primitive times , and so descending in order to this present age . it is a querie , not yet resolved amongst divines , when and by whom the observation of the lords-day for a sabbath , was instituted ? some hold it was instituted by christ himself between his resurrection and ascension : others that it was instituted by the apostles after christe the ascention , but at what certain time they do not accord . a third sort affirm , that it was ordained onely by the primitive church , and christians a little after the apostles times , or as the * council of paris and others affirm , by the council of laodicea , about yeares after christ , but not by christ or his apostles . for my own part , as i shall not peremptorily resolve in this place , which of these opinions is the truest , it being not the scope of this present discourse : ●eferring you to mr. sprint , dr. bownd , mr. widly , mr. dod , mr. cleaver , mr. bernard , dr. twisse , bishop andrews , the practise of piety , mr. elten and others , who have written of this subject , & on the fourth commandement , for satisfaction herein , which requires a particular tract. so i shall on the other side positively affirm , that let the lords-day be instituted either by christ himself , or the apostles , or the primitive church and christians succeeding next after the apostles , about the end of the first century after christ , ( at which ti●e it is clear by the testimonies of ignatius , clemens alexandrinus , justin martyr , tertullian , irenaeus , plinie , and others , that the lords day was usally solemnized by christians ) yet the fi●st institutors of it , and the primitive christians who first observed it , did ever begin and end it at evening , which i shall make good by these reasons , ( there being no direct convincing authority ●●●ant , either when the lords-day was first instituted , or ●t what time it was first appointed to begin . ) . if christ or the apostles constituted it for a sabbath , it is more then probable , if not certain , that they ordained it to begin and end at evening . . because they being all jews , and ever exactly following the scripture , and their own nationall account , of commencing the day at evening , as i haue formerly euidenced ; we cannot conceive that they should institute any new beginning of the lorde-day , at midnight or moruing , contrary to the scripture , and their received count●ey account , but that they still observed this usuall and divine computation , even in the institution , and solemnization of this day . . because this beginning of this day being immutable , and in * god the fathers power onely to alter , not in theirs ; it had been a presumption in them to change it , without a speciall commission from him ; the times being still in his power , even at christs ascension , not in christs or his apostles , acts . . but we never read of any such commission granted them to alter this day from evening to morning , therefore it is presumption , yea folly to believe or assirm it . . because the lords-day ( as all sides accord ) was instituted in memory of christs resurrection on the first day of the week . now the first day ( as i have manifested ) began and ended at evening in divine evangelicall account , even as our saviours resurrection day ; neither did his resurrection on it alter its beginning from evening to morning : therefore the lords-day being but the first day of the week , and having the same beginning and setting as christs very resurrection day had , must begin , and end at even , at its primitive institution and observation : neither did or could the institution of the first day of the week for a sabbath , in memory of christs resurrection , change the beginning of the day , since christs resurrection it self in the morning , ( the supposed cause of this alteration ) did it not . . because christ , or his apostles ▪ would never consecrate a day in memory of the resurrection on it , within the compasse of which day christ did not rise again : for that were a great absurdi●y : but had they consecrated a lords-day to begin at morning from day-breaking , or from the very time that christ ar●se ( which is uncertain , unknown , and so this lordsdayes beginning too ) they had instituted such a lords-day within the compasse of which christ did not rise , he being risen before day-break , whiles it was dark matth. . . john . . and his resurrection being but the point , from which the day begins , and so not within it , on it , but before it . therefore they instituted it to begin at evening , not at morning . . it is certain , that christ himself , his apostles , and the primitive christians , for some good space of time did constantly observe the seventh day sabbath , after christs passion , and resurrection ; the evangelists , and saint luke in the acts , ever stiling it , the sabbath-day , ( which name it yet retains in * latine ) and making mention of its conscionable solemnization by the apostles , and other christians . mark . . luke . . see mark . . and luke . . matth. . . acts . c. , , . . . c. . . c. . , . c. . , , . and c. . . it being still solemnized by many christians , after the apostles times , even till the council of laodicea , about the year of our lord . as ecclesiasticall writers , and the th canon of this council testifie , which runs thus , ſ quod non oportet christianos judaizare , & otiare in sabbato , sed operari in eodem die . ( which many did refuse at that time to do : ) praeferentes autem in veneratione dominicum diem ( there being then a great controversie among christians , which of these two dayes , the seventh day sabbath , or the lords-day should have precedency , t both of them being then observed by some ) si vacare voluerint , ut christiani hoc faciant ; quod si reperti fuerint judaizare anathema sint à christo . since thererefore the seventh day sabbath was thus solemnized by christ , the apostles , and primitive christians , after the resurrection till this laodicean council did in a manner quite abolish the observation of it : it necessarily follows , that they began their lords-day celebration at evening . for the seventh day sabbath , ( as i have proved in the second conclusion ) did ever begin and end at evening , and is so solemnized and begun by the jews at this day : wherefore they concluding this day at evening , they must necessarily begin the lords day then , because the first day of the week which they celebrated as the lords-day , did then commence ? the evening following the seventh day sabbath , being apart of it in their account , and one day ever necessarily beginning when the other ends . to these five reasons i might adde those others formerly alledg●d to prove that the lords-day ought to begin at evening . all which being laid together , are an infallible proof ; that admit the lords-day instituted by christ and his apostles , yet it was ordained by them from the very first , to begin and end at evening , and so to be solemnized , and that themselves did thus begin it . if it were onely instituted by the primitive christians * succeeding them , no question but they at first concluded , that it should be sanctified from evening to evening , many of them being jews , who kept all their sabbaths and festivals from evening to evening , to whom the other christians did readily conform in this particular , because it was the scripture computation , even from the creation , and for other premised reasons . for the apostles themselves , and other christians condescending to them for a time , in the point of circumcision , purification , and other such ceremonies , quite abrogated by christs death , acts . to . cor. . . gal. . , . c. . . would certainly concurre with them in the beginning and ending of their sabbaths , and sacred festivities , which were no wayes ceremoniall , nor altered , nor abrogated by christs death . from which premises i conclude ; that let the lords-day be instituted , when or by whomsoever , yet it was ordained in its primary institution to be solemnized from evening to evening , and that it was sanctified in this manner by its originall institutors . to put this out of question , i shall descend from the alledged reasons , to direct authorities , culling out some few of the chiefest in all ages , and pretermitting all the rest for brevity sake . i shall begin with the ancientest first , and so proceed in order to our present times . the first authority i shall insist on , is , that of acts . , , . ( which many object against me , though it be most pregnant for me ) and upon the first day of the week , when the disciples came together to break bread , paul preached unto them , ready to depart on the morrow , and continued his speech untill midnight : and there were many lights in the upper chamber where they were gathered together , &c. when therefore he was come up again , and had broken bread , and eaten , and talked a long while , even till break of day , so he departed . this is the very first and best scripture authority properly alledged for the solemnization of the lords-day , by the apostles and christians of that age , who began the celebration thereof at evening , not at morning or midnight , as is plain by this text . . because their solemnizing of it begun no doubt at that time , when as they came together to break bread ; that is , to receive the sacrament , as most , or to keep their agape or love-feasts , as others interpret it ; or rather ( in truth ) to do both : but the christians in that time did both celebrate the sacrament and keep their love-feasts at u evening , in imitation of our saviour , who first instituted and kept the sacrament at evening , after supper , luke , . john . , . c. . . whence it is called the lords supper , cor. . . see luke . , , , . rev. . . . this is manifest by cor. . , . when ye come together therefore into one place , this is not to eat the lords-supper : for in eating every one taketh his own supper ; and one is hungry and another is drunken : now this text styling the sacrament , the lords supper , and informing us , that the corinthians did usually receive it after they had eaten their own suppers ; and that some were drunk when they came to receive it ( and in those times , they that were drunk , were drunk in the night , thes. . . ) ascertains us , that this their coming to receive the * sacrament and keep their love-feasts , was at evening or candletining , when it was supper time . . because the text saith , there were many lights in the upper room where they were gathered together ; and that paul preached from the time of their coming together till midnight : both which do manifestly declare their assemblies begun at evening , as they anciently did , because there were many lights in the room where they met , which were lightted ( as the text insinuates ) before , or so soon as they assembled in it : and because it is not probable that paul ( who begun his sermon when they came together , as the words imply ) did preach from midnight , or the morning before , till midnight following , there being never such a sermon heard of : but onely from candle tining till midnight , the space of four or five hours . . because the christians in the next succeeding ages , ( as is manifest by y plinie and z tertullian ) did begin their christian meetings , and love-feasts at evening , whence they likewise stiled them a supper ; which tertullian thus describes , coena nostra de nomine rationem suam ●stendit . vocatur enim agape , id quod penes graecos dilectio est . non prius discumbitur quam oratio ad deum praegustetur : editur quantum convenientes capiunt ; bibitur quantum pudi●is est utile : ita saturautur , ut qui meminerint , etiam per noctem adorandum sibi deum esse : which shews that they began their feasts and christian exercises , ( which he here conjoyns ) at evening , and continued them all night , as saint paul , and the disciples at troas did . ( which meetings theophilus alexandrinus in his epist. paschalis . . bibl. patrum , tom. . p. . calls vespertina congregatio . ) post aquam manualem ac lvmina ( which manifests they kept their assemblies by candle light , and so begun them at evening ) ut quisquis de scripturis sanctis , vel de proprio ingenio potest , provocatur in medio deo canere ; ( which a plinie the second stiles , carmenque christo , quasi dicere secum invicem ; ) hinc probatur quomodo bibent . a●què oratio convivium di●imit : inde lis disceditur , non in catervas caesionum , neque in classes discursationum , nec in ●ruptiones laseivorum , sed ad eandem ●uram modestiae , & pudicitiae , ut qui non tam coenam coenaverint , quam disciplinam . which usage well explains this place of the acts . it being apparent then ( as the subsequent antiquities will more abundantly manifest ) that this meeting of the disciples at troas , and pauls preaching to them began at evening . the sole doubt will be what evening this was ? whether that which we call sunday night ( as many erroneously mistake ) or saturday night ? ( which is the lords-day night if any : ) for my own part i conceive clearly , that it was upon saturday night , ( as we falsely call it ) not the ensuing sunday night . for admitting the lords-day was then instituted for a sabbath ) ( which those of the opposite opinions grant and i consent to ) there will be no great question of it . . because if the christians at troas observed this first day of the week as their sabbath , no doubt but this their meeting to solemnize it , and receive the sacrament on it , was rather that evening which began , than that which ended the lords-day , in their account ; else they should have begun its solemnization onely when it ended , whi●h is improbable . but our sunday evening ( on which some affirm this meeting ) ended , not commenced the lords-day in their account , they ever beginning their dayes the evening before , as the premises manifest : therefore this assembly , was on our saturday evening , there being no mention of any meeting , the day or evening before . . because the christians , in the next succeeding ages , ( as i shall prove by the following testimonies ) did ever begin their lords-day assemblies and solemnities on saturday evening ; solemnizing it from evening to evening , because the first observers of it did so . therefore it is more than probable , that these christians at troas did so too . . because saint luke records that it was upon the first day of the week , when this meeting was , and this sermon of pauls made ; therefore it must needs be on the saturday , not on our sunday evening , since the sunday evenning in s. lukes , and scripture account , was no part of the first , but of the second day ; the day ever beginning and ending at evening , in their computation , as the premises evidence . . all my opposites confesse , that the disciples met at this time , upon the first day of purpose to sanctifie it for a-sabbath ; and can they then think that they would defer their meeting till our sunday evening , when all the day in their accompt ( and the best , the chiefest part of it in their compute , who begin it at midnight or morning ) was expired ? certainly , this had been to make the lords-day no festivall day at all , or at most not so much as an half-holy day ; which we cannot presume these disciples , and s. paul would dodid they observe it as their sabbath : from all which reasons i may more then probably conclude , that it was the saturday evening ( when the lords-day began ) not the sunday night ( when it ended ) when this divine assembly was kept ; the rather because they received not the sacrament , nor brake this bread till after midnight , as the text affirms ; and so after the lords-day ended even in the accompt of such who affirm it ends at midnight : and because this beginning of their assembly when the day begins , makes most for the apostolical divine institution and sanctification of the lords day ; for the which this text will little avail , if this assembly on it , were on our sunday night , when the day was either wholly or for the most part expired , and so this meeting no warrant for its totall sanctification . but against this it will be objected , first , that saint paul departed from tro● the very next morning at day-break ; which he would not have done , had it been part of the lords-day , for he would not have taken this journey then , l●st he should have prophaned it . besides , the text saith , that he was ready to depart on the morrow ; which signifieth another day , not the same : therefore this night must needs be our sunday night , his departure being on the morrow , to wit on our monday , the next day after it . to this i answer , first , that it is clear by acts . . that saint paul ●ame to troas upon the lords-day : for he stayed there seven dayes , and upon the first day of the week , he thus preacheth till midnight , ready to depart in the morning : so that the first day was the last of those seven dayes , and the first day of the week preceding it , the day on which he came to troas : paul therefore might as well depart on this day from troas , as he came unto it thereon . and that without prophanation of the day : for he came and went by ship , verse . , . and so might sanctifie the rest of the day a ship board , ( as our marriners and passengers who sail on the lords-day , as well as other dayes , use to do ) because the wind and ●ide then serving , and the ship in which he was to sail , being to depart that morning , there was a necessity for him then to go a ship board , else he might have lost his passage : which necessity and circumstance of sai●ing away that day , made this his departure on it , no violation of the day : works of necessity , being no breach of the sabbath , as a christ himself , and all divines resolve : the rather here , because he might preach and spend the rest of the day in the ship as profitably as on the shore , and the mariners might likewise now set sail ( the wind and weather serving ) without prophanation of the day , as they still usually do in all places . . i answer , that the morrow , hath a double signification in scripture . sometimes it is taken for the next b evening or naturall day : other times it is taken for the next morning or day-light , or that which we usually call day , in opposition to the night : not for the next naturall day , which begins at evening , but the next artificiall day of twelve houres day light , which begins at morning . in this sense it is used most commonly in scripture , witnes levit. . . when ye will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the lord a● your own will : on the same day it shall be eaten up ; ye shall leave none of it untill the morrow : compared with levit. . . which speaking of the same offering , saith , he shall not leave any of it till the morning . ( see exod. . . c. . , , . where there is the same expression ) in which texts the morrow , is nothing else but the morning following : for had this offering been at evening , or night , when the naturall day begins in scripture accompt , yet they might , not have reserved any of it till the morning , for that had been to morrow , as morrow is opposed to the night not to the naturall day . so in sam. . . saul sent messengers to davids house that night to watch and to slay him in the morning : and michall told him , saying , if thou save not thy life to night , to morrow thou shalt b● slain . where morrow is not put for another naturall day ( that morrow in scripture and the jews account being part of that naturall day , of which this night was the beginning ) but onely for the day-light , or artificiall day , being the same naturall day on which these words were spoken . thus it is used in sam. . , , , . esther . . so zeph. . . her judges are evening-wolves , they gnaw not the bones till the morrow , that is , till the morning following . and acts . . . then the souldiers took paul by night and brought him to an●ipatris : on the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him . in all which places the morrow is put onely in opposition to the preceding night , and for the day light following ; ( which night and morrow make up the same naturall day ) not for the beginning of the next en●uing naturall day , or for another day . hence the scripture useth this phrase : the morrow after that day , or after the sabbath . levit. . , . josh . . chron. , . because there is a morrow opposed to the night , wherein a thing is done or spoken , which is a part of the same naturall day , that the night is . in this sence morrow must needs be taken here : for this meeting beginning but at night , and paul continuing his preaching untill midnight following , ready to depart on the morrow : this morrow was nothing but the next morning ; which was a part of that fi●st day , on which the disciple met , as it was a naturall day consisting of twenty four houres , and beginning but that evening ; not another day of the week , or our monday morning , as some affirm . this morrow therefore being but the next morning , and opposed to the night onely , ( not to the naturall day on which this assembly was kept at troas ; and this night being part of the fi●st day of the w●ek ( which as a natural day in scripture accompt b●gan at evening ) could be no other but the lords-day morning , not the monday following ; and this meeting ( ●s the promised reasons prove ) could be no tim● else , but our sa●u●day night , notwithstanding this o●j●ction . so that i may safely conclude , that saint paul and the christians of troas ( the fi●st solemnizers of the lords-day that we ●ead of ) did begin its solemnization at evening , not at morning or midnight : wherefore we ought to begin it then . this is my first authority in point of practise , to prove , that the primitive christians began the lords-dayes sanctification at evening . my next evidence is that of a plinie the second , who writes thus to the emperour trajan , concerning the time , and manner of the christians solemnization of the lords day . soliti erant stato die ante lucem convenire carmenque christo , quasi deo dicere secum invicem ; seque sacramento non in scelus aliquod , astringere , sed ne furta , ne latrocinia , ne adulteria committerent , ne fidem fallerent , ne depositum appellati denegarent , &c. by which it is evident , that the christians in that age ( a time of persecution ) and after ages too , did b usually meet together to receive the sacrament , and perform their holy exercises , at night , when it began to grow dark , and concluded them at day-light or about day-break , ( as the disciples did at troas , acts . . to . ) which assemblies some ecclesiasticall histories call , antelucani coetus ; night-assemblies , or meetings , before day light ; not because they began in the morning about day-break , as some would have it ; but because they both began and ended be●ore day-dawning ; the christians in that time of persecution , not daring to meet publickly in the day time for fear of apprehension . now this set night on which they kept those assemblies was not our sunday , but our saturday night , on which our saviour arose whiles it was dark : and in honour of his resurrection did they begin and keep their lords-day solemnization , on this night , not the night ensuing , as is evident by justin martyrs second apology , with other ensuing testimonies . and these their night conventions were the occasion of those slanderous imputations which the gentiles cast upon the christians ; c that after their exercises of religion ended , they did use to put out the lights ( used to expell the darknesse of the night , acts . . ) and then couple promiscuously one with another , yea murther and eat up children , and commit all manner of villany . since therefore they began their lords-day exercises at evening , before day light began ; as this heathen authour and all ecclesiasticall historians writing of this age , accord ; we need not doubt , but the day in their acc●mpt did then begin ; since they would not begin the exercises of the day till in truth it began . my third authority is that of tertullian about years after christ ; in his a●ol●gy for the christians , c , , . ( the words whereof i have already alledged ) and de corona militis c. . where he writes thus . eucharistiae sacramentum in tempore victus , & mandatum à domino , antelvcanis caetilvs , nec de aliorum manu quam praesidentium sumimus : wch expresly shews ; that the christians of that age did begin their publick lords day meetings , and love feasts in the evening , and spending the saturday night ( as we falsly deem it ) in gods worship , receiving the sacrament and other holy duties ; which night assemblies he stiles , b nocturnae convocationes ; because they spent the greatest part of that night in them : nocturnae properly , not morning , or early risings and mee●ings before day , but a watching or fitting up all night , without going to bed , or taking rest , as the common proverb , nocturnae lucubrationes periculosissimae sunt ; compared with its opposite adagie , diluculo surgere saluberimum est ; and isa. . . luke . . c. . . c. . . john . . gen. . , . num. . . josh. . . prov. . . psal. . . with other scriptures , testifie . but to passe by examples , and come to direct authorities . . my fourth testimony is that of athanasius , the great anti-arrian bishop of alexandria quaestiones ad antiochum : quaest . , . p. . neque contra nos afferrent judaei , quod in sabbat● surrexerit christus , ideo eorum or a longe ant● obturavit deus , lege illis data ; ut a vespera or●inentvr diem sabba●i . cur hanc ●b causam & nobis deus praecepit , a vespera sabbati ordiri dominicum ? responsio . non ob eam causam : sed postquam deus gentes ex tenebris ignorantiae , & ex lege ad lucem cognitionis dei & evangelii vocavit ; convenienter san● nobis praecepii resurrectionis ipsius diem , a vespera inchoare & ad lucem perducere . indecorum enim , & inconcinnum fuerat a luce ordiri , & in noctem & tenebris desinere christi verae lueis dies a most express resolution , that the lords-day ought to begin from saturday evening , and that it is both unseem●y and unfit to begin it from the morning . answerable to which is that of anselm . enarrationes in math. . v. . operum , tom. . p. . o do temporum habet , ve●peran magis tenebrescere in noctem qu●● lucescere in di●m : sec mysticè dicit lucescere , pro gloria resu●●●●●ionis immin●n●is . huc usq●e dies noctem dicebatur praecece●● . nune ordo mutatur ▪ & nox qua surrexit , d●e● , qua se ostendit , adjuncta est. et congruè●● us drem nox s●●u●batur , quia à luce homo in tenebr as cecide●●● . nunc vero dies sequitur notem , quia per resurectionem à peceatis ad vitam reducimur . which passage is almost verbatim recorded by haymo halberstatensis homiliar um pars aestivalis ; coloniae . hom. in die sancto paschatis p. . . and by christianus grammaticus expositio in matthaeum evangelistam ( c. v. . ) bibl. patrum tom. . pars . p. . d. e. by zacharias crysopolitanus in unam ex quatuor bibl patrum tom. p●rs . p. , . a. isidor hispalensis de natura ●erum . c. . p. . gratian . sentent l distinct . e. and others . my fifth authority is ●●● c●uncil of laodicea , about the year of christ . whic● as i● first setled the observation of the lords-day , and prohibited , abolished the keeping of the jewish s●●b●●h under an anathem● . can. . fo●●●i●ed so it th●● posi●ively determined : vt a vespera usque ad vesperam dies dominica servetur : as is recorded capit. caroli & ludovici imperatorum . lib. . c. . collected by ansegisus & benedictus levita ; & fredericus lindebrogus codex legum autiquarum p. . my sixth evidence is the expresse testimony and resolution of saint augustine , the eminentest of all the fathers , de tempore sermo . observemus ergo . diem dominicam fratres , * & sanctificemus illam , si●ut antiquis praeceptum est de sabbato . ( levit. . . ) a vespera usque ad vesperam celebrabitis sabbata vestra . videamus ne otium nostrum vacuum sit ; sed a vespera diei sabbati usque ad vesperam diei dominicae sequestrati à ruralt opere , & ab omni negotio , solo divino cu●●ui vacemus . ve●iat ergo cu●cunque possibile sit ad vespe●●nam atque noctvrnam celebrationem , & ●r●t ibi incouveniu ecclesiae pro peceatis suis d●um , &c. an authority so full for the celebration of the lords day from evening to evening , in that age , that it cannot be shifted nor avoyd●d , and a direct resolution in expresse terms of our present qu●stion . my seventh . is pope leo the first , epistolarum decretalium epistola . which y●u shall find in the second part of his own works , in juo carnotensis decretalium , pars . c. . gratian . distinctio . & de consecratione distinctio . & in surius conciliorum tom. p. . where he thus resolves our question : quod ergo à patribus nostris propensiore cura novimus esse servatum , à vobis quoque volumus custodiri , ut non passim diebus omnibus sacerdotalis ordinatio celebretur , sed post diem sabbati , ejusdem noctis quae in prima sabbati lucescit exordia deligantur , hoc est sub lege divini officii substiuantur , in quibus his qui consecrandi sunt jejunis , & ●ejunantibus , sacra benedictio conferatur . quod ejusdem observantiae erit , si mane ipso dominico die continuato sabbati jejunio celebratur à quo tempore praecedentis noctis initia non recedunt ; quam ad diem resurrectionis , sicut etiam in poscha domini de laratur . pertinere non est dubium . so that it was past all dis●ure , and doubt in his time , that the lords day began at evening , and that our saturday night was part of it . then it follows . nunquam benedictiones nisi in die demini●ae resurrectionis tribuuntur , a cui a vespere sabbati initium constat asscribi from which text of his , juo carnotensis : anno dom gr●tian anno . in their for●n●med pl●ces , together with panormitan , antonius de bru●io , joannis thye●ey , bartholomeus brixiensis : and all other can●nists in their glosses on the fore-quoted texts of gratian ( where these words of leo are recited ) resolve without dispute : quod dies dominica initi um habet a vespera sabbati : quod probat per consuetudinem , & etiam per doctrinam apostolicam . quod vespera praecedentis noctis trahitur addiem sequentem , ut sive de vespere in sabbato , sive de mane in dominico ordines conferantur , semper in die dominico videantur conferri : all of them according , that the lords-day begins and ends at euening , not at morning or midnight . a truth so clear in that age , as it was past all doubt , the b scots and irish christians about the year . and before , beginning the lords-day at evening , as bishop vsher attests . my eighth testimony , is the second council of mascon , canon . apud surium ; concil. tom. . pag. , . custodite diem dominicam quae nos denuò peperit , & à peccatis omnibus liberavit . nullus vestrum litium fomitibus vacet , &c. estote omnes hymnis & laudibus dei animo corporeque intenti . si quis vestrum proximam habet ecclesiam , properet ad eam , & ibi dominico die semetipsum precibus , lachry misque afficiat . sint oculi manusque vestri toto illo die ad deum expansae . then it follows ; noctem quoqve ipsam quae nos insperatae luci inaccessibili reddidit ( to wit our saturday night before easter , on which christ rose again ) spiritualibus exigamus excvbiis : nec dormiamus in ea , sed oremus & vig●lemus operibus sacris , ut digni haberemur cohaeredes fieri in regno servatoris . which canon proves , that the christians of that age did solemnize our saturday night ( before easter especially ) and sp●nd it all in holy vigils , prayers , and religious exercises , because christ rose upon it , accounting it a part of the lords-d●y , and beginning their lords-day exercises on it , not on our sunday night . my ninth proof is , the fourth council of toledo in sp●in , canon . apud surium . tom. . p lucerna & cereus in pervigiliis , apud quasdam ecclesias non benedicuntur & eur à nobis benedicantur , inquirunt propter gloriosvm enim noctis illius sacramentum hae● sol mniter benedicimus , ut sacramentum sacrae resurrection●s christi mysterium quod tempore huius noctis votive advenit , benedictionem suscipiamus . et quia haec observatio per multarum loca terrarum regionesque hispaniae in eccles●is commendatur , dignum est ut propter unitatem pacis , & gallicanis eccles●is conservetur . nulli autem impune erit , qui hoc contempserit , sed patrum regulis sub acebit . by which canon it is most apparent , that the christians of this age did solem●ize our saturday night with holy vi●ils , prayers and exercises of religion , beginning their publick assemblies and lords-dayes duties on it , because the glorious sacrament , and mystery of christs resuriection hapned on it , the blessing whereof they expected to r●ceive by this nights sanctification . therefore questionlesse they began their lords-day at evening , and made this night onely , not our sunday night , parcell of it ; because christ in their accompt did rise again upon it . neither was the celebration of this night the practise onely of some few private churches , but of all christian churches in that centurie , since this councell layes it down as a prevailing argument , why all churches should consecrate their candles and tapers on it , as well as the spanish church , and churches in france ; which had been no motive at all , had not the solemnization of this night in memory of christs resurrection , been universall , though the superstitious ceremonie of hallowing lights and tapers on it was not so . which general received practise of solemnizing this night , & spending it thus , in vigils & prayrs , even from the apostles time , till long after this councill , is a satisfactory argument to me , that saint pauls and the disciples meeting at troas upon the first say of the week ( where they spent the whole night together in preaching and other christian exercises acts . , , , ) was on our saturday , not sunday night , it being no doubt the originall pattern from whence this custome sprung which this councill mentions . my tenth evidence is the expresse inanswerable authority of anastatius sinaita , anagogicarum contemplationum lib. . quaest. . . . bibl. patrum tom. . pars . p. . e. . . propterea scriptura tenebras ponit ante lucem , quoniam prius eramus in errore , deinde transeamus ad lucem . propterea prior est vespera , deinde dies . lege est constitutum ( it seems there was then some expresse law and canon for i● in force ; as these forecited ) ut inciperetur a vespera , dominica , quoniam à morte objeu●a , proce ●imus ad lacem resurrectionis . nos dominicam a vespera sabbati auspicamur ( so that ●● was the constant practise of christians in that age to begin the lords day on saturday at evening quemlibet d●em a vespera computare , et cum prae●edente nocte seu unum copu●●re solemus ( which last word implies a constant custome in that time ) sedenim & moyses vaeationem à laboribus in sabbato it a d●scripsit , vt et raecedente nocte , et seqventi die otivm agerent . testes do judees qvi vsqve inhodiernvm diem id obsrvant . qui●pe qui non illam noctem quae sabbatum subsequitur , sed illā qvae antegreditvr cessatione ab operibus quiete colunt . ( this therefore was and is the jewish and scripture computation ) et nos in observatione diei dominici praecedentem noctem tanquam cum die copulatam , et non sequentem noctem veneramur . an evidence so expresse , so punctuall , as may satisfie all the opposites , and cannot be evaded . my eleventh testimony , is the positive resolution of an whole generall council , and so by consequence , of all christian churches in that age ; to wit , the sixth generall councill of constantinople , can. surius conciliorum . tom. . p. . dominicis genu flectere à divinis nostris patrievs , christi resurrectionem honorantibus , canonicè accepimus ( the first generall councill of nice , canon . having so decreed : ) ne ergo hujus observationis evidentiam ignoremus , fidelibus manifestum fa●imus , quod post vespertinum sacerdotum ad altare sabbato ingressum , ex consue●udine quae servatur nemo genu flectit usque ad sequentem vespe●am , in qua post ingressum in vespertino seu completorio , genua rursus flectentes , domino preces offerimus , servatoris enim nostri resurrectionis veluti praecursorem noctem quae suit ante sabbatum , accipientes , hymnis ab ea spiritv aliter incipimvs : festum ex tenebris in lucem finientes , ut in persecto ae integro die ac notce , nos resurrectionem celebremus . a most full unanswerable authority , if a li●tle explained . it was the received custome of the primitive church , as this canon & all antiquity witnes , to pray standing not kneeling , all the whole lords-day in memory of our saviou●s resurrection , & standing up again from the dead : whence these their lords-day exercises were called , * stationes ( à stando ; in english stations ) because they ever stood , and never kneeled in them . now this custome of praying standing , used onely on the lords-day , and between e●ster and ascension day , began and ended with the day . the question then will be , when , and at what time of the day , this praying standing , began and ended ? this canon resolves it in plain terms , ( and that by way of declaration onely , not of new constitution , ) that all the churches and christians of this age ( ex consuetudine quae s●rvatur ) even by an ancient long continued custome received from the christians and church●s of former ages ; and then observed onely , not begun ; did alwayes begin to pray standing , after their saturday vespers , or evening prayers were ended , ( to wit , at the time of the evening , when the day in divine and naturall accompt begins ) and concluded them after the lords-day vespers , or complein ended , to wit , the lords-day at evening , when the lords day doth properly and truly end . by which it is most apparent , that they began and e●d●d their lords-day and lords-day exercises at evening , not at morning or midnight ; and that it was the constant custome of all christians in former ages so to do . again it assures us , that it was the custome of all churches , then , and in foregoing times , to couple the saturday night , and the lords-day together , and to solemnize them in memory of christs resurrection , as one intire lords-day ; b●●inning and spending all the saturday night with hymnes and spirituall duties . so that this councill is a most clear satisfactory proof both in point of doctrine and practise , that the lords-day ought to begin and end at evening , and was actually so observed by all christians of this and former ages . i wonder therefore why some , who think themselves learned , should so far for●et themselves , as to call it an upstart novelty , not heard of in the church till now of late , it being ever the received doctrine and practise too , of all churches , christians , till within years last past . my twelfth proof is the famous english council at berghamstede , under withred king of kent , an. christi . in spelman : concil. tom. . p. . can. , . si in vespera praecedente diem solis post quam sol occubuit , aut in vespera praecedente diem lunae post oceasum solis fervus ex mandato domini sui , opus aliquod servile egerit , dominus factum . solidis luito . si servus hisce diebus itineraverit , domino pendet solidos , ●ut flage●o caedatur . si liber homo id faciat , tempore vetito , sit reus collistrigii mulctae : & qui eum detulerit dimidium habeat , tam mulctae tam wi●gildi by which law it is most evident ; that the lords-day began and ended at evening after sun-set ; and was to be sol●mnized from evening to evening , without doing any ser●i●e work on sunday nights after sun set , as well as on saturday nights , though the lords-day then actually determined . to which i shall adde that of venerable b●da our learned countreyman , in his homily on matthew . verse . quoted by bartholomaeus brixiensis in his glosse upon gratian distinct . . in die ista ( to wit , the lords-day , noctes incipiunt praecedere dies , ideo fortè ut tres dies & noctes haberi possint , in quibus domin●s fuit in ventro terrae , quod nec sic habetur nisi synechdo●hicè , vel declaratur : quia missa non decantatur in sabbato , sed in principio sequentis noctis , & dicitur ; deus qui hanc sacrtissimam noctem , &c. & ita est die dominica nox illa . a passage so plain for the lords days beginning on saturday at evening , that it needs no glosse , and this was the doctrine and practise of our nation then . my thirteenth authority is the synod of franckford , under charles the great , famous for the doctrine of images therein condemned , the . canon whereof ( apid achuini opera col. ) resolves our question thus . vt dies dominica à vespera usque ad vesperam servetur . a direct determina●ion of the point in difference . that the lords-day is to be kept from evening to evening . my fourteenth probation , is the expresse decree of the emperour charls the great himself , and ludovicus pius , capit . l. . tit. apud fredericum lindebrogum codex legum antiquarum p. ●● . & apud bochellum decret. ecclesiae gallicanae l . tit. . c. . p . a vespera usque ad vesperam dies dominious servetur . what can be more full and punctuall than this ? which is seconded capit. l. . c . as a decree of the council of laodicea . my fifteenth , is concilium foro-juliense under the same charls , c. . apud suriū tom. . p. . diem autem dominicum inchoant . noctis initio , id est , vespere sabbati quae in prima lucescit sabbati , quando signum insonuerit , vel horaest ad vespertinum celebrandum , non propter honorem sabbati ultimi , sed propter sanctam illam noctem p●imi sabbati , id est , domini●i diei , cum omni reverentia & honorifica religione venerari omnibus mandamus . a canon so apparent for beginning the lords-day at evening , that it needs no illustration . my fixteenth , is the synod of towres under the same charles canon . apud surium . tom ▪ p. . itemque interdicat ne mercata & placita usquam fiant die dominica , quâ oportet omnes christianos à servile opere in laude dei & gratiarum actione , usque ad vesperam perseverare ; which compared with the former canons , is a direct proof , that the lords-day begins at evening , because then the celebration of it by this canon , is to end . my seventeenth is the council of mentz , anno . recorded by juo caruotensis , decretalium par● . c. . which decres thus . omnes dies dominicos à vespera in vesperam cum omni veneratione & observatione decrevimus observare , & ab illici●o opere abstinere , &c. a pregnant testimony in this point . my eighteenth , is that of h rabanus maurus , homil● de dominicis diebus , in his works at large , edit. . tom. . p. . where he thus resolves this question on my side . observemus ergo diem dominicam & sanctificemus illam sicut antiquis de sabbato praeceptum est , dicente legislatore , a vespera usque ad vesperam celebrabitis sabbata vestra . videamus ne otium nostrum vanum sit . vespera diei sabbati , usquead vesperam diei dominici sequestrati à rurali opere & omni negotio , solo divino cultui vacemus . to whom i may adde his coetanian haymo halberstattensis , homilia in die paschatis p , , . who there resolves in punctuall termes , that the lords-day begins and ends at evening , not at morning ; and so ought to be solemnized from evening to evening . my nineteenth , is the councell of compendium , apud radulphum tungrensem , de canonum observantia , propositio . bibl. patrum . tom. . p. . f. tom. . p. . & apud alexandrum alesium , summa theologiae pars . quaest . . artic. . p. . both these authors being of the same judgement with this councell , which decrees thus . omnes dies dominicos à vespera usque ad vesperam omni v●neratione , devotione observari , &c. words most direct in point . my twentieth , is the authority of amalarius fortunatus , bishop of triers , who flourished about the year . de ecclesiasticis officiis , lib. c. . bibl. patrum tom. . pars . p. . f. dominica nox in magna gloria celebratur , ut liquet omnibus qui morem nostrae eccl●siae ●enent . unde augustinus ex sermone ad populum vigiliis paschae . deinde sabbati dies à sua nocte incip●ens , finitus est vespere incipienti● noctis : quae pertinet ad imtium diei dominicae , quoniam eam dominus suae resurrectionis gloria consecravit . illius itaque noctis ad in●tium diei dominicae pertinentis , nunc istam solenniter memoriam celebramus . what can be more plain to testifie , that both in the judgement and practise of that age the lords-day did begin and end at evening , and that christ by his resurrection consecrated this night for his service , not the morning and day following it onely , excluding it . my . is the ecclesiasticall laws of edgar and canuius , two ancient kings of this island , recorded in lambards saxon laws , and in mr. fox his book of mart●rs , edit. . p. . & spelmanni concilia p. , . who both enacted , that the lords-day should be kept holy from saturday vespers at three of the clock till monday morning ; beginning the solemnization of it on saturday evening at * of the clock , not at midnight or morning following , and continuing it till monday morning ; for preventing all prophanesse and disorders on our sunday night , as being more fit to be spent in holy duties , than servile works , or pastimes ; it being fitter to give god more time than he commands , than to rob him of the least minute . from these kings raigns , it was the constant custome of this kingdome for lab●u●ers , servants , & all others , to give over their week day works about saturday noon , or of the clock , some space before evening service , that so they might repair to evening prayers that day , and after that begin the sanctification of the lords-day at evening , as is evident by the statutes of h. . c. . h. . c . and . h. . c. . which enact , that no labourers whatsoever , should take any hire for the festivall dayes , nor for the half dayes for the evens of feasts when they do not labour . which custome hath been observed in some places till of late ( within the memory of such who exceed not years ) the saturday being esteemed an half holy day , and servants recreating th●mselves upon it a little before night , that so they might avoid all pastimes on the lords-day , and keep it holy from evening to evening . which ( together with the custome of observing holy-day eves , because those dayes began at evening ) is a manifest and direct evidence , that the church of england ( till of late some taught the co●trar● ) did begin the lords-day on saturday evening , even from these kings time , and long before ; and therefore should proceed to do so now . the same law was enacted by william king of scots . anno , which was likewise ratified by a scotish councill , as hector boetius lib. . de scotis ; & centuriae magdeburg . cent. . col. . lib. . & col. . l. . accord . viz. that sunday should be kept holy , from saturday at of the clock , till monday evening ; that none should do any worldly businesse thereon , but be imployed onely in holy actions , and king alexander the third of scotland in a parliament , an. . decreed , that none should fish in the waters , from saturday vespers til monday morning . my . is the decree of the councill of lyons , concerning holy dayes , recorded by juo carnotensis . decretalium pars c. & gratian de consecratione distinct . fol . pronunciandum est laicis ut sciant tempora feriandi per annum , scilicet , omnem dominicam à vespera usque ad vesperam . upon which ba●tholomaeus brixiensis . ( on gratian's text ) gives this glosse : usque ad vesperam . hi● habes quando incipiat di●s secundum canones ; s●i●ic●t a vespera . gratian , juo , panormitan , hostiensis , with other canonists being of the same judgement too . what can be more direct or ●ositive than this ? the is honorius augustodunensis , de imagine mundi , lib. c. . de initio & fine dierum , bibl. patrum tom. . p . r. christiani diem dominicam à vespera usque in vesperam finiunt . my . is the synod under simon and galo the legat , apud bochellum , decret-eccles . gal. lib. . tit. . c. . p . & tit. . c. . p. . pronunciandum est laicis ut sciant tempora feriandi per annum id est , omnem dominicam , à vespera usque ad vesperam . nec ali●uis à vespera diei sabbati , ad vesperam diei domin●cae ad molendina aquar●m , nec ad aliqua alia molere audeat . a ull resolution in this controversie . my . is pope gregory the ●i●th , decretalium lib. . tit. . de feriis . c. p . who determines thus . omnem dominicam vesperam à vespera usque ad vesperam●eriandum sanctam d●em dominic●m ab ho a diei sabbati vespertina inchoandam . it ne●ds no glosse being so di●●ct my . is the canon of the synod of angiers . apud bochellum decret. eccl●s . l. . tit. . p. . p. . inhibemus molitoribus etiam quibuseunque sub poena interminatione praedicta , & molendinarum dominis , nè ipsi diebus dominicis , maximè à vespera diei sabbati , usque ad vesperam diei dominicae molendina molire faciant aut permittant , non obstante longi temporis abusu , qui non usus censendus aut consuetudo , imò verius corruptela , cum tanta sint graviora peceata , quanto diutius infoelicem animam detinuerant obligatam , cum aliqua praescriptio contra praecepta decalogi locum sibi vindicare non possit . a direct evidence . my , is a domestick provinciall constitution under simon isleep archbishop of canterbury recorded by lindwood , constit . provincialium l. . tit. de feriis fol. . b. and by joannis de aton : fol. . a. inprimis sacrum diem dominicum ab hora vespertina diei sabbati inchoandum , which needs no other glosse but lindwoods , who thence concludes , that the lords-day ever begins at evening : the constant ancient doctrine of our church : my . is an ancient english dialogue upon the commandements , intituled dives & pauper , first printed anno , and after reprinted by thomas berthelet the kings printer , anno . . which book on the third ( our fourth ) commandement ch. . f. . &c. . f. ● . demanding this question ; how long ought the holy day to be kept and hallowed ? resolves it thus , from even to even ; as raymundus , saith , and the law . ( extrau . l. . tit. de feriis . omnes dies ) we have ordained that all sundayes be kept with all manner of worship , from even to even ; and holy writ saith also , and god himself : from even to even shall you celebrate the sabbaths . my . is an old english treatise intituled , the flower of the commandements of god , printed at london , by wynkin de ward , anno . ch. . on the third ( our fourth ) commandement , f. . . which thus determines . nothing is to be done on the sunday , but to be besied towards god , him for to honour . question , who so should demand , at what houre a man should begin to celebrate the feasts . the answer , regularly , men say , that from the one evenson unto the other even-song the chyrk make solemnity . it is written extrau . de feriis , & de consecratione distinct . . cap. missas ; omnes dies dominitos à vespera in vesperam decernimus observari . in like wise , saith the scripture , in many places . à vespera ad vesperam celebrabitis sabbata vestra . this scripture reproveth the fully of some simple men , the which reputeth not to be sin to labour and work late on the saturday at night , and ween that it is sin , to work onely on the monday in the morning . these two last authorities i h●v● cited at large , because they are punctuall , the books unknown to most ; and ●ully manifest the doctrine and practise of the church of england in that and former ages , to be fully consonant to my opi●ion ; though now out of ignorance of antiquity , r●puted a strange , unheard of novel●y , by ●ome who repute themselves no mean rabbies , and scorn the title of ignoramus , wherewith they upbraid all lawyers , though more knowing , more learned , than many of themselves . . to these i could h●ve added sundry others ; but to avoid prolixity , i shall onely remember the names and works of some late authors , from anno . till this present , who expressely resolve . that the lords-day begins and concludes at evening . n●● to mention juo carnoten-gratian , alexander a●ensis , radulphus t●ngrensis , barthol●mae-brixiensis , joannis de thiery , antonius de brutio , gulielmus lindwood , joannis de aton , laurentius surius , or laurentius bechellus , who all concurre in this opinion in their f●re-named works , where the precedent canons and decrees are registred ; i shall onely refer you to thomas aquinas in . sentent . distinct . . art. . distinct . . qu. . art. . qu. . ad m a s●cundae . qu. . art . . tostatus abulensis in in exod. c. . qu. . hostiensis sum . l. . tit. de feriis sol . . joannis de burgo ( chanceilour of cambridge in henry●he sixth his raign ) pupilla oculip●rs . c . de feriis b. e. baptista trouomala in his summa rosella tit. feriae . sect , . angelus de clavasio , in his summa angelica , tit. dies sect. . cavarruvius l. . c. . tom. . with all other canonists in the titles de feriis , & diehus festis , who all resolve in these very p●●si●ive terms . abstinendum est ab op●ribus omni die dominica . ab hora d●ei sab●●ti vespertina inchoando , non ipsam ho●am praeveniendo . quod feriation●m diet sabbati tenere d●bemus , à vespera ad v●speram , sci●icet ab ultima parte diei praecedentia vigiliae , quod dies quoad celebration●m divinaerum consideratur de vespera in vesperam : and that the whole day is to be wholly dedicated to god , and spent in his service and worship . which resolution is likewise seconded by fridericus lindebrogus in his glossarium : in cod : legum antiquarum . tit. dominicus dies , by learned hospinian de origine festorum . fol. . , , . , . by mr. sprint in his treatise of the sabbath , with a sundry others : wherefore i shall close up these authorities with that of jacobus de graffiis , decisionum aurearum casuum conscientiae , pars . lib. . c. . de diebus festis , sect. . , . p. , . qua ad feriationem incipit dies vespera praecedenti , et finitur in sequenti vespera , &c. igitur secundum scripturam et ecclesiam festum incipit immediate post occasum solis diei praecedentis usque ad occasum solis diei festi . igitur ex his colligitur , quod nulla consuetudo potest excusare laborantes sabbato post occasum , vel in praecipuis solemnitatibus , cum fiat contra jus divinum . for which he quotes pisanus , verbo feriae , as concurring with him . from all which expresse concurring authorities ( which none ever contradicted before wolphius , for ought that can be proved ) to which i might subjoin the opinions and practise of mr. cotton , mr. hooker , with sundry other ministers and churches in new england ; i hope i may safely conclude ; that the church and people of god , together with the fathers , councels , and learned of all ages , from the very first institution of the lords day , to this present , have constanly resolved , both by their writings and practise too , that the lords-day doth , and ought of right to begin and end at evening ; not at morning or midnight , and that all former ag●s have thus constantly solemnized it ; as all these severall testimonies clearly manifest , beyond all contradiction or dispute . i have now ( i hope ) by all the premises sufficiently proved the truth of this posi●ion ; that the sabbath and lords-day doth and ought of right to begin and end at evening , not at morning or midnight ; and manifested it to be the resolved doctrine and constant practise of all fotmer age . there is nothing now remaining but that i should answer those pretences or ojections , which are or may be made against it ; and take off one cavill which may be made against some of the premises : when this is dispatched , the truth will be most perspicuous , so that none can further doubt or question it , ( as i suppose ) for the future . the arguments produced for the proof of the adverse opinions , ( or rather onely for one of them , to wit , that the lords-day begins and ends at morning ) are six ; which i shall answer in order . the first of them is this . that what the law of nature setled for a time , to wit , that the sabbath and other dayes should begin at evening , * that christs resurrection , a part of his redemption , hath now changed to the morning ; the work of redemption being far more excellent than the work of creation . which if we reduce to a logicall argument is but this . christs resurrection a part of his redemption , is more excellent than the work of creation , ergo it changed the beginning of the lords day , and by consequence of all other dayes , from evening to morning . to which i answer , . it is very dangerous , unsafe for any mortalls to make comparison between the glorious works , actions , attributes , and ordinances of almighty god , and to prefer one of them so highly before the other ( as many do ) without an expresse warrant from god himself in his word , which hath been the cause of many a grosse errors and practises amongst christians . i grant the work of christs redemption is a most glorious work , and signal testimony of gods transcendent love to the world of gods elect and redeemed ones , john . . rom. . . ephes. . , . c. . . . thes. . . rev. . . but was not his creating of us , in holynesse and righteousnesse after his own image and likenesse , as transcendent an act of love as this ? gen. . , . psal. . no doubt it is . . that no scripture , ( to my best observation ) prefers or advanceth the work of redemption ( much lesse our saviours resurrection from the dead on the first day ; being but one part or branch thereof ) before the work of creation ; both these works being very great and glorious in themselves : wherefore i cannot believe the work of redemption , or christs resurrection alone , to be more excellent and glorious than the work of creation , without sufficient texts , and scripture grounds to prove it ; but may deny it as a presumptuous fancy or unsound assertion , till satisfactorily proved , as well as peremptorily averred without proof . . if such comparisons may be admitted , or made without presumption , in my apprehension , gen. . and . compared with psalm . psal. . psal. . . , . psal. . , . psal. . , , , . psalm . job . and . eccles. . . . isa. . . c. . . c. . . c. . . c. . . . c. . . jer. . , . c. . . c. . . c. . , , . c. . , . jonah . . john . . . acts . . c. , . c. . , , . rom. . , . col. . , , . heb. . , . pet. . . rev. . . cap. , . and the fourth commandement it self , exod. . , to . seem to prefer the work of creation before the work of redemption , as most of all manifesting , declaring , magnifying the infinite power , wisdome , greatnesse , glory , majesy , providence , bounty , soveraignty , deity of god ; and as the strongest motive and obligation to all his creatures ( and redeemed saints likewise ) to adore , worship , love , fear , serve , reverence , obey god as their creator , and to depend , rest , trust , commit themselves to him alone . . these reasons seem to advance the work of creation before the work of redemption . first , it is the first and most ancient of all gods visible works , gen. . . deut. . . mark . . rev. . . pet. . . far antienter than christs resurrection or work of redemption . and that which is antientest , is usually best and honourablest , psal. . . isa. . . c. . . c. . . c. . . c. . . jer. . . dan. . . . . john . , . kings . . jer. . . acts . . joh. . . rev. : . secondly , the work of a creation is the very greatest of all gods works , and more universall , generall , extensive than the work of redemption : extending to all the glorious angels , sun , moon , starres , heavens , aire , earth , sea , with all the severall creatures in them ; whatsoever and to all mankind . gen. . and . psalm . psalm . psalm . . , . isa. . . c. . c. . , . john . . ephes. . . col. . . rev. . . c. . . yea , to jesus christ himself , stiled ; the beginning of the creation of god . rev. . . therefore , more excellent , greater , glorious than the work of redemption , b peculiar onely to gods elect , the smallest part of men ; not universall to all mankind ; much lesse to angels , and all other creatures : now it is a received maxime in divinity , morality , policy , reason ; bonum quo communius , eo melius . see psalm . , , , , . whence philo the jew , de opificio mundi , stiles the sabbath in memory of it ; festum non unius populi regionisve , sed in universum omnium : quae sola digna est ut dieatur popularis festivitas . thirdly , god himself created all things at fi●st , very good , perfect , pure , excellent ; and man himself after his own image , in holinesse , true righteousnesse , integrity , ●erfection , without sinne , corruption , imperfection or obliquity , gen. . . . to the end . c. . . c. . . eccles. . . cor. . . ephef. . . col. . . man being depraved , corrupted by adams sin and fall , which brought a c curse upon mankind and all other creatures too : christs redemption , though it hath freed all his elected , called , justified , sanctified ones from hell , death and damnation , the condemning , ruling power of sin , and curse of the law ; y●t it hath not redeemed them ( much lesse the generality of mankind and other creatures ) from the pollution , corruption of sinne , l●st and ●ll those temporall miseries , curses , plagues , judgements , imperfections in this life , which sinne hath brought upon them : nor yet restored them to such a glorious , happy , perfect condition here , as that wherin man was first created : the best of saints on earth , having many remainders of sinne , corruptions , defects and infirmities in them till they come to heaven , kings . . eccles. . . rom. . . to the end , james . . john . , . c. . . . therefore in this respect , the work of creation excells that of redemption , in relation to all the creatures corrupted , vitiated by mans fall , and of the redeemed themselves , whiles they continue on earth , and have cause to celebrate sabbaths and lords-dayes , to sanctifie and make them holier . . some of the creatures , as the angels , christ himself , as man and a creature , ( if not the sun , moon , stars , heavens ) the works of gods creation ; are more excellent and gloious than man , or any saints on earth , the ●ubject of christs redemption , psalm . heb. . rev. . . thess. . . psalm . . mat. . . heb. . , . c. . . rev. . . luke . . compared together . therefore the work of creation is more exellent than that of redemption . fifthly , without the work of creation , there could be no work of redemption ; the chief end whereof is to restore us to that felicity , a happinesse in the enjoyment of god and his creatures , which man in his innocency , ( had h● p●rsevered in that estate ) should have enjoyed by the work of creation . therefore the work of creation is at least as excellent as glorious , as the work of redemption , if not more eminent than it . sixthly , the excellency and glory of the work of redemption consists principally in this , that it was wrought by jesus christ himself , the onely beloved sonne of god luke ▪ . . . . rev. . . gal. . col. . . heb. . pet. . , . rev. . . but this cannot advance it above the work of creation ; god created all things by jesus christ ( as well as redeemed his elect ) ephes. . . col. . . and that onely as he was god , and the word , heb. . . john . , . gen. . , , . not as god and man . seventhly all accord , that it is a work of b greater excellency , omni●ot●n●y , power , love , to create and make all things out of nothing , then to repair , restore , rectifie things already created when deprav●d , defiled , cap●ivated or impaired . see basil and amb●ose in their hexamerons , most commentators on gen. . and isa. . . to . c. . . re. . . acts . . heb. . . therefore i may safer conclud● , that the work of creation is c greater and more excellent than the work of redemption , from these texts and reasons ; then my antagonists averre the work of redemption to transcend the work of creation in excellency and greatnesse , without scriptures or solid reasons grounded on it . . admit the whole work of redemption wrought by christ , to be better , greater , excellenter than the work of creation : yet none can prove or demonstrate , that chrstsi resurrection ( one part onely of his work of redemption , on the first day of the week ) is greater than the whole work of creation . therefore they cannot conclude from it alone , that this his bare resurrection should alter the beginning , end , limits , nature of times , and dayes , settled by god at the very creation ; as they here argue . . admit christs resurrection and work of redemption , to be greater , better , excellenter than gods work of creation , ( which i deny ) will it thence follow ; ergo , it altered the work of creation ; the cause of sunne , moon , starres , dayes , weeks , years ; the beginning and end of the sabbath , or first day of the week , and by consequence of all other dayes and times setled by god himself at the creation by an unalterable law ? gen. . . . to . . . c. . , . exod. . . to . psalm . . . eccl. . . jer. . , . c. . , . pe. . . certainly all these texts wi●● others forecited , resolve , and experience proves the contrary , the dayes , weeks , months , morning , evening , course of sunne , moon , and starres , being still the same they were from the creation till this present ; and every thing or action that is greater , better than another , not abrogating or altering their course or limits which god or men had formerly settled . . the ends of christs resurrection and redemption were meerly spirituall , to redeem , justifie , raise up from sinne , from the dead , and avance to heaven at last , all those whom christ redeemed , john . . c. . . rom. . . rom. . . to . cor. . throughout , phil. . . . pet. . . c. . rev. . . . rom. . , . c. . . cor. . . ephes. . . not to alter the beginning or ending of dayes , times , ▪ seasons : not one of all these texts ( nor any other speaking of christs resurrection , and the ends or benefits thereof ) ass●rtin● , importing , much lesse resolving any thing : therefore it did not , could not alter the beginning or limits of the fi●st day , ●i●her as a naturall , or as his resurrection day , as these writers averre . . christs pa●sion , a bloodshed , was the principall part of his redemption , yea his nativity , ascention ( to omit his whole life on earth , and perpetuall mediation in heaven for us ) were parts thereof ; the one the first part , the other the last of all : b●t it is clear that our saviours passion and bloodshed in the evening , ( though it were the chief●st part of his redemption ) made no alteration in the b●ginning or end of dayes , so as to change the beginning of goodfriday f●om evening before , to three of the clock in the afternoon ; that his nativity ( about midnight ) or his ascention ( about noon or eleven of the clock in the morning , as is most probable ) did not translite the beginning of those dayes , or any other , to midnight , noon , or morning , though they were the first and last parts of of his work of redemption ; why then should his resurrection onely in the morning ( a lesse principall part of his work , than his passion , or perchance than his nativity or ascention ; the one of which preceded the other followed his resurrection ) make such a change in dayes beginnings , when neither of these three other did so ? if it be , because it was a part of christs redemption . so were the other three , and yet they produced no such mutation ; and why a part of christs redemption should cause such an alteration , onely because it is a part : or why one inferior part of it alone , should do it , and not the chiefest ; why the intermediate , not the first , or last part of it , transcends my apprehension . if it be because god ordained it should effect such a transmutation , then shew me expresse scripture for it , ( as none can do ) or else reject it for a groundlesse fancy , as in truth it is , but more of this in the answer to the next objection . the second objection is this , christs resurrection on the first day of the week in the morning , did actually change the beginning of the day from evening to morning , and constitute the lords-day to begin at morning . therfore it ought to begin at morning . if we c●st this into a sormall argument , it will be more perspicuous . christs resurrection , the cause of the lords-day , was not till the morning , ergo the lords-day must not begin till morning , because the effect must needs be with or subsequent to the cause , and cannot precede it ; whereas the effect should over-reach ●●e cause in point of time , if the lords-day should begin at evening , christs resurrection beginning not till the morning . this reason and argument is the main foundation whereon the opposites build their errour ; wherefore i shall be more copious in discovering the sandinesse , falshood , and fallaciousnesse of it . first therefore , i answer , that this whole argument , is but a chain of severall grosse falshoods and mistakes , contrary to the scriptures : i wonder therefore why so many grave , judicious men should be ensnared by it . . the first of them ( the ground work of all the rest , and of this errour concerning the lords-day beginning at morning is this , that christs resurrection did alter the beginning of that first day of the week , whereon be arose , from evening to morning : which i have manifested to be an apparent errour contrary to the scriptures ; which testifie that that day began at evening , and that christs resurrection did nothing alter it ; as the third and fifth preceding conclusions prove at large . wherefore i shall here demand of the objectors , how it appears that christs resurrection made such a change as they pretend ? if by scripture , shew one text , that necessarily proves it : this i am sure they cannot do . if not by scripture : then it is a meere groundlesse conceit of their own forging . yea , but though they want scripture , yet they have this sound reason to prove it : christ rose again upon the first morning ; therefore he translated the beginning of it from evenig to morning . to which i reply , that this main capitall reason is but a grosse in consequent , and a circular argumentation ; for if the argument be denyed , as justly it may be ; then they prove it by that very medium which was next before denied , and they ought to make good ; that christs resurrection did chan●e the day from morning to evening ( there being no other medium but this to confirm it ) therefore if he rose again upon it in the morning , he made such a change as they pretend . so that this their reason is but idem per idem , a petitio principii a circular dispute , a grosse non sequitur , and so to be rejected as false and idle . but yet a little more to lay open the falshhood of this proposition ; that chists resurrection made such an alteration of that first dayes beginning ( which hath neither scripture nor reason to back it . ) i would first demand this question of them . why christs resurrection should produce such a change , when as his nativity , passion and ascention , ( parts of his redemption too , as beneficiall to christians as his resurrection ) had no such effect ? . how they come to know , that such a change was de facto made , when no scripture rev●als or intimates it ? . how was it possible for christs resurrection to call back and adnul that beginning of the day , which was irrevocably past , and gone before it happened ? since by their own rule , the effect cannot precede the cause ; and so by the same reason , christs resurrection in the morning could not operate à parte ante , to change the beginning of that day , which was actually past at evening . . where they did ●ver read , that occasions happening upon any dayes , did alter or bound on● the beginning and end of dayes ? the dayes ever bounding out the occasions ( which we say happened upon such a day and houre ) not the occasions the dayes ? . how christs resurrection could change this dayes beginning , when as it altered not its name , nature or order , ( it being still the first day of the week , as it was at the creation , the week remaining yet the same ) and seeing it made no change in the course of the sun , and moon , of day , and night , which rule bound out , and make up the naturall day ? . how that which hath no limits of its own , but that which it had from the day on which it happened , ( the first dayes morning being that which limited the resurrection in point of time , and reduced it to a certainty ) can possibly put bounds of time unto the day , which bounds outit ? if they cannot resolve all these , queries they must then disclaim this main fundamentall conclusion , upon which they build their false grounded error , as i have formerly proved . this is the first falshood . the second is this , that christs resurrection was the cause of the lords-day . this i say , is both a falshood and a fallacy . to make it more evidently so , we must consider the lords-day , either as a naturall day , consisting of houres , measured out by the sunne or primum mrbile , and made up of the night and artificiall day : or as a lords-day ; that is , a day devoted and sequestred unto gods immediate worship . if we consider it materially , or m●erly as a day , it is clear , that christs resurrection was no cause of the first day ; for that was instituted by god at the creation , gen. . . who then appointed the sunne , moon , and starres , to rule , limit , govern both the day and night , and to be the sole causes of them , gen. . . to . psalm . , . psalm . , , . psal. . . jer. . , . c. . . neither could christs resurrection be the cause of that day on which he arose ; for it was begun before he rose again ; and it had been and continued a day , though he had never risen on it ; therefore it was no cause of it as a day . besides , all time is the measure of motion , and so the motion of the primum mobile the alone cause of it , and of this day too . christs resurrection thererefore being no cause of the lords-day , as a day , could not alter the beginning of it in such manner as is prtended ; since the lords-day hath no bounds or limits , beginning or end , neither is it properly a part of time , but onely as it is a day , not as a lords-day . wherefore when you affirm that christs resurrection was the cause of the lords-day , & therefore it changed the beginning of it ; your meaning is and must be , that it was the cause of it , and that it changed the beginning thereof , as it was a naturall day ( the change here r●l●●ing onely to the time and limits of the day , not simply to the quality , as it is a lords-day , it having no limits at all , as it is a lords day , but meerly as it is a naturall day ; ) which is a grosse a untruth as i have proved , yea a fallacy too , in applying that to this day , as a day , which is spoken onely and intended of it , meerly as a lords-day . to illustrate this by an example . the first day of the week , is like to water in baptisme , to bread and wine in the sacrament , to a church that is consecrated , or to one abou to enter into orders : now as we use to say , th●t baptisme doth change the water , the sacramentall consecration the bread and wine , consecration canonicall the church , and ordination the man ; if we mean they change their very nature , essence and substance , the speech is meerly false ; for they continue in nature , in substance , the same they were before ; if we intend they onely alter their use , which is true ; and yet apply this alteration to the substance ( as the papists do in case of the sacament , arguing thus ; the fathers say , that the bread and wine are changed after consecration , to wit , in their use onely ; ergo they are transubstantiated and changed in their substance ; ) then it is but a fallacy or equivocation which being explained proves but a meere non sequitur , since the change in the use or quality onely , infers no necessary alteration in the substance . so when the objectors say , that christs resurrection did change the first day of the week ; if they mean onely that it was the occasion why the use of it was altered from a common day to an holy day : or when they affirm , that christs resurrection was the cause of the lords day , that is , the cause why the first day was and is solemnized as a lords-day : their words are true in this sense onely ; but then they neither prove nor imply any change at all in the limits , beginning or end of the first day , or in the day it self , but in its use alone ; and so the day continues the same in all these respects , as it was before . but when they go thus far , as to prove that christs resurrection on it did alter the very beginning and end , ( and so the nature and limits ) of the day , because it was the occasion of altering its use ( which is the thing they intend in both these propositions ) then the argumentation is sophisticall , and the conclusion this grosse inconsequent ; christs resurrection was the cause of turning the first day of the week into the lords-day ; ergo , it translated the beginning of that day from morning to evening . an argument so absurd , that the objectors may now do well to blush at it . again , if we consider this day onely , as it is a lords-day , ( that is , as a time consecrated to gods publick worship ) if the objectors intend by this proposition ( christs resurrection in the morning was the cause of the lords-day ) that is , it did actually consecrate that very first day , whereon he arose , and all others succeeding it , for a lords-day , even that very morning on which he arose again , as in truth they do ; then i say it seems to me an apparent untruth . for though it be true that his resurrection on that day , was one generall originall occasion of solemnizing it for the lords-day ; yet it is untrue that his bare resurrection onely was the immediate efficient , constitutive cause of sanctifying it for a sabbath or lords-day ; or that it did sanctifie that very day on which christ arose for a sabbath or lords-day , even at that very time of the morning when he arose . for first , gods resting from his work of creation on the seventh day , is paralell in reason with christs resurrection on the first day , in point of constituting either of them for a sabbath or holy day , as all acknowledge . but gods resting on the seventh day , was onely the originall impulsive , not the immediate efficient , constitutive cause of the seventh day sabbath ; for it was not a sabbath as soon as god began to rest , or only because he rested on it ; but because he blessed and consecrated it for a sabbath , and commanded adam and his posterity to sanctifie it for a sabbath , as is clear by gen . , . exod. . . to . for he sanctified it for a sabbath because he had rested on it : so that his rest was onely the occasion why this d●y was consecrated for a sabbath , rather than any of the other six ; but that which made it a sabbath , was gods peculiar blessing , consecration , and institution of it for a sabbath . so gods passing over the is●aelites , and slaving the egyptians , was the occasion why the . day of the first moneth was solemnized ●or a pass●ov●r-day : but that which constituted it to be such a day , was not his passing over the israelites , but his expresse command to them to observe it throughout all their generations . ex●d. . to . the jews deliverance from haman and th●i● other enemies , was the cause or reason , why they * annually observed the fourteenth and fifteenth dayes of the moneth adar , as solemn festivals ; and the deliverance from the a gunpowder-treason , the occasion why we observe the fifth of november , as an annuall festivall ( which feast we generally begin at evening , since we then usually begin to ring our bells in memory of our deliverance the morning following ) but the imm●diate efficient constituting cause of these dayes for holy-dayes , was neither the jews deliverance nor ours ; but the law and ordinance of the jews , esth. . to . and the sta●ute of jac●bi●c . . which ordained those dayes to be solemnized and kept holy . so it is in all other dayes solemnities whatsoever , not the occasion of their celebration , but the authority and command to sanctifie them , is that which b constitutes them holy-dayes ; therefore by the self same reason , christs bare resurrection was onely the occasion why the lords-day was afterwards sanctified and observed ; but that which constituted and made it a lords-day or christian sabbath , was some precept or ordinance of christ , or his apostles , or of the primitive church , without which it had not been actually a lords-day or sabbath in point of sanctification , though christ did rise upon it . . if christs bare resurrection without more ceremony , did actually consecrate that very first day on which he arose , and all others for a sabbath or lords-day , what need then those many large discourses of divines , concernning the time when , the persons by whom , or the authority by which the sabbath was translated from the seventh day to the first , or this instituted for a lords-day ? certainly if the very resurrection of christ did actually perform all this , that very morning on which he arose , all these disputes were at an end . but few or none have been so absurd as to make christs bare resurrection the immediate constituting cause of the first day for a sabbath or lords-day , much lesse of that very day upon which christ arose , which all the a evangelists stile , the first day of the week , even as it was christs resurrection day ; which shews , that it was not then actually constituted for a sabbath or lords-day , but continued an ordinary week-day , as before . therefore it is not probable that it made ●uch a change or consecration of that very day . . none of the evangelists in their histories of christs resurrection , make mention either in direct terms , or by way of necessary inference , that our saviours bare resurrection consecrated that very first day whereon he arose , or any succeeding it , for a sabbath or lords-day ; much lesse that it changed the beginning thereof from morn-ning to evening . therefore certainly no such alteration as is su●mised , was actually effected by it . . had christs resurrection actually constituted that day on which he arose , and all other fi●st dayes ensuing for a sabbath or lords day , without further ceremony , even on that day when he arose ; then that day had been consecrated for a sabbath or lords-day , and the seventh day sabbath hadbeen translated to it , before any man did or could take notice o● this alteration ; before any knew this day was instituted for a sabbath or ●ords-day ; yea , before it was known or believed that christ was risen again , to or by his disciples . for the b scripture is expresse , that he appeared not unto them till towards the evening of that day ; at which time thomas was absent , and some of them doubted , whether he were risen again , or whether it was he or no : so that it is certain , they observed not that first day , as a sabbath or lords-day , in memory of his resurrection , but it is altogether improbable , that christ would consecrate that day for a sabbath or lords-day , before his disciples or any other knew of it ; or that he would make an alteration of the sabbath , ( which so much concerned the apostles and church ) in private , without their presence or p●ivity : o● that he would consec●ate that day for a sabbath or lords-day , in memory of his resurrection , before it was certainly known that he was risen ; or before he had shewed himself to his disciples after he was risen ; or before any did know it to be a lords-day or sabbath it being made so only for man , mar. . . not for christ himself , or angels , who were onely present with him when he arose . for christ being onely wise , did all things in b the fittest season , and in a publick manner , in the presence of his disciples , who were to be witnesses of all his actions , speeches , acts . , c. . . c. . , , , . john● , , . pet. . , , . luke . . therefore he would not , he did not institute that very day whereon he arose for a sabbath or lords-day , at the time when he arose , which the evangelists certainly would have mentioned ( being a matter of such moment to the church and christians ) had it been done in truth , as pretended onely , but not proved , neither in truth can be . if therefore the objectors affirm ; that christs resurrection was the cause of the lords-day as a lords-day ; that is , an immediate constituting cause of it , and that at the very moment when he arose , then it is a palpable untruth , as the premises manifest : if they mean by cause , onely the impulsive cause or originall occasion of its future consecration or institution for a sabbath or lords-day , then their argument is but this . christs resurrection ( the occasion of christians solemnizing the lords-day , as a lords-day or sabbath ) was in the morning ; ergo the lords-day must being at morning : which is but a meere non sequitur ; because the occasions of sanctifying any dayes for sabbaths or holy-dayes , do not bound out the beginning or end of the dayes , for then these days must begin and conclude when the occasi●ns of their solemnization do ; but on the contrary , t●e dayes do ever limit the occasions and f●stivalls , which must begin and end with the dayes to which they are confined . this i shall make mani●est by examples , and make good by unanswerable reasons . for examples , we have all the festivalls in scripture , which together with their occasions , are restrained to the bounds of dayes , not the limits of dayes to them . to instance in particulars . when god himself instituted the seventh day for a sabbath , because on it he had rested from all his works of creation ; he confined the sabbath and his rest , to the seventh day ; not the seventh day to it : blessing the seventh day and hallowing it ; not changing the beginning , ending , limits , or order of it in the week , but the use , gen. . , . exod. . . to . when god instituted the fourteenth day of the moneth abib , for a passeover day , in memory of his passing over the israelites , and sl●ying the egyptians at midnight , he ordained that feast to begin at evening , because the day to which this festivall was confined , did then begin ; not at midnight , wh●n the occasion of its sol●mnization happened , exod. . . c. . , . . . lev. ▪ . numb. . . deut. . . josh. . so all the other jewish feasts * began and ended at evening , as the dayes on whi●h they were solemnized did ; the limits of the day being the bounds of the festivalls , not the festivalls , or their occasions , the boundaries of the day ; a festivall or holy day being none other , but a common day set apart and dedicated to gods speciall honour and service : therefore being but a common day consecrated , must needs begin and end , ●s the day doth this is manifest by exod. . . c. . , . c. . . c. . . levit. ▪ to . numb. . . josh. . , , . judges . . sam. . . neh , , , . esth. . . c . , , , . psalm . . psal. . . isa. . . matth. . . mark . . luke . . c. . . wher● all festivalls , fasts , and memorable occasions , are regulated by dayes , not dayes by them ; the festivalls and feasts ever beginning and ending with the dayes to which they are appropriated , not the dayes , or festivalls , or fasts , with the occasions of their solemnization . so in all annual or weekly holy-dayes , feasts , or fasts instituted by men , let the occasions of their institution happen what houre or time of the day they will , at morning , noon , or afternoon , yet we still begin the solemnization of them , when the day begins . for example , our saviours passion on the crosse , was not till about three of the clock in the afternoon , john . mark . . yet we solemnise our goodfriday , in memory of his passion , from the time the day begins . so our saviours ascension ( as is probable by acts . , , . . luk. . ▪ , . ) was about noon or after , yet we begin the festivall of his ascension with the dayes inception , whereon it was . so the descent of the holy ghost upon the apostles in cloven tongues ' was about nine of the clock in the monring , acts . . yet we solemnize our whitsonday in memory thereof , from that dayes inception . our deliverance from the a gunpowder treason on the fifth of november , was about nine or ten in the morning , or after , when the king , queen , prince , lords and commons should have m●t together in the lords-house ; ( though suspected and in part discovered ten dayes before , and actually detected at midnight ; ) yet we begin the solemnization of it , from the foregoing evening , with ringing of bells , and the like . the birth of many of our princes hath been about noon or after , and their coronations about that time : yet we solemnize their birth-dayes , and coronation-dayes , from those dayes beginnings . the crown descended to our present soveraign king charls in the afternoon : yet we solemnize not that day from noon to noon , but from evening to evening , because the day doth then commence and end , and so the solemnity confined onely to that day , that whole day , not to part of it , and part of the ensuing day . if then all festivalls whatsoever begin and end with the dayes beginning and end on which they are kept , not at the very time of those dayes , when the occasions of their solemnization happened , as these and other infinite other examples testifie ; why should not the lords-day begin at evening , though christs resurrection , ( the chief cause of its sanctification ) was not till morning , because that day , as a day , doth then begin and determine ? certainly whatever the opposites conceipt , it must needs do so , and that for these unanswerable reasons . first , because god himself , at the very creation hath set inviolable bounds , for the beginning and end of daves and weeks ; appointing them to be as so many royall standards for the limiting or measuring out of all festivall occasions happening on them , and reducing them to a certainty ; as i have manifested at large in the fourth conclusion : wherefore no event or festivalls , happening on those dayes , can alter the limits or beginning of them , nor make them longer or shorter ; no more than the corn to be measured by the peck or bushell , or the cloth to be measured by the yard , can alter , limit or measure out the quantity of the peck , bushell , or length of the yard . secondly , because every occasion that may cause a subsequent consecration of a day , for a sabbath or holy day , ( and so christs resurrection ) doth only dedicate that day , yea all that day on which it falls , not part of that day , and part of the day ensuing , on which it did not happen ; therefore consecrating onely that very day , all that day , and no other day but that , it must needs begin and end , when that day doth . now that very day on which our saviour arose , began and ended at evening , as i have proved : his resurrection therefore being the cause of consecrating all that day , ( not part of it , and part of the following day ) for the lords-day , this day as a lords-day , must necessarily begin and conclude at evening . thirdly , because no occasion of consecrating the day on which it falls , extends in point of consecration , further than that very day , which is set as the utmost limits of it . but should the lords-day begin and end at morning or midnight , not at evening , christs resurrection ( the cause of its consecration ) should extend beyond the bounds of the day , to consecrate half ( or at least a quarter ) of the second day , for a lords-day on which he arose ; and besides , it should not consecrate all that day on which it happened , but that part onely which ensued , not that which preceded it , since that day began at evening , as i have proved . both which were absurd to affirm . therefore it must needs begin at evening , the lords day being onely the first day on which christ arose , and all the first day , not part of it , and part of the second day , as it is and must be , in the opposites computation . fourthly , that day on which christ arose , both as a week day , and as a day , was precedent to his resurrection , both in time , nature , and in the sanctification of it for a lords-day : for there must be fi●st a day of the week b●fore christ could rise upon it , or any consecrate it for a sabbath or lords-day : therefore his resurrection on it , and the consecration of it for a lords-day , did not , could not alter the limits or nature of that day , but both of them must be regulated , squared by its former bounds . fifthly , christs resurrection and the lords-day solemnization , have no set limits of time of their own , being no parts of time , but onely measured out by time : therefore they can give , or proportion out , no limits of time to the first day , but the first day being a part of time , must set limits of time to them . and to make festivalls or their occasions measurers out of the length , b●ginning or end of days ( which the objectors do ) is as grosse an absurdity , as to measure the bush●ll by the corn , or the yard by the cloth ; not the corn an● cloth by the bushell or yard ; or as to square the rule by the tree ; measure the quart pot by the wine ; weigh pounds and weights by the wool , flesh , bread , fruits ; not the tree , wine , wool , &c. by the rule , quart , pound , weights . sixthly , every memorable accident happening upon any day ( and so by consequence our saviours resurrection on the first day of the week ) cannot possibly alter the beginning of that day : for if it falls out just at the dayes beginning , it is a reason that the day and festivall solemnized in memoriall of it , should then begin , because both the day and the occasion of its celebration commence together ; if it happen after the day begins ( as christs resurrection did ) it cannot nullifie or change its beginning , because it was irrevocably past , and gone before . et ▪ quod factum , quod praeteritum est , infectum reddi non potest , no not by god himfelf , much lesse by any accidentall occasion , which cannot possibly operate to nullifie or alter that which was past and gone before it was in being . since therefore no occasion happening , either with or after the beginning of any day can possibly alter the time of its inception , the festivity instituted in memory of that occasion , on that day , must inevitably begin and end when the day doth in its naturall and usuall course , and so the lords-day too , which must begin and end at evening , because that day on which christ rose again did so . seventhly , christs resurrection ( and so any other memorable accident upon any dayes ) was but a meere transient act , done , past , almost in a moment , or minutes space : wherefore it could properly of it self consecrate onely that space of that day which it took up and no more : for the forepart of the day being past , the following part of it to come , and neither of them in being , but that space thereof in which he rose again , christs resurrection could not properly operate to consecrate either the antecedent or subsequent part of that day , of it self , much lesse any dayes ensuing . if therefore the lords-day , or first day should be limited or bounded out by the time on which christ rose ( which is the opposites doctrine ) we must either observe no lords-day at all , or else a lords-day of a minutes length ( and that minute uncertain when to begin or end , because the hour , or minute of christs rising again is unknown : ) since therefore there is both an expediency and necessity that christians should observe a day , a festivall of a greater length , than the very moment in which christ rose , in memory of christs resurrection ; the instituters of the lords day , considering that god himself did ever bound out all festivalls , by dayes , not minutes , hours or half dayes , ( stretching the limits of them farther than the bounds of their occasions reached ; which were commonly short , and transitory ; ) partly in imitation of gods own former proceedings in such cases , and partl● out of necessity , did extend the bounds of the lords-day beyond the space in which he was rising , even to the intire day , whereon he arose , and so to that part of the day preceding , as well as to that succeeding it , the very act of christs resurrection being but momentany and not so large as the whole dayes extent . whence we may clearly see an absolute necessity of limiting festivalls by the days , limits , not by their occasions ; of beginning the lords-day at evening , though the resurrection , the cause of its future solemnization , was not till morning ; and of making such occasions and the resurrection , to relate à parte ante , as well as à parte post ; to consecrate the precedent as well as the subs●quent part of the dayes on which they happen , without any violation of the objected logick rule . that the effect cannot precede the cause ; ( which is true onely in this sense , that the lords-day could not be actually observed as a lords-day in memory of christs resurrection on it , bef●re he actually rose again : ) else festivalls and the lords ▪ day should be scarce half-holy-dayes , sometimes not above a minutes or hours length ; which would be dishonourable to god , to christ , to the church and disadvantagious unto christians . eightly , if festivalls or their occasions ( and so christs resurrection and the lords-day ) should alter the beginning and end of dayes , as the objectors pretend , it would bring in an absolute confusion of all tim●s and dayes : for then every last occasion of solemnizing any day must change the beginning of all other dayes , and reduce them to the time that that occasion happened ; and so every punie festivall should alter the limits of all dayes and festivalls formerly settled ; which were injurious , yea absurd ; and would cause so many alterations in day as would render all days , weeks , years , u●certain ; or else every day or festival should have severall beginnings and ends , answerable to the hours of the severall remarkable accidents happening on them , some beginning at one hour , some at another , some being long , others short , some beginning at one time in one country , and at another time in another countrey ; which would bring such a perplexity , intricacy into all computations of time , and all chronologie , as neither god nor man could suffer ; breed much confusion , both in contracts , festivals , all divine and humane affairs ; overturn religion , lawes , dayes , weeks , moneths , years , and reduce all things to a meere incertainty , in regard of time , which hath continued the same in all ages and places from the creation to this present , without any variation ; the week consisting of seven dayes , and each of those dayes of . hours onely , as they did at the creation . wherefore to prevent this generall confusion , incertainty , disorder in dayes , and other times , there is a necessity that dayes , ( gods standard royall , to measure all temporary things , occasions , and solemn festivals happening on them ) should limit both festivals themselves , and the causes of their institution : and so that the lords-day should be squared by the first day of the week , to which it is confined , not the first day , or lords-day , by the time of our saviours resurrection on it . and why should not the lords-day be squared by the first day on which our saviour arose ? is it not celebrated principally in remembrance of his resurrection on that day ? is not the lords-day the first day , and the first day the lords-day ? is not all the fi●st day the lords-day , and no part of the d . day ? would you not have it like that first day on which christ arose , not different from it ? if so , then that first day must be the only measure of it ; and it must begin and end at evening , as that day did . if otherwise , you make the lords-day different from that day whereon christ rose , you sanctifie but part , not all the first day ; you piece up a lords-day of half the first day and half the second day ; and make christs resurrection the measure of the day , when as the day was the measure of it : all and and either of which is gross●ly absurd . you see therefore in the first place , that the ground on which the opposites build their opinion of the lords-dayes commencement at morning ; is but a ch●in of falshoods and notorious errours . and so the objection meerely false , in the sence that they intend it . . i answer , that ●hough christs resurrection was the principal cause of christians celebrating the first day of the week for the lords-day , & christian weekly sabbath ; yet it was not the sole cause or occasion of it , there being many other caus●s likewise alleadged for it by * ancient and modern divines and others ; as that it was the first day of all others , whereon god created the light , that god raineed manna in the wildernesse on it , that christ thereon rose again from the dead , and that the holy ghost desc●nded thereon , upon the apostles . thus expressed in the excerptions of egbert archbishop of york , about the year of christ c. . spelmanni concil. tom. . p. . dominica dies prima dies seculi est , & dies resurrectionis christi ; & dies pentecosten , & ideo sancta est , &c. and thus in some ancient saxon canons , some of uncertain date , yet supposed to be years after christ . ibidem p . c. . a dies verò dominica , quia in eo deus lucem condidit , in eo mannam eremo pluit , in eo redemptor humanigeneris spoute pro salute nostra mortuis resurrexit , in eo spiritum sanctum super discipu●os infudit , tanta debet esse observantia , ut praeter orationes & missarum solemnia , & ea quae ad vescendum pertinent , nihil aliud fiat , &c. on which particulars , many of our modern writers insist . now as it was the first day of the world whereon light was created , it clearly began at evening , gen. . . the manna falling on it , ●el● with the dew in the night . numb , . exod , . christs resurrection thereon was early in the morning whiles it was yet dark , john . . luke . , , . matth. . . . mark . , . the descent of the holy ghost upon the apostles thereon ; was about nine of the clock in the morning , or the third houre of the day , acts . . to . to these reasons of its sanctifi●ation , most of our late divines annex , christs apparition to his disciples on this day after his resurrection : and that was at evening ( a little before sunset ) john . . now if all these severall occurrents on the first day of the week , concurring joyntly towards its sanctification as a lords-day , or christian sabbath , should alter its primitive beginning and end at the creation , as the first day of the world , when it began and ●nded at evening , to the time and hour of these severall occurrences thereon ; it should have as many severall beginnings and ends , at severall times , houres , repugnant to each other ; which would make it five severall dayes in stead of one ; yea no day at all , but a monster of dayes and sabbaths . to reconcile which repugnances , and avoid such confusion ; the objectors must disclaim their confident objected mistake . that christs resurrection ( being one cause of the lords-dayes solemnization onely ) did actually change the beginning of the day , from evening to morning ; and grant it still begins at evening , as before it did . . i answer that this objection is a meere petitio principii ; a begging of the thing controverted , as granted instead of proving it . for they lay this for a foundation ; that christs very resurrection did change the beginning of the lords-day ( or first day ) on which he arose from evening to morning : which is the thing in truth they ought to prove . yea but they confirm it too as well as say it : how i pray ? christ rose again in the morning , ergo he translated the beginning of the day to the morning . but how is this consequent made good ? why thus : christs resurrection was the cause of the lords-day ; therefore the day must begin when he arose , and not before , for the effect ought not to precede the cause . i subioyn that in this argum●nt is a treble sophisme . fi●st there is fallacia dictiouis in the word cause : which signifieth either an o●iginall impulsive cause ; ( and so it is true that christs resurrection was the cause of the lords dayes solemnization , to wit the cause , why christians afterwards did solemnize it ) or else an immediate efficient consti●utive cause : christs resurrection was no such cause of the lords day as i have proved . yet the objectors in this argument make it so , for that is thei● meaning . if they take cause here onely in the fi●st sence ; then the argum●nt is a meere inconsequent ; for the original cause or occasion of a thing may in point of time precede the effect for many hundred years . adams fall w●s the cause or occ●sion of christs incarnation , passion , resurrection and ascension , rom. . to . yet these were many thousand yea●s puny to it . the three y●ars famine in davids time , was occasioned by sauls slaughter of the gibeonites many years before , sam. . . yea most divi●●s generally affirm , that though . christs resurrection was he occasion or impu●sive cause of the lords-day●s i●sti●ution , yet the institution of it was some space after i● , not contemporary with it . this argument therfore is bu● a meer incons●qu●nt christs resurrection , the originall occ●sion of the lords day●s institution , was in the m●●ni●g . ergo ▪ h● l●●ds day must then begin . . here is ●ik●wise ●●●l●acie in arguing , that the lords day m●st 〈◊〉 at mo●ning , not evening , b●cause the eff●ct canno● p●●●ed● the cause ; when as the a●gument should be ●●st contrary . the ●ffect begins ever when the 〈…〉 it doth ; and is ever co●tan●ous with it ; the●●f●●● t●● l●●ds day ought to b●gin in the morning , because ●● r●su●●●ction the cause of it b●gan then . the fi●st ●f th●● a●●uments is a non sequitur : because thou●● the ef●●●t cannot precede the cause in naturall things , as the son cannot be before the father was ; yet it followes not , that the effect should ever be as ancient as , or contemporany with the cause , or the son be as old as the fath●r , or born together with him . so it follows not that because the lords day , as a lords day , could not begin to be observed , hallowed as such a day , before that morning whereon christ arose ; ergo it must begin at morning , and could not be instituted to begin the evening of the next , or any other first day following it . again the antec●d●nt of the latter argument is falf , for although the originall cause or occasion doth usually precede the effect in point of time , ( as christs resurrection did the institution of the lords day ) yet it follows not that the lords day must begin at that very point of time when christ arose . so that there is a fallacy in this argument , in arguing from the effect to the cause , that it cannot precede it : when as the proposition ought to be , that it is ever contemporary and must begin at the same time with it . thirdly , there is a transitio à genere ad genus ; and that in two particulars . . in making christs resurrection the cause of the lords-day , as it is a naiurall day , when as it was no cause of it as a day , but onely the reason why it was instituted for a lords-day . so that the argument should be thus propounded . christs resurrection was the cause , why the first day was instituted for a lords-day : but that began at morning . ergo , the lords-day must then begin , because the day must then begin , when the occasion of its institution for a lords-day began : which i have proved to be false : . in applying that to the beginning of the day , which is applycable onely to the beginning of its institution for a lords-day , in this maxime ; that the effect cannot precede the cause , that is , the lords-day must not be instituted in memory of christs resurrection , before christ was actually risen , ( which yet may be false , since the feast of the passeover was instituted at evening , and solemnized in part , before god actually passed over the israelites , and slew the egyptians at midnight following , which was the cause of its institution . exod. . . to . ) and so might the lords-day too , be instituted in this manner before christs resurrection ) therefore after his resurrection past , it could not be instituted to begin the evening of that first day of the week on which he arose . which is a meere inconsequent : for what though christ did not rise till the morning ; yet that day on which he arose began at evening ; and therefore his resurrection relating to the whole day , as his resurrection day , this day of the week ( if not before , yet after his resurrection past ) might be well solemnized for a lords-day , even from evening to evening , without any violation of the true meaning of this maxime ; since we solemnize not the day , as the precise minute or houre , but as the weekly day of his resurrection , every part whereof may be part of his resurrection day , though not part of that very hour of the day whereon he arofe . if then these fallacies be abandoned , the whole summe and force of the objection , is but this in honest termes . christs resurrection in the morning was the originall occasion why the first day of the week whereon he arose , was afterwards instituted for the lords-day , and so solemnized . ergo the first day as the lords-day , must begin and end at morning , at that moment when christ arose , not at evening , neither could it be instituted to begin at even . which as all the premises manifest , is a grosse inconsequent . all that is or can be replied to help out this maimed reason , is this . that the first day whereon christ arose , had two beginnings . one , as a lords day , and that was at morning when he arose : the other as a meer naturall day , viz. at evening : and that christs resurrection , gave it a new beginning , as a lords-day , not as a naturall day . to this i answer , . that this distinction is but a meer forgery , warranted by no scripture , reason or convincing authority ; and therefore it ought first to be proved ere received . . it is but a begging of the question disputed , not an answer of the reasons objected . . it is a meere falshood : for . that very day whereon christ arose was not consecrated at his resurrection for a lords-day , as i have proved : therefore it could not begin at morning as a lords-day , seeing it was no lords-day . . the lords-day is nothing else , but the first day of the week , and the first day of the week is the lords-day , they being terntini convertibiles : therefore they have but one and the self-same beginning and end . . that first day , on which christ arose , even as his resurrection day , began at evening as i have proved ; therefore it began then , as it was the lords day , it being the lords-day onely , as it is his resurrection day . . had that first day , as a day ●●●un at morning , then it must needs be either an half-holy-day , ●ut of houres long ; the evening and night preceding it , being no part of it ; or else it must be a lords-day patched up of a piece of the first day , and a part of the second day , to wit , of the day light of the first , and the night of second ; and not that intire first day whereon christ arose . either of which is an absurdity to averre : therefore as a lords-day it must begin at evening , to avoid these absurdities . by all which it is now most clearly evident ; that this grand objection is both false , absur● and fallacious , proving nothing at all against me , and no ground to rely upon . the third main argument , to prove , that the lords-day begins at morning , not at evening , is that of john . . the same day at evening , being the first day of the week , when the doores were shut , where the disciples were assembled for fear of the jews , came jesus and stood in the middest , &c. whence it may be objected . that the same first day whereon christ rose again , ended not at evening ; as the words ( the same day at evening , being the first day of the week ) import ; that evening being part of the first day , not of the second ; therefore it began not at evening in saint johns accompt , and our saviours resurrection in it translated its beginning from evening to morning . to this i answer first , that this text makes nothing at all against me . for the scripture makes mention of two evenings ; one of the artificiall day ( which we commonly call day ) beginning when the sund clines , & somewhat●efore sunset & ending with the twili●●t , or sun ●e● , or when the evening st●● begins to shine wch evening is a part of the preceding day , both in our 〈◊〉 usuall and the scripture a computation , the day evening when this morning determines . of which b evening we m●y read , prov. . . mark . . exod . ●●●t . . . judges . , , , . josh. . . c. . , . 〈◊〉 . . ma●th . . . mark . . luke . , . f●x●d . . num. . . c. . . and deut. . . compared together , which is sometimes stiled evening tide , josh. . gen. . gen. . . josh . . sam. . . isa. . . judges . the other is the evening of the night , beinning after sun set , or just with the star-light , just when the twi●l●ht endeth , and the night and naturall day in the scripture and j●ws accompt begin , which evening is a part , & the very beginning of the ensuing day : of which we may read , gen. , , . . to . exod ● . , levit. . . . c. . . c. . ●o . c. . . to ● . c. . . c. . . numb. . . deut. . . judges . sam. . . sam. . prov. . . psal. . . jer. . . hab. . zeph. . . c. . . jer. . neh. . . deut. . . exod. . . levit. . . mark . . compared one with the other . of both these evenings we find expresse mention , exod. . num. . . and . . where the jews are commanded to kill the passeover between the two evenings , that is , as most accord , between the evening of the day , and evening of the night ; which space between these two evenings both we ou● selves , and the c scriptures call , twilight , that is , the space between two lights , to wit , the light of the sunne , and the light of the starres or candle-light ; or the space between sun setting and star-shining ; which space most hold belongs to the precedent day ; the evening , which begins the night and following day , really commencing , when the evening d star begins to appear , which star called e vesper , both denominates , and begins the evening of the night , and the ensuing naturall day . there being therefore these two evenings , both in the scripture computation and our own ; the sole question will be , on which of the evenings it was , that christ thus appeared to his dis●iples ? and what evening it is , saint john here speaks of ? questionlesle , it was the evening of the day , no● of the night : first because the text is expresse , that it was the same day at even , being the first day of the week ; that is , whiles the first day was yet in being , and before it was quite ended : therefore it was , it must be the evening of the day , which in the scripture and jewish accompt ( which saint john follows ) was a part of the prec●ding first day ; not the evening of the night , which was in their compute , a parcell of the second day , not of the first ; as i have proved . . all divines accord , that this very first day on which christ arose , and thus appeared to his disciples , began and ended at evening , as the third and fifth conclusions manifest . therefore this euening can be no other , but the evening of the first day , not of the night , since this day , both began and ended when the evening of the night began . . this text informs us ; that when christ thus appeared unto his disciples at evening , he shewed them his hands and his feet , and that they saw and knew him perfectly . now neither saint john , nor any other evangelist make a mention of any lights in the room where they were , by which they might see him : therefore it is most probable , that they saw him by day light , or sunshine , by which they could best of all discern him . and if by day light , ( there being nothing in scripture to controll it ) this evening was questionlesse the evening of the day before sunset , as soon as ever the disciples came all together . . christs love to his disciples , ( who would not absent himself from them long , nor leave them in suspence of the truth of his ●esurrection , which they heard of before , by relation onely and other evidences ) may induce us to believe , that it was the first * of these two evenings , to wit the evening of the day ; and saint peters speech to cornelius , ( acts . . . him god raised up the third day , and shewed him openly : ( there●ore at day time , as is likelyest by sam. . , . c. . . psal. . . isa. . . col. . . ) not to all the people , but unto witnesses chosen before of god , even to us , who did eat and drinke with him after he rose from the dead ) implies as much . this therefore being the evening of the day , and so a part of that fi●st day , in the scripture and j●ws compute , makes nothing at all against me . secondly , this text mentions not at all this day as a lords-day , but onely as the first day of the week whereon christ rose ; neither doth it or any other scripture inform us , that christ made any translation of this dayes beginning to the morning . nor doth it follow , that the day must begin at morning or midnight , because it did not end at that time of the evening when christ appeared to his disciples , for it might determine soon after his appearance ( as the words , being the first day of the week subjoyned to the premises seem to infinu●te ) and so not begin at morning or midnight . this objection therefore no wayes impairs the truth of my assertion . the fourth objection ( upon which some much rely ) is that of acts . . to . where paul and the disciples at troas continued their assembly on the first day of the week , till day-breaking , and paul himself then preached untill midnight . ergo the lords-day begins and ends not at evening , but at morning ( say some ) at midnight , say others . to this i answer , first , that this ass●mbly of theirs on this day began our saturday nigh● , not our sunday , and continued till our sunday , ( not our m●nday ) morning , as i have formerly proved at large ; and therefore it makes wholly for , not against me . secondly , admit this meeting was upon our sunday at night , ( which i would have the objectors prove , as w●ll as affirm ) yet it concludes nought against my ass●rtion . first , because this sermon of pauls continuing till midnight , and this their continuance all night together , till the morning , was extraordinary , upon an extraordinary occasion ; to wit , pauls departu●e from them the next morning , v. . therefore no argument to prove the ordinary beginning or end of the lords-day . . as this sermon and assembly was extraordinary , so is it singular , without any pa●al●● example to second it , either in s●●ipture or antiqui●y ; which make no mention of any such sermons or assemblies used on our sunday nights , ( though of many on our saturday night , as i have proved ) besides this alone , if on it . as therefore one swallow makes no summer , so this one singular example makes no president for the usuall beginning and concluding of the lords-day at morning or midnight . thirdly , it is abare example but of one apostle , without any precept to back it ; therefore it can be no conclusive proof , that the lords-day ought to begin at morning or midnight , and he● to ●●d . fourthly , the beginning or ending of a s●●m●n , or one publick meeting ( ●ay the co●st●● practis● of all churches and places , from the beginning and ending their publick lords day exer●i●●● , which is much more ) is no concluding argument of it self 〈◊〉 ▪ to p●●v● the true beginning and end of the sabbath 〈◊〉 lords-day . for the jews themselves , 〈◊〉 christ him●●●●●nd the apostles ) began their publick s●●m●ns and 〈◊〉 on the sabbath day , about eight or nine of the clock in the morning , and concluded them ●●out four or five in the afternoon , as we and all other churches ●ow use to begin and end our publick lords-d●●es , solemnities : can or will any man ther●fo●e hence 〈…〉 , e●go , the seventh days : sabbath and our lords-day begin not till nine in the morning , and conclude at five in the evening , because the publick ass●m●l●s on 〈◊〉 , do then usually begin and determine ? n●● v●●ily , ●or this were to make the seventh day sabbath and lords-day , consisting each of them of a naturall day of houres length , not above eight or nine hours long , and scarce so much as half holy dayes ; and to abandon all private sabbath and lords-dayes duties , in allowing no time at all for them . if then the customary constant cause of our beginning and concluding publick sermons , with other solemn exercises and assemblies on the sabbath or lords-day , are no sufficient argument that the sabbath or lords-day commence or determine , when these publick sermons , exercises , and assemblies do , much lesse can this extraordinary singular sermon of saint paul continued untill midnight , or the prorogation of this assembly at troas , till the morning , of themselves alone inferre this conclusion , that the lords-day begins or ends at midnight , or morning . fifthly , it appears not by the text , that saint paul preached untill midnight , and continued this assembly till day breaking , for this very reason , because the lords-day ended not till then . there is no such thing as this insinuated by saint luke : but the reason of it is plainly expressed to be , pauls departure from thence the ensuing morning , never to see their faces more : and saint lukes drift in recording this story , is not to signifie , when the lords-day properly begins and determines ; but onely as an historian truly to relate the apostles actions ; and to record pauls industry in preaching upon all occasions ; with his love to the disciples at troas , and their respects to him , and his miraculous restoring eutychus to life , who fell down dead from the third l●ft , whiles he was preaching . therefore it can be no infallible argument to prove , that the lords-day begins or ends at morning , much lesse at midnight ; since they brake brend , and did eat and communicate together till the morning . sixthly , i would demand of the objectors , when this assemb●y at troas began ? if at morning or midnight before : that is improbable , since we cannot imagine , that paul made a sermon at that time of or hours long ; half of which would have tyred both himself and his auditors . if not before our sunday at evening , as they pretend ; then it is a stronger argument to prove that the lordsday begins not till sunday evening ; because st. paul and the disciples at troas met not together to solemnize it till then ; then that it ends ( and so by consequence begins ) at morning or midnight , because this assembly dissolved not till morning , and paul continued his preaching untill midnight . seventhly , if this example conclude any thing positively , for the objectors , it is onely this ; that they should continue their ordinary lordsday evening sermons untill midnight , and their assemblies till day breaking ; as st. paul and the disciples did here . this inference following directly from this example , without any straining ; far better then theirs from it doth ; that the lordsday begins and ends at midnight or morning . but this inference i suppose they will all disclaim in words , as they do in practice , as being a nonsequitur ; because this example was but singular and extraordinary upon a speciall occasion . therefore by the self same reason , they must disclaim their present objections too , or else subscribe to this my inference , which they cannot avoid unlesse they quite renounce their own . lastly , its clear st. paul used to preach both in season and out of season : exhorting timothy and other ministers to do the like , tim. . . that is , as most interpret it , to preach both upon lordsdayes , and all other daies and nights too , as he saw occasion . why then might not his sermon at troas begin upon the lordsday at evening , about our evening sermon time , and yet continue till the lordsday was past . certainly , there is no impossibility , nor improbability , but it might so : since therefore this text of st. luke informs us onely , that this meeting and sermon began upon the first day of the week , when the disciples came together to break bread ; that the sermon lasted till midnight , and the assembly till day break following , without any expression that the firstday was then continuing or ended ; admitting this assembly and sermon to be on our sunday night , ( which i absolutly deny ) yet it follows not , that the first day ended not in st. lukes accompt and theirs at troas , before the sermon or assembly concluded . so that this example proves nothing at all for the opponents thesis , nor any thing against mine , for which it is a concluding evidence , if rightly understood , as i have formerly manifested . the . objection , for the lordsdayes beginning at morning , and against its evening commencement , is this . that the beginning of it at evening , would open a wide gap to all licentiousnes , pastimes , disorders , on lordsday after-noons , and likewise to secular imployments unsuitable to the day ; which the beginning of it at morning would prevent . to this , i answer . first , that this objection is a meer cavill : for we see by wofull experience , that the doctrine of the lordsdays beginning in the morning ( which is and hath been generally received of late years in most places of the kingdome ) hath no wayes prevented , remedied any of the abuses , objected , on lordsday evenings , which dissolute persons , who make no consci●nce of sanctifying all the day , will alike prophane , and all godly people equally sanctifie , let the day begin and end at evening , at sunset , or starshining : and there are none who out of conscience sanctifie and forebear to prophane them now , but would equally sanctifie those evenings too , did they believe the day to conclude at evening , since they would be sure to sanctifie all the day . this objected mischief therefore is but a pretence . secondly , it is clear that god himself commanded his seventh day sabbath , and other solemn f●stivals , to be solemnized from evening to evening . exod. . . levit. . . god therefore ( infinitely wise foreseeing better than the best , wisest , holiest and most prudent christian magistrates or ministers all inconveniences , abuses that might prophane his sabbath , and what beginning , conclusion of it would best prevent all prophanations , and make most for its sanctification ) instituting hi● sabbath and other festivals to begin and end at evening , not at morning or mid-night ; i may safely inferre ( against this present objection ) that this beginning , concluding the lordsday at evening , even in gods accompt , and so in verity it self , is least inconvenient , least mischievous , and the best of all the three to prevent all prophanations , abuses of the day : therefore it ought to be imbraced , as that which god himself hath prescribed for the best , the meetest of all others . thirdly , i have formerly proved , that this beginning of it at evening , doth best prepare men for its sanctification ; that it prevents more prophanations , abuses of it committed on and occasioned by disorders of all sorts on the saturday night ( as we falsly term it ) then it could possibly produce on lordsday evenings : to which i shall adde , that it likewise excuseth all husbandmen , tradesmen and others from being sabbath-breakers ; who in the winter quarters , rise early to their weekly labour on munday morning , some three or four hours before day-break ; who should be sabboath breakers in an high degree , if the sabbath or lordsday ended not til day breaking , as some objectors pretend . therefore i may conclude , that this beginning of the lordsday at evening , make more for the sanctification of the day , and prevents more inconveniences , then that at morning , and so ought to be retained . fourthly , this beginning and concluding the lords-day at evening , cannot any way produce such effects of licentiousnesse , and prophanenesse on lordsday evenings as is suggested ; since it puts no period to the lordsday or its duties , till after sunset , when the stars begin to shine ; which is not till eight or nine of the clock in the summer , when all orderly people , families are more ready to betake themselves to their family duties , private devotions and rest , then to sports or pastimes : and about six a clock in the winter quarter ; after which all civill orderly parents , masters , ( though not religious ) permit not their children or servants to rove abroad ; and such who are truly pious , fall to repetition of the sermons they heard the lordsday before , singing of psalms , reading the scriptures and godly books , catechising their families , prayer , meditations , and such like holy family duties , answerable to the piety they professe , and the holinesse of the preceding day . so that it gives no liberty at all to any dishonest unchristian sports or meetings , as is pretended , which commonly break up and end ere the lordsday concludes in this accompt , and which all good christians ever avoid at all times , especially after lordsday exercises of piety and religion , with which they have no anologie . lastly , admit the objection true , that this beginning of the lordsday at evening should prove more inconvenient then that at morning ; not simply in it self , but in regard of mens abusing it ; which yet i deny ; yet it follows not , that therefore the day ought then to begin ; since the abuse of any doctrine , through the corruption of men , makes not the doctrine lesse true ; and since inconvenien●es must not , cannot alter those bounds , which god himself hath immutably prescribed unto dayes . true it is , that inconveniencies backed with any precepts or scripture for the beginning of dayes are good arguments , proofs of truths ; but wanting scripture authority to enforce them or being objected against apparent texts , they are no ways conclusive . such are the inconveniences here pretended , which whether they will happen , yea or no , will not , canno , appear , till this doctrine of the lordsdayes commencing at evening , and the use of publique evening prayers in all places saturday evenings , as a preparative to the lordsday sanctification formerly used , be generally received as formerly : which men will not so much abuse to liberty and licentiousnesse , as is pretended ; or if they do , the fault is onely theirs , not the doctrines . wherefore my conclusion remains still firm , notwithstanding this objection . the sixt and last objection is this : that many godly learned divines of late and present times , have in their writings , sermons , delivered this opinion for a truth ; that the lordsday begins and ends at morning , not at evening ; because christ rose not till the morning : and it is now the common received opinion , practice of all our divines and most private christians . therefore questionlesse , it is the truth , and dangerous to alter it in thesis or practice . to this i answer . first , that it is true , many reverend holy learned late divines ( whose names for honours sake i shall forbear to mention ) have in their publique writings , and many more in their sermons ; delivered this opinion ( yet many of them only dubiously with an * it seemeth or it is probable , or likely , not resolutely ) and that their present practice is answerable thereunto : but yet all the learned godly christians in all former ages have held , practiced the contrary , as i have proved ; and some godly eminent divines among us now , conclude in judgement with them . the judgment therefore and practise of all ages , churches , from the apostles time till now , should rather sway the ballance of this controversie , then these few late divines , though learned and judicious . secondly , most of those godly learned men have taken up this opinion , and published it to others upon wolphius his authority and ground , without any full examination or serious study of the point , as appears by this , that they do but lightly touch it in the by and so away , not seriously or peremptorily resolving it , grounding themselves upon such reasons as no wayes prove their conclusion ; and in truth are meerly fals , in that sense they understand them , as i have largely manifested in the premises . therefore their authorities are not so much to be regarded . thirdly , in all disputes we must not so much observe what and who the authors produced are , as what their proofs and reasons are . if these good learned mens arguments , reasons be unsound , as i have manifested them ; no matter what their opinions , lives or practises are ; since the learnedest , the holiest are and may be subject unto errours , from which none are exempted . seeing therefore i have here propounded the best reasons alledged on all hands , for the sabbath and lordsdayes beginning , at evening , morning , midnight , let the best proofs , reasons win the field ; and then i hope the victory will fall on my side without any more dispute , who contend not for victory , but truth alone . having thus ( as i conceive ) given full satisfactory answers to all materiall objections , i ever yet read , heard , or conceive against the lords-days beginning at evening ; i come now to reply to one grand exception against that place of levit. . . from evening to evening y●u shall celebrate your sabbath ; a principall text to prove , that the seventh day sabbath , ( and so our christian lords-day or sabbath as it is called ) ought to begin and end at evening . to which some reply , that this text speaks onely of the sabbath of attonement , which was but ceremoniall ; not of the seventh day sabbath ; therefore it is no argument or proof at all , that the seventh day sabbath , or lords-day succeeding it , should begin and end at evening . to which i reply , first , that it is true ; this text is meant more particularly of the sabbath of attonement , to which it is here specially applyed , but yet it extends withall to the seventh day sabbath , ( which all confesse did ever begin , and end at evening ) from whence it received both its name of sabbath , and its limitation too , both for the manner and time of its sanctification , as is clear by verse , , , . , . compared together . for . this sabbath of attonement , was to be a sabbath , and so the same in appellation , as the seventh day sabbath , verse , , . . it was to be but a sabbath of one dayes space , and no more ; ( to wit , the tenth day of the seventh moneth , verse . ) as the seventh day sabbath was . . it was to be sanctified and solemnized in the same manner , as the seventh day sabbath . for . it was to be an holy cnnvocation unto them , v. . ( that is , they must meet , and keep publick , religious , holy assemblies on it , & do holy duties ) as the seventh day sabbath was , verse , . . they must rest and do no manner of work upon it , verse , , , . as they were commanded to do on the seventh day sabbath , exod. . . c . . c. . . c. . . d●ut. . , , . neither might themselves , or the strangers within their gates do any work thereon , levit. . as they might n●t do on the seventh day sabbath , exod. . , . . they must offer a burnt offering to the lord on this sabbath , verse . as they were to do every seventh day sabbath , numb. ● . , . . this sabbath of attonement was , to cleanse them from all their sins before the lord , and make them holy , levit . . as the seventh d●y sabbath was both a means and sign of gods fanctifying them , exod. . . ez. ch. . . . he that did any work on this sabbath of attonement , was to be cut off from his people , verse as he was to be , that did any work on the seventh day sabbath , exod. . , . num. . , , . . on this sabbath of attonement , they must afflict their souls , v. . . as on th●seventh day sabbath they were to do , though not so solemnly as on this , by confessing their sinnes , and by not doing their own wayes , nor finding or doing their own pleasure thereon , isa. . . by all which particulars , it is manifest , that this sabbath of attonement was in most things most exactly squared , regulated by the seventh day sabbath , as the sampler by the copy , or the picture by the person drawen , participating with it both in its name , use , sanctification ; the sole querie or doubt remaining to be cleared , is when all this is to be done , or at what time of the day , this sabbath of attonement should begin and end ? god therefore resolves this scruple in the words alledged , from even to even shall ye rest ( or celebrate ) your sabbath ; that is in eff●ct , you shall keep it from evening to evening , as vou do the seventh day sabbath ; which begins and ends at evening : so that the seventh day sabbath , being here propounded for the onely pattern by which this sabbath of attonement was squared , and this being to begin and end at even , because the seventh day sabbath did , as all acknowledge , and i have prov●d ; this text ( in my conceit ) is a pregnant unavoidable argument : for the seventh day sabbaths solemnization from evening to evening , as well as for the sabbath of attonements , beginning and concluding at evening : whence saint augustine with sundry councels , and authorities forequoted , apply this text to the seventh day sabbath , and lords-day , as setting out bounds to them , as well as to the sabbath of attonement . . i answer , that this sabbath of attonement was confined to the tenth day of the seventh moneth , verse . and to be kept upon that day : since therefore it was confined to that very day , and to be solemnized from evening to evening ; it is apparant that that day , as a naturall day , began and ended at even in divine accompt ; and if that day , as a naturall day , began and ended at even ; then by consequence all other dayes , ( being all of one proportion , and one ever beginning when the other ends ) began and ended at evening . therefore the seventh day sabbath too , appropriated to the seventh day : so that take it which way you please , it is an unavoidable proof , that all sabbath dayes , and the seventh day sabbath begin and end at evening in divine computation : therefore the lords-day must do so too , being a sabbath of sacred rest , as all our opposites resolve , and confined to the first dayes limits , which as a naturall day commenceth , and determines onely at even , in naturall , divine and true accompt , and as a sacred day of p●est , ● denoted to gods service , i have now as succinctly , and perspicuously as i could waded through this present controversie : at what time the lords-day ought to begin and end ? and if my judgement fail me not , i conceive i have sufficiently manifested it to commence and conclude at evening , ( immediately after sunset , or so soon as the evening-star begins to appear ) not at morning or midnight . if the truth shall prove on my side upon the debate , i desire it may captivate the contrary mistakes , and certifie both the judgement and practise of all such zealous christians who are yet differently minded . if the error be on my side ( as i am yet fully resolved it is not ) i shall be glad to be first informed , then reformed by men of graver judgements , desiring a to do nothing against , but for the truth , for which i shall ever contend , to which i shall ever subscribe ; reputing it my greatest felicity to conquer with it , or to be conquered by it , and if occasion require to suffer chearfully , gladly for it . finis . errata . page . l. , . at evening . in pag. . l. . dele may , pag. . l. . dele but part . pag. . l. . r. is . l. . read quality . pag. . l. . dele the l. . naturall . pag. . l. . r. of . p. . l. . applicas . l. . r. summa . l. . cordubiensis . l. . covarravias . p. . l. . pauper . l. . totaliter . l. . r. assert . p. . l. . r. commanding . p. . l. . ages . p. . l. , r. ei● . p. . l. . r. noctem . p. . l . ventre . p. . l. . dele vesperam p. . ( r. ) l. . most come in . l. . before transcendent . p. . l. . for god . p. . l. . r. course . p. . l. . such thing . p. . l. . be contemporary . l. . first day . in the margin . p. . l. . smalta . p. . l , . hathertus . p. . l. . neh. . . p. . l. . r. fulk . p. . l. . rastal . p. . l. . certo doctoque . p. . l. . apoc. p. . l. . r. ux●rem p. . l. . gustodunensis . l. . bibl. patr. p. . l. . r. serm● . p. . . praecipuum . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- * see the epistle dedicatory . b see a new discovery of the prelates tyranny , ● . . &c * see my unbishoping of timothy and titus ; breviate , qu●nch-coal , catalogue of testimonies in all agres , quaeries to bishops , instructions for churchwardens . a looking glasse for all lordly prelates . antipathy , appendix to flagellum pontifiess . remonstrance against ship mony , with some others not yet printed . * a new discovery of the prelates tyranny . * see thoms campanella de monarchia hispaniae c. . . and the false jew , or ramsy his examination at newcastle , printed . * acts . . * tim. . ● . to . * pro● . . . * luke . . * tertullian de praescript . adv. haereticos . * tim. . , &c * thes. . , . * jam. . . . notes for div a e- a gen. . , . exod. . , , . levit. . . neb. . . luke , , ●c . . . b neh. . . anselmus de imagine mundi ▪ l. . c alcuinus de eccles. officiis c. . col. . c po●idor virgil . de inventor . rerum l. . cap. . d pupilla oculi pars . c. . summa angelica . tit. dies hostiensis summa l. . tit de feriis f. . lindwood provinc . constit . l. . tit. de feriis f. . e psal. . . don. . , . acts . . conclusion . conclusion . proof . f in genesi no● nō praecedentis dici est , seasubsequentis , id est principtum futur● non finis praeteriti . hierom . in jonam c. . tom. . p . g. proof . g see exod. . , , . ▪ proof . proof . proof . h see sam. . . c. . . ch●on . . neh. . . esth. . . jer. . . dan. . . proof . i see josh . . proof . proof . k anastatius sinaica . quast. lib. quaest. . conclusion . proof . proof . proof . l see neh. . m see neh. . . which makes it maninifest . proof . n luke . . , . o mark . , . p mat : ● . . q john . . r mat. . . ſ mark . . t luke . . john . . mark . . . proof . u s●e chemnisius examen concil●i tridentini , pars . de festis p. wolphius chronol l . c. . dr. bound of the sabbath . edit. . . p. , . dr. boyes his postils on the decalogue , p. . purchas pilgrimage l. c. p. . amesius medulla theologicae , l. . c. . sect. . mr. wemes , in his exposition of the lawes of moses l. . p. . to . when the day beginneth . conclusion . proof . . proof . . proof . x mark . , , . prnof . y see ignatius , martyr epist. . ad trallianos . bibl. patr. tom. . p . b. theophilus antiochenus comment . l. . in evangelia . ib. tom. . p. . c. hierome , ambrose , chrysostome , beda , anselmus , theophilact , christianus grammaticus , paschatius , rabbertus ; in their commentaries , on these texts , and on mat. . mark . , . luke . . calvin , luther , musculus , bullinger , melancthon , bucer , marlorate , junius , zanchius , beza , lyra , rabanus , maurus , hugo cardinalis , carthusian , tostatu● , iansenius , cornelius a lapide , and others on this text , gregory nyssen , oratio . & . de resurrectione christi , cassianus de incarnat . domini . l. bibl. patr. tom. . pars . p . f. . hierome comment . in jonam , c. . tom , . p. . b. augustine , quaest. super evangelia , quaest. . . anastatius siniata . quaestionum l. qu. , . bibl. patr. tom. . pars . p. , . together with saint cyprian de symbole , dr. lack son , mr , byfield , and all expositors on the creed , who joyntly accord in this truth . z mark . . mat. . . conclusion . a dan. . . c. . c ps. . acts . . proof . proof . proof . b exod. . ● . to . c psal. . , . neh. . . cap. . . proof . proof . * see mr. fox , dr. fuller and others on rev. . . m. sprint mr. bownd , mr. widly , mr. bernard , dr. twisse , mr. cawdry and others of the sabbath . conclusion . proof . proof . proof . proof . proof . proof . d psal . ● . . * see mr. fo● , dr. fulk and others on apoc. . d. bownd and others of the sabbath . proof . e acts . . cor. . . f saint luke saith it was in the very profundity or beginning of the morning , luke ▪ . g mat. . mark● . . arguments to prove that the lords day begins at evening . argument . argument . h see mr. george widly his doctrine of the sabbath . and others forecited . argument . argument . argument . reason : * eccles . . &c. psal. . , . reason . i for his work that he finished on the seventh day , was onely his creation , ●lessing and sanctification of that day alone : as pascatius ra●bertus in mat. . . rabanus , maurus and others teach . reason . k see h. s. c. . h. c● . eliz c rastabl . labovers , . ● . which appoint labourers to ● begin their work at morning , and ●●d it a● evening . l mark . gen. , : cor. . heb. , . psal. . , . see eccles. . . ● . co● . cor. . . . reason . n exod. . to . isa. . deul . . . to . o exod. . . to . . . , , . . . ● . levit. . , , . deut. . isa. . . neh. . . * acts . . hosea . . * as most affirm they are , who differ from me in this controversie . * psal. . & . . reason . * bish. white . dr. heylin mr. ironside , in their treatises and history of the sabbath , dr. joh. pocklingtons sunday no sabbath , p. , . printed sincei this was first penned , see canterburies doom , p. , , &c. reason . reason . reason . * rom. . . reason . reason . * quicquid enim omnes vel plures , uno eodemque sensu , man festè , f●●quenter , pe●s●veranter , v●lu● quodam sibi consentiente magistrorum conc●lio accipiondo , tenendo , tradend , fi●maverint id pro indubitato rato , ritoque habeatur vincentius lirinensis . contra haereses c. . q in his chronol. l. . c. . * anno . a pud bochellum decret. eccles. gal. l. . tit. . c. . p. . reasons . * dam. . . * dies sabbati being the latin name for saturday . ſ surius concil. tom. . p. . t athanasius de interp . psalmi & . a. & homilia de semente p. . ignatius epist. . bibl. patr. tom. . p . & epist. . p. . e. clemens romanus , constit . apost. l. . c. . l. . c. . l. . c. surius concil tom. . p. . , . a. primasius comment in retor . . sozomenus histor. ecclesiast . l. . c. , tom. bibl. pat. . pars . p. . f. . socrates scholasticus ecclesiast . hist. lib . c. . p. . . nice phorus callist . eccles. hist. lib. . c. p. . centur. magdeburg . centur . . pars . cap. col . l. . . de festis , centur. . c . col . c. . col . . centur. . c. . col . . centur. . c. . col. . l. . beda in lucae evangelium . l. . cap . tom. . col. . apost. canon . can. . surius concil. tom. . p. chrysost. hom. . in gen. . tom. . col. b. c. synodus parisiensis , anno . apud bochellum . decret. eccles. gal. p. . concilium laodicense . diem sabbathi in diem dominicum mutavit , ne judaismum imicare videremur , writes this councel of paris . * see breutius in levit. . . and . about ann. christi . u see centur. magd. . l. . c. . col. . accordingly , cent . . c. . col . . augustinus de tempore , s●r . . tertullians apology . c. . * see acts . . y epist. l. . epist. . z apolog. c. . a epist. l. . epist. . objection . answer . a mat. . . to . luke . to . john . . b see mat. . . luke . . sam. , . ● . . , . jan. . . . a epist. l. . . epist. ann. dom. . b see centuriae magd . c . col. . theodoret . eccles. hist. l. . c. . socrates scholasticus hist. l. . c. . sozomenus hist. eccles. l. . c. victor de vandalica persecutione . l. . cent. magd. c. . col. , . c see tertulliani apologia , justine martyrs apologies , anaxagoras oratio pro christianis . anno . b ad exam. lib. . cap. . see augustinus de t●mpore , sermo . anno . anno . anno . * see rabanus maurus opevum , tom. . p. . anno . a presbyteri verò ad vesperam , quae magis ad dominicam pertinet , consecrantur , honorius augustodanensis , de antiqu● rit●● miss. l. c. . patr. tom . pars . p. . b see bishop vshers treatise of the religion professed by the ancient irish . c. . p. . edit. . anno . anno . anno . anno . * see tertullian and others a●no . anno . anno . anno ▪ anno . anno . anno● . anno . anno● . anno . anno ● . * bishop alley mad● 〈◊〉 . of the clock in his poore mans library . anno . anno . anno . anno ● . anno . anno . anno . anno . anno . from anno ● . to . a see histriomastix p. , . and the table . objection . * see wolphius , chronolog . l. . c. . dr. bound of the sabbath , l. p. ● . with others a hene● aquinas prima secundae . quaest . . artic. . ad s●cun . concludes , inter omnia benefi . cia dei commemoranda primum et praecipuum est beneficium creationis , quod commemeratur in sanctificatione sabbati , unde exod. . pro ratione quarti praecepti ponitur : with which [ synod parisiensis , anno . apud boshellum , decret. eccles. gall . p. . concurres , and chrysostome hom. . super matthaeum . a sabbatum inter caetera festa tantum praescribitur in d●calogo quia figurabat generalia beneficia dei scilicet , creationis & beatitudinis , aquinas prima secundae quaest. . artic. . secund. qu. . art. . m secunda secundae qu. artic . ad m alensis sum. theol. tom. . qu. . m. , . bernardinus senensis sum. . artic. . c. . . bonaventura & media villa . in l. . sent. dist. . b ephes. . . ● . . col. , , rev. . . pet . . . heb. . . jude . c gen. . , . . levit. . . to . deut. . . to . psal. . , . mal. . . . c. . . rom. . . . , . a see philo judaeus de op sicio mundi . b magis praecipitur observatio sabbati quam al●arum sol●mnitatum , quia b●neficium creationis in hoc commemora●ur . qvod est praecipium inter prae●erita angelus de clavasio . in summa argelica . tit. p●aecep●um sest . . ● . . c see zanchius de operibus creationis lib. a isa. . throughout . rom. . c . . c. . . eph. . . c. . . col . . , , heb . to . c. . c. . c. c. . , . pet. . , . john . rom. . . objection . answer . a christs resurrestion is no more the cause of the lords-day as a day ; then baptisme is 〈◊〉 cause of the sac●am●ntal water , as water ; or christs consecration of the sacramentall bread and wine the cause of th●m as they are bread and wine ; or the o●dination of m●nisters , the cause of them as they are men . * esth. . , , &c. a see jac. c. b see , & . e● . c. . all lawes and canons touching lords-days , holy-dayes , feast-dayes , and thanksgiving dayes , and the canonists tit feri● , & dies f●sti . a see mat. . . mak . , . luk. . . joh. . . . b mat. . . ma● . , . luk . , , , . . to . john , , , . . cor. . . to . b john . . c. . . c. . . c. . . tim. . . rom. . gal. . . . . * exod. . . deut. . , . sam. . . a see . jac. c. . , . the arraignment of traytors . speeds history . p. see augustine de tempore sermo . and d. bound of the sabbath , p. . a taken out of theodulphus his epistle an. ● . apud bochellum decreta ecclesiae . gald . . tu. ● . c. . p. . . objection . answer● . argum. . objection . answer . . a s●e mat. . . . mark . , , . joh. . , com●ared 〈◊〉 ● . b the evening sacrifices we read of in scripture , and our vespers or evening prayers , are o● this evening of the day , a little before sun-setting . c prov. . . sam . kings . , . job . . ezechch . . . . d see neh. . job . . jer. . . gen. . ▪ . . compared together . e isiodor hispalensis originum . l . c. . cal●pi●e , rabbanus maurus de universo l. . c. . christianus grammaticus . pasca●ius rathb●rtus in matt. . v. . honorius aug●stodunens●s de imagine mundi , l. . c. a acts . . makes relation when they had lights of those lights ; there●o●e the evan●elists likewise would have done so , had ●●ere been any , as is most pr●bable . * see psal. . to . . objection . answer . objection● . answer objection . answer . * s●cut autem sabbathi veteris initium suit à vesp●re : quia & crea●io incipiebat à vespcre , quoniam massa communis creata fuit ante lucem : & cessatio diei ab opere creationis incipicbat etiā à vespere ; sic diei dominicae initium incipere videtur ab illius diei mune : quia resuri●ctio christi suit in primo mane . mar. . . john . . exception . reply . ▪ ●cor. . . the sabbaths sanctification ... by w.g. gouge, william, - . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing g ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing g estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the sabbaths sanctification ... by w.g. gouge, william, - . [ ], p. printed by g.m. for joshua kirton and thomas warren ..., london : . attributed to william gouge by wing and nuc pre- imprints. "herein i. the grounds of the morality of the sabbath. ii. directions for sanctifying it. iii. proofs that the lords day is the christians sabbath. iii. aberrations about the sabbath. v. motives to sanctifie the sabbath." imperfect: print show-through. reproduction of original in the union theological seminary library. eng sabbath -- biblical teaching -- early works to . a r (wing g ). civilwar no the sabbaths sanctification ... by w.g. gouge, william b the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the b category of texts with fewer than defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - jonathan blaney sampled and proofread - jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the sabbaths sanctification . herein i. the grounds of the morality of the sabbath . ii. directions for sanctifying it . iii. proofs that the lords day is the christians sabbath . iiii. aberrations about the sabbath . v. motives to sanctifie the sabbath . by w. g. london , printed by g. m. for joshua kirton , and thomas warren , at their shop in pauls church-yard at the white horse , . to the reader . christian reader , this treatise of the sabbaths sanctification , hath in the private family of the author , and in other families of his pious friends beene taught , and learned many yeares together . they who have beene made partakers thereof , and made conscience of well using it , have found a singular help thereby for a comfortable and profitable passing thorow that day , which unto too too many seemeth very tedious , and ( if at least they be under the ministery or government of such as restraine them from those sensuall workes that satisfie the flesh ) makes them complaine , and say as the iewes of old did ( amos . . ) when will the sabbath be gone ? but they who take notice of the variety of duties therein set downe , and of their fit dependance one upon another , shall rather find want of time for a due performance of them , then superfluity . by care and conscience in aright observing of them , the lords day will prove an holy spirituall market day , wherein we may procure , weeke after weeke , such spirituall provision for our soules , as will nourish and cherish them unto eternall life . the very life of piety is preserved by a due sanctification of the lords day . they put a knife to the throat of religion , that hinder the same . let such as desire and expect the blessed fruition of the eternall sabbath to come , make conscience of well sanctifying the christian sabbath while here they live : for an help whereunto , this treatise of the sabbaths sanctification is published . to it is added another treatise about apostasy : which two may fitly goe together , because a conscionable sanctifying of the lords day will be an especiall meanes to keepe men from apostasy . the sabbaths sanctification . q. is the sabbath morall , or ceremoniall ? a. morall . that is accounted morall , which ( as a rule of life ) bindeth all persons , in all places , at all times . q. how appeares it to be morall ? a. it was sanctified in adams innocency . gen. . , . adam in his innocent estate was a publick person , and bore in his loynes all man-kinde : and that without distinction of jew and gentile . that therefore which was given to him in chardge , appertained to all that in any age should come from him . it is one of the ten precepts of the morall law . ex. . . it is not an appendix to another precept : but an intire precept in it selfe . if it be abrogated , or made ceremoniall , there are but nine precepts of the morall law : contrary to these expresse scriptures , exod , . . deut. . . & . . q. of how many houres doth the sabbath day consist ? a. of foure and twenty . gen. . . the sabbath is called the seventh day : so as it is a seventh part of the weeke : therefore so many houres as make up every of the other dayes ( which are foure and twenty ) must be accounted to this day . q. are all those houres to be sanctified ? a. yes . exod. . . the lord rested the whole seventh day : and all the time wherein he rested he sanctified . gen. . , . q. how can all that time be sanctified ? a. . by observing things commanded . jer. . . . by observing things permitted . exod. . . duties commanded , by reason of gods supreme soveraignty must be done . they are so proper to the day , as in a right performing of them , the sanctification of the sabbath consisteth . matters permitted , by reason of gods tender indulgency , having respect to our infirmity and necessity , may be done . and though the sabbath be not properly sanctified in them , yet is it the better sanctified by them . q. what are the heads of duties commanded ? a. . duties of piety . luk. . . . duties of mercy . mark . . . isa. . . duties of piery are such as immediately tend to gods honour , wherein and whereby he is worshipped : and withall they are such as directly tend to our spirituall edification . wherefore the wise lord , who affordeth us six dayes for secular and temporall affaires , seeth it meet that every seventh day should be set apart for divine and spirituall matters . and because the workes of our calling ( wherein we are most employed in the six dayes ) tend especially to our owne profit , god will have us on his day to shew mercy to others that stand in need of our helpe . many are the works of mercy which christ did on sabbath dayes , as appeareth , mark . . , , , . & . , . luk. . , . & . , &c. joh. . . & . . & . . q. what kindes are there of workes of piety ? a. publick . act. . . . private . act. . . . secret . mar. . . the severall duties of piety which are comprised under these heads , are very helpfull one to another , and cause the sabbath to be more comfortably passed over , without any seeming tediousnesse , or wearisomenesse . q. where are publick duties of piety done ? a. in the church . cor. . . & . , , & . , . heb. . . churches are publick places , where many of severall families meete together . there use to be most frequent assemblies to worship god . the doores of churches use to stand open , for any that will to enter in . there the most solemne duties of piety are performed . q. by whom are they performed ? a. by the minister . act. . . by the people . act. . . by all together . cor. . , . a minister on the one side , and people on the other , make up a true church . the minister is the mouth of god , in whose roome he stands , to the people : and by reason thereof he declares out of gods word , gods will to the people . a minister is also the peoples mouth unto god : presenting their mind to god : which he doth for order sake . for if all should utter their owne mind together , by their own severall voices , what confusion would there be ? yet are there also duties to be performed by the people joyntly among themselves , but distinctly from the minister : els that which the minister doth will be in vaine . yea there are also some duties wherein the minister joyneth with the people , and the people with the minister , even in the same manner of performing them : as the particulars following will shew . q. what duties are done by the minister ? a. reading the word . act. . . col. . . preaching it . luk. . , . act. . . praying and praising god . cor. . , . neh. . . & . . . administring sacraments . mat. . . & . . act. . . . blessing the people . num. . . in performing the two first ( reading and preaching the word ) and the two last ( administring sacraments , and blessing the people ) the minister stands in gods roome , and is his mouth : but in the middlemost duty ( praying to god and praising him ) he is the peoples mouth to god . q what duties are done by the people ? a. attending to the word read and preached . act. . . assenting to the prayers and praises . cor. . . partaking of the sacraments . mat. . . cor. . . saying amen , audibly to all . neh. . . if people attend not to the word , it is like the seed sowne in the way side , which the soules soone pick up , mat. . , . if they assent not to the prayers and praises , they are like those that draw neere to god with their lipps , but have their hearts farre off . mat. . . if they partake not of the sacraments , they cast themselves out of the communion of saints . gen. . . num. . . luk. . . as for an audible pronouncing of amen , if the mind of them that pronounce it , have beene upon that which the minister uttered , and their heart have given consent thereto , it compriseth alltogether as much as the minister hath uttered . this is the only warrantable meanes for people to utter their mind in a congregation . it must therefore be uttered by every one , altogether , so loud , as the minister may heare their consent , as well as they heare what he hath uttered in their name . for the one is as requisite as the other . q. what duties of piety are done by minister and people all together ? a. singing psalmes . mat. . . singing of psalmes was alwaies used by gods people , not onely in the tabernacle , temple and synagogue of the jewes , but also in christian churches . christ used it with his disciples ( mat. . . ) it is enjoyned by the apostle ( eph. . . col. . . ) and it was practised by the primitive church , ( . cor. . , . ) by this duty joyntly performed by all , as our owne spirits are quickned , so we quicken the spirits of others : and we are all made the more cheerfull in serving god . on this ground they who are merry are enjoyned to sing . jam. . . q. where are private duties of piety done ? a. in a family or some other private place . herein lieth a difference betwixt performing publick and private duties , that from the publick none are excluded : but private are done by the mutuall consent of a certaine number : either of such as are under one roofe ( josh. . . act. . , . ) or else of others that agree together for that end ( act. . . ) by private meetings of such as are of the same minde and piously affected , christians doe bring much sweet consolation and mutuall edification one to another : and the power and profit of publicke duties is much promoted thereby . q. what are private duties of piety ? a. . reading gods word . . tim. . . . praying and praising god . act. . . . catechising , deut. . . . repeating sermons . act. . . . holy conference . luk. . . . singing psalmes . act. . . jam. . . by a conscionable and constant performance of these private duties , a private house is made gods church : and god will be there present , as he was in the house of obed-edom ( . sam. . . ) to blesse them . yea wheresoever two or three duly meet for such purposes , christ by his spirit will be among them . mat. . . in performing these , it is requisite , that some one of ability be as it were , the mouth of the rest , in reading the word , praying to god and praising him , instructing in the grounds of religion , which is catechising , and repeating sermons : and the governour of the family if he be able , is the fittest to performe those duties . by such kind of duties of piety performed , as we can , before we go to church , we are the better fitted to the publick , and after we come from church , by these will publick duties be made the more profitable : yea by these , much of that time wherein we are absent from church , is sanctified . q where are secret duties of piety done ? a. in some secret place betweene god and ones selfe alone . mat. . . no place is exempted from secret duties , so as a christian may be there alone , and none with him ; in relation to such duties , thus saith the lord , enter into thy chamber , and when thou hast shut thy doore , pray , mat. . . secret duties ought so to be performed , as none but god should know what we are about : so will thy soule be the more upright , and freed from hypocrisy and vaine-glory : so will the duties bring the more comfort to the performers thereof . q. what are secret duties of piety ? a. reading gods word . act. . . praying and praising god . mar. . . act. . . psal. . . meditating . gen. . . psal. . . examining ones selfe . psal. . . cor. . . the two former of these secret duties , are such as may be performed both in private and publick : but the difference is in the manner of performing them . but the two latter ( meditation and examination of ones selfe ) are most proper to be performed in the most secret places that may be : because they are actions of the mind , and concerne a mans owne selfe in particular . these secret duties of piety would especially be performed first in the morning , and last in the evening ; that the lords day may be begun with them , ( for a better preparation to the other duties ) and ended with them , as a means of attonement for all our failings past . the forenamed secret duties are of excellent use to both those purposes . they who are conscionable in performing all the fore-mentioned duties of piety , publick , private and secret , shall finde time little enough from their rising up to their lying downe : so as they shall have no cause to complaine of the many houres , or to say , they know not what to doe , or how to spend their time : especially if to those sundry duties of piety , they adde duties of mercy . q. what kindes are there of workes of mercy ? a. such as concerne the soule . joh. . , . such as concerne the body . mar. . , , . man consists of two parts : soul and body , and both of them are subject to many maladies , and many necessities : we may therefore afford much succour , and shew much mercy one to another , both in soul and body . q. what are the workes of mercy which concerne the soule ? a. instructing the ignorant . cor. . . establishing the weake . act. . . resolving the doubtfull . luk. . , . comforting troubled soules . joh. . , & . . cor. . . thes. . . informing such as are in errour . mar. . . & jam. . , . reproving the sinner . mar. . . luk. . . cor. . . every way edifying others . thes. . . rom. . . these in one respect may be accounted workes of piety , namely as they are instructions , directions and reprehensions gathered out of gods word : but in another respect they are workes of mercy , namely as they tend to the reliefe of our brother in regard of his spirituall distresse and need of his soule . the matter of them makes them workes of piety , the end whereto they tend makes them workes of mercy . there is therefore a double bond to tye us to a diligent performance of all these on the lords day , as we can finde any occasion of doing them : one , the bond of piety : the other , the bond of mercy . yea as the soule is more excellent then the body , and the good of the soule more necessary then the good of the body , so these works of mercy which so much concerne the good of the soule , ought with more diligence to be done , then those which concerne the good of the body : which yet we must not neglect . these we ought to doe , and not leave the other undone . q. what are the workes of mercy which concerne the body ? a. visiting the sick , and such as are otherwayes restrained of liberty . mark . . , . mat. . . relieving the needy with what they want . isa. . . cor. . . mat. . , . pulling out of danger such as are therein . mat. . . luk. . . affording all other seasonable succour . mat. . , . these may be so ordered , as none of the forementioned duties of piety need to be omitted for them . if christians rise in any seasonable time , they may performe both private and secret duties of piety before they goe to church in the fore-noone : and if they spend not too much time at dinner , they may doe the like before church-time in the afternoone . and when they come from the after-noone publick service of the church , either before , or after , the like private duties of piety , they may doe some of the fore-mentioned workes of mercy : and those such as concerne the body . if they prove such as hinder workes of piety , they belong to workes permitted , which are hereafter distinctly set downe . q. are not duties of piety and mercy to be done on other dayes also . a. yes . act. . . tim. . . thes. . , . prov. . . god every day continues the same god : and answerably he is to be so acknowledged : and in testimony thereof divine worship is every day to be performed . under the law they had their morning and evening sacrifices every day , exod. . , . by duties of piety to god , are our secular affaires sanctified and seasoned . every day therefore are they to be performed . and because every day the necessities of some or other require workes of mercy , we must be ready every day to doe them so farre as we are able . the rules for shewing mercy are especially these three , our brothers necessity . our owne ability . gods opportunity : that is , the occasion which by the divine providence is offered unto us . luk. . , . joh. . . q. wherein lyeth the difference betwixt doing workes of piety on the sabbath , and on other dayes ? a. they are on the sabbath as meat : on other dayes as sauce . numb. . , . we use to fill our bellies with meate : and to eate as much as we can ( i speake of such as eate for strength and not for gluttony ) but we take a little sauce , no more then will give a rellish to the meate , and sharpen appetite . so on the sabbath we ought to doe as many duties of piety thereon as conveniently we can . to secret duties , private must be added : to secret and private , publick . the greater part of the sabbath day must be spent in these . but it is sufficient on other dayes , to performe secret and private duties of piety , morning and evening , to season and sanctifie the workes of our calling thereby : and that by craving pardon of sinne , assistance and blessing , and by giving praise to god , yea and by learning directions out of gods word . for which end , some part of the holy scripture is to be read : and some opportunities are to be taken where they may be had , to heare sermons on weeke dayes . but the greatest part of every of the six dayes is to be spent in the workes of our calling , exod. . . q. wherein lyeth the difference betwixt doing works of mercy on the sabbath and on other dayes ? a. opportunities for works of mercy , are to be sought on the sabbath , and taken on other daies , . cor. . . no sabbath ought to passe over our heads wherin some worke of mercy ( if at least we be able ) is not done . the time that we spare from duties of piety , and from a lawfull refreshing of our bodies , ought to be spent in works of mercy . for which end it is requisite that we take due notice of such as are sicke , or in prison , or otherwise restrained of liberty , or any way troubled and perplexed , and of such as are poore , and in want : yea if we know none such , to enquire after them , and to goe to visit them , and comfort them , and relieve them . where the apostle enjoyneth to lay up something in store every first day in the weeke ( which is the lords day ) he implies that that is a very fit season not only to doe workes of mercy which then are offered to us , but also to prepare on that day for other times . surely if every one would every lords day lay something aside , as god hath prospered him , for a stocke to give to the poore , much good might be done thereby . thus will men have more to give : thus will they have in a readinesse to give : ( it being a sacred stock by their voluntary setting it apart to such an use , their conscience will account it sacriledge to lay it out any other way : ) thus will they more cheerefully give , because the stock out of which they give is prepared before hand : and thus will their benevolence on another day be a sabbath-daies work , because it is out of the stock which on the sabbath day was laid aside . if poore men that live on their daies labour , if servants that live on their wages would every lords day lay up some tokens or pence for this end , they might have , without any sensible dammage to themselves a stock for the poore : how much greater stoare would be for the poore , if rich men according to gods blessing on them , would so doe ? q. what servil workes are permitted on the sabbath ? a. . such as further the proper works of the sabbath , mat. . , , . . such as hinder them , mat. . . such is gods wisedome , as in all things that he requires , he affords all meanes that may further the same . and withall , such is gods tender respect to us , as he ordaines and orders all things for our good . for our good , namely for the spirituall edification of our soules , he first ordained the sabbath . the sabbath was made for man , mar. . . therefore those ordinances wherein and whereby he is worshipped and honoured , are the meanes of edifying and saving our soules . but god did so aime at our spirituall good , as he would not on his day have the temporall good of our bodies neglected . if therefore our bodies stand in need of present succour , for the affording whereof duties of piety must be omitted , he suffers us to forbeare the externall works of piety : and thereby verifies that , which the prophet of old testified ( hos. . . ) and christ once and againe confirmed ( mat. . and . . ) i will have mercy and not sacrifice . q. what servil things may further the proper works of the sabbath ? a. first , externall rites about the performing of them , levit. . . num. . , . vnder the law there were sundry rites which required much bodily labour that tended to that worship which god then required : as slaying sacrifices , fleaing and cutting them in peeces , laying wood on the altar , and the sacrifices thereon , renewing the lamps , setting the shew-bread on the table : and many other the like : concerning which christ thus saith of the performers thereof , the priests in the temple prophane the sabbath and are blamelesse . mat. . . that is , they do such things , as in other cases , not concerning the worship of god , would be a profanation of the sabbath . ( if a butcher in his slaughter-house should so slay , slea , and cut beasts in peeces on the sabbath , he would therein prophane the sabbath : ) but in the case of gods worship they are no profanation , and therefore the performers thereof may justly be acquitted of all blame therein . thus church-wardens , and clearkes may provide good bread and wine for the communion , and water for baptisme , and bring them to church . thus collectors may receive , tell out , and distribute money to the poore . thus ministers may studie for their sermons . and other like works may be done that tend to the principall duties of the sabbath . q. what other servil things may further the proper workes of the sabbath ? a. such as our weake bodies doe stand in need of . exod. . . mat. . . man by sinne hath brought many infirmities upon his body . by them is he much disabled and hindered from performing good duties . the lord therefore every way endeavouring with his goodnesse to overcome mans wretchednesse , hath by his providence afforded him sufficient meanes to support and redresse his infirmities . these meanes god is willing that man should use at all times , on all accasions , so farre forth as may be needfull and usefull for him . the lord is not like that cruell tyrant who laid upon the israelites , whom he held in hard bondage , as much as they could doe , if not more , and yet would not afford them ordinary meanes to doe it . he rather will have his work intermitted , then man oppressed thereby . . q. what are those particulars which our weake bodies doe most need ? a. . sleepe . eccles. . . . foode . luke . . . apparell . . sam. . . . all other occasionall helps . mar. . , . . q. why is sleepe requisite ? a. if we have not seasonable sleepe the night immediately before the sabbath ( the latter part whereof , namely from midnight to the time we rise , is part of the sabbath ) the duties of the day will be so drousily performed ( if at all they be performed ) as they cannot be acceptable to god , nor advantageable to our spirituall edification . sleep doth much refresh our drowsie bodies , and cheere our dull spirits : and so make us much better performe the duties of the sabbath . therefore sleep is said to be sweet , eccles. . . q. why is food needfull ? a. food is of speciall use to refresh the body and quicken the spirit , if it be seasonably , and moderately taken . many mens spirits will be ready to faint if they be not in due season refreshed with convenient food . christ therefore on the sabbath tooke his ordinary repast , luke . . and made an apology for his disciples refreshing themselves on that day , luke . , &c. yea he sheweth that such mercy ought to be afforded to beasts . luke . . q. to what use is apparell ? a. apparell also is needfull and usefull for refreshing the body , and for comelinesse . it keepeth the body warme , it covereth our uncomely parts . then especially are wee to make our selves comely when we go into great assemblies : and greatest assemblies use to be in churches , on the lords day . of old they were wont to put on their best apparell when they went to the house of god ( . sam. . ) unlesse it were a time of humiliation , exod. . , . q. what other helps are there ? a. there are sundry other helps , which occasionally arise from sundry accidents . as in case of lamenesse , or weakenesse of limmes by gout , spraining , or any other meanes , it is a great helpe to be carried to church : and that carrying may prove to the bearers a laborious worke : so where the church is remote , the help of horse and coach by land , and boate by water is needfull . it appeares that many brought such friends to christ as could not come of themselves , on the sabbath , mar. . . & . . q. how doe the fore-mentioned meanes further duties of piety ? a. by enabling us the better to doe them , psal. . , . we heard how they refresh our bodies , cheere our spirits , and support , yea and redresse our manifold infirmities : thereby they enable us to doe the things which we take in hand the more cheerefully , and steddily , and thereby further the same . a man that hath a long journey to ride , by resting some-time in an inne , by taking repast himselfe , and giving his horse provinder , enableth himselfe and horse to goe further then other-wise they could : and so doth further his journey . though in baiting he doth not travell , or goe any whit of his way , but abide in his inne , yet hee helpeth forward his journey , and shall by that meanes better come to the end thereof . even so , though in doing those servill things which are needfull for our bodies the sabbath be not properly sanctified , yet by them the sanctification thereof is furthered , in that the services tending thereto , are thereby better performed . q. what cautions are to be observed , for well using these on the sabbath day ? a. first , no more time then needs , must be spent on them , exod. . . the lord testifieth his respect to us , in offording us liberty to use the things whereof we stand in need : and time convenient therein to use them . it becommeth us therefore to testifie our respect to god , by giving to him and his service as much time as we can : and not to abuse his indulgency by spending on our selves more time then is needfull . wherefore having had quiet rest in the night , we ought to rise betimes in the morning , and to be quick and speedy in attiring our selves , that we may have the more time to serve god on his day . the like must be done by servants in the needfull services which they doe . so in sitting at table to eate meate , wee must use all convenient speed . to rise the sooner from bed and table , and to doe all needfull servile workes the more speedily , because it is the lords day , argueth a good respect to god and his service . q. what other caution is to be observed ? a. such servil workes as are permitted on the sabbath must be performed as sabbath daies workes . such respect must be had to this sacred time , as we ought to endeavour to turne all things , so farre as wee can , to a sanctification of that day . q. how may they be so done ? a. . with due respect to the end . . with like respect to the manner . the end and manner make much to the qualifying of that we doe . an evill end and manner much pervert the things we doe : but a good end and manner adde much to the glory of warrantable things . q. what is the end to be aimed at ? a. to be better enabled to workes of piety . . king. . . this end ( especially if indeed we doe the better what we are enabled to doe , which is the right use and proper effect of the end ) this end maketh servile works to become sabbath works . for instance , if going to bed the evening before the sabbath , we pray to have quiet rest for this end that we may more cheerefully doe the duties of the sabbath , that sleep is a sabbath sleep : so to eat and drinke for that end is a sabbath eating and drinking . so in other things . q. after what manner must they be done ? a. with raising matter of spirituall meditation from them . luk. . . on the lords day our mind ought to be so heavenly , as thereby every thing should be done after an heavenly manner : not onely workes of piety , but also every other worke that we doe thereon , should be so done . when we first wake , we should call to mind what day it is , and desire god to sanctifie us to the duties thereof . rising out of bed , should bring to our minde the first resurrection out of sinne , and the second out of the grave . in apparelling our selves , we should meditate on the adorning of our soules . in washing face and hands , thinke on the cleansing of our soules . servants in making and blowing the fire , should thence take occasion of stirring up the fire of gods spirit in them . in preparing meate , they should thinke of the food of their soules . there is nothing which may lawfully be done , from which a pious minde may not draw matter of heavenly meditation : whereby the things from which meditation is drawne , are sanctified . q. may servil works be done on the sabbath , though they hinder duties of piety ? a. yea. mat. . . god doth not so strictly tie us , as fall what will , or can fall out , we must goe to church . this phrase , not sacrifice ( hos. . . ) implieth that there may be cases , wherein god doth not expect sarcrifices , that is , externall duties of piety to be performed by us . q. what are those servil works which may be done though they hinder duties of piety ? a. such as are of an absolute necessity . this absolute necessity hath relation to mans need : namely , that it is necessary that such and such things be done , or els some great dammage or prejudice will come to man . q. how may that absolute necessity be knowne ? a. if that which must needs be done could not be done the day before , nor can be put off to the day after . this implies a necessity of the present performance , even upon the sabbath day . this first is laid downe as a ground , that it must needs be done : then it is taken for grant , that it could not be done the day before , and also , that it cannot be put off to the day after : therefore it remaines that it must be done on the lords day . for instance . a tile falls on a mans head and soarely wounds him on the lords day . it is necessary that succour be afforded to this man . the day before nothing could be done for his cure , because no man knew he would be hurt . succour must not be put off to the day after , least the man perish for want of succour . such therefore as are able to helpe him , must doe it , though thereby the duties of piety be hindred . note for this purpose , joh. . . q. of what sorts are those workes of absolute necessity ? a. . ordinary . . extraordinary . ordinary are such as for the most part happen every sabbath : and some-where or other are performed on that day . extraordinary are such as may fall out , and sometimes do fall out : but very seldome : and it is a lamentable accident when any of them doe fall out . q. what instances may be given of ordinary servil works which hinder duties of piety ? a. . tending young children . . keeping sick and impotent persons . . helping women in travell . most families have some young children which cannot looke to themselves nor be brought to church without disturbance of the whole congregation . very oft it falls out in every city and towne that some be sicke , or otherwise impotent by age , or some casualty , so as they cannot goe to church , but require some to tarry with them , and to attend upon them . and in what day of the yeare doth it not fall out that some women in one place or other fall in travell ? if every day , then also every lords day . but it is requisite that more then one or two assist them in their travell . all these therefore are ordinary servil works whereby some are kept from duties of piety , and yet are blamelesse . instance hannah who tarried from the temple till her child was weined ( sam. . . ) and was blamelesse . q. what instances may be given of extraordinary servil workes which hinder duties of piety ? a. . quenching fire on houses . . making up breaches of water . . withstanding enemies . . freeing living creatures out of present danger . the three first of these concerning fire , water , and enemies , are so violent , that if present helpe be not afforded against them , irrecoverable dammage may soone follow thereupon . if therefore , in any cases that rule hold , mercy and not sacrifice ( hos. . . mat. . . ) most of all in these . as for freeing living creatures out of danger , we have christs expresse warrant , mat. . . luke . . if unreasonable creatures are instantly to be pulled out of danger , much more reasonable . luk. . , . by these particulars which are permitted , we may see , that a conscionable observing of the sabbath is not so heavy a yoke , as many imagine it to be . q. is our lords day now the true sabbath ? a. yes . q. what grounds are there to prove it to be so ? a. . divine authority . this is the best ground that can be : even that which is sufficient to settle a mans judgement and conscience . divine authority is that which is set downe in the holy scriptures , either by expresse precept , or by approved practice . this later is it which is most apparent in scripture . for it is noted , that christs disciples were assembled together the first day of the weeke ( which is our lords day ) and so againe eight daies after ( john . , . ) which * inclusively was the first day of the next weeke . it was also the first day of the weeke , when after christs ascention they were with one accord in one place ( acts . . ) and the holy ghost descended upon them in cloven tongues . many yeares after that , it is noted of christians , that on the first day of the weeke they came together to breake bread ( meaning sacramentall bread ) and that paul tooke that occasion to preach unto them ( acts . . ) the manner of setting downe their assembling together implieth their custome therein : which is yet more manifest ( . cor. . . ) where the apostle adviseth them to take that opportunity of their assembling together , for laying up a stock to relieve such as were in distresse . it is not set downe as an act of one time , once onely to be observed , but as a weekely act , to be observed every first day of the weeke . and why that day ? surely because of their great assembly whereby they might whet on one another , and their contribution be the more liberall : yea also because then was the time of observing gods ordinances , whereby their soules must needs be incited to more bountifullnesse and cheerefullnesse therein . the title of the lords day , rev. . . can be applied to no other day so well as to this . for by lord , without all question is ment the lord christ ( . cor. . . ) it is an usuall title given to him in the new testament . now what day can so fitly be applied to christ , to have a denomination from him , and to be dedicated to the honour of his name , as the day of his resurrection , whereon the church so accustomed to meet together , as we heard before . on this ground , the first day of the weeke is stiled the lords day , to this very day . now this day being by the church dedicated to the honour of the lord christ , john gave himselfe to holy devotion , and the spirit took that opportunity on that holy day to shew him the divine revelations mentioned in that book . q. what other ground is there for our lords . day ? a. the constant custome of christs church . from the apostles time hitherto hath the church celebrated , as holy , the lords day , and that under this title , the lords day . now the constant custome of the church is not to be sleighted . this apostolicall phrase ( . cor. . . ) if any man seeme to be contentious , we have no such custome , neither the churches of god , sheweth that the custome of the church is a matter to be regarded . q. what third ground is there ? a. christs resurrection which made all things new . . cor. . . this as it gives a ground for celebrating the day , so it shewes the reason of altering it . christs resurrection gave evidence of his full conquest over death , the punishment of sinne ; and over him that had the power of death , the divell : yea it gave evidence of a full satisfaction to the justice of god , and of a cleare pacification of the wrath of god . in these respects christ is said to be raised againe for our iustification . rom. . . for gods justice being satisfied , and wrath pacified , death and divell being over-come , what can hinder our full redemption and justification . this then is a worke that farre surpasseth the creation : and much more deserveth a weekely memoriall . yea this greater work hath swallowed up the former , as the temple did the tabernacle ( . king. . . ) and we that live after christs resurrection are as much bound to the celebration of the first of the weeke , as they that lived before , to the last . q. what fourth ground is there ? a. the substance of the law which requireth a seventh day . the words of the law are these , the seventh day is the sabbath of the lord . i denie not but that the law hath a speciall relation to the first seventh day : but so as it was a memoriall of that great worke of creation . when that was swallowed up with a greater , then the substance of the law is to be observed in a sevenths day memoriall of that greater worke . and it is observable , that the seventh which we celebrate is so ordered , as in the change no weeke had two sabbaths , nor any weeke , as part of a weeke was without a sabbath . their sabbath concluded their last weeke : and our sabbath began our first weeke . the change could not have beene so fit to any other day . q. when begins the lords day ? a. in the morning . act. . . when paul came to the church at troas , he had a mind to spend a lords day with them , though he was in great haste to depart so soone as he could . he came therefore to their assembly at the time that they came together according to their custome : but he kept them till the end of that day : ( for he would not travell on the lords day ) and having dismissed the assembly , he departed . now it is said , that he continued his speech till midnight ( acts . ) even till breake of day ( ver. . ) and then departed : which departure of his is said to be on the morrow . by this punctuall expression of the time it appeares that the first day of the weeke , the lords day , ended at midnight : and that then the morrow beganne . now to make a naturall day which consisteth of twenty foure houres , it must begin and end at the same time : for the end of one day is the beginning of another . there is not a minute betwixt them . as therfore the lords day ended at midnight , so it must begin at midnight : when we count the morning to begin . which is yet more evident by this phrase ( mat. . . ) in the end of the sabbath ( namely of the weeke before , which was the former sabbath ) as it began to dawne ( namely ) on the next day , which was the lords day ) or ( as joh. . . ) when it was yet darke there came divers to annoint the body of jesus , but they found him not in the grave : he was risen before : so as christ rose before the sunne . q. what reasons may be given of the lords daies beginning in the morning ? a. other daies then begin . that they doe so with us , is evident by the account of our houres . for midnight ended , we begin with one a clock : then the first houre of the day beginneth . and it appeares to be so among the jewes : for when aaron proclaimed ( exod. . , . ) to morrow shall be a feast to the lord , they rose up early on the morrow . i denie not but that sundry of the jewish feasts began in the evening : as the passeover ( exod. . . ) but it cannot be proved that their weekly sabbaths so began . there were speciall reasons for the beginning of those feasts in the evening , which did then begin . as for the supposed beginnings of the first daies gathered out of this phrase , ( the evening and the morning were the first day ) they cannot be necessarily concluded to be at evening . for the evening and the morning there importeth the moment of the evening and morning parting one from another , and the returne to the same period : which moment is rather at the beginning of the morning then of the evening . the evening useth to be referred to the end of the day , and the morning to the beginning , as exod. . , . . sam. . . and . . joh. . . q. what other reason is there of the lords daies beginning in the morning ? a. christ then rose . mar. . , . of christs rising in the morning no question can be made , all the evangelists agree in the narration thereof . now the lords day being a memoriall of christs resurrection , if it should begin in the evening , the memoriall would be before the thing it selfe : which is absurd to imagine . as all gods workes were finished before the first sabbath , so all christs sufferings before the lords day . his lying dead in the grave was a part of his suffering : therefore by his resurrection was all ended . with his resurrection therfore must the lords day begin . to make the evening before the lords day a time of preparation thereunto , is a point of piety and prudence : but to make it a part of the lords day is erroneous , and in many respects very inconvenient . hitherto of directions . aberrations follow . aberrations concerne mens opinion . practise . some mens opinion is erroneous in too much loosenesse : others in too much strictnesse . errors in too much loosenesse are foure . . denying the morality of the sabbath . . accounting the lords day a matter arbitrary . . judging externall rest and rites sufficient . . supposing servil works in case of hazard to be lawfull . the error in too much strictnesse is this , thinking needfull works to be unlawfull . aberrations in practise respect others , or themselves . two respect others , viz. keeping others from sanctifying the day . scoffing at such as make conscience thereof . foure respect men themselves . doing servil works openly . deviding the lords day betwixt god and themselves . waxing weary of holy duties . profaning the lords day under a pretence of keeping it . q. what aberrations are contrary to the law of the sabbath ? . deniall of the morality and equity thereof . there be many that account it no morall precept , but reckon it among the ceremonies which were appropriated to the jewes . herein they may justly be reckoned in the number of those who make void the law of god , psal. . . much more they who account it too heavy a yoke for christians to beare . indeed the sacrifices and other legall rites which were enjoyned to the jewes , for the manner of solemnizing the sabbath , are too heavy a burden now to be laid on christians . but none of those are mentioned in the morall law . that which we account morall , and to have a perpetuall equity , is the substance of the law . yet against this doe many also except , as a wrong done to christians , in that thereby ( as they alleadge ) they are deprived of a seventh part of their time . is man deprived of that time which is best spent ? which is spent in serving god , edifying his soule , and promoting the eternall salvation thereof ? fie on such sensuall and unreasonable conceits ? who complaines of being deprived of that time which is spent , or rather mispent in idlenesse and wickednesse ? q. what is a second aberration ? a. making it a matter arbitrary . there be that grant it to be a very meet and equall thing , that a day should be set apart to gods honour , and our spirituall edification : but they hold it too strait a bond to be tied to a set and certaine day : they would have it left to the liberty , if not of particular men , yet of the church to set apart what time they thinke fit . what is this , but to suppose t●at men may be wiser then god ? or at least , that men who live in after ages , when the spirit hath withheld his extraordinary assistance and immediate inspiration , may better know how to order times , then they who were in speciall manner inspired and assisted by the holy ghost ? yea what is this but to give liberty to man to breake the lords bonds , and to cast away his cords from them . this is a ready way to bring man to teach for doctrines the commandements of men : and so to worship god in vaine , mat. . . q. what is the third aberration ? a judging externall rest and rites sufficient . this was one of the reasons , and that an especiall one , which moved the prophets to cry out against the jewes , for observing those ordinances which god himselfe had enjoyned : namely , that they rested onely in doing the outward workes . in this respect , saith the lord ( isa. . . ) the sabbath and calling of assemblies i cannot away with . yet herewith doe most content themselves . the externall rites are onely meanes and helpes for sanctifying the day ; the sanctification thereof doth not simply consist in them : much lesse in sneere rest , and cessation from labour : for then a beast might sanctifie the sabbath . q. what is the fourth aberration ? a. supposing servil workes in case of hazzard to be lawfull . thus they pretend unwarrantable workes of necessity , that is , such workes to be of necessity , which are not so . what are to be accounted workes of necessity , we heard before : namely such as require a present performance , in that they could not be done the day before , nor put off to the day after . to them many add such things as are in hazard , or whereof there is feare that they may be spoiled : as in harvest , if the weather have beene foule a day or two before the lords day , they thinke they may on the lords day , if it be faire , make hay , reape corne , gather fruit , and do other like servile workes . but these are not of an absolute necessity . for the weather may be faire after the lords day , as well as upon it . the law therefore hath expressely forbidden this . exod. . . in earing time and in harvest thou shalt rest on the seventh day . to worke on the lords day on feare that the next day will be foule , is to distrust the divine providence . these foure are errors in overmuch loosenesse . q. what is the fift aberration ? a. thinking needfull workes to be unlawfull on the lords day . this is an error in over-much strictnesse . for some are so over-strict , as they will not suffer a fire to be kindled on that day , nor any hot meate to be drest , nor sundry workes of mercy to be done : like the jewes who blamed christ for the manifold cures he did on the sabbath : and his disciples for plucking and rubbing eares of corne , and eating the graine . the many proofes which christ alleadgeth in defence of himselfe , and of his disciples , and the many evidences which he giveth of the jewes superstition herein , are a sufficient refutation of this erroneous opinon . for this purpose reade mat. . , , &c. luke . , . & . , . joh. . . these five are errours in opinion . aberrations in practise follow , whereof two concerne others . q. what is the sixt aberration ? a. keeping others from sanctifying the lords day . the law layeth the charge of sanctifying the sabbath on men , not onely for themselves , but also for others , especially for such as are under their charge . for the law thus expresseth the prohibition of servile workes , in it thou shalt not doe any worke , thou , nor thy sonne , nor thy daughter , nor thy man-servant nor thy maid-servant , nor thy cattell , nor thy stranger which is within thy gates . yet there be many so farre from procuring others , and those under their charge , to sanctifie the lords day , as they hinder them , and suffer them not to doe it . such are they that use to make great feasts on the lords day , rather for pomp , then necessity , or to relieve the poore ; or set out enterludes or such kinde of solemnities for meere pleasure : and they who having others to attend upon them , spend all the fore-noone in attiring and adorning themselves : and all they who imploy servants or others upon secular affaires contrary to the commandement . these , and other like to these , pull their owne and others blood upon their owne soules . they have cause to feare the doome denounced , jer. . , . q. what is the seventh aberration ? a. scossing at such as make conscience of sanctifying the lords day . there are many not onely deceived in their understanding , but also so perverted in their will , and so impious in their heart , as they cannot endure such as are better enformed then themselves : or that beare and shew a better respect to god , and his worship then they doe . therefore to discourage men from their pious courses , they brand them with ignominious titles , as precisians , puritanes , sabbatarians and jewes . herein they doe exceedingly aggravate their sinne : and shew themselves like him that was borne after the flesh , whose doome was to be cast out , gen. . , . gal. . , . david was troubled with such in his daies : for thus he complaines , psal. . . the proud have had me greatly in derision . but yet marke his resolution in this that follows , yet have i not declined from thy law . to which purpose note also . sam. . , , , . these two last aberrations in practise have respect to others . the soure last that follow have respect to men themselves . what is the eight aberration ? a. doing servile workes openly on the lords day . many that are convinced in their judgements concerning the equity of sanctifying the lords day , yet have their hearts so possessed with covetousnesse , and their minds so filled with the affaires of this world , as they are loath to spare a day from their worldly employments to the honour of god , and the spirituall edification of their owne soules . they are like those who being invited to a great supper , made their excuses from their secular affaires , luke . , . great was the zeale of nehemiah against such , neh. . , , . the faires that in many places are kept , and open selling of commodities , are too publicke and open profanations of the lords day . q. what is the ninth aberration ? a. deviding the lords day betwixt god and themselves . some thinke they doe sufficiently sanctifie the lords day , if they goe to church , and serve god some part of the day , though they spend the other part thereof in their owne affaires . herein they shew themselves like to those who set their threshold by gods thresholds , and their posts by gods posts , whereby they defile gods holy name , ezek. . . q. what is the tenth aberration ? a. wearisomenesse in the duties of the lords day . many that live in countries , cities , townes , parishes and families , where good orders for sanctifying the lords day are strictly observed , are thereby brought to performe the duties tending thereto , but because they have no delight therein they are exceeding weary thereof , and thinke it the longest , and most tedious day in the weeke , saying , when will the sabbath be gone , amos . . this wearisomnesse takes away all the glory and comfort of what they doe : it is neither acceptable to god , nor profitable to their owne owne soules . therefore let us not be weary in well-doing , gal. . . q. what is the eleventh aberration ? a. profaning the lords day under a pretence of keeping it . the government under which men live , and the lawes of their governours which they dare not transgresse , make many to forbeare the ordinary workes of their calling , the doing whereof is in all mens opinions an apparent profanation of the lords day : therefore lawyers will forbeare to pleade at the barre : tradesmen will shut up their shops : husbandmen will forbeare the ordinary tillage of their ground ; work-men their usuall labour , and others that which in the sixe daies they busie themselves about : but yet under pretence of that externall keeping the lords day , they will take advantage of doing sundry other things which are plaine prophanations of the day : wherein they doe not celebrate the sabbath of the lord , but the sabbath of sundry other things : all which may be brought to foure heads : and under them , all profanations of the sabbath may be comprised , as the particulars following will shew . q. what is the first kinde of sabbath that is not the lords ? a. the sabbath of worldlings . worldlings are such as have their minds so set upon the things of this world , as they take all the advantages that possibly they can to get and heape up the things of this world : and to that end they will turne those things that are ordained to another end , even the meanes which are afforded to attaine to eternall life , to their worldly advantages . q. what is the sabbath of worldlings ? a. doing his works on it . in that ordinary works of a calling are forborne , there is a shew of keeping a sabbath : but that forbearing of such works giveth occasion to worldlings to do other things that prove as advantageable to them , and which must be done at other times , if they were not then done . for instance , the lawyer will on the lords day ( when he pleads not at the barre , because the law suffers it not ) appoint his clients to come to him to informe him in their causes . the trades-man that shuts up his shop , will then cast up his books , and send his servants to his creditors to require his debts . the farmer will then take his time to meet with his neighbours , to make bargaines , to buy and sell their commodities . so in other cases advantages being taken for the things of this world from a shew of keeping the lords sabbath , makes it to be , not the sabbath of the lord , but the sabbath of worldlings . q. what is a second kind of sabbath that is not the lords ? a. the sabbath of epicures . there was a philosopher called epicurus , who held pleasure to be mans summum bonum , his greatest happinesse . thereupon they that pursue their pleasures with all the might and maine they can , and place a kind of content therein are called epicures . q. what is the sabbath of epicures ? a. satisfying mens owne delights in it . they who are given to their pleasures , being on the lords day restrained from their ordinary calling and the workes thereof , take that opportunity to make pompous feasts , to follow their sports and pastimes , and other waies to satisfie their fleshly delights , neglecting gods service . thus the sabbath which they keepe , is not the sabbath of the lord , but the sabbath of epicures . q. what is the third kind of sabbath that is not the lords ? a. the sabbath of beasts . beasts being unreasonable creatures do not conceive any difference of daies , nor the end why they rest from their accustomed labour and work . thereupon that time wherein they are not put to work they spend in sleeping , grazing , or otherwise feeding , in standing still , or going idly here and there . q. what is the sabbath of beasts ? a. passing it over in idlenosse . there be very many that do no more consider the end of intermitting the duties of their calling then beasts . but because they may not do them , they spend the lords day in lying a bed , or otherwise sleeping , in attiring themselves , in eating and drinking , in vaine talke , in sitting at doores to behold what comes to their eyes , in walking up and down , and such other idle courses . this is not to keep the lords sabbath , but the sabbath of beasts . q. what is the fourth kind of sabbath that is not the lords ? a. the sabbath of divels . divels are spirits of wickednesse , doing all the evill they can , and taking all the occasions they can to doe evill . q. what is the sabbath of divels ? a. making it a day of sin . many that by their calling are all the six daies restrained from outward notorious evill acts , make the lords day a time to let loose the reines to all sin . whoremongers and whores appoint the lords day to meet on to commit their lewdnesse . theeves set that day apart to breake into houses , to rob and steale . then drunkards meet together to make one another drunk . others that have mischievous plots in their heads , will then meete to advise about the execution of them : and animate one another thereunto . thus they serve the divel : they doe his works : they shew themselves herein like the very divels . this therfore is to keep , not the sabbath of the lord , but the sabbath of divels . q. what motives may be given for sanctifying the sabbath ? a. . expresse precept . deut. . . were there no other motive , this were sufficient to a pious mind , that knoweth god to be the only lord , the highest soveraigne over all : who hath an absolute power to command : to whose commandement obedience is expected , yea shall be exacted , and severe vengeance executed on such as refuse to obey . q. what other motive . a. the item before that precept . exod. . . the item prefixed before the precept concerning the sabbath is this , remember ( remember the sabbath day . ) where among sundry precepts a memēto is set upon one , without question it implieth an especiall heed to be given to it : as if more largely it were said , of all that is given in charge let not this be forgotten : especially remember this , and give good heed thereto . q. why is a memento especially set before the fourth commandement ? a. first , the fourth commandement bringeth a singular help to all the other precepts , as shall be distinctly shewed on the seventh motive . secondly , it intimates mans aversenesse against this precept . the morality of none of the tenne commandements , written with gods owne fingers in the two tables of stone , was ever questioned by such as professed themselves christians , but this of the sabbath . indeed papists in setting downe the ten commandements ( whether in catechismes or els-where ) do leave out the words of the second commandement : yet they do not denie the morality of it : for they render this reason of leaving out the words , the substance of the words left out is in the first commandement : all that is left out is but an exposition of the first . though the reason be not sound , much lesse sufficient to justifie so audacious a fact , as the leaving out of that which god hath so expressely with his own fingers set downe , yet it sheweth that , they denie not the morality of that precept . the memento then intends thus much , that though there may be many that deny the morality of the sabbath , yet let such as beare a due respect to whatsoever is given in charge by the law , remember this part thereof . remember the sabbath day to sanctifie it . thus we see that this is a motive of moment . q. what third motive ? a. gods honour . isa. . . to have one of the seven daies weekely set apart for the worship of god , and to dedicate the same wholy thereunto , must needs make much to the honour of god . and who would not , who should not do all that he can , especially all that that is appointed by god himself , to the honour of god . them that honour me , will i honour , saith the lord , . sam. . . q. what fourth motive ? a. gods example . gen. . . exod. . . the example of god in this particular is for this end expressely produced in the law , that we should the rather be induced thereby to sanctifie the sabbath , exod. . . to imitate god in that wherein he is to be imitated ; must needs be acceptable to god : and most honourable it is in it selfe . it is a matter of good credit for a child to imitate a good father , for a subject to imitate a prudent . prince , yea for any to imitate those , whose example is worthy imitation . how much more to imitate god . this motive is much pressed in the holy scriptures . levit. . . luk. . , . eph. . . q. what fift motive ? a. the practise of saints . luk. . . act. . . . cor. . , . this , though it be not equall to the former motive , yet it is a motive of great moment : and it is also much pressed in sacred scripture , as ps. . . heb. . . jam. . . patterns of saints , who were men , subject to like passions that we be , shew that what we endeavour after is no other then that which appertaineth to man . now for this duty , of sanctifying to god a seventh day , we have the examples of saints before the law ( exod . . ) under the law ( neh. . , . ) after the law ( act. . . ) q. what sixt motive ? a. the equity of the duty . exod. . . the lord might exact of us every day to be dedicated to the honour of his name . but it pleaseth him in tender respect to our need to afford us six daies to doe our owne worke therein . is it not then most meet and equall , that we should give a seventh to god and to the honour of his name ? may not god in this case say , is not my demand equall ? doe not they who take this day to themselves , deale worse with god then he did with his neighbour , who had many sheepe of his owne , yet tooke from his poore neighbour the one onely one which he had . . sam. . . q. what seventh motive ? a. the helpe it brings to keepe the other commandements ? an especiall part of sanctifying the lords day consists in reading gods word , in hearing it preached , in conferring about it , in meditating on it , and in calling upon god . now by those duties which are about gods word we are instructed in god , and in our duties to him , how we may take him alone for our god , how we may worship him and honour his name aright : yea we are instructed also in all duties which we owe to our neighbour . by gods word also we are perswaded and enduced to endeavour after those things wherein we are instructed . and prayer is an especiall meanes to get the holy ghost ( luke . . ) this precept therefore is to be observed , as simply in regard of it selfe , so relatively in respect to all other the precepts : and thereupon an especiall memento is set before it alone . q. what eight motive ? a. the spirituall benefit thereof . jer. . . a conscionable sanctifying of the lords day , by a due observing of those divine ordinances which god hath prescribed , is an especiall meanes to convert such as have formerly lived in their naturall corrupt estate , and to quicken and increase the graces which have beene formerly wrought in us . we by reason of the flesh in us , are prone as heavy things to fall downe : and as water to waxe cold . but the lords day by the ordinances thereof is an especiall meanes of renewing what is decaied . as waites of a clock by oft winding up are kept continually going , so grace by the foresaid duties is kept in continuall exercise . the lords day is a spirituall market day , wherein we may get such spirituall provision , as may feed and sustaine our soules the whole weeke following : and so weeke after weeke , while here we live in this world . q. what ninth motive ? a. the temporall benefit of it . deut. . . surely a daies rest in every weeke is very needfull and usefull for man and beast : especially for such as labour all the sixe daies . experience gives good proofe thereof . howsoever such as on no day take any great paines find no such benefit thereby : yet others doe . and the wise god saw it to be so . for which end he expresly commanded that the beast should rest ( exod. . . ) now the beast can reape no other then a temporall benefit . there is therefore a temporall benefit thence arising . some masters are so covetous and gripulous , as if there were not a seventh day for rest set apart , they would never afford any daies rest to servants or cattell : but so weary them , as their strength would quickly be exhausted . it remaines then that as the rest of every night , so the rest of every seventh day , is usefull and needfull : and a great temporall good is thereby brought to man and beast . q. what tenth motive ? a. promises to observers thereof . isa. . , . promises , great and pretious promises being made by one that is able to performe what he promiseth , and withall is true and faithfull , and in that kind will not faile to make good his word , are a strong motive to stirre up men to doe with the uttermost of their power the things whereunto such and such promises are made . but promises , great and many , by god himselfe , of whose power , and truth no question can be made , are made to such as are conscionable in keeping the sabbath : as appeares isa. . , , . and . , . jer. . , . q. what eleventh motive ? a. threats against profaners of it . what promises cannot do on hard hearts , threats may doe . for they are of force to affright men : and in a manner to force men to obedience . the lord therefore being willing every way to try how men may be wrought upon , useth this remedy : and the rather he useth it , that judgement , and the execution thereof may be prevented . for this is the proper end of threatnings before hand , that after-judgements may be avoided : so as in regard of the end whereat they aime , they appeare to be evidences of gods favour . for these reade exod. . , . ier. . . ezek. . , . q. what twelfth motive ? a. judgements executed on such as violated it . execution of judgement hath a threefold end . the first aimeth at him on whom the judgement is executed : by the sence and smart thereof to be drawne to repentance . thus was manasseh wrought upon by a fearefull judgement executed on him , . chron. . , . the second aimeth at others , that if they on whom the judgement is executed be so hardned , as it move them not , yet others may be warned thereby : for this end the judgements on impenitent sinners of old is set before christians to admonish them . . cor. . , &c. heb. . . jude ver. , , &c. the third aimeth at god : that if neither they on whom judgements are executed , nor others that see them or heare of them , be wrought upon , yet god may be justified . in which respect he is said to be knowne by the iudgement which he executeth ( psal. . . ) he thereby is knowne to be a mighty , a just , a wise god , a god that hateth iniquity . read dan. . . and neh. . , . now judgements being terrible to such as feele , and to such as see them , or heare of them , they must needs be a forcible motive to restraine men from profaning the sabbath . instances of fearefull judgements executed for this sinne are in numb. . . and chron. . . neh. . . q. what thirteenth motive ? a. the safety of sanctifying it . act. . . there is great question about the sabbath , whether it ought now to be sanctified , and wholy dedicated to god or no . now to one that is not perswaded one way or other , i would propound this question , whether may be the safer , to sanctifie it , or not to sanctifie it ? if on the one side it still remaine as a precept whereunto we are all bound , then it is a palpable transgression of the law not to sanctifie it : and in this case , woe to the transgressors thereof . but suppose the precept doe not still absolutely bind us , yet if voluntarily we set apart a seventh day to the honour of god , and the spirituall edification of our owne soules ( provided that superstition be not placed in the keeping of the day ) surely there is no sinne therein , nor any great inconvenience . so that questionlesse it must needs be the safest course to sanctifie the day . among other motives let this also be well considered . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- of peoples uttering amen , see the guide to goe to god § exod. . , . * christ is said ( mar. . . ) to rise againe after three daies : which is to be taken inclusively : the whole third day being included . againe where ( mat. . & ( mar. . . ) it is said that christ went into the mount where he was transfigured six daies after , luke ( . . ) saith about eight daies after , matthew & mark speake exclusively : leaving out the day wherin he was last with all his disciples , and the day wherein he came to the mount : and meane only the six daies betwixt . luke speakes inclusively : including the foresaid two daies . catechis . c uit . catechis . vicelij . catechis . b. llarm . lege alanum copum cap. . dialogi . the judgment of mr. francis bampfield late minister of sherborne in dorsetshire for the observation of the jewish, or seventh day sabboth with his reasons and scriptures for the same, sent in a letter to mr. ben of dorchester : together with mr. ben's sober answer to the same and a vindication of the christian sabboth against the jewish : published for the satisfaction of divers friends in the west of england. bampfield, francis, or - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing b estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the judgment of mr. francis bampfield late minister of sherborne in dorsetshire for the observation of the jewish, or seventh day sabboth with his reasons and scriptures for the same, sent in a letter to mr. ben of dorchester : together with mr. ben's sober answer to the same and a vindication of the christian sabboth against the jewish : published for the satisfaction of divers friends in the west of england. bampfield, francis, or - . benn, william, - . [ ], - , [ ] p. printed by w. godbid for sarah nevill ..., london : . advertisement: p. [ ] at end. prelim. pages are numbered leaves ( ), although printed both sides. reproduction of original in huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng sabbath. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - robyn anspach sampled and proofread - robyn anspach text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the judgment of mr. francis bampfield , late minister of sherborne in dorsetshire for the observation of the jewish , or seventh day sabboth : with his reasons and scriptures for the same . sent in a letter to mr. ben of dorchester . together with mr. ben's sober answer to the same ; and a vindication of the christian sabboth against the jewish . published for the satisfaction of divers friends in the west of england . revelations . . i was in the spirit on the lords day . london , printed by w. godbid , for sarah nevill , at the sign of archimedes in st. paul's-church-yard , . the preface . christian reader , in times when people are generally debauched in their intellectuals as well as in their morals , and take as great a liberty of opining as they do of practising , it is no wonder if in this age , when as all sects seem to have a general resurrection , that the jewish sect have also their abettors ; but if people would but seriously consider , that the change of the day hath the same foundation that the scriptures themselves have ( and that is catholick tradition ) the controversie would quickly be at an end : it would then be an easie thing to believe , that when the whole jewish frame of worship was laid aside , it was fit that the very time it self should also put on mourning , and therefore well may it pass for a fast as our church hath rightly instituted it ; but to continue it as a feast to the lord , is to put an affront upon the gospel and the whole oeconomy of it . and therefore if this tract may contribute any thing , either to the confirming those that stand , or the establishing those that are ready to fall , or recovering of those that are already gone astray , the author hath his end , and desires thee to give god all the glory . honoured sir , i understand by some others , who reports it to me , as from you , that you desire some scriptures may be put to those particulars which i formerly sent you , wherein i gave you an account of my judgement , which accordingly here i have done . if any do think fit to examine this paper , and to return me an answer in writing , i expect that he should consider it as it doth stand in order , and declare expresly his assent and consent to the several particulars , if he be convinced that they are the mind of god in his word ; or if he dissent , that he give the reasons thereof in a scripture-way . my judgement , according to the scriptures , is as followeth , that . first , jehovah christ , by the appointment of the father , and by the anointing of the spirit , is established forever to be the only lord over the conscience , and law-giver to the soul , isa . . . to shew that this is meant of the lord christ , compare isa . . , . and . , . and . , , , . the . verse of the . chap. of isa . is applyed by the apostle in cor. . . to the times of the gospel , so also is isa . . , , , . applyed by christ to himself , matth. . , . gal. . . jam. . , , . and . . rom. . , . heb. . , , deut. . . joh. . , , . acts . , . isa . . , . . cor. . . mat. . . mark . . luke . . matth. . . acts . , . psal . . , , , . psal . . matth. . , , . dly . secondly , the holy scriptures of truth are perfect , full , and sufficient in all cases whatsoever , of doctrine , of worship , of discipline , of government , and of conversation , tim. . , , . rev. . , . compared with deut. . . prov. . . mark . , . deut. . . levit. . . deut. . , . josh . . . joh. . , . gal. . . matth. . . dly . thirdly , the ten words are a perfect and compleat , standing , unchangeable rule of life , in all matters of duty to be performed , and of sin to be avoided , psal . . , , . isa . , . rom. . . and . . joh. . . deut. . . . pet. . , . deut. . , , . luke . , . deut. . . exod. . , . and . . psal . . throughout , and particularly vers . , . joh. . . jam. . . prov. . , . matth. , , . rom. . . joh. . . thly . fourthly , the seventh day , which is the last day in every week in the weekly returns of it , is alone that particular , peculiar day in every week , which is the weekly sabbath day , to be kept holy to jehova , in obedience to his command as such , exod. . , . deut. . , . . first , because those weighty reasons which jehova the law giver himself hath given to enforce obedience to his command , in observing a weekly sabbath day holy to himself , do properly and only belong , and are applicable to the seventh day , which is the last day in every week , in order of time , in the weekly returns of it , as a weekly sabbath day , and to no other day in the week , exod. . . . first , god rested only upon the seventh day , which is the last day in the week , and upon no other day in the week as a weekly sabbath day ; exod. . . and . , . compare gen. . throughout , particularly vers . , , . . with chap. . , , . heb. . , . exod. . , . lev. . . dly . secondly , god blessed only the seventh day , which is the last day of the week , and no other day of the week , as a weekly sabbath day ; exod. . , . compared with gen. . , . dly . thirdly , god sanctified only the seventh day , which is the last day of the week , and no other day of the week as a weekly sabbath day ; exod. . , . compared with gen. . , . dly . secondly , because all the scriptures throughout where the holy spirit speaketh of a weekly sabbath day . . first , the name and thing of a weekly sabbath day is given only to the seventh , which is the last day in the weekly returns of it , and to no other day in the week as a weekly sabbath day ; deut. . . exod. . . and . , . and . . and . . lev. . . acts . . and . . and . . luk. . . matth. . . dly . secondly , there is no command given for the observation of any other day in the week as a weekly sabbath day to jehovah but only the seventh , which is the last day of the week in the weekly returns of it ; exod. . , . deut. . , . exod. . . and . . and . . and . . and . , , . levit. . , . and . . and . . neh. . . jer. . , . matth. . , , . ezek. . , . and . . luke . , . levit. . . jer. . , . dly . thirdly , there is no promise made to the observation of any other day of the week , as a weekly sabbath day , but only of the seventh , which is the last day of the week in the weekly returns of it ; isa . . , . and . , . jer. . , , . levit. . , . exod. . . mark . . ezek. . . thly . fourthly , there is no threatning either denounced against , or execrated upon any that shall not observe any other day , as a weekly sabbath day , but only the seventh day , which is the last day of the week in the weekly returns of it ; exod. . , . and . , , . and . . jer. . . exod. . . nehem. . , . dly . thirdly , because god hath put this into nature , exod. . . thy stranger ; deut. . . the three first chapters to the romans , particularly , chap. , , , , . and . , . cor. . . nature hath its teachings ; the humane nature in the first adam was made and framed to the perfection of the ten words , some notions whereof are still retained , even in the corrupt state of fallen man ; compare gen. . , . ecles . . . ephes . . . col. . . the law of the seventh day sabbath was given before the law was proclaimed at sinai , exod. . . even from the creation , gen , . , . given to adam in respect of his humane nature , and in him to all the world of humane creatures ; compare gen. . . and psal . . . with levit. . . and num. . , , . it is the same word in the original mognadim , contracted , mognade . set times of divine appointment for solemn assembling , and for gods instituted service , are directed to and pointed at by those great lights which the creator hath set up in the heavens ; psal . . throughout , compared with rom. . , , , , , , , . deut. . , . joh. . . every man hath a law and light of nature which he carrieth about him and is born and bred together with him ; those seeds of light and truth , rom. . . though they will not justifie him in the sight of god and bring a soul through , and safe home to glory , yet there , even since adam's fall , are those reliques and dark letters of his holy law of the ten words to preserve the memory of our first created dignity , and for some other ends , though these seeds are utterly corrupted now , tit. . . natural reason will tell men , that seeing all men in all nations do measure their times by weeks , and their weeks by seven days , they should ( besides what they offer up of their time , as due to god every day ) give one whole day of every week to their maker , who hath allowed them so liberal a portion of time , therein to provide for themselves ; ( there being no other proportion of time that can so well provide for the necessities of families , as six dayes of every week , and that is so well fitted to all functions , callings , and employments . ) and the light of nature , when cleared up , will tell men , that all labour and motion being in order to rest , and rest being the perfection and end of labour , into which labour , work , and motion doth pass , that therefore the seventh , which is the last day in every week , is the fittest and properest day for a religious rest , unto the creator , for his worship and service ; gen. . , , . exod. . , , . deut. . , . heb. . , . exod. . . rom. . . exod. , . and . . nature doth suggest that man and beast should have a resting-day every week , deut. . . the lord christs obedience unto this fourth word , in observing in his life time the seventh day as a weekly sabbath-day , which is the last day of the week in the weekly returns of it , and no other day of the week as such , is a part of that perfect righteousness which every sound believer doth apply to himself , in order to his being justified in the sight of god ; and every such person is to conform unto christ in all the acts of his obedience to the ten words ; luk. . . rom. . , , . and . . gal. . , . cor. . . jer. . . rev. . . isa . . , , . rom. . throughout pet. . . ephes . . , . joh. , , . joh. . . joh. . , . and . . joh. . , , . matth. . , , . joh. . . heb. . . francis bampfield . mr. ben's ansvver to mr. bampfield's paper . the will of gods good pleasure is the sole rule and reason of all his actings towards the creature . the holy will of god revealed in his holy word is the sole rule and measure of all the creatures actings towards god. honoured sir , and very much reverenced in the lord , great is the obligation you have laid upon me , in condescending so far as to communicate unto me those scripture grounds and reasons , which have had such an irresistable influence upon your conscience , as to undergo such a change in your judgement and practice , relating to the observation of the weekly sabbath , from what you have formerly believed and practised , and that i am fully perswaded in godly sincerity : this , sir , is as i understand , the discourse of many , the wonder of not a few , and the grief of some . i do acknowledge , that the report which you say was brought unto you , was true ; i did indeed desire that you would be pleased at your leisure , if you thought good , to add some scripture-proofs to those propositions which i had formerly received from you : which i think i should not have taken the boldness to have done , but that you had given me encouragement , as i suppose you remember when , and where , and how : which now that you have done , i shall endeavour to observe your order in giving you my thoughts of them , and that , as they stand in your paper ; and according to your desire , expresly declare my assent and consent to the several particulars , so far as i am convinced that they are according to the mind of god ; and wherein i dissent , to give you my reasons thereof , and yet as you expect in a scripture way , so far as i am able and understand the meaning of that expression , and submit all to your serious examination . . concerning your three first propositions , i do both heartily assent , and unfeignedly consent unto you , so far as i apprehend aright your mind in them , as divine truths of infallible veracity , deeply engraven in the word of truth . oh that they were as deeply engraven in the hearts of all the lords professing people ! only i crave leave to tell you , . that whereas for the proof of the first , that jehovah christ is by the appointment of the father , &c. whereas , i say , for the proof of this you quote , if i mistake not , near about scriptures , i cannot either assent or consent , that every one of them speaks clearly to the confirmation of the proposition , possibly they are mis-written ●y the transcriber ; however the truth is sufficiently confirmed by some of them , and i think all of them may afford matter of comfortable meditation for the right improvement of christs kingly office , which perhaps is all that you intend by them . blessed be the lord , the government is upon his shoulder , isa . . . that he is the king of nations , jer. . . that he is the king of saints , rev. . . head over all things to the church , ephes . . . hath power over all flesh , to give eternal life to all those the father hath given him , joh. . . that scripture ( which is well observed by you ) in isa . . . is much to be taken notice of ; for understand the words in a spiritual sence , and they are exclusive of all other ; christ alone , christ and no other , is our only king , and our only law-giver . it is true , the commands of the magistrate bind the conscience , and we must be subject for conscience sake , rom. . . yet not immediately , but by the intervention of gods command , rom. . , . nor yet universally , but with limitation ; we must obey the lord christ , upon the bare sight of his will : but the laws of 〈◊〉 , are farther to be considered of , that so our obedience unto them may be without scruple , and our subjection not from self-interest , but in deed and in truth , from principles of conscience . dly . whereas for the proof of the second proposition , that the holy scripture of truth is a perfect and sufficient rule , for doctrine , worship , and discipline , you produce eleven or twelve scriptures : thus far i consent that the proposition is true , and sufficiently proved , though some of the scriptures are upon some account or other , mistaken or misquoted , as gal. . . which perhaps you intend for gal. . . the one speaks not to the point , as the other doth ; from the latter , chemnitius , as i remember , conceives that the scriptures may be said to be canonical ; they are indeed a perfect canon , nothing to be added thereunto , not by any revelation from the spirit , much less from any humane traditions , thes . . . gal. . , . if an angel from heaven preach any other doctrine , let him , saith the apostle , again , and again he saith it , let him be accursed . yet i think this limitation is fit to be inserted , that there are some circumstances concerning worship , and administration of church affairs ( such i mean , as are common to humane actions and societies ) which are to be ordered by christian prudence , but still according to the general rules of the word , which ought always to be observed , that so as , cor. . . all things may be done decently and in order : that [ all things ] that is , all the ordinances of god , for of them he speaks , as appears in the foregoing verses : prayer and singing of psalms , &c. this text give no other power to any church , or church governors , but that all such things as god appoints , be done decently without uncomliness , and orderly without confusion . dly . that whereas for the proof of the third proposition , that the ten words are a perfect , compleat , and standing rule , &c. you produce at least twenty scriptures : i both assent , and consent , acknowledging the proposition sufficiently proved ; though i must say , as i said before , that every particular text which is quoted , comes not up fully to prove the point , but a divine truth it is , beyond all contradiction , that as , psal . . . the commands are exceeding broad , containing an infinite , and incomprehensible treasure of heavenly wisdom , nothing perteining to holiness , nothing is wanting that is necessary for direction to all men , in all conditions , being it is an eternal rule of righteouseness ; and as matth. . . heaven and earth shall pass away , but my word , saith the lord jesus christ , shall not pass away . thus god hath magnified his law , and made it honourable , isa . . . thus you see , how in truth of these three propositions i consent with you . thly . but now for the fourth proposition , that the seventh day , which is the last day in every week , in the weekly revolution , is alone that peculiar day in every week , which is the weekly sabbath day , to be kept holy to jehovah in obedience to his commands . for the proof whereof you bring exod. . , , , . deut. . , . to this i must crave leave to say ; that as yet i can neither assent , nor consent , being no ways convinced by any thing i find in your paper , that is according to the mind of god , revealed in his word , or proved in the least , either by these scriptures , or the reasons produced for the proof thereof . that which takes hold of my conscience , in this matter i shall lay before you , when i have , . first told you , what is the general , i observe in your paper . . secondly given you some few propositions , which i think meet to be inserted here , to avoid repititions hereafter . . i observe , that all your arguments are grounded upon a strong apprehension you are under , that the seventh day , the last day in every week , is the substance of the fourth commandment : and that it is moral natural , written in the humane nature in adam , which was framed to the perfection of the ten words , as you express it in your third general reason . but in this , i can neither assent , nor consent : the reason of my dissent , you shall have in its proper place ; i mean , why i conceive , that though the humane nature in adam was made after the image of god in righteousness , and true holiness ; yet the law for the last day of seven in every week to be the only day for the weekly sabbath , was not written there . dly . i observe , that your apprehensions are strong , that the last day of seven in every week , and the sabbath day , that is , the day of holy rest of gods appointment for his solemn worship in every week , are and must be terms convertible , and that the last of seven in every week , as it was at first , so it is now , and must so continue , to the end of the world is the only day for that purpose . this i gather from those reasons given to inforce obedience to the commands which you say properly belong to this day , and are , as you think , applicable to no other day : herein i can neither assent nor consent , and why i cannot , i shall give you my grounds , when i have first considered the propositions you lay down before them . dly . i observe , and that not without some wonder , that though the whole stress of all your arguments , is in a manner , laid upon the , , , verses of exod. . yet i find nothing at all argumentatively to prove , that the scope , sence , and meaning of these words , is to establish the last of seven , in the revolution of every week , to be the only day of holy rest , which is to be observed to jehovah , to the end of the world ; which is the proposition you engage your self to make good ; which till you have done by some other arguments than this paper affords , or by these arguments more clearly ; i do believe that what you now assert , will not be so generally received for truth , according to the mind of god , as you think it ought , and as it ought , if it be indeed the mind of god in his word . dly . having observed these things , i now crave leave to lay down some few propositions , which being considered of , may be , according to what i apprehend , of some use , ( they are at least to me ) towards the clearing up of the matter under debate , and meet to be inserted here , to avoid , as you said , as much as may be , repetitions hereafter . they are as followeth . . first , that all dayes materially considered in themselves , are equal , and of the same nature in that respect , none more necessary to be observed than another ; none more subservient to any spiritual advantage than another ; every day had the same efficient cause , all being created by god , and all very good , gen. . all ruled and governed by him , and filled up with what providential dispensation seemed good in his sight , psal . . . thus all dayes considered as i say materially in themselves , now and ever will be alike : as they were under the law , so under the gospel , none of them more eminent nor observable by any natural goodness than another . if this be so , and i think it cannot be denyed but that it is so , this will be one strong argument , as i apprehend , to prove that the last day of seven in every week , to be the only , and perpetual day for the day of weekly holy rest unto jehovah , was not written in the humane nature in adam in the state of innocency , as i hope to make evident when i come to speak to the third general reason . dly . secondly , that though the letter of the text ought alway to be carefully heeded , yet alway to stick to it , and never compare scripture with scripture , for the better understanding of the sence thereof , may prove a dangerous snare . this hath been the butt of contention between the lutherans and the calvinists , and this hath been the death of many faithful martyrs , by the popish generation , when and where they had power in their hands , the one holding too pertinaciously to the letter of the text , mat. . . this is my body , for the maintaining of transubstantiation ; a sad instance we have of this in that conference at hussia , at marpurgus , i remember ( for the book i have not by me ) between luther , melancthon , zuinglius , oecolampadius , bucer , and other german divines , as it is related in the annals of soul●etus , where we read , that even luther himself rejected very strong reasons , against which he had nothing to say but hoc est corpus meum ; this if the translator of his mensalia hath not wronged him , he receded from that opinion before his death : so the popish commentators sticking to the letter of the text , jam. . . where it is said , that a man is justified by works , and not by faith only , so far as they are believed , overturn the foundation of faith : the like in part may be said of sticking to the letter of the fourth commandment , without minding of the scope , sence , and meaning of it : i think thereby a man shall cast a mist before his eyes , which will exceedingly hinder him from the right understanding of the mind of god therein : if i should do so , i should find it to be so . this being so , makes way for a third proposition , which thus i lay down . dly . thirdly , though all things necessary to be known , believed , and observed , in order to salvation , are clearly revealed ( though not altogether , but ) in one place or other of the scripture , so that persons of ordinary capacities in the right use of means , assisted by the holy spirit of god , may attain a sufficient understanding of them , so as not to perish for want of knowledge ; yet all truths are not alike plain in themselves , nor alike clear to all : some things are hard to be understood , pet. . . which though peter ( speaking no doubt upon his own knowledge ) saith some misconstrued to their own ruine ; yet , which is worthy our observation , neither doth he , nor paul himself ( who was yet alive , as seemed by that expression in the former part of the verse ( our beloved brother paul ) and in all probability knew as much in this matter as peter did ) neither of them i say , did clear or amend the difficulties , but let them alone as they were . thus it seemed good to the holy spirit of god , by whose inspiration the scripture was written , to have it so : some truths are as if it were hid under the rock , that so there might be digging and searching after the knowledge of them , as for hid treasures , prov. . . and if i say that the second and fourth commandments may be reckoned amongst such truths , i think i should have many that would say so too ; i have reason to say , they have been both so to me , but blessed be the lord for that light , how little soever i have received in the one or in the other . doubtless it concerns us therefore to be much in prayer , that god would open our eyes , that we might understand the wonderful things of his law , psal . . . the vail that was upon the hearts of the jews in reading the old testament , cor. . , . is not fully removed from the hearts of the most knowing christians to this day : he that knows most , hath cause to acknowledge he knows but in part , cor. . therefore i may propose , but i dare not impose any of my apprehensions upon others . thly . fourthly , i desire this may be observed , which i suppose will not be denied , that a proof drawn by comparing scripture with scripture , or by necessary consequence from scripture rightly understood , is a sufficient scripture proof , even of that which in express words is not found in scripture : that which we have , jam. . . is no where that i can see found in scripture , in so many express words and syllables , but the truth contained therein is clear ; therefore the apostle saith that the scripture saith , that the spirit that is in us lusteth to envy : many such instances might be given , evidently proving , that inferences rightly deduced , are to be valued as express scripture . in mat. . , the lord christ himself proves the resurrection of the just , not by express scripture , but by consequence . thus for the baptizing of infants , and many other things which come frequently under observation , we have not express scripture for , or in full , and entire sentences together , but here a little , and there a little , which compared together , and wisely and faithfully improved by rational inferences , sufficiently prove that truth they are brought for : and if the divine institution of the first day of the week , can be thus cleared up , for the day of the weekly sabbath , as i doubt not but it may , it is sufficient to me it is . he that conceives himself under no obligation to any thing , but what he hath express scripture for , in so many words and syllables , will either enlarge his liberty beyond its due bounds , or streighten his rule beyond what is written , and perhaps both : it s a dangerous thing to refuse him that speaks from heaven , which way soever he speaks , heb. . . thly . fifthly , let this be also considered , that the holy will of god , which is the rule of all righteousness , concerning what is required of man to do , hath been revealed , though the time when , and manner how it hath been revealed , be not recorded in scripture . this to me is certain , for the will of god concerning sacrificing , was without doubt , revealed unto abel , before the law for sacrifices was given ; for what he did therein , he did in faith , and eminently found acceptance with god in what he did therein , heb. . . neither the light of nature , which is the knowledge of principles , neither the law of nature , which is the conclusions drawn from these principles , could ever have made known this way of worship to be a duty , if god had not some way revealed his will to him therein . this i hope will be made evident when i come to speak of the third general reason . if he had imposed this upon himself , and that it had been the product of his own imagination , it had been will-worship : therefore certainly he had some word for it , but when he received it , and where , and how that way of worship was instituted for him to come to the knowledge of , i never heard of any that could find it in the scripture . great use may be made of this , if need were , for the clearing up of this present controversie , concerning an express word for the institution and observing the first day of the week to be the lords-day , the day for his weekly sabbath ; we might say , that it might be instituted , though it be not recorded when , and where , as it was in the case of abels sacrificing ; but i hope we shall not be driven to this , however i cannot but suppose it is of good use for some especially to consider of . thly . sixthly , i desire that this also may be considered , that what was delivered by the apostles , as they were guided by the holy spirit of truth , ought to be received and believed as delivered and spoken by christ himself . christ himself was never in person at ephesus , and yet 't is said , eph. . . that he came thither and preached peace unto them : we must understand it , that he did so in the ministry of the apostles , which was all one as if he had been there himself . none that i know of durst ever undertake to prove , that ever they prescribed any thing for all the churches to observe , but what they received in commission from the lord jesus . this was their charge , mat. . . teach what i command you ; and this was their practice , cor. . , . what i received from the lord , that i delivered unto you : so cor. . . it is evident , act. . . that jesus christ spake many things unto them betwixt his resurrection and ascension , concerning the kingdom of god , i. e. especially the state of the gospel-church , of all which we have no knowledge ( i have not i am sure ) in particular what they were , farther than is found in their precepts and practice , recorded in the new testament : and what if i should say , that the change of the day from the last in seven , to the first in seven , was one of these things , i know not what could be said against it ; but of that more hereafter . thly . seventhly , though i have declared , as above , my assent and consent concerning the ten words to be perpetually obligatory , or a standing and unchangeable rule for all christians in all ages to walk by , that so they may walk in all well-pleasing unto god , ( as once i heard very solidly proved by your self , in an exercise wholly upon that subject , from psal . . , , , . as i remember ) though i say , and say it again , that herein i consent with you ; yet i say it now , and must say it again hereafter , that the day of weekly holy rest is altered , and yet that alteration is no dissolution of the commandment , and that no tittle of the law is broken thereby , and that the first day of the week is and ought to be as much the weekly sabbath for the christians now , as the last day of the week was to the jews of old ; and that there is as good ground ( though perhaps not so clear to every one ) for the change of the day , as there was at first for the choice of the day : this is directly contrary to what you asserted in your paper . i come now according as you desired me to take your th proposition into consideration , and your reasons in order as they stand , whereby you endeavour to confirm it , having again , and again in some weak measure , i praise the lord , prayed for the assistance of the holy spirit of truth , to guide and direct me that i may write nothing against the truth , but for the truth ; being at this present under the actual consideration of the dreadful sentence that i may be called to an account , i know not how soon , before the great and glorious god , for what i think , for what i write , as well as for what i speak , or what i do : i bless god i am willing that truth should be truth , and appear to be truth . your fourth proposition ( though i have repeated it already , yet i think it meet to repeat it here again ) is this ; the seventh day , which is the last day in every week in the weekly returns of it , &c. and for the proof of this , you produce exod. . , , , . deut. . , . i conceive you lay the whole stress of your arguments upon that in exod. and that you do not so much as imagine , that deut. the th affords you any more help , than what you have from the other alone . this is that which is to be taken into serious considerations , whether your proposition takes in , or be agreeable unto the full sense of the commandment , and that the commandment speaks the same thing that the proposition doth ; it seems as yet far otherwise to me , and that the commandment requires only the observation of one day in seven , and doth not institute any particular day , either the last or the first . the last of seven had its institution , as you seem to acknowledge , ( which i was glad to find in your paper ) in gen. . . where , and when the first day had its institution will be enquired into when this proposition is cleared , viz. that the fourth commandment requires only the observation of one whole day in seven for the weekly sabbath , not instituting either the first , or the last , for any such intent or purpose . and because , as solomon saith prov. . . that the commandment is a lamp , and the law is a light , i desire therefore in the strength of the lord jesus , depending upon him for light and direction , to look into the sense and meaning of this law : but first i shall premise this , that as the second , so the fourth commandment comes in some things under a difrferent consideration from most , if not from all the rest : my meaning is this ; there is something in each of them is morral natural , and something which is only positive . in the second commandment this is moral natural that god ought to be worshipped , not as men will themselves , but as god himself wills and describes ; but in what ordinances , or acts of worship , this is only positive . so in the fourth commandment this is moral natural , that there be a time , a sufficient time for the solemn worship of god , and yet such a sufficient time , as leaves sufficiency of time for our worldly business and affairs . this the light of nature will teach , but without some revelation of the will of god , nature cannot determine the time , as to the frequency of its revolution , or if that , not the particular day that ought to be the time , which is the matter under debate betwixt us , but of this i shall have occasion to speak more hereafter : only i mention it here , because this is that which i have now to do , to give you my reasons why i conceive that what the substance of the fourth commandment requires ; either as naturally moral , or positively moral , or gods manner of resting , or his blessing and sanctifying the day of his rest , or the revolution of time in which the day ought to be observed , whatever it be , reacheth no farther than the observation of one whole day in seven , not directly pointing out any particular day , but only by consequence at the last of seven , because it was enjoyned before . now i cannot better nor in fewer words give you my reason of this , than to give you an account of my faith , what i understand to be the sence and meaning of the commandment , and it is this ; . first , i observe as it were the opening and giving forth of the commandments , vers . . remember the sabbath day , that is , the day of holy rest of gods appointing , to keep it holy to the lord : in deut. . . a text quoted in your paper , we have this which is the moral substance of the commandment not given as in some other places it is , by it self alone , but together with all the ten words in its proper place and order ; and which is to me very observable , the reason from gods resting is omitted , neither is it at all enforced from the creation , but from a type of our redemption , their deliverance from the egyptian bondage . such a material omission or alteration seemeth to be significant of something , whereof more hereafter . dly . secondly , in the shutting up or conclusion of the commandment , vers . . wherefore the lord blessed , and sanctified not the seventh day ( of which more hereafter ) but the sabbath day of holy rest : this is evident , yet neither in the opening , nor shutting up of the commandment where we have the moral substance of the commandment , there is no mention of any particular day at all . dly . i observe what intervenes , and comes in by way of explication or inforcement of obedience , between the opening , and shutting up of the commandment and therefore comes in to be observed . . first , in what revolution of time god had appointed this day of holy rest to be observed , and that is one whole day of seven , of every seven days , six for labour , one for rest , vers . . and former part of ver . . thus far we have a comely order in the commandment , suitable to the infinite wisdom of god , first settling a day that ought to be observed , and then the revolution of time in which that day ought to be observed ; how often , not one in twenty days , nor one in ten days , but one in seven days , one day in every week , which is well observed by your self in the third reason . dly . secondly , i observe the enforcement of obedience to the commandment from gods example of resting the seventh day , verse . here i do acknowledg the last of seven is mentioned , but not as any branch of the unchangeable moral substance of the commandment , nor the observation of it directly required but onely consequently , being instituted before as is acknowledged by your self : and it must be acknowledged by all , that the last of seven here mentioned , had first of all the honor to be the day of gods appointing , and accordingly it was observed , and no other , till the time came that another day the first of seven , was to succeed in the room of it . these are the particulars of the commandment , which as far as i can apprehend , are most observable in those four verses quoted in your paper , and in none of them all can i find any thing that seems to give any testimony to the truth of your proposition . . nothing as was said before either in the giving forth , or shutting up of the commandment , there is no mention of any particular day , one or other . . nothing in what intervenes between . . nothing in what expresseth the revolution of time wherein the day of holy rest is to be observed . six days shalt thou labour , thus i understand this limitation , or rule for direction . . six days shalt thou labour , unless god otherwise appoint ; and he did appoint in the old administration , other days to be kept holy , which though not alway , yet sometimes fell out on some or other of the six working days . this i think none will deny . . further , six days shalt thou labour , not excluding the solemn worship of god out of those six days , as is well observed by our self : as if it were a sin for a man to hear a sermon , or to set some hours a part for prayer any of these six days , as it is for a man to work upon that day of seven which god sets apart for himself . . and yet further , which is most to be taken notice of . six days , &c. rest one , not enjoyning the last of seven that was instituted before , but onely thus , six parts of the time shall be for your selves , the seventh shall be mine , as gen. . . you shall have four parts , saith joseph , the fifth shall be pharaohs . let all be divided into five parts , four shall be for your selves , the fifth shall be for the king , not telling them which fifth but only one of five . so lev. . . let all be divided into ten you shall have nine , the tenth shall be the lords , not appointing them which ten , but only one of ten . thus i understand the word , six days of the week shall be for your selves , one shall be mine . thus i finde not one word for the last of seven , and which i must remember again , in the third reason you plead the equity onely for one of seven . i have heard that you alledged the hebrew particle ה verse . as emphatical ; but because you do not mention it in your paper , i shall say nothing to it now , but when you form your argument from it , i shall give that which satisfies me for the present in answer to it . . as nothing is here where the revolution of time is fixed which speaks in behalf of your proposition , so i find nothing at all in gods exemple for it ; nothing there but one day of seven , from the beginning of the creation ; but it doth not therefore follow that it was the mind of god , that the same day must be observed for ever . i shall give you my reason why i conceive so , when first i have given you the sence wherein i conceive the words are to be understood . thus , we must not understand this properly according to the letter , for the infinite glorious divine essence ceaseth no more to work than he ceaseth to be god ; neither doth he rest as man doth , because he is weary , isa . . . we are therefore to understand his ceasing to create ; from the works of providence ordering , and disposing all thing that he hath made he never resteth , according to that joh. . . having thus given you the sense , now i shall give you my reasons , why i conceive that this example of gods resting is not alledged here to lay an obligation upon the conscience , that the same day wherein he rested , which was the last of seven , ought to be observed for ever . . first , it seems to me to relate to what god himself did , rather then any way propounded as an argument to prove that for which you urge it . i will give you a parallel scripture wherein the example of the lord jesus is thus to be understood , . cor. . . we have there the institution of the lords supper , when , and how it was instituted , repeated out of the evangelists , and christs example is related as to the time when , that it was not only in the night , but in that particular night in which he was betrayed : now this is not recorded as a binding rule for our imitation , for then night , administrations should not onely of absolute necessity be observed , but that particular night in which he was betrayed , which is commonly called with us thursday night , which is more then ever i heard , that any one practised as a necessary duty ; i am sure the apostle paul did not , acts . . this example of christ then , seems to be historically related , and whether the like may not be said of gods example in the commandment , let it be considered . but . secondly , though gods exemple be historically related , yet it must be acknowledged to be related for some special end and purpose : as the example of christ in the forementioned scripture was without all doubt mentioned upon the highest ground of reason ; which to speak of here though it might be of good use , yet it would be a digression from the matter in hand . and the special end , and purpose why gods example is here related , seems to be this , even to shew that what is required in the commandment is equal and reasonable , and for mans good : the holy laws of god are often called judgments , as for other reasons , so specially i think for this , to shew that god requires nothing but what is just and equal . thus god reasons the case with those , ezek. , . hear ye me o house of israel , are not my waies equal ? and therefore certainly the sence of the argument from gods example which doth best shew the equity of the commandment , and to be for the good of those that observe it , is the best , and truest sence . now to argue that because god wrought the six first days of seven , and then rested the last of seven , this carries no convincing reason with it , that therefore we ought first to work six days of the week , and then to rest the last day of the week , and to keep it holy to the lord. reason , right reason , if that alone were to judge , would rather judge it fit to keep the first of seven holy to the lord , and seeing by divine allowance we have six for one , take the six last to our selves . in reason we may hope , that the work on earth will speed best , when our work for heaven is done first : but now to argue from gods example , that it bindeth neither to the first of seven , nor to the last of seven , but to one of seven , carries very great reason in it . for if the great god , who needs not one moment either for rest , or for work , who never fainteth , who never is weary , wrought six days , and rested one , how much more should poor frail man , hold that proportion , who by reason both of bodily weakness , and spiritual wants , needs such a competency of time both for his worldly imployment , and soul refreshments ; and thus much you say your self hath been already noted . thus you have my reason why i conceive there is nothing in gods example , that affords any help to afford your proposition . . thirdly , i find as little in gods blessing and sanctifying the sabbath-day , for that which you alledge it . . first , to give the sence , [ he sanctified it ] i. e. separated it from common use , to be filled up with such duties as he appoints ; and then [ blessed it ] i. e. appointed it to be a day of blessing . a day naturally considered , is capable of no other blessing , but only to be a means of blessing according to divine appointment ; but his blessing and sanctifying it , secures the blessing to the right observers of it . now for my reason why herein i dissent from you ; 't is this , he blessed and sanctified it , but not as it was the last day of seven , but as it was the day of his rest , declaring thereby creation-work to be perfected . neither was his resting , so far as i can see , the ground of his blessing and sanctifying it , but as considered in conjunction with the reason of his rest , his finishing the creation ; and also with the result and consequence of his rest , viz. his magnifying and honouring that day for the time being , above all other dayes , for the greatest work then in being . whether this blessing be applicable to no other day but this , as you say it is not , in the third branch of the first reason for the confirming your proposition , shall be considered of when it comes to be spoken to , in order as it stands in your paper ; and i hope to make the contrary to appear , at least it appears so to me . . fourthly , to mention it once again , though it was hinted before , in the very conclusion of the commandment , vers . . though the last of seven is mentioned in the same verse , in the words immediately foregoing , it is not said , i mean in that place , that he blessed and sanctified the seventh day , ( though it be said , that he did bless it , gen. . in the sence that is given above ) but he blessed and sanctified the sabbath day . what should be the reason of the suddain change of the expression ? i conceive it may be this , and i think it may not be unworthy of your serious consideration ; it may be this i say , because the command for the sabbath-day , was to be of a larger extent , than the last day of seven . i cannot but think , that if god had intended to bind his church in all ages to the end of the world , to the last day of seven , as you conceive he hath done , he would have fixed upon that day in the conclusion of the commandment . thus sir , i have given you my reasons why i dissent from you , in that sence which you give of the commandment in your proposition : and why i adhere to that proposition , that the fourth commandment requires only the observation of one day in seven , not fixing it either upon the first , or the last day of seven , but only by consequence pointing at the last of seven , then to be observed , because it was instituted before , and to continue till the first of seven was to succeed it . as solomon said in the place formerly quoted , prov. . so david his father said before him , psal . . . the commandment of the lord is pure , enlightneng the eyes ; and this is the light which the father of lights hath given me from the commandment . i shall shut up all that for the present i intend to say , as for the sence of the commandment , with this ; that as the second commandment , as i said in the entrance into this discourse , may parallel with the fourth commandment , in requiring something which is superadded to the law and light of nature ; so 't is evident in this , that as the second commandment doth determine the worship of god , but only in the general , that it be according to his revealed will , and under that general , both old ordinances , sacrifice , circumcision , and the passover instituted , elsewhere are there required ; so likewise new testament ordinances baptisme and the lords supper are both comprehended , though neither named ; so in the fourth commandment , both the last of seven , and first of seven , are comprehended , though neither of them directly named ; but onely one of them consequentially as was said before , because formerly instituted ; so that the fourth commandment is perpetually obligatory for one day in seven , and then the substance of the commandment is still unchangeable , thus the day admits of a change , not as a ceremony , but as a circumstance ; the change of the day being no more prejudicial to the morality of the fourth commandment , than the change or worship to the morality of the second commandment . and farther i add this , that i confess i am at a very great loss , how it should be so as it hath been , and as it is at this day , that in a manner , the whole christian world should centre in the observation of the first day , if it had been a breach of the fourth commandment which hath been so often read , and so often preached upon . before i proceed to say any more than what hath been said to those reasons which are produced in your paper for the confirmation of your proposition , i shall give you in as few words as possibly i can , what i have for the present to say for the change of the day , from the last of seven to the first of seven ; and that being done , i conceive i shall not need to say much to any of the reasons , though i intend not , by the lords assistance , to pass over any of them without saying something , and that as you desire , according to the order as they stand . to make entrance into this which i am now to speak unto ; as none denies but that the last of seven was the only day in the revolution of every week to be kept holy to the lord to the end of the old world , ( i. e. ) of the church that then was of the jews , till the time of reformation should come , heb. . . so i conceive it cannot with reason be denied , but that since the beginning of the new world , ( i. e. ) of the christian church , frequently in scripture called the world to come , i mention only that heb. . . since then i say , it cannot i think , with any shew of reason , be denied , that the first of seven hath been generally acknowledged in all christian churches unto this day , and will be ( to speak as yet i do believe ) till time shall be no more ; though by what authority , is the great matter in question , but the thing is certain , though it hath been of late , as i have heard , dropt up and down , in and about the town , that this exalting of the first day of seven above the last of seven was done by the authority of constantine : i wondred at this when i heard of it , for though it be true that eusebius , writing the life of that christian emperor saith , that by law he enacted , that the first day of the week , should be the great weekly holy day to the lord : yet to conclude from hence , that he was the author of the change of the day ; we may as well conclude that he was the christian religion ; for by his publique edict , the publique profession of it was established in all his dominions . the christians of those days then receiving , as i have often thought , an answer to those prayers which their fore-fathers in christianity no doubt poured forth before god , according to that injunction and direction , tim. . , . that they should pray for kings and all that be in authority , that they might lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honosty ; which was much about . years before constantine was born , at least before he sate in the throne . let eusebius himself be consulted ( i could easily quote the place if i had the book by me ) and from him we may learn , that as the christian religion , so the christian sabbath was observed on the first day long before constantines cradle was made ; and not only so , but before there was a christian magistrate in the world it was so : and yet , as 't is apparent to me , by divine authority , or else there was none in the world at all ; for in the new world , that is , in the state of the gospel church , old things were past away , old sacrifices , old covenant , old sacrament , the seals of the covenant , this none denies ; even so likewise the old sabbath : for the proof of this , let that scripture , besides others that might be mentioned , be duly considered , gal. . . the apostle there reckoneth up several sorts of the jewish festivals , and condemneth the observation of them in all christian churches ( for upon the same account he condemns them in one church , he condemns them in all ) this will appear to be so , if we consider the apostles scope in that , and in his epistles to some other of the churches . but to mention one is enough for all , it was to oppose such of the circumcision as those mentioned , acts . , . that mingled together the law of moses , with the doctrine of the gospel , and that in the matter of justification , and in order to salvation ; with this error , which was then a growing error , it is evident the church of galatia was infected , upon this account it might well be that he was articled against , for teaching every where to forsake the law of moses , and against the temple , acts . . as paul himself no doubt knew that it was formerly an article against stephen , that he spake blasphemous words against the law , and that he should affirm that jesus of nazareth should destroy the temple , and change the customs that moses delivered them , acts . , . object . if it be objected that the apostle there condemns their yearly sabbaths , the sabbath of the seventh year , the sabbath of the fiftieth year , the year of jubile , and not the weekly sabbath . by way of answer , i desire that the words of the apostle may be duely weighed ; ye observe days , and months , and times , and years , i am afraid of you , lest i have bestowed on you my labour in vain . by years , we understand their yearly sabbath , called the sabbath of attonement , and their sabbatical years as above mentioned ; by seasons , their annual feasts , of the passover , penticost , and tabernacles ; and by months , their monthly feasts called their new moons , all this is clear ; now i confess i cannot see what can possibly be meant by days , but their weekly sabbath days , especially finding in levit. . where all their feasts and holy days , eight in number , are reckoned up ; their weekly sabbath is put in the first place , as it were , by the apostle . i fore-see two things may be objected against this interpretation . obj. first , it may be said , the sabbath of the seventh day cannot be here mentioned , for then paul should condemn his own practice . answ . but this is easily answered , for though we read , acts . . that on the sabbath day , that is i grant on the seventh day sabbath , he went out of the city and preached to women , that resorted thither to their publique worship : and acts . . that he preached in the synagogue of thessalonica three sabbath days together , yet this was not as observing the seventh day sabbath , but for the opportunity of the jews assembling together on that day , which he could not have upon the first day ; and so for a while condescending to their weakness , some other of the jewish rites , as may be instanced in circumcision , were born with . to conclude from hence that he did this as observing the seventh day sabbath as they did , it may be well concluded that he did , and therefore we must observe the feast penticost , because he went up to jerusalem at that feast , as we read , acts . . which we may be sure he did not for the feasts sake , but for the assemblies sake , that he might have the greater opportunity to preach the gospel unto them . but now if we would know what day of the week it was which he observed in obedience to the fourth commandment , look into his practice among the converted jews and gentiles , and there we shall find that he observed the first day for the sabbath day , and passed by the seventh day , as will be seen by and by , in its proper place . . object . it 's objected by some , and those great and learned persons , that this interpretation overthrows the morality of the first day of the week , as well as the last day of the week , and for that end they thus interpret this place , and frequently urge it : but nothing they alledge from hence , i do acknowledge , could ever make any impression upon me , and my reason is this . answ . look what those and the circumcision , that were so zealous for the law , sought to impose upon the christian churches , that and that only the apostle opposeth : now it seems to me beyond all question , that they never sought to impose the first day sabbath , and therefore that stands , and will stand unshaken , notwithstanding this interpretation of the text ; and the interpretation standing firm , notwithstanding these objections , it seems yet clear to me , that christians are under no obligation at all to the old sabbath , it is dead having served its time , quest . now i know it will be asked , if this be so , where have we any express institution either for the first day , or for any other day ? must we not then , if a word of institution cannot be produced , observe , as some say , every day for a sabbath , or take that day those in authority do appoint , be it one of , or one of , or have no sabbath at all ? answ . i answer , neither so , nor so , every day is not the sabbath day , any more than every supper is the lords supper , or every table the lords table : neither may we admit of one day of , or , for that is against the morality of the fourth commandment , which requires not onely the observation of a sabbath , but one day of seven for a sabbath . and that we have sufficient ground ( which i confess can be no less than divine authority ) for the first day of seven , i now come to give you my reasons why i so believe . only let me have leave first to ask , where is there an express word of institution for the last of seven ? in the fourth commandment there is none , that only requires the observation of one of seven ; all the institution there is for it , is in gen. . . which is not express , ( though i acknowledg it sufficient ) but only imply'd in those words , god blessed the seventh day , and sanctified it ; and i hope there is as clear a word ( though perhaps not altogether found in one place ) which implies the institution of the first day , as that which in gen. . doth of the seventh day . before i proceed to that , i desire this may be observed ; that there is the same reason for the institution of the first of seven , that there was for the institution of the last of seven . i said before what i thought to be true , that the lord blessed and sanctified the seventh day ; not only because he rested on the seventh day , having perfected the work of creation ; but also because of the result and consequence both of his rest , and of his perfecting his work , namely , his honouring and exalting that day above all other dayes ; thereby now we know , that the memorial of those signal works of providence wrought upon the day , hath been the occasion of the advancing that day above other . so the jewish passover , lev. . and the feast of purim , est . . , , and our th . of november , in memory of the discovery of that treason plotted , and that nothing came to execution but the traytors themselves . now this being acknowledged to be so , hence then it may be argued , that what day soever above all other dayes , god honours with his most eminent work , is to be the day of holy rest unto god. this will clearly carry it , and greatly strengthen , though but an implyed institution for the first day : for that was the day of the lords rest from the most great , and the most glorious of all his works , the work of redemption . i hear something hath been alledged against this , that the first day of the week was not the day of christs resurrection , and that the translators of the bible have done us wrong in so rendring it : it is strange to me if any should say so , but i shall say nothing to it now , because your paper speaks nothing of it ; whenever you think fit to form the argument from the error you suppose in the translation , there is as i understand one ( and one that is well able to do it ) prepared to justifie the translation , and hath done it , many moneths ago ; to him i leave it , because , as i said , your paper gives me no occasion to say any thing of it . however this i must say , for the proof of what hath been said , i cannot but assert this , that it is an article of my faith , that the lord jesus rose again the third day , cor. . . luk. . mat. . . and that as certain it is , that the first day of the week after his passion week , is and was the third day after his passion ; the lord of life laid down his life , and was obedient unto death , the sixth day of the foregoing week , which with us is called friday , lay in the grave the remaining part of that day , that night , and all the seventh day , ( when the old sabbath i think was buried with him ) and then that night , and arose early ) the next morning , which was the first day of the week after his passion ; so that his blessed body continued in the grave two whole nights , one whole day , and some part of the two other dayes , the sixth and the first of the week following , in all about thirty six hours : and this was accounted three dayes and three nights , according to the allowed dialect of that nation , as one of the most learned in the jewish antiquities i think this nation affordeth , by several instances makes good : and indeed there seems to be something in the scripture for it , esthers fast was for three days , and three nights , yet on the third day after her feast began , she presents her self before the king , and invites him to a banquet , est . . . this then is evident , the resurrection of christ , notwithstanding any thing that i think can be said against the translation , was upon the first day of the week ; besides what hath been said already , the scripture is express for it , luk. . . the same day , i. e. the day of christs resurrection , the two disciples were travelling to emaus , and vers . . they say this day was the third day : thus the resurrection of christ being upon the first day of the week , ( though to speak properly it was not so much the ground , as the occasion of the choice of the day , because then it was manifested , that the price of our redemption was both paid and accepted ) the day of christs passion could not give the like occasion , because though the price was paid , the surety was not discharged , the grave was a part of his humiliation , he was not raised from all the sorrows of death , till he was raised from the grave , acts . . and as the day of christs passion , could not for this cause give this occasion for the change of the day , so neither could the day of his ascension . on that day indeed he entred into the place of rest , to sit down on the right hand of the father , but it was on the day of his resurrection that he entred into the state of rest ; and this day , as i said , on the first day of the week , gives as fair and strong a ground , for fixing of the day of holy rest , on the first day of seven , as gods resting from the work of the creation did , for fixing it at first upon the last of seven . if it be said , by this means we blot out the memory of the creation , which ought not to be done . is is true , it ought not to be done , that marvelous great work comes within the compass of that text , psalm . . . which ought to be had in remembrance , and the serious consideration of it , is a great relief in difficult cases : for what cannot he do that made heaven and earth of nothing ? thus they reason their hearts into a believing frame , psalm . . ult . that their hope , and their help , did stand in the name of the lord that made heaven and earth : we ought therefore , as elihu saith , to magnifie god in his works which men behold . joh. . , . only the work of redemption ought more especially to be remembred , as the more glorious , and indeed the most glorious work : as therefore the work of creation ought not to be forgotten , so the change of the day gives no cause for it ; for as the first day of seven preserveth the memory of our redemption , so one of seven preserveth the memory of our creation , only preeminence is given to the work of our redemption . but it will still be enquired where is the word of institution ? i answer , 't is acknowledged , that as i said before , i find no express word for the institution of the last day of seven , so we have no express word in so many letters , and words or syllables for the institution of the first day of seven ; but we have several particulars , which , not taken apart , but laid altogether , will clearly , and i think , undeniably imply it ; and which was observed in the fourth proposition , which way soever god speaks his minde to us , we ought not to despise him that speaks from heaven . now among all these particulars , i desire these may be , in all sobriety and seriousness , taken into consideration . . the first is this , which i think none will deny ; that jesus christ the mediator , had power to change the day : i do not , i dare not say that he hah power to change the moral substance of the commandment , for it was not in his commission ; he came not to destroy the law , but to fulfil it ; not to change the day from one of seven , but that he had power to change from one day of seven , to another day : that text which you quote three several times , sufficiently proves it ; he is lord of the sabbath , ( i. e. ) of the day , and might do with his own what he pleaseth , even as he was lord of the vineyard , and might let it out to what husbandmen he pleased , matth. . and that which we read , john . carries a probable appearance , that even then he began to manifest , that he had a purpose to change the day , for there we read , that having healed the poor diseased man who had been bedrid for thirty eight years together , he bids him take up his bed and walk ; but why did he so ? this was expresly against the letter of the law ; there was no necessity of it for the evidencing of the miracle , that might have been done by his leaping , and walking ; and the like was , acts . and acts . he might have gone home , and come again for his bed the next day ; why then might it not be to shew that he had power and authority over that day , equal to what he had over the desease . to this purpose it is worthy our observation , that all along in that chapter , he justifies his acts against the cavilling jews , by asserting his power , as may be seen verse . to the end of verse . as it appears by this , that he had power to change the day , what if it should be said , that he did according to his power actually change the day , though when , and how , it be not recorded . let the fifth proposition be consulted for this ; there it appears , that there was word for institution of sacrifice , before abel sacrificed , ( though it be not recorded when ) because god accepted his sacrifice . so he hath accepted the service upon the first day of the week , the first of seven , and blessed it as eminently he did the last of seven , as i shall shew when i come to speak of your reasons . why then might he not institute this day , though it be not express'd when , or where ? what can be said against it , but that he might do in the one as in the other ? though it be not recorded , why may it not be thought to be one of those things which he had to say unto his disciples , and without he did say to them afterwards , because they were not then able to bear them , john . . surely the change of the sabbath , which they with the whole body of that nation , had such an high esteem of , would hardly then have been received by them . . fourthly , to me it seems very evident , that the day was changed either by christ own immediate appointment , or by his apostles as they were guided , and directed by the holy spirit which they received , according to that promise , john . . and what they did teach , and practise as thus guided , and directed , ought to be received and believed , as if it had been immediatly done by christ himself , as was proved in the sixth proposition . . fifthly , and that the change of the day was thus appointed , either by christ immediatly , or by his apostles as guided by the spirit of truth , these following particulars seem to me undeniably to prove it . . first , by the apostles practice let that be seriously considered , as it is recorded in several places . i shall begin with that , acts . . it is there said , that when paul came to troas , where he abode seven dayes , upon the first day of the week , which is infallibly proved to be the day of christs resurrection , when the disciples came together to break bread , paul preached . i desire this text may be considered in the fear of god. it was some grief to me to think how slightly , as i heard within these few days , some turn it off : for if it be , as it ought to be , seriously considered of , it will appear to have much weight in it , for it is clear in the text , that paul continued there seven days , and therefore was there on the seventh day sabbath ; yet there is no mention that either he , or the church took any notice of it , more than of any other of the six dayes , but upon the first day , the work of the sabbath was carried on , paul both preaching , and administring the lords supper . if this had been done upon the seventh day , and that he had begun his journey upon the first day , it had made very much for the establishing of the old sabbath ; whereas now it makes much for the establishing of the new , and christian sabbath ; if there had been but one such express instance of pauls baptizing but one infant in any of the christian churches , i think it would have prevailed much with those that are humble , conscientious , and godly ( as i believe many are , that scruple much the administration of that ordinance to any that are not able to make profession of their faith ) if i say there had been but one such instance , so plain and evident , in the scripture ; it would probably have prevailed much with them , though there are arguments sufficient in the scripture for it , yet they are not so plain to them : they would ( it may charitably be supposed ) have yielded that such an apostle , would not have done this without warrant , unless he had known the mind of christ for it , yet you see we have it for the christian sabbath , and shall this signifie nothing ? surely what ever it doth with others , it signifies much with me . . secondly , it is farther observed , that the one hundred and twenty disciples spoken of acts . and it may be some more with them , met together distinctly from the jews , and did not keep the feast of pentecost with them , but together by themselves ; and this they did with one accord , as we read , acts . . and this upon the first day of the week , as may be undeniably demonstrated : the lord jesus was buried on the evening of the sixth day , that day being the first in the passion week , but the seventh day christ rested in the grave , this was the second day in the passion week in which the first fruit sheaf of was waved before the lord , levit. . . and from this day they began to count their seven weeks to pentecost as in the same chapter vers . , . ( and which should be observed , this day christ rose again from the dead , and becomes the first fruits of them that sleep , cor. . . ) which being counted seven times , the fiftieth day is just the first day of the week . so that it is clear , it was the first day of the week when the the disciples thus met together , to observe it in the duties of the day , which without doubt they knew to be the mind of christ . . thirdly , the disciples met together twice on the two first dayes of the two first weeks , immediately after christs resurrection ; if it be granted , that the first time they did not understand , the change of the day , but shut the doors for fear of the jews , because of the information of the souldiers against them , that they had taken away the body of jesus , what can be said against it , all things considered , but that they knew the change of the day at their second meeting ? and that then they shut the doors for fear of the jews , because they did not observe the old sabbath , the same that the jews did , and as they themselves formerly had done . thus much of the apostles practice : now it cannot be shewed , that ever they gave any respect to the seventh day sabbath , as the day of holy rest unto the lord , after christs resurrection ; that of their preaching sometimes on that day , was upon another account , as hath been proved already . neither doth it appear that any other did , by what we find in the scripture . it s true , those holy women mentioned in the evangelists , observed it to the last , even to the day before christs resurrection , and it was their duty christ being not risen . and for the apostles , it is evident they shewed all respects after the resurrection , to the first of seven , none to the last of seven : and further , it is not nothing what is recorded of the lord jesus himself , that he appeared so often unto his disciples on that day : for though i lay not so much stress upon it , as i have heard others have done , ( for it is very profitable , that during these forty days , he appeared unto them upon other dayes as well as upon the first day ) but this i say is not nothing , that there is no day mentioned by name , but the first day ; if it had been mentioned , that he had appeared unto them but once upon the seventh day , i cannot but think it would have been much insisted upon . having now done with this , i proceed from the apostles practice to consider ; . secondly , their expressions ; and that which i shall here take special notice of , is that in apoc. . . where john gives this account of himself , that he was in the spirit on the lords day . this i have reason to believe was the first day of the week , and pointeth at the institution of it by christ himself ; and my reason is this , scripture is to be interpreted by scripture , even about the nature and meaning of a phrase , unless there be something in the text where it is used , why it should not be taken in that text as in others : this is generally acknowledged to be a good and safe rule for interpretation of difficult places ; why then may not this phrase prove it was the day instituted by the authority of jesus christ , as being parallel with that of the lords supper , which was instituted by christ himself ? the holy spirit of god directed both paul , and john , in their expressions , neither of which is used but once a piece , and never applyed to any thing else in the new testament , but to the lords supper , and to the lords day ; why should these ordinances be held forth under the same expressions , if these had not the same institution ? it would seem strange to me , if any should say , that the lords passover in the old testament , ( though a supper ordinance ) was the lords supper in the new testament ; and it seems somewhat strange , if the seventh day sabbath , which was indeed the sabbath of the lord under the old testament , should be asserted to be the lords day in the new testament , without some further proof than to say it is so : i could produce testimonies from antiquity , of some that lived near , and of one that lived some considerable time with john himself , who have interpreted the lords day mentioned in the revelation , to be the first day ; but because you quote no such testimonies , neither will i. i have been careful to observe your order , and to proceed in this order only in a scriptural way : thus much of the apostles expressions . from their practice and expressions , i come to the practice of the primitive churches , as they are recorded in the scripture ; as that of the church of corinth , cor. . , . and that of galatia , and of troas formerly mentioned , who had their weekly solemn assemblies on the first day ; i forbear to say any thing in justification of our translation , because as i said before , you touch upon no such thing in your paper , desiring to be dealt withall in a scriptural , not in a grammatical way , only i cannot but add this , because i conceive it is according to scripture , that it cannot with any reason be imagined , that these churches would have made such an important change of the day for their solemn assemblies , from what was formerly used by gods appointment among the jews , without consulting with some at least of the apostles , and most likely with paul , as being best acquainted with him . hardly i think can there be produced any instance that particular churches ever did determine any thing of this nature , by their own authority , without consulting , i say , with some of the apostles ; considering how in other matters , not altogether of so great a concernment , they consulted with paul , cor. . and as hardly can it be imagined that the apostles would ever give them any such direction , unless they had known the mind of christ . thus , sir , i have given you , in as few words as the matter would permit , a true account of the reasons of my dissent from you , in the sense that you give of the fourth commandment , and of what formerly hath and still doth satisfie my conscience , that the day is changed , and that by divine authority and that without any prejudice to the authority of the fourth commandment . that which i have yet to do , is to give you my thoughts concerning your reasons , produced for the confirming your proposition , which may be done with a little addition to what hath said done already . . first , you say those weighty reasons which jehovah the saviour himself hath given , to enforce obedience unto his commandment , in observing a weekly sabbath day holy to himself , do properly belong and are applicable to the seventh day , which is the last day in every week in order of time , in the weekly returns of it , as the weekly sabbath day , and are applicable to no other day ; and these you say are three . . first , you say , god rested only upon the seventh day , which is the last day in every week . answ . i answer , thus far it is true , that god rested on the seventh day , the last day from the beginning of the creation ; but it seems to me rather as a reason of that limitation , six dayes of seven being allowed for labour , one of which seven was a day for holy rest , and not an argument engaging to observe the last of seven , for the weekly sabbath to the end of the world : the reasons that prevail with me so to judge , i have given before . dly . secondly , your second and third reasons , i joyn them together , he blest and sanctified the seventh day , because you bring one and the same proof for both , and besides they are to be looked upon in conjunction together , he sanctified the seventh day , by separating it from common use , to be the day for his solemn worship , and he blessed it , appointing it to be a day of blessing to the right observers of it , in what sense i understand this , i have given you an account before . it is true , when this law was first given to adam , being then in the state of innocency ( so you acknowledge it was , and therein i assent and consent with you ) the blessing was applicable to no other day , but the last of seven ; because man continuing in that blessed state , there was not , there could not be supposed a more eminent work than the creation of the world ; but now man being fallen , the work of redemption being every way more glorious than the work of creation , the blessing is applicable to the first day , the day of christs resurrection , for then the work of redemption was manifested to be fully perfected , and god blessed for evermore hath blessed that as eminently as ever he did the former day , not to mention that which is and hath been done among the churches of the gentiles . i desire you to look back to the second particular , and i think it is there made evident , that the feast of pentecost was on the first day , and then the disciples being together , the holy ghost was given to the disciples , then they received those miraculous gifts , and began to speak with tongues , which they never understood before , and that day three thousand souls were added to the church , by the effectual working of the spirit of god with the ministery of the apostles ; and these sermons they preached , that are upon record , after christs ascension : was not then this day a day of blessing ? was there ever a more eminent blessing , or any like unto it on the old sabboth , the last of seven ? whatever impression this makes upon the hearts of others i know not , for my own part i must needs say , i cannot but look upon it as very worthy of serious consideration . dly . secondly , besides those reasons in the commandment you add further : . the name and thing of a weekly sabboth is given only to the seventh day : . that no promise is made to the observers of any other day , no threatning denounced against any that shall not observe any other day in the week , as a weekly sabboth day , but only the seventh , which is the last day . a. to all these i answer from what hath been already said : . first , as for the name and thing , this is that which i observe at first , and by this i am further confirmed in it , that you apprehend the last day of seven and the weekly sabboth , i. e. the day that is to be observed as a day of holy rest unto the lord , are terms convertible ; which to me is not yet proved , though i have considered your paper from end to end , and i have given you my reasons why i yet believe , and must needs believe ( till i see them answered ) that another is instituted in the room thereof , and that by divine authority ; so that though once they were , yet now they seem to me to be no longer terms convertible . dly . secondly , as to that which you say , that there is no command for any other day , i have already given you my sense of the commandment , that no day is instituted there , first or last , or so much as the observation of the seventh directly enjoyned there , but only by consequence , because formerly instituted ; so that both the commandment and the reasons of the commandment reach the first of seven , as well as the last of seven : see before . dly . thirdly , you say there is no promise to the observation of any day , nor threatning against the not observing of any day as the weekly sabboth , but only the last of seven . a. i answer first , to speak properly ( as i observe you do so ) the promise is not made to the day , but to the right observers of it , in the duties that god appoints . now the duties falling upon the first day of the week , as i have given you the reasons of my faith therein already , the blessings annexed to the last of seven fall upon the first of seven , and have been given forth eminently upon the first of seven , as i have shewed . dly . secondly , i answer farther , that as i find no blessing promised to the right use of the seals of the covenant under the old administration , but what were then applied only to the right use of circumcision , and the passover , nor any thing against any profaners or contemners of any seals of the covenant , but those that contemned circumcision , and the passover ; yet i am perswaded that you believe the promises , i mean especially the spiritual promises annexed to the old seals , the right observers of the new seals , baptism and the lords supper , may in faith apply to themselves . and the threatnings against the contemners of the old seals , those that contemn or profane the new seals , have just cause to fear may fall upon them : even so the promise made to the old sabboth the seventh day , and the threatnings against the transgressors of it , are applicable to the transgressors , and the observers of the new sabboth the first of seven ; whatever is written , is written for our learning . dly . i now proceed to the third reason , which is this , that god hath put this commandment for the last of seven into nature ; which if you had explained , as it seems you understand it , and that the scriptures quoted had clearly proved it , i think i should have been silent , and with a little more help i think should have closed with you upon the whole in this matter . but i must crave leave to say , that to me your expressions are somewhat dark , and your proofs exceeding short . . first , that your way of expressing your self is somewhat dark : for you say , god hath put this into nature , but you do not express what i do not clearly understand , whether you mean that is moral natural in the fourth commandment , or which is moral positive . dly . secondly , your proofs , especially from rom. . . psalm . rom. . . john . . seem to be intended for that which is moral natural , and there are some other scriptures which to me have not the least appearance ( pardon me if i say so ) to be any thing at all to the purpose : and that there is one expression in your further inlarging upon this reason , which seems to be for that which is moral positive . for thus you say , that natural reason will tell me , that seeing all men in all nations do measure their time by weeks , and their weeks by seven days , that they should besides what they offer to god every day in every week , set apart a day unto their maker , who hath allowed such a liberal portion unto them for themselves : herein you will find , that i do both assent and consent unto you , when i have a little explained what i apprehend to be the difference between moral natural , and moral positive laws . ▪ first moral natural laws , i conceive to be these which the light of nature , consisting in the knowledge of principles , and the law of nature , in conclusions drawn from that light , acknowledgeth to be just and good , though they had never been written in the word . as that there is a god , and that this god is to be worshipped as god. thus much your proofs , especially that rom. . . clearly prove , thus far the fourth commandment is moral natural . the law and light of nature will teach men , that there must be a time for the solemn worship of god , a time of rest from all other imployments , a set time that must return according to some computation of time , either weeks , or months , or years . let it be granted for weeks ( though i would gladly see some farther proof for that , than yet i have seen , ) this the nature of man even now corrupted , either doth acknowledge , or at least may be convinced of , by arguments drawn from these principles which are in the hearts of all men , when he is rationally urged with such principles as these , as that all those things that are good , ought to be followed , and those things wch are evil ought to be avoided ; i mean such things , the goodness or evil whereof ariseth meerly from the things themselves , and may be acknowledged to be so , though the one had never been commanded , nor the other had never been forbidden in the word . this is clear from that place you quote , rom. . , . be pleased to consider the place , and i believe herein you will both assent and consent , that the apostle speaks of such things as the gentiles , without any revelation of the mind of god in his word , had the knowledge of by the light of nature , which they could never have of the last of seven for the weekly sabboth , as will appear by and by . dly . secondly , laws which are only positive , i conceive to be such , as the light of nature could never have judged either good or necessary , if they had not some way or other been revealed to be the will of god ; the goodness of them ariseth only from the will of god enjoyning them , who having absolute authority over all , may , and doth dispose of them into what condition he pleaseth , and imposeth upon them what laws seem good in his sight ; so that if they never had been enjoyned , the omission of them had been so far from being sin , that if any single person should have imposed them upon himself , or any number of men had imposed them upon others , as any part of spiritual homage and worship which is due to god , it had been rejected as will-worship . of this nature was the law given to adam , of not eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil ; there was no evil in the fruit of the tree , it was the creature of god , and all that he made was very good ; it was only evil , because forbidden , such were the laws for sacrifice , burnt-offerings , and peace-offerings , all the goodness that was in them was only from the will of god appointing them ; the light of nature could never have seen the good of them , nor the law of nature ingaged a man to the observation of them , if the will of god had not one way or other been revealed concerning them . the human nature in adam was created righteous , but if the revelation of the will of god had not been superadded to that knowledge wherein he was created , he could never have known but that he might as lawfully have eaten of that tree , as of any other . it is true , when the will of god was revealed to him , he had that written in his heart , by which he saw obedience to that law to be both just and necessary . of this nature i conceive was the law concerning the last day of seven , for the day of holy rest to be observed unto the lord. in the first proposition i shewed there is no goodness in one day more than another materially considered , none in the last of seven , none in the first of seven ; therefore neither of these were written in nature : only this is written in nature , that when the will of god is revealed concerning any such positive law , as concerning either the last of seven , or the first of seven , to be observed , even nature as it is corrupted cannot deny but that it is both just and necessary to yield obedience thereunto . nature , corrupted nature cannot deny , but that the will of the soverain lawgiver ought to be the rule of the creature , and indeed i am apt to think this is all you intended to prove , and if no more , then i do declare herein both my assent and consent : but then this is far short of what the reason is brought to prove , namely that which is in the fourth proposition , that the last day of every week , in the weekly returns of it , is alone the particular day in every week , which is the weekly sabboth day to be kept holy to jehovah , in obedience to his command as such . let it be granted , which yet i confess i am not fully satisfied in , that the light of nature without any revelation might have fixed upon one of seven , yet if god had not revealed his will therein , it could never have fixed upon the last of seven ; i think it would rather have fixed upon the first of seven for the reason alledged pag. . surely , sir , if the law for the last of seven had been written in the heart of man , we might hope to have found it fairly written in the renewed and sanctified heart of the people of the lords choice . but this the experience of all ages contradicteth if any should speak to me in the language of eliphaz , job . call now if there be any that will answer thee ; and to which of the saints wilt thou turn thee and ask them , did you ever find this law for the last of seven to be written in your heart ? they would for the generality of them tell me , no , they never found any such matter . this i believe would be the answer , or much to this purpose , even of those that were most holy and learned , most dead to the world , and most alive to god , yea of the most faithful martyrs of christ for these sixteen hundred years , that with a good conscience they could have done , as no doubt they did as there was occasion , any work of their calling upon the last of seven , which upon the second , third , fourth , fifth , and sixth days was lawful and fit to be done , and that they never found any thing written in their hearts giving any check thereunto . either then the holy law of god was not written in their hearts , which must not be admitted , or this law for the last of seven was not written there as the rest were ; which i really believe , and therefore give my dissent to this reason . thly . fourthly , there is yet one reason more must have something spoken to it , and that is the example of the lord jesus ; and to this i say , . first that his example is proposed to us for imitation , as those many scriptures you quote do suficiently prove , and herein i assent and consent with you ; for though i dare not say with the socinians , that the grand end of christs life and death was for example to be imitated , ( cursed be that opinion which presseth the imitation of christ to overthrow the satisfaction of christ ) yet this i say with you , that for our example he is proposed , but yet with limitation , as not in his mediatory and meritorious work , so not in every occasional work , as his spending a whole night in prayer , nor in administring the lords supper at night ; yet even in this , though we are under no obligation always to do so , yet when a just occasion serves , it is lawful for us at least to do so . but that wherein his example is obligatory , is to imitate him in the exercise of those graces , and practice of those duties which belong to all christians , mat. . . coll. . . pet. . , , . and such like . in all these , as he is by his spirit dwelling in us the principle of holiness , so in his example he is our pattern ; and indeed practical christianity may be said , especially to consist in walking as he hath walked , according to that you quote in john . . but now as to this particular for which you urge it , concerning the observation of the last day of seven , . first , it is granted , that notwithstanding all the jews cavils against him for transgressing against the law , yet he perfectly ( though not in their sense , as in all things else ) fulfilled the righteousness thereof : i mention only that one text , luke . . . secondly , but this was during his state of humiliation , being made under the law , but ( as i have said before ) after his resurrection i do not find that ever he took any notice of it , or shewed the least respect unto it during those forty days between his resurrection and ascention , though he both owned and honoured during that time the first day of the week . . thirdly , the holy apostles never imitated his example therein : i mean not after his resurrection : for though as i said whilst the jews were any thing tractable , paul especially took the advantage of the th day sabboth to preach unto them , but with both converted jews and gentiles he observed the first day of the week , as hath been shewed . so that for ought i find in your paper , i conceive we are no more bound to imitate him therein , than in being circumcised , or in deferring being baptized till we begin to be thirty years old , having no more law for the one than for the other , and where there is no law , there is no transgression . finis . there is lately published in latin , the so much expected account of the late dreadful plague , sold by joseph nevil , at the greyhound in st. paul's church-yard , entituled , ΛΟΙΜΟΛΟΓΙΑ , sive pestis nuperae apud populum londinensem grassantis narratio historica . authore n. hodges m. d. è collegio londin . the doctrine of the church of england, concerning the lord's day, or sunday-sabbath as it is laid down in the liturgy, catechism, and book of homilies, vindicated from the vulgar errours of modern writers, and settled upon the only proper and sure basis of god's precept to adam, and patriarchal practice, where an essay is laid down to prove, that the patriarchal sabbath instituted, gen. . . celebrated by the patriarchs before the mosaick law, and re-inforc'd in the fourth precept of the decalogue, was the same day of the vveek, viz. sunday, which christians celebrate in memory of the perfecting of the creation of the world by the redemption of mankind. smith, john, rector of st. mary's in colchester. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing s estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the doctrine of the church of england, concerning the lord's day, or sunday-sabbath as it is laid down in the liturgy, catechism, and book of homilies, vindicated from the vulgar errours of modern writers, and settled upon the only proper and sure basis of god's precept to adam, and patriarchal practice, where an essay is laid down to prove, that the patriarchal sabbath instituted, gen. . . celebrated by the patriarchs before the mosaick law, and re-inforc'd in the fourth precept of the decalogue, was the same day of the vveek, viz. sunday, which christians celebrate in memory of the perfecting of the creation of the world by the redemption of mankind. smith, john, rector of st. mary's in colchester. [ ], , [ ] p. printed for rich. chiswell, london : . preface signed: j.s. attributed to john smith, rector of st. mariè's, colchester by halkett and laing. advertisement: p. 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in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng sabbath. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the doctrine of the church of england , concerning the lord's-day , or sunday-sabbath , as it is laid down in the liturgy , catechism , and book of homilies . vindicated from the vulgar errours of modern writers , and settled upon the only proper and sure basis of god's precept to adam , and patriarchal practice . vvhere an essay is laid down to prove , that the patriarchal sabbath instituted , gen. . . celebrated by the patriarchs before the mosaick law , and re-inforc'd in the fourth precept of the decalogue , was the same day of the vveek , viz. sunday , which christians celebrate in memory of the perfecting of the creation of the vvorld by the redemption of mankind . stand ye in the ways and see , and ask for the old paths where is the good way , and walk therein , and ye shall find rest for your souls . jer. . . london ; printed for richard chiswell at the rose and crown in st. paul's church-yard . mdclxxxiii . the preface to the intelligent readers . sad and deplorable ( brethren ) have been our sabbatarian controversies : for while one extream pleads , there is no other ground for sanctifying the lord's-day , than there is for other holy-days , to wit , ecclesiastical constitution , thinking thereby to oblige christians to as religious observation of other holy-days as of sunday : they aim at an impossibility ; seeing in many religious persons there is imprinted this common sentiment , that the lord's-day ought to be discriminated from other days . and this principle so deeply imprinted , as all attempts to obliterate , do furbish it and make the writing more legible : yea , the circumjacent cold of the devotion of the contrary-minded ( as by an antiperistasis ) enflames the zeal of men seriously devout , beyond the due bounds , and pusheth them on to the very brink , if not into the gulf of judaizing in the manner of celebrating the lord's-day : and on the other hand , the looser sort observing , how some of those , that with most earnestness press the aforesaid ground of ecclesiastical constitution , do themselves observe holy-days , think they have fully discharged the office of good religious christians , if they sanctify the lord's-day , as they celebrate other holy-days ; that is , by resting from their ordinary callings , frequenting the morning-prayer ( to attend evensong is a work of supererogation ) and trifling away the remainder in pass-times . now what hath or can be the issue of this , but ignorance and prophaneness , and an incouragement to profane sundays instead of sanctifying other holy-days ? but i love not to be querulous ( motos praestat componere fluctus ) i would much rather help towards the calming of this boisterous sea ; in order whereunto i shall propound these preliminaries . . that the progress of men's devotion for sundays above other holy-days into superstition , ought by all means to be prevented ; and the jewish yoke of the strict ceremonial rest of their sabbath ( as well as their sabbath-day it self ) ought to be taken off the necks of the disciples ; because that ceremonial rest , being a shadow of good things to come by christ , the retaining of the shadow is a denying that christ ( the body ) is come . and bodily rest , as well as bodily exercise , is now under the gospel unprofitable , except it be ordinated to spiritual . . that yet a due respect to the lord's-day ought by all means to be incouraged . . because this seems to be the common notion of serious christians , and that argues it to be an infusion from that one spirit , into which we are all baptized , and by which , as their intellectus agens , or common soul , all christ's living members are animated . . because this is one of the surest nails , fastened by the masters of assemblies , for the support of religion ; especially in this age : for this principle is that , that not only brings men to church to worship god and to be instructed by him in the ministry of the gospel ; but also obligeth them in conscience to do something extraordinary in their families on the lord's-day , towards the educating them in the nurture and fear of the lord , beyond what they think themselves bound to do on the week-days ; so that if this were an errour , it would be an happy errour , as being an occasion of bringing men to the worship of god and knowledg of the truth . and truly , if i were perswaded , that the other opinion ( that the sanctification of the lord's-day hath no other ground than ecclesiastical constitution ) were a truth ; i should think it a truth not necessary to be published . for if men did not apply themselves to the service of god , and promoting the interest of their souls , with more seriousness of devotion on the lord's-day , than it is possible to perswade them to , in keeping other holidays ( the common practice of most , and the principles of the more religious considered ) ceres and bacchus would have more service from christians , than the only true god. for how , i pray , are our very chief holy-days celebrated ( such as christmas , easter , pentecost ) sunday excepted , but by carding , dancing , revelling , whitsun-ales , & c ? if god therefore had not better sacrifices offered to him , and men's souls better sustenance administred to them on the lord's-day , men would rob god of his honour , and starve their own souls . . the first errour in the digestion of men's thoughts touching this controversy , is the common hypothesis of all modern litigants , to wit , that the lord's-day comes in as a successour in the room of saturday : upon which sandy ground it is not so easy to lay any solid foundation for sanctifying the lord's-day . for if that day which god , by his example and precept , first sanctified for the weekly sabbath be saturday ; that day cannot be unsanctified , and another adopted in its room , but by an equal if not a superiour authority to that which consecrated saturday . now a superiour authority to the example and precept of god cannot be imagined : and that which is alledged by either party , for the unsanctifying saturday , falls far short of equality to it . for what argumentative force can there be in christ's rising ; his appearing to his apostles ; the apostles assembling on sundays for the sanctifying that day ; comparable to the express command of god for sanctifying saturday ; much less can the constitution of the church counter-ballance it . briefly , they proclaim sunday , an usurping intruder into the priviledges of saturday , rather than its legal successour , who advance it into the possession of saturday's crown ( to be the weekly holy-day ) upon no better claim than can possibly be deduc'd for it , while they make it a younger brother . . this errour in the first digestion being incurable , must either be removed out of the way of men's thoughts , when they are pitching them upon this argument , or they will be ever learning , and yet never come to the knowledg of the true ground , for the sanctifying of the lord's-day ; but will endlesly draw the saw of contention both ways . that the abovesaid errour therefore may be obviated , i have laid down this contrary hypothesis , viz. that sunday-sabbath is elder brother to saturday-sabbath : that being assigned for the weekly sabbath at the beginning by god's precept to adam , and in him to his whole posterity to the end of the world ; and therefore extending to all ages , and all mankind : and this being assigned to the jews only for that short time , wherein the law-giver was pleased to dispense with that nation , as to this law given to all nations , and that for reasons sufficiently palpable . . this hypothesis enervates the arguments brought against the divine institution of the lord's-day , and furnisheth conscience with a solid ground , of bearing a due religious respect to it , without danger of judaizing in the manner of the celebration thereof . . to instance in their herculean argument , drawn from the gloss they put upon that text , gen. . . as being spoke by moses by way of anticipation . if that day that god rested on , was not saturday but sunday , his sanctifying the day he rested on , could not have respect to the after-institution of another day ; for what consequence can be in this , [ because god at first rested on sunday , therefore he appointed moses above two thousand years after the creation , to command saturday to be sanctified ] comparable to what is in this [ because god rested on sunday ( the seventh day in the order of the creation ) he therefore blessed it and sanctified it ; that is , separated it by his precept to adam , to be the weekly sabbath . ] indeed the dream of a prolepsis in this text , chargeth moses with most gross equivocation in the use of these words , [ and god blessed ; ] except we fancy an anticipation in those other places of his text , where these words occur , as gen. . . where , speaking of fish and fowl , he saith , [ and god blessed them , saying , be fruitful and multiply : ] and vers . . speaking of adam and eve , he saith , [ and god blessed them , saying , be fruitful and multiply . ] . that this hypothesis yields a solid ground , for the consciencious observing the lord's-day ( so as there needs not any new constitution be made by christ or his apostles for the observing of it ) is manifest of it self . for if sunday be the day that god separated at first , to be the weekly sabbath to the patriarchs , and was accordingly celebrated by them , before the giving of the law by moses ; the standing part of the fourth command , obliging all mankind , must necessarily refer to that ; ( and that there is a standing part of that precept , for the breach whereof we are taught to say , [ lord have mercy upon us ; ] and for the better observing whereof we are taught to pray [ incline our hearts to keep this law ] is the declared judgment of our church ) . and then the temporary and ceremonial part ( both as to the day and mode of keeping it ) peculiar to the jews , being part of those carnal ordinances , that were imposed upon them , until the time of reformation , ( heb. . . ) vanish of themselves ; as being antiquated by christ's cross , and give way to the antient patriarchal sabbath . and here now our saviour's rising from the dead , his frequent appearing to his disciples on sunday , the practice of the apostles and primitive church , come in seasonably with their auxiliary force , to strengthen my hypothesis , and to support the divine institution of the lord's-day . for though , as to the first consecration therof , these examples signify nothing , nor are able to stand upon that old ground , against the joynt assaults of god's express precept and example for sanctifying saturday : yet upon the ground that i have laid , they are substantial and strenuous seconds , to prove the restauration of the antient patriarchal sunday-sabbath , by the antiquation of the jewish ceremonial saturday-sabbath ; though they are not of authority , to appoint a new lord's-day , yet they are safe guides , to point us to that old patriarchal lord's-day , whereon the lord rested , and therefore commanded the patriarchal church-catholick to sanctify it , as their weekly sabbath ; in conformity to , and in communion with which church , extending to all places and ages ; our saviour , after the rending of the vail , rose upon that day , and upon that day celebrated religious weekly assemblies with his apostles , and taught them to do the like , during those forty days wherein he convers'd with them , betwixt his resurrection and ascension , speaking to them of the things appertaining to the kingdom of god. . lastly , this secures us from falling into jewish superstition , in the manner of celebrating our christian sabbath ; for with the jewish day , the jewish manner of keeping that day vanisheth : so that the christian church is not obliged to sanctify the lord's-day , in those strict formalities of bodily rest , and other carnal observances imposed upon the jews ; but in the more generous and man-becoming exercises , of contemplating the glory of god in the creation , compleated by the new creation of believing , acquiescing and triumphing in god through christ ; of attending on gospel-ordinances publick , private and secret ; of visiting the sick ; relieving the indigent ; and eating our bread with gladness of heart , on that day above others ; that being the christian weekly festival , and the day which god hath made for us , to be glad and rejoyce in ; neither need we macerate our selves with studying when to begin , when to end the christian sabbath , at even , midnight , or morning : for he who ( having set his secular affairs in such order , as they give no interruption to his sunday-devotion ) goes to bed with god on saturday-night , and riseth with god on sunday-morning , and spends the day in such like exercises as have been mentioned ; may , after he has commended himself ( and his family if he have one ) to god , go to his rest on sunday night ( without danger of prophaning the sabbath ) at his usual time . briefly , the usefulness of this hypothesis is so great and apparent , both as to putting an end to all strife , even amongst the most litigious , and setling inward peace in the truly consciencious ; as i was something jealous , lest the prospect thereof might make the arguments i bring for proof of the hypothesis , seem to have more weight , than indeed they have ; till i had communicated my papers to several persons of more quick understanding in the fear of the lord , with this humble request , that they would weigh their contents in the ballance of their impartial judgments , which , i heartily thank them , they did , and thereby gave me occasion to rectify some passages , and encouragement to commit this tract , as it now stands corrected , to publick view . if it shall please the divine goodness , to make use of so mean a person as my self , towards the setling the consciences of christians upon a safe ground , and the binding up of those wounds , which the church hath received , in the house of her friends , ( as the poor tattard captive democedes cured darius , after that the egyptian physicians had , for seven days and nights , by violent handling of his dis-joynted foot , kept him without sleep ) let god have the praise , who chooseth the weak and foolish things of this world , to confound the mighty and wise . and let him have your prayers ( christian reader ) whose utmost design and ambition is to be serviceable in promoting the eternal interest of souls , and the peace of the church . your servant in our common lord. j. s. the contents . chap. i. the patriarchs had stated assemblies for publick worship , pag. . sect. . they had stated places for divine worship , p. . sect. . stated ministers with maintenance . jacob's vow . the egyptian priests-lands . cain's offering , p. . chap. ii. the patriarchs had stated times , proved from gen. . . and gen. . . p. . chap. iii. these stated times were weekly , p. . sect. . the computation of times by septimanes , common to all ages : weeks of years , gen. . . affronts sacred chronology , p. , &c. sect. . and to all nations . computation by months and years , of human invention : by weeks of divine institution , p. . sect. . at the end of days , gen. . . is the end of a week , p. . sect. . sons of god , job . . not angels , but church-members , p. . sect. . sons of god different from morning-stars . what is the corner-stone , job . p. . sect. . the sons of god joh. . . proved to be the same with the sons of god , gen. . . from the proximity of the times . job contemporarian with phaleg , proved from length of his age. job was jobab the son of joctan daughter of edom in the land of us , lam. . explained by jer. . job's country , arabia petraea , p. . sect. . elihu wrote the history of job . p. . sect. . sons of god presenting themselves before the lord , was their church-convention on stated days weekly , p. . sect. . the chimaera of a prolepsis , gen. . proved , p. . chap. iv. the weekly patriarchal-sabbath was sunday , p. . sect. . the patriarchal sabbath was not saturday , proved from testimony of heathens , fathers , scripture : which makes a vast difference betwixt the sabbath of the fourth precept , and that injoyned the jews by moses , p. . sect. . the sabbath of the fourth precept and mosaick , grounded upon different reasons , p. . sect. . the patriarchal sabbath was sunday , proved by two arguments . saturday-sabbaterians silenc'd , p. . sect. . the first instance of celebrating sunday before the institution of saturday-sabbath , exod. . the pointing of the septuagint , refers the th day to their morning . why that preferrable before the hebrew , p. . sect. . the assembly ex. . . a church-assembly celebrated on course , instructed by an ecclesiastical minister , p. . sect. . this th day was sunday , p. . sect. . the saturday following was the first saturday-sabbath that ever was kept , p. . sect. . the other instance of a sunday-sabbath kept before the giving of the law by moses , gen. . the tenth day there mentioned was sunday . it was on that day , not the th , that moses and aaron spake to the whole church of the israelites , assembled , not by an extraordinary call , but on course , for religious worship , p. . chap. v. god rested on the seventh day in his new creation . man restored by faith , p. . sect. . proved in gross from the analasis of gen. chap. , , , . p. ibid. sect. . adam fell on the day of his creation , p. . sect. . he was restored the same day he fell . the lamb slain from the foundation of the world. the covenant betwixt god the father and the son , betwixt god and adam confirmed by oath , how . sect. . from thence god smelt a savour of rest , and not before . chap. vi. saturday-sabbath being the sixth day in order of the creation , was instituted upon other grounds than that of the fourth precept . where it has not footing , but only in the ceremonial law , was to expire at christ's death , and give place to the patriarchal , p. . sect. . the jewish sabbath a discriminating badg , an antidote against idolatry , by worshipping the sun. the day of rest from egypt , &c. p. . sect. . plain intimations of its being local and temporary , p. . the patriarchal sabbath . chap. i. sect. i. the patriarchal sabbath , instituted gen. . . celebrated by the patriarchs before the mosaick-law , and reinforc'd by the fourth precept of the decalogue , was the same day of the week ( viz. sunday ) that the christian church celebrates in memory of the creation of the world , and redemption of mankind . for the illustration and proof of this assertion it will be requisite that proof be made of these particulars . . the patriarchs had solemn stated assemblies for publick worship . . they had solemn set times for the administration of religious worship in those assemblies . . these set and appointed times were weekly sabbaths . . these weekly sabbaths were sundays . . the new-creature , man , restored by faith in the promised seed , was that perfect finishing of the creation , that made all very good , and that from which god smelt so sweet a savour of rest on the seventh day , as therefore to bless it . . the mosaical saturday sabbath being the sixth day in order of the creation , was instituted upon other grounds than that mentioned in the decalogue , and having no footing in the fourth precept , but in the ceremonial law , was to expire at christs death , and give place to the patriarchal . chap. i. that the patriarchal church had solemn stated assemblies for publick worship , is manifest from their having stated places , seperate persons , and maintenance , in order to the administration of such worship . sect . i. that they had sacred places known by the name of the houses of god , the presence of god , &c. is plain from gen. . , . this is none other but the house of god : meaning the place of the altar which his grandfather abraham had erected at his first arrival in canaan , where his and lot's families used to call upon the name of the lord , gen. . . and he removed thence unto a mountain on the east of bethel , and pitched his tents , having bethel on the west , and hai on the east : and there he builded an altar unto the lord , and called upon the name of the lord. and chap. . . and he went on his journey from the south , even to bethel , unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning , between bethel and hai , unto the place of the altar which he had made there at the firct : and there abraham called upon the name of the lord. in both these texts the place appears to be the very same where jacob had the visions of god , to wit , bethel , betwixt ai and bethel , ( that is ) the house of god betwixt the city ai and the city luz : for so was that city called at the first ( gen. . . ) and afterwards , bethel , from the house of god adjacent : as the towns kirby kendal , kirby lunsdal , kirby steven , have their names from the churches there built . now that abraham solemnized publick divine worship here , ut familiam suam in pietate instrueret , that he might edifie his family in piety ( to use the words of batablus ) may be rationally concluded from hence , that he did not only pray there ( as our english translation seems to limit it ) but also preach , or call to the audience in the name of the lord ; for both the heb. and septuag . lead to that sense , vocavit in nomine domini , he called or preach't in the name of the lord : that is , he profest the true worship of god. ( so maluenda ) predicavit de nomine jehovae ; he preach't of the name of god. ( so piscator and ainsworth ( charah clamare , to call to god , is to pray : to call to men , is to preach , saith ainsworth : and from charah seems to be derived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to preach or proclaim . hence jacob promised , that at his return , that should be to him the house of god ; that is , there he would worship god , as the cald. paraphrase , and ainsworth explain that text. briefly , how could jacob so readily have hit upon this name [ house of god ] if there had not been such things in being , as houses of god. it is further observable here , as ainsworth notes , that such separate places were stiled [ the presence of god ] and that it was from the presence of god in this sense , that cain was thrust : and satan went out , job . . sect . ii. that the patriarchal church had publick ministers separated by calling to officiate in these publick places dedicated to divine worship , with publick allowance of tithes for their maintenance , is manifest ; . from abraham's paying tithes to melchisedeck the priest of the high god , who blessed him , gen. . . . from jacob's vow to give god , at his return , the tenth of all that god should give him ( gen. . . ) for he was priest himself to his own family , and therefore must have been both the paymaster and receiver of the vowed tithes ( and what would this have been but a plain mocking of god under a splendid shew of devotion ) except he had in his eye an order of priests of the high god to pay them unto , whose office it was to serve at the altar , and whose priviledge it was to live of the altar . that is a wild conceit of oleaster , that he either meant to consume the tithes in sacrifice , or that his posterity should pay them to the priests in the time of the law. this last is ridiculous , for how could jacob's posterity ( so many generations after ) pay the tithe of what god had blest jacob with : and the first is not much better ; for the distinction of beast and fowl into clean and vnclean , could have no other ground before the flood ( seeing all were prohibited as to man's eating , till after the flood ) but god's commanding some kinds of them to be offered in sacrifice , and prohibiting other kinds : which declaration of god's will was so manifest to the patriarchs before the flood , as noah knew every particular kind , both of clean and vnclean , and therefore took to him into the ark , of the clean by sevens , of the unclean by pairs ( gen. . . ) and sacrificed of every clean beast and clean fowl at his coming out of the ark ( chap. . . ) it had been therefore an abomination to god for jacob to have offered the vnclean in sacrifice . now it is apparent that god gave him unclean as well as clean : if he himself hath given a true inventory of his goods : for he not only sends his brother esau word , that he had asses , but sends him a present of twenty she-asses ( gen. . , . ) and chap. . . we find camels and asses that god had blessed him with : yea , that in his whole flock he had not one that he would own for his , but confest it stollen from laban , that was not spotted and speckled , &c. gen. . . [ every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats , and brown among the sheep , shall be accounted stollen with me . ] the tithe of these being all vnclean , jacob could not offer in sacrifice : it remains therefore that he paid them to the priests of the high god. and such priests could not be wanting in the time of jacob ; for we find them in being many hundreds of years after , and yet before the giving of the law ; witness jethro , moses's father in law , who was priest of midian ( exod. . . ) and a priest of the high god , to whom he offered a burnt-offering and sacrifices , inviting aaron and the elders to eat bread with him before the lord , exod. . . where , before the lord , can signifie nothing else , but in the place appointed for divine worship : moses being now incamp't at the mount of god , so called from the house of god , there erected for the worship of god , the tabernacle not being yet built . . that the patriarchal church had such priests who had publick maintenance , may be also proved from gen. . . the priests lands were not sold in the famine ; but they had portions allowed them out of the kings store-houses . potiphara , joseph's father in law , was one of those priests , and had for his province , on , that is , heliopolis ( gen. . . and was probably a worshipper of the true god , seeing it is hard to conceive that so religious a man as joseph would have married his daughter if he had been an idolater ; considering how dear such unequal matches of the sons of god to the daughters of men had cost the old world : ( which joseph could not be ignorant of ) and how careful his great grandfather abraham , and grandfather isaac were to provide wives for their sons out of religious families . yea , if joseph was the egyptian ox , their most antient and chief deity , as the most learned conceive : egypt was not so overwhelmed with idolatry at this time , but that there might be many priests and servants of the true god therein . for that pharaoh who took sarah into his house , seems to have had a religions sense of the true god , by his expostulating with abraham ( gen. . . ) and which is most strange , abimelech king of gerar , the metropolis of palestine , in the tribe of simeon , in the very heart of those seven nations whose sins were ripe so long before others , seems in his discourse with abraham touching sarah , to give great proof of the uprightness of his heart towards god , and did understand the benefit of intercession made for him by the prayer of a prophet , for otherwise god would not have urged him by that argument to restore sarah to abraham . now how could he have understood that , if the distinction of prophets by calling , and the custome of persons separate by calling , to put up prayers for the people , had not been in use in his kingdom , which he therefore stiles a righteous nation , because the fear of god ( that is , the true worship of god , saith grotius ) was there , contrary to abraham's uncharitable and rash censure ( gen. . , . ) nay from this instance of the king of gerar and his people , it is more than probable , that the king of egypt forementioned , and his people were at that time the worshippers of the true god. and though perhaps part of the aegyptian priests were in that degenerate age imployed in the service of idols , yet the institution of the calling it self , and the publick maintenance annex'd thereto , was truly patriarchal , as appears , thly . from cain and abel bringing their oblations ( gen. . . ) and it came to pass , that in process of time cain brought of the fruit of the ground , an offering unto the lord , &c. where i note , . that they brought their oblations to adam , who was priest , that he might offer them to god , as the hebrew doctors teach , ( saith p. fagius . ) and the text makes for this : for it is not said that they themselves offered them , but that they brought them to be offered to the lord ; that is , by the hands of adam , the priest of the lord. . that they brought them to the place appointed for prayer , as aben ezra observes , from whence it may be infer'd , that they met together to worship god in a place destined thereunto , and that there were always solemn meetings of pious men for the worship of god ; and from cain's not having that due reverence to this sacred assembly which he ought to have had , the hebrew doctors conclude , that he who has not a due regard to church-assemblies , shall have no part in the age to come , ( p. fagius . ) and that those oblations of cain and abel were offer'd in a publick assembly , is apparent from the dejection of cain's countenance upon gods rejecting his offering : for if god had declared his acceptance of abel's offering before cain's , only in private to his own conscience , what offence could cain have taken thereat ? nay , if god by some visible token of his displeasure , had not shamed him before the assembly , he would have been no more affected with a private check , then he was with that which god gave him afterwards , notwithstanding which he slew his brother : besides , the apostle's expression is a confirmation of this , heb. . . [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] god testifying of his gift ; for to what purpose is giving his testimony , if it be not in publick . hereunto assent the most judicious divines , who conceive that god gave open testimony of his acceptance of abel's offering , by consuming it with fire sent down from heaven ; so fagius , lyra , &c. so almost all the fathers , says mede , turinus , &c. and ainsworth observes , that it was usual for god to declare his acceptance of mens offerings , or rejecting of them ; the first , by sending fire from heaven to consume them to ashes ; the other by leaving the sacrifice untouch't . we have instances of the first , levit. . . when aaron made the first oblation . . chron. . . when david sacrificed on the threshing-floor of ornon . chron. . . when solomon dedicated the temple . and of both , kings . in the contest betwixt gods prophets and baals . and in this case of cain and abel ▪ where cain's sacrifice was not toucht by that fire that consumed abel's : see mede , turinus , &c. see viccars his decupla , psal . . . nay , some hebrew doctors , saith fagius , tells us , that in that fire falling from heaven , and consuming those sacrifices that god accepted , there was the appearance of the face of a lion , god thereby signifying that mens persons and oblations are acceptable to him only through christ , that lion of the tribe of judah . ( see fagius . ) . the third observation i make from this text , is , that cain and abel had families and substance distinct from adam's ; for abel is commended for bringing the firstlings and fat of the flock ; but it would have been no thanks to him to have cut large shives out of his fathers loaf . which is another argument that this was a publick church-assembly , consisting of many families . . the fourth and last note i make upon this text , is this : seeing cain's oblation was not consumed by fire , which way could it be disposed of , but to the use of the priest that officiated . for it having been once dedicated to god , could not be alienated , without sacriledge ; and therefore must fall to the portion of him that served at the altar , that he might live of the altar , having nothing else of the altar to live upon , but the remainder of oblations of the fruit of the ground . seeing all oblations of beasts and fowl were whole burnt-offerings : ( and therefore by the way , it is a vain question to ask , what became of the remainder of such sacrifices ) and seeing also that man was then confin'd to the fruit of the ground for his food . to conclude , we see the patriarchs had stated publick religious assemblies , celebrated in stated places , separate to that use , and guided by persons separate by special calling to that work , and maintained by tithes , oblations , &c. now it is against all reason , to think that the faithful paid tithes to their priests upon any other account than that of their sowing spirituals in the assemblies of the faithful , whose temporals they reaped . chap. ii. the patriarchs had solemn set times for these publick ministers to officiate in those publick assemblies . though this be sufficiently evident from the premises ; for it is not conceivable how such assemblies could meet , if they had not stated times when to meet : yet i shall offer these things for the proof of it . . it is agreed on all hands , that ketz , the word used ( gen. . . ) [ at the end of days ] signifies a precise , fixt , and certain end . whereupon saith paul fagius , i am altogether pleased with this opinion , that this text be understood to speak of a certain and stated time of divine worship . the learned indeed dispute what stated time is here meant , annual , monthly , or weekly ; but that a stated time for religious assemblies is here meant , is , i think , consented to by all , at least , by silence . dly . gen. . . god created the two great luminaries to be [ lemognadim ] for appointed seasons of holy assemblies : ad statas solemnitates : let them be for stated solemnities , that being the proper signification of the hebrew word , in the opinion of some hebrew doctors , who therefore put this sense upon , psal . . . [ he hath appointed the moon for certain seasons ] this is meant of the new-moon and festivals , by some of our doctors , saith aben ezra , in psal . . . and the learned and judicious mede ( reflecting upon this word in both the texts of gen. and psalms ) observeth that festivals are pointed out by course of the moon . certum est pleraque festorum ad lunae motum descripta fuisse . as new-moons , the passover , pentecost , feast of tabernacles . and as the moveable feasts attend the motion of the moon , so the immoveable follow the course of the sun. it will be replyed , perhaps , that moses wrote this by anticipation , and that his meaning is , that after the giving of the law , these great luminaries should be for pointing out solemn seasons . but that in the interval of above two thousand years , they should serve only to direct men to the proper seasons for planting , plowing , sowing , reaping , cutting of timber , &c. as it is absurd of it self , so it will be made appear to be false in our handling the next general head. chap. iii. these set and appointed patriarchal times for publick worship , were weekly . sect . i. for the proof of this , let it be observed , . that the computation of time by weeks , is common to all ages , for it was in use in the patriarchal age , long before moses , as is manifest from that speech of laban to jacob , gen. . . [ fulfil now her week ] some learned men , to evade that mortal stroak which this text giveth the prolepsis , are pleased to say , that by week is here meant seven years , which jacob was to serve after his marriage to leah , before he had rachel given to him for wife : and that the interpretation of a seven days nuptial feast , was invented by later jews , and is a manifest violation of the text , and contradictory in it self . i shall therefore in vindication of that sense of this text that i give ( to wit , that by her week , is meant the seven days of leah's nuptial feast ) offer these things to consideration . . [ fulfil her week , and we will give thee this also ] here her and this are contra-distinguish't . and by this is meant rachel , as is manifest of it self ; and therefore by her , must be meant leah ; and by her week , leah's week . which can be nothing else but her nuptial feast of seven days : for jacob never served seven years for leah . nay , he would not have served seven days for her , if it had not been for the love he bare to rachel . . [ and jacob did so : he fulfilled her week ; and he gave him rachel also to wife ] this answers exactly to laban 's proposal : so that her week , both here and there , is leah 's week : and , the this also , there , is rachel also , here . the meaning therefore of laban 's proposal , can be no other but this , fulfil her week ; that is , the seven days of leah's nuptial feast : do not disturb the marriage feast by renouncing leah , and we will give thee rachel also at the end of the seven nuptial days , upon condition that thou shalt serve me yet other seven years ; for seeing i have cheated thee of thy wages for one seven years , i cannot think thee so great a fool , as to trust me for one seven years more : and therefore consummate thy marriage with leah by a voluntary lying with her the remaining nights of the marriage festival ( for it was against thy will that thou lay with her this night ) and i will cast rachel into thy arms , and thou shalt have thy wages in hand , before thou begin thy service of other seven years . . they that are for this interpretation , are the cream of criticks , who , for illustration , alledge that parallel text , judg. . , , . concerning sampson's nuptial feast of seven days , as the custom of those eastern countries . see munster , vatablus , grotius , lyra , estius , junius and trem. syriach , aben ezra , david kimhi , jerome ainsworth , cornel. a lapide , bonfrerius , malvenda , menochus , and paul fagius in his collation of translations . but the reasons they bring against the other interpretation , sway more with me , than the authority of their great names ; from the rest i shall cull this one of tirinus and ainsworth , viz. that it is utterly inconsistant with scripture chronologie . for jacob lived only twenty years with laban ( gen. . . ) the first seven whereof he served before he married leah , and if he had served other seven before he married rachel , the six remaining years would prove too short a space of time for the conception , birth , and suckling of the children that were born to him after his marriage of rachel . for the evincing of this , note , . that it was the custome of patriarchal matrons to nurse their children . ( gen. . ) . that reuben , leah's first born , was not conceived till some considerable time after the marriage of rachel : for it was in pity of leah that god opened her womb ( gen. . . ) [ and when the lord saw that leah was hated , he opened her womb , but rachel was barren ] a barren virgin sounds harshly in physicks ; and jacob's loving rachel before he was married to her , more than his wife leah , sounds worse in morals . . after reuben , leah bears three sons more , and then ceaseth child-bearing , while bilha , rachel's maid bare jacob two sons , and while zilpa ( after bilha had given over child-bearing ) bare two sons : after all which leah bears two sons and one daughter : and after that rachel bears joseph , gen. . and is so far gone in child with benjamin before she left her father's country , as in her journying thence she was brought to bed , gen. . so that after rachel's marriage , jacob had twelve children born unto him at single births , and in several years ; for the bearing and suckling whereof , thirteen years space is little enough . the week therefore that jacob fulfil'd , before laban gave him rachel to wife , and he went in unto her ( which was the consummation of marriage ) cannot , without manifest contradiction of scripture , be expounded a week of years , but of days ; and that week of days can be no other than the seven days of leah's nuptial feast : and this fulfilling of leah's week , did both sute labans covetous humour , who by this means put off two daughters with the expence of one weeks feasting ; and secure jacob from being defrauded of rachel , after other seven years service , as he had been the first seven years . and lastly , secure leah's marriage , whom jacob might have renounced in the morning , if his lying with her that night in-voluntarily , had not been seconded with his voluntary lying with her the succeeding nights of the feast : no evasion here but the sanctuary of a prolepsis , jacob got children by anticipation . this argument is so cogent , as to make room for these so many births . from the premises it is apparent , that the distinction of time by weeks , was in use in the patriarchal age , long before moses . sect . ii. and as this computation of time by weeks was common to all ages , so also to all nations ; witness the transcendent encomiums given by gentiles to the seventh day . hesiod . stiling it , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sacred day : which title homer also gives to it more than once , and saith , that on that day all things were perfected : with whom concurs linus , affirming that [ on the seventh day all things were brought forth perfect , that it was the world's birth-day , the chief of days , and perfectly good ] as gataker quotes them at large : from whence may be collected , . that it is the only certain computation of time wherein all nations unanimously agree . for though the division of time into months & years , be universally embraced , yet , about the compution of both , there have been as many different practises almost , as nations ; some reckoning to a month more , some fewer days , some reckoning to a year more , some fewer months ; as the romans before julius caesar , had but ten months in their year ; and even his emendation of the kalendar was not exact . but for this , see scaliger , de emendatione temporum . . that which i infer from the premises in the next place , is this , that the calculation of time by months and years was of humane invention , as being perfected by degrees ; and though the patriarchs before the flood , in respect of their longevity , had a very great advantage of observing the course of sun and moon , yet they attained not to so perfect a knowledge thereof , as to settle and fix an astr onomical canon , but left that to the industry of future ages : for otherwise noah would have communicated that canon to his posterity , and some of them would have kept in memory , and have delivered down by uninterruped succession , a tradition so universally advantagious to mankind . . that the computation of time by weeks was of divine institution , as being perfect at first ( as all god's works are , deut. . . ) communicated to , and received of the whole race of mankind without dispute , or least difference in practice : till god was pleased to appoint the jews another beginning of weeks ( as also of years ) than he had instituted at the beginning . now it is not imaginable how the whole world could thus unanimously agree in this division of time by sevens of days , if they had not received it by uninterrupted tradition from the patriarchs ; nor from whence the patriarchs could derive it but from god's resting upon , and sanctifying the seventh day : of the sence of which text , we cannot possibly have a better interpreter than this universal practice of all nations , sect . iii. except what the sacred text giveth , to which i shall now apply my self , and begin with gen. . . [ and in process of time ] or , as the hebrew hath it , milkits jamim , [ at the end of dayes . ] many learned men , following the hebrew doctors , understand by dayes , a year of dayes ; others understand by dayes , years . they that by days understand a year of dayes , conceive these oblations brought by cain and abel , to have been brought at the end of the year , when they had gathered the fruits of the earth ; that being a time when even the gentiles celebrated the divine goodness by sacrifices and praises , as ainsworth observes out of aristotle , homer , pliny , and the twelve tables . but i must crave leave to dissent , not so much upon the account of the authority of judicious mr. gataker , as of the strength of the reason he brings for his opinion . at the end of dayes , ( i. e. ) saith he , that is , on the sabbath day , which concludes the days of the week . for no other distinction of days had hitherto been mentioned by moses , than that which comprehends the septimane , gen. . , . an argument of more weight , if seriously considered , than it seems to have at a transitory glance , for . it is very probable , that adam was so taken up with the contemplation of gods mercy to him , in redeeming him by the blood of the promised seed , that he greatly minded not any other computation of time , but that which god had appointed him , in commemoration of his perfecting the work of creation , by making adam a new creature ; ( of which , more in the sequel of this discourse ) . however , most certain it is , that hitherto no division of time but that , is mentioned ; and if moses had intended here to express another computation ( as suppose , that , by years ) years had as soon been said as days : and afterwards he computes the ages of the patriarchs by years : if such a computation of time had been now in use , as a year , why did not moses mention years here as well as afterwards . sect . iv. the next text i urge for proof of this branch of my discourse , is job . . . and . . there was a day when the sons of god came to present themselves before the lord. and , again there was a day , &c. or , the day came about again , when the sons of god , &c. i wonder to find so many learned men interpreting [ sons of god ] in this text , by [ angels ] herein following the septuagint [ caterva angelorum ] but the best is , it will not go down with the most judicious of them , without the salvo of a prosopopeia ; for when this question is put , how is this place according to this exposition [ the sons of god , that is , the angels ] to be taken ? literally , or figuratively ? tirinus indeed answers , literally : from the authority of athanasius , salvian , and lactantius . for lactantius , i think it not strange that he should interpret [ sons of god ] by [ angels ] in this text of job , seeing i find him expounding that text , gen. . . by good angels , as being of opinion that the good angels , who were set to guard them , sell in love with the daughters of men. the other opinion mentioned by lyra and estius , were more tolerable than this of lactantius , to wit , that the sons of god , that is . daemones incubi , the unclean angels committed with the daughters of men : but that it will be hard to find a text where devils are called the sons of god : and yet i am perswaded , we may as soon find a text where that bad , as where good angels are stiled the sons of god in the patriarchal idiome ; as will be cleared by and by : for though tirinus be for the literal sense of this text , yet the rest who concur with him in their expounding [ the sons of god ] to be [ angels ] will by no means allow that this text be taken literally . others ( saith emm. sa ) accipiunt parabolice , interpret it parabolically . this thing was not done as is here reported , but there is in the words a prosopopeia or hypotyposis , saith mariana , haec non crasse & ad literam gesta . so grotius , per prosopopeian vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indicat haec omnia , &c. so scultatus : the divine providence is here explained under the form of humane judgements , so cocceius . and though pinda and sanctius say , that no inconveniency or absurdity is intail'd upon the literal sense . yet mercer flys to the subterfuge of the figurative sense , from those absurdities that follow from the literal : satan ( saith he ) cannot properly be said to come into the presence of god ( for in god's presence is fulness of joy ) nor can the good angels be said properly to present themselves before the lord , one day rather than another , for they continually are before him , beholding his face . but let them that expound , the sons of god , angels , agree the matter among themselves how they please : i demand in the mean time a solid reason , or but the shadow of one ; why i must be tyed to that exposition of one phrase , that renders the whole context absurd and unintelligible without the help of a figure , when i have an interpretation at hand of that phrase that renders the whole sentence , in every letter of it , every way consonant to right reason , and the analogy of faith , and is not incumbred with any absurd consequence : for satan might come into the presence of god , in this sense , as he entred into judas while he was celebrating the passover with our saviour and the rest of the apostles , john . . and god might discourse with him in this assembly of god's people without disturbing the congregation , as well as he discours'd with moses while he stood before pharaoh . divine revelations may well be communicated to faithful men , even in the presence of bad men ( mede upon exo. . . ) and why may not god as well discourse with satan in the presence of good men ? why therefore should we recede from this literal sence ? especially when we have the onely text besides this appertaining to the patriarchal age , where the same phrase occurs intire , without addition or diminution , to warrant me to make that interpretation , from the plain and indubitable sense of that phrase in that parallel text. to explain my self more particularly ; the only text relating to the patriarchal age , where this phrase , the sons of god , occurs intire , is that , gen. . . the sons of god saw the daughters of men that they were fair , and they took them wives of all that they chose . i know some of ours are so inamour'd of rabbinical whimsies as to follow the hebrew doctors in their interpreting [ sons of god ] here to be as angels . but it 's strange how any man not prejudic'd , and in his right wits , can put that sense upon the text ; seeing the good angels neither marry nor are given in marriage ( mar. . . ) and though we have stories not altogether improbable , of incuby and succuby , yet a man may look his eyes out , before he find a text where evil angels are called , the sons of god. i therefore ▪ expect the assent of all pious and sober-minded men to the common exposition of these words , to wit ; that by the sons of god were meant the posterity of seth , the members of the patriarchal church : and by daughters of men , the female offspring of cain , the members of that synagogue of satan , which he erected after his apostacy and departure from god's presence : why then should not this text in job be so interpreted the sons of god , that is the professors of the true religion , the members of the true church , came to present themselves before the lord , to tender their homage , and bring presents , the presents of themselves , and devout services into the court of the lord , into the lord's house : seeing this is exactly after the patriarchal style , and is not attended with any absurd consequence , as that interpretation ( by angels ) is , why should we not to choose expound one patriarchal text by another , rather then by texts relating to after-times ? the jewish church might , for reasons then emerging , give angels the title of the sons of god. it 's no new thing , for various ages to vary phrases : but what is that to the patriarchal churches style , especially seeing that in the verse immediatly preceding , there is mention made of job's sacrificing for his sons , of his sending for them after their feasting , and sanctifying ; them that is , saith , grotius , celebrating a fast , and praying for them , that the sacrifices of attonement which he offered for them might be accepted of god. so that we have here , the sons of god , that is , . the members of the church conven'd to present themselves before the lord with fasting , prayer and oblation of sacrifices , and all represented as job's contiutal custome . thus was job accustomed to do all those dayes , to wit , after their feastings ; also we find here stated dayes whereon they presented themselves before god , for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , supplies the place of a pronoun demonstrative , saith cocceius . and then immediatly followes [ and there was a day when the sons of god ] : can this day be any other than one of those dayes forementioned , whereon job conven'd his sons by nature ( who were also god's sons by grace ) before the lord : or this convention to any other purpose then that , viz. to worship god ; or they that here came to present themselves before the lord any other then they who presented themselves before the lord on those dayes . he must be obstinate that will not be convinc'd with what has already been offered to consideration . sect . v. there is indeed one text in job , where this phrase occurs , with the addition of one word , where angels seem to be called , the sons of god , chap. . . where god thus challengeth job . where wast thou when i laid the foundations of the earth ? declare if thou hast vnderstanding , who hath laid the measures thereof , if thou knowest ; or , who hath stretched the line upon it ? whereupon are the foundations thereof fastned ? or , who laid the corner-stone thereof ? when the morning-stars sang together , and all the sons of god shouted for joy ? for the removal of this remora , which at first did very much retard my mind in coming to a positive conclusion ; let it be observed , . that a twofold ground of singing and adoring god is here laid down . . his laying the foundations of the earth , his laying the measures thereof , his stretching the line upon it . . his laying the corner-stone thereof , whereupon its foundations are fastned . . that it was at the laying of the foundations of the earth , &c. that the morning-stars sang together ; by which phrase nothing else can be meant , but the angels . for the stars in these visible heavens were not then created : and though those stars of light are said to praise god ; that is meant only of their praysing him objectivè , as occasioning rational and intellectual creatures to praise the maker of such resplendent creatures . but the angels of light , those morning stars , being created with the emperial heaven , though they did not assist god ( as the hebrew doctors fancied ) yet they stood by , and looked on the production of each creature , adoring god's workmanship therein , and sounding out their own joy and his praises at the laying of the foundations of the earth . . but the chief corner-stone upon which the foundations thereof were fastned , was neither its center , nor the waters , nor whatever else hath either been fancied to be its foundation , or comprehended in that notion : but the foundation of its foundations , that stone that bears up all things , which was then laid when christ was tendered to fallen adam , in the promise of the womans seed ; which promise our first parents embracing by faith , were , as living-stones , built upon that sure corner-stone , that tried corner-stone , &c. names appropriated to christ and him only , through the whole volume of gods book , at the laying whereof ( when he was to be exhibited in the flesh ) zech. . . it was prophesied there should be shoutings [ he shall lay the head-stone thereof with shoutings , grace , grace unto it ] it was at the laying of this corner-stone in the promise of the seed of the woman , that the sons of god shouted for joy. ( i. e. ) in the strict literal sence , our first parents , now made the children of god by adoption . if you object , that here was but one son of god. i answer , both our first parents are comprehended in this term , eve being reckoned with adam , who was the more worthy gender . thus lucan , speaking of the entertainment that ptolemy and cleopatra gave caesar , saith , discubuere toris reges at summa potestas caesar : meaning by reges both the king and queen of egypt . this is so pat as there needs no further illustration of this answer . but you will say , this was a poor all to make a chorus . i answer . . however these two persons were all the adopted children that god then had . . if we take the natural son of god into the chorus ( who doubtless rejoyced with our first parents , as well as with jerusalem ) isa . . . how many may we reckon him for ? . we may take angels into the chorus without prejudice to our cause , and include them within the denomination of the sons of god , considered as imbodied in the chorus , with the adopted sons of god in propriety of speech . as the whole church of corinth is denominated saints , from the better part , though that probably was the far less part . or as we call a bay of wheat unthrashed , or an heap of wheat unwinnowed , a bay or an heap of wheat : though there be in the one incomparably more straw , in the other more chaff , than wheat . even so men and angels making up one quire , to sing the praises of god , redeemer , at his first appearance in the promise , the whole quire is denominated , from the most chief and nobler part , the sons of god. yet i would not hear be misunderstood as if in respect of their natures i prefer'd men before angels ( no such arrogance ever entred into my soul ) but only in regard of the office and part they bare in this doxologie . men ( for whose salvation christ was manifested in the promise ) leading the chorus , and angles condescending to follow them as ministring-spirits . briefly we have here the general assembly of the first-born ( though but two ) attended with an innumerable company of angels , shouting to see the cornor-stone laid . and because the first-born are in the propriety of the patriarchal language , styled , the sons of god : therefore the whole quire is denominated from them , the sons of god. so that we are to seek for a patriarchal text , where angels , when they are distinctly spoken of , are stiled , the sons of god. sect . iv. for the more manifest proof of this , that the text , gen. . . [ the sons of god saw the daughters of men , &c. ] is the only text in the whole bible whereby this text in job ought to be interpreted . let us consider the proximity of the stories . the first beginning . years before the flood . ( gen. . . ) and the latter not much above . years after the flood , the flood happening anno mundi , . and phaleg , in whose days the earth was divided , being born , anno mundi , , as the learned usher computes . now i humbly conceive job was contemporary with phaleg , or not long after him , which i gather , first from the length of jobs age , compared with phalegs , and ground that collection upon that common observation , that the age of arphaxad , and those after him till phaleg , reached but to the half of the age of the fathers before the flood , and the age of phaleg scarce to the half of the years of the patriarchs after the flood , that lived before him : which was the common standard of the age of plalegs posterity , unto nahor , who attained to little more then half of the years of his fore-fathers . now we may calculate job's longavity to have exceeded phalegs : if we consider , . that all his sons were married , and had familes of their own , before his trial ; say then he was thirty at birth of his first child , he could not in reason but be well towards fifty at birth of his last : considering he had them all by one wife ( job . . . ) [ intreated my wife for the childrens sake of mine own bodie ] this had been a weak argument if the children of his loins had not been the children of her womb : and that she gave them suck her selfe ; and before the last of ten could reach to that maturitie as to have a familie of his own , job must be towards fourty more ; so that job could be no less then ninety at his trial . . after his trial the time wherein his children were born to him , and disposed of to inheritances , could not be so few as fourty . . and after this disposal of his children , at what time he was an hundred and thirty years old , he lived an hundred and fourty years , and saw his sons , and sons sons , even four generations . ( job . . , . ) so that job lived , years ; whereas phaleg lived but , . the jewes say god doubled job's age beyond the time that men then lived . but mercer hath sufficiently confuted that conceit , and proved that god's giving job twice as much as he had before , hath not respect either to his own life , or the number of his children , but onely to his possessions . . the antiquity of job may be inferred from hence , that the sons of joctan were the conducters of several colonies at what time the earth was divided . now joctan was phaleg's brother , and which of them was the eldest is disputed , but it is most probable to be joctan , because it is said , the earth was divided , in the dayes of phaleg : so that it seems joctan's thirteen sons were grown to mans estate , and fit to be captain's of colonies in the time of phaleg : the youngest whereof , jobab , i take to be job . scultetus indeed fancies that jobab ( one of esau's posteritie ) mentioned , gen. . . to be job : i am glad i have the suffrage of so learned a man in this particular , that jobab is job . but scultetus was led to this opinion of the later jobab as himself confesseth , by the authority of those learned men , who think job to have been an idumean , because his country vz , or vts , is said to be the land of the daughter of edom ( lament . . . ) rejoice , o daughter of edom , that dwellest in the land of vz , the cup also shall pass to thee . i answer in this last clause , there is a manifest allusion to jer. . . then took i the cup at the lord's hand , and made all the nations drink it , &c. but in that context , vz is clearly distinguish'd from idumaea . vers . . all the kings of the land of vz , and all the kings of the philistines , &c. edom , moab , and ammon . who sees not that the land of vz and of edom are different ? the meaning therefore of ( daughter of edom that dwellest in the land of vz ) is this , that a colony of edom , expelling the old inhabitants thence , f●xt their habitation in the land of vz. now the arguments whereby i am induced to believe that jobab the youngest son of joctan , is job , are these ; . the main current of the most judicious expositers are of opinion that vz , job's countrie , was arabia petraea . now arabia , saith bochartus , is the countrie where the sons of joctan at the division of the earth , planted themselves . mihi certum est hos arabie faelicis , intima insedisse : i am sure , saith he ( in his phaleg ) that these colonies sate down in the very heart of arabia felix , for proof hereof he shew's that the arabians say their first founder was joctan ; and produceth memorials of the names of all his sons retained in the names of arabian cities , rivers , hills or inhabitants . that of jobab for instance , in ptolomies , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or as scultetus corrects it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . but perhaps ptolomi's text needs no correction , seeing that people of arabia might be so called from job , the abbreviation of jobab , and he being the youngest , his brethren might abbreviate his name . . he is said to dwell in the east , which if it be meant east from judea it can be no other then arabia petrea , which standeth east-ward of judaea ; whereas arabia felix standeth full south . but seeing the jewes did not inhabit palestine till above years after job , his countrie is here styled the east , in respect of arabia felix , which lies west of arabia petrea . . according to this situation of vz , it hath the sabeans , a people of arabia felix , on one hand , and the chaldeans on the other hand : the one whereof drove away jobs oxen and asses , the other his camels . . job was the greatest of all the men of the east ( that is the most eastern part of arabia , which denotes arabia petrea ) and he being the greatest there , must in reason be judged to have been the captain of the colonie there seated . . job or jobab being the youngest brother , his elder brethren might more then probablie seat themselves in the richest part of arabia , famous for the plenty of gold , frankincense , &c. and he be forc't to sit down in arabia the stony , or perhaps chose that for his seat , as fittest for the breed of cattel , wherein lay his wealth . the arabians , saith aristotle — ( hist . . . ) have some of them camels apiece ; and from them they compute their wealth ( saith leo affrican lib. . ) for when they would express their riches , they use to say , he possesseth so many thousand camels . and this is another argument that job's country vz , is arabia , where the thirteen sons of joctan seated their families . . that job lived very early after the flood , is , i think , demonstrable from that text , job . . if i beheld the sun when it shined , &c. and my heart hath been secretly enticed , or my mouth hath kissed my hand , this were an iniquity to be punished by the judge . whence it appears that idolatry was in job's time , accounted by the law of man , criminal and punishable in the humane court , which in the days of terah was set up by a law , from the effect whereof terah fled ( saith josephus ) from his native country , vz , of the caldees , being condemned to be burnt for refusing to worship the sun. from the premises we collect , that job was the most antient practitioner of the patriarchal religion after the flood , that we read of ( except noah ) and lived two hundred years before the death of noah ; what then can be more incredible , than that so pious a person could so soon forget what the patriarchal church before the flood meant by this phrase , [ the sons of god. ] sect . vii . i have weighted all the arguments produced for the proof of the contrary opinion , viz. that job lived not thus early in the new world as i affirm him to have done . but there is not one of them worth answering , but that drawn from job . . they dye in youth , and their life is amongst the unclean ( the sodomites ) according to the marginal reading , innuit his sodomites , saith grotius ; he means here the sodomites and their destruction : intimating that job's friends had heard of sodoms destruction . , and therefore were younger than abraham . but if it had been sodomites in the text ( as it is not ) that would have been no argument that job had heard of sodoms destruction . for sodom migh the infamous for its uncleanness many ages before its destruction : seeing men do not arrive at such an height of impudent sinning , but by degrees : neither doth god inflict such strange and exemplary judgments , till his long suffering be tired out . besides that , their luxury and beastly lusts might bring the sodomites one by one to an untimely death , might fall under the observation of their neighbours , long before fire and brimstone from heaven sell upon them all together . i have but one note more to evince that the text , gen. . . is the most proper text to expound this of job by , viz. that the best account i find given of the penman of this book of job , is that which is grounded upon job . . they were amazed , they left of speaking they answered no more . when i had waited ( for they speak not , but stood still , and answered no more ) i said , i will answer also my part , i will shew mine opinion . can any thing be more apparent than that elihu doth not speak here to job and his three friends , but of them ; who then can he speak to , but the readers of this book of job ? it is certain , the dialogue is here interrupted , for jobs words were ended ( chap. . ult . ) causa perorata tacet ; he having said what he could in his own defence , held his peace . and elihu here declares the issue of his reproof of jobs three friends , to wit , their being silent as well as job , to whom then doth he make this declaration ? not to job , that had been superfluous , for he himself was both an ear and eye witness of their being silent by elihu's precedent speech to them : and besides he does not apply his speech to job till ( c. . . ) [ wherefore job i pray thee hear my speeches , &c. ] not to job's friends , for he saith , they were amazed ; which is not the form of speech wherein we speak to men that are present ; it must be therefore to them that should read this book that he here speaks . again it is in answer to job's wish , that he offers himself to him in god's stead ( ch. . . ) it is probable therefore that in order to the gratifying of another , as an earnest wish of jobs , he might write job's words , and by consequence this whole historie of his trial in a book : ( job . . . ) o that my words were written , that they were printed in a book ; that they might remain for ever . and such a wish as he had renewed with very passionate expostulations , immediatly before elihu began his speech to job's friends , and job himself , chap. . , . . that one would hear me , behold my desire is that the almighty would answer me , and that mine adversary had written ( or as it is in most translations ) would write a book surely i would take it upon my shoulders , and bind it as a crown to me , as a prince would i go near unto him . well , saith elihu i am here in gods stead according to thy wish . now if elihu had onely discours'd with job in god's stead as his adversary , and not written that discourse in a book , this had not been according to job's wish , who with the same breath requests that god would answer him , and record that answer in a book . briefly , i cannot imagine how elihu could more plainly have intimated himself to have been the penman than he doth here . and indeed , who more fit to write this book then elihu , who was present at the whole discourse , an interlocutor therein ; an unbiast person , whose discourse god was so far from blaming as he pursues elihu's last argument to convince job . and besides all this , a person divinely inspiried . it was god's spirit , the inspiration of the almighty that gave him understanding , chap. . . and , vers . . i will answer also my part : i also will shew my opinion ( or , rather my wisdom , or my science as pagnine renders it ; and the following words enforce , for i am full of matter , the spirit within me constraineth me , &c. jeremie expresseth the prophetick spirit in like terms , chap. . . i said i would not speak any more in his name : but his word was in my heart as a burning fire , shut up in my bones . and i was weary with forbearing ; i could not stay . now if elihu was the penman of this book . it cannot be imagined but that he would keep exactly to the propriety of the patriarchal idiome ; and therefore cannot mean any other by [ the sons of god ] then are meant , gen. . . sect . viii . the reverence i bear to the memorie of those worthy persons who ininterpret hat convention in job a contention of angels , hath forc't me to this expence of time and pains , for the vindication of my leaving such good companie . for i thought it not good manners to answer so many men of so great and deserved a name as that scolist did bellarmine with a bare [ bellarmin thou lyest ] but that i was bound to give reasons of my departure from them , and such reasons as i hope will , upon second thoughts , satisfie sober and serious thinking persons . but the richness of the mine will , i doubt not , counterballance the labour i have bestowed in baring the ground to it , by removing the rubbish that lay upon it . i will therefore now proceed to shew what this text in job contributes towards the proof of the point in hand . in order to which , . i observe , that here is mention of a publick church-assembly , a convention of the sons of god before the lord. that being the patriarchal phrase whereby they exprest the professors of the true religion : gen. . . as all christians confess , except such as are led by the nose to follow the jewish rabbies : whom god hath so infatuated since their shutting out the true light , as of all men living , they are most ignorant of their own law. . that this convention before the lord consisted not of job's family and his sons alone , but of the religious also of neighbouring families ; as liban is said to call the men of the place to celebrate jacob's marriage ( gen. . . . ) for before the second convention job was stript of his sons . . i note that in these publick-assemblies job did not officiate as priest , though he did in his own family : for this second convention before the lord falling out in the days of his mourning , makes it very probable that he did not manage the ministerial work of that day ; yea it seems more then probable , that job was not present at that convention : from chap. . . so went satan forth from the presence of the lord , and smote job , &c. had job been there , he would have smote him there . but more clearly from the verse following ; and he took a potsherd to scrape himself withal , and sat down among the ashes . ] this last clause is better renderd in most other translations , as vatablus , junius and tremol . &c. by sitting among the ashes . and the plain sense of the whole verse , is this ; job sitting among the ashes ( when satan smote him ) took what was next at hand , a potsherd to scrape himself withal . so that satan found job not in the church-assemblie , but on the ashes-heap ( the usual posture of men deeply touched with the sense of affliction . ) and therefore the sacred offices in that , and by consequence in other publick assemblies , were administred by publick persons , assigned to that holy function . . we find here certain stated times for celebrating religious worship , a day when the sons of god presented themselves before the lord , and that day occurring again : and how could several families convene ( as i have proved there did here ) if they had not had set times for those conventions . . as to our third proposition now before us , let it be considered , . that seeing in job's time there was no other stated dayes for divine publick worship save weekly , and those weekly days instituted by god himself . what time for sacred conventions can we imagine the sons of god could pitch upon , but that which their heavenly father had prescribed them by his example and precept ? . had these dayes of the sons of god , their appearance before the lord , not occurred in a less space of time than either a year or a moneth , it is very improbable that satan would have had so much patience at jobs patience as to have deferred his making an address to god for the enlargement of his commission , before this second church-assembly . could that malitious adversary , who had , after the obtaining of his first commission stript job naked in one day ; whose finger did so itch to be scratching jobs body , that as soon as ever the word [ he is in thy hand ] was gone out of god's mouth , immediatly goes out of god's presence , and smites job's bodie ; could he ( i say ) forbear to make suite for that commission beyond the least division of time by days , seeing job's heroical patience could not but make every hour of that forbearance a greater torment to satan than he could inflict upon job . . origen from this very text ( in his homilies upon job . chap. . vers . , . &c. draws the same inference . those things ( saith he ) that were afterwards commanded in the law concerning the sabbath , job before the giveing of the law , did both observe himself , and taught his children to observe . r. abraham also , as he is quoted by genebrard , affirmeth , that job observed the sabbath . and therefore dr. heylin might have spared his exclamations against beza , for saying that job did sanctifie every seventh day at least : as if in so saying he had only vented his own humor , and opposed the antient fathers , from which latter callumny i shall clear beza in the next chapter . sect . . and now having shewed that the patriarchs had stated times for sacred assemblies , and that the church in the time of job , did in all probability celebrate such assemblies weekly . i may venture , with this light in my hand , to proceed without fear of stumbling , or straying , to that famous text , gen. . . and god blessed the seventh day , and sanctified it , because that in it god rested from all his works which he created and made . for the understanding whereof , and applying it for the support of a weekly patriarchal sabbath : let it be observed , . that the conceit of a prolepsis in these words of moses , is clearly overthrown by the premises ; for if the patriarchs had stated dayes of publick worship , so long before moses , that practice of theirs could not possibly be grounded upon any other bottom , but god's resting upon the seventh-day , and therefore sanctifying it to be a day of rest , by his precept to adam . seeing that their appointing stated dayes for such worship on their own heads , would have been no better than will-worship , and such as god might justlie have expostulated with them about , saying , who hath required this at your hands ? and so much a greater affront to the divine majestie , as they were further off from all possibilitie of ignorance of god's resting the seventh day . nay what presumption had it been in the patriarchs to have expected god's blessing upon their celebrating other stated days than god had sancti●●ed ? and sure none can imagine but that they waited upon god for his blessing upon their sacred conventions . thus the practice of the patriarchs is a full comment on this text. . it being granted , that this text is to be understood according to the plain literal sense ; then it will cast light upon those patriarchal texts , that have been alledged , concerning their stated times for sacred assemblies , and clearly discover those sons of god in job , to have presented themselves before the lord on that day which god had sanctified at first to that end . let this at present suffice for the proof of this third proposition , which will be further cleared in the handling the fourth , viz. chap. iv. these weekly sabbaths observed before the mosaical law , were sundays , not satterdayes . sect . i. in order to the vindication of this point from the charge of novelty and singularity ; i shall first shew from the testimonies of heathens and fathers , as well as from reasons deduced from sacred writ ; that the jewish saturday-sabbath was not the seventh-day sabbath of the patriarchs . argument i. those encomiums above quoted which heathen poets ( who were antiently divines and philosophers ) bestow upon the seventh-day , cannot be meant of the jewish sabbath ; partly because those ancient poets , hesiod , homer , linus , had not any acquaintance with the jewish affairs ( as josephus contra app. lib. . observes . ) and therefore those praises appertain to that weekly day which that part of the gentile world that retained the old tradition , observed . but especially , because when the jewish sabbath came under the observation of the heathens , they made a mock thereat , [ they mocked at their sabbaths ] lam. . . and they who derided them were not the scum , but the most intelligent moralists such as seneca ( quoted by st. aug. de civ . dei , . . ) septimam vitae partem sic perdunt vacando , the jews , saith he , spend the seventh part of their life in doing nothing . with him concur plutarch ( de superst . ) rutilin ( in itinerario ) in diriding the jewish sabbath : as also juvenal ( sat. . ) cui septima quaeque fuit lux — ignava , et partem vitae non attigit ullam . the jewish seventh day is a day of idleness , and contributes nothing to any part of life . and persius ( sat. . ) at cum — herodis venere dies , &c. labra movis tacitus recutitque sabbata palpes . even whilst thou art celebrating ( speaking to a jew ) festivals , the forethought of the jewish sabbath makes thee look pale . these seem to deride the jews for the manner of keeping their sabbaths , for leading thereon a dog's life of hunger and ease : but agatharcides , as josephus reports , cont . app. l. . styled the jewish sabbath it self , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a corrupt or depraved custom , as degenerate from that weekly holy-day which was anciently and universally observed . arg. . this may also be evinc'd by the testimonies of those fathers of the primitive church , who were nearest to the apostles : justine martyr , ( dial. cum triphone ) [ before moses none of the righteous observed the sabbath ] that is , the jewish saturday-sabbath : for the question here discust betwixt him and triphon the jew , was , whether the fathers before the law celebrated the jewish sabbath ? of which question the jew held the affirmative , and justine the negative . tertullian ( contra judaeos ) makes this challenge to the jews , [ let them shew that the ancient patriarchs did sabbatize ] that is , observe saturday as their weekly holiday , for that they did celebrate that sabbath day that god instituted at the beginning , tertullian himself confesseth , ( ad martionem libr. . ) hoc privilegium donatum sabbato a primordio , &c. [ this priviledge was granted to the sabbath from the beginning , &c. ] ireneus . l. . c. . [ all the patriarchs before moses were justified without the sabbath ] eusebius hist . eccles . l. : c. . [ there was no observation of the sabbath among the patriarchs , as also none amongst us ] this cannot possibly be meant of any other sabbath than the jewish . . because eusebius ( in praeparat . evang. ) proveth that the most antient gentiles had knowledg of and veneration for the seventh day , out of hesiod , &c. which they could not have from the jews with whom these nanations had then no converse . . because of that last clause [ as also none amongst us ] which cannot exclude the lord's day ( for christians celebrate that ) but only the jewish saturday . grotius expounds these testimonies , as if they only denied the patriarchs to have kept the sabbath after the rigid mode of the jews , grounding that opinion upon tertullian's sabbatize : but that learned man should have considered that tertullians curt stile , and his humour to coin new words , renders him the unmeetest of all the fathers to umpire the sense of others : since his own is , in very many places , past finding out , save by the light of other writers ; and therefore the other fathers that writ upon the same subject , ought rather to interpret him than he them . but grotius his haste to wrest these testimonies out of the hands of the prolepsarians , makes this slip more excuseable , than the course that hamon l'estrange takes to evade the dint of this argument by denying the competency of the witnesses . for what humane authority can be of more weight in the esteem of indifferent judges , than this of these fathers ( who were as learned defenders of the christian cause against jews , gentiles , and hereticks , as the church hath been blest with ) especially in this case , wherein they had to deal with most subtil adversaries , and therefore it is to be presumed that here they did not glance on the question , but examined and discuss'd it throughly ; neither indeed could these great defenders of the christian cause have stood their ground in maintaining the christian practice of celebrating sunday for their weekly sabbath , against the assaults made from god's command to the jews to celebrate saturday , but by denying ( as our saviour did in the case of divorce ) that it was so from the beginning , when the pharisees urged him with this reply [ why did moses then command , &c. ] mat. . , . i therefore humbly conceive that there is no way of expounding these fathers consistent with the opinion of the anti - prolepsarians , comparable to that which i have given , as being most natural and literal , as securing the credit of these champions of the christian cause against jews , and consonant to right reason and sacred writ . arg. . for that the seventh day injoyn'd the patriarchs , was not that day that was appointed the jews , may be evinc'd from the distinction , that sacred writ makes betwixt that ceremonial law touching their saturday-sabbath , and that moral law ( given to all to sanctifie the seventh day from the creation ) exprest in the fourth precept of the decalogue : or if you please as epiphanius observes ( contra ebionaeos ) betwixt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : [ that natural or moral sabbath which was determined from the beginning . and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that ceremonial or temporary sabbath determined under the mosaical law ] : now that sacred scripture doth plainly difference these from one another , nay casts up a great gulph betwixt them , appears from hence . . the fourth precept was delivered in the audience of all the people , immediately by god's own mouth on mount sinai ( deut. . . ) but the law of saturday-sabbath was delivered by god unto moses alone , and by him to the rulers of the congregation , ( exod. . . ) this difference is intimated by pethaliah , nehem. . , . [ thou camest down also upon mount sinai , and spakest with them from heaven , and gavest them right judgment , and true laws , good statutes and commandments ] ( vers . . ) and thou madest known unto them thy holy sabbath , and commandest them precepts , statutes and laws by the hand of moses thy servant . ] here the decalogue is plainly discriminated from that law of the sabbath , which was peculiar to the jews . . by this , that the ten commandments were spoken by god himself , speaking on mount sinai . but the law of the sabbath , together with the rest of those temporary laws , were made known to the israelites by the hand of moses . . by his styling the laws of the decalogue [ right , true , good ] ; but not vouchsafing to give any of those titles to the law of the jewish sabbath , and other ceremonials ; which speak the first to be bottom'd upon their own innate righteousness and goodness , and therefore to be permanent and universal to all mankind ; but the last to want these properties , and therefore to have been carnal ordinances imposed on them , until the time of reformation : ( heb. . . ) not to have been faultless , ( heb. . , . ) to have been statutes that were not good , and judgments whereby they could not have lived , ( ezek. . . ) it is not unworthy of observation , that through the th chapter of ezekiel , where-ever it is said of his statutes and judgments , that if a man do them he shall even live in them ; the sabbaths that god gave them are excluded from that priviledg , and mentioned distinctly as separated , in regard thereof , from the moral law. as vers . , . [ i brought them into the wilderness , and gave them my statutes , and shewed them my judgments , which if a man do , he shall even live in them . moreover also , [ i gave them my sabbaths , ] and vers . . [ they walked not in my statutes , neither kept my judgments , which if a man do he shall even live in them , they polluted my sabbaths . ] if the prophet had not meant here to put this difference betwixt the decalogue and the ceremonial law ( whereof that of the saturday-sabbath , with the rest of their sabbaths , monthly , yearly , &c. was the prime , and therefore mentioned in the name of the other ceremonials . ) that in doing the law of the decalogue a man may live , but not in keeping the ceremonial law , whereof that of their sabbath was a part . he would have said , [ judgments , statutes , and sabbaths , which if a man , &c. ] now what can be more manifestly demonstrated , than the vast difference betwixt these laws is demonstrated to be in these texts , which present that law of the sabbath which god gave the jews , to have been a law that could not perfect him that kept it as to conscience ; and therefore to have been temporary and peculiar to the jews . . by his saying of the first , that god gave them . of the jewish sabbath , that god made it known unto them , as a thing they were ignorant of before , which cannot be applied to the patriarchal sabbath , to which the th precept relates , for they were acquainted with that by an uninterrupted tradition from the patriarchs . but of that sabbath that was instituted at the gathering of manna , to wit , their saturday-sabbath , which was then , and not till then first instituted , and so strange that when the people had gathered a double portion on the sixth day ( the sixth day of their gathering , not of the antient patriarchal week ) the elders went and told moses , as not knowing what that meant , which a child might have known , if saturday , the day following , had been their antient sabbath . from the premises may be gathered , not only that the scripture puts a difference betwixt the fourth precept , and the law for saturday-sabbath : by declaring the first to have been delivered by god's own mouth , the other by the hand of moses ; but also , by attributing those titles of true , good , righteous , to the fourth precept , which it gives to the other nine , and are incompatible to the law of the saturday-sabbath . . and by affirming the law of the jewish sabbath to have been first published at the gathering of manna : whereas the sabbath of the fourth precept was made known to adam , and observed by him and his successive generations . to proceed to other differences betwixt these laws . . the fourth precept was writ in tables of stone by god's own finger , ( deut. . . ) but the law of the saturday-sabbath with other ceremonials were written by moses in a book , exod. . . . the two tables were put into the ark ( deut. . , . ) which was never opened that we read of , save when the philistines looked into it , and at solomon's translating it into his temple : at what time nothing was found within the ark , save the two tables , no not so much as aron's rod and pot of manna , as sanctius and others conceive , because aaron's rod and pot of manna were placed not in the ark , but tabernacle , ( exod. . . ) numb . . . or as others think , because no part of the law , but only the two tables , were put under the propitiatory , into the ark : though the pot , and rod were placed there also ( heb. . . ) but that all other laws ( wrote by moses himself ) were placed on the outward side of the ark , is the common opinion , and substantially grounded upon that text , ( deut. . . ) [ take this book of the law , and put it in the side of the ark. ] . god's placing the fourth precept in the decalogue , declares it to be of the same nature with the rest of the ten : for how can it stand with the wisdom of the god of order ( who forbad plowing with an ox and an ass , who prohibited the wearing of linsy-woolsy ; and was so careful that the male and female sex should wear different apparel ) to shuffle a ceremonial law amongst his moral laws ? seeing that would have been a far greater indecorum than the yoking of an ox and an ass together ; would have rendred the decalogue a piece of linsie-woolsie , and have been the apparalling of permanent and transient , of perpetual and temporary laws , which in their own nature differ more than male and female ( that is , specifically ) in the same garb . sect . ii. but that which makes the greatest difference betwixt these sabbaths , is this , the sabbath of the fourth precept , and that commanded the jews , are grounded upon different reasons . the first in commemoration of the creation , which is common to all persons in all ages and places . the other , . that it might be a sign to discriminate the jews from all other nations , exod. . . [ it is a sign between me and you that i am the lord your god ▪ ] that is , that i have taken you to be unto me a people and an inheritance . ( deut. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . i am the lord your god which have separated you from all other nations , ( lev. . . ) now if other nations had celebrated saturday as their weekly sabbath , and not another day of the week , the jews could not have been discriminated from them by their observing the same day , this would have been no part of the wall of partition . . the jews weekly as well as their monthly sabbaths , were shadows of good things to come , the body whereof is christ , ( col. . . ) if therefore the sabbath of the fourth precept had been the jewish sabbath , it ought to have been abolished when christ the substance is come , as well as other ceremonial laws . but this is contrary to the sense of the universal church , which reckons this one of the ten commandments : and our church hath appointed this precept , with the rest of the decalogue , to be pronounced at the lord's table , and enjoyned her children to beg pardon for the breach of this , and grace to encline their hearts to keep it ; which would be the putting of a cheat upon them , if that precept in the plain letter of it were not still in force : and the putting a figurative sense upon it would make it as unintelligible to vulgar capacities as if it were in latine : and so much the more hard to be understood as the church in her liturgies and catechisms ( wherein she propounds milk to babes ) affects the greatest plainness of speech . upon which account most serious persons have been prejudic'd against calvin's interpretation of christ's descent into hell : that being an article of the common faith , and therefore to be interpreted in the plain literal sense . let me add , that the church no where declares her sentiments more plainly , than in publick liturgies : upon which consideration st. austin so often appeals from those testimonies of fathers , which pelagius urged , to the forms of common-prayer . and therefore tho a thousand private doctors opinion should thwart me , yet i having the opinion of the whole church , declared in her liturgies , for me ; if not in so many words , yet in her general practice , unavoidably inferring what i maintain , to wit , that the fourth precept of the decalogue is still in full force ; this is sufficient to acquit my assertion from the imputation of novelty or singularity , as being no other but what i drew from my mother's ( the church of england's ) breasts , not only by good consequence , as hath been shewed , but in plain words : for in the homily of the time and place of prayer she tells us , that [ god expresly in the fourth precept commandeth the celebration of the sabbath , which is our sunday . but i have greater authority than this of the church , even christ himself : who could not endure that he should be thought to come to destroy the law ; and assures us that not one jot or tittle should fall from the law , mat. . . which all interpret to be meant of the decalogue , whose fourth precept must therefore be concluded to have nothing in it that is ceremonial , typical , and upon that account to be abolished , as instituting a sabbath to be a shadow of good things to come . . the sabbath appropriate to the jews , was commanded them to be a memorial of god's giving them rest from egyptian servitude , deut. . . remember that thou wast a servant in the land of egypt , and that the lord thy god brought thee out thence — : therefore the lord thy god commanded thee to keep the sabbath day . observe here the difference betwixt the law of the sabbath given on mount sinai , and this in deuteronomy , tho it be repeated in the decalogue . for this book containing an explanation of the law , ( whether moral , ceremonial , or judicial ) and application of it to the particular state of the jews : moses in this text judaizeth the fourth precept , and therefore assigns , as the reason of its institution ( thus applied and limited ) not god's resting on the seventh day from his work , which is common to all mankind , but his causing them to rest from their servil work under the egyptians : which was peculiar to the jews . which is a manifest argument that the sabbath of the decalogue , engraven in the tables , was of larger extent than this mentioned in deuteronomy ; or else why should the reason of the one be universal , of the other particular ? as also that the jews were obliged to the observation of their sabbath , not from the literal and primary sense of the fourth precept , ( as all mankind are , and always were , except the jews , to whom god appointed another sabbath ) but only from the equity of it : for seeing god had sanctified the precise seventh day , whereon he had rested , to be observed by all men ; it was meet that the jews should keep holy one day of seven , and that day which god had peculiarly enjoyned them , viz. saturday , tho that was not the sabbath of the fourth precept , the lawgiver having right to dispense with his own law. and this is clearly the plain meaning of moses his inserting ( vers . . [ as the lord hath commanded thee ] or rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , had commanded thee ] viz. before the publishing of the decalogue on mount sinai : and of his leaving out [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remember ] the first word of the fourth precept , as it was delivered on sinai ; by which word , mankind was called upon to call to mind the patriarchal sabbath : or rather his transferring it to his mentioning their egyptian bondage , vers . . [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and remember that thou wast a bondsman , &c. ] as if moses had said , perhaps you may interpret the fourth precept ( repeating the law of the patriarchal sabbath ) as either vacating that law of the sabbath he gave you a little before the promulgation of that on mount sinai , viz. at the first gathering of manna , or as laying an obligation upon you to observe that also , so as you must keep two sabbaths in a week : for the prevention of either of which mistakes , now that i am come to the mentioning of the fourth precept , i will let you know , that though indeed as you are men , you are obliged to keep in memory the rest of the creation ; yet as you are jews , a nation separated to god from all nations , god hath dispensed with you as to the precise day , and expects ; that you should keep that day which he hath peculiarly appointed you to celebrate in commemoration of his giving you rest from egyptian bondage , which was so severe and afflicting , that in regard thereof it had been better for you that you had not been created , or died as soon as you were born . note from hence that the fourth precept , when applied to the jews , ought to be interpreted , as commanding one day of seven . but as it stands in the decalogue , and appertains to all nations and ages , it commands the celebration of the precise seventh day , whereon god rested : so directly contrary to moses his exposition of this law , does the common cry of modern expositers go , who make it command a seventh day to all , and the seventh day to the jews . observe how unaccountable these expositors make the christian practise of keeping sunday , if that be not the seventh day of the fourth precept , but only one of the seven : seeing that precept enjoyns the seventh on which god rested and , that upon this reason , because god rested thereon : and how justifiable the jewish practise was of keeping saturday , though that was not the seventh day whereon god rested , for they had for their so doing a plain divine precept of their ceremonial and peculiar law , dispencing in respect of the day with the law of the sabbath , which was given to adam and his whole posterity from the beginning . let it be noted in the next place , that all the other nine precepts , repeated here by moses , are the very same verbatim with those that were writ on the two tables , as they were spoken on the mount : but the fourth precept , as it is repeated here , is not the same fourth precept that was spoken by god's mouth and writ by god's finger , but vastly different from that , both in its form and reason : and both peculiar to the jews , but neither of them applicable to other nations . not the former : for as the jews were a part of the patriarchal church ( seeing god had for that time of their separation from other nations assigned them another day than that of the fourth precept as it stands in the decalogue ) it was very requisit that a memento should be presixt before that command to sanctifie the patriarchal-sabbath , which was to take place again when the partition-wall should be broken down , that they might then after so long an intermission call to mind , or remembrance , god's primitive seventh-day to sanctifie it : and therefore the fourth precept in the decalogue begins with remember . but there is no remember prefixt before this precept , as it is here repeated by moses , and adapted to the jewish state , because as such they were to sanctify saturday , and to observe the precept , as enjoining to them the sanctification of that day as their peculiar sabbath , only till the time of reformation , and then they were to forget it thus judaiz'd , as well as the rest of their ceremonial laws . at which time of restauration this their new saturday-sabbath would be grown old , and must come no more in remembrance , isa . . . and then the covering of the ark , where the two tables of the everlasting law was laid up , being taken away , the jews might reade the fourth precept , as it was uttered from the lord's mouth , vvith a memento before it , to put them in remembrance of that seventh day whereon god rested . i would thank that man who will give me any better , or indeed any other reason than this , why a memento should begin this precept and none of the rest ; seeing we ought as well remember to observe them as this : or why moses should prefix remember before the fourth precept as it stands in the decalogue , and not as he repeats it here . or why he should assign god's resting as the ground of the fourth precept there , and the israelites resting from egyptian bondage , as the reason of it here . or lastly , how moses can be acquitted from self-contradiction , from adding to , and taking from the words of the law , when in the twentieth of exodus , he saith , god spake thus , [ remember , &c. for in six days the lord made , &c. wherefore the lord blessed , &c. ] and yet in this th of deut. he not only leaves out the [ remember ] and the reason of the fourth precept in the decalogue , but assigns another reason , and yet after all tells them , [ these words the lord spake unto all your assembly in the mount , and he added no more , and he wrote them in two tables of stone . ] how can moses his fidelity in this case be vindicated but by this salvo , that the other nine do indifferently appertain to jew and gentile , and therefore they are repeated intirely as they came from god's mouth . but the fourth precept for that time did not appertain to the jews ( either as to the day commanded to be sanctified , or the reason for its sanctification , but only in regard of its equity , in respect of the proportion of time ) but to all mankind , save the jews , at all times , and would appertain to the jews when christ had made of that twain ( jew and gentile ) one : and therefore moses , to secure that entirely against that time , sets it down in the decalogue word by word as god spake it : but when he applies that precept to the peculiar state of the jews at that present , to whom god had ( before the promulgation of the law on the holy mount ) appointed another day for their weekly sabbath , than that whereon god had rested ; it had been ridiculous to have mentioned god's finishing his work of creation in six days , and his resting on the seventh , as the reason why the jews should rest on that day whereon god wrought : and therefore he omits that , and assigns another reason most proper and cogent , and repeats no more of the precept , but what was common to them and other nations . and thus it 's true what moses saith , these words the lord spake in the mount unto your whole assembly , and he added no more ; that is , that you are at present concern'd in . and as to the words expressing the reason , god spake them in the preface to the whole decalogue as the reason of your being obliged , above other nations , to keep all and every one of those laws ; and my applying them to the law of the sabbath , is a faithful exposition of both the laws concerning the sabbath ; to wit , the ceremonial , which concerns you alone , and the moral so far as it concerns you , that is , in the equity of it . he spake indeed more words , but not unto your whole assembly in its present constitution , but as you shall be at the rending of the vail ; he would have you hear that which i omit to repeat , for that time to come , seeing the pressing of you upon that reason , to keep that sabbath-day god hath commanded you to observe , would be a strong argument against your keeping it . sect . iii. i could name other differences the sacred scripture makes betwixt the patriarchal and jewish sabbath : but these already mentioned are sufficient to convince rational men that the jewish saturday-sabbath was not the patriarchal sabbath commanded in the fourth precept . i come now to shew that the patriarchs celebrated sunday for their weekly sabbath . arg. . and here first i urge the premises . if saturday was not the patriarchal sabbath , either sunday must be it , or it will follow that there have been three several sabbaths , one of the patriarchs before the law , another of the jews under the law , and a third of christians under the gospel . a consequence which a mahometan may perhaps not disgust , but i am sure it will sound harsh in a christians ear. arg. . there can no other justifiable account be given of christians celebrating sunday , but this . that the jewish saturday-sabbath was ceremonial and temporary , and therefore to give place to that day that was sanctified from the beginning by god's example and precept ; gave place , i say , to that at the expiration of the mosaical law without any new precept . . for if saturday-sabbath had been the day on which god rested , and commanded adam to rest on , and keep holy , it could not have been unsanctified but by a precept as manifest and of as great authority as that was whereby it was instituted , which i am confident can never be made to appear in the translation of the sabbath from saturday to sunday . and that which is alledged for this comes far short : for what argumentative force can there be in christ's rising , his appearing after his resurrection , and celebrating religious assemblies with his apostles ordinarily on sundays , in the apostles assembling on that day for religious worship ; what force , i say , can there be in all this for the unsanctifying of saturday , and giving its crown to sunday , comparable to the express command of god grounded upon his own example to sanctifie saturday ? nay , what are mens pleading such things as these for the change of the sabbath ( upon supposition that saturday was god's day of rest , and commanded by him to be kept ) but a setting up of their own conceits , and miscollected conclusions ( that because saturday was instituted in memory of the creation , and sunday was the day wherein christ perfected man's redemption by his resurrection , &c. therefore saturday must give place to sunday ) in direct opposition to god's express precept ; if saturday be the day intended in the fourth precept , or gen. . . but then i would not have the saturday-sabbatarians crow as if i adjudged the victory to them . for upon the ground that i have laid the jewish saturday-sabbath , being calculated particularly to that nation , and therefore temporary and ceremonial , must with other mosaick ceremonies be abrogated by christ's death , and give place to the antient patriarchal sabbath on course without any new precept . and here now our saviour's rising from the dead , his frequent appearing to his disciples on sundays , the practise of the apostles and primitive church , come in seasonably with their auxiliary force to support the divine institution of the lords-day — . for though as to the first consecration thereof , their examples signifie nothing , nor are able to stand their ground against the assaults of god's both example and precept : yet upon that ground i have laid they are substantial and strenuous seconds to prove the restauration of the ancient patriarchal sabbath by the antiquation of the judaick . what greater influence could our saviour's rising on sunday have upon that day to the sanctifying thereof , than his suffering on friday , or his ascension on thursday could have upon either of those days to sanctifie either of them for the weekly sabbath ? . but yet christ chose to rise on sunday , because god had sanctified that day from the beginning . and therefore his resurrection , and the apostles celebrating church-assemblies on that day , though they are not of authority sufficient to appoint a new lord's-day , yet they are safe guides to point us to that old patriarchal lord's-day whereon the lord rested , and therefore commanded the patriarchal church catholique to sanctifie it — in conformity to , and communion with which church , extending to all ages and places ( save judea , which never was any other but a particular church , god having in all nations some that feared god and wrought righteousness , and therefore were accepted of him . ) our saviour after the rending or the vail , and removal of the partition-wall , rose upon that day , and upon that day celebrated religious assemblies , &c. and this was sufficient to revoke the sabbath to its first beginning ( to which all things were revoked by christ , saith tertullian ( in monogamia ) and to intimate that sunday was the patriarchal sabbath . it being manifest that the jewish sabbath instituted not only four hundred , but three thousand years after the institution of the patriarchal , could not make that void , any more than the mosaick law could vacate the promise made to abraham before that law was given , according to the apostles way of arguing , ( gal. , . ) [ the covenant that was before confirmed of god to abraham , the law which was years after , could not disanul , that it should make the promise of none effect . ] and that therefore that mosaic law of the sabbath being made void , the patriarchal must of course take effect without any new injunction . the necessity of which cousequence will be made more apparent by the next argument . viz. sect . iv. arg. . that the patriarchs did celebrate the sunday-sabbath before the institution of saturday-sabbath , may be proved , if not demonstrated , from scripture-instances . it were indeed unreasonable to expect mathematical demonstrations in this case , seeing moses his history of the patriarchal religion is so exceeding concise , as his narrative thereof for above two thousand years may be in a manner comprised in a nut-shell . yet if we diligently search , i doubt not but we shall find instances next to demonstrations , in two places , viz. exod. . & exod. . i will begin with the last , because it leads to the change of the patriarchal sabbath to the jewish : which seeing we all know to be saturday , by reckoning backward till we come to the day on which that general church-assembly , mentioned ver . . was kept , we may certainly find on what day of the week it fell . inst . the first instance therefore that i shall give of a religious weekly assembly kept on course by the patriarchs , on sundays , is from exod. . , &c. and they took their journey from elim , and all the congregation of the children of israel came into the wilderness of sin , which is between elim and sinai , on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departure out of the land of egypt . and the whole congregation of the children of israel murmured against moses and aaron . ] for the right stating of the sense of this text , i must crave leave to rectify the pointing , which , as it stands , refers the sifteenth day to their marching , which ought to be referred to the time of this assembly : for of what use imaginable could it be to know the day of the month when they took their journey , any more than the rest of their journeyings , except that from mount sinai ( numb . . . ) for the space of forty years ? but as god at the institution of the passover had changed the beginning of the year , and appointed that month to be the first to the israelites , which was not the sirst in respect of the creation . so when he was purposed to change the beginning of weeks to the israelites , and appoint that day their seventh which was the sixth in the patriarchal account , and of the whole world beside the jews : it was expedient to leave some plain note and character of time , whereby it might be known on what day of the week the sabbath was kept before that change . now this misapplication of the fifteenth day may easily be amended , by having recourse to the original , and the septuagint , thus , — and they journeyed from elim . and the whole congregation of the children of israel came into the wilderness of sin , which is between elim and sinai , ver . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , [ and ] or [ but ] on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departure out of the land of egypt , the whole congregation of the children of israel murmured , &c. this is therefore the first collection i make from this text. that the whole congregation are not said to march but to murmur , on the fifteenth day , their sabbath songs were turned into howlings , like those , amos . . as to the reason i assign why the day of the month is named here , and not in any of their marching saving that from mount sinai ; a person eminent for learning and place in our church is pleased to except against it , by giving this as the reason why the day of the month is here named , viz. lest the first part of the verse should be mistaken as if they had gone from elim , and come to sin the same day . whereas they departed from elim to the red-sea , and came from the red-sea , into the wilderness of sin , numb . . to this exception therefore i here humbly offer these two things to consideration . . moses , in numb . . ( where he purposely records their marchings in order , and mentions that by the red-sea immediately before their coming into the wilderness ) doth sufficiently prevent all possibility of mistaking the sense of ex. . except by such negligent readers as in their reading his writings , slip over that chapter in numbers , which kind of persons i suppose moses was not very careful to gratifie . . this reason is so far from preventing the supposed mistake , as it necessarily leads to it : for read the text thus : they departed from elim , and came into the wilderness of sin the fifteenth day : and this pointing makes their departure from elim , and coming into the wilderness , to have been on the same day . the first being the terminus a quo , the other the terminus ad quem of their motion : except we fancy they came into the wilderness the fifteenth day from no place . but refer the fifteenth day to their murmuring , not marching , and both the extream tearms of their march stand firm , and there is space enough betwixt them left for their intermediate encamping at the red-sea . as if a man should say , i removed from london , and came to york the th day of april : we would conclude that he came to york the same day he removed from london . but if he should say , i came from london to york without specifying the time , none would imagine but that he had lodging-places betwixt london and york . so that this exception furnishes me with one argument more for my applying the th day to their murmuring not marching . the same eminent person adviseth me to consider whether the septuagint can weigh down the hebrew , samaritan , syriac , arabick , targum , &c. all which refer the th day to their marching . i have considered this , and am very apprehensive what a difficult and envious task i undertake , if i should prefer the septuagint above the hebrew . i remember how angry jerom was with st. austin , for preferring it before his hebraica veritas , and what opposition the late attempt of vosius hath met with : and yet i cannot but retain a singular honour in my heart for it . . as being better secured from being corrupted by the faithless jews ; when the hebrew , by reason of its being communicated many hundred years before the christian aera to the gentile world , and deposited in ptolomies famous library , whither the philosophers flocked from all parts of the world , saith elian ; the divine providence foreseeing what unfaithful keepers of the divine oracles , that people to whom they were first committed would prove [ when for their rejecting christ they became lo-ammi ] provided that the gentiles should come to the light thereof by means of the septuagint , so long before our saviour's coming , the contemptibleness of whose appearance so enraged the learned party of the jews , who had the hebrew copies in their custody , ( for the vulgar jews understood not hebrew in our saviour's time ) as in revenge they defaced his image drawn by their own prophets , for representing him such as the apostles proclaimed him to be : whence proceeded those numerous corruptions , mentioned by vossius and others . . the apostles making so frequent , if not constant use of it in their quotations of the old testament , seems to me a canonization of the translation , and a commending it above the hebrew . . if the hebrew be to be suspected , where it affronts the septuagiut , it ought to be so , especially in such texts as have relation to their sabbath . their idolizing of which might prompt them to disturb the pointing of this text , exod. . which according to the septuagint , speaks it to be a younger brother to sunday-sabbath . . and for my preferring the septuagint before the hebrew in those texts that have relation to the sabbath , i have the example of our own church to be my warrant ; which adheres to that version in the translation of thef ourth precept , both in the catechism , where she feeds her babes with milk , and in the office of communion , where she reminds her adult members of that part of their baptismal vow , whereby they stand obliged to keep god's holy will and commandments . altho the hebrew , geneva , spanish , and that of jerom , and all i have perused , saith l'estrange , render it [ wherefore the lord blessed the sabbath-day ] except the septuagint , which renders it , [ the seventh day , ] altho our last translation of the bible follows the hebrew . altho the puritans ( as they were called ) have called long and loud to our church to rectify the reading , and conform it to the hebrew , as knowing that their opinion of the fourth precept commandeth [ a ] seventh , not [ the ] seventh day , is utterly overthrown by rendring it , wherefore the lord blessed [ the ] seventh-day . and altho our church hath gratified their clamours , in conforming the epistles and gospels to our last translation , yet in the forenamed versions of the fourth precept she adheres still to the septuagint , and persisteth in teaching her children , young and old , that the sabbath of the fourth precept in the plain literal sense of it , is the seventh day , wherein god rested , and therefore sanctified , and separated to be observed by us christians in obedience to that precept , and in conformity to god's example . or , to give her sense of this precept thus translated in her own words , ( homilie of the time and place of prayer [ god expresly in the fourth precept commandeth the observation of the sabbath , which is our sunday : and not only commandeth it , but also by his own example doth stir and provoke us to diligent keeping of the same . ] and a little after [ this example and command of god , the godly christian people began to follow immediately after the ascension of our lord christ . ] it was , you see , in obedience to this command , urged by this example , that the christians began to celebrate sunday in our churche's judgment . in obedience ( i say ) to this precept , in the plain literal sense of it : for sure the church of england is a more indulgent mother , than to teach her babes by tropes and figures , and far-fetch'd consequences , what that holy will of god is , to the keeping whereof their baptismal vow obligeth them , or to oblige them to say , lord have mercy upon us , and incline our hearts to keep this law , after the pronouncing of the fourth precept at the lord's table , if that did not stand intirely in every tittle of it , according to its plain and primitive sense , in as full force now under the gospel , as any of the rest . moses was faithful in god's house , and therefore at his repeating of the decalogue , and applying it to the israelites , he lets them know that they were not concerned in that reason for sanctifying of that sabbath which god published on the mount , to wit , [ because god rested on the seventh-day ] but urgeth the keeping of their sabbath , by another reason peculiar to themselves , to wit , their resting from egyptian bondage , deut. . which very reason is an argument that their saturday-sabbath was not the day on which god rested , but local and temporary . and god's urging the sanctifying of the sabbath of the fourth precept from his own example , argues the day therein commanded to be the day whereon god rested , and to concern all ages and nations . the reason of it being common to all , and therefore to be our sunday . and this speaks the faithfulness of our church , viz. her informing her children that the whole and intire both precept and reason , appertains to us christians , and therefore we are bound to beg pardon for the breach thereof , and grace to observe it . i had never much artificial , yet have so much natural logick , as to think this a very strange inference : god rested the seventh-day , that is , saturday : wherefore the lord blessed the sabbath day , that is sunday ; and the common opinion to be void of reason , viz. that the day commanded in this precept is gon , but the precept remains : seeing all that 's commanded is the sanctifying of the day whereon god rested . it may with every whit as much reason be said , the honouring of father and mother is gone , but the law commanding that honour is still in force , as that the day whereon the command bids us rest , is gone , but the precept commanding that day of rest remains ; as if that day injoyned belonged to the jews , and the precept enjoyning , to us . my resentment of such horrible absurdities unavoidably issuing from the common opinion , that saturday is the day whereon god rested , and that day which he commanded the jews to sanctifie , in the fourth precept : and yet that the precept is still in force to us christians , obliging us to sanctifie another day , sunday ; in conjunction with the reverence i bear to the sounder doctrine of the church of england , viz. that the fourth precept commands us to celebrate sunday , upon the account of god's resting on that day , first put me upon that enquiry , whereof my treatise of the sabbath is the result , viz. whether that hypothesis could be proved from scripture and reason ; and if proved , whether it would secure unto us our sunday-sabbath , without any new institution by christ's precept , upon better grounds than can be laid by the vulgar opinion ; and such as free our necks from the yoak of those carnal austerities which attend the jewish temporary and ceremonial saturday-sabbath . this design i confess affronts the whole world of private modern writers : but i have standing on my side the church of england which carried on the reformation of christian religion from papal innovations more pecately , regularly , cautiously , and with a greater respect to catholick antiquity , than any other reformed church did . and that which inclined me the rather to follow her conduct through my whole tract of the sabbath , was this ; because i observed that the writers upon the fourth precept have fallen into inextricable perplexities , meerly through this one mistake , that the sabbath injoyned in that precept is saturday , and not ( as our church teacheth ) sunday . and that if they had followed our churches clew , they would have found the way out of those labyrinths , wherein they have lost themselves . for if sunday be the day whereon god rested , and therefore commanded in that precept to be sanctified after god's example ( and unless it be that day wereon god rested , that precept does not command the sanctification of it ) how naturally will these consequences follow ; . that adam and the patriarchs could not be ignorant of that example of god , which was laid down in the precept , as the reason why we are to sanctifie it : for if that reason oblige us who only hear it ; it must much more oblige adam who after a sort saw it . . that the law of the saturday-sabbath is not expresly commanded in that precept , but only reducible to it in regard of its equity and proportion of time , viz. one of seven . and therefore saturday-sabbath may depart , and the precept continue in full force . nay , that sabbath , together with the ceremonial precepts concerning it , must ( as the rest of mosaick ceremonies ) depart at the rending of the vail , and give way to the sunday-sabbath . and thus the christian church is disburdened of those austerities , about which there hath been so much wrangling amongst modern writers . . that there was no need of a new gospel-precept for the first institution of sunday-sabbath ; and that therefore christ's resurrection , his converse with his disciples , and their celebration of holy assemblies on sundays , do warrant us to keep that day as sure and infallible guides to the old patriarchal sunday-sabbath , mentioned in the fourth precept ; which was to take place again on course at the expiration of the temporary and ceremonial sabbath , enjoyned the jews for a time , as a badge to difference them from other nations ; but is too sandy a ground whereon to build the institution of a new sabbath-day , in direct opposition to the express precept and example of god : and thus the mouth of the saturday-sabbatarians is stopt . but tho i might without deserved blame ( being back'd with so great authorities ) prefer the septuagint before the hebrew , exod. . . yet i presume not to prefer the text of the septuagint before the text of the hebrew , but only compare the text of the septuagint ( which is utterly incapable of any other pointing than what i urge ) with the pointing of the hebrew , which referrs to the th day of their coming into the wilderness . and here the preference may , without disparagement to the hebrew text , be given to the septuagint ; considering , . that it is a question amongst the learned , whether the pentateuch had any vowels , or so much as distinctions of words , but was all as one word before the masorites . . that it is not agreed who those masorites were that distinguish'd the old testament into sections and verses , whether the wise men of tiberias , or those of ezra's synagogue , &c. . and that the hebrew text without distortion is capable of the same pointing that i urge , but the septuagint capable of no other . and therefore to ask whether the immoveable pointing of the septuagint should yeild to the moveable point of the hebrew , is to question whether the mountain should come to mahomet , or mahomet to the mountain . . i have the suffrage of learned men to stand by me , in asserting that the quails fell and were gathered on the fifteenth day . for bochart in his hierozoicon , cornelius a lapide , menochius , &c. on numb . . affirm that the quails mentioned , exod. . fell on the fifteenth day of the second month , and it is certain from the text that the quails fell on that day they murmured . sect . v. the next inference i draw from this text is this , that this assembly hath all the characters of a church-assembly . . it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the whole congregation , or church of the children of israel ; to difference it from the people or mixt multitude that murmured at marah : chap. . . that marched in one body with the israelites , and are implied in the first clause of verse . they took their journey from elim . and in that chapter . . and they came to elim , meaning the israelites , with the mixt multitude . and as they came to elim : so here the same [ they ] are said to journy from elim ; but when moses gives an account of what fell out when they came into the wilderness of sin , he shakes off the mixt multitude , and leaves them out of his discourse , by changing the phrase he used , when he speaks of their journeying , and saying , the whole congregation of the children of israel came into the wilderness . and the whole congregation of the children of israel on the fifteenth day murmured . by which he intimates this assembly to have consisted wholly and solely of israelites , and to have been of the same make with that which st. stephen calls the church in the wilderness , consisting of our fathers , as he stiles them , he , and those he spake to , being jews , act. . . briefly , this was not a murmuring in their tents , like that , psal . . . and that numb . . . at the return of the spies ; or that through their families , every man at his own tent-door , ( numb . . ) where we have the mixed multitude represented as the fomenters thereof : and therefore if they had been of this murmuring . assembly in my text , they would have been mentioned here as well as there . . here is the whole church of israel assembled on course before the lord ; for moses did not call them , but finds them together . aaron indeed bids them come near before the lord , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , before the face of the lord : but all he meant by that , was , that they should turn their faces towards the pillar , the then token of god's special presence : for that was all they did in compliance with that injunction , ver . . [ and as aaron spake unto them they looked toward the wilderness , and the glory of the lord appeared in the pilar of cloud . ] and that is an argument they were already before the lord , though not so as to face the cloudy pillar as they did in their journyings , yet they were assembled before , or about the tabernacle , the ancient token of god's presence . i mean that little tabernacle which they had , before the erecting of that which moses received the pattern of in the mount ; and therefore brought with them out of egypt , to which they had used to repair for divine worship , for the sake of publick prayer , so mede , rivet , willet . it was , saith vatablus , a little portable chappel ; this was it that moses , after they had worshipped the golden calf , took and pitched far off from the camp , to which every one that sought the lord went out , num. . . this was called the tabernacle of the congregation , of the sacred convention , so junius and tremelius : of the church , pagn . the hebrew word is mogned , whence is derived lemognedim , gen. . which signifies solemn stated assemblies , as hath been observed before . towards this they directed their faces in their sacred assemblies : and therefore aaron withdraws their faces towards the pillar of cloud , vers . . where moses stood praying , while aaron was speaking to the congregation , saith mr. mede upon the place . this assembly hath this character of a religious convention , that it was instructed by an ecclesiastical minister , aaron the priest ; for moses commanded aaron expresly that he should speak to them , ver . . now if this had not been coetus ecclesiasticus , a church assembly , it had been more proper for moses himself to have come with his rod in his hand , and have spoken to them : for he might with authority have silenced their murmuring , as he did numb . . . when they murmured for want of flesh : and as caleb and joshua stilled them , numb . . . after the return of the searchers . it is said indeed vers . . that moses and aaron spake to them , but the meaning of that is no more than thus , that moses spake mediately and aaron immediately , moses by putting words into aarons mouth , and aaron by conveying those words into the peoples ears , according to the instruction given , exod. . . thou shalt speak to aaron the levite , and put words into his mouth , and i will be with thy mouth , and with his mouth : and he shall be thy spokesman unto the people . it is also said vers . . that moses said , &c. but that must have the same interpretation , or be rendred by the preterpluperfect tense [ moses had said ] that is , had instructed aaron what he should say ; and so must vers . . and the lord had said to moses ; for it is manifest that god had said that to moses before : and the reson why it is repeated over and over , that the lord had said , and moses had said , is to shew what part of that revelation of his mind that god made to moses , vers . , . was communicated at that time by moses to aaron , and by aaron to the assembly , and what part of it was not then , but afterwards communicated ; it being manifest that moses did not acquaint them with the reason of god's precept to gather a double portion on the sixth day till they had gathered it . it remains therefore , that seeing aaron was not a prophet , who received revelations immediatly from god , but published divine revelations received by moses unto the people , ( which is the proper work of an ecclesiastical minister in a church-assembly , . cor. . , . ) his being appointed by moses to speak , argues this assembly to have been a church-assembly . howbeit , if what hath been offer'd for the proof of this second inference , shall upon serious ponderation seem too light , the main cause will suffer no other detriment than the loss of one peice of an argument ; and indeed my main aim in urging this text was to find sure footing for calculating the time backward unto the tenth day of the first month , exod. . whereon undoubtedly the israelites kept a religious publick assembly on course . and that tenth day will be demonstrated to have been sunday . if it be made apparent that the fifteenth day of the second month , whereon the quails were gathered , be to be reckoned the first of the six gathering dayes . and that is , sect . vi. the third inference i draw from this instance , viz. that the fifteenth day of the second month , whereon this solemn church-assembly conven'd on course , was sunday . and that it was so , will appear by computing the six gathering dayes immediately preceding the jewish saturday-sabbath , concerning which there is this only question , viz. whether the fifteenth day be to be brought into the account of those six gathering days . for the resolution of which doubt , let the divine oracle be consulted , vers . . [ i will rain bread for you from heaven , and you shall go out and gather it — . and the sixth day you shall gather twice as much . ] and vers . . [ ye shall eat flesh to the full this day at even ] intor duas vesperas , betwixt the two evenings , i.e. betwixt three a clock in the afternoon , and the shutting in . this is that very time of the day wherein our saviour was crucified , dead , and buried : and therefore their gathering , dressing and eating their belly full of quails does as properly belong to this fifteenth day , as our saviour's death and burial unto friday . . observe , that the precept to gather twice as much the sixth day was given before any mention was made of flesh and bread distinctly , and before moses knew what they were to gather , any further than was exprest by [ bread rained down from heaven . ] now bread implies ( ver . . ) all kind of victuals , as every one knows that can say the lord's prayer , except such profound clerks as are of that boy 's humour , who when he came to the petition for daily bread was wont to add [ and butter too good mother ] and what satisfaction could it have been to moses to hear god promise bread , when the people murmured for want of flesh , as well as bread , if he had not conceived that both were comprehended under the name of bread. besides , david , psal . . . called the quails the bread of heaven , which psal . . . he saith god rained upon them from heaven , the very word that god useth , vers . . i will rain bread from heaven . add to all this that our saviour , ( joh. . , &c. ) alluding to this very history of quails and manna , useth the same form of expression , [ the bread that i will give is my flesh , ] bread therefore as well here as there includes flesh , and bread , quails and manna . and to put this beyond all possibility of doubt , the septuagint and vulgar latin express what they gathered on the sixth day , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , cibos duplices : double necessaries , double victuals . lastly , it was not for all kind of flesh that they murmured ; for tho their provision of bread might possibly be spent , yet that they should consume the herds and flocks they brought out of egypt ( where they left not one hoof behind ) exod. . . in one months space , is utterly incredible ; or that in that space they were grown so lean as to be unfit for food , seeing they had for that forty years long , oxen , sheep , and goats , fit for sacrifice , act. . . but for want of potted flesh , and such potted flesh as they had plenty of in egypt ; and that was no other than quails , which were so plentiful in egypt , that the inhabitants could not consume them while they were fresh , ( tho josephus affirms that egypt was so populous as it contain'd myriades , besides the inhabitants of alexandria ) and therefore they potted them up for the whole year , as saith atheneus , l. . c. . de coturnicibus . now can it in reason be imagined that the jews should make no account of that day , whereon they gathered quails , their beloved and longed for flesh , that was judaeis in deliciis , saith phavorinus . from all which it is manifest that the fifteenth day on which the quails were gathered , was the first of the six gathering days : the last whereof being friday the eve of their saturday-sabbath , vers . . the first must needs be sunday , the fifteenth day of the second month whereon this assembly before the lord was kept . and therefore before this following institution of the jewish saturday-sabbath , sunday was their weekly sabbath . for the clearing of which , i shall draw , sect . vii . this fourth inference from this instance , viz. that the saturday after this fifteenth day was the first saturday sabbath that ever was kept . this is apparent from ver . . [ on the sixth day they gathered twice as much : and all the rulers of the congregation came and told moses . ] now there cannot be imagined any other reason of their acquainting moses herewith , but that they might understand by him what was to be done with the overplus , and to what purpose they were ordered to gather that proportion that day , seeing what had been kept over-night stank the next morning , vers . . vt ex eo cognoscerent quorsum hoc fuisset jussum ; neque enim adhuc dominus declaraverat se ob sabbati religionem id praescripsisse , quod statim moses explicat , as mr. mede and cornelius a lapide observe : [ they came to moses to know of him wherefore this was commanded , for the lord had not as yet declared that he had prescribed this double portion with a religious respect to the sabbath , which moses forthwith explains ] vers . . [ to morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath , &c. ] and vers . . [ see because the lord hath given you this sabbath , therefore he hath given you on the sixth day the bread of two days . ] philo judaeus saith , that the hebrews were taught by this , which was the birth-day of the world , whereof their forefathers were ignorant ; a very likely thing ! that abraham should not know the patriarchal sabbath . l'estrange will have it thus : that the elders made not strange at the sabbath , but at the strictness of the rest now commanded ; but he should have called to mind that nothing was spoken of that till after the elders were come to moses . and if we duly weigh the story , the elders will be found to have thought it strange , why the people gathered this double portion on friday , for the elders knew that a double portion was to be gathered on the sixth day , six days before : and therefore would doubtless have applied themselves to moses before now , for a resolution , if they had then questioned for what end they were to gather double on the sixth day ; and no other reason can be imagined of that delay , but that their thoughts were suspended all that while upon the sixth day of the patriarchal-week , which is saturday , till they saw the people gather on the sixth day in the order of the gathering days ; and then and not till then they came to moses , that he might resolve them whether the precept was to be interpreted of the sixth day in the order of the creation , which had hitherto been the preparation for the sabbath , or whether it was god's purpose to alter the sabbath , and transfer it from sunday to saturday , and that therefore friday now must be their preparation day , or ( which comes all to one ) whether the six days were to comense at the first gathering-day , or the first of the patriarchal week . and this seruple propounded by all the elders , that is , all the grave men of the congregation , who had been longest acquainted with the ancient sabbath ; for elders in the text does not imply a name of office but of age , elders by office not being constituted till jethro had advised moses to constitute them , exod. . . these it seems had not themselves gathered a double portion , but thought the younger sort timerarious in their account of days , and therefore acquaint moses with it , whom moses thus resolves : [ this is that the lord hath said , to morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the lord. ] when did god say this , but in his precept to gather twice as much on the sixth day ? so that here moses comments upon the precept , telling them that thereby god appointed to the jews the morrow following to be thence-forward their weekly sabbath . whereas if they had been used before to keep saturday-sabbath , the rulers needed not to have applied themselves to moses for the resolution of such a question , as a child might have unriddled : for it cannot be imagined but the day before the patriarchal sabbath was from the beginning , a preparation to it : whereon reason would tell men that they ought to set their secular affairs in such good order , as they might not be distracted by them in the sacred exercises of the sabbath , which from the first was so to be sanctified , as no servile work was to be done thereon . and seeing the israelites at this time had no other servile work to do but gathering , and dressing of manna ; if they had not been restrained from that on the sabbath , there would have been no difference betwixt that and other days in respect of cessation from common work . and therefore upon that supposition that saturday was their ancient sabbath , the elders must have been children in understanding , if they perceived not the reason of the precept , for gathering twice as much on friday . to sum up the whole of this argument : this is the first saturday-sabbath we find celebrated in the wrold for years at the lowest account , and that the whole world should live to that age without a sabbath , is the most incredible of incredibles . in order to the vindication of the patriarchal-church from so black a crime , i have endeavoured to shew that sunday-sabbath was observed before the institution of the jewish saturday-sabbath , from the first instance : and i shall give more clear and unexceptionable proof thereof in the other forenamed instance , drawn from exod. . . speak ye unto all the congregation of israel , saying , on the tenth day of this mouth they shall take to them a lamb , &c. sect . viii . d instance . if we reckon backward from the th day of the second month , which we demonstrated to have been sunday , till we come to the tenth day of the first month , we shall find that tenth day to have been sunday , and to have been celebrated by the israelites , ( and by consequence the egyptians also ) their keeping thereon a solemn , religious , stated assembly on course . . that this tenth day fell on sunday , may be thus collected by a retrograde calculation of days , from the fifteenth of the second month to the tenth of the first . second month : days , , . first month ; days , , , : were 〈◊〉 . for the proof of this account , wherein i assign days to a month , i have the plain testimony of moses , gen. . . compared with chap. . . where the beginning of the days of the waters prevailing above the earth , is said to be the th day of the month , and the end of those days the th of the th month , that is , just five months , if we assign to each month days . and deut. . . [ she shall bewail her father and mother a month of days . ] this would have been a lesbian rule , if their months had not consisted of an equal number of days . and if the days of every of those months wherein the waters prevailed , had not been thirty , the space from the th of the second to the th of the seventh month , would not have amounted to days . these texs are so plain , as i wonder how so many men of great and deserved name came to be lulled ( except by rabbinical sorcery ) into so deep a sleep , as to dream of the jewish months having assigned to them , alternatim , and days ; and to forsake moses his conduct in so plain a path . an errour which the industrious and learned vsher gives his testimony against , in the preface to his annals : the year ( saith he there ) of the patriarchs , egyptians , and hebrews , consisted of twelve equal months of thirty days aepiece . for that the hebrews used lunary months before the babylonish captivity , is more than can be proved from this so infallible an evidence , that the patriarchs reckoned thirty days to the month , ( what ever innovation after-ages introduc'd is not here material . ) a demonstrative proof may be drawn of the truth of the first instance also : that the th of the second month , ( exod. . ) fell on sunday . thus , the first month days , , , . the second month days , , , , were sundays . and thus these instances will mutually illustrate one another , as we shall see in the remaining inferences , also which we shall make from the second instance of a sunday-sabbath . the next thing i infer hence is this , that on this sunday , falling on the tenth of the first month , moses and aaron spake unto the whole congregation , concerning the ceremonies and institution of the passover , exod. . , , . [ speak ye unto all the congregation , ( the whole church of the israelites , so ainsworth ) saying on the tenth day , that they take up a lamb , &c. ] so ainsworth ( verbatim ) after the he-hebrew ; saying that the hebrew refers the th day to moses and aaron's speaking to them more distinctly , [ speak ye — on the tenth day . and they shall take up a lamb. ] and vers . . where moses speaks then to the elders , saying , [ draw you out a lamb. ] and vers . . where the text saith , [ they went and did as moses and aaron had commanded them . ] from these texts it is clear as day , that it was the tenth day whereon this speech was made to the church-assemhly . for this term [ then ] can speak nothing less : and the sequel implies , that at the breaking up of the assembly they went immediately and took up their lambs the same day for the passover , that was to be kept the th day . besides , seeing the taking up the paschals on the tenth day , was peculiar to this first passover ( as also were several other ceremonies of it ) as the after-practice of the jews , and of our saviour himself , evinceth . it had been madness to have bid them , on the th day , take up lambs on the tenth foregoing . and therefore i wonder to see wise men , like so many geese in a mist , straggle in so much light , from the plain path of most obvious truth , into that maze of vulgar errour , viz. that moses spake to the congregation on the th day , touching the institution of the passover : especially when i consider the weakness of the argument inducing them into that opinion , this being their herculean ; because it is said [ this night will i pass through egypt , and stay , &c. ] but who , save one that hath his eyes in the ends of the earth , can over-look this easy answer ; that that is spoken of the night of that day , whereof there he speaks , not of that whereon he spake . from the premises also appears the over-sight of them , who prolong the three days darkness , unto the th day , dreaming ( as if they had been frighted out of their senses , by some of those hob-goblins which they fancy appear'd to the egyptians during that darkness ) that the israelites took that opportunity , to provide themselves for their journey , of egyptian jewels and other necessaries . this indeed had been a robbing of the egyptians with a witness . but they must have had cats eyes , if they could see where their prey lay in that palpable darkness . for , though the israelites had light where they dwelt , yet i do not think that they could find , in the dwellings of the egyptians , light enough to pilfer by , if they did not bring it with them , in their eyes or cloakbags , from goshan . lastly , how opposite is this to the whole series of the history , which tells us that the egyptians lent them freely , what they had occasion for : that moses was in high esteem of pharaoh's servants and all the egyptians , who would have lent , or given , the israelites the shirts off their backs , to have been quit of them and their plagues together . . from the foresaid texts , and the circumstances of the story , it appears , that this assembly was not called togather , by special summons upon an extraordinary account ; but met upon ordinary course . for . how could moses ( or any body else ) convene them on such a sudden , who were scattered throughout all the land of egypt to gather stubble ? . or is it probable that their taskmasters would have permitted them to leave their work , to assemble on such a summons ? . or if the israelites had obtain'd a play-day of their taskmasters , is it like they would have met together , upon the summons of moses , whom they look'd upon as a person that came to make their bondage more heavy ? exod. . . and to whose promises they gave no heed , the last time before this he had occasion to speak with them ? exod. . . they must therefore either be assembled now upon course , or by immediate inspiration of them , one by one , for there can be no other subterfuge here . and there is no disputeing with men that betake themselves to such fastness . briefly , the matter stands thus : the tenth day , being the weekly sabbath , whereon they usually met to worship god ; moses and aaron are commanded by god , to take the opportunity of that convention to speak unto them . and considering the circumstances the jews were then in , it is more then probable , that these conventions were of the like nature , when they met with moses , to chide and curse him : and when moses applied himself to them , with promises of a good issue to his message , and they regarded not ; as also , that the egyptians ( and by consequence all other nations ) celebrated the same day of the week , sunday . for can it be imagined , that the jews in egypt , who were kept so close to their work , as to have their task set them , day by day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ( which the samaritan translation renders , pensum quotidianum , their daily task ; targum dnhelos , per singulos dies , every several day . and the hebrew opus diei , in die suâ : the work of every day , in its proper day ) would be allowed to rest from their daily work on sundays ; if their taskmasters , and the rest of the egyptians , had not themselves also rested on that day ? on the other hand , it was as much the interest of the egyptians to have the israelites rest on sunday , as it was to the jews to have the stranger within their gates rest on saturday ; because if the strangers might have followed their ordinary callings on those days whereon the natives rested from theirs , they would have diverted the gain of that work from the natives . grotius in exp . decalogue . . the last inference i draw from this second instance , is , that this solemn assembly was for religious worship . which the premises , duly considered , evince : for it was an assembly upon course , celebrated by the israelites , at what time the egyptians also rested : for what else can we imagine they met together but to worship god ? and seeing their bondage was so hard , that their taskmasters would not let them rest , while themselves were at their daily labour , it may be safely concluded that on whatsoever day they had remission from their daily tasks , so as to meet together , the egyptians also ceased from their works . i cannot see what possibly can invalidate this consequence , but the dream of this assembly's being kept during the time of darkness , when the egyptians could not stir from the place where they sate down : upon which supposition , indeed , the israelites might have had a conveniency of meeting without check . but how weak their arguments are , who are of that opinion , hath been shewed already : and i will now shew the impossibility of it , from the plain order of the sacred history . for it is thence manifest , that what passed in the whole th chapter , was after the end of the darkness , and before moses went from pharoah's presence . that is , as soon as moses ( chap. . ult . ) had answered pharoah , [ thou shalt see my face no more . ] god tells moses , while he yet stood before pharoah , that he would bring one plague more upon egypt that would force pharoah to dismiss them , not only with their own goods , but with the jewels , silver , and gold , &c. of the egyptians also . and moses reports this message to pharoah ; and then , and not till then , moses goes out from pharoah in a rage ( chap. . . ) now it was after all this that god commanded moses and aaron to speak to the whole congregation ( that should be assembled then ) on the th day . besides , god's bidding both moses and aaron speak to the congregation , argues it to have been a church-assembly : chap. . . thou shalt speak to aaron the levite , and put words in his mouth ; and i will be with thy mouth , and his mouth . and he shall be thy spokesman unto the people : and ( chap. . . ) aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet . the meaning therefore of [ speak ye , &c. ] chap. . . is , that moses should speak to aaron , and aaron speak to the people . now why must aaron speak to the people , if they had not been a church-assembly ; seeing he was not a temporary , but standing prophet ; nor a prophet who received revelations from god , but publish'd to the people divine revelations received by moses ? which is the proper work of an ecclesiastical minister in a church-assembly , ( cor. . , . ) but what is reported of this assembly , exod. . . that at its breaking up [ the people bowed the head and worshipped ] puts it beyond all doubt , that it was conven'd for religious worship . and yet let me add , as a joint-confirmation of the whole premises , that it is scarce conceivable whence , in more likelihood than from the patriarchal custom of celebrating sunday-sabbath , could flow that most ancient and universal idolatry of worshipping the sun ; as the most generally beneficient and salvifick deity ? or , from whence else could proceed the change of the name of the city on ( where joseph's father-in-law the prince-priest , or metropolitan of all egypt had his residence ) into that of heliopolis , or the city of the sun , but from the abuse and misinterpretation of the patriarchal sabbath ? conceiving that planet , whose name that day bore , which was celebrated as the chief day of the week , to be the chief god. for that the sun was worshipped of the egyptians , and all nations , as the general all-healing all-saving deity , is affirmed by diodorus , macrobius , agellius , and all the ancients , with unanimous consent , a quovis salubris subvenit animis corporibusque mortalium . macrob. saturnal . l. . c. . and so decry the opinion of the heathen , that the sun was a god , because the day called by his name was dedicated , of all the days of the week , to divine worship : it seemed good to the christian church , to give it a new name [ the lords day ] as being celebrated in memory of our lord's resurrection , who on that day entred into his rest , and ceased from his works , as god did from his . so that we have in these two instances , which fell within the space of five weeks , an account given of the patriarches keeping two sunday-sabbaths : whereas we hear not of two saturday-sabbaths kept either by the patriarchs or the jews , in the whole old-testament , though that contains an history of the church , for above years : i mean saturday-sabbaths circumstanced , as these sunday-sabbaths are , with the nomination of the day and month whereon they were celebrated . chap. v. the new creature ( man restored by faith in the promised seed ) was that finishing perfection of the creation , which made all very good ; and from which god smelled so sweet a savour of rest on the seventh day , as to bless and sanctify it . sect . i. for the proof of this in general , let us consider the order of time respecting moses his narrative of man's creation male and female , and the immediate consequents thereof till they were turned out of paradise : and thence we may certainly collect , that adam fell , and was restored on the sixth day . . that eve was formed the sixth day , is without all doubt : and therefore the history in the whole second chapter from the end of vers . . in order of time immediately follows the mention of god's creating them male and female , chap. . . and precedes what is recorded from the beginning of vers . . chap. . [ and god blessed them , and said unto them , be fruitsul and multiply ] though in the order of narration it be set after : because moses would not interpose so long a parenthesis in his breviate of the creation , as the manner of creation and disposal of the female makes . . the whole third chapter touching the temptation , fall , promise of christ , and turning out of eden , in time , precedes god's grant to adam and eve , made , chap. . vers . . behold , i have given you every herb upon the face of the whole earth , and every tree , &c. for while they were in eden , they had leave only to eat of the trees of the garden , and not of all them neither , chap. . . they must therefore have starv'd after they were turn'd out of paradise , if god had not enlarged their charter : and to find what that was , and when granted , we must recur back from the end of the third chapter ( where god takes away the table he had furnish'd for them in eden ) unto the forequoted chap. . . where he spreads a larger table for them , furnish'd with every herb and tree upon the face of the whole earth . for it is to be noted , that although beasts , and birds , and fishes , fall to 't without saying grace ; and those that live by prey sustain themselves , not only with vegitables but animals , without asking other leave than their own natures give them — yet man as he had not right to feed on animals till god granted him that power after the flood , gen. . . every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you , even as the green herb have i given you all things . so neither could he deprive vegitables of life , for the sustenance of his own , till god granted him liberty . . from this grant therefore ( chap. . . ) we must continue the story , if we will bring it into due order of time , unto the end of vers . . chap. . [ and god blessed the seventh day , and sanctified it : because that in it he had rested , &c. ] and thence pass over the remaining part of the second and the whole third chapters , unto chap. . which from ver . . ( and in process of time they brought offerings unto the lord ) shews how the patriarchs sanctified that day that god had sanctified . it is most manifest from this plain chronological account of the sacred history , that man fell , was restored , and thrust out of paradise , the sixth day . cherubims being plac'd with flaming swords to guard the tree of life , leaving adam no hope of life by the first covenant : whither then could he look for life eternal , but to the promised seed in faith , of whose blood , and acknowledgment of his own sin , he offered by god's appointment , those beasts in sacrifice , of whose skin 's god made him and eve coats : that they appearing before god in that , which was a type of the robes of righteousness , and pleading the blood of the covenant , might be found and accepted in christ : in whom alone god is well-pleased , and smelleth a sweet savour of rest . upon which account he rested the seventh day , and adam with him , in christ . to adam ' s celebrating the praises of his redeemer on this sabbath day , the chaldee paraphrase , or targum of jonathan ( who was fellow-disciple to hillel with good old simeon , fourty years before our saviour's incarnation , saith p. fagius ( on gen. . ) seems to have respect : for thus that renders the title of psalm . [ an hymn which the first man adam said for the sabbath-day ] as ainsworth observes : dicunt rabboth quod adamus hunc psalmum protulit quando creatus , erat vesper sabbati , & postea peccavit , & erat maledictus , & in hora duodecima diei sexti , crat expulsas ab edene . deus benedictus venit ad judicium mortis ; sabbatum super vevit . et adam eucharistias quia erat liberatus a judicio mortis , profert ( darash . r. arama . vicars decupla ) carticum adami dicitur ab hebraeis , quod talia dicere potuit . adamus cum res adeo primum conditas aspexit . grot. the rabbins say that adam made this psalm on the eve of the sabbath , at twelve of the clock of the day wherein he was created , and afterwards sinned , and was accursed , and driven out of eden . the blessed god came to pass the sentence of death upon him ; the sabbath came upon him . and adam because he was set free from the sentence of death , brought forth thanksgiving offerings . that is , saith grotius , because adam may be supposed to have said such like words , when he beheld the things that god created in the beginning . sect . ii. but all this together may perhaps seem too great a weight to hang upon the single pin of this one argument , drawn from the chronology of the history . i will therefore more distinctly shew the truth of each particular . . that adam fell on the sixth day , seems evident from that greek proverb , grounded upon the almost universal consent of the fathers : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , adam was formed and deformed the same day ; quoted by hamond l' estrange , p. . which universal consent took its rise from psal . . . hinc colligunt hebraei ( in berescit rabba ) gloriam primi hominis cum eo non per noctisse . ( cartw. mell. ) broughton most confidently affirms that adam did not continue in his integrity one hour , and affirms that all jews are of that opinion ( from the authority of maimonides , and from that proverb of modern jews above-said . ) he also saith that all the greek fathers are of the same opinion : vna nocte integritate non permanebat adam , saith vicars ; for which he quotes the arabick and persic , pentateuch . the septuagint indeed renders the above-quoted text ( psa . ) thus : man being in honour , understandeth not . as if it were the same with vers . . the syr. arab and simmachus follow the septuagint , but this reading contradicts all hebrew copies , and the best hebrew doctors , david kimhi , aben ezra , &c. and antient fathers , as jerom , &c. who render it thus [ adam ( or man ) being in honour did not lodg there a night ] or [ adam did not lodg one night in honour ] non pernoctavit ] did not stay one night in that estate , for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , jalin , the hebrew word here used , signifies properly to lodg or stay for a night , gen. . . [ laban and jacob tarried all night in the mount , and early in the morning departed ] gen. . . [ jacob himself lodged with the company that night . ] i might add that the targum interprets gen. . . [ and the lord took the man and placed him in the garden of eden ] by a syriack word [ sharah ] which in hiphil signifies to place in a lodging for a night ; thus is this word used in the syriack new testament , acts . . [ and the next day we came to samos and lodged at trogillium ; and the next day , &c. ] luke . . [ when the day begun to wear away , the disciples said , send the multitude away , that they may lodg in the villages , ] luke . . [ there was no place for them in the inn ] in the room they had taken up to lodg in for that night , ( shindler pentaglot . ) so early began our saviour to have the chastisment of our sin laid upon him in a way parallel to adam's fall ; he with his blessed mother being thrust out of the inn the hour he was born ; as adam was thrust out of paradise the day he was created . thus our saviour gives his suffrage to john . . where he stiles the devil [ a murderer from the beginning : ] for this term [ in the beginning ] denotes the six days of the creation , and precisely terminates where god finished that work , as is apparent from gen. . . [ in the beginning god made heaven and earth ] ; that is , in the space of six days , wherein the whole species of things in heaven and earth had their beginning : or , as our saviour explains it , mark . . [ in those days shall be afflictions , such as was not from the beginning of the creation which god created ; ] the whole frame whereof , speaking of the same thing he calls [ the world , ] and the space wherein it was made [ the beginning of the world ] mat. . . or , as it is rendred john . . [ since the world began , was it not heard , that , &c. ] that is , since god finished the work of creation : thus [ the beginning ] circumscribed the whole work of creation , heb. . . [ thou , lord , in the beginning founded the earth , &c. ] and though sometimes it may seem to denote the duration before , when it is spoken of god , prov. . . [ the lord possessed me in the beginning of his way , before his works of old ] yet it no where extends its signification beyound the six days work , when it is applied to the creature : it was therefore within the compass of the six days that this murderer slew our first parents . . that adam was restored through the promise of the woman's seed the same day whereon he fell , is apparent from our saviour his being stiled , rev. . . [ the lamb slain from the foundation of the world ] ; for this is of the very same latitude with [ the beginning ] heb. . . and heb. . . [ though the works were finished from the foundation of the world ] ; that is , in the sixth day distinguished from the seventh day , vers . . [ for he spake of the seventh day on this wise ; and god rested the seventh day from all his works ] : so that the time specified by [ from the foundation of the world ] vers . . concludes with the sixth day , before the seventh whereon god rested . now , christ cannot be said to be slain then actually ( for so he was not slain till the fulness of time , till the hour appointed of the father ) ; nor in the divine decree ( for so he was slain before the foundation of the world ) but only in respect of the promise then made to adam : in which promise he was exhibited as god-man ; as man , in regard of the serpent's brusing his heel ; as god , in regard of his breaking the serpent's head. this leads me into a flowry field of meditation ; wherein i must crave leave to expatiate and refresh my self after my tedious walk through dark and controverted texts , in the pursuit of truth ; i shall therefore offer here these things to consideration . . when things are once put into a divine promise , they are then in scripture language said to be ; for tho they attain not to actual existence till long after , yet the promise gives them a real being , or metaphysical essence , as rosa in hieme . hence god saith to abraham , gen. . . [ i have made thee a father of many nations ] when as yet isaac ( through whom he was to be the father of many nations ) was not yet conceived in the womb , nor in human probability ever like to be conceived in sarah's womb. from which instance the apostle draws this inference , that god calls things that be not ( as to actual existence ) as if they were ( in real essence ) because he that promised was able to perform it , and was then engaged to perform it upon the honour of his veracity ; rom. . . so that it was as impossible that it could miscarry , or prove abortive , as that god can lye . from which promise we have a thousand times greater assurance to say the lamb was then slain , then we have to say ( while the fruit is only in the root , and not brought forth ) this is a pippin , this a pearmain , &c. for this latter is grounded on a lie , upon the immutability of god's covenant with day and night , &c. which though we cannot , yet god can break , yea hath broke , as when he made the sun stand still in the days of joshua ; go back at hezekiah's prayer , and suspended its light at our saviour's passion ; as the fire did also its burning property in the case of the three children : but the former is grounded on the immutability of god's promise by oath , and the most sacred oath , even by himself , than whom he hath not a greater to swear by . in respect of this immutability the hebrew doctors , upon gen. . . have this observation [ he saith not , i will give , but , i have given ; and yet abraham had now begotten no children , because the word of the holy blessed god is a deed ; therefore he so speaketh ainsworth . thus the son of god was tendered to fallen man , as the lamb slain ; he was in this promise as manifestly held out to adam , as crucified , as making an atonement for sinners , by the oblation of his blood , as he was , after his actual crucifixion and ascention held out to the galatians , ( chap. . . ) . the son of god in the virtue of this his future oblation of himself , and mediation by merit , entred upon the exercise of his mediatory office , by intercession , immediately upon adam's fall ; he did not suffer the mortal wound to fester , but applied the healing balm ( flowing from his bruised heel ) to it , while it was green : as soon as ever he saw adam naked and in his blood , he poured clean water upon him , cast his garment over him , and entred into a covenant with him , and said unto him , live. no sooner had man made a league with the serpent and proclaimed war against god ; but god was in christ reconciling the world to himself . in the cool of the day ( that is , in the evening of that day whereon he fell ) adam heard the voice of the lord god ( that is , the word or son of god , as both christians and jews expound that place , gen. . . see dr. owen's exercit. . . ) calling him to repentance by arraignment ; to faith , by the promise of the woman's seed ; yea , to glory , by presenting himself in the form of an human body , and that glorious body , such as he shewed himself in at the transfiguration , and hath now at the right-hand of the father . dr. more append. to mystery of iniquity . as when job had wish't ( chap. . . ) let him take his rod away from me , and let not his fear terrifie me : then would i speak and not fear him . ] elihu ( according to job's wish ) makes him this offer [ behold , i am in god's stead , i also am formed out of the clay . behold , my terror shall not make thee afraid , neither shall my hand be heavy upon thee ; if thou canst answer me , set thy words in order before me , stand up , &c. ] job . , , . so the lord pleaded with adam by his son in the form of god manifest in the flesh . i doubt not but the son of god in human shape was all this seventh day busied in most holy colloquies with adam ; but that he fully revealed himself to him and eve , shewed him how and in what order he created all things , wish'd him to meditate upon these works , and in them to praise and acknowledg the true god , his creator ; and taught him that after his example every seventh day all labour set aside , he should spend in the exercise of piety : zanchy de creatione hom. l. . fuller upon these words [ they heard the voice of the lord god walking in the garden . ] gen. . . hath this observation , [ by this voice i understand certain words which god spake with himself walking ] christ appearing to them in human shape . . this his mediating to reconcile man to god , argues he had upon the instant of adam's fall , so far reconciled god to man ( by becoming his surety , by giving bond to make satisfaction , pay man's ransome at the day appointed , at the fulness of time ) as the father ( upon consideration thereof ) would not take the forefeiture , but delegated the son to treat with his rebels , and offer them pardon ( and a better state than that they were fallen from ) on the condition of their accepting the covenant of grace . for christ did not take this honour ( of the melchisedochian priest-hood ) upon himself , but was called of god an high-priest after this order . heb. . . ) and made a priest by oath , by him that said unto him , the lord sware , and will not repent , thou art a priest for ever , &c. heb. . . he was sworn to this office of mediation , and sent to manage it by blessing adam , in turning him from his iniquity , before the beginning of days ( natural ) on the sixth creating-day , and will continue the exercise of it to the end of days ( natural ) otherwise he would not be a priest without beginning and end of days . heb. . . . that adam did not defer his repentance , but forthwith complied with the gracious terms that were tendred him , cannot be doubted , if we seriously consider how utterly incredible it is , that he who was so ashamed of himself and his nakedness , should refuse to beg ( at any rate ) raiment of christ to cover his nakedness , rev. . that he who was so confounded in himself , as he ran to hide himself in the bushes from the presence of god , should stand consulting whether he should accept or refuse mercy offered . that he whose own conscience , and god greater than his conscience , had condemned , so as he saw his soul drawing nigh unto the grave , and his life to the murderers ; should , when god , not by a servant , but his son , sent this message to him [ i have received the atonement , i have accepted the ransom ] job . . reject the benefit of that atonement , the fruit of that ransom . that he who had known what it was to have communion with god , should under the deepest and most deplorable sense of its loss , not be ready to imbrace the means of recovering that communion . especially if we duly ponderate to what end those beasts were slain , of whose skins god made them coats of honour , seeing adam and eve could not slay them for food ; for the flesh of animals was not allowed mankind for meat till after the flood . that their flesh was offered in sacrifice , is the common tenet of most judicious divines ; and that partly it was disposed of that way , seems very probable ; but the scripture does more than hint two other ends of slaying those beasts , ( which i wonder have not been taken notice of ) . the first for the striking of the covenant betwixt god the father and the son , when that oath which the sacred scripture so frequently mentions , past betwixt them ; psalm . . [ the lord sware , and will not repent . ] this oath past at christ's initiation into his mediatorship ; [ forasmuch as that was not without an oath , &c. ] heb. . . by this oath christ became , or was made the surety of that better covenant , and more antient than that of moses . these covenants by oath , for the greater solemnity thereof , were made thus : beasts being cut in twain , and the parts laid a sunder one against another , as shoulder against shoulder , and leg against leg , with a space to go between . the parties covenanting passing betwixt the pieces , made oath , gen. . . jer. . . [ the covenant which they made , when they cut the bullock in twain , and passed between the parts of it ] saying , let me be struck , as this beast is struck , if i break this covenant : whence came the phrase of ferire foedus , to strike or smite covenant . now this oath was given and taken betwixt god the father and the son , before christ called to adam , saying [ where art thou ? ] for otherwise he would have entred upon his mediatory office without an oath ; and it is very probable that the voice of god walking in the garden , which adam heard before that call , was the voice of the son of god passing through the parts of the divided beasts . the second end of slaying beasts , was for the striking of the covenant betwixt god and adam , a thing usual in the ratification of all other covenants betwixt god and man ; as that with abraham , gen. . . that with the jews , exod. . . [ half of the blood ( of the sacrifices ) was sprinkled upon the altar ] which represented god [ and the other half upon the people ] ; or the twelve pillars , representing the twelve tribes , after they had consented to the covenant at the reading of the book , saying , [ behold the blood of the covenant which the lord hath stricken with you concerning all these words . ] see ainsworth on psal . . . [ my saints that have stricken a covenant with me by sacrifice : ] but the apostle's argument , heb. . . [ where a testament is , there must of necessity be the death of the testator : for a testament is of no force at all while the testator liveth ] from whence he inferreth that [ therefore the first testament was not without blood ] will with equal firmness support this inference . that the first covenant of grace with adam , was ratified by blood : and that the testator must of necessity be dead in type and effigy as well at the sealing of that as this . and now in the third place , comes in that other use of the flesh of these slain beasts , to wit , adam's offering them in sacrifice , as a burnt-offering for the lord. thus at that mutual stipulation betwixt god and israel , ( ex. . . ) they offered burnt-offerings and sacrifices of peace unto the lord. and at god's covenanting with noah he offered burnt-offerings , ( gen. . . ) in all likelihood of the beasts that had been first cut in twain : for this was a covenant by oath , isa . . . [ i have sworn that the waters of noah shall no more go over the earth ] : and therefore struck , not only by god's stretching out his right-hand and swearing ( as the hebrew doctors conceive ) but by passing between the pieces of the bullock , &c. that being the most ancient patriarchal mode of ratifying a covenant by oath ; and taken up from this primitive example of god's covenanting with adam . here we have an account of the disposal of the flesh of those beasts , with whose skins god apparell'd adam and eve , fully consonant to the holy scriptures , and such as speaks adam to have consented to the covenant upon its first proposal , and the new creature ( man restored by faith in christ ) to have been brought forth into actual existence before that seventh day , whereon god rested . . and now , and not till now , the heavens and the earth were finished ; and all the hoast of them , when this captain of the lord's hoast , had his commission sealed , had mustered his army , and administred sacramentum militare , the military oath to his holy elect , and faithful ones ; his army on earth was but a small company ( consisting but of two ) but it was terrible with banners ( the banner of love over it , the banner of defiance against the enemy ) who took this captain of their salvation for so many , and beheld in these two such a troop coming ( tho but of sheep , yet led on by the lion of the tribe of judah ) as at its first looking out in this morning of the day of grace , the ramping and roaring lion was thunder-strook , prostrate , laid flat upon the ground , and made to creep upon his belly ; had none to side with him ever since save his own profligated angels , ( that had forsaken their first station ) and a cripled crew of kaitiffs that were bowed together by satan , and could not stand upright ; a company of monsters in human shape with two-legg'd bodies , and four-footed souls ; and had nothing left for forrage to himself and 's army , nothing to feed on , but dust ( the carnal , sensual , devilish part of mankind ) . now , and not till now , every tree brought forth fruit in its kind ; when the true vine began to flourish , when the tree of life had thus put forth its leaves and fruit for the healing of mankind : till god thus shined in man's heart to give the light of the knowledg of the glory of god in the face of jesus christ , he had not commanded the light to shine out of darkness , out of that more dismal darkness then sate upon the face of the unformed earth , even that wherewith adam's sin had invelop'd the whole creation , and made it a more confused chaos than that rude and indigested lump , out of which it had been reduced . for hereby adam defac'd the image of god ; so far lost the the dominion of the creature , as he retained not so much thereof as the rule over himself . nay , the whole fabrick of the world was loosned and ready to fall ( this keistone of the arch being crumbled into dust ) if christ had not sustained the weight of that ruinous building upon his own shoulders ▪ while it was a repairing , by god's making adam anew , and building him upon a new foundation , even the rock of ages , that precious and elect corner-stone , at the laying whereof the morning stars sang together , and all the sons of god shouted for joy. job . , . [ wast thou by when he laid the chief corner-stone thereof , when the morning stars sang together ? &c. ] gen. . . [ these are the generations of heaven and earth , in the day that jehovah made the earth and the heavens . ] the name of jehovah is here first given to god ; which name the cabalists observe to imply the mercy of god ; as elohim ▪ signifies his justice ; p. fagius in locum ; who observes also that the word [ tholedhoth ] generations , is no where writ perfectly but here , and ruth . . because these generations only , to wit , of the world and the messias ( of whose family the book of ruth treateth ) are perfect . now was man twice formed , as is implied , vers . . and the lord god formed vai-jitzer , duplex hic est , jod ad significandum ( inquit ) r. s. duplicem hominis formationem , hujus & futuri seculi post resurrectionem . p. fagius . here is a double jod , to signifie the two-fold generation of adam ; the first relating to this world ; the second to the world to come ; that is , his formation as man , his reformation , as a new man : and these generations thus perfected , are said ( vers . . ) to be made in one day ; because the whole creation was perfected by man's new creation at the entrance of the seventh day . . till all the host of heaven and earth was thus finished , by the formation of the new creature , and introduction of the second adam , god had not made sufficient preparation for his resting in his works , as very good and altogether adequate to the bringing about of his own glorious and gracious ends : but now this workmanship of god created in christ for good works : eph. . . being made , christ's personal being exhibited in the promise , as adopted into man's family , and christ mystical being born of the immortal seed of that word of promise , and by faith adopted into the family of god ; the pleasure of the lord thus prospering in the mediator's hands , and christ's seeing and reaping the fruit of the travel of his soul ; what could the issue of this be but satisfaction , acquiescency , & rest ? man renewed and restored into communion with god , through the mediation of the son of god , was in the fore-appointment of it , the mutual pleasure of god the father , and god the son , from all eternity , ( prov. . , , . ) [ when he appointed the foundations of the earth , then was i by him — . i was daily his delight , rejoycing always before him , in the habitable parts of the earth , and my delights were with the sons of men. ] the son's delight was among the sons of men in the habitable parts of the earth , before man was created , or the foundations of the earth laid , save only in the decree and appointment of god. and this rejoycing of the son was the father's delight : and for this pleasures sake , heaven and earth , and the whole furniture of both were created . [ rev. . . thou hast created all things , and for thy pleasure they are and were created . ] the whole world ( say the jewish doctors ) was created for the messias ; and the messias ( say all christians ) was exhibited for the redemption of mankind , from that state of sin and misery , into which we fell through the transgression of the proto-plast . this redemption was tendred to adam in the promise of the woman's seed , and accepted by adam through faith in that promise , and that acceptance ratified by a covenant of salt , by a sacrifice salted with fire , the sacrifice of a whole burnt-offering ; which burning upon the altar all night unto the morning . ( lev. . . ) and figuring the oblation of christ's body , and adam's oblation of his body , as a living sacrifice , holy and acceptable to god through christ , must needs come up with acceptance before god , and send forth a sweet savour of rest unto god at the dawning of the seventh day . the talmudists say , that god created fire on the seventh day : i suppose they mean that fire that came down from heaven on adam's sacrifice in token of god's approbation . so that god having perfected his work on the seventh day , even all the work that he had made , gen. . . or , all the work that he created to make , vers . . rested on the seventh day , and sanctified it . the hebrews distinguish betwixt creating , forming , and making , thus ; to create , is the production of any thing out of nothing ; to from , is the bestowing of form and shape upon any thing created ; to make , is to perfect , finish , and to adapt to its proper use , that that is created and formed . they are all three used to this sense in one verse , ( isa . . . ) i have created him for my glory , i have formed him ; yea , i have made him ; that is , every way fitted him for the attaining that end for which i created and formed him . ( p. fagius in targ. onkelos ) . now adam , being created to bring forth good works in christ jesus : was not god's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , his workmanship fitted for the production of the end of his creation , while he was either in a state of innocence or of the lapse ; which alone is sufficient to prove that adam fell and was restored by faith in the promised seed the day of his creation : for otherwise , god could not have rested ; that is , have taken delight and complacency in all the work he created to make as very ( that is , perfectly ) good and compleated for the effecting the end of creation , to wit , the glorifying of god by good works done in christ . and therefore that seventh day 's rest on sunday ( where god saw all very good , as good as heart could wish ) was the rest of redemption : and the jewish saturday-sabbath , the rest of the creation uncompleated on the sixth day , before man was capacitated by faith in christ , to glorify god through his redeemer . saturday and sunday-sabbath came into the world , not like esau and jacob , but like phares and zara. the jewish saturday-sabbath was not born first , and afterwards the christian sunday-sabbath , catching the jewish by the heel , supplanted it , and obtained the blessing of primogeniture : but the christian sabbath , like zara , first put out its hand , and upon sunday's wrist was tied the thred , the bond of god's injunction to sanctify that day ; and the scarlet-thred , the bond of the covenant of grace , sealed in the blood of the promised seed : for by binding is signified the imposing of the law of hallowing the sunday-sabbath ; whence god's laws are called bonds and cords [ let us break their bonds asunder , and cast their cords from us ] that is , the laws of god and of his christ ( psal . . , . ) and a bond or cord of scarlet thred was to rahab a sign of the covenant , confirmed by the blood of christ , josh . . . compared with heb. . . [ by faith the harlot rahab perished not . ] and the patriarchal church unto the flood ( and all since the flood , who adhered to that church ) in their sunday-sabbath celebrities had an eye of faith upon that scarlet-thred bound to the wrist of that day . but when the villanous subtilty of such politicians , as designed to make themselves absolute soveraigns over the nations independent from god , had perverted that custom of worshipping god in publick assemblies on sundays , by inacting the worship of the sun on that day that bare the name of that planet , ( making that hand which god had set at the end of the volumn of his book , as the index pointing to the chief contents of that volumn , the eternal word making propitiation through his blood ) to point the contrary way , to the worship of the creature : then the scarlet-thred was drawn back out of the jews sight , till the fullness of time ; and now comes forth the jewish saturday-sabbath , more than years after the patriarchal sunday-sabbath ; which saturday-sabbath was not imposed upon any nation but the jews ; nor upon them in room of the patriarcal , but upon other accounts , as will be shewed in the handling of the sixt and last branch of our discourse upon the sabbath . chap. vi. the mosaical saturday-sabbath ( fixt on the sixth day of the week in the order of creation ) was instituted upon other grounds than that mentioned in the decalogue ; and having no footing in the forth precept , but in the ceremonial law , was to expire at christ's death , and give place to the patriarchal sabbath . sect . i. that saturday-sabbath ( as well as the rest ) was appointed the jews to be a ceremonial badg to difference them from all other nations , who celebrated sunday as their weekly sabbath , is so frequently affirmed in sacred scripture , in these , or equivalent terms , [ it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations , that you may know that i am the lord that sanctifieth you . ] as all that is requisite for the proof hereof , is to shew that in those places by god's sanctifying of them is meant , his visible separating them , from all other people for his own inheritance by a covenant of peculiarity . for evincing of which , let it be considered , that in ezek. . god's giving them statutes and judgments ( that is , moral and judicial laws ) is not said to be to this end , that they might know that he was the lord that sanctified them ; as his giving them his sabbaths to be a sign between him and them , was , vers . , . and vers . , . [ i am the lord your god ; hallow my sabbaths , and they shall be a sign between me and you , that ye may know that i am the lord your god ] : that is , [ that i have taken you to be unto me a people and an inheritance , as ye are at this day . ] deut. . . levit. . . and yet more plain , exod. . . it is affirmed of all the sabbaths indefinitely , that the keeping of them is a sign between god and the jews , that he is the lord their god , &c. and vers . . the children of israel shall keep my sabbaths throughout their generations , by an everlasting ordinance . it is a sign betwixt me and the children of israel for ever . . the reason why god would not have the jews to celebrate the sunday which the patriarchs and themselves , till the institution of the saturday-sabbath celebrated as the weekly sabbath , but appointed them another day , was to secure them from idolizing the sun with the heathens , who had perverted sunday-sabbath from the worship of god to the worship of the sun ; from the guilt of which idolatry in celebrating the patriarchal sabbath , job purgeth himself ; job . , , . [ if i beheld the sun when it shined , and my heart hath been secretly enticed , or my mouth hath kissed my hand ; this also were an iniquity to be punished by the judg : for i should have denied the god that is above . ] that is , if i had worship'd the the sun secretly in my heart , it would have been a denying of god : but if i had worship'd it openly , by kissing my hand at the sight of it , i had become obnoxious to the sentence of the judg ; where note , that in job's time ( who lived some generations before abram ) the world grew propense to this idolizing of the sun ; but hitherto the noachal religion was so prevalent , as the publick law of the nations opposed its incroachment , ( mercer in locum ) vnde videatur jobi conterraneos tum non fuisse idolatras , quia dicit se non clam id fecisse nedum palam , non prodit statim in publicum ista temeritas , nisi postquam cor plane occaecatum fuerit & consensus favorque plurium accesserint . job's contemporaries and country-men were not idolaters ; because he saith , he did not worship the sun either secretly or openly : such temerity as this doth not forthwith appear in publick , but after that the heart is altogether blinded and common consent and favour come to take its part . however in moses's time this idolizing of the sun had universally prevail'd ; and even in abraham's time was back't by the secular law in vr of the chaldees , for the contempt whereof in his refusing to worship the caldean emblem of the sun , abraham , with his father terah , found vr of the caldees too hot for them . by the way observe that the word which in this place of job is translated the sun , [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] is that from whence vr of the caldees deriv'd its name ; and the egyptians the name they give the sun , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ( macrob. saturnal . . . ) hence moses so frequently reneweth this caution , that the jews should take heed of making any representations of the sun , or any of the host of heaven , ( deut. . . ) and ( chap. . . ) in special to the sun and moon , that they should not inquire after the nations way of worship , [ saying , how did those nations serve their gods ? even so will i do : ] that is , after that manner will i serve god. and in particular , not after their burning of their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods : deut. . , . now the god to whom the gentiles sacrificed their children was the sun , whose idol was called moloch and milchom ; amos . . kings . , . as being molech , or king of all the planets ; and therefore by the translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the prince ; and by the phoenicians ( door-neighbours to the jews ) called beel-samen , the lord of heaven ( as sanchoniatho witnesseth in euseb . evang. prep . l. . ) and yet notwithstanding all these prohibitions , and god's discharging them from the publick worship of himself on that day whereon the heathens in their apostacy from the first institution worshipped the sun ; the jews imitated the heathens in this most barbarous custom of burning their sons and daughters in the fire , the representation of the sun : jer. . . & . . psal . . , . so exceeding prone was that people to imbrace strange gods : and therefore they stood so much more in need to have all occasion thereto removed from them ; and especially such as god had instituted at first for the securing his own , but were in process of time perverted to the introduction and countenancing of the worship of false gods , as was the fate of the patriarchal sunday-sabbath . upon the like account the jews were prohibited very many other customs , if not of divine institution , yet of patriarchal practice ; yea , some of them seeming to be the natural results of the law of humanity : such was mourning at the funerals of dear and near relations , wherein the patriarchs exceeded even to the admiration of other nations ; gen. . , . [ and they wailed there with a very great and heavy wailing ; and he ( joseph with his brethren ) made a mourning for his father seven days : and the canaanites saw the mourning , and they said , this is an heavy mourning to the egyptians ; therefore the name of that place was called , the mourning of the egyptians . ] yet this so natural a duty was prohibited the high-priest , for he must not mourn for his father or mother ; ( levit. . . ) and that because he had the holy anointing , and the holy garments upon him , which were holy only in type . so that here the law of nature must yield to the levitical in this particular case , where the high-priest's honouring of father and mother could do the dead no good , but might be an occasion of evil to the living ; ( by the way , this makes the case of the high-priests wholly different from the pharisees pleading carban ) . but where lay the danger ? answer , in drawing the jews to conformity to the idolatrous heathens in their manner of mourning . baruch . , . [ and the priests sit in their temples , having their cloaths rent , and their heads and beards shaven , and nothing upon their heads : they roar and cry before their gods , as men do at the feast when one is dead . ] hence all communion with the nations is so pathetically forbidden the jews , lest they should by that means be drawn to idolatry . so much less reason have we to wonder that god should appoint the jews another day for their weekly sabbath , than that which was instituted at first to all mankind , when the gentiles had perverted the celebration of that day to the instituting the worship of the sun. upon the like reason at the restitution of sunday-sabbath ( upon the expiring of the ceremonial saturday-sabbath ) the christian church changed the name of sunday into that of the lord's-day , that she might secure her children from the opinion of the heathen world , that it was in honour of the planet of the sun , that that day of the week which bore its name was separated for holy assembles . . and now we need not go far to seek for a reason why god appointed saturday to be the jewish sabbath ; for that being the week-day immediately preceding sunday , and the whole oeconomy of moses's law , as of a thing imperfect , pointing to good things to come : ( heb. . . ) it was necessary that their typical day of rest should be so placed in the order of the septiman , as from thence they might look immediately unto that day of true rest that was to come at the rising of the sun of righteousness out of the grave . but besides this , the more special reason of god's appointing them saturday for their sabbath , was , because saturday was the first day of rest they had from egyptian bondage ; for they marched from rameses on friday , the th day of the st month , and set up their booths at succoth on saturday , where they stayed two days , according to the common opinion of learned men , on the latter whereof sunday , the premises considered , it may be presumed that they kept an holy rest unto the lord according to the patriarchal custom ; and that it was in that assembly that moses repeated the ordinances of the passover , and separated the first-born of males and firstlings of the flocks and herds to be holy to the lord. sect . ii. and that this precept for saturday-sabbath did not vacate the patriarchal , either to all nations , or to the jews themselves for ever ; but was only imposed upon them as a carnal ordinance of divine service until the time of reformation ; ( heb. . . ) or until the seed should come ; ( gal. . . ) and those good things , the body whereof is christ , whereof it was a shadow ; god gave the jews many plain intimations . . in his assigning their deliverance from egypt , and their resting from their hard labour in that bondage , as the peculiar reason of his commanding the jews to celebrate his sabbaths ; deut. . . that thy man-servant , &c. may rest as well as thou ; and remember that thou wast a servant in the land of egypt ; and that the lord thy god brought thee out thence through a mighty hand , and by a stretched-out arm : therefore the lord thy god commanded thee to keep the sabbath-day ; whether weekly , monthly , or yearly , as also the sabbaths of years and jubilees ; which reason cannot reach other nations , but is wholly accommodated to the jews , and to them only till the time of restauration . . in his suspending the raigning of mannah on their sabbaths , and letting it fall on sunday's manna , being reputed by those that could not look under the vail , angels food , the bread of heaven ( psal . . . ) it s not falling on their sabbath was interpreted , that the giving of true manna ( that of which whosoever eateth shall live for ever ) was reserved for gospel-times , and the restauration of the patriarchal sabbath ; when he whom the father sealed , would give his flesh for the life of the world , that true bread of life ( joh. . ) that spiritual food which was the desire of all that hungred after righteousness ; of the distribution whereof in the ordinances of the gospel , when they heard christ discourse , they cried out [ lord , evermore give us of this bread : ] not so much as the type of that bread , which can give satisfaction and rest to the soul , was communicated on their sabbath ; and that was a plain enough indication that their sabbath was not the true rest . . in the very form of its first institution , exod. . . the imposition of the name bewrays the nature of the thing [ is the rest of the sabbath , sabbathon , sabbath , the sabbatism , the sabbath holy to the lord ] so ainsworth reads it . but he is exceeding wide of the sense of the hebrew word [ sabbathon ] in translating it [ sabbatism , ] except he takes sabbatism for a diminitive ; for schindler in his penteglot , and p. fagius on the chaldee paraphrase , exod. . . affirm that sabbathon hath the form of a diminitive , which , saith he , the hebrews form by adding [ on ] to the end of the primitive , as isch , viz. ishcon virunculus ; so of sabbath comes sabbathon , sabbatulum : and fagius observes , that the hebrew doctors do thus distinguish these two words , that sabbath signifies the whole day from beginning to end ; sabbathon , that part of the eve before the just beginning of the sabbath , which was taken from the prophane , and added to the sacred time , by such as chose rather to over-do than to come short . the name therefore given saturday-sabbath at first was the [ puny sabbath ] [ the demy-rest ] or the [ eve-rest of the true sabbath . ] a diminitive rest for children under age , preparative to that holy rest suitable to men which was to succeed . . david speaking of another day of rest than that which moses had instituted the celebration of , and of another rest than that which joshua brought them into the possession of , made so clear a comment upon the precept of the sabbath , as well as of their rest in canaan , as from thence the jews might have collected , that both were but shadows of a better rest , and better day of rest approaching , by the same way of ratiocination that the apostle useth in the d and th chapters to the hebrews . touching the rest of canaan , it is not material to my business , and therefore i shall not speak of that but occasionally . but what the author of that epistle argueth , from david's speaking of another day , so long a time after the giving of the precept touching saturday-sabbath , is of such moment towards the right perception of the strenuousness of his arguments for both , and of so great concernment towards the illustration of that point i am now handling , as i shall for the clearing of the apostle's discourse on that subject , commit to the censure of the pious and learned these annotations . . the rest of joshua and the sabbath of moses , as reflected on by david , are that yoke of heifers wherewith the apostle plows to find out the riddle of the lord's-day-sabbath , and the not making them to draw equally , is the main reason why commentators make no better work of st. paul's arguments touching another day ; and why they make a balk or a bungle of the christian sabbath ; though all the texts alledged , not only in their own most natural tendency , but in the apostle's express application of them , look directly thitherward . i will begin with that which beza confesses to be a most obscure place ; heb. . . [ for we which have believed do enter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , into that rest , as he said , [ as i have sworn in my wrath , if they shall enter into my rest , ] although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. ] it is the mis-translation of this last clause makes this text unintelligible ; but if men did not shut their eyes , for fear of seeing the light of the christian-sabbath dart in upon them from hence ; or cast the vail of their own pre-occupations upon the face of it , there would be no obscurity at all in it ; for , take it as the apostle gave it ( if it were writ by him in greek ) and it is as light as day ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , [ if they shall enter into my rest , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] equidem , scilicet , nempe , i mean , or , that is to say , or [ to wit , in the works when they were finished from the foundation of the world. ] ( i. e. ) they shall not enter into that rest i took on the seventh day , when i saw all things that i had made , and lo it was very good : [ for he speaks in a certain place of the seventh day , on this wise , [ and god did rest the seventh day ▪ from all his works , ] as it immediately follows ( vers . . ) by which quotation of what is said ( gen. . . ) the apostle proves , that he hath given a right explanation of david's words , when he saith , the rest of god there meant , is god's resting in the contemplation of the perfections of his works on the seventh day ; upon the account whereof he blessed the seventh day , [ because it is there said of the seventh day , that god rested from all his works . ] and that he had rightly concluded from god's swearing unbelievers out of his rest , that believers , that is , christians , had entred into it , seeing the only bar put in against entering is unbelief ; he proves ( vers . . ) from that place of david which the apostle had taken for his text , chap. . and in this place again , ( that is , he speaks again of the seventh day on this wise ) [ if they shall enter into my rest . ] the reason of which consequence the apostle gives , vers . . ] seeing then , some must enter in , ] ( for to what purpose else serves the promise of entring ) [ and they to whom it was first preached entred not in , because of vnbelief . ] the consequence is so plain , that it needs not be repeated , to wit , that therefore they that have believed , are entred . and again , or furthermore , vers . . [ he limiteth a certain day , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , saying to david , to day , after so long a time , it is said , to day , if you will hear my voice : ] that is , the day that david speaks of cannot be the jewish saturday-sabbath , for the jews were very zealous in keeping that carnal commandment ( insomuch as he that did but gather a few sticks was stoned to death ) ; and in recompence thereof had bodily rest given them by joshua in canaan ; but it was many hundreds of years after that , that david spake of another day and another rest ; which he would not have done , if that had been god's seventh day 's rest , conducting them to the true rest , [ for if jesus , ( i. e. ) joshua , had given them rest , then would he not afterwards have spoken of another day ] vers . . from all which premises the apostle draws this conclusion ; [ there remaineth therefore a rest to the people of god : ] ver . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. [ therefore the sabbatism remains , or is left , or falls to the share of the people of god ] ( i.e. ) to the christian church ; according to that ( rom. . . ) i will call them my people that were not my people . and now sabbatism is not so hard to be understood , but that the signification thereof might easily be found out , if men could digest it as platonism , latinism , graecism , signifies the pure , natural , and genuine imitation of plato , of the latine or greek tongue ; so sabbatism is nothing else but the genuine imitation of the sabbath ; and ( according to the tenor of the apostle's discourse ) of that complacential rest which god took on the seventh day . it remains therefore , that the christian , or lord's-day-sabbath , is the most natural and genuine copy of god's rest : but it is beyond my intention to make a just comment ; i intended these short notes as instances only to shew how men's disgusting the notion of a christian-sabbath , makes them cast up from their nauceating stomacks , the apostle's arguments undigested . . the next bugbear that frights men out of the plain way of truth , is a conceit , that when they hear the sound of a seventh-day sabbath , they think they hear the man-drakes voice of the jewish sabbath : i need not here give instances of this , for they occur every-where in all men's writings concerning the sabbath : and it is too too common an opinion , that the jewish sabbath is the seventh day in the order of the creation , and our christian sabbath the first [ de die autem primo mundi constat inter omnes illum fuisse diem dominicum , ] gregor . de valentia , tom. . disp . . quest . . pun. . quando quidem dies septimus ab eo fuit dies sabbati : concerning the first day of the world it is agreed amongst all men , that it was the lord's-day , seeing the seventh from that was the day of the sabbath : yea , his conceit is , that it was called sunday from the beginning , because the light created on the first day was the light of the sun , not yet endowed with its proper motion , north and south , which it received the fourth day , but only with that of the primum mobile , from east and west . but i have sufficiently proved the contrary , to wit , that the jewish sabbath was not the seventh , but sixth day in order of the creation , but only of gathering quails and mannah . and that our lord's-day , tho according to the jewish idiom it be called the first day ( the first day of their week after that god had appointed them to observe another beginning of their work as well as year then was in use before ) yet it is in reality the seventh day of the week , commencing that account from the creation , and the same day of the week whereon god rested . . the last thing i shall name here , is as a remora to mens arrival at the true meaning of the apostle's discourse is a tincture with that spirit which luther's aerij daemones were of ; or with that wherein they in the corinthian church were immerst , who would be of christ in opposition to paul , and apollos . these men's high-flown minds will not stoop to the contemplation of any sabbath-day , to be celebrated under the gospel , in the visible communion of saints ; but hang hovering in the clouds about a day of rest , purely spiritual ; nor of any rest but everlasting ; and in this humour so spiritualize the apostle's arguments , as they leave nothing in them , after their chymical operations , but thin etherial vehicles , or flitting elizian shades . but can a certain day limited to the seventh , be an individuum vagum ? or a limited day be the eternal sabbath ? what ever mean thoughts such men may have of the christian , or lord's-day-sabbath ; the divinely inspired pen-man had such an high esteem of it , as he thought it a subject worthy to be treated on , as being a very sovereign means to prevent apostacy , and to hold christians to their profession : for that 's the mark he aimed at , and concludes his discourse of the sabbath with the mention of that as his aim , ( chap. . . ) as he had begun that discourse with an exhortation of the same tendency , viz. to hold fast their profession : yea , it is the main scope of the whole epistle , to disswade the hebrew christians from forsaking church-assemblies , as some had done , and drawn back to the perdition of their souls ; and to perswade them to a firm adhering to christian-fellowship in the administration of sabbath-ordinances . on which days also he strictly chargeth the ministers to be instant in preaching ; calling that a preaching in season ; and with the same breath , stiling preaching in the synagogues of the jews on their saturday-sabbath , preaching out of season , ( tim. . . ) that i do not by this exposition of them pervert the apostle's words , will be manifest , if , . we consider , that the precept for preaching presupposeth an audience of men. i think none will imagine that timothy was bound by this injunction to preach to stones , as they say venerable bede did once , nor to sheep , hogs and birds , as that goodly saint ( of the pope's making ) anthony is fabled to have done frequently . . that a publick audience could not be had , but upon stated days of meeting , either upon a civil account , as in markets , &c. or upon a religious account , as in the jewish synagogues every of their sabbath-days , and in christian churches on the lord's-day ( the first day of the week in the jewish reckoning . . that the apostles took all occasions of such publick assemblies to preach the gospel , besides their teaching from house to house . . that their attendance upon the administration of gospel-ordinances to the church , would not permit them on the lord's-days to preach to forreign assembles either of jews or gentiles , and therefore preaching to them was out of season , being performed on week-days ; days that were not then , appointed of god to be seasons for sacred solemnities ; for even the jewish sabbath , though it had been appointed to that nation , for a time , to be their weekly sabbath ; yet not it's grown out of season , and the patriarchal sunday-sabbath came into season , whence preaching on that day is stiled preaching in season . how much light this observation casts upon the apostle's discourse , and what darkness the vulgar opinion , viz. ( that the apostle speaks of a spiritual and eternal rest ) hath drawn-over the hearts of men , in their reading this part even of the new testament , is apparent from this one instance , vers . . [ for he that is entred into his rest , hath ceased from his own works as god did from his . ] learned men are puzled how to give such a sence of this clause , as is coherent with the context : but understand the apostle to speak here of the christian lord's-day-sabbath , and the sence is as clear as the sun at noon-day , and that sence admirably consonant with what precedes and follows , thus . it remains therefore , that the church in sanctifying the lord's-day doth most properly imitate god's seventh day rest [ for he that is entred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , into the rest of that same people of god to whom the sabbatism appertains ( for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is the antecedent to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ) [ he also hath ceased from his own works , as god did from his . ] for as god rested on the seventh day from his proper works as creator , that being the proper work of god the father ( who made me and all the world ) though as to other kind of works the father worketh hitherto . even so he that is entred into the rest of the people of god ( the christian-sabbath ) doth therein most genuinely imitate god , in that he also hath ceased from his works ; that is , the works of the law of moses , that being the proper notion of [ works ] in st. paul's sence , whensoever he makes comparison betwixt the law and the gospel . and the works of the law , being the proper works of the hebrews , to whom this epistle was directed , as differencing them from all other nations : he hath cast off that yoak of ceremonies , which neither we nor our fathers could bear , and hath taken the easy yoke of christ upon him , that he may find rest to his soul. and what an apt introduction is this to what is immediately subjoyned , vers . . [ let us therefore strive to enter into this same rest , lest any man fall after the same example of vnbelief . ] let me therefore perswade you to imitate god in his seventh-day's rest , lest you imitate your fore-fathers in unbelief , and be excluded from eternal rest : from which fearful state , the best way to be secured , is to attend upon christian lord's-day's assemblies and administrations , where you shall hear moses in the newness of his spirit , not in the oldness of the letter ; you will see that vail that moses put upon his face done away , if you will turn unto the lord ; and will find the word of god , as a sharp two-edged sword , drawn out of the scabbard of types and ceremonies ( wherein it could not do any execution upon the soul ) and so weilded , [ as it shall pierce even to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit ; ] which is the plain importance of vers . . [ for the word of god is quick , &c. ] that is , as it is dispenc'd in christian-assembles ; into which if an unbeliever should come , while they are prophesying ( cor. . . ) that is , applying old-testament prophesies unto christ , and proving thence that jesus is the christ [ he is judg'd , convinc'd of all ] convinc'd of the sin of unbelief , ( joh. . . ) convinc'd and judg'd of all ; that is , all that prophesy one by one ( cor. . . ) not only by the prophesying of such as like apollos are mighty in the scriptures , ( act. . . ) but is so mightily convinc'd that jesus is the christ , even of the weakest of them that have the gift of prophesying , that is , of applying the old-testament for proof of the truth of the gospel ; he is , i say , by this powerful word so convinc'd , as the secrets of his heart are made manifest , and so falling down on his face , he glorifieth god , and confesseth that god is in you of a truth . ( cor. . . ) by the premises it appears , that the apostle's scope in his discourse of the sabbath , is to withdraw the jews from the celebration of their fruitless sabbath , to the observation of the christian-sabbath : as also how well god provided for the settlement of publick-stated assemblies in the church , when the jewish sabbaths were antiquated , by letting the apostles see , that though the law for that was out of date , ( col. . . ) yet there remained a sabbath to the people of god , viz. that which was instituted from the beginning , and commanded in the decalogue . had the apostle indeed only decried that , and not establish'd this ; it might have been thought , that the church had been left to her choice , what day of the week to have celebrated , as calvin and the prolepsarians conceive : but as if the holy ghost had purposely intended to obviate that errour , the admitting whereof would unavoidably bring confusion into the christian world ; he was pleased to direct the same apostle , whose pen had cancel'd the jewish , to write in vindication of the christian-sabbath ; and to inform him , that seeing the partition-wall was taken down , there was a plain and open way made , for the restauration of the patriarchal sunday-sabbath , that sabbath in the sanctifying whereof the greatest part of those worthies mentioned ( heb. . ) had received grace to offer acceptable sacrifices to god by faith in the promised seed , to walk with god , to be upright before him in the most general apostacies ; to obey his call unreservedly , though they knew not whither . to exert such heroick acts of faith , patience , contempt of the world , dependance on god , &c. as made them the wonders of that world which was unworthy of them , and paterns to the best of christians . that sabbath in the celebration whereof , the christian-church forsook the jewish synagogue , ( then became the synagogue of satan ) and betook themselves to the communion of the general-assembly and church of the first-born , consisting of all those who from the publication of the promise of christ to adam , had been begotten again of the immortal seed of that ever-induring word administred to the patriarchs , and all that adhere to the patriarchal religion in all nations and ages ; and administred without those carnal ordinances and unprofitable bodily exercises , wherewith the jews sabbath was incumbred , if not wholly taken up therewith . for the jews that out-went the ox and ass in keeping the mosaical sabbath as such , did not go beyond them in the strength of the services thereof , which could not perfect them that frequented them , as touching conscience ; but in the strength of the ordinances of the patriarchal sabbath ; so that it was their doing sunday's work on their saturdays , that sanctified the jews as to conscience . their own sabbath's rest from work sanctifying them only by the external visible separating of them from other nations ; to the end that our saviour's descent from abraham might be more conspicuous . and therefore as their fore-fathers sell short through their looking no further than canaan ; so those then moderate jews , to whom he writes , would also fall short of eternal rest , if they did not look forward beyond their sabbath-day to sunday , or the lord's-day-sabbath ; in the ordinances whereof saving grace is so plentifully dispenc'd , as the eunuch , shall have no cause to say , i am a dry tree ; nor the sun of the stranger to complain , i am utterly cut off from god's people . if they take hold of god's covenant , and keep his sabbaths now under the gospel , tho they were excluded from the congregation of the lord , under the mosaical sabbath ; ( isa . . , &c. ) but their sacrifices shall be accepted upon his altar , and he will make them joyful in his house of prayer . to this god of all grace , who deals thus bountifully with us gentiles ; even to the father , son , and holy-ghost , be given all praises , and adoration , now and for ever . amen . finis . books printed for , and sold by richard chiswell . folio . dr. cave's lives of the primitive fathers , in vol. dr. cary's chronological account of ancient time. wilson's compleat christian dictionary . bishop wilkin's real character , or philosophical language . hooker's ecclesiastical polity . isaac ambrose 's works . dr. burnet's history of the reformation of the church of england , in vol. — account of the confession and prayers of the murtherers of esquire thynn . burlace's history of the irish rebellion . bishop sanderson's sermons , with his life . fowlis's history of conspiracies , treasons , and usurpations . the laws of this realm concerning jesuits , seminary priests , recusants . the oaths of supremacy and allegiance explained by divers judgments , and resolutions of the judges ; with other observations thereupon : by will. coley esq . william's impartial consideration of the speeches of the five jesuits executed for treason , . josephus's antiquities and wars of the jews , with figures . qvarto . bishop nicholson on the church catechism . history of the late wars of new-engl . dr. outram de sacrificiis . bishop taylor 's disswasive from popery . history of the future state of europe . dr. fowler 's defence of the design of christianity , against john bunnyan . dr. sherlock's visitation serm. at warrington . dr. west's assize-sermon at dorchester . . the magistrates authority asserted , in a sermon , by james paston . mr. james brome's two fast-sermons . dr. jane's fast-sermon before the commons , . mr. john jame ' s visitation-sermon , april . . mr. john cave 's fast-sermon on th of jan. . — assize-sermon at leicester july st , . dr. parker's demonstration of the divine authority of the law of nature and the christian religion . mr. william's sermon before the lord mayor , . — history of the powder-treason , with a vindication of the proceedings relating thereunto , from the exceptions made against it by the catholick apologist and others ; and a parallel betwixt that and the present popish plot. speculum baxterianum , or baxter against baxter . dr. burnet's relation of the massacre of the protestants in france . — conversions and persecutions of eve cohan a jewess of quality , lately baptized christian . — sermon before the lord mayor upon the fast for the fire , . — fast-sermon before the house of commons decemb. . . — sermon on the th of january , . — sermon at the election of the lord mayor , . — sermon at the funeral of mr. houblon , . — answer to the animadversions on his history of the rights of princes , . — decree made at rome . condemning some opinions of the jesuits and other casuists . published by dr. burnet , with a preface . — a letter giving a relation of the present state of the difference between the french king and the court of rome . octavo . bishop wilkin's natural religion . hardcastle's christian geography and arithmetick . spaniards conspiracy against the state of venice . several tracts of mr. hale of eaton . ignatius fuller's sermons of peace and holiness . s. . d. doctor sanway's unreasonableness of the romanists . dr. ashton's cases of scandal and persecution . dr. puller's discourse of the moderation of the church of england . dr. henry bagshaw's discourses on select texts . mr. seller's remarks relating to the state of the church in the three first centuries . dr. burnet's account of the life and death of the earl of rochester . — vindication of the ordinations of the church of england . — history of the rights of princes in the disposing of ecclesiastical benefices and church-lands . dr. sherlock's practical discourse of religious assemblies . — defence of dr. stillingfleet's unreasonableness of separation . — a vindication of the defence of dr. stillingfleet in ansewr to mr. baxter and mr. lob about cotholick communion . mr. john cave's gospel to the romans . dvodecimo . hodder's arithmetick . bishop hacket's christian consolations . an apology for a treatise of human reason : written by m. clifford esq books lately printed for richard chiswell . an historical relation of the island of ceylon in the east indies ; an exact map of the island , by capt. r. knox , a captive there near years . folio . mr. camfield of episcop . confirmation , o bp wilkin's sermons , never before extant . mr. john cave's sermons of the duty and benefit of submission to the will of god in afflictions . quarto . dr. crawford's serious expostulation with the whiggs in scotland . quarto . dr. salmon's doron medicum , or supplement to his new london dispensatory . octavo . mr. tanner's primordia ; or the rise and growth of the first church of god described . octavo . a letter writ by the last assembly general of the clergy of france to the protestants , inviting them to return to their communion ; together with the methods proposed by them for their conviction . translated into english and examined by dr. gilbert burnet . octavo . the doctrine of the sabbath wherein the first institution of the vveekly sabbath, with the time thereof, the nature of the law binding man to keep it, the true ground, and necessity of the first institution, and of the observation of it, on the severall day in the old testament, and also of the moving of it to the first day under the gospel, are laid open and proved out of the holy scriptures. also besides the speciall dueties necessarily required for the due sanctification thereof, those two profitable points are proved by demonstrations out of gods word. first, that the lord christ god and man, is the lord of the sabbath, on whom the sabbath was first founded... . that the faithfull under the gospell are as necessarily bound to keep the weekly sabbath of the lords day... deliverd in divers sermons by george walker b. of divinity and pastor of st. iohn evangelists church in london. walker, george, ?- . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the doctrine of the sabbath wherein the first institution of the vveekly sabbath, with the time thereof, the nature of the law binding man to keep it, the true ground, and necessity of the first institution, and of the observation of it, on the severall day in the old testament, and also of the moving of it to the first day under the gospel, are laid open and proved out of the holy scriptures. also besides the speciall dueties necessarily required for the due sanctification thereof, those two profitable points are proved by demonstrations out of gods word. first, that the lord christ god and man, is the lord of the sabbath, on whom the sabbath was first founded... . that the faithfull under the gospell are as necessarily bound to keep the weekly sabbath of the lords day... deliverd in divers sermons by george walker b. of divinity and pastor of st. iohn evangelists church in london. walker, george, ?- . [ ], - , [ ] p. 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pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the doctrine of the sabbath . wherein the first institution of the vveekly sabbath , with the time thereof , the nature of the law binding man to keep it , the true grounds , and necessity of the first institution , and of the observation of it , on the severall day in the old testament , and also of the removing of it to the first day under the gospell , are laid open and proved out of the holy scriptures . also besides the speciall dueties necessarily required for the due sanctification thereof , these two profitable points are proved by demonstrations out of gods word . first , that the lord christ god and man , is the lord of the sabbath , on whom the sabbath was first founded , & by whom it was changed from the last to the first day of the weeke ; and is on that day unchangeably to be kept by all true christians , untill they come to the eternall rest in heaven , after the generall resurrection . . that the faithfull under the gospell are as necessarily bound to keep the weekly sabbath of the lords day , by vertue of the fourth commandement , as the fathers under the law were bound to keep the seventh day . delivered in divers sermons by george walker b. of divinity and pastor of st. iohn evangelists church in london . levit . . . ye shall keepe my sabbaths , and reverence my sanctuary : i am the lord. printed at amsterdam , in the yeare . to the christian reader . the author of this treatise being much importuned , to publish his sermons concerning the sabbath ( preached in his owne parish-church to his owne flocke ) not onely by divers of his ch●istian hearers ; but also by others both preachers and godly people , who had heard by report the manner of his large handling and expounding of this text , did yeeld at length to their req●ests , and composed this treatise , which containes in it the whole summe and substance of the matter more largely delivered . the copie whereof written with his owne hand , he gave to be imparted from hand to hand , and transcribed by such as did d●sire to make use of it , for their owne satisfaction , and the inst●uction of their owne private families and christian friends . which comming to my hands , i thought fitt to publ●sh and impart i● to the engl●sh c●urches in those c●u●tries on this other sid● of the s●as ; being credibly informed , that the author ●s not unwill●ng to submite his doct●ine to the judgement of the true reformed church●s of ch●ist , acco●ding to that saying of the holie apostle , cor. . ● . the spirits of the p●ophets are subject to the prophets . let those things which be●ein seeme most of all to savour of noveltie , be read without prejudice and sinister aff●ction , & weig●ed by the sh●kel of the sanctuarie , and i doubt not but such as are judicious , will ●i●de them to be auncient truths like pure old gold newlie brought to light out of the old treasu●e of the sacred scriptu●es , in which m●ny p●ofitable truths fitt for these last times remaine , yet to be more clearely revealed . which god w●ll undoubtedly bring to light , by such as d●gge deeper in those mines then others formerly have done , and labour to ●raw st●ll more waters of comfort out of those wells of salvation . to that god onely immortall , and infinit in goodnesse and wisedome , and to ●he wo●d of his grace i commend you , which is able to bui●d you up , and to give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified . the doctrine of the sabbath . gen. : . . and on the seventh god ended his vvorke which he had made , and he rested the seventh day from all his wo●ke which he had made . . and god blessed the seventh day , and sanctified it , because in it he had rested from all his worke which god created and made . chap. . in the unfolding of this text , and handling of this maine and necessary point , i will observe the method and order which is most agreeable to the order of the words . first , from these words , ( and on the seventh day ) j will observe , and declare the time of the institution of the weekly sabba●h , even the very day wherin the first occasion was given for the sanctification of it , and god did first sanctifie it , and commaund that it should be kept holy secondly , i will shew the true ground and occasion of the institution of it , laid downe in the next words : god ende● his work which he had made , and he rested the seventh day from all his worke which he had made , and god bl●ssed the seventh day . thirdly , i will declare what is the blessing , and sanctifying of the seventh day , where i shall have occasion to speake of the law and commandement by which god seperated it from other naturall dayes to holy heavenly and supernaturall use . and of the dueties which that law requires at the hands of all gods people in all ages to the end of the world on the most blessed day of all the seven in every weeke , even the weekly sabbath-day . under these heades divers subordinate points will ●ffer themselves to be handled , and divers necessarie questions will come to be answered and explaned . first , concerning the time of the institution , there are severall opi●ions among learned writers of former and later times . first , some heathen writers , as iustine & tacitus , with others , have grossely and absurdly erred , as in the time , so also in the author and in the occasion of the institution , though they had perhaps read the the writings of moses ; yet it seemes they beleeved him not concerning the fi●st institution of it by god ; but finding the first expresse law , concerning the keeping of the sabbath given by moses at mount sina , written in tables of stone , and afterwards recorded in the the bookes of moses ; they make moses the first author of the sabb●th , and that upon this occasion , because wandring with the israelites out of egypt in the wildernesse , and finding no sustenance , but being forced to fast six dayes , at length comming to mount sina with the people , there found meate , and rested , and upon this occasion did appoint it to be keept weekly for a sabbath or day of rest . but all true christians , who beleeve the scriptures to be the sacred infallible vvord of god , being thereby better instructed , doe with one consent hold , confesse , and constantly teach , that god the lord iehovah , the onely true god , is the author and ordainer of the sabbath , and that he first ordained it upon the ground and occasion mentioned in this text , and expressed in the words of the law. but yet in the time they much d●ff●r among themselves ; some in the time of the first institution concurre with the infidell heathens before mentioned ; though they differ much concerning the author and the occasion ▪ for they hold that the sabbath was neither commaunded by god , nor knowne to the fathers and patriarches , nor observed by any before the comming of israel with moses to mount sina , and that the first inst●tution of it was in the fourth commaundement given by god among the ten from mount sina , both by word of mouth , in the audience of all israel , and also in tables of stone written with his owne finger . iustine martyr , tertullian , irenaeus , and others of the auncient , seeme to have given the occasion of this opinion , where they make it a question , whether adam , abel , noah , abraham , melchizedeck , or any of the holy fathers kept the seventh day for an holy sabbath , and affirme that abraham beleeved and was justified , and called the friend of god without circumcision or observation of sabbath ; for from their words , which are but doubtfull , some late writers , both * papists and protestants , doe goe about to prove that the sabbath was not instituted by god untill the giving of the law by moses on mount sina . and although the words of this text , written by moses , doe here plainely affirme the contrarie , and tell us that on the seventh day god ended his worke , rested and sanctified the seventh day ; yet thus they wrangle and wrest the text by a childish forged sense and meaning ; first , they grant the first words , that on the seventh day god ended his worke , and rested ; but they deny that he blessed and sanctified the sabbath on the same day , they say that here by way of anticipation , moses mentions the blessing and sanctifying of the sabbath , not as a thing at this time done ; but as a thing which was first done in the giving of the law on mount sina , many ages after , and that upon this ground which is here mentioned , to witt , his ending of his worke , and resting on the first seventh day of the world. and here moses his purpose was , to shew not the time , but the equitie of the institution ; not the beginning but the ground of that sabbath . the paraphrase of the text in their sense was thus : and on the seventh day god ended his worke , and rested ; and upon this ground he many ages after at mount sina instituted the seventh day to be kept by jsrael for an holy sabbath of rest . but though some men of learning , and divers out of effected errour and mal●ce stand for this opinion ; yet indeed there is no ground for it in the scriptures , but many plaine proofes to the contrarie . first , this text ( ●f we take the words as they runne ) shewes most manifestly , that on the seventh day , even th● next after the six dayes of the crea●ion , god ended or perfected his worke , and on that day he rest●d , and also blessed and sanct●fied it to be his sabbath . secondly , there is no c●l●ur of reason for any man to thinke , that god sh●uld lay the ground and foundation of the sabbath on the first seventh day of the world , and suffer it t● lye voide , and of no use , and never goe about to build on it till so many ages after , god cannot endure to doe any thing in vaine nor to suffer any thing to lye void , & to be of no use , which of it selfe is very useful . surely , as he loved & chos al the holy fathers from the begining , & promisd to them the eternal rest of heaven , wich they loked for , and sought in t●e everlasting citie , which hath sure foundations , and in the countrie above in the world to come . so he kept not back from them the outward sign● , seal● & pledg therof , his holy sabbath , wich was both a motive to make them bend t●eir whol cours towards that rest , & a meanes to further them in their way & jorney to it also . thirdly , the lords owne words which he spake from mount sina in the commaundement of the sabbath , are most cleare , and doe shew that god blessed and sanctified the sabbath in the beginning , on the first seventh day wherein he ended his wo●k and rested . for he doth not say , i the lord rested on the seventh day from works of creation , and therefore i now blesse and sanctifie every seventh day of every weeke hereafter . but the lord rested the seventh day , wherefore the lord blessed the sabbath , and sanctified it , that is then of old in the beginning when he rested , he blessed and sanctified it . fourthly , the sabbath-day was kept and observed by the israelites a moneth before they came to mount sina , exo. . . . and moses and the people knew that the seventh day after that god began to raine manna from heaven , for to be their bread , was the lords sabbath , as his words doe plainely shew , and that the lord before that time hath by his word appointed it to be the rest of the holie sabbath . ve●s . . and the words of the lord to moses , when some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather manna , doe plainly shew , that god had before that time given them commaundements and lawes concerning the rest of the seventh day ; for in the . verse he saith : how long will ye refuse to keep my commaundements and lawes ? intimating that their going out on the seventh day was a refusing to k●ep his lawes , which of old he had given , and before this had revealed to them . for otherwise they could not be said to transgresse : lawes cannot be refused to be kept before they be given ; wherefore it is a vaine praetence and shift , which some use to decline this argument , viz. that the ceasing ●f the manna on the seventh day , and moses his admonishing of the people to rest that day , was but a praeludium of the fourth commandement , and a preparation to gods promulgation of it ; for the words of the text shew most plainely , that the intermission of manna was an evidence of the sabbath already sanctified by the commaundement of god ; the resting of the jsraelites was observing and obeying of the law already given , & the going out of some to gather manna on the seventh day , was refusing to keep gods law given in the first institution . now , for justine martyr , tertullian , jraeneus , their words doe not prove any thing for the maintaining of this opinion ; tertullian denyes onely the perpetuall moralitie of the law , concerning the iewish sabbath , and calls into question ▪ not the institution of it in the beginning , but the observation of it by the first fathers and patriarches . iustine martyr and j●aeneus say , that abraham was justified without circumcision and observation of sabbaths , that is , of the ceremoniall sabbaths commaunded by god in the ceremoniall lawes given by moses , not without observation of the weekly sabbath , as the word , zabbaton , of the plurall number which they use , doeth clearely declare : that the weekly sabba●h was instituted from the beginning , the best learned of the fathers affirme , as origen , hi●rome , austine , and others . and although the scriptures which briefly runne over the lives and acts of the fathers , make no expresse mention of their observation of the weekely sabbath ; yet we have divers places which minister very probable arguments for this purpose . in genesis , cap. . . it is said , that at the end of dayes , caine brought his offering to the lord , that is on the sabbath , which was the end of the weeke and the last of the dayes . the hebrew words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and signifie at the end of dayes , and howsoever they are taken to signifie in processe of time , by some learned translaters , yet in no other place of scripture doe i finde , that they signifie any other end of dayes , but of a certaine sett number of dayes , either of thirtie or for●ie , or many dayes ; or of the dayes of a whole yeare , as sam. . . where it is said at the end of dayes , according to dayes , t●at is of every yeare . absalom polled his head . and king. . . at the end of dayes , that is of a yeare ( ●s tremellius translates the words ) the brooke dried up . now , i see no reason why we sh●uld unde●st●nd by the end of dayes , the end of the yeare , that caine and abel did onely at the end of the yeare offer to god , or after a long time ; but that on every seventh day of the weeke , which is the weekely sabbath , they sacrificed to god ; undoubt●dly their father adam , who taught them to sacrifice ( which worsh●pp god first instituted on the seventh day ) he also taught them the day of gods holy worship even the sabbath which god had sanctified , and this was the end of the dayes of the weeke . also in the same fourth of genesis in the last verse , it is said , that when seths children began to increase , that then men began to call on the name of the lord ; that is as learned iunius well expounds the words , they began to assemble themselves together in publicke assemblies to pray unto god and worship him , even all seths seed who were gods people . and were called by the name of the lord , that is the children of god , as we see gen. . . now , as they had solemne and set meetings , so undoubtedly they had a set time , even every sabbath or seventh day , and set places or churches ; for without set time and place there can be no solemne invocation or worshipp in solemne assemblies , as common sense teacheth . and that noah when he came out of the arke began to observe the rest of the sabbath , and did offer a sacrifice of the rest that is of the holy sabbath , and that god was well pleased with it . me thinkes the hebrew words in the originall text teach very plainely ; for it is said , that god smelled a savour of the rest ; that is he accept●d it as a pleasing sabbath sacrifice , the hebrew emp●raticall and demonstrative particle here added to sett forth a speciall rest , implies so much . and the word which is in the hebrew , rest , is of the same note and originall with the word which exod. . . in the fourth commaundement is used to signifie gods resting on the seventh day . now , all these things well weighed and laid together doe shew that this opinion , though held by some learned men , is but a meere dreame and idle fancie . and indeed the very first words in which god gave the fourth commaundement , to wit , remember the sabbath day to keep it holy , are of themselves alone a sufficient argument to prove , that the lord did not in giving the law from mount sina first institute the sabbath day ; but onely did renew the memory of it , and of the first institution thereof by renewing and receiving his old commandement , by which he on the first seventh day of the world did sanctifie it . there is another opinion which divers both auncient and moderne christians do hold upon a better ground ; for they do gather & cōclude with one generall consent from the plaine words of this text , that god in the beginning immediatly after the creation ended , did give the law of the sabbath , and did blesse and sanctifie the seventh day of the first weeke of the world , and every seventh day of every weeke following , and commanded it to be kept an holy sabbath , in memory of his rest on the seventh day . but howsoever , they all agree in the generall ; yet in divers speciall and particular things they doe much differ . . some hold , that the law of the sabbath was given to man in the state of innocency , before his fall on the sixth day , and that it was written in mans heart , that he ought to keepe the seventh day holy ; and that if man had continued in his integrity , he would have kept the seventh day of every weeke an holy rest unto the lord his god. . others hold , that the sabbath was instituted not in the state of innocency , nor before mans fall , which happened towards the end of the sixth day ; but that on the seventh day when god rested from the worke of creation , he then did blesse & sanctifie that & every seventh day and appointed it to be a weekly sabbath , & the law by which he instituted the sabbath : was no other but such as was written in mans heart in the creat●ō , & that man by the instinct of nature would haue obeyed that law and kept the sabbath in the state of innocnecy , if he h●d stood & continued therein . a third sort are of opinion , that the sabbath was instituted and the commandement for the keeping therof given in the state of innocency , and yet not till the seventh day : for they imagine that man stood more then one day , and did in his innocency keepe the sabbath , and if he had continued would haue alwaies kept it ; not by any instinct of nature or light of naturall reason created in him & moveing him so to do , but by a possitiue law and precept giuen by god : of the same nature and kinde with the commandement of abstaining from the tree of knowledge of good and euill . in all and euery of these opinions i finde some failling , and noe consent and perfect agreement with the word of god. first they all go too farre , and haue not one word in scripture to warrant their opinion : that adam in the state of innocency should and would haue kept every seventh day for an holy rest , & that god would haue required it at his hands . for all scriptures which mention the sabbath do speake of it as of an holy signe looking altogether towards christ and towards the state of grace and glory in him , and not towards the state of innocency . it is most certain that man in that state was perfect with naturall perfection , at all times equally disposed to obey god & to serue him , and to remember his creation and to honour his creatour . he needed no obseruation of any day to put him in minde of any thing which he had before known , & which god had revealed to him , his memorie was perfect , and he knew whatsoever was needfull for him to know or doe in that present state . and his will was every m●ment ready to doe wha●soever he knew to be right , hee needed no signe to ad●onish him of his duty , or to moue him to do it in due seas●n . he did not labour nor weary himselfe , every day was to him a da●e of delight and pleasure of rest and recreation , and in every creature which he did see or medle with , he did behold & take notice of the wisdome & goodnesse of god , in a word : his whole life was a constant & obedient seruice of god , and there was no inequality nor lesse worship of god in one then in another , for he fully serued god at all times : w●osoever denyes this must needs deny therein mans perfection & constant conformity to god in the state of innocency . for where one day is kept better then another , there is inequality , and noe constant vniformity in himselfe nor conformitie to gods will. in the second place , they who hold that the sabbath was first instituted after mans fall , & yet that it was writtē in mans heart in the state of innocency , and he then was bound to keepe it : they fall into many absurdities . first that a man was bound to keepe a sabbath before ever it was instituted . secōdly , that god did by his word & cōmādmēt teach má in vain that which he was fully taught alreadie & had writtē in his heart . thirdly , that god gaue to man a law in vaine after his fall when he knew he was become vnable to keep it . . they who hold that the law of the sabbath was not written in mans heart , but was a positiue law given in the state of innocency , of the same nature with that commandement of mans not eating of the tree of knowledge , they doe make this commandement of the sabbath vtterly voyd by mans fall , euen as that of not eating is now voyd , and was not to bee renued after mans fall . but of the vnsoundnesse and vanity of these opinions i shall speake more fully , when i come to shew what kind of law that of the sabbath is , and how that commandement bindes men . now because i cannot find any solidity , or satisfaction in any of these opinions , j haue left humane writings even of the best learned , and haue betaken my selfe wholy to the searching of the holy scriptures , gods most pure infallible w●rd , and what light j finde therein for the manifestation of the truth i will not hide nor cover , but set it before you openly . and for the time when god first instituted the sabbath , i conceive it to haue been not in the state of innocency , but after mans fal imediately , & yet upon the seventh day wherein god rested from the worke of the creation , as my text here sayth , and although this may seeme to crosse the order of the history as is here laid down by moses , because mans fall related a while after his sanctification of the sabbath , even in the third chapt. yet let this moue no man , for moses doth not set downe al thi●gs in order as they were done in this & the next chapter , but first he speaks of the finishing of heaven and earth , and all the host of them , and then of gods rest , and of the sanctifying of the seventh day , & then returnes to speak of thi●gs which were done before : as the planting of the garden in eden , which was a worke of the third day , and the making of the woman and forming her of a rib taken out of mans side , and mans naming of al living creatures before the woman was made , which things were done on the sixt day . also in this chapter the forming of the man is related before the planting of the garden and the watering of it with a river which was devided into foure heads , though it is most euident that before there was a man to till the ground , god made every plant & tree that was pleasant to the eye and good for food , to grow out of the ground , that is all the trees of the garden amongst the rest ver . , wherefore we must not cleave strictly to the order in which moses sets things downe in this chapter , nor take all things to be first done which are here first related , for then wee should beleeve that plants , herbes , trees , man and woman were all created after that the workes of creation were finished , and after gods resting one the seventh day . but to passe by all needlesse doubts , let us come to the proofes of this point which proue strongly that gods institution of the sabbath was not in mans innocency but af●er his fall ▪ first , the very words of my text affirme that the sabbath was instituted on the seventh day , for first it is said in expresse words , that on the seventh day god rested & blessed & sanctified that day . secondly , the things which gaue god occation to sanctifie the seventh day ; & upon which the first institution of the sabbath was grounded came not to passe , neither were they in being vntill the seventh day , that is gods perfecting of the worke and resting from al he work which he had made : the words of the text are very plain on , or in the seven●h day god ended his worke and rested , and because of this resting he blessed and sanctified the seventh day , and therefore the sanctifying of the seventh day which was the institution of the sabbath , cannot be before the seventh day ; the building could not bee beefore their was ground to build on , neither could the worke goe before the cause and occation of it . thirdly , it is against all reason to thinke that god actually blessed and sanctified the seventh day , and made ●it his holy sabbath before it came into being . now this ground being very cleare , that the sabbath was instituted on the seuenth day from the beginning of the creatiō & not before . i proceed to a second ground , to weet : that man did fall towards the end of the sixt day , even on the same day in which he was created , which being fully proved , jt well necessarily follow that the fi●st institution of the sabbath was after mans fall and not in the state of innocency . first that man did fall vpon the very day of his creation the sixt day , i proue by plaine scriptures and by strong arguments grounded on them . the first testemony is that speech of david , psalme . . man beeing in honour lodged not a night therein , but became like the beasts that perish . soe the words runne in the originall text , & we cānot without wresting of the words from their proper sence in the hebrew , expound them of any other person but of the fir●t adam , & of his fall , the word which is in our translation ( man ) is adam in the hebrew , and the words which we read in our engglish ( abideth not ) bal-jalim , and in the hebrew signifie , lodged not a night therein : as appeareth by other scriptures , in which it is continually vsed to signifie lodging or tarrying for a night , viz. exod. . . & . . devt . . . where god forbids the israelites to let the fat of their sacrifice , or any part of the fl●sh of the paschall lambe : lodge with them all night till the morning . and sam. . . where hushai saith to absalom of his father david , that he was a man of warre , and would not lodge with the people . and sam. . . where joab saith to david , there will not one abide with thee one night . and psal. . . where it is said , that weeping may lodge for a night , but joy commeth in the morning . and soe in all other scriptures this word is vsed . and the learned hebrews who best know the propriety of the phrase : vnderstand this place of adam and of his falling on the day of his creation , and not continving one night in the honourable state of innocency· the second testimonie is that speach of our sauiour ioh. . . where he saith that the devill was a murtherer of mā & alier from the beg●nning & abode not in the truth . by the beginning is meant the first day of mans creation , & it is never absolutely vsed in any other sence but for the time of the first creation . now if the devill did lie & deceiue & murther mā by drawing him to sin frō the first day , of mās being , it follows that man did fall the sixt day , on which was the day of his creation . the third proofe is grounded on the words which passed between the woman & the serpent t ; he serpents speech implies that as yet they had not eaten of any tree , & that he set upō the woman immediately after that god had given them commandement not to eate of the tree of knowledg ; the words which he uset● ( y●a , or is it even soe ) they are a forme of speech vsed by one that standing aloofe and ouer hearing what was forbidden , doth immediatelie step in and askes the party to whom the commandement was given if it were even soe as he conceived . and the womans answ●r is in such a word as is of ●he future tence in hebrew , and signifies not an act past or present , but a power & liberty to eate heereafter when they sh●uld haue occation , and the true translation of her words is : we may or will hereafter eate of the fruite of the trees of the garden . alsoe it is very likely that if they had eaten of the fruite of any tree of their owne accord before their temptation & fall , their reason will , and appetite would haue led them to the tree of life , which was neere at hand even in the midest of the garden close by the forbidden tree ver. . the very name wher●of was amiable , and vnto which the naturall desire of man did of it selfe cheifly carry him , as gods words do intimate chapt. . . but that they had not yet re●ched forth their hands to take and eate of that tree , that speech of god shews chap. . . wher he saith that he wil cast adam out of the garden . least hee put forth his h●nd and ●ake and eate of the tree of life , which was the state of naturall life ; now this had beene too late if they had alreadie before eaten of it . fourthly , soe soone as god had created the woman , and given her to the man , he gaue them the blessing of fruitfulnesse , and the desire of procreation of children which is most naturall to man , & he did bid them increase and multiply , soe we reade chapt. . . & vndoubtedly they would not haue neglected the blessing of multiplying and increasing mankind , but if they had continued in their integrity one night , the woman by companying with the man would haue conceiued a pure seed without sinne , for there was no barrennesse of the wombe in innocency , that came in as a curse after the fall . chapt , . . f●ftly , the v●rity of god threatening , and the strictness●●f his justice required that in the same day w●erein man sinned , in the same should the sentence of death , bee executed , the words of the law are very peremtory ver . . in the day that thou ea●st thou shalt surely dye . which sentence was fully and truly execu●ed , though not on adam himselfe , yet on christ the second adam mans surety . the fi●st adam all his posterity are the same day made subject to death , wherein they act or pertake actually of this transgression , & christ the secōd adam who vndertooke to satisfie the law for this sinne and to suffer the punishment due to it and all sin w●ich spring f●ō this root , did certainly dy on the same day , & at the same houre of the day in which the first adam transgressed , so irenaeus & divers of the ancients & other acute writers do hold , & they well observe , that on the sixt day of the weeke on which day adam was created and after the ninth houre of that day , that is in the afternoone and to●ards the end of the day christ suffered both a cursed bodily death on the crosse , and also the agonies and paynes of t●e second death , as he sheweth by his crying out my god , my god , why hast thou fo●saken mee . and by his word consummatum est , that is the fulnesse and vtmost extremity of torments is come , or now is the utmost ex●remity of my paynfull suffering . and therefore it is very probable and cannot without scornefull wrangling be denied , that adams fall was about the same time of the sixt day , which doth make good the word of god and shew the verity of his threatning law , and his admirable wisdome and providence in thinking of man● redemption before he would suffer man to fall . sixtly if adam had stood any while , even one daie or night or more vntill he had eaten of the tree of life , which seemes to be aseale of the first couenant of life by workes of natural righteousnes , it is likely that he could not haue falne , nor the devill been suffered to tempt him , or if after the tast of the sweetnes of the tree of life , and the sealing of the couenant of life by his owne workes of obedience , he had fallen : surelie his fall had been more desperate , even totall and finall apostacy : for which god alloweth no sacrifice to be offered nor prayer to be made , & from which there is no recoverie nor renueing by repentance . the devill being created with the angells amongst the supernaturall host on the first day , and having seene the glory of god and tasted of the heavenly joys all the sixt dayes of the creation vntill man was created and all the frame of the world finished , and lordship given to man over all inferiour creatures , he then after this tast falling away and not abiding in the tru●h but leaving his first estate , did sin more disperately & rebelliously against the light , and his sinne is so hatefull to god , that hee will not accept of any satisfaction for it , neither could the sonne of god under take for him . but mans fall being at the first before he had tasted of the tree of life & the full sweetnesse & fruision of earthly fellicity , and springing not originally from himselfe , but from the devill who deceived him , therefore there is mercy with god for him , gods giving of christ , and christs vndertaking for man , is an argument that adam did fall in the day of his creation before he had tasted of the tree of life , and that he was made , ma●d , formed and deformed in one day , as the greeke writers speake . lastly , it seems by divers other reasons very probable , that man did fall on the sixt day before he had eaten of the tree of life , which if he had beene left to himselfe , and if he had not beene prevented and seduced by the devill he would haue done . first because the covenant of life by mans owne workes of obedience , being sealed by his eating of that tree which was the seale of that covenant : as appeares by gods speech gen. . . man had beene confirmed in that naturall life & estate wherein god created him , and the devill could haue had no power either to seduce him or to prevaile by his temptations . secondly the things which adam did after his creation and before his fall : could not be done orderly and distinctly in lesse then a good part of a day . first god brought all living creatures before him , and hee tooke notice of them and gaue to every kinde of creature fitt names , before the woman was made , as appeares ver . . then god cast him into a deep sleep and tooke one of his ribs , and formed it into a woman and brought her to him . after that god gaue them the blessing of fruitfulnesse , and said be fruitfull and multiply , he also gaue them rule and dominion over all creatures , and appointed them all trees bearing fruit , and hearbes bearing seed for their meat , and set man to keep and dresse the garden , and withall hee gaue them the commandement to abstain from the tree of knowledge of good & evill , before they were tempted & drawne into sinne & transgression . therefore their fall must needes be towards the end of the day , after the ninth houre , at the same time of the day in which christ sufferd death and gaue vp the ghost : as the gospell shewes math. . . and soe the day and houre of mans first sinne , was the daie and houre of death for sinne according to gods threatning ver . . thirdly after their fall & the sight of their nakednesse , they sewed fig leaues together & made them aprones , & by this time we may suppose that the sunne did set & the coole of the day approached , even the breathing winde which cōmonly blowes af●er the setting of the sun & did blow in the night of the seuenth day , at which time they heard gods voice walking in the garden , which was tirrible vnto them , partly by reason of the darknes of the night , and partly through the conscience of their sinne , and the shame of nakednesse which sin brought vpon them , & hereupon they hid themselues frō gods presence among the trees of the garden , which shelter was too vaine & foolish no way able to hide them frō gods pure eyes . therefore certainly they did sinne and fall towards the end of the sixt day in which they were created . and justly might adam haue cursed the day of his creation , if christ had not immediatly betimes on the seventh day been promised , and had not actually and openly vndertaken to become the seed of the woman , and began to be an actuall mediatour for mans redemption . and thus i haue by the help & light of scriptures made it plaine and manifest , that mans first sinne and fall was on the sixt daie . and that the first institution of the sabbath being vpon the seventh day , must needs be after mans fall and not in the state of innocency . chap. . now this proving & demōstrating of the first point in my text , ●o weet : the time of the first institutiō of the sabbath , doth lead vs directly as it were by the hand vnto the second maine point , that is , the ground upon which the sabbath was founded , and the true outward moving cause and occation of the first institution of it . first we may hence collect that the ground of the sabbath is not any thing revealed or done on the sixe daies of the creation , & therfore there was no vse of the sabbath nor place for it in the state of innocency , neither is it a commemoratiō of any thing then brought into beeing , but rather of gods resting from creation and ceasing to proceed further in perfecting the world by way of creation . secondly , that the true ground must bee sought and found among the things which came to passe on the seventh day , and after the state of innocency which ended at mans transgration and fall , now this we will seeke in the next words of the text . the ground of the sabbath . and on the seuenth day god ended his worke which he had made , and on the seuenth day god rested frō all his workes which he had made , and god blessed the seuenth day . in these words we may obserue three distinct things concurring on the seventh day . first gods ending or perfecting of the whole worke or busines of the creation . secondly gods resting from that worke and ceasing to proceed that way , and ●iving over to vphold the world & to repaire man & other creatures ( which were ●rought vnder corruptiō & through his fall made subject to vanity ) by the meer worke of creation . thirdly gods blessing the seventh daie by revealling therein agreat blessing , farre a boue all the good which he shewed in the sixt daies of ●he creation . that these are the true grounds of the sabbath , and that god because of these concurring & comming together on the seventh day , did sanctifie it & made it an holy sabbath , to be kept by man for an holy rest , the words following immediately do shew where it is said god did sanctifie the seventh day , because in it he rested from all his worke of creation , and from dealing & doing that way . these three points , i will therefore proue and explaine out of rhe words of the text in there order . first for gods ending or perfecting of his workes which he had made , that is , expressed in the first words . [ god ended his workes which he had made . ] the words in the originall hebrew text are these ; vaiecal elchim melacht● asher gnassah , which are diuersly translated and expounded by the learned translaters and expositers of this text . the uulger latine runnes thus : cumpleuitque d●us opus suum quod fecerat . that is , god finished his worke which he had made , or god made his worke compleat on the seventh day , the greeke septuagints render the words thus . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . that is , god perfected his worke on t●e sixt day . the caldee paraphraseth thus . on the seventh day god delighted in his worke which h● had made . trem●llious & junious and many other learned expositers do reade the words thus : that before the seventh day god had ended his worke , & had finished it on the se●enth day that is , when the seventh day come he had ended the creation . the words thus diversly translated seemes to haue severall meaning and may bee taken in divers and severall sences . the uulger latine which is all one with our english translation seems , to make this the sence of the words . that on the seventh day god made an end of his worke , which till then was not fully finished , and that in memory and for joy of the finishing of his worke and makeing it fully compleat on the seventh day , he sanctifyed that day to be his holy sabbath . the caldee paraphrase seemes to make the joy & delight which god tooke in viewing all the worke of creation on the seventh day , to be a ground & cause of gods sanctifying that day for his sabbath tremellius and the learned who agree with him , seeme to hold that god had before on the sixt day ended all the works of the creation . and all being finished when the seventh day came , that was the only day of the weeke in which god had no worke left to be finished , nor any thing to make , and therefore he made this his holy day and day of rest . this also seemes to be the meaning of the greeke septuagints , who for this purpose haue changed the hebrew text , and instead of the seventh day , put in the sixt day for the ending of the weeke , and the seventh day they make the day onely of gods resting . now of all these translations taken in these uulgar sences , there is not any on which can give full satisfaction and remove all doubts and scruples : yea if we receive and grant them all , some difficulties will still remayne ; a●d therefore , for the removing of all doubts & full manifestation of the truth , i will endeavour to search and diue fur●her into the words of the originall hebrew text , and to finde out a further sence and meaning ; by comparing them with other scriptures which giue more light unto them , and in so doing j will make use of these severall traslations & sences , to gather some light and strength from them , and from the difference which is among them for the more full manifestation of the truth which i shall commend vnto you . first for the hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here translalated , ended , perfected , finished , it signifies in the first and most proper and full sence , to bring a thing to the full end of it , soe that now it hath al which belongs to it in any kinde . some times it is vsed in scripture to signifie the beginning of a thing to the last end of it , either by consuming of it , and bringing it to an ●nd of beeing & well beeing which it had before iob. . . by the breath of gods nostrills the wicked are sayd to be consumed , & isa. . . or by ceasing to continue it if it be a trans●et action or speech : as gen. . . god ended his speech or talke with abraham , that is : ceased to continue it , and exod. . . & sam. . . & sam. . . king. . where mention is made of moses his ceasing to speake , of saulls making an end of prophicieing , and d●vid of offering sacrifice , & hiram of his working . this sence is in no case to be admitted . first because god consumed not the workes which he had made before , neither did god bring his working and making of creatures to an end by ceasing to continue it , for that was the sixt day when he had made the woman the last creature which h● made , then hee ceased from his working and brought it to an end . secondly because consuming and destroying of creatures , can be noe good ground of blessing and sanctifying the daie and time in which it is done . some times this word is vsed to signifie the bringing of a thing to the full end of perfection , either by adding to the last & vtmost thing which belongs to the nature , kinde and beeing of it , soe that now it wants no perfection which it ought to haue in that kinde , thus the word is vsed chro. . . wher it is said that salomon finished the house of the lord , & exod. . . moses finished all the work of the tabernacle . or else by adding to it more then naturally belongs to it : even some supernaturll and extraordinary perfection , thus the word is vsed ezech. . . where it is said that god made jerusalem perfect by his beauty which he put vpon his people whom he placed to dwell therein : even david and other holy men whom he beautified with supernaturall & saving guifts & graces . in this last sence i conceiue the word to be especially here vsed . for it is most certain that god brought al things to the full end & natural perfection on the sixt day when he created man and woman , and gaue them rule & dominion over all living creatures , and appointed all things which he had made to serue for their vse , and soe much the last words of the first chap. shew , where it is said : god saw euery thing which he had made , & behold it was very good , & this was before the end of the sixt day . and therfore that giving of full naturall beeing and perfection cannot be this which is here said to be on the seventh day . if we should here vnderstand that perfecting and finishing of the work ; we must either with the greek translatours corrupt the text , and for the seventh put the sixt day ; or else with tremelius and others , straine the plaine words of the text , and make this the sence of them ; in the seventh day ( that is before the seventh day ) god ended , that is : god had ended his work & already finished it before , to weet : on the sixt day ; which being granted ▪ it will herevpon follow , either that this perfecting of gods work is no ground of the sabbath at all , or else that the sixt should rather be the sabbath , because it was the day and time in which god brought the created worke to perfection . but here in the originall text , the hebrew words are beiem hashebingi . in the seventh day , that is within the compasse of that day god perfected his worke which he had before made and created on the six dayes , and therefore i doe verily conceive and beleeve , and dare be bold to affirme for a certaine truth , that on the seventh day , god gave to the which he had before made very good and perfect , with naturall & mutable perfection , ( & which the devill by mans fall had marred and defaced ) now another second and greater , even supernaturall perfection by promising christ the blessed seed of the woman for the restauration of the work defaced , and by christ his vndertaking not only to redeeme us from all evills which entered in by mans sinne , & from that mutability of estate in which we were all created : but also to exalt us to a farre more excellent state and condition , even to the state of immutable grace here ; & of eternall life a●d glory in the sight and fruition of god in heaven hereafter in the world to come . that adam did sinne and fall on the sixth day which we call fryday , & in all liklihoode towards the evening about the same houre in which christ dyed on the crosse to redeeme vs from that sinne and all sinnes which therby entered into the world , i haue proved before . that after mans fall and discouerie of his nakednes , and sowing of figge leaues together for aprons , gods voyce was heard walking in the garden in the coole of the day , that is , after the sunne was gone down & the seventh day begunne , & that adam hid himselfe the words of the text affirme plainly in the third chapter . also that after the conventing examining and arraigning of the man & the woman , and cursing of the serpent , and also of the earth ; & passing sentence of punishment on the persons of the man and woman to weet : sorrowes & labours in this life , & in the end thereof bodily death and returning to durst , god for a comfo●table remedie of all these evils , promised christ to redeme man kinde from them all and to purchase for them eternall life and glory , the history as it in the same third chapter laid downe shewes most clearly , and i do verily beleeve that all reasonable men , especially all true christians , will most freely confesse and willingly grant : that christ in the day wherein hee was first promised , and did actually undertake to redeeme the world , brought in a greater perfection vnto the worke of creation , or the things created , then they had befor given to them on the six dayes in there creation , to weer : supernaturall grace ; and heauenly and spirituall gifts of holinesse , which exalt man to astate immutable and eternall . now seeing it is a truth most manifest , that in the seventh day ( god the father promising the blessed seed christ to destroy the workes , and to breake the head and power of the d●vill the old serpent , and the sonne of god actually vndertaking mans redemption , and beginning to mediate for man : and god the holy-ghost inspiring by the promise and through christ grace and faith into both the man & the woman to beleeue that out of her who was the instrument of death to man ; should christ spring , who is the life and light of men , and so shee should become , chavab , that is : the living one , or mother of all living ) there was a supernaturall perfection brought into the world . and god brought his worke which hee made to a better estate , and shewed a further end of things created . surely it should be too much perverstnes in us , and too grosse resisting of our owne reason , guided by the text it selfe . if wee should d●ny or refuse to beleeue , that this perfecting of gods worke is here meant in this place , and is the true ground of blessing the seventh day to be the lords holy sabbath . and thus j hope i haue fully discovered the true sence & meaning of the first words , & shewed how we are to vnderstand this which is here said , to weet : and on the seventh day god ended or perfected his w●rke , j proceed to the next words , and on the seventh day god rested from all his worke which he had m●de , to which i ●dde the repetition of the same w●rds with some addition in the later end of the third ver . namely that he rested from all the worke which he created , even from making any more , so the words in the hebrew do runne . now for the word rested , it is in the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shabath of which the name of the sabbath is derived , and it doth not signifie a resting of god for to refresh himselfe : as being weary , nor resting from all working absolutly and simply , but ceasing from making any more kindes of creatures : for god doth alwaies as a provident lord and father work in the continuall generatiō of particular creatures ; & in multiplying , preserving , ordering , and disposing of them , as our saviour shewes iohn . . here therefore we are to vnderstand , that on the first sixt dayes the lord shewed his good will and pleasure in making every thing very good and perfect , with naturall perfection . so in the seventh day hee rested wholy fro making any new kinde of creature by way of former creation : and man being fallen and hauing brought confusion into the world , and corruption and vanity vpon the creatures , christ is promised and actually vndertakes and begins to enterceede for man , and to be his redeemer and saviour , and by this meanes god may bee sayd to rest divers wayes . first whereas the rigour of justice required that man should dye and perish in the same day wherein hee sinned , and the creatures made for his vse should together with him be distroyd , & so should god haue bin busied in executiō of justice & destroying his former work , & in making a new world of creatures : the eternall word the sonne of god vndertooke mans redemtion , brings rest to god by that meanes from destroying the former and making a new or second worke of creation , which is truely called resting from all the worke which he had made . secondly the naturall estate and b●st being and perfection which man and other creatures had by creation , shewing it selfe mutable by mans fall so appearing , if god should haue proceeded and gone on in the same manner of working as he had done in the sixt dayes of the creation , there should haue been no rest nor end of his work of making & remaking . but christ vndertooke the worke of redemption and as an alsufficient saviour to perfect for ever them that are sanctified by the cōmuniō of his spirit & spiritual & supernaturall grace , & to renue them after his heavenly image of true & vncha●gable holines , doth this way bring rest to god f●ō the work or busines of creation , & sets on foot a new & more admirable work in which god resteth , and on which he taketh much delight , and by which his creatures are reconciled , and made pleasing and acceptable to him . thirdly christ who was promised to become the seed of the woman for mans redemption , b●ing the eternall wisdome and mighty word of god , and able to beare vp the pallace of the earth , when it and all the whole tents thereof were disolued , and the first foundations thereof were out of course , as the psalmist speakes psal. . . & . . god doth justly settle his rest on him and commits to him the ruling , governing , and judging of the world , as he is medidiatour and the sonne of man. so our saviour himselfe affirmes iohn . . . now that on the seventh day god did not barely rest from his worke of creating and making creatures ; but also that in and by christ promised on that day , hee found rest and rested the sever●ll wayes before named , the holy scriptures and also common reason doe plainly shew . first a bare resting from creation and not working is not a matter of such moment & benefit , that it should be the ground of blessing and sanctifying of one day in seven every week to the solemne memory of it . holy dayes and feasts mentioned in the scriptures haue alwaies beene appointed by god , and set apart for the commemoration of some great extraordinary workes , & delivering jsraell out of egypt , giving of the law and such like . secondly , that gods resting on the seventh day was more then this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shabath which is here v●ed , and doth properly signifie in any other places of scripture where it is vsed to set forth other ceasing and resting from worke . the holy scriptures themselues do fully shew . also that god found rest in christ : even of refreshing , and se●led his delight in him the redeemer , and in his worke of redemption , and committed the world to be ruled , iudged , ordered and disposed by him as mediatour , vpon the seventh day and from that forward vntill the eternall rest of heaven comes in , and the kingdome be deliuered vp to god his father , that god may be all in all . as for example exod. . . where god in giving of the law , and mentioning the ground of his sanctifying of the seventh day , to weet : his resting , doth vse the hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 janach , which signifies not a bare resting from worke , but such a rest as is full of sweetnesse & delight , and exod. · . where it is said that on the seventh day god rested and was refreshed , that is : hee did not onely cease from creating and rest from workes of creation , but he found also great delight , that is in christ vndertaking to be the saviour and redeemer of the world , hee found great pleasure and delight in his kinde : such as men in their kinde do finde in things which delight and refresh their soule , so much the words imply . and the scriptures of the prophets and apostles speaking to the same purpose : justifie this sence and meaning , where they tell us , that christ the mediatour is gods righteous servant in whom his soule delighteh . isa . . math. . . and that in him god setles his rest and is well pleased math. . . and makes his elect acceptable in his beloued ehe . . . thirdly the keeping and observing of every seventh day for aholy sabbath , which god requires of us , consists not in bare resting from ordinary workes and labouring in worldly affaires which concerne this life : but also in sanctifyng of the day by holy and religious exercises , which concerne the heavenly life , and in making it our delight to honour the lord ; as appeates both in the wordes of the law exod. . . deut. . . and also in the prophets isa. . . and . . now such as the observation is , such must the ground thereof be on which it is founded . and therefore vndoubtedly gods resting on the seventh day includes his resting and delighting in christ who was the promised redemption . thus much for the opening & expounding of the second clause , & the discovery of the rest of god by which he rested on the sevē●h day , which is the second ground of gods blessing and sanctifying that day , and making it a holy sabbath of r●st . the third ground remaines , and that is : gods blessing of the seventh day , layd downe in the next wordes . and god blessed the seventh day , ve●s . . this blessing of the seuenth day consists in two things the first is : gods blessing of it , by giving and revealing to man on that day the greatest blessing which was made knowne to the sonnes of men during the time of the old testament , while the sabbath of that seventh day was to be in vse and the law thereof inforce that was , the giving of c●rist by promise to be the redeemer of the world ; this belongs to the ground of the sabbath . the second is , gods blessing of the seventh day by setting it apart to be kept and observed of men as a day most blessed in memory of of that blessing , that is of the promise of chrst and his undertaking and beginning to mediate for man kinde , this belongs to the in sanctifying of the sabbath which is the third maine thing observed this text . first i will speake of blessing as it is a ground of institution , and after in the next place , j will handle it , as it is a part of the institution of the sabbath , & concurres with sanctifying of it . blessing ( as it belongs to the ground of the sabbath and signifie● gods giving and revealing on the seventh day a blessing aboue the blessings of all the other six dayes by which that day became more honourable ) must needes be gods giving , ether of some naturall blessing tending to outward prosperity , and to naturall perfection and temporall felicity in this world ; or of some gift and blessing supernaturall tending to heavenly happinesse & eternall blessednesse . . gods blessing with naturall & temporall blessings is declared in the scriptures to be two manner of wayes . f●rst by giving all sorts of temporall blessings and naturall gifts in generall , thus god is sayd to blesse ishmaell gen. . ● . and to bl●sse the jsralites in all their affaire● and in all the wo●kes of their hands devt . . . secondly , by giving some speciall worldly blessing ; successe ; and prosperity either in respect of their corne , wine , m●ate , & drinke , exod. . . or in respect of their cattell , or the fruite of their body or worldly goods , p●ssessions and the like devt . . . gods blessing with spirituall and supernaturall blessings and guifts is his making of men to grow and prosper in grace and in all heavenly blessings as gen. . , & , . where it is said that in the blessed seed of abraham & iacob that is in christ. all the nations & families of the earth shall be blessed , and thus god is said to blesse us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly things in christ ephess . . . & of this blessing david ●peakes psal. . . where hee sayth , god b● mercifull vnto vs and blesse us . . god is said to blesse in a full and perfect sence with all blessings of prosperity and happinesse both temporall and spirituall , that is : by giving all saving graces needfull to salvation and good increase and growth in them , and all outward prosperity and all things therevnto requisite , together with his favour and a sanctified vse of them , thus god promised to blesse abraham gen. . . & jsaac gen. . . & jacob gen. . . & joseph gen. . . with blessings of heaven a boue and deep beneath . and his people & inheritance psal. . . now the thing here to be inquired after & sought out , is what blessing is meant in this place : where god is said to blesse the seventh day . for it it most certaine , that this blessing wherewith god blessed the seventh day , did not consist only in gods giving of any naturall and temporall blessings to that daie , or to man and other creatures on that day , or in ann●xing and tying any such vnto it . for god had before ceased and now rested from all works of creation , that is both from creating any kinde of creature , & also from adding more naturall goodnes or perfection to any thing created . we never read that god made the seventh day blessed a boue the other sixe , either in clearer light of the sun , or in more faire and seasonable weather , at any time , or in any age from the beginning , or that he blessed it with any such blessing which belongs to nature , or to the naturall vse of the creature . secondly for spirituall and supernaturall blessings which tends to eternall life and blessednes in heaven , we never read of any proceeding from god , but only through the eternall son incarnate and made man : even christ the mediatour . the apostle affirmes that god blesseth us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly things in christ ephe. . . and that there is no other name vnder heaven given among men whereby we must be saved act. . , if any man hath ascended higher then saint paull was rapt , farre a boue the third heaven , & hath t●●re heard of spirituall blessings which god intended to bestow , or did bestow vpon adam in the creation before christ was promised , or did openly vndertake to be mans mediatour ; hee goeth farre beyond my lyne and measure of faith , i dare not be wise a boue that which is written . jt is enough for me to know and beleeve that c●r●st is the onely true way to heavenly and supernaturall happin●sse , and that he is the truth and the life ioh. . . and that none can cōe to the father but by him , & that in his name the father giues the spirit ver . . and through him sheds the holy ghost aboundantly on all that are sanctified and saued tit. . . and that as christ onely makes way into the holy of holiest heb. . . so in him is all fullnesse , & from him all grace proceedeth by which god makes us accepted ephe. . . i know that god created all things , and man in his owne image ; perf●ct in his kinde , but yet mutable . j confesse and beleeve that man by his perfect obedience performed to god in his owne persō , according to the first covenant of works , might haue continued in that naturall life and earthly happinesse wherein he was created : but that he had any supernaturall or spirituall power given before the promise of christ , wherby he was fitted for heavenly happinsse , ot that any such life and happinesse was promised in the first covenant , or any grace tending therevnto , i cannot be perswaded . first because the scriptures are vtterly silent in these pointes· secondly because it is against all reason to thinke , or conceiue of god , who is the fountaine of all wisdome & doth nothing in vaine . that if there had been a more neer way then christ , more ready for him to reveale and communicate all his goodnesse and glory to mankinde , even the way of mans owne personall obedience to the first covenant of workes ; surely god would never haue suffered man to fall , nor haue given his sonne to discend from heaven & to humble himselfe to such base ignominous painefull and cursed sufferings as he did , and all to bring man soe farre a bout to the fruition of himselfe in heavenly glory . thirdly , whatsoever hath or shall certainly come to passe concerning mans happinesse or misery , that god decreed , foresaw and purposed , and that only he intended , and that from the beginning , even from all eternity ; though god laid vpon man no impossibility of standing in innocency , nor any necessity of falling , but man was able to doe gods will according to the first covenant , and if hee had done it , he might & should haue lived & enjoyed an earthly felicity : yet certainly god foreknew what man would doe when he was tempted , and did willingly permit him to breake the first covenant , intending to make a more sure couenant in christ , and to establish it with better promises heb. . . and that none of all man kinde should be saued but onely they who are in christ and under this covenant . now these things being thus : if the blessing wherewith god blessed the seventh day , be any spirituall blessing , it must needes be in , and under christ promised : yea it must needes be either the promise made to man one that day that christ should be his redeemer , and christ his vndertaking openly to be mans surety and mediatour , or else some speciall blessing which comes by christs mediation , as the guift of the spirit , and spirituall grace given to man to beleeve in christ , to rest on him , and in him , to seeke eternal rest , or gods acceptation of christ for mans surety , and god resting on christs satisfaction and righteousnesse . in very deede , let others thinke what they please , for my part j can see no reason either in this text or any other text of scripture to perswade me that this blessing was any , but the supernaturall and heavenly blessing , even gods gracious favour , kindnesse and loue then first shewed to man in christ , by promising him to become the seed of the woman , accepting him for mans surety , and resting in his mediation , & alsufficient satisfaction , which blessing brings with it , and includes in it many , yea all naturall blessings which are true blessings indeed , and end in eternall happinesse . for by christ who then was first promised and revealed , man hath naturally life continued to him , and right and rule over the creatures restored and given in an higher degree , and in a more excellent kinde : he had power given to him in the state of innocency to rule over cattell and all living creatures , and to order and command them for his delight and pleasure . but in christ he hath power given to kill and sacrifise , and to eat them and vse them for his profitt . jn the creation god gaue to man as his steward rule over all cteatures & right in them ; but in christ he gaue man the right of a sonne and heire , and made all creatures mans inheritance , which is a firme and vnchangable right , and now all the blessings temporall which the elect & faithfull haue and possesse by faith in christ and by a true right in him , are blessed and sanctified to them , and are helps and furtherances to their heavenly glory . and this i dare be bold to conclude : that the blessing wherewith god blessed the seventh day , was a blessing a boue all blessings naturall which god gaue to man in the sixt day and to other creatures on other daies of the creation . it was the blessing of his kindnesse and loue to man , revealed in christ promised , which includes in it the restitution of man to all naturall blessings , all which all mankinde haue & injoy by christ & through his mediation . so that here is a blessing worthy of an euerlasting memoriall among all adams posterity , which justly bound them all to obserue that day of the weeke to the honour and prais● of god , vntill the comming in of the fullnesse of that blessing on the day of christs resurrection , which is the first day of the week & the eight from the beginning of the creation , which all christians by verue of the institution of the sabbath here in my tex● , are bound to k●ep holy and to solemnize with thankfullnesse for all blessings in christ on the seventh day , and on the first day fully exhibited a perfect redeemer in his resurrection . and thus i haue discovered ou● of this text the whole ground upon which the lords holy weekly sabbath is founded , which is briefely comprehended in these particulars . . gods perfecting of the wo●k cr●ated . . gods ●est on the seventh day . . gods blessing of it . out of which particulars as i haue laid them open : this doctrine doth arise . chap. . that the first institutiō of the sabbath on the seventh day of the first week of the world was grounded vpon christ , and occationed by the promise of him to be mans mediatour , and the worlds redeemer . and the true & proper grounds of the sanctification of the weekly sabbath , vpon which it stands perpetually to the worlds end , and to the eternall rest in heaven , are gods perfecting of the created world by bringing in redemption by christ , gods rest delight and pleasure in christs mediation , and gods blessing the seventh day with a blessing farre a boue the blessings all of other daies even the giving of christ a perfect saviour for mankinde . this point is most plaine and manifest by that whih i haue before delivered . but yet for the better setling of our judgments and confirming of our hearts in the knowledge and beleefe of this truth jt will not be amisse to add further proofes and reasons grounded on the sacred scriptures . first that which is the ground of gods sanctifying the seventh day aboue all the other six dayes of the weeke must needes be somthing which came to passe one that day , which farre excelled the workes created on the six dayes . for the holy scriptures and the common practise of all nations do concure in this , that all holy daies whether weekly monthly or yearely are obserued and were first instituted in memory of some notable and extraordinary thing which on those dayes of the weeke , moneth , and yeare happened & came to passe , witnesse ●he passover , pentecost , the feast purim ; and dedication , the feast of christ nativity , resurrection , ascension , our fif●h of november a●d many others . but there can be nothing imagined greater then the works of creatiō which were all finished on the six daies , but only the promise & relation of christ the redeemer & the work of redemption by him the eternall sonne of god , on that day openly undertaken and begune as i haue before proved . first for gods ceasing from his workes of creation , and his bare rest from them , it being a doing of nothing & not making of good things , cannot in any case be esteemed better then the workes of the six dayes wherin god created all things good and perfect with naturall perfection . for doing of good is better in the judgment of all reasonable men , then doing of nothing . secondly , for gods perfecting of the creation by bringing man and woman the last and chiefest of his creatures into being that wa● on the sixt day , and his making of every creature compleat and perfect in his kinde , that was done on the severall dayes in which they were severally created , they cannot be any ground of sanctifying the seventh day but rather of the six daies of the weeke . wherefore it remaines that christ promised ● perfect redemptiō on the seventh day of the world begin̄ing actually to mediate for man & to cōmunicate his spirit & supernaturall grace & faith to our first parents is the ground of the institution of the we●kly sabbath on that day· secondly ; a supernaturall effect cannot proceed from a naturall cause , a spirituall building cannot be surely setled on a naturall ground and foundation . if the effect be supernaturall the cause must be such , and if the bu●lding be spirituall , the found●tion alsoe must be spirituall on which it is setled . now the sanctification of the sabbath as it is gods worke in the first institution , it is a seperating of a day from naturall , to heavenly , spirituall , and supernaturall vse , and to workes which tend to such an end as cannot be obtained by creation , but onely by the mediation of christ , and sanctification of the sabbath as it is a worke and duty which god requires of a man , is wholy exercised about things which concerne christ , & which haue relation to him , and which none can rightly performe without the communion of the spirit of christ , and the sauing guifts and graces of god in christ. the hebrew word kad●sh signifies onely such workes in all the scriptures wheresoever it is vsed , & never any thing is said to be holy or sanct●fying but in , for , and by christ , wherefore that ground of the sabbath must needes be something in christ , or indeed christ himselfe on the seventh day first promised and revealed a perfect and alsufficient redemer and mediatour to gather all things to god. thirdly that which hath no proper or principall end or vse , but such as presupposeth christ and his mediation , and is subordinate to him promised and to the revelation of redemption by him , must needes be grounded on christ , and receive the first institution and originall from the promise of him , or him promised . this is a certaine truth which with no culour of reason can be denied , for god doth nothing in vayne , he makes althings for there proper end & vse , and brings nothing into being before hee hath a proper end & vse ready before hand , for which it may serve . now the proper principall end & vse of the sabbath for which the lord is said in the scriptures to institute & give it to his people , is such as presupposeth christ and his actuall mediation , and is subordinate to the promise of redemtion by him . first god himselfe testifieth both in the law exod. , . also in the prophets ezech. . . that he gaue his sabbath to his people for this end and vse , tha● it might be a perpetuall signe betweene him and them , to confirme them in this knowledge & beleefe , that he is their god who doth sanctifie them . secondly , another maine vse for which god instituted the sabbath is , that it might be a signe and pledge to his people of the eternall rest or sabbathisme which remaines for them in heaven , and vntill they come to that rest , they are bound to keepe a weekly holy sabbath to put them in hope of that eternall rest , soe much may be gathered from the apostles words , heb. . . . thirdly , the sabbath is for that end and use that by keeping it holy , & by sanctifying our selvs to the lord , and delighting our selvs in him , and in his holy worshippe , wee might grow up in holinesse without which none can come to see , and enjoy god , and soe might draw still more neere to god till we be fully fitted to see and enjoy him in glory , and to come to his eternall rest in heaven . now all these principall endes and vses of the sabbath doe presuppose the promise of christ and his mediation . for first in him alone as he is our mediatour , god becomes our god , who doth sanct●fie us , and without gods shedding of the holy ghost on us through christ , we can never be truly sanctified as appeares rom. . : tit. . . & cor. . , and in christ we are called to be saints and sanctified , cor. . . secondly , there is no thought or hope of eternall rest in heaven but in and by christ , hee brings us into that , and by going before us makes way for us heb. . . & , . jt is that which never entered into the heart of man , his reason conceives it not till god doth reveale it by his spirit given though christ cor. . . . thirdly , no man can haue accesse vnto god but in christ , there is no approach to the throne of grace but in him heb. . . it is christ alone who for his peoples sake sanctified himselfe , that they also might be sanct●fied ioh. . . and there is no growing up in grace & holinesse but in him and by vnion and communion in one body with him as our head eph. · . vpon these infalible premises it followes necessarily , that the proper end and use of the sabbath presupposing christ , the first institution thereof must needes be grounded on christ also . fourthly , if christ as he is the sonne of man vnited in one person vnto god , and so our mediatour , be the lord of the sabbath , so that the alteration and chaunge of it from one of the seven dayes to another , is onely in his power and depends wholy on some chaunge in him ; then the institution of it is grounded one the promise of him and upon his mediation . now the antecedent is manifest by our sauiours owne words , mat. . . where hee calls himselfe lord of the sabbath day . and by his resurrection and becomming the head stone of the corner , the sabbath is chaunged from the day of him promised vnto the day of the full exhibition of him aperfect actuall redeemer in his resurrection , as david foretold psal. . and the practise of the apostles in all churches of christian gentiles doth aboundantly declare , act. . . and cor. . . wherefore undoubtedly christ promised , was the first ground of the institution of the sabbath , & as our saviour in that place of the gospel mat. . . affirmes . it was made for man , that is not only for mens use but also for him , the son of man : & upon the promise & undertaking of him to become man & the seed of the women , for mans redemption & for destroying the workes of the divill . vse . this doctrine thus fully proved & confirmed , is a doctrine of speciall use to worke in the hearts of all true christians , who have all their hope & confidence in christ , an high & holy reverence & esteeme of the lords holy weekly sabbath , & to provoke & stirre them up to a carefull conscionable & diligent observation thereof , in all their generations , for the promoting & propagating of pietye , & for the increase of devotion and advauncement of religion , in all succeding ages . if the observation of the weekly sabbath were but a dictate of nature , written in mans heart in the creation ; then were the chiefe end and ayme of it no more but an earthly felicitye , and the fruition of a naturall life in an earthly paradise . it should be no better then one of the duties which belong to the old couvenant of life , & justification by mans owne works ; which is abolished and made void by mans fall . and it is wholy frustrated of the proper end & use of it , which was justification , & life by workes of a mans own doing . and so being not a part of the wisedome , which is from above , it should be of lesse esteme and of common and ordinary account with holy christian saintes . or if the sabbath were a legall rite and ceremoniall ordinance onely , such as were sacrifices , burnt offerings , circumcision and legall purifications , which were shadowes of things to come , then should it be abolished by the full exhibition of christ , and the observation thereof among chistians of the beleeveing gentiles , were no better then setting up of abominations which make desolate by cutting men of from christ. but here we are taught better things concerning the lords holy weekely sabbath , to weet : that it is an holy heavenly , euangelicall ordinance , wholy grounded upon christ and depending onely upon him ▪ first instituted upō the promised christ , & limitted to the seventh day of the weeke , in which he was promised to be mans redeemer , did undertake , & in some measure begin actually to mediate and to intercede for man with god , and commaunded to be kept onely on that seventh day , during the tyme of the old testament while christ was onely promised , & the fathers sought salvation in him to come : and now ever since the full exhibition of christ a perfect redeemer in his resurrection , necessarily imposed on all christians , and limitted by virtue of the first institution and foundation of it upon christ , to that day even the first day of the weeke , which is the greatest day of christ appearing in the nature of man on earth , that is the day of his resurrection to glory and immortalitie , and the day of his complete victory and triumph , in his owne person over sin , death , the devill & all the powers of darknesse . so that though the particular dayes of the weekely sabbath , that is the seventh of the weeke in the old testament , and the first in the new ; and under the gospell may truly be called temporarye and caeremoniall , because they have their set tymes and seasons ; the one the tyme and season onely under christ promised ; the other the tyme and season under christ fully exhibited , that is the whole tyme of grace under the gospell vntill we come both in soules and bodyes to the etternall sabbath and rest in heaven , when ( christ mediatour haveing destroyed all enimyes and delivered up the kingdome to god his father ) god shal be all in all : yet they are such ceremonies as are holy in their seasons , not by signification and consecration to holy and supernaturall use only , as legall shadowes were : but also materially and in respect of the very duties , which are performed in observation of them ; yea and effectively because the due observations of them properly tends to begitt and increase true holynesse in gods people . besides if we consider the observation of a weekely sabbath simply in it self without limitation to a particular day , so it is a perpetuall ordinaunce of god which bindes all mankind to the end of the world . and there is none of all adams posteritye , but by gods first institution he is bound to keep the holy weekely sabbath , upon that very day of the weeke , which by the word of god and the ground of the institution , appeares to be most seasonable in the age and the state of the church under which thy live and have their being on earth . now these things being , soe , how it is possible that any true syncere christian ( who as by one spirit and by a true lively faith , soe also in his whole heart and in all holy affections is vnited vnto christ ; and hath all his h●pe & confidence in him as in his only redeemer lord & saviou● ) should not haue the we●kely sabbath in most high esteeme , which was first grounded vpon christ , promised & came in upon the seventh day of the world , ●ogether with the word of promise and the glad tidings of the worlds redemp●ion by christ : ●nd with the perpe●u●ll commandements of repenting and beleeving in christ , which are the great commandements of the gospell , which holy and blessed sabbath hath still continued and gone a long with christ pr●mised on the seventh day , during the time of the old testament , and si●ce the full exhibition of christ in his resurrection ; hath advanced forward together with christs vnto the fi●st day of the weeke , in wh●ch day he perfected mans redemption , triumphed over death , rose vp and was advanced to glory & immortallity , surely they who professe loue to christ , and profane the weekely sabbath , they are no better then painted hipocrties , yea rather they are to bee numbred among those bold , audacious and scandalous sinners , who presume to pull a sunder those whome god hath inseperably joyned together , that is , the sabbath and christ the lord of the sabbath , who while they professe christ in word , doe indeed deny the power of true chr●stian godlinesse , and do what in them lieth , to turne the publick worship of god into sacrilegious profanation , and soe to provoke the eyes of his glory . thus much for the second maine thing her● offered in this text , that is the ground of the holy weekly sabbath . chap. . the third maine thing which here offers it selfe and which i haue propounded to be handled more largly , as comprehending in it divers speciall points of great weight and moment , as the sanctifying of the sevēth day , ● as gods blessing of it , so far as blessing sign●fi●s go●s setting of it apart to be kept & observed for a bl●ssed memoriall of the promise of christ , & as it is apart of the fi●st institution of the sabbath . f●r gods blessing of a day or any other thing d●th signifie . . his giving of some notable benefit on that day , or to the thing blessed . . his setting of it apart to a blessed end & vse , in the former sence it belongs to the ground of the sabbath and so i haue spoken of it before . jn the later sence it belongs to gods act of institution ; and as in effect the same with sanctifying of the seventh day , onely this i conceiue to be the difference that gods sanctifying of a thing is , his seperating of it by his word and commandement , to a supernaturall and extraordinary vse either profittable , or unprofittable to it selfe , as h●s seperating of things to be his instruments of just vengance for the destruction of his enemies , and seperating men to some holy offce for a time , as saul to prophesie , e●●e● sonnes to bee priests , and iudas to bee an apostle , by which office they received no true blessing ; but it turned to their greater curse at last . but gods blessing of a day , or any other thing , is his setting of it apart for a bl●ssed vse , and his pronouncing and demanding it by his holy p●werfull word , to be a blessed daie or blessed thing , and to serve for holie & blessed vse , and so blessing is that speciall sanctifying which is seperating of things to a blessed use , and come here to bee handled vnder gods sanct●fyng of the ●eventh day : for gods sanctifying i● this place , is a blessed sanctifying of the daie to a blessed vse , and the word blessed is put before to make us clearlie see and vnderstand soe much . i will therefore insist only upon sanctifying which comprehends blessing in it ; and will first open and exp●und the word and so proceed to points of doctrine . the hebrew word , kadash , is never vsed in any other sence in all the scriptures , but onelie to signifie seperating of things from their ordinarie and naturall vse , to some vse more then naturall or aboue nature & the fitting & preparing of them for that use , as for example compining of nations in an holie league against babell , or other wicked state to execute on them gods just reuenge jer. . . & . . & . . & . . . and seperating some cities for refuge iosh. . . whensoever this word is attributed to god in all the scripture , it signifies ei●her gods seperating things or times for holy vse , by his word and commandement , or by some h●linesse shewed or some extraordinarie holie word done in them as exod. . . . cron. . . or else gods infusing of his holie spirit , and of spirituall and supernaturall gr●ces & gifts of hol●nesse into men by wh●ch they are seperated from carnall men , and prepared for heavenlie glory as exod. . . levit. . . ezec. . . ier. . . where god is said to sanctifie his people , and to make t●em holy , that so they may be fitt to come nerer to him . and frequently in the new testament , the greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used in this sense as eph. . . heb. . . here the word signifies not sanctifieing by infusing holinesse and making holy , but gods consecrateing , that is seperating the seventh day to an holy , heavenly spirituall , and supernaturall use , by h●● word and commaundement , or by some holy worke done first in it , or some holinesse first revealed upon it . for this was the day in which god by his gracious promise of christ , and by the new covenant of life made with mankind in him , did communicate his spirit to our first parents , and wrought in them faith and all holy graces needful to salvation , and so of , ishah , a woman who brought wo to man made our first mother . chavah . that is the mother of life in christ to all liueing . this day , god here upon , commaunded to be sanctified of men , and kept holy by holy exercises which tend to the honour & praise , and to the solemne commemoration and memoriall of christ promised , and of his own rest in christs mediation , and this day he appointed to man to be a signe and pledge of the aeternall sabbath in heaven , after the end of the world which in six dayes he created . here therefore we see wherein especially gods sanctifieing of the seventh day to be an holy sabbath of rest , did consist . which that it may yet appeare more fully and distinctly in all the particulars , j will reduce , the summe of all into a few positions , some negative , and some affirmative ; which being by evident testimonies of scripture , and by good arguments grounded on the word of god , proved and confirmed ; the trueth will be so cleare and manifest , that the simple shal be able to understand the true sanctification , both of the seventh day which was the old sabbath of the old testament , and also of the lords day the christian sabbath of the new testament under the gospell . chap. . first we must not in any case imagine . that gods sanctifieing of the seventh day was the creating or in●useing of any naturall holynesse in to it , by which it was distinguished from other dayes of the weeke , and made more excellent then any of them . my reasons are : first because creating of naturall holynesse in any thing , is a worke of creation : but god rested from all works of creation on the seventh day , and from making any thing which belonged to the naturall being of any creature , or to the natural frame and perfection of it , witnesse the wordes of my text , and the wordes of the lord him selfe . exod. . . secondly the scriptures which are the onely rule of faith , and so all doctrines of this kind do never mention any naturall holynesse in any creature which god made in the whole created frame of heaven and earth ; all though god did create man perfect in his kinde , even in his own image . yet i doe not read , that this image comprehended any more in it , but naturall gifts and endowments onely , as light of understanding , libertye of will , most free to good onely , and well ordered affections all upright ; also a comely frame and excellent temperatur of the body , fitt to be the seat , subject & instrument of a liveing reasonable naturall soule and spirit , and to rule over all other creatures . salomon the wise preacher describeing the image and excellent frame wherein god created man , makes no mention of any holynesse , but onely of naturall uprightnesse . god ( saith he ) made man upright . we never read of holynesse naturall to any but onely to god. thirdly true holynesse is a gift of supernaturall grace given onely in christ , and proceeding f●om the holy ghost shed on men through christ , and dwelling in them as the immortall seed of god. it belongs not to the naturall image of god wherein the first earthly adam was created ; but to the spirituall and heavenly image of the second adam , christ who is a quickening spirit & the lord from heaven heavenly , whose image no man can bear but in the state of regeneration , when he is borne of the spirit , and begotten of god to a lively hope , to the inheritance incorruptible and undefiled which fadeth not a way ; as i have largly here to fore proved by divers scriptures which appose the image of true holynesse , and undefyled righteousnesse , which men have in christ ; to the image of the first adam , but that upright image wherein he was first made , and that corrupt image where in to he was transformed by his fall , as appeares most plainely . . cor : . . . & eph. . . . the thing which deceives many learned men , and carries them to thinke that holinesse was apart of mans naturall image in which he was created is this . first they take it for granted , that all vprightnesse & purity of man in heart , soule , life , and conversation , by which he is conformable to the law of nature and to gods will revealed , and his commandements given to him , is true holinesse and is so called in scripture . secondly , they reade that adam was made by god vpright and had that purity & vprightnesse which made him conformable to gods law and revealed will , and this was gods image in him , & herevpon they conclude , that adam was created in true holinesse . to this i haue heretofore vpon another textfully answered , by laying downe a plaine distinction gathered from gods word , and daily experience , and by applying it to this purpose . for i haue distingu●shed purity and uprightnesse by which man is conformable to the revealed will and law of god into two sorts . first there is a created naturall purity & vprightnesse founded upon naturall principles , which god gaue to man in his fi●st creation , by he which was conformable to gods revealed will , to the law of his nature in the state of innocency , but this vprightnesse having no other roote , or foundation , but mans mutable nature and frame , was also mutable and was quickly defaced and corrupted by the subtilty of the tempter and mans fall . secondly , there is a renewed or new created uprightnesse and purity of man in his heart and soule , life and conversation , which is found onely in gods elect & faithfull regenerat children ; by which they are here in some measure made conformable to the law and will of god ; this although it is much ecclipsed and obscured by the remainders of naturall corruption which still dwell in gods saints in this fraile life and mortall body , and doth not shine forth in the true brightnesse of it , yet it proceeds from an eternall fountaine , the pure waters whereof spring vp unto life eternall , and cannot be defiled but remaine pure , though they passe through the dead sea of sodom , the filthy lake of mans naturall corruptions , which dwell still in this body of death , this pure fountaine is the spirit of regeneration which god sheds through christ on the elect , as our saviour himselfe teacheth , joh. . . & . . . and because this spirit even the holy ghost which daily renues them , being shed on them in there new birth tit. . . . doth dwell in them as the mortall seed of god , & abides with them for ever joh. , . and is stronger then the spirit of malice the devill , which overthrew our first parents and ever since rules in all worldly men , iob. . . therefore it is true puritie and vprightnesse which cannot faile nor deceive us as adams did ; and this is that which the apostle cals the new man and the righteousnesse and holinesse of truth , ephess . . . in the same sence that spirituall , supernaturall , and heavenly graces are called the true riches , that is the riches durable and incorruptible , which will neverly vnto vs : nor by failing deceive vs , luk. . as for the created purity and vprightnesse by which the first adam was conformable to the law , it is never in all the scriptures called by the name of holinesse , neither is it , or any morall virtue in any vnregenerate man , any true holinesse , because it proceeds not from the holy ghost who dwels in the regenerate and works all true holinesse in in them . i wish that all the learned would seriously weigh this truth & embrace it with their hearts , and beare it continualy in their minds and memories : for this will at one blow raze to the very foundation all pelagian , popish , armian hoeresies , concerning the power of mans fre● will , the efficacy and merit of mans naturall workes don before regeneration , and the falling away of men regenerate and justified , from the grace of god and from justifying faith and true holinesse , also concerning vniversall grace given to all men , by which they haue it in their owne power to be saved . and if it would please the lord to open the hearts of our people r●ghtlie conceive this difference , betweene the image of the first and second adam , and betweene the created naturall vprightnesse of adam , and the spirituall vprightnesse and infused holinesse wherein the second adam was conceived and framed by the holy ghost . this would ravish their hearts and fill them with admiration of the singular loue of god to his elect in christ , and of the singular excellencie of the grace & holinesse , and of those high prerogatives which the regenerate and faithfull receive and enjoy through him , which indeed soe farre exceed all that belonged to man in the state of innocency , as christ the second adam in his humanity exceeded the first adam , and immutable grace exceeds mutable nature , and as eternall fruition of god in heavenly grace , excels the fruition of fading pleasures in an earthly paradise . chap. secondly , gods sanctifying of the seventh day was not the creation or infusing of any spirituall or supernaturall holinesse into it ; by which it did excell all other dayes of the weeke . for first all spirituall and supernaturall holinesse : is created & infused by the holy ghost , only into reasonable creatures angels and men , and cannot be in any thing void of reason , vnderstanding , free will and affections . although things without life , and creatures void of reason , are called holy by way of relation , because they are dedicated to an holie use : yet nothing is called holie by holinesse of qualification , that is by holinesse inherent & heavenlie grace , qualitie and perfection , but onelie man and the holie angels who are partakers of the holie ghost ; and haue him dwelling & working in them . for this holinesse is unstained puritie and vnspotted vprightnesse , which possesseth and informeth the vnderstanding , will , desires , affections and inclinations of resonable creatures , & makes them conformable to gods revealed will and the rule of his law . s●e that to imagine holines infused into any time , place or any other thing , which hath not reason & vnderstanding and will , is a mere dreame , dotage and superstition . times and places , as holy daies , and holie temples , are holie in scripture not for any holines inherent in them , which they communicate to gods people , but because these daies and places are dedicated to holie use , and in them god is pleased by his spirit working with his word and ordinances , to beg it , increase and stirre vp holy aff●ctions in men , and to come and enable them to performe holie actions , according to gods will. secondlie , all true infused inherent holinesse , created and wrought by the holie ghost , springs from an eternall fountaine , and is founded vpon a sure rock which can never bee removed but standeth firme for ever . where gods spirit once informeth or taketh possession , and worketh true holinesse ther he abides for ever , ioh. . . the devill and all the powers of darknesse cannot prevaile , nor dispossesse him , for he is greater then they all , . ioh. . . soe that if god had sanctified the seventh day ; by infusing holinesse , and conforming it with the holy ghost , it could never haue beene profaned , polluted and defiled by men , neither could there haue beene any chaunge , of it from the holy sabbath to a common and ordinary day of the weeke , as now wee see , by christs resurrection : it should haue continued gods holy weekly sabbath for ever , even as men once truly regenerate and sanctified by the holy ghost ; are by that spirit sealed vnto the day of full redemption , ephess . . . chap. . the affirmatiue positions wherein j will shew how god sanctified the seventh day are three . first god did on that day reveale himselfe to man a most pure and holy god , more then in all the six daies of the creation . for in creating all things of nothing , he shewed his power : and omnipotencie in making al things good and perfect , in there kind . and in setting the heavens and the earth and all creatures in such an excellent & comelie order , hee shewed his wisdome and goodnesse . and in making man vpright in his owne image , & giving him dominion over all living creatures to order them according to his will , and to the law written in mans heart , he declared his righteousnes . but on the seventh day by promising christ a perfect redeemer and sauiour , he manifested and revealed his most perfect purity & holinesse diverse waies . first by his suffering of man to liue in his sight , and to approach to his presence when he was corrupted by his fall , and become filthy and abominable , and in the strictnesse and rigor of justice worthy to be destroyed with eternall death . god did plainly shew that he is a god infinitly holie and cannot receive the least spot and staine of mans corruption approaching to his presence , but appeares most pure and glorious , and shines forth bejond all measure , by making an holy vse of mans vncleannesse , and ordering and disposing it to the more full manifestation and communication of his glorie & goodnesse to his elect in christ : for as the purity of gold doth more appeare by abiding most pure and perfect in the midst of consuming fire and a furnace of fire full of uncleane ashes , and after the touching of things most vncleane . soe gods perfect purity and holinesse appeares most infinit and vnspotted , in that he suffers vncleane man , made filthy and abominable by sinne to live in his sight and presence , & doth order & dispose his uncleannesse to an holy end , & doth meddle with it , & touch it , & yet is no whit diminished or obscured therby but made more bright and resplendent in the eyes of the world . secondly god by his promising of christ to become mā , & in mans nature to make a ful & perfect satisfaction to justice for mans sin , did shew his infinit purity & holy hatred of sin , more then by any worke of creation , in that rather then mās sin & filthines should not be punished to the full , & his justice fully satitisfied , he would giue his own son , a person of infinit value to bear the cur●e & sufferedthe whole punishment of sin in mans nature and so to make full satisfaction for it . thirdly , the revealing of christ and promising of him to be a second adam , who is the lord from heaven heavenly , and a quickening spirit , through whom he doth richlie shed his spirit on adam , and all his elect seed in their generation ; which holy spirit doth dwell in their frail earthly sinfull bodies , as in a tabernacle & temple all the time of this fraile life , & is not stained nor defiled with their corruptions : but doth abide most pure and holy , and doth overcome , mortifie and kill by a long and lingring death the old man of sinne in them , and workes in them that spirituall purity , and holinesse , which though it be not like a grain of mustard seed ; yet cannot bee destroied or defiled , but increaseth more and more , and prevaileth against all powers of darknesse , this doth aboue all shew the infinit puritie and holinesse of god and of his spirit . and therfore j conclude that god by promising and revealing christ , on the seventh daie , did then first shew himselfe infinitly pure , and did manifest vnspotted holinesse , more then in all the six daies of the creation : and this is the first point of his sanctifying of the daie , to bee an holie sabbath of rest , vntill the full exhibition of christ , a perfect actuall redeemer , on the day of his resurrection . chap. . secondly , god on the seventh daie , did though christ promised ●●ed the holie ghost on our first parents , begittēth of his immortal thē seed , sanctifie them and worke , faith and all saving graces in them ; so that they bele●ved the promise and found rest in christ. and so this was the daie wherein god did first make man actuall partaker of his spirit , and did make in him true holinesse , and conforme him to the image of christ , this appeares by three things . first , by adams words , chapt . . . where not withstanding gods passing of the sentence of bodilie death against him , and of his returning to dust in the grave , in the words next before : yet ●e by faith laies hold on one eternall life in christ the promised seed , and being strengthened with might by the spirit in the inner man , doth call his wife chavah , which signifieth life , because by christ promised to be come her seed , shee sh●uld bee the mother of all liuing , and not onely all his naturall seed , should by christ haue naturall life for a time , and being on earth continued vnto them : but also after death his wife and al their elect seed should haue life eternall in him . this is a strong argument of a lively faith , and of the quickening spirit given to adam vpon the verie daie of the promise which was the seventh day . secondly , that our first parents had the holy spirit given them on that daie , & by faith were instituted & made partakers of the righteousnes of christ , the coats of skins doe shew which god fitted to them , & put vpon them . for undoubtedly these skins of cleane beasts , which god taught and commanded them to kill and offer in sacrifice as tipes , figures , and pledges of their redemption , by the death and sacrifice , of of christ : and these coats made of the skins of beasts sacrificed , and put upon our first parents by god himself , did plainly forshew the covering and clothing of all the faithfull with the robes of christ satisfaction and righ●iousnesse , & were a token and pledge to them , that they were justified by faith in christ to come , and cloathed with the garments of salvation . for all gods works are perfect : he gives to no men by his own hand immediatly the outward pledg & seale without the inward grace . thirdly , adams teaching of his sonnes , caine and abell to sacrifice , and to bring offerings & first fruits to god , which were tipes of christ , and of gods rest in his mediation and fulls satisfaction , and that , at the end of daies , that is the seventh which is the last of the week , & gods holy weekly sabbath , these j say doe testifie adams faith in the promise , his holy obedience to gods commandment of keeping holy the seuēth day , and his holy care to teach his children holy obedience also . now this being manifest , that of the seventh day god did first sanctifie man by his holy spirit , and did bring in holinesse into the world among men . we must needs acknowledg this a second point of gods sanctifying that day , and making it fit to bee his holy weekely sabbath and the day , of his holy worship , chap. . thirdly the lord god for a memoriall of these supernaturall & heavenly things first revealed , & done on the seventh day , and for a pledg to man of the eternall rest in heaven , did also by his word and commandment , appoint every seventh day to be vnto man a day of rest from his owne works which concerne this worldly life , and to be kept an holy sabbath , to the lord his god , and this is the third point of gods sanctifying the seventh day , and setting it apart for holy and heavenlie vse , and for holy worshippe , service , and religious duties which tend to begit and increase holinesse in men , and so to bring them to see and enjoy god in the eternall rest of glorie . this point because it is of greatest weight and moment , & comprehends in it many of those things which are necessary to be laid open , & made knowne for the distinct and profittable understanding of the lords holy weekly sabbath , & the right obseruation thereof , together with the duties which belong thereunto , & are therein required . therefore i will doe my best endeavour to handle this point more fully , & to laie open distinctly the speciall things therein contained , and that in this method & order . first i will proue this maine point , to weet : that gods blessing and sanctifying of the seventh day , did include the giving of a law & commandement for the keeping of an holy weekly sabbath , & gods giving of this commandement was a maine & speciall part of his sanctifying of it . secondly i will enquire & search out the nature of that law & commandement , & how farre , & in what manner it bindes adam , and all his posteritie . thirdlie , because everie law which god gives to man , doth impose a dutie upon man , and bindes man to the performance of it , therefore the uerie words of the text binds me to handlle at large , mans dutie which this commandement of god , & this word by which hee did blesse and sanctifie the seventh day , doth impose upon adam & all his posteritie , even their sanctifying & keeping holy the sabbath day . for the proofe of the maine point , we haue three notable argumēts : first we haue the plaine testimony of god himselfe exod. . . where he cals this his blessing & sanctifying of the seventh day , by the maine of a commandement & law . & tels the isralites that they not keeping of an holy rest ; but going out togather manna on the seventh day , did refuse to keepe his commandements and lawes , that is his commandements and lawes which he had given from the beginning in his blessing and the sanctifying of the seventh day ; for of other speciall lawes and commandements given beefore that time concerning the sabbath there is no mention at all in scripture , neither did god giue any besides that from the beginning , untill hee spake unto them afterward from mount sinah , and in the fourth commandement called upon them to remember the law of old , giuen for keeping holy the sabbath , and renewed it againe to them . secondly , in all the law of god and in all the scriptures wee never read of any thing truly hallowed , sanctified and set apart for holy vse but by speciall commandement of god , and by the direction of his word : the first thing which is said to bee sanctified after the seventh daie , is the first borne of israell exod . . and this was by gods speciall commandement , and therefore hee saith that he hallowed them on that day which he smote the first borne of egypt , num. . . the next sanctified mentioned in scripture is that of the people of israell when they were to come into the sight and presence of gods majestie at mount sina exod. . . and that was by gods direction and commandement as is there testified in expresse words . the third sanctification mentioned in the scriptures , is that of the sanctuary , and the altar and all the holy uessels and implements therof . and aaron and his sonnes the priests with all their robes and vestments , also the sacrifices and all other holy things of the tabernacle , & they all were sanctified by the speciall commandement of god , and by direction of his word as moses in the law testifies in exodus . & divers other places . soe the temple in ierusalem and all the holie things which are consecrated and dedicated to the service of god by solomon , are said to be hallowed and sanctified by god king . : and cron. . . that is by gods speciall commandement & direction . and moses his dedication of all things in the law , is said to bee by bloud and that by precepts spoken to the people according to gods law heb. . vers . . . and every creature of god is said to be sanctified to the use of the saints by the word of god and by prayer tim. . . now if in all gods word everie thing is said to bee sanctified , by the word and speciall commandement of god : and wheresoever in all the scriptures god is said to sanctifie any thing , and to seperate it for holy use : the word ( sanctifie ) doth necessarilye implie a commandement , and speciall law of god given for the seperating of it . it were against all reason and common sence to deny heere in this text the wordes ( blesse and sanctifie ) doe necessarilie alsoe implie that god gaue a speciall commandement and law for the keepeing of his holie weekelie sabbath an holy rest unto him the lord our god. thirdly , whatsoever is sanctified by god and so dedicated to holy vse , that it is not in the power of any creature to alter and chaunge and turne it to another use , without sinne and transgression against god , that is certainlie established by a spirituall law of god , for where there is no law there is no transgression . now after that god had sanctified the seventh daie , & apointed it to be the rest of the holie sabbath . it was a sinne and transgression not to keepe it , or to chaunge and alter it to common vse , yea it was transgression against gods commandements as appeares in the place before mentioned exod. . . . therfore gods sanctifying the sabbath was vndoubtedlie by giving of a commandement for the due keeping and observing of it . but from this point thus proved , there ariseth an objection , the answering and removing whereof seemes to a matter of some moment . for this being granted , that god in sanctifying the seventh day immediatlie after the ending of the creation , did giue a speciall law for the observation of the seventh day of every weeke as an holy sabbath : and if once consecrared by gods law to holie use , may in no case be turned to common and profane vse , and whosoever doth chaunge it , sinneth most greeviousl●e , as appeares exod. . . & num. . . and also by the destruct●on of k●ng belsh●zz●r for turning the hallowed vessels of the temple of ierusalem to common and profane vse , dan. . it will here upon follow , that adams posterity in all ages are bound to keepe the weekely sabbath on the seventh day , and no creature may chaunge it to another daie without grieuous sinne . and the christian churches which haue chaunged the sabbath to the first day of the weeke ; & haue made the seventh daie a common daie wherein they doe the workes of their private calling & their worldlie businesse ; haue transgressed gods law in so doing . neither haue they any warrant or ground from this first institution , or the fourth commandement ( which the sabbath of the seventh daie , ) to keepe their weekely sabbath on the lords day which is the first of the weeke . for the satisfying of this obj●ction , and clearing of this doubt , divers things may be answered . first that in the most strict commandement of god by which he binds men to the keeping of holy assemblies , and publick solemnities for the performance of religious duties , worshippe , and service , to his majesties memorable of his extraordinary blessings and benefits , though the solemne duties be limmited to some certaine and fit daies & those particular duties be named in the law . yet if the substance of the commandement be kept , that is ; the holy solemnitie observed and the duties , worship , and service be performed , in all full and ample manner as the law requires , though the particular daies of the month , yeare , and weeke be chaunged vpon good reason and for weighty consideration ; the lord doth dispence with alteration of that circumstance to another day and time , which appeares by good reason , and for just causes to bee more convenient , and doth allow and accept that for the right performance of his law . this is manifest by a plain instance and example given by god himselfe . for the law of the passover which god gave to israel did command them to keepe that feast in their generations , vpon the fourteene day of the first month , and that under paine of being cut off . exod. . . . & levit. . . and yet upon just occasion , such as gods law approves either of uncleannesse of absence from home vpon a farre jouney , it was lawfull to chaunge the particular time , and to keepe the passover , on another day more convenient , even on the fourteenth day , of the second moneth , num. . . and soe hezekiah and all the people of israell and iudah kept it and chaunged the day cron. . and hereby the lord himselfe teacheth us , that the lawes which command holie solemnities and bind all his people in their generations to the due observation of them on certaine set daies , such as the law of the weekly sabbath , & the yearly passover , may stand in force and bee dulie observed , though the particular daie of the weeke be chaunged vpon such grounds , as gods law approveth and for such causes and reasons , as make that other day more fit , and excellent for the solemnitie , then that particular day of the weeke , or of the moneth which is named in the law . secondly , if any object that the law of the passover was ceremoniall , and therefore might admit of some chaunges , but it cannot be so in the law of the sabbath if it be morall and perpetuall , binding all man kinde to the worlds end . to this i answere , that for the time and season wherein ceremoniall lawes are in force they are equall ( in their obligation and binding of the persons commanded ) to lawes morall and perpetuall , and therefore the argument and answer is good and firme , and cannot with any good reason be rejected and denied . thirdly , divers positive lawes which are morall and perpetuall and bind adam , and all his posterity , in all their generations , though they be firme and immutable in themselves & in their obligation : yet because the duties of obedience which they impose vpon men , and the men up on whom the duties are imposed , are in their state , and condition mutable and chaungable , and the chaunges and alterations of the things commanded in times , places , and other relations and respects , do not at all chaunge the law , nor proue it ceremoniall , and chaungable . as for example , gods commandement and law given to israell , was that they should loue him the lord their god , and serue him with such worship as is agreable to his word . this law bindes them and all gods people in all generations unchaungable : jt bound all such as lived in the old testament to serve god with sacrifices , and burnt offerings , and to worship him with their first fruits , and sweet odoures and perfumes of incense , and that in the place which he did chuse out of all the tribes of israell . and it bindes vs still who liue under the new testament : to loue god , and to serue him . but with a spirituall woshippe and seruice , such as is most agreable to the word of the gospell , as saint paul shewes rom. . ● . and our sacrifices are not of bruite beasts , but our owne bodies deuoted to the obedience of christ , and sacrifices of thankes and praise which are the calfes of our lipps heb. . . for now men are not by the lavv bound to worship god in ierusalem , nor in the mountaine of samaria . but in every place to lift up pu●e hands and hearts to god , and to worshippe him in spirit and in truth , iohn . . and to this worshipp the same law doth as strictlie binde us , as it did the fathers to their bod●ly sacrafices in ierusalem , though the seruice in divers particulars is chaunged , yet the law is perpetual and st●nds firme and immutable , and bindes all gods people in al their generations . soe likewise from the first promise of christ , a redeemer to mankinde , adam and all his posterity are bound to beleeve in christ , and to seeke , expect , and hope for salvation , and life only in him the promised seede of the woman , that is in him made man , and mans mediatour and the law of beleeuing in christ is perpetuall firme , and vnch●ungable . and yet the dutie which he requires is changeable , and is chaunged , now under the gospel from that which is under the law , in circumstance , for the faithfull in the old testament were bound to except and wait for christ and to beleeve in him to come , but we under the gospel confesse christ and beleeue in that christ iesus which is come in the flesh . ●nd whosoever confesseth not christ which is come , but beleevs christ to come he is lead by the spirit of antichrist , joh. . . and euen thus the case stands with the law of the sabbath , which god gaue in the beginning when he sanctified the seuenth day , for by that law he bound adam and all his posterity to obserue and keepe an holy weekly sabbath , and that one the particular day of the week which is the day most blessed with the greatest blessing aboue all other daies of the weeke , and wherein the created worke of the world comes to greatest perfection , and that is brought into actuall being where god especiallie resteth , and wherewith he is chiefly satisfied & delighted . this is the summe and substance of the law which equallie bindes all gods people perpetually to the worlds end . this law , bound the fathers to keepe holy the seventh day , and last day of the weeke , in the old testament , because that was the day most blessed with the greatest blessing as yet reuealed in the world , that is the promise of christ , & his actuall undertaking & beginning to be mans mediatour , by which promise of the redeemer & bringing in of supernaturall grace , which is spirituall & immutable , the mutable worke of the creation was perfected , & in which mediatō of christ , god rested & took such delight , that he would not go about to uphold the world by way of creation , but cōmitted the reparation of the world to christ the mediatour . but now under the go●pel since the ful exhibition of christ , a perfect actual redeemer , & the perfecting of the work of redemption on the first day of the week , in christ his resurrectiō , that first day of the seuenth , which is the seventh in the weekly revolution , if we count the daies begin̄ing with the daie next following , is now the day most blessed , & wherin the created world is after a better manner , & in an higher degree perfected , & god findes that actually performed wherin he resteth & wherwith he is fully satisfied . and therfore the same perpetuall law of the sabbath bindes us to keepe this day for our weekly sabbath , & that not with such service as was , holy under the law , that double bodily sacrifices , nor with assemblies appointed for preaching , reading & hearing of the law , & the promises of a redeemer to come , & for seeking salvation & blessings in messiah promised & yet not come . but with spirituall worship & faithfull praier & invocation in the name of christ exhibited , & already exalted , & with reading , preaching , & hearing of the gospel , which declareth christ iesus already come in the flesh . and thus i hope i haue fully answered the objection , & made it manifest , the christian churches in chaunging the day of their weekly sabbath , & their forme & manner of worship , haue not made void , but established the law of the sabbath , which god gaue in the beginning . and these chaunges doe in no case proue the law to be ceremoniall onely and mutable , neither doth the moralitie and perpetuity of the law require that every circumstance of the sabbath , and every particular sabbath duty , should at all times remain the same perpetual & unchangable chap. . bvt that this truth may yet shine forth more clearlie , and may soe m●nifestlie shew it selfe that no scruples may remaine , nor any doubts concerning it or any part of it . i will proced to the second special thing which is before propounded . that is , to inquire , search out , & discover the nature and kinde of this law and commandement of god , concerning the weeklie sabbath : and how farre and in what manner it bindes adam and all his posterity . and her● i haue alarge field to passe through , wherein divers points offer themselues to our view , which j cannot passe by , nor lead you along withou● due consideration of them . first here j meete with divers and severall opinions , of the learned concerning the law of the sabbath which come first to be rehearsed and examined . secondly , i finde severall kindes of lawes which god hath given to men ; mentioned in the scripture , and divers sorts of commandements , which we must severally discribe , and distinctlie consider before we can determine that which principallie is here intended , that is , what kinde of law and commandement this of the sabbath is , and how farre and in what manner all man kinde are obliged by it , & bound to obey it . the first opinion is , that the law of the sabbath is naturall , morall , & perpetuall writen in the heatt of the first man in his creation . and that as he was bound to keepe the seventh day holy to the lord in the state of innocency . soe also are all his posteritie bound in all all ages even to the last man to keepe the weeklie sabbath . but they who conceiue this law to be naturally writen in mans heart doe much differ & are diuided into two opinions . the one sort holds the law to be wholy naturall , and perpetuallie morall both in respect of the rest , and sanctification , & also in respect of the particular day of the weeke , even the seventh from the beginnning of the creation . thus doe iuda●zing christians hold , who professe christian religion , but reject the sanctification of the lords day and embrace and cleave to the iewes sabbath . the other sort do hold that there is a three fould vse of the sabbath day . . religious and holy , which is the exercise of holy & religious duties . . politicall or civill , which is rest from worldlie weariesom labour of man and beast . . ceremoniall or sacramentall which is a signification and shadowing of spirituall rest in christ. that in the two first respects the law is naturall , ●mortall and perpetuall , and that nature requires , that a seventh day of everie weeke should bee for rest and refreshing , and for holy exercises of religion , they all affirme : and because the seuenth and last daie of the weeke , was the daie wherein god rested , hauing in the sixt dayes before perfected all the workes of the creatiō , therf●● they hold that for the signifying & sh●dowing forth of spirituall rest in christ ; the seventh day was the fittest of all , & gods people were by gods law bound to observe it , for their sabbath vntill christ had fully finished the worke of redemption , & then rested from it as god did from the worke of creation . and that ever since the resurection the signe and ceremony of christs rest being fulfilled . the sabbath is to be kept by the same law of nature , and commandement of god on the lords day the first day of the weeke , which is one in seventh vntill the eternall sabbath and rest in heaven , unto which christ will bring all his elect at last . this is the doctrine of many of the best learned heretofore in our church , and divers godly divines do rest in this opinion which for the maine matter & substance of it , is pious & godly & approved by aquinas the great scooleman . the second opinion is , that the law of the sabbath was not naturall wr●tten in mans heart , neither did binde man to observe an holy rest the seventh day of every weeke , & onelie on the seventh day in which god rested , but that it was a possitiue law given by god , commanding more then the light of nature did clearly & distinctly shew to man , or bare naturall instinct move him unto , and that it was like the law by which god forbad man to eate of the tree of knowledge , which his own naturall appetite did leade him to eate of , being good for food & to the eye & appetite pleasant and desirable . but god restrained him from it , not but instinct of nature or law written in his heart , but by his owne voluntary commandement , to shew his authority over man , to teach man obedience , & to make man know , that he might as justlie haue restrained him from all , or the most part of either fruites , & that the use of the creatures , & the power which he gaue to man over them was his free gift , & therfor man ought to loue & serve him his creatour , as for his whole being , so also for the use & benifit of all other crea●urs . and soe like wise they hold , that by nature all dayes are alike in themselvs , & mā by the light of nature can disc●rne no difference in thē , b●t yet god to make man mindfull of his creation , & of god his creatour , did by his word & everlasting commandement given to man , seperat one day fot the vses before named . . for holy use even performance of religious duties only . . for civill use , to weet : rest from hard labour . . for ceremoniall , to signifie the rest of christ after the work of redemption finished , to admonish man of rest from sinfull works , & to be a token of eternall rest in heauē . & though any one day in the week is of it self naturally as fit as another , & that it is no matter what day be kept , so that one in sevē be for these uses set apart : yet because god rested on the seventh day from his work of creation , therfor in the old testament he would haue that last day of seven to be the sabbath untill the comming of christ : intēding that when the greater work of mans redemption was perfected by christ ; then the day of his resurrection in which he rested from that worke even the lords day , should be the sabbath of gods people to the end of the world ; and so this law & commandement though it be not naturall , yet it is morall , & a perpe●uall , and vnchangable rule of gods canstant will , & of mans duty in this particular : which is the main substance of it , viz , that man do keep one day in seven of every week for a sabbath of rest ' though●ut all ages of the world , & that it is chaungable onely in the circumstance of the day , & that onely thus far . . that while the work of creation was , that work vvhich had the preheminence in the eyes of the vvorld , the sabbath vvas to be kept necessarily one the last of the seven , in vvhich god did rest from that vvork , & so this lavv did binde men . . that after christ had finished his vvorke of redemption , ●ested the seventh day in the graue , & on the first day vvas risen & entered into his rest , & the vvorke vvhich novv hath the preheminence vnder the gospel , is redemption perfected by christs resurrection , the day of his resurr●ction & rest , should bee the holy sabbath to all christian people , wherby they should be admonished of the eternall rest in heaven , & wherin they should be holy devoted to such duties , as tend to bring thē on , to the fruition of rest with christ in glory . the third opinion is , that the law of the sabbath is not naturall nor perpetually morall at all , but only civill & ceremoniall , & some who are of this opinion doe hold , that it was giuen of god in the beginning to be obserued only untill the comming of christ , partly in memory of the creation , vntill the greater worke of redemtion should come in , & partly to signifie things to come by c●rist , & of true rest to bee found in him , & that now it is vtterly abolish●d , together with all the festival sabbaths , of the iewes . others of them hold , that because there was great equity in this law , & also seting apart of one day in the week for religious exercises , is a thing uery profittable & usefull for the propogation of religion , and for the upholding of order in gods c●urch : therfor the lavv in respect of the particular day is abolish●d , for that vvas ceremoniall , but the equity of the observation of on in seven still rem●ines . and therfore all christians in imitation of the ap●stles , ought to keep one in seven , especially the lords day vvhich is the last in the vveeke , rather then any other , if the church so determine it , & if it bee obserued vvithout any superstitious conceipt of more holinesse in that day , or annexed to it , rather then any other . the fourth opinion is , that the first lavv for observation of the vveekly sabbath vvas the fourth commandement , given from mount sina , & that is did bind only the isralits to keep the sevē●h day of the vveek for an holy sabbath untill the cōming of christ : but novv under the gospel it is abolish●d in respect both of the particular day , & also the strictnes of the obseruation , & only the equity of it remains in the lords day , the obseruation vvherof is commēded to us by the example of the apostles , & ●ovv the lavv of keeping it holy is only ecclesiasticall & an holy ordinance of the church· thus you see vvhile men build vpon vnsure and vnstable grounds , & not upon the certain vvords of holy scripture compared together & made to runne in a svveet harmony , hovv various & different they are , & hovv contrary some of them , in their opinions . for the removing of all doub●s , & setling of mens judgments in a sure vvay so farre as god shal enable me . i vvill endeavour to select & single out vvhatsoever i finde in these severall opinions , to be agreeable to the truth , & to the sacred vvord of god : & reject the rest : & vvill ad more over what is wanting to make up a perfect doctrine , not out of mine owne conjections , but out of canonicall scriptures , for that is the sure rule of all necessary saving and sanctified knowledge , & that must be the sure guid when fathers , councels , & churches do lead vs into severall & doubtfull wayes . first for them who hold that the law of the sabbath was written in mans heart in the creation , i hold it true insome part , to weet : thus far . that god creating man in his owne image did print this in mans heart that as he had his . whole being from god , especially his reasonable soule , by which he was made able to understand the will of god , revealed to him by his word , so hee was bound to obey god and to serue him all his dayes , with his whole heart , and with all his might . and if god did require of him any part of his time , and commanded him to obsteine from some good and lawfull workes tending to his naturall good and well being , & to doe some speciall workes for his lords pleasure , in one day or more selected daies of the weeke , or of every moneth or yeare , he ought to doe it out of duty and obedience to his lord and creatour . thus farre j consent that the law is naturall written in mans heart , to weet : in generall and in respect of the common foundation : j grant also that the law and commandement of god , injoyning the rest of men , their servants , and cattell from hard labour the seventh day , or one daie in every weeke , is a thing so naturally helpfull & needfull for the health and wellbeing of men ever since mans fall , and the curse of barennesse laid upon the earth , and the punishment of toyle some labour and faint sweating imposed on man kinde , that mans own naturall reason , will and affection must needes approue it , and moue and incline his heart to the obedience of it , and his inward thoughts cannot but accuse him of wrong done to his owne body , and to the life of his labouring cattell , and servants , if he disobey it , and in this respect it may be called a law of nature : yea i adde moreover that if wee take the law of nature in a large sence , as some times it is taken , that is for every law which commands such duties and such obedience , as in there owne nature are very vsefull & profittable to the parties commanded , and which is grounded on such just causes & weighty grounds , as by the judgment of naturall reason , are in their owne nature well worthy of such observance , then the law & commandement of keeping an holy sabbath ( on the seventh day in the old testament in thankfulnesse for christ promised & for a continuall memoriall of that great blessing : & one the first day of christs resurr●ction now under the gospell , in thankfulnesse for christ fully exhibited , & the worke of redemption by him perfected , which so much excels the promise made on the seventh day , as perfecting of a worke excels the beginning & undertaking of it ) may both in respect of the particular day & the sanctification of it be called a law of nature that is a law requiring such morall & perpetuall obedience , as is in the nature of it most just , and worthy to be performed . but that the law and commandement , which bound the fathers to keepe an holy rest one the seventh day of every weeke , and us under the gospel to keepe it on the first day especially and no other , was in in the creation written & imprinted in the heart of man so distinctlie , and expressly , that man had an inbred notion of it , and a naturall instinct of himselfe to observe this law , & to keepe a weekly sabbath on those uerie daies which god hath prescribed both to the fathers & us . this i must needs deny for these reasons following . first gods sanctifying of the seventh day by his word and commandement , and his institution of the sabbath by a positiue law giuen , as my text here shewes ; had beene vaine and needlesse , if the law and the sabbath of holie rest had beene expressly , and particularly written in mans heart already . for what man by the instinct of nature , & by his own naturall reason , will and affection , is lead and moved to do , that hee is vainly & needlesly vrged unto by any law or commandement , being of himselfe without any monitor ready to performe it . secondly , the very word ( sanctify ) signifieth the setting apart of this day to a supernaturall and heavenly vse , euen for the performance of such duties as are aboue the naturalll imaginations and thoughts of man , and which his naturall reason would never haue revealed to him , not his will lead him to do . if god by his word , and divine & superturall revealation had not directed and moved him . therefore this law by which god sanctified & instituted the sabbath is not a naturall law , but a divine and supernaturall precept . thirdly , in the creation and state of innocency , man was bound to serve god as his creatour and the author of all his being , and to be content with that estate wherein god had placed him , and saw to be very good , and to looke no higher . it was the inordinat desire of more knowledge and of an higher estate then god had revealed and promised , which made our first parents so yeelding to the devils temptations , and vndoubtedly it was an occasion of their sinne in eating of the forbidden fruite . now the serving of god as his lord and creatour was the duty of man euery day alike , for the heavens aboue ▪ and the earth beneath , and all creatures in them serving daily for mans naturall good & welbeing , even every day equallie did put man continually in mind of his duty . to weet : that he was to loue and serue the lord with all his heart , soule , and strength at all times , for this is the righteousnesse of a mans owne workes and of his owne person , which god required of man in the first covenant in the state of innocency , even his constant obedience to the vvhole and law and revealed will of god all his dayes withou● one dayes intermission . therefore the sabbath which requires service of god and worship , & loue of him as mercifull a redeemer , and that upon one day of the weeke more then all the rest , vvas not knowne nor commanded nor observed by nature in the state of innocency . fourthly , the lavv of nature written in mans heart requires no particular duty , but such as his owne naturall reason and vvill did direct & lead him vnto in the creation , and vvhich belonged to him in the state of innocency . but the lavv of the sabbath from the first institution commands and requires such things , ●nd such vvorkes , and duties as did not concerne man in the state of innocency . as : rest of man and beast from their vvearisome labour for their refreshing upon one day in seven . this man had no need of , neither vvas their any need of such rest , because the toile and labour of man and beast came in after the fall , vvhen god cursed the earth for mans sinne . secondly , it requires in generall sanctification of the seventh day , by holy and religious exercises , and in particular by sacrificing to god , by prayer and supplication , and by meditating on heavenly things , and on eternall rest , and by studying all holy duties vvhich might fit men for the sight and fruition of god in heavenly glory . all which & vvhat soever other holy sabbath duties and vvorks , are mentioned in the word of god , do belong to man , only since the promise of christ the blessed seed . and in the state of innocency , man had no occasion of any such duties he had no need of sacrificing vntill christ , his ransome and sacrifice for sinne vvas promised , he neither could have any thought ar meditations of glory in heauen , or studies to fit and sanctifie himselfe for the fruition thereof untill christ the onlie vvay to eternall rest , & glory vvas promised : vvhat use had he of prayers and supplcations to god for any good thing needful , vvhen he lacked nothing , or for deliverance from evill vvhen as yet noe evill vvas knovvne in the vvorld ? what occcasion could he haue to praise god either for christ , before he did so much as dreame of christ or had any thought of him at all . as for naturall guifts and blessings he vvas by them admonished and provoked every day alike to loue , serve , honour and praise god , vvherefore seeing the vvorkes and duties of the sabbath are holy , and tend onely or chiefly to the supernaturall and heavenl● life , and to the eternall rest which christ hath purchased in heauen for man , vndoubtedly the lavv of the sabbath vvhich expresly commands such workes and duties everie seuenth day , is a positiue supernaturall and divine law , not any dictate of nature imprinted in mans heart in the creation . fiftly , every law of nature is common to all man kinde , and is written as well in the hearts of heathen as of christians , so that the conscience of men whoe never heard of god or of his word , is a monitor , to admonish them of the duty which that law requires , and an accuser if they transgresse that law , and men haue no more need to be put in mind of those duties , then of any other which the law of nature requires : but the law of the sabbath hath no footsteppe of impression in the hearts of barbarous heathen nations . it is quite forgoten among them , and onely gods people who have his written law , and word continually read and preached , do keepe the sabbath : and god in giving it to israell in written tables , & in repeating it often afterwardes , still calls upon them to remember it , thereby shewing that it is not as the law of nature printed in mans heart , but is a law giuen by word and writing , and from thence learned , and therefore easilie and quickly forgotten . sixthly , if it were a naturall law founded upon the creation , and binding man to keepe a weekelie holy day in thankfulnesse for his creation , and for the creatures made for his vse , then it should in all reason binde man to keepe holy the six dayes in vvhich god created all things , and especiallie the sixth daie wherein god made man himselfe and gaue him rule and dominion over all creatures . for holy celebrations are kept weekely or yearely one the dayes in which the blessing and benefits solemnized and celebrated were first bestovved one men . therefore it is not a naturall law grounded on the creation . lastly christ came not to chaunge the law of nature , nor to take away any part of the obedience therof , but to establish and fulfill it in every jot and title as he himselfe testifieth mat. . . . and yet the law of the sabbath soe farre as it requires keeping holy the seventh day , as the fathers were bound in the old testament is changed by christ and by his resurrection , in which hee finished the worke of redemption , and was exhibited a perfect redeemer . and the observation of the seventh and last day of the weeke is abolished . and the first day of the weeke even the day of christs resurrection , is sanct●fied and substituted in the place of it , and so was obserued by the apostles , & after them by all true christian churches for the lords day , and for the queene and ch●efe princesse of all daies , as the blessed martyr ignatius cals it . epist. ad magnesi●s pag. . therefore it is not a law of nature printed & e●grauen in mans heart . j could alleadge more reasons , but j hold this perfect number of seven sufficient for this present purpose . j will therefore proceed to the next thing which is the discovery of the seuerall kindes of lawes , which god hath given to men , & the briefe discription of every kind particularly , by which j shall come to demonstrate what kind this of the sabbath is . chap. . the lawes of god which he hath given to men , are of two sorts , either lawes printed in mans heart which we cal lawes of nature : or else positiue lawes , which god hath commanded in his word over , and above , or besides the lawes of na●ure . th● law of nature is that will of god which hee as lord and creatour hath imprinted in mans heart in the creation , even that naturall disposition which god gaue to man , when he made him in his owne image , by which he doth informe man in the knowledge , and moue him to the practise of all duties which belong to him , and which he requirs of him , for naturall wellbeing & continuance in that life , & good estate wherein he was created . the law of nature may be distiguished into two sorts . the one is generall and indefinit , which binds man definitly in a generall bond . the other is speciall and particular , which doth define & prescribe speciall & particular duties & workes to men . the generall and indefinit law is this . that man being gods creature and hauing his whole being , life , motion and all things from god , of free gift , is in duty bound to obey god to the utmost of his power in all things whatsoever god either by naturall light , or by his word either hath revealed , or shall at any time reveale and make knowne unto him , to be his will that he should doe them . the bond and obligation of this law is very large , and reacheth through all lavves , & binds men to doe whatsoever god commands by any law whatsoever . the speciall definit and particular law of nature , is that commanding will of god engrauen in mans heart ▪ and in his upright naturall disposition , which directs man to know & moues him to performe such speciall kinds of duties and such particular workes , as he ought to do and god reveales to him & declar●s to be his wi●l that hee should do them . of these speciall lawes some are primary . and some are secondarie lawes of nature . a speciall primary law of nature is the will of god , concerning such speciall duties and particular workes , as mans owne pure created nature and naturall disposition did direct , lead & moue him vnto , which his naturall reason in the state of integrity did shew unto him , and his pure naturall will and affections did moue and stirre him to performe . as for example , to know and acknowledge god for his sole lord and creatour , and one onely god , to serue and worship him with such worship and reuerence , as his pure reason taught him to bee meet for god , to thinke and speake of god accordingly : to beare himselfe towardes the creatures , and to rule them according to the wisdome which god , had given him , to increase and multiply and to replenish & subdue the earth and such like . a secondary speciall law of nature , is a rule or precept concerning such speciall and particular duties and workes , as mans owne right reason , or gods word discouers vnto him , to bee in there owne nature good , and just , and profittable either for his owne naturall being , and wellbeing , as the cause now stands with him since his fall , and for any other good end and use agreeable to gods revealed will. as for example , that men should not liue idle , but labour painfully to provide for themselves and families , this is a duty which vvas knovvne to man before his fall , but ever since the curse vvherevvith god cursed the earth for mans sinne , gods vvord requires it , and mans ovvne naturall reason vvel informed , and his vvill and affections vvell ordered doe naturally moue him to the performance of it for his naturall vvelbeing . so diuers negatiue precepts vvhich forbidde such euils and sinfull deedes , as man never knevv nor had any thought of them in the state of innocency , but novv true naturall reason , affection and conscience ; teacheth and moueth man to hate and abhorre them ; they are lavves of this kinde . and if vve should extend the lavv of nature to the utmost , as many do , and bring under it every law which commands duties which are in their owne nature just and honest and very vsefull and profittable to the doers and to others ; ●nd serve directly and naturally for gods glory . we might reduce to this kinde of naturall lawes , every positiue morall and perpetuall precept commanding any just or holy work & duty which is just in it selfe , though there were no expresse commandement given for the doing of it . a positiue law of god is that vvhich god in his wisedome & by his word giues to man , by which he bindes man to some obedience which he of him●elf by his own naturall vvit & reason would not haue found out & discerned to be good & just , neither would haue done or performed by the instinct of nature , and the motion of his will & affection , for such an end as god hath appointed them unto . there are diuers lawes and precepts of this kinde , all which as they require that which god justly & wisely willeth man to do , & do command things which are in respect of the present state & condition good for man , so they al are after a generall manner included in the generall law of nature , and bindes men to obey them all . of these positiue lawes there are divers sorts . some are positiue commanding things which tend to preserve & maintain good order , society & peace , not onely between god the creatour and man his creature , but also betweene man & other creatures , & among men themselves . such was the law which god gaue to man , when he commanded him vnder the paine of death to obsteine from the fruite of the tree of knowledge of good and evill , & that for a wise & just end , even to put man in mind that he was not absolute lord of all the visible creatures , to vse them at his pleasure , but that he was a subordinate lord and ruler under god , and that all other trees berbes & fruites which god alowed him to eate of , were gods free guift , & also to teach him , that hee was chiefly & aboue all to looke to the service of god & obedience of his will , & to omit the serving of his owne turne , & the doing of that which his owne vvill might moue him to doe , when god at any time should call him another way . and of this kind are all the judiciall lawes , vvhich god gaue to israell by moses for the well ordering of their common vvealth , & all precepts of obedience , vvhich inferiors ovve to superiours in things lavvfull and that for peace sake . some positiue lavves are evangellicall and religious vvhich command vvorks & duties tending to an holy heavenly & supernaturall end & use , such are all lavvs & cōmādments vvhich god hath given vpō occasiō of christ revealed to mā , & in & through christ vvhich require duties , & service due to god as he is mās redeemer , & bind mā as he expects benefit by christ the mediatour & redeemer , to such workes & such obedience , as come to be of vse in respect of christ. these evangellicall lavvs are of two sorts . . some are vniversall & perpetuall requiring necessary works & duties of all such as are to be saued by christ. . some are special & temporary , which require some speciall service & workes of obedience , & them of some only , & for some times , & in some condition of the church . perpetuall & vniuersall evangellicall lawes , which bind all gods redeemed ones , & require things necessary to salvation by christ , are the commaundements of god , by which he bindes all men to repentance & reformation of life , to godly sorrow , & humiliation for sinne , to beleeue in christ under penalty of loosing salvation , & of perishing for euer , & condemned & cast into hell for their sins . speciall or temporarie laws are they which bind men , or all men of some ages and in some times to some speciall service & worship , fit for the present state & condition of the church , or to so some duties & workes vvhich for the time are profittable to guid & lead men to christ , & therfore are sanctified of god & set apart for that purpose : ●uch are the lawes & commandements of sacrificing & bringing offerings & first fruits to god , of oxen & sheep & other cleane beasts & birdes , & of the increase of the earth , some of which lavves did binde all gods people from the first promise of christ even all the fathers from adam untill moses , & all israell untill the comming of christ , such lawes were that of circumcision given to abrahā , as a seale of the covenant wh●ch god made with him & his seed , & that of the passouer , and of the first borne , & all leviticall ceremoniall lawes , given to israell by the hand of moses , & such are the commandements of baptisme & the lords supper , which binde all christians under the gospell . there are also besides these severall kinds of lawes , some mixt lawes , & of these some are partly & in some respects naturall , because they bind men to some duties vnto which nature binds them ; & in some respects civill , for they require things which tend to civill order & government ; & partly in some respects also evangellicall commanding things which tend to salvatio● in christ. some are partly morall & perpetuall in that they require morall duties which are necessary & vsefull at all times to the end of the world ; & partly ceremoniall & temporary in that they require obedience in things which are usefull onely in some cases and at some times . as for example the law which god gaue from mount sina , & wrote it in tables of stone it doth binde men not only to all morall duties which engrauen in the creation , to weet : all duties which man did owe to god as to his onely creatour , & to men as fellow creatures ; but also to such further duties & degrees of obedience as man doth owe to god his only saviour & redeemer in christ , & to men & angels as his fellow sevants brethren & mēbers of one & the same spirituall body under the same head christ. and therefore god presseth and urgeth obedience to that law , at the giuing thereof vpon this consideration , and for this reason , because hee is the lord god the redeemer and deliverer , who as he delivered the naturall israell from egyptian bondage , so by that typicall deliverance did foreshew and prefigure the spirituall redemption of all the spirituall bondage under sinne , the world and the devill . to loue god aboue all , and a mans neighbour as himselfe , to honour parents , and to speake truth of euery one , to giue leaue to every one freely to enjoy his owne , and many such duties requited in the ten commandements are naturall , and nature bound man to them in innocencie , and in respect of them that law is nature . but to beleeve in god as a redeemer , to visite and comfort the sick , and distressed , to honour parents , pastors , superiours , as fathers in christ , and divers duties of neglatiue precepts , as not to make images of god ; not to pollute gods name by vaine swearing and such like , the knowledge and thoughts of vvhich man had not in his heart by nature in the creation , vvhich come into the vvorld by naturall corruptions , and man vvas not subject to them , untill he vvas seduced and fallen and brought into bondage by satan , they are posituallie morall , and as the lavv commands them , it is a positiue morall law , yea in respect of some of them evangelicall . and as reverence and respect to civill magistrates and men of higher place , as they are superiours and men of greater power and authority ( which difference and equality came in by mans fall , and flowes from gods distribution of his common guifts in a different manner & measure ) as i say this honour giuen to them as civill rulers , ruling for our good and the good of the common weath , is commanded in this law so it is ciuill . and lastly as all ceremoniall & religious ordinances , and outward significatiue , & worship sanctified by god , and appointed as most fit for the time and season , receiue their originall authority and first strength from that law given from mount sina , especially from the commandement which bindes man to obey god , as his creatour & redeemer in all ordinances , so farre as he requires , so and in this respect this law is ceremoniall and bindes to obedience temporary , fit for the season , & opportunity . jn like maner the commandement which the lord christ hath given in the gospell , for baptizing of christians and for the administration and receiving of the sacrament , of his body and blood , as they command an outward sacramentall washing with water , and abodily eating of bread and drinking of wine which haue beene of use onely since the comming of christ , and not from the beginning , so they are ceremoniall and temporary . for whatsoever ordinances are in vse in the church of god for a season onely , that is during the time of the true and proper signification of the world ceremonia : which is compounded of the gr : wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifies a set time or season , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , whice signifies onelie , or rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to abide or remaine . but because the time of the gospell is perpetuall unto the end of the world , and they are commanded to be observed of all christians at the time of the gospell , in this respect these commandements may be called vniversall and pepetuall . and as in these and all other ceremonies , ordained by god , there are required besides the outward bodily rites & actions , many spirituall duties , as inward reverence and holy affections of the heart faith in christ & the blessed trinity beleeving of the covenant , commemoration of christ & his benefits , confession of three persons in one god , and the eye of faith looking chiefly to the spirituall things signified , so the commandement and law enjoyning them may justly be esteemed positiuely and evangellically morall . thus much for the divers and severall kindes of gods lawes which hee hath given to men . j proceed to that which is the maine thing here intended , that is to shew what kinde of law the commandement of the sabbath is , & vnder which of these severall kindes it is comprehended . and in a word j hold it to be of the last kinde , to weet : a mixt law that is partly naturall , and partly positiue , both ciuill and evangellicall , and not onely universall and perpetuall but also speciall & ceremoniall , and so indeed it takes part of all kindes of lawes which god hath given men , and which are mentioned in the scriptures , which thing because the learned haue not heretofore obserued nor well considered , but some haue cast their eyes upon the common ground of this lavv printed in mans heart in the creation , and finding it among the ten commandements which are generally held to be the summe and substance of the law of nature , doe call it a law of nature . others haue considered it as a speciall commandement given by god immediatly after the creation by word of mouth and not written in mans heart , and do call it a positiue morall law . others haue considered it as it commands rest one the seventh day , now altered by christ , which rest was a signe of christs rest from the worke of redemption & is a token & pledge of eternall rest in heauen , & there upon hold it to be a ceremoniall law : and hence ariseth the diuersity among christians , and almost civill warre betweene the pastors of severall churches , yea & amōg learned preachers of one & the same church : whereas indeed they all hold the truth in part but not wholy : they all erre in this , that they limit it every one , to that speciall kinde of law , which he hath hath chiefly in his eye and upon which he hath set his conceit : now make it a mixt law & proue it manifestly , & there needs no more contention , except some men wil contend without cause & against reason out of a spirit of contention & contradiction . first , this law as all other lawes is indefinitly comprehended in the generall law of nature , for the generall law written in mans heart in the creation , binds him to attend the wil of god , & to be ready to obey god , his creatour in all things whatsoever he either had already declared , or should at any time to come reveale to bee his will , and to bee a duty which he required of man. and therefore the observing & keeping of a weekly holy sabbath , & devoting of a seventh part of every weeke to religious exercises & to rest from bodily labour & common worldly busines , being expresly commanded by god , & declared at severall times & upon severall occasions to be his will , man is by the generall of nature bound to performe it , & in this respect we may truly say that the law of the sabbath is a law of nature , included indefinitly in that generall law & dictate of nature written in mans heart in the creation . secondly , though j cannot conceive that the keeping of an holy sabbath weekly , was a thing so disti●ct written in mans heart in the creation , that man of himselfe by the instinct of his nature , or by the light of his reason & motion of his will , would haue set either the seventh daie or any other of the seven daies of the weeke apart for rest , or other duties of the sabbath , which god in the first institution required , & commanded also in his law giuen from mount sina : yet because the keeping holy of a weekly sabbath upon such grounds as are mentioned in this text , & for such ends & vses as god hath ordained , to weet : commemoration of gods mercy & bounty in promising christ , preserving the knowledge & memory of the covenant of eternall life , & rest in christ , training up of people in religion , the feare & worship of god , & in holines , by which they are made fit to see & enjoy god in glory , because j say , the keeping holy of a weekly sabboth is in these respects a thing very good & profittable , yea & necessary for the helpe of man and for the reparing of his nature corrupted . thirdly , if we consider the law of the weekly sabbath as it was given by god in the first institution , & in his blessing & sanctifying of the seuenth day , & againe renewed & inserted among the ten commandements given from mount sina : & at other times upon diuers occasions repeated by moses and by the prophets from gods mouth , if we also consider that neuer the sabbath it self nor the ground ; reason , & ocasion of it , ( to weer : gods perfecting the creation by promising & revealing redemptiō in christ , & the rest which j haue before proved & demonstrated ) were written ●n mans heart in innocency , but were after mans fall revealed by god , & thereupon the holy rest commanded to bee kept on that day which god aboue other daies hath blessed and sanctified . we may truely affirme that the commandement of the sabbath in these respects is a positiue law of god , & not a law of nature requiring such particular duties as man of himselfe without gods positiue commandement would haue observed . yea the word ( memento remember ) soe often added to the precept of the sabbath as appeares exod. . . doth plainly shew that the keeping holy of a weekly sabbath , was not a thing printed in mans heart , for then it had beene vaine & needlesse for god soe often to use this word remember & to put them in mind of this duty by moses & the prophets , mans owne conscience would haue been his daily and continual monitor & remembrancer , & his own thoughts would haue ben ready to accuse him for every omision & neglect of it . as the apostle testifies of the worke of the law written in mans heart , rom. . . fourthly , if we consider the law of the sabbath as it commandeth man together with his children , servants & labouring cattell to rest from their wearisome labours & bodily paine ; which came in by sinne , & by mans fall , together with servile subjection & difference of the maister & servant , which weekly rest & intermission from toyle & labour granted to servants & cattell by their maisters : as well as to themselves , makes very much for good order in every state & common wealth , & for peace & society among mē , & in every family , & serves for an excellent civill & politicall use , so it is in the judgment of many learned & godly divines , not without good reason hold to be a civill and politicall lavv . fifthly , if we consider . first the time of gods first institution of the sabbath , as it fals under chist , even upon the seventh day of the world , in which christ was , promised to redeeme man who was fallen in the latter end of the sixth day as is before shewed . secondly , if wee consider the ground and reason of gods institution of the sabbath and sanctifying the seventh day , even christ promised the seed of the woman , & to breake the serpents head , by whose actually undertaking & beginning to mediate for man , god did perfect the mutable worke of creation , & setled the world in an higher estate of the perfection supernaturall , & did rest in christs mediation , being that which was able to giue full satisfaction to his justice . thirdly , if we consider that in the first institution , the sabbath day was sanctified & blessed aboue the other six dayes : that is , vvas set apart to heavenly & supernaturall vse ; which cannot be imagined but in & under christ in whome all things are sanctified . we must needes know & confesse that the commandement of the sabbath even in and from the first originall and institution , is a law divine and evangellicall , commanding such an observation and service , as is of use onely in and under christ , and mainly tends to lead men to salvation in him . sixtly , if we consider the necessity of resting , one whole day in every weeke , from all our worldly affaires . first that with one consent the church and congregation of gods people may all generally meet together in their set places of holie assemblies , to heare and learne the doctrine of saluation and word of life , and to honour god with publick holy worship and service , and with joynt prayers to call upon him in the name and mediation of christ for all blessings . secondly , that every man may instruct his family in private also at home , and by constant exercising of them a whole day together in religious duties every weeke , may make them to grow and increase in grace and religion and in knowledge and skill to order and direct all their weeke dayes labours , to gods glory , their owne salvation , and the comfort and profit of their christian brethren . without which religious observation once every weeke at the least , especially upon the particular day of the week , which god hath blessed with the most memorable work belonging to mans redemption , it is not possible for people to be well ordered in a christian church , nor gods holy worship to bee either generally known or publickly practised , nor the vulgar sorts of christians to bee brought to the knowledge and profession and practise of true religion neceessary to salvation . these things i say considered , we must necessarily grant that the law of the sabbath is an evangellicall universall and perpetuall law ▪ such as the commandements of beleeving in christ , repenting from dead workes , reforming of our lives , worshipping and invocating of god in the name & mediation of christ , and by the motion & direction of his holy spirit , all which commandements binde all gods people of all churches and ages from the first day wherein christ was promised in one measure or other . so that without obedience in some degree vnto these evangellicall lawes , it is not possible for any man to be and to continue a true child of god , and to attaine salvation in and by christ. and this law thus farre and in these respects cōsidered , can no more be abrogated and abolished , then gods covenant of redemption of salvation made with mankinde in christ. but all mankinde even every one who seekes salvation in christ , is at all times & in all ages bound to obserue this law of sanctifying a seventh day in every weeke , and of resting from all worldly affaires , that they may serve and vvorship and seeke god in christ. lastly , if we consider the lords sabbath , as it is a significatiue éven a signe to us of the eternall sabbath in heaven , and as it is in respect of the particular day of the weeke and some ceremoniall worship used in it , chaungable and mutable according to the chaunges and motions of christ the foundation and lord of it , and according to the seuerall estates of gods church , and gods seuerall dispensations of the misteries of salvation , and severall waies of reuealing christ in the old testamēt , and before and after the comming of christ in the flesh . we must of necessity confesse , that the law of the sabbath is in these respects a ceremoniall law , commanding things which are temporary and mutable and fitted for some times and seasons onely . first as it commanded the seventh day of the week to be kept holy , as the most holy day because therein christ was promised to be the redeemer of the world , and god rested in his creation , and perfected the creation by bringing in redemption , which was the greatest blessing of the old testament . and as it required hallowing of the day by sacrifices and other outward service and worship which were tipes and figures of christ to come , and by preaching and rehearsing the promises of christ out of the lavv and prophets , beleeving in the saviour in heaven . soe it was a ceremoniall and temporary lavv , and did stand in force and binde all gods people to the obseruation of the last day of the weeke , all the time of the old testament vntill christ vvas fully exhibited a perfect redeemer in his resurrection . and it vvas not in the povver of the church to chaunge the sabbath to any other day of the weeke that power rested in christ the foundation and lord of the sabbath . it also bound the faithfull of these times , to the ceremoniall ●●nctification , and to that tipicall seruice vnhich looked towardes christ to come , as well as to the seventh day onely and no other , during ●hat nonnage of of the church . secondly , as the law of the sabbath ( which requires that day to bee kept for an holy rest in which god hath revealed the greatest blessing & so hath blessed it aboue all other dayes of the weeke ) doth now ever since the perfecting of the worke of redemption in christs resurrrection , binde all gods people to keepe for their sabbath the first day of the weeke which by christs victory over death obtained fully in that very day , became the most blessed day aboue the seventh day and all other daies of the weeke . and as under the name of hallowing & keeping holy the lords sabbath , it enioines such worship as god requires of his church in her full age & more perfect estate , to weet : spiritual sacrifices of praise & thanksgiving , preaching & teaching faith in christ crucified & fully exhibited , aperfect redeemer , praying vnto god in the name & mediation of christ , & seeking accesse vnto the father in him by one spirit . and as this law imposeth this holy weekly sabbath , to be a pledg to the faithfull , of that sabbathisme of eternall rest in heaven which remaineth for the people of gods as the apostle testifieth . heb. . . so this law is like the commandements of baptisme , & the lords supper . it is ceremoniall commanding such duties to be performed , & such a day to be obserued as are fitted to the time & season of the gospel , & yet it is so ceremoniall , as that it is also perpetuall , binding all christians during the season & time of the church during the time in the new testament & under the gospel that is perpetually to the end of the world , vntill we come to the eternall rest in heaven . and as there shal be no chaunges in christ , nor of the state of the church vntill christ shall come in glory to receive us into that eternall rest . so there shal be no chaunge of the sabbath to any other day of the weeke , neither hath the church or any other whatsoever any power to alter either the day or the sanctification & obseruation of it , no more then to bring in such an other chaunge in christ , and such an alteration of the estate of the church , as that was from christ promised and obscurely revealed in the old testament , to christ fully exhibited . chap. . now hauing discouered the severall kindes of lawes , and commandements which god hath giuen to men , and having shewed what kinde of law this is which god hath giuen for the observation of the weekly sabbath , and how and in what manner it bindes the sonnes of adam in all ages , some in one kinde , and some in another , and adam and all his posterity in some respects . there remaines yet for all that hath beene said before , one speciall point to be more fully proved . that is concerning the chaunge of the sabbath from the seventh to the first day , what ground and warrant we haue for it , and how the law of god ( by which god set apart the seventh day in the first institution , and still in the fourth cōmandement and other repetitions of that law by moses mentions on the seventh day for the weekly sabbath ) can bind us christ ans to keep holy the lords day , or warrant us to make it our sabbath . for the more full manifestation and proofe of this point , and satisfiing of all doubts : i will by the light of gods sacred word , and by the helpes which i shall finde in the writings and sayings of the best learned both ancient and moderne christian divines , do my best endeavour to shew and proue that the lords day , which is the first of the weeke , and the day of christs resurrection , the fittest day of all the seven to be the holy weekly sabbath of christians . that god before and in the first giving of the law of the sabbath , did intend and foresee the chaunge & the grounds of the chaunge of it to the first day , that god by christ hath chaunged it . and that the law of the sabbath in the maine duties which it requires is more fully and in a better and more excellent manner obeyed by christians in there observation of the lords day ; and keeping it for the holy rest ; then it was by the fathers of the old testament ; in their keeping of the seventh and last day of the vveeke ; for their holy rest and vveekly sabbath , first to proue the conveniencie & fitnesse of the lords day to be the sabbath under the gospell , aboue all other daies , we haue diuers arguments . the first i frame thus . that day which is the first of dayes , & the first fruits of time especially of the time of grace , is the fittest to be the lords holy day aboue all other daies of the weeke in & under the time of grace . the lord himselfe teacheth this for a plaine truth requiring the fruits of all things for an holy offering to himselfe under the law , & from the beginning when he taught adam , & adam did teach his sonnes caine , & abell , to bring sacrifices of firstlings & first fruits for offerings to him . gen. . now the lords day which is the first day of the week is the first of all daies in the world . in it god began the creation , the highest heavens which is the place of blessednes & the heavenly host , also the common masse & matter of the whole visible & inferior world , & the chiefest & most gracious element , the light , that is the fiery heavens with the first beginning of the creation , this day began , & so it is the first fruites of all times created , & although in the creatiō & during the state of innocency the first fruites were no more holy thē the rest of the lump , or masse , & sanctifying of things to holy use , came in by christ & with the first promise of him ▪ & the first time of christ revealed being the seventh day was to be the holy sabbath all the time in which christ was onely promised & not given . yet now seeing by the resurrection of christ , in which christ wa● exhibited a perfect redeemer , and became the first fruites of them that sleep . the first day of the weeke and of the world which was onely the first fruits of time before , is by gods providence become the first day & firist frvites of the time of grace vnder christ a perfect redeemer . therfore the first day which is now the first fruites of time both in the crea●ion and under pefect redemption , which doth perfect and sanctifie the creation , is now the fittest of all the dayes of the weeke to be the lords holy sabbath . and it is against all reason for any to think any other day so fit to bee offered vp for the first fruites of every weeke , and of our times to god , as this day which is the day of the lord christ , who is the true first fruites of all creatures , and doth sanctifie the whole masse and lumpe of mankinde and all other creatures which are gathered vnto god in him . in which day christ arose from death and became the first frutes of them that sleepe : that by the virtue of his resurrection hee might sanctifie the very grave to them that sleep in him , & might raise them up as to grace in this life , soe alsoe to glory at the last day in the generall resurrection . secondly that day wherein the place of eternall rest and of the everlasting sabbath which after this vvorld ended , remaines for the people of god , was created and brought into being , and vvherein eternall rest was purchased , and the way opened into that rest , must needes in the judgment of reasonable men be the fittest day for the weekly sabbath , which is to all gods people a sure signe and pledge of eternall rest and of their everlasting sabbath in heauen , which weekly sabbath is to be kept holy and sanctified by mediations on heaven and heavenly rest , & by such holy exercises of religion , as doe fit and prepare vs for the life of glory in heaven . now the first daie of the weeke is the day wherin god created the place of eternall rest , euen the highest heavens , which are from eternity decreed and ordained to bee the place in vvhich his elect shall keepe rheir eternall sabbath after this life . in this day also christ arose from death perfected redemption , and rested from that vvorke by vvhich he procured eternall life and heavenly glory for god people , upon this day hee opened the way to the holie of holies , and made his first enterance both in his owne flesh , & also for all his members into that life eternall and that rest which they with him shall enjoy in the heavenlie mansions . therefore vndoubtedlie : this day of all the daies of the weeke most fit and and worthy to be kept an holy sabbath of rest and to be sanctified with mediations on heaven and heavenly glory , and with other exercises of religion which fit men for eternall rest in heaven . thirdly , that day wherein god first created the light of this inferior visible world , and wherein the light of the visible heavens did shine forth , when it is once blessed with the rising up of a greater and more glorious light , even the sun of righteousnesse : it is of all daies become the fittest & most vvorthy to be the lords holy weekly sabbath , which is to be hallowed by meditating vpon the inheritance of the saints in light , and by such holy exercises as tend to make men meet to be partakers thereof . now the first day of the weeke , the lords day is the day wherein god first created the light of the visible world , even the fiery heavens which shine forth ever since , and give light to the inferiour world , soe it is testified gen. . . and on this day christ the lord , the sun of righteousnesse did rise up , and did bring to light immortallity & eternall life , and became the great and glorious light of the world . therefore this day is the fittest and most worthy to bee the holie weeklie sabbath , and to be spent in meditation upon , & seeking for the inheritance of the saints in light . fourthly , that day which hath not only the same grounds and reasons in it , upon which god first founded the sabbath , and sanctified the seventh day , but also divers additions of the same kinde which make the grounds and reasons more forcible and excellent . this is most fit and worhy to be the holy weekly sabbath , and such is the first day of the weeke and hath beene , ever since it became the lords day , by the lord christ his resurrection . for proofe whereof consider the grounds and reasons upon which god sanctified the seventh day . . gods ending or perfecting his created worke . . gods resting from that worke . . gods blessing of the seventh day by revealing on it the greatest blessing , farre aboue any given in the creation . these are the groundes here laid downe in my text , which are rehearsed againe by god in the fourth commandement of the law . and another reason drawne from the end and use of the sabbath is also added exod. . . ezech . . to weet : that the sabbath might be a signe and token from god that hee is their god who doth sanctifie them , that is : by giving his holy spirit with all saving graces in this life vnto them in christ , doth fit them for the fruition & sight of his glory in the eternall rest in heaven , & so makes the weekly sabbath a pledge of the eternall sabbath in the world to come also . now the godly learned heretofore who had no thought of founding the sabbath on christ promised on the seventh day of the world , they do understand gods ending of his worke , to be either the finishing of the creation on the seventh day by adding some perfection or natural blessing to the creatures more then he had given , on the sixt daies . or else that god had already ended & perfected his worke before the seuenth day , & for this cause blessed & sanctified the seventh day for a memoriall of the creation of the world , and all things therein made perfect and compleat & so appearing on that day . and by gods resting on the seventh day from all his worke which he created & made , they understand nothing else but gods rest of mere cessation , & because this was the day wherein god hauing finished his worke , & made all things good , had no occasion to worke any more by way of creation , but rested from making more kindes of creatures . therefore god commanded man to rest after his example every seventh day , and to keep it for a weekly sabbath . and by gods blessing of the seventh day , they doe understand gods sanctifying of it to be a signe & pledge of the eternall rest . these being the grounds & reasons ( in the opinion of the learned ) vpon which god sanctified the seuenth daie , are in a more excellent measure to be found in the first day of the week , on which day the lord christ rose from death· for first the lord christ on that day , who is the lord of the sabbath . ended a greater worke then the creation , even the great worke of redemption which on that daie he did perfect and finish , by the last & highest act of it , even his resurrection in which he got the victorie & triumphed ouer death the last enimie , & ouer him who had the power of death that is , the devill , and did shew to the world that he had fully paid the ransome & price of mans redemption , satisfied justice , & wrought & fulfilled all righteousnesse , sufficient to justifie all that beleeve in him & to settle them in gods favour for ever . so that here is a better ending & finishing of a better work , then that of the creation was , which did perfect the mutable worke of creation , & so here is a b●tter ground of sanctifying the day in which it came to passe , as dive●s learned writers haue rightly observed . secondly , on this day the lord christ entered into a better rest , then any from the creation can be : he rested from all his laboures , paines , & sufferings , & all workes which gods infinite justice required for mans redemption by way of satisfaction , heb. . . and he tooke possession of eternall rest for himselfe as the head , and for his body the whole church & for every elect member thereof . so that this resting is a more farre excellent ground & reason of the sanctifying of this day to be the weekely sabbath . yea though i do by gods perfecting of his worke , vnderstand his perfecting of the worke which was marred & defaced by mans fal , even the worke of creation , & his making of it more perfect and compleat , by his promising of christ , and by christs undertaking & beginning his actuall mediation , & first bringing in of supernaturall perfection . and by gods resting i vnderstand his resting so fully & wholy in christs mediation , & in his satisfaction undertaken for the repairing & perfecting of the world , which man by his fall had brought under vanity & corruption , that he put from him all thoughts & purposes of going about any new worke of creation for the repairing therof , and so is said to rest , as i haue befor fully proved : yet i must confesse that on the lords day , which is the first of the weeke , in which christ did rise from death . god did more fully & excellently perfect all his worke & brought in a rest , which doth so farre excell that perfecting of his worke & resting from creation on the first seventh day , as the actuall performance of a promise , & giuing and fulfilling of a good thing promised , vndertaken , & begun , doth excell the promise & the undertaking & beginning of it . and therefore j will bee bold vpon these grounds & premises to conclude with the best learned both of the auncient fathers and moderne divines . that there is more conveniency and fitnesse in the lords day , the first day of the week to be the lords holy weekly sabbath now under the gospell . and there are more excellent grounds and sure reasons for the sanctifying of it , then any which are named or can be found in the seventh daie which was the sabbath of the old testament : yea this day by meanes of christs resurrection to glory in it , is the surest pledge and token which outwardly can be given to gods church and people , that god who raised him up , is by him fully appeased , satisfied and reconciled to his people , and is the lord who doth sanctifie them & will bring them to glory . and thus i passe from the conveniency and fitnes of the lords day , which is the first of the weeke , to shew the chaunge of the sabbath unto that day both in gods intention and purpose from the beginning , & also actually in the fulnesse of time by the glorious resurrection of the lord christ vp on that day . where by gods assistance j shall make it appeare . that this chaunge of the sabbath to the lords day is no humane invention , or eccesiasticall tradition , but a thing which god the lawgiuer did purpose and intend from all eternity , and foretold by the prophets , and by divers signs foreshewed of old , and in fulnesse of time did by his sonne christ the lord of the sabbath , command and actually bring to passe . first saint augustine and divers other learned men haue heretofore obserued . that god by some notable things which he in his wisdome made to concurre in the first day of the ceration , did plainly foreshew in the beginning before the seventh day was sanctified , or the law of the sabbath given , that it was his purpose and will , and he in his eternall counsell had determined to advance in fulnesse of time , that day aboue all other daies of the weeke to the honour of the holy weekly sabbath , to a day of meditation on the eternall rest in heaven , and a pledge to his people of the euerlasting sabbathisme , which there remaines for them , and the first fruites of their time offered vnto god in christ and sanctified in him . those notable things are the three things before named . . that god made that day the first fruites of all time . . created in it the place of eternall rest the highest heaven , in which the blessed saints shal injoy their blessed sabbath whereof the weekly sabbath is a signe and pledge to them in this life . . in it he created the light of this visible world , which things concurring in one and the same day : ( god in his wisedome soe ordering it , who doth nothing in vaine but every thing for some wise purpose ) and being good reasons to prove and grounds to make that day the fittest to be sanctified in christ , & made the ch●istian sabbath , as j haue before noted , the learned from thence do gather , and not without good reason : that from the beginning god intended for this day the honour of his weeklie sabbath , in the time of the glorious gospel . secondly , diuers of the auncients haue observed . that god raineing manna first from heaven to israell on the first day of the weeke in the wildernesse : as we read exod. . did therefore foreshew that this was the day which he had appointed to be the day of the lord christ , even the day wherein he who is the heavenly manna and bread of life should be given from heaven in his incarnation , and the day in which he should come out of the furnace of fiery afflictions , and made a strong bread & nourishment by his resurrection able to feed our soules spiritually to life eternal . and from hence they inferr , with the approbation of diuers graue divines and schoolemen of later times , that god did of old intend and purpose to make this day , in the times of the gospel after christ fully exhibited and giuen unto us , to be the bread of life , & heavenly mann● , his holy weekly sabbath and day of spirituall provision , wherein christians should make their weekly provision of spirituall food , and heauenly manna to feed their soules . thirdly , diuers of the auncient fathers haue observed , and diuers both schoolemen and godly learned writers of the reformed church therein conse●t with them . that the lord did of old by his spirit-speaking in the prophets , fortell the chaunge of the holy sabbath from the seventh to the first day of the weeke , the lords day , and day of christs resurrection . the blessed m●rtyr jgnatius who lived and was growne in the knowledge of christianity in the time of the apostles , and before the death of st. iohn the evangelilist as hee himselfe testifies , doth in his epistle to the m●gnesians not onely affirme that the lords day is the queene and supreme lady of all dayes , but also endeavours to proue , that god from the daies of old had ordained it to be the true christian sabbath , and did foreshew so much by the wordes of the prophet david in the title of the sixth psalme , wherein it is called a psalme unto the eighth day , that is in honour of the lords day , which as it is the first of the weeke counting from the creation everie weeke severallie by it selfe , and the seventh if we begin our account with the next day after the lords day , as the iews did with the next after their sabbath . so if we reckon forward from the beginning of the creation into an other weeke it is the eight day . and also learned augustine and others of the fathers , as also diuers late writers do in this point concurre with him , and affirme that god moving dauid to make such honorable mention of the eighth daie , did foreshew his purpose and will , to chaunge that day by christs resurrection in to his holy sabbath . some also from gods institutiō of circumcision one the eighth day after the birth of the child which was to be circumcised , do gather that the eight day , after the birth of the world , to weet : the lords day was befor ordained of god to be not only the day of christs resurrection & victorie over sin & death by which sin should be cut of & destroyed , but also the christian sabbath and so both a speciall day of circumcising their hearts to the lord in the state of grace , and also a pledge of the fulnesse of mortification and sanctification in the day of the last resurrection & of enterance into the eternall sabbath in heauen . for this purpose also saint austen & many other learned men in all ages since even to this day , doe alledge the plaine words of david , psal. . , where hauing prophetically fortold the glorious resurrection of christ. thow after that the iewes had crucified & put him to death , hee should rise up to be the head corner stone even the rock & foundation of the church , ( for so our sauiour mat. . . & the apostle act. . . do expound davids words ) he immediatly affirmes , that this is the day which the lord hath made , we will rejoyce , and be glad in it . that this is the day of the lord christ as st. iohn cals it revel . . . which the lord hath made . that is , in his degree hath already appointed to be his holy day , we ( that is in the time of the gospell when this stone is become the head of the corner ) will rejoyce & be glad in it : that is , rejoyce befor the lord with all joy & serve him , be glad in him with sabbatical & holy solemnity , & if we consider wel the matter and substance of the . psalme , which is intitled a psalme for the sabbath , we shall see that it is most fit for the day of christs resurrection , setting forth the fruites thereof plainely and after a lively manner , to weet : the soled joy of gods people , and the florishing state of the righteous in gods church , and exalting of the horne of christ the true m●ssiah and king of the church . fourthly , if we consider the diversity and difference of things which are commanded in the law of the sabbath , and are to be observed in the weekly sabbath as it was instituted by god at the first , and againe reviued in the fourth commandement , if we call to minde that the law is a mixt law commanding some things which concern the uery substance and being of the holy sabbath , unto which it bindes men perpetually , such as are a fit proportion of time one day in every weeke , rest and cessation , from common workes of this life , and sanctification of it by religious exercises and devoting it to publicke assemblies and holy worship . and other things it commanded which were typicall , and ceremoniall , and were to haue there full accomplishment in christ , and to be in force only vntil the ful exhibitiō & revelation of christ , a pefect redeemer , all which i haue largely shewed before , and the best learned haue euer held . it will upon these grounds necessarily follow , that there must be a chaunge of the sabbath from the seventh day , and in respect of the tipicall and ceremoniall worshippe , at the full exhibition of christ , into aday and a worship more fit for christ giuen and revealed , and for the times of the gospell . first it is generally held by the best learned . that god by sanctifying the seventh day and commanding his holy sabbath to be kept everie weeke on the seventh day , did thereby shew , that in his wisdome he saw it fit and necessary for man to observe this proportion of time , & to devote one day in everie weeke , both to bodilie rest and a totall cessation from his owne worldlie labors , pleasures , and delights , and also to holie and heavenlie meditations , and to religious exercises , and holie assemblies . and in these respects they call the law of the sabbath naturall , morall , and perpetuall , and they proue it thus . first because nature it selfe and common reason and experience doe teach , that ever since mans fall it is naturallie necessarie for mans health and welbeing , and for the preserving and upholding of the life & strength of his labouring and ●oyling cattell , that he , his servants & cattell should haue one daies rest in seaven . and that without this proportion of time dedicated to holie assemblies , and exercises of pietie , the saving knowledge of god , and true religion and pietie cannot well be upheld , fraile men would by little forget god , become ignorant of heavenly things , and so of the way to eternall rest ; if it were left in mans power to chuse his owne time ; some would chuse none at all , the rest for the most part would differ that time which some thought fit . others would refuse as inconvenient , and so there would be no set ordinary assemblies , gods worship would grow out of use . secondly , true piety teacheth us ; that we ought to think our selues bound in conscience to giue and devote so much of our time at the least to pious exercises , as god , in whose hand we and our times are , did require of his people in the obscurer times of the old testament , for the keeping of religion and his worshippe on foote , for preserving of the knowledge and memory of his goodnesse , and benefits , and for the sanctifying of their weekely laboures of his creatures to their use and of themselves to him , that they might be fitted to see him in glory , for the abundance of grace shed on us by the gospel ; is a bond and obligation to us of much more service and obedience which we owe to god. now god required of them every seventh day to be kept holy , and that was the least which any of them in any age were bound to dedicate to his worshippe . and therefore true piety binds us much more to keepe an holy weekly sabbath . these are arguments and proofes , sufficient to satisfie any man who doth not peruersly resist , and rebell against the law of nature . but let me here giue a cave at by the way : that when the learned call the sabbath and the law of it naturall , we are not to conceiue that by natural , they mean a thing writen in mans heart in the creation , which man was made to performe and obey simply as a reasonable creature and naturall man ( for man was made for the sabbath marke . . ) neither did he toyle and sweat or need a set weekly rest : neither did he need a weekly solemnity , to helpe his memory , or to stirr up his affections , as i haue before proved . but that they understand by naturall , that which the uerie light of naturall reason shewes to be most convenient and necessary for men now corrupt , and which so soone as it is commanded and revealed by gods word appeares so necessary in the very nature of it , both for men soules and bodies , that without it they can̄ot haue ordinarily any wel being on earth , nor escape hel & cōe to heaven after death . this exposition learned zanchyus , gives of his owne and other learned mens speeches , when they call the law of the sabbath naturall . jf , saith he , it were so naturall as things written in mans heart in the creation , then the heathen gentiles would haue felt themselves bound by it , and would haue shewed it in their practise in some measure more or lesse . neverthelesse the conclusion of zanchyus , and other learned divines is firme and sure , vpon the former premises , to weet : that gods first commandement of the sabbath doth perpetually bind al gods people to the worlds end , to keep a weeklie sabbath even a seventh day in everie weeke holie to the lord. secondly , it is a thing vniversally held by all true christian writers , that the sabbath as it was limited to the seventh day of the weeke , and was to be observed by bodily sacrifices morning and evening , and by worshippe which consisted in outward rites which were tipes and figures of things which haue their accomplishment in christ , so it was ceremoniall temporary and chaungable . the common ground of the sanctifying of the seventh day and tying the sabbath to it , is held commonlie to be gods rest on the seventh day from the worke of creation . and this is such a grounde as in the fulnesse of the time was to giue place and did giue place to a better rest arising , and brought in by the finishing of a more excellent and glorious worke of gods goodnes and bountie even the worke of mans redemption . the worshippe of god on the sabbath of the seventh day in the old testament , by double sacrifices & such ryts were but vanishing shadows the substance of thē was christ , & therfor they were to cease whē the body & substance came in . and the particular day it selfe and the rest tyed to it was a tipe and figure of the death of christ , and of his rest in the grave , and of the rest and ease which christ by his death should bring to all gods people from the burden of legall rites , and from the guilt of sinne and horrour of conscience , which as an heavy load did presse them downe , and from the masse of corruption like a weight hanging fast one them , all which christ abolished by his death and redemption , and so put an end to the sabbath as it was tied to the last day of the weeke . this being commonly held for a certaine truth by the learned fathers and writers of all ages after them untill this day , proues so farre as their authority and reason will reach : that though the keeping holy of a weekly sabbath is a perpetuall day , to which all gods people are boūd in all ages : yet the particular day was mutable , and another speciall day was to be appointed and consecrated by him who is the lord of the sabbath , wherin an holy rest fitter for the time and state of the new church must be kept , with better service and solemnity . instead of bodily sacrifices , there must be offering up of spirituall sacrifices of praises , praiers , alms , & works of piety , & charity : for-slaughtering of beasts , ther must mortifying of corruption by holy contrition , and killing of all brutish lusts and carnall pleasures and delights , by seperating our selues and sequestring our mindes from them . instead of darke shaddowes of the law , and obscure promises of christ to come ; there must be the light of the gospel shining in the church & preaching of christ crucified , and raised up and set at gods right hand , and there must be seeking of gods face in his name and mediation , and of accesse vnto god in him by one spirit . now what day can any man conceive in any reason so fit as the lords day , the first of the week : wherin we christians keep our weekly sabbath ? this undoubtedly is the most fit and convenient of all daies as i haue largely before proued . yea that this vndoubtedly is the onely particular day which gods law bindes us to keepe holy all the time of the gospell , even untill we come to the eternall rest in heaven . i will as briefly as i can proue and demonstrate , in the last place , and so conclude this point of sanctifycation of the sabbath , as it is the worke of god the lawgiver , and is distinguished from mans duty and worke of sanctification . chap. . the first which is the maine foundamentall argument , is drawn from the foundation upon which god hath from the beginning builded and surely setled the weekly sabbath . it is a thing most certaine and undeniable , that whatsoever things are inseperably joyned & cleaue fast together , they stand & move together , the one cannot moue to any place , but the other of necessity must moue with it . whatsoever is firmly s●tled on a rock and inseperably fastened to it , & founded on it , must needes moue with the rock and cannot moue to any place but where the rock is moved , upon which ground i argue thus : that which is from the beginning founded upon christ , and so surely setled and firmly builded vp●n him by god , the founder of al things , that cannot be seperated , it must needs moue and chaunge the place with christ , and cannot be moved , nor chaunge and remove to any place but onely to that which christ is removed . the weekly sabbath from the first institution is founded by god , firmly builded and sure setled upon christ the redeemer , and is in seperably joyned to him . there●ore it cannot move nor chaunge the place , nor be remoued from the seventh day to any other day of the weeke , vnlesse christ the redeemer change his day and moue together with it , and if he doth chaunge his solemne day , it must needes be chaunged and removed with him to the same day . the proposition is undeniable : the assumption also j haue fully proved before , in the laying open the grounds of the sabbath : and therefore the conclusion is a most manifest truth . that whensoever christ chaungeth his day and chooseth another , the sabbath must needes bee chaunged to the same day . which conclusion fully proved i lay it down for a good ground and argue thus upon it . that day which christ leaveth and passeth from it vnto another , which he chooseth for his speciall and particuler day . from that day the sabbath also is chaunged and moved , and the other day which christ hath chosen becoms also immediatly the particular day of the holy weekly sabbath . now the seventh day which was the speciall day of christ in the old testament , because on it christ was promised a redeemer of the world , and did first undertake openly and actually to mediate for man , is now ceased to be christs peculier day , he hath left it , & hath chosen the first day , and made that his speciall and peculiar day aboue all other daies of the weeke , when in it he got the victory ouer death , and by his resurrection entered into his glory and eternall rest ; and of a redeemer in promise , became a redeemer indeed & fully perfected mans redemption . therefore ever since hath the weekely sabbath beene removed to the first day , and that is the peculiar day of the weekely sabbath . secondly , that god did from the beginning purpose in himselfe , and by many evidences did declare his intent , to chaunge the sabbath from the seventh to the first day , & also in the first institution of the sabbath , and in the giuing of his law for the keeping of it , did intend to bind us under the gospel to the keeping of our weekly sabbath on the first day of the weeke , as he bound the fathers to the seventh day in the old testament . j proue from the determinate counsell and forknowledge of god concerning the chaunges which he foreknew and determined to bring to passe , in the foundation , groundes , and prerogatiues of the sabbath from the seventh to the first day of the week : it is a thing which all men who haue any true knowledge of god must needes know and acknowledge for an undoubted truth : that god whose wisedome is infinit , and his wife providence ordereth and disposeth all things , doth never any thing in vaine , he never laies the foundation in any place but there also he intends the building , he never brings in the proper causes any where , or in any time , but then and there he intends to bring in & to produce the proper effects of them , and whatsoever commandement god giues to men to performe some speciall duty upon some speciall grounds , and for some singular causes , occasions & reasons , by that commandement he binds them to performe the duty whensoever and whersoever he shewes the grounds and reasons to them , and giues and offers the causes and occasions . so that if it be made to appeare unto us , that now under the gospel , god had according to his owne determinat counsell and forknowledge chaunged the foundation of the weekly sabbath , and removed it & all the grounds , reasons , accasions , and praerogatiues of it , from the seventh day to the first which is the lords day , we must needs see and acknowledge , that it was the purpose , minde , & will of god to make the lords day our weekly sabbath , and in his giving of the first law of the sabbath , which in the maine substance of it is perpetuall , to binde all his people after the full exhibition of christ to the last resurrection to keep the holy weekly sabbath on that day onely . now these things may sufficiently appeare by the opening and proving of divers things befor , which i haue observed out of this text , & by urging & pressing them home to this present purpose a little more fully here againe i shall put them out of all doubt and question , and make them manifest & clear to al who do not wilfully shut their eares against the truth . first , that the foundation of the sabbath is christ the redeemer , & that all the true & proper grounds , reasons and occasions , of keeping one day in every week holy to the lord , are only to be found in christ and came in with him , as i haue before fully proued . and as god first promised christ to come the seed of the woman , for the redemption of mankind , & christ did undertake for man to mediate for him on the first seventh day of the world , and thereupon that day was sanctified to be the weekly sabbath : so god had in his immutable counsell determined to exhibit christ a perfect redeemer , & by him to perfect mans redemption on the first day of the weeke , and so to remoue christ the foundation from the seventh day of the weeke , to the first day , together with all other grounds , reasons , occasions & prerogatiues of the holy sabbath . what greater chaunge could be or ever was hard of in christ the maine foundation both of the sabbath & of the vniuersall church , then when of a redeemer promised on the seventh day , and so continuing all the time of the old testament while the fathers beleeued onely in him promised & not yet come . he became a redeemer fully exhibited in his resurrection on the first day of the week & changed the state of the church : and bringing her from the nonnage and childish estate of bondage vnder the rudiments of the world , and legall rites , & carnall ceremonies , to the fulnesse of her time which god had appointed , & to her full age in the new testament . and hereby that first day of the weeke became the chiefest day of the lord christ , even his speciall & particular day , & came to haue all the subordinat groūds & high prerogatiues of the sabbath . for in it god perfected his worke which he had made in the creation by the worke of redemption , not promised & undertaken onlie , as in the seventh day , but by a better kind of perfecting and ending , even by redemption fullie finished , on that daie christ rested from that greater worke of redemption , & declared by his resurrection , that he had made ful satisfaction for mankind to the justice of god , & that god rested in his satisfaction , now actually made & performed , by a more excellent manner of resting then that wherwith he rested on the seuenth , in that satisfaction only undertaken & promised , on that day christ gott the victory over death , hell , sin , the world & the devill , and becomming immortall not subject to die , or suffer any more , entered into the glorious state of exaltation and into his eternall rest , and made way for men to that eternall rest wherof the sabbath is both a liuely pledg , & also a powerfull meanes to fit men for it . and in al these respects god blessed the first day of the week , with a blessing farre aboue his blessing of the seventh day , for that was the promise & undertaking only , this was the performance & perfecting of redemption : & therfore so farre excels that , as the giuing of a great guift & perfecting of a worke exceeds the promise of that guift & undertaking of that worke . now that that this remouing of the maine foundation of the weekly sabbath , together with the subordinat grounds , occasions & prerogatiues of it , from the seventh day to the lords day ; the first of the weeke , came to passe by the determinate counsell , foreknowledge and providence of god , and that from the beginning and in the first giuing of the law of the weekely sabbath , god did purpose and intend this chaunge , it appeares most plainly by diuers reasons . first because god is no idle spectator , but the provident lord & disposer of all things , which come to passe in the world , & nothing can come to passe but so as he hath appointed , and in the time & season which he hath determined . the flood and generall deluge by which the old world was destroyed , came to passe in the very yeare and day which god had prefixed , & did for tell to noah one hundred and twenty yeares before . the end of jsraell peregrination and servitude in egypt , came to passe just at the end of foure hundred and ●hirty yeares , in the same day which god had determined , & foretold to abraham . exod. . . and so the deliverance of the isralites out of captiuity , and the decree for their return came out at gods appointed time , which he had foretold by ieremiah the prophet . dan , . . and the particular time of christs satisfaction and attonement for sinne , and bringing in of eternall righteousnesse , was determined by god , and came to passe at the end of the seventy sevens of yeares , as it was revealed to daniell in the same chap. . ver . and in a word the very time of christs resurrection , by the virtue whereof we are fully redeemed and shall in our verie bodies be raised vp to life eternall , and rest in glorie , as the apostl● testifies . rom. . . cor. . . philip. . . & pet. . . it was determined by god befor the foundation of the world , as the words of st peter do shew . pet. . . secondly ; god in the very creation & from the first beginning of the world , did foreshew that he had a purpose to honour the first day of the weeke aboue all the other daies , and to make it the lords day and christian sabbath by the resurrection of christ. in that he made it the first fruites of time , and in it created the highest heaven , the place of the eternall sabbath , and brought forth the light of this inferiour world , by which naturall prerogatiues he made this day the fittest of all daies of the weeke , to be the day of christs resurrection , wherein he the sun of righteousnesse & light of the world , rose up with healing in his wings , and became the first fruites of them that sleepe , and by virtue whereof he will bring the faithfull into the eternall rest , wherof the weekly sabbath is a pledge & will make them partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light , as the scriptures testifie cor. . . & coloss. . . vpon these premises before proved at large , and here againe pressed home to the purpose . the conclusion followeth necessarily : that it was the purpose , intent and will of god to make the first day of the weeke , the lords day and the christian sabbath , and in the first institution of the sabbath . and by his first law of the sabbath ( which in the maine substance of it is perpetuall ) to binde all his people in the time of his glorious gospell , to observe that day onely for their holy weekly sabbath ; vntill they come to that wherof the sabbath is a liuely pledge , even the eternall rest of glory in heaven . thirdly whatsoever tends most to the perfect fullfilling of any speciall law and commandement of god given to men , and is manifestlie made known to man to be most agreeable to gods will revealed in that law , and to the endes and uses which god openly pretendeth therein , that man is chiefly bound to do by that law and commandement . this is a most certaine and undoubted truth . for gods generall commandement is , that we loue him with all our heart , and worship and serve him with all our soule and all our strength . deut. ; . & mat. . . now the will of god revealed in this first institution , and sanctifying of the sabbath , and in the fourth commandement of the law , is often repeated & urged by moses & the prophets , is more perfectly fulfilled in the right sanctification of the lords day vnder the gospell , then it was in the observatiō of the sevēth the sabbath of the old testament , & whatsoever necessary duty god in the law of the sabbath requireth of mā from the beginning , or whatsoever end and use he openly pretendeth , his law of the keeping of the holy sabbath that is more fully obtained , effected , and brought to passe by an holy sanctification of the lords day , and by keeping it an holy sabbath to the lord now vnder the gospell . therefore by the law of the sabbath given at the first , and by the fourth commandement , it is repeated and explaned , christians are bound to to keepe the lords day which is the first of the weeke for their weekly s●bbath . if any man doth make doubt of the assumption in this syllogisme . it is easily proved by a particular enumeration , both of the particular substanciall and necessary duties which gods word requires in the sabbath : and also of the ends and uses for which god requires an holy sabbath to be kept every seventh day . the first maine dutie from which the seventh day requirs the name of sabbath , is rest and cessation from all worldly labours , pleasures and delight , wherein man is to withdraw his mind from worldly cares and secular affaires , which concern this fraile earthly life , and is to giue rest and refreshing to his owne body , and to the bodies of his children , servants straungers , and toyling cattell as appeares . exod. . . isa . . and the proper end and use of this rest is . first to admonish man that he must not place nor seeke felicity in this world , nor since his fall and breaking of the covenant of workes by his disobedience , hope for any happinesse or felicity either here or else where to be purchased by his owne workes of righteousnesse , which he either is , or was able in the first creation to performe in his owne person . secondly to shew that gods just wrath appeased by c●rist , and the sting of death and the curse and bitternesse of mans sorrowes , and toilsome laboures which god imposed on him for his transgression , is taken away , and god will not haue his people to torment their bodies which continuall toile , and painfull labour , but to ease and refresh themselves with a weekly rest . thirdly to make men take notice that god hath a provident and fatherly care of his creatures both men and beasts , hates all mercilesse cruelty , & oppression of their very bodies , and will haue them so refreshed & eased that they may last the longer , and goe cheerfully through their weeklie labours . fourthly , to shew that in christ vpon whom the sabbath is founded , there is spirituall rest and ease and refreshing of the soul , from the heavie burden of sinne , and the miser●es of sinne , to be found of all them who being heavy laden do flee to him , and in him place their hope and confidence . fif●ly , to put in mind of gods resting in christs mediation from the worke of creation , and that he hath wholy given over all purposes and thoughts of repairing the world , and restoring man fallen and corrupted by any worke of creation , and hath set his mind on another kind of worke , even the work of redemption by christ , and the new creation of heavenly spirituall and supernaturall graces and perfections in men by his holy spirit . sixthly , to be a signe and memoriall of christ his full perfecting of the worke of mans redemption , and of his perfect satisfaction made to the justice of god for fraile sinfull men . lastly to be a token and pledge of the eternall rest in heaven , and of the sabbathisme which after the labours and troubles of this life , the elect and faithfull people of god shall enjoy for ever in the world to come . now there is no day in all the weeke , in which this first maine dutie of the sabbath can be well be performed , for the ends and uses , as on the lords day which is the christian sabbath . the seventh day never yeelded halfe so much light & helps to gods people in the old testament for these purposes , as the lords day doth to us vnder the gospell . for the lords day in which christ arose from death , and entered into his glorie , and perfected the worke of redemption , it discovers christ the maine foundation of all rest , & even of the sabbath it selfe more plainly unto us , and in it being bewtified and adorned with so manie blessings and prerogatives which gods word gives to it , wee may as in a cleare glasse see and behold christ with open face , we see in his resurrection gods justice fully satisfied , his wrath appeased , redemption fully perfected , gods resting in christ mediation , eternall rest purchased by christ for us , and gained to himselfe , & heaven opened unto us , & sin , death and hell already ouercome and conquered . and therfore there is no day by many degrees , soe fit as this day of christs resurrection to make us rest comfortably in our bodies and minds from worldly cares , and bodilie l●boures , and in our soules and consciences from the burden of sinne and the guilt thereof . no daie or time can so plainly shew vnto us , that our fellicity is not in this world , nor to be obtained and purchased by the righteousnesse of our owne workes . this sets before us christ raised for our justification . this shews gods aboundant mercy and compassion ●o us , and that hee hates all cruelties and oppressions . and this is a speciall meanes to bring us to the assurance of the blessed hope and eternall rest reserved in heaven for vs. and therfore the first maine duty with all the partes thereof , and the speciall endes and uses of it , are more fully performed and obtained in the observation of the lords day for the holy weekly sabbath , then they possibly can be now by vs , or could be of old on the sabbath of the seventh day , by the fathers in the old testament . the second maine duty of the sabbath is sanctifying and keeping of it holy to the lord , which comprehends in it many speciall and particular duties . . setting of their affections even their joy and delight wholy vpon god and heavenly things . . honouring & worshipping of god , in their hearts with holy thoughts and meditations , by their lipps with holy prayers , praises , and thanksgiuing , in their outward actiōs by preaching , hearing , reading , & repeating of gods word , and solemne commemoration of his promises , mercies and blessings in the word and sacraments . . teaching and learning all holy duties which tend to bring vs nearer to god in christ. . offering spirituall sacrifices to god of sweet sauour , such as are almesdeedes & works of mercy and charity , wherby others may be made to tast of gods goodnesse and stirred up to laud and praise his name . all these are comprehended vnder the maine duty of sanctifying the holy sabbath which the lord commands expresly in the law , and they are commended to vs by the prophet . isa. . . & . . and the proper end and use of this duty and all the partes thereof , is . first to make vs set our affections on things which are aboue and not on things below , and to stirre us up to seeke eternall life and heavenly happinesse in christ onely , and in him crucified and raised up . secondly , to continue and increase in fraile men the knowledge and memory of christ , and of the way to eternall life and blessednesse in him , which without keeping holy of a weekly sabbath , would faile & cease among the sonnes of men . thirdly , to begit and increase true grace and holinesse in men by exercising holy duties of religion ; and so to bring them by justification & adoption to the right of inheritance in heaven , and by sanctification to fit them for the possession of it . now the observation of the lords day , in which christ arose is such as may far more powerfully & effectually moue men to the performance of these duties , & lead men more directly to the proper end and use of them , then the old sabbath of the the seventh day , either now can , or of old could do when it was most in force . for it had no other light or life in it , but onely from obscure promises , and darke shaddowes through which christ was seene as things farre off are seene , and in the starre light nights . but the lords day the first day of the weeke , hath light and life from the sun of righteousnesse christ who in it rose up , and to be the light of life to all nations , & hath brought life & immortallity to light by the gospell , and discovered to us the kindnesse and loue of god & the riches of his goodnesse , in giving grace and shedding his spirit on us abundantly here , and so fit us for glorie hereafter . and therefore this day must needes be of great force and power , farre ab●ve the seventh day , to make men set their affections on god and heavenly things , especially upon the inheritance incorruptible and undefiled which fadeth not away : reserved in heaven for us , unto which god hath begotten us by the resurrection of christ from the dead . . pet. . . it is also powerfull and excellent to incite and stirr us up to honour god in our hearts , by the due consideration of his goodnesse and mercie . also it much furthereth us to proclaime the high praises of our god , and kinge , and to make prayers and supplications to him . besides to make us helpfull unto others , in seeking after their salvation . and thus we may see what are sabbath duties , even the workes of piety , mercy , charitie , &c. pleasing to god , and by which others may be brought to joyne with us , in lauding and praising god , and we our selves fitted for glorie . vpon ●hese points so fullie proved . the conclusion followes necessarilie : that the law by which god first instituted the sabbath on the first s●venth day of the world , doth binde us under the gospel to keepe the lords day for our weeklie sabbath . fourthly , that day which god hath made , most honourable , and hath given it a most honourable name and title aboue all the daies of the week , to that he hath given the prerogatiue to be the weekly sabbath & hath made it his day of holie rest . for it is a property of the sabbath , to be the lords holy and honourable day , as the evangellicall prophet isaiah shews . jsa . . & making of it hono●able , is making of it the sabbath . now the first day of the weeke is the day which god hath honoured aboue all daies , by the glorious victorie of christ , ouer death and over all enemies , and powers of darknesse , and to it he hath given the most honourable , name and title : for the holy evangelist and divine apostle s. iohn , who was the intimate , beloved , and bosome disciple of the lord , and did best know his minde cals it the lords day . revel . . . that is , the day which the lord hath made the day of great joy & gladnes to his people , as david foretold . psa. . which day the lord christ hath appropriated to himselfe , & his honour , & honoured with his own name , as he is the lord god , one iehovah with the father . for the greeke word ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) lord , is in respect of the roote from whence it is deriued the same in signification , with gods proper name iehovah , and most commonly in the new testament , is used to expresse that sacred name . therefore it is now under the gospell made by god himselfe the weekly sabbath . the fifth argument is grounded upon the wordes of our saviour . math. . . & mark. . · . where he saith , that the sabbath was made for man , and not man , for the sabbath . therefore he , even as he is the sonne of man , or god made man , is the lord of the sabbath . the first clause , to weet : ( the sabbath was made for man , ) notes out vnto us two things . . that the sabbath was first instituted for man , even by reason of the sonne of god promised to become man , and so he is the foundation of it . . that it was made for man , that is , for the man christ , and for the benefit of all mankinde in him , for his honour and the advancement of his kingdome among men , and for the good of men , both naturall and civill , in respect of weekly rest , and refreshing , & also spirituall , as knowledge , instruction , growth in grace & holinesse . the second clause ( not man for the sabbath ) shews that the sabbath is not one of those things which man was made to obserue in the creatione , neither is the law of it written in mans heart in the the creation : it was the fall of man and his corruption , which caused his to stand in need of a weekly rest , and of holy sabbath exercises , to worke good in him , and to bring him neerer to god. and being made for mans use , he may in case of necessity dispence with outward obseruations of the sabbath : & the same must giue place to works of necessity which cannot be omitted either without losse of life or some certaine losse or mischiefe the third clause ( therefore is the sonne of man lord also of the sabbath ) doth giue us to understand that the use of the sabbath was founded on christ promised to be lord of the sabbath , and was in , & under him made man , and necessary for the profit of man corrupted , not for man in innocency . therfore c●rist the son of man is lord of the sabbath that is , he hath th● true proper right and propriety , in it for to make it serve for his use being the lord possessor of it , and he hath authority and power ouer it , so that it is at his command , either to be or not to be in vse , either the seventh day or upon some other day of the weeke . now we never read , that christ exercised any lordship ouer the sabbath , as hee is the son of man , either to command it or to chaunge it , but only in thes● two respects . first that he brought it first into the world by undertaking to be the seed of the woman , & the sonne of man , & so it was setled on the seventh day , in which he was promised during the time of the old testament , while he was a redeemer pr●mised . secondly , that he by his resurrection in which he perfected redemption , did consecrate the first day and made it the most honourable day , fit to be the sabbath of the new testament , and also gaue commandement to his apostles so to ordaine in all churches . besides this lordship and power of christ as sonne of man ouer the sabbath , we cannot conceiue or imagine any other . therefore undoubtedly he hath chaunged it to the first day of the weeke , and as lord of it hath given commandement for this chaunge and alteration . the sixth arg. is drawne from gods sanctifying of the lords daie by his sonne christ more fully and excellently , then he did the seventh day in the first institution of the sabbath . for seeing the making of the seventh day to be the holie sabbath , is the sanctifying of it as the words of my text shew , and also the words of the law . exod. . . it must needes hereupon be granted . that what day god by his son christ , hath in all respects more fullie and excellentlie sanctified , then the seventh day was sanctified when god made it the sabbath . that daie god by christ hath made his holie sabbath , and so it is worthie to bee esteemed , and soe is to be observed in the new testament . but now it is most certaine and manifest : that the lord god by his son christ hath in all respects more fullie and excellentlie sanctified the first daie of the weeke , in which christ arose from death ( as appeares by diuers things which i haue formerlie touched . ) first he in that daie more abundantlie revealed his holines to the world in that he declared christ our redeemer and the head of the whole bodie the church , to be the sonne of god with power , according to the spirit of holinesse by the resurrection from the dead . rom. . . secondlie , he then opened as it were the flood-gates of heaven , that holinesse might be more abundantly with his spirit powred out upon all flesh , when christ was raised up and exalted by gods right hand , that he might shed his spirit on all sorts of people of all nations , as wee read . act. . . yea in that , in the feast of pentecost which was the first day of the weeke , and the . day after christs resurrection , the holie ghost was sent downe vpon the apostles to sanctifie them , and to lead them into all truth , and to giue them the guifts of tongues , to preach the gospell unto all nations which they presently did , and the same day converted . soules , herein he both shewed his holinesse more abundantly then before . thirdly ; it is piously held by manie divines , that among other things which after his resurrection christ spake to his disciples , concerning the kingdome of god , that is the church under the gospell : this was one , namely , of the keeping of the holy sabbath , and holie assemblies , or gathering of the saints togither vpon the first day of the weeke : for immediatly after , the apostles observed that day , and all churches in all ages since haue followed their example . therefore it is god who by his sonne christ hath made this first day , that is the lords day the weekly sabbath of christians . j might here adde for further proofe of this truth , an observation of diuers godly and learned writers , to weet : that our saviour sanctified the first day of the weeke more then any other day by his promise and example , in that he did most commonly appeare to the disciples after his resurrection , and came amongst them when they were assembled together on that day , and taught and instructed them and breathed on them , so we reade . luk. . . . & ioh. . . . seventhly that which the apostle taught by word and writing and ordained in all churches of christian gentiles , and confirmed by their constant practise , is undoubtedly a commandement which they received from the lord christ , so it appeares . act. . . where they professe that what they prescribed to the chirstiā churches , was the dictate and sentence first of the holy ghost , and then of them joyntlie . and our saviour tells us that the holie ghost leads men into all trueth by speaking his word onely to them and calling it to their remembrance , ioh. . . . therefore it was christ his word and ordinance , st. paul also professeth that he deliuered unto them , such traditions as be received from the lord cor. . . and againe he saith cor. . . jf any man thinke himselfe to be a prophet , or spirituall , let him know , that the things which j write unto you are the commandements of the lord. now it is manifest in the gospel , and in the writings of the new testament : that it was a constant practise of the apostles to keep their assemblies with one accord on the first day of the weeke , so we read : ioh. . . . act. . . . and in those their assemblies the lord christ presented himselfe to them bodily , and by the visible appearance and powerfull operation of his spirit . also act. . . st paul on that day kept an holie assembly at troas , and there he preached and administered the sacrament of the lords supper and performed holie exercises of the christian sabbath . and the same apostle gaue a precept and commandement to the corinthians , even the same which he there saith hee had ordained in the churches of galatia . cor. . . : to weet : that they should observe the first day of the week , and in their holy assemblies on that day offer up pleasing sabbath sacrifices , that is do good & distribute to the necessities of the saints , with which sacrifices god is well pleased . heb. . . therefore vndoubtedly it is the ordinance and commandement of christ , which the apostle receiued from him . that the first day of the weeke should be the holy sabbath , and the day of weekly holy assemblies to all christians . the . argument is drawn from the blessing of stability wherwith god hath blessed the sabbath of the first day , the joy and comfort & great benefit which most godly & religious christians finde in it , and the tediousnes of it to carnall people , & the loathsomnesse of it to all such as are opposites to christ , and from his grace . this is most true which graue and learned gamaliell gaue in the counsell of the high priests and elders of the iewes . that which is of men and not an ordinance of god , if it concerne religion , it will come to nought , it cannot continue in force , nor prosper any long time . act. . . and surely if the christian sabbath , & keeping holy of the first day of the weeke were an invention of men , and not the ordinance of the the lord christ , it could not prevaile and stand in force in all christian churches , and in all ages by an uniforme consent without interruption . the most godly zealous , and religious christians , would find no solid joy and comfort in it , nor any blessing from god in their religious obseruation of it . and the world of carnall men who hate christ , & his ordinances , would not be so opposite to it , as to hate and loath it . for the world loveth her own . but all carnall worldlings , and profane persons , do so hate it , as they hate christ , and it is loathsome and tedious to them , & notwithstanding many and great oppositions of profane persons . yet we see it stands firme in all ages since the apostles , and in all christian churches . none but heretiques haue rejected it , & all godly christians finde solid joy & abudance of blessings in the strictest observation of it . therefore it is most certainly no humane invention , but christs ordinance , it is he who hath made the first day of the weeke his owne holy day and our weekly sabbath . the ninth arg. is drawn from the manifestatiō of gods wrath against the open profaners of the lords day , and from the great & fearefull judgments , which god hath in former ages , & doth still execute on the dispicers & polluters of the christiā sabbath . it is certain that the lord doth not cut of or consum mē in wrath , but for some notable scandalous sinnes & transgressions against some expresse law & commandement , hee makes no men examples of vengance by sudden and fearfull d●struction , and notable plagues , but for some notable sinne , & all notable sinnes , are transgressions of gods law , comitted against his revealed will & word . now as the histories of all ages do afford many examples of fearefull judgments suddenly executed & inflicted on wilfull profaners of the lords day in former times . so i could rehearse and relate aboue . examples of gods vengance , which he hath shewed openly in this land within the space of two yeares , upon such as haue shewed open contempt of this christian sabbath , some of whith hee hath sticken with sudden death by his mediate hand , others he hath devoured with waters , and some he hath cut of by surfets which they got in dauncing & drinking on the lords day , and sōe he hath fired out of their houses in the middest of their drinking & jollity , & consumed al their substance . and these judgments haue suddenly & unexpectedly befallen them in the very act of their transgression , while they were in the midst of their actions , very busie about their owne workes , sports & pleasure . and these things are as cleare as the light , and manifest to our eyes & outward sences , that god is most severe against the profanation of this day , and that it is apparent that his sonne christ made this day his holy sabbath , and commands all men to keep it . lastly we haue clear testimonies both from the apostles them selves , that the day wherin christians keepe their sabbath , even the first day of the week is the lords peculiar day . revel . . . and also from all the most auncient fathers and learned christian writers which succeeded the apostles in the next ensuing ages , that the lord christ changed the holy sabbath to this day , consecrated it by his resurrection , & that all christian churches from the time of the apostles kept their holy rest in it , & devoted it to publick exercises of religion , and of gods worship & counted it the queene of daies , the supreme lady & princesse , & worthy to be observed & sanctified with sababaticall solemnities ignatius cals it . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . epist ad magnesios justin martyr . apol. pag. . discribes the observation of it in his times , and tels us , that christians spent it in reading , preaching , prayer administration of the sacraments , offering of almes , & other publick worship of god in their publick assemblies , besides priuate exercises of religion . tertullian also acknowledgeth this first daies sabbath , & none other lib. adversus gent. p. . & . eusebius lib. . eccles. histor. cap. . brings in the profession of dionysius corinthius , who saith thus . this day we kept holy the lords day . st. austen in his . epistle and in the . booke . de civit dei. cap. & serm . de verbis apostoli . . and many other which it would be a tedious thing here to reherse , especially seeing . j haue before mentioned diuers of their testimonies , which tend to this purpose , and shall produce some also hereafter . now upon all these arguments laid togither , j hope wee may boldly and confidently conclude against all both iewish sabbatarians , who retaine the old abolished sabbath of the seventh day , and also vnchristian antisabbatarians who deny the lords day to bee the sabbath vnder the gospell , which gods people by gods law and christs appointment are enjoyned to keepe holy to the lord. and that this sabbath of the lords day , cannot bee chaunged but must stand firme , and be still in force among all gods people vntill the end of the world and the last resurrection , i will briefly demonstrate & shew by two plaine reasons which i hope none will deny , and thus i frame them . the first is grounded on christs wordes . mark. . vers . . thus i frame it . that which hath christ , as hee is become the sonne of man , lord of it , must needs exist and haue a being under him as he is the sonne of man , that is in the time of the gospell . the sabbath hath christ the sonne of man lord of it . mark . . therefore it continues in being under christ. whatsoever ordinance of god is given to his people to bee unto them a token and pledge of some great blessing , and future good promised , that god will haue them to keepe saf● and to hold fast , vntill they receive the blessing and come to the full possession of it . this is manifest by the tipes and sacraments of the law , which could not bee a bolished , nor without sinne purposely neglected vntill christ was fully exhibited , of whom they were signes and pledges and he was the body and substance . and we finde by daily experience , that the loosing or casting away of the pledg , is the forfetting or forgoing of a mans right whereof it is a pledge : if we will receiue the blessing we must do the condition of it . now the observing of a weekly sabbath is not onely a signe of eternall rest in heaven , but also a token and pledge if it , given in the beginning , togither with the first promise of christ , and conveighed ouer from the fathers to us , & setled on the day wherin christ arose from death , and perfected mans redemption . that it is a pledg of the sabbathisme which remaines for the people of god , the apostles words imply . heb. . . and the best learned haue ever held it to be our pledge of eternall rest in heaven . as aust●n . tom. . quaest. . and lib. contra adimantum . cap. . & divers others . therfore the holy weekly sabbath upon the lords day must be observed by all gods people , & the law of the sabbath binds them therunto perpetually to the end of the world ; & to the day of resurrection to glory . and thus i haue finished the doctrine of the sanctification of the sabbath , as it is the proper act of god , even his seperaing of the seventh day to be an holy rest , by his word & commandement . chap. the thing which now followeth , next in order , is mans sanctifying the weekly sabbath & keeping of a seventh day holy to the lord , which god hath imposed on him for a necessary holy duty , when by his word & cōmādement he blessed & sanctified it , as here we read in the words of my text . for gods sanctifying of daies , times , & places is not any infusing of his holy spirit into them , as he doth into his saints , even holy angels & men , but this giving of a law & commandement to mē to obserue & keep them after an holy manner , & to use & imploy them to holy heavenly & supernaturall use , even to divine worship & exercises of piety & religion , as i haue before proued plainly . and in that gods sanctified the seventh day , that is : gaue a law in the beginning to man to keep & observe it for an holy sabbath , as my text shews . therfore it is a necessary duty imposed by god upon man so to observe & keep an holy sabbath every seventh day , or a sevēth day in every week , & that duty of mans sanctification & keeping holy the lords sabbath , comes now in order to be handled , which is here necessarily implied & included in the worde of my text . in the opening & handling wherof , i purpose to proceed in this method & order . first i will shew that this duty of sanctifiing an holy sabbath to the lord , is imposed by this act of god , on all mankinde , & the children of men are bound unto it from the seventh day of the world , after the first beginning of the creation , untill that last day of the generall resurrection & judgment , in which they shal be called to an account & reckoning of all things which they haue done in this life . secondly , i will shew how farre , & upon what termes & conditions men are bound to this duty by gods law , given for that purpose in his act of sanct●fying the sabbath . thirdly i will shew more speciall , the speciall workes wherein the sanctification and observation of the weekly sabbath consisteth . the duties are of three sorts . . some are common to all gods people in all ages from the beginning , and all states and conditions of the c●urch , both in the old and new testament . some are proper to the fathers of the old testament , while the sabbath was limitted to the last day of the weeke , and grounded upon christ promised onely . . some are proper to the church and people of god vnder the gospell in the new testament , when the sabbath is ch●unged to the fi●st day of the week , even the lords day , & builded upon the finishing of mans redemption , and christ fully exhibited , and gods resting in christs satisfaction consummated , which is a more excellent ground . of all these in order . the ●●rst point ( concern●ng the obligation of all mankinde to the keeping of an holy weekly s●bbath from the first seventh day of the world , vnto the last resurrection , when the elect and faithfull shall both in their soules and bodies , enter into the eternall rest in heaven ) may be proued by divers arguments . my first argument is drawne from the law by which god here in my text did first bind man to this duty : & thus j briefly frame it . that duty which god hath enjoyned by a commandement given to our first parents , without limitation , exception , or exemptiō of any , that he hath imposed by his commandement upon adam and all his seed and posterity in his loynes , and they are all bound unto it to the worlds end . the sanctifying of a seventh in every weeke , and keeping it an holy sabbath , is a duty injoyned by a commandement which god gaue to adam without limitation , or exemption of any of his seed and posterity . therefore it is a duty imposed by god upon all mankinde , and they are bound unto it in all ages vntill the end of the world . the first proposition cannot with any colour of reason be denied : if any shall object that god gaue to adam upon the promise of christ a law of sacrificing cleane beasts , and offering first fruites which bound him and his seed in his loynes : and yet they are not bound by it in all ages but onely untill the comming of christ : and his offering of himselfe a sacrifice which is the substance of all sacrifices , and after that men are boūd no longer to that duty . i answer , that though the last of sacrifices , & of other service & worship , which were types & shaddows , was given to adam upon the first promise without expresse limitation , and reached to his seed in his loynes , and as caine , & abell , so noah , abraham and all the patriarches , & people of god were bound to that dutie vntill christ , yet there was a limitation in the things commanded , which being types and shaddowes onely of christ promised , were of no use , but onely while christ was yet expected , and not actually offered up a sacrifice of perfect attonement , and gods people had neede of such types and figures to lead them to christ. therefore this objection doth not touch , nor infring this proposition which speakes of a law , & of a duty whi●h is of use to all mankinde in all their generations . the assumption also is manifest . for here we haue a law giuen to adam , when all mankinde were in his loynes , commanding a duty even the sanctifying of a weekely sabbath , which hath beene and is , of as great use after christ as before . for as the isralites were bound unto this duty by god exod. . . . & . . euen in al their generations , as appeares . jer. . . so also gods people are bound to it under the gospell , whether they be strangers which joyn themselves to the lord , and lay hold on his covenant . isa. . . . that is , churches of the beleeving gentiles , or naturall isralites after their long hardnesse , in the last daies , converted to christ the repairer of the breach and builder up of the old wast places after many generations . isa. . . . . and j do not thinke there is any man professing christianity dare be so impudent as to affirme , that any of gods people in any age are exempted frō the holy duties by which the sabbath is sanctified , and a seventh day in every weeke kept holy to the lord , or that we in these evill and perillous times , haue not as much neede of them , for the upholding of true religion , & for the increasing of grace & godlinesse in our hearts . therefore undoubtedly all mankinde in all generations and ages are bound to keepe a weekly sabbath . my second argument is drawne from the duty it selfe , of keeping holy a seventh day weekly to the lord , and thus i frame it . everie duty imposed on adam and his posterity by gods commandement , which is in it selfe perpetually holy and just , and of as great use to all men in all ages , & as necessarily in all respects as it was in adam when god first enjoyned it by his law . that belongs to all mankinde , and all the posterity of adam are bound thereunto in all ages to the end of the world . the keeping of an holy weekly sabbath , and sanctifying of a seventh day in every weeke , is such a duty . therefore it belongs to all mankinde , and all adams posterity are bound to it in all ages to the end of the world . the proposition is so manifestly true , th●t there can be no acception against it , to deny it is , to deny that greatest of gods commandements , which saith that gods people ought to feare the lord , and walke in his wayes , & to loue and serve them with all their heart , and with all their soule , and with all their might . deut. . . & . . for whosoever exempts himselfe , or others from a duty which is perpetually holy & just , & usefull , & necessary for all men , he in so doing , refuseth to serue god with all his heart , soul , & might , and teacheth others to transgresse that great commandement . the assumption also is an undoubted truth . for first there can be no time nor age named since mans fall & corruption , which brought all mankind vnder the bondage of hand & toylsome labour , & eating his bred with the sweat of his face , wherin the rest of one day in every weeke is not usefull profi●table , & needfull for mens bodies , & most just & equall to be granted to their labouring servants , & toyling cattell , the verie light of naturall reason reqiures it for the cōmon good , & welbeing of all men . he who denies this to himselfe , and to his children , servants , & cattell , he is an unjust & unmercifull man , not to be numbred among the righteous who are good & mercifull to the life of their beasts . prov. . . secondly , justice & equity require , that seing the life of man is a pilgrimage on earth , & here on earth there is no abiding place for him , nor any felicity , true rest , or perfection to be found but in heaven , mā should not spend all his time , & all his thoughts & studies in , & about the things of this world , but that he should haue a set time at lest one day in every week , wherin he resting & ceasing from worldly cares ; laboures , & delights , should wholy devote himself to heavenly meditations , and to holy exercises , which may fit him & prepare him for the place of rest , teach & direct him in the right & ready way thereunto , & enable him to walke wisely therin . who thinks it to much to consecrate one whole day in seven unto religious exercises which may fit him for eternal life , he is undoubtedly most vnequall in his judgment & a judge of unjust things . thirdly , it is a thing not only good & holy in it selfe , that man of his owne accord , & much more being commanded by god , should devote one whole day in every weeke to the mediate worship of god , in thankfulnes for his creation & redemption , & the vse of gods creatures restored to him in christ ; with some advantage : but also very vsefull & necessary for the seasoning of mans weekly laboures with justice & piety , for the cōtinuance & increase of holines , & religiō in his heart and for the enlightening of his mind , rectifying of his will , sanctifying , of his affections , and fitting him to undertake and begin all his weekly laboures in the feare of god , to direct them to the right end , and to perfect and finish them happily by gods favour and blessing . jf any man shall dare to deny this , we may justly feare that he is rude & ignorant of those heavenly and spirituall things , whereof all gods people haue continually experience in themselves . and the constant practice of gods people who in all ages haue observed and kept a weekly sabbath holy to the lord , and therby haue profitted in all piety and holinesse , will convince them of grosse blindnesse stupidity . adam no doubt did every seventh day devote himselfe to gods worship , and taught his first sonnes , caine & abell to bring their offerings to god , at the end of daies that is : every last day of the weeke , for that is the most proper sence of the words in the hebrew text . gen. . . . and so soone as the posterity of seth began to multiply and increase they gathered themselves into a church & were called the children of god , or gods people , and hereby they were distinguished from the carnall and profane progeny of caine , & then they began to invocate and call upon the name of the lord , that is to worship god in publick assemblies . gen . . whereas adam , abell and seth , had invocated and worshipped god in their own private families onely , now the faithfull being multiplied did frequent publick assemblies , which could not be , but in set places , and at set times surely euery weeke on the seventh day which god had blessed and sanctified . also after that generall apostacy which came in by vnequall mariages of the sonnes of the faithfull with the daughters of the profane , & the destruction of the the old world with the flood . righteous noah who was saved in the arke with his familie , immediatlie after began to observe the holy rest of the seventh day , for it is said , that the burnt offering which he offered on the altar , of every cleane beasts and cleane foule vnto the lord was a sweet smelling sacrifice of rest , that is sacrifices , of the sabbath . the hebrew word in the text there used , with the emphaticall particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the most notable rest , even the rest of the holie sabbath , wherein man resteth in memory of gods rest , in the satisfaction of his people the isralites before the giving of the law from mount sinah , by gods owne voyce , they did obserue the sabbath & were admonished by moses so to do . exod. . . and they who rested not , but went forth to gather manna are reproved by god , as transgressours of his lawes and commandements ver . . and although we doe not reade of any sabbath , kept by abraham and the patriarches before moses , because the church of the faithfull was but small , comprised onely in their families , which could not keepe any great and publicke sabbath assemblies , worthy of record in the sacred history : yet undoubtedly they had their set time as well as set place of gods worshipp , even a weekly sabbath according to the law which god gaue to adam when he blessed & sanctified the seventh day . but i shall more fully speake of these things hereafter . and here upon these grounds i conclude , that the assumption of this present argu : is manifest : and the conlusion which thence flowes is certaine , to weet : that the posterity of adam in all ages are bound to this duty of keeping a weekly sabbath holy to the lord. a third argument is drawn from the ground upon which god founded the sabbath , and commanded the duty of keeping it holy to himselfe . for if the ground of the duty stand firme , throughout all generations , and do belong to all men of all ages , as well as to adam who had the commandement given to him , and the duty imposed on him by god. then the dutie also belongs to all men of all ages vnto the end of the world . and whosoever do clayme any interest in the ground of the duty , and expect profit by it , ought to acknowledge that the duty belongs to them also , except they can shew some speciall dispensation from god himselfe . now the ground upon which god founded the sabbath and imposed the duty of keeping it holy , is such as doth equally belong to all men . for if wee cleave to the bare letter of the text ( as diuers commonly doe ) and take the ground of the sabbath to be no more but this , that god finished the worke of creation on the seventh day , or hauing finished it and made every creature good & perfect before on the sixt daies , rested on the seventh from creating any things in the world . then we must withall confesse , that this ground belongs equally to all mankinde , for all men of all ages haue interest in the benifit of gods creating the world , and making all things so perfect , that he had no more to do but rested on the seventh day . but if that be the true and proper grounds which i haue before laid downe and proved , to weet : gods perfecting of the creation , which left all things good but mutable : by bringing in redemption which christ promised , did on the sevēth day , take upon him to perform in mans nature : and god resting in the al sufficient satisfactiō which christ undertook , to make for man , and which saved god the labour of a new creation , & making new creatures , and of repairing by a mediation the breach which mans fall had made in the word ; and so made for mans use . this ground doth belong to all mankinde in all ages . we now under the gospell haue as great , or rather greater interest in it , then adam or the fathers in the old testament . and by virtue of this promise of christ , & by meanes of his undertaking to be mans mediatour , and of gods resting in his mediation , all living men , and all creatures made for the vse of man do consist , and haue them in being in this world . coloss. . . and god by him ( the word of his power being made man and fully exhibited aperfect redeemer ) doth substaine and uphold all things . heb. . . and although the circumstances of this ground , are with the times and ages of this world mutable , and there is a great chaunge from christ only promised and undertaking mans redemption , to christ fully exhibited aperfect redemer in his resurrection : yet the ground it selfe , even redemption by christ , is still the same : the promise of redemption which was made to our first parents on the seventh day being the greatest blessing , which was revealed to mankinde in the old testament , procured to that day the honour of the weekly sabbath in all ages before the comming of christ. and the full exhibition of christ , and the perfecting of redemption in the resurrection of christ , on the first day of the weeke , did merit , & procure to that day the honour of the christian sabbath in all ages vnder the gospel : for god did not rest soe much in the undertaking of redemption on the seventh day , as in the actuall performance and full perfecting of it , on the first day of the weeke , the foresight of the full performance made the promise a ground both of gods rest , and of the sabbath in ●he old testament . and if christ had suffered , dyed , and been swallowed up of death and corruption in the graue , and had not gotten the victory ouer death , and all the powers of darknesse in his resurrection , then had we remained in our sinnes , & all our preaching of christ , and all our faith in him had beene vaine . cor. . . jt was christs resurrection which consumated the great work of mans redemtion , and on the day wherein he a rose from death , did he rest from that great worke , as god on the seventh day did from the worke of creation , and consecrated that day to bee the christian sabbath . but yet all this while redemption both promised & undertaken and also actually performed is the same common ground of the holy weeklie sabbath : and christ is the same redeemer to all mankind , and the onlie mediatour and saviour . yesterday , and to day , and the same for ever . heb. . . and the duty of keeping an holie weeklie sabbath is grounded on him throughout all ages , who is the common saviour , and redeemer of all mankinde . therefore all men of all ages are bound to this dutie , & none exempted from it , in any nation age or generation . fourthlie , that which god hath given to all mankinde in adam , for a perpetuall law to them of future benefit , which he hath promised and hath in store for them , that they are bound carefullie to keepe untill they fullie obtaine the blessing and benefit promised , for if he that hath given a pledge , doth take it away from them to whom he hath given it , this is an evident signe that he hath altered his minde and purpose of giving the benefit to them . and if they do at any time loose this which is the pledge , or wilfully cast it from them , they haue no evidence or token any more to assure them of the benefit , nor any witnesse of the covenant , or signe wherby to challenge the blessing . now the holie weeklie sabbath is ordained of god , and given in adam to all mankinde to be a signe and pledge to them of spirituall and eternall rest in christ , which they shall never fullie obtaine vntill the last resurection in the end of the world : for the full rest & sabbatisme whereof the sabbath is a pledge , doth till then , still remaine for them . heb. . . and they shall not enter into the full possession of it untill the last resurrection . and gods giving of himselfe unto his people to bee their god , which doth sanctifie them whereof the sabbath is a signe , token , and pledge vnto them as he himselfe testifieth . exod. . . is not fully manifested , nor perfected untill they bee fully sanctified both in soules and bodies at the last day , and made fit to see and enjoy god to rest with him in glorie for ever . it is true which the auncient fathers haue observed and taught , that the old sabbath as it was limited to the the seventh daie of the week , was a signe of the spiritual rest of the faithfull from their own sinfull works , and of their steadfast rest upon christ by faith , when they are regenerate and renued by the holie ghost , which is shed on them abundantlie through iesus christ vnder the gospel . tit. . . . and therefore that old sabbath of the seventh daie of the weeke , is so farre fulfilled in christ , and hath the accomplishment in him : but because the fulnesse of eternall rest wherof the weeklie sabbath absolutelie considered is the signe and pledge shall not be obtained vntill the last resurrection of the just , when by virtue of christs resurrection , their bodies shal be raised out of the dust and be made like the glorious body of christ , which they still exspect in hope . therefore the keeping of a weeklie sabbath as a pledge of that perfect eternall rest , still belongs to all gods people , and they are bound to keepe it on that day of the week in which christ arose , which day by his resurrection is made a sure pledge that they shal be raised vp in the perfect image and similitude of his resurrection . fifthly , that which is ordained by him and given to men , to fit them for eternall rest in heaven , & to be a speciall means to conduct & lead them in the right way therunto , and which of it selfe is very good , profittable , and excellent for that purpose . that gods word and will , and every mans reason guided by the word , bindes him to obserue & keepe , and to hold himselfe constantlie and perpetually vnto it , vntill he comes to the end of his race , even the eternall rest in heaven . this is a truth vndoubt●dly . for the scriptures command us to runne our race vnto the end , and to omit no meanes which may helpe to eternall life : and experience teacheth us , that the neglect of the ready way and meanes of gaining the pledge is the way to loose it . now the keeping of an holy weeklie sabbath after the best and strictest manner , by resting from all worldly businesse , so farre as our weaknesse and necessitie will suffer , and devoting our selves to gods holy mediate worship , as prayer , reading , & hearing of gods word both in priuate and publick assemblies , and to serious meditations of heavenlie things , is in it selfe one of the most powerfull meanes , to beg it and increase faith , and all holy saving graces in us , and god hath ordained it , for to conduct and lead men on , in the right and readie way to etenall rest in heaven . therefore gods word , & will revealed , & everie mans own reason guided by the word : binds all men to it in all ages , vntill they come to eternall rest in heavē . chap. . the first point being thus proued . the second thing before propounded followes : that is , to shew how farr , and upon what termes and conditions the sonnes of adam are bound to the duty of keeping a weekly sabbath by gods commandement , giuen in the sanctifying of the seventh day here recorded in my text , where god is said to sanctifie the seventh day , that is : by giving man a law to keepe it holy . first for such sons of adam as are borne and liue in the church of god , & haue the means to know gods word , & to obey his law : there is no questiō to be made , it is cleare that they are bound to know & to keep this cōmandement of god , and to seperate one day in every weeke , even that which god hath blessed aboue all the rest , & to devote it to holy & heavenly exercises , ceasing from all worldly cares , labours , & delights , and so to keep it an holy sabath . first , as they are gods creatures , & god hath thus far declared his mind & will , that men in immitation of him their god , who rested on the seuenth day , & also for the refreshing of themselves , their children , servants , & cattell in their bodies , should rest from worldly labours : & for the comfort of our soules should spend it in holy & spirituall exercises , & in the worship of him their maker , and preserver : even the generall law of nature bindes them to this duty . secondly , as god hath revealed himselfe a redeemer & saviour of mankind by promising & giving christ : so they are much more bound to keep all his commandements to the utmost of their power , especially this of the sabbath , which god ordained to be a memoriall of redemption and eternall rest , to be found only in christ promised on the sevēth day , and in fulnesse of time given and exhibited . jf they beleeve that christ is their redeemer , and that they are bought with the price of his blood , and are no more their own , but his , who hath bought them , this binds them to glorifie god with their soules , and bodies also which are gods. cor. . . and this they cannot do , except some time be set apart , at least one day in everie week , to celebrate in holy assemblies , the gracious goodnesse , bounty & loue of god to them in christ , & to sanctifie and fit themselves , for him in all their weekly works , and for the intending and seeking of him in all the labours of their hands , thus much the lord shews in his law giuen & expounded by moses . deut. . . where he tells israell , that he gaue his commandement to them of keeping holy his sabbath , for this end , that they might remember their slavery in egypt , & their deliverance by his mighty hand , & stretched out arme . vpon which words wee must necessarily inferre , that if god bound them by his commandement vrging them and pressing often to keep the sabbath day , for a memoriall of their deliuerance from temporall & tipical bondage , & thankfulnes to him for it , then much more were they & all gods people still are bound , to keep holy the sabbath day in thankfulnes & for a memoriall of spirituall deliverance from sin , death , and hel , and that on the day of the lord christ , wherin he is promised or fully exhibited . thirdly , because there is none of all the sonnes of men who live in the church , and know the word & law of god , & discern their own frailtie but know how hard it is for them to continue in grace , & in the knowledge of christ , & in the understanding of the misteries of godlinesse , without often exercises of religious duties , as well in publick as in private , & without much hearing & publick instruction in the word and law of god. therfor every rational man must needs know & acknowledg himselfe bound by the light of reason , & his naturall appetite of his own happinesse , to use all means for continuance & increase of grace & of heavenly knowledg in himselfe needfull to salvation , especially this keeping of an weekly sabbath which he findes by experience to be ameans to hold him fast to christ. but if any who liue & are borne in the church , in such times & places wherin they haue sufficient means to know gods revealed will and law for the keeping of an holy sabbath weekly , do through negligence , & idlenesse , malice , or perversnesse remaine wilfully ignorant of this law & will of god , as well as diuers alients . this shal in no case excuse them , neither doth it from the bond of this duty , no more then it doth frō the bond of any other laws of which they are wilfull ignorant , but god will punish them , both for their failing in this duty , & for their wilfull shutting of their eyes & eares and refusing to know his will & law . now because a great part of mankind even of adams posterity do liue out for the church , & many nations for many ages even all pagans and heathen infidels never heard of the sabbath , nor of gods word vvhich requires the vveekly observation of it . we are in the second place to consider , vvhether this law of god , and this his blessing and sanctifying , of the seventh day , doth in any respect bind them to this duty . and first that ignorance of the law doth not exempt them from the duty , it is manifest by plaine reasons . first because they had means from adam and their first progenitours to know this law , for when the earth was devided into severall nations and countries , the fathers and first founders of euery nation did know , that god had , in sanctifying the seventh day given this commandement to our first parents and their seed in their loynes : but they by wilfull neglect of this duty brought the law into obliuion , and their children rejoycing to follow their licentious waies , and to put farre from all thoughts of this duty , and all regard of this law , became wilfully ignorant of gods will , yea they skorne to hearken to gods word if it be brought vnto them . secondlie , no ignorance which is not invincible , but might be avoided by due care & diligence , can exempt a man from any dutie which god hath commanded all mankind to performe : our saviour tells us , that he which failes of his duty out of simple ignorance , and doth not his lords will , because he knew it not , shal be punished and beaten though with fewer stripes . because god is the lord of all , euerie man ought to enquire after & learn his will : and therefore heathen people though they know not this law , shal be beaten for neglect of this dutie , because they ought to know god , and to learne his will , who giues them life , breath , and all things . and if they who faile though simple ignorance , must be punished though in a lesse measure , then wilfull profaners . jt must needes follow , that they are bound to the duty though not so strict lie , nor in that manner and measure as they who live in the church , & in such times and places , where they know , or may know the law and word of god. thirdlie , all mankinde even the most barbarous and sauage nations , as they haue their being , and all guif●s of nature , from gods creating hand and power . so they haue all these things continued vnto them by the mediation of christ , and by a common and vniversall virtue of him the redeemer , they are vpheld in life and health and strength in this world : and christ as mediatour procures all these things to them , after a secondarie manner for his elects sake , which are either to spring after many ages out of their loines , or to receive benifit of their laboures in subduing the earth , making it habitable and fit for his people to dwell in , and so preparing a place for his church , or the like . in this respect god is called the saviour of all men , but especially of them that do beleeve . of all , in as much as he preserues them innaturall life , but of the faithfull , fullie and perfectlie in that he saues them from eternall death , and hell , and brings them to life eternall . and hereupon it is , that all things are said to be and to consist in , and by , and for christ. coloss. . . and hee is said to be a ransome for all men , that is reaching to all in some measure , manner , and degree , even to infidels to obtaine common guifts for them , and to the elect perfectlie to redeeme them . now they who partake the benefit of the christ the blessed seed promised to adam , they are bound to the dutie which god requires in thankfulnesse for it , and for a continuall commemoration thereof . therfore all mankinde even the most barbarous are bound to the duty of keeping an holie sabbath weeklie , though they doe not know that which bindes them to it , and leades them to the performance thereof . fourthlie , gods blessing of a seventh daie , and sanctifying it by his commandement given to our first parents , is as easilie to be learned , and knowne , and kept in memorie as many other things of lesse moment , which heathen jnfidels doe learne and know , and kepe in memory for worldlie respects . as for example , to measure the times of the world by yeares , and yeares by months , and months by weekes , and weekes , by seven daies , this because the heathen finde to be verie commodious for worldlie and civill respects , therefore they are carefull to learne and remember it , and all such things . and it is as easilie and as possible to to learne and know gods law , concerning a weeklie sabbath , and they would and might learne it , if they were as carefull for their soules , and to serve god , as they are for their life , and to serve their owne lusts , and this world . and if they would travell , and send abr●ad into farre countries to learne heavenlie knowledge and holy bevaviour , as diligentlie as they do to learne humane knowledge and worldly wisedome , art & skill , they could not be ignorant of gods law , concerning the weekelie sabbath : but they refuse to learne this , as they do to learne true religion , and shut their eyes against it , as they doe against the knowledge of christ. therefore as turkes and other infidels , who haue gods word professed in their countries , cities and among them : though they cannot rightlie call vpon god , nor beleeue in christ without preaching of the word , which they will not looke after but skorne it : yet they are bound to repent and beleeue , and shall perish for rejecting and not vseing the meanes to git faith . so it is with other infidels further of , they shall perish for not using such meanes as are in their power , wherby they might come to know this & other duties which they are boūd to performe in thankfulnes for gods gracious promise of christ the redeemer , & for the commō benifits which they receiue through him . chap. . the third thing which i propounded concerning mans sanctification so the sabbath , is the consideration of the duties wherin it doth consist , which are of three sorts . first some are such are common to all gods people in all ages of the world , and they be duties which are necessarie to the being of the sabbath . secondly , some are proper to the sabbath of the seventh daie , while the fathers under the old testament did expect christ promised , and were to keep their sabbath in memorie of the promise of christ made to our first parents on the last day of the week . thirdly some are proper to us who liue under the gospel since christ fullie exhibited a perfect redeemer : & after the buriall of moses , that is the utter abolition of all legall shaddows together with the materiall temple of the jews . the duties common to all such as are necessary to the being of an holy sabbath at all times , & they are three especiallie . the first is a rest & cessation from all seculiar affaires & worldly pleasures , except only such as are necessarie for mans welbeing , & cannot be omitted or deferred without great hurt & danger of mans health , & life , & of the life and safety of the creatures which god hath made for mans use . the second is sanctification of the sabbath , with such holy exercises of religion & of gods worship as god requires in that age , & state of the church in which they live . the third is sanctifying of that day of the week which god hath blessed & honoured with greatest blessings , aboue all other daies , & wherein he hath more fully revealed his holines , & opened the fountaine of holines for the sanctifying of his people . concerning the first , to weet : rest and cessation from all worldlie affaires & bodilie delights , there is a doubt made by some , whether it doth equally concerne all gods people , as wel christians under the gospel , as the fathers of the old testament . divers are of opiniō that christians haue more liberty & are not so strictly bound to rest from all worldly affaires & bodily delights , as the fathers were befor christ. but for the clearing of this point we are to note three specially things . first that rest & cessation from all seculiar businesse , & worldly pastimes is a dutie of the sabbath which generally belongs to all men in all ages who are bound to keep a weekly sabbath or holy daie by virtue of gods sanctification of the seventh daie . for first the very name ( sabbath ) which god gaue to the day , signifies rest & cessation , & puts us continually in mind of this duty . and whosoever cals it by the name sabbath , doth thereby acknowledge it to be a day of rest . secondly , a maine ground of gods first institution of the sabbath , the rest from all workes of creation wherwith god rested in christ the seventh day , who on that day was promised & took upon him to be mans mediatour ( as hath been proved befor out of the words of this text . for chtist the son of god vndertaking to repaire the works of creatiō , which were defaced by mans fal , & to restore al his by another kinde of work then creation , even by incarnation , obedience ; suffering & satisfaction for sin in mans nature , & for the redemption of the world ) did bring unto god the creatour , rest & cessation from any more creation of new kindes of creatures . and upon this ground , even this perfecting of his worke of creation , by bringing in redemption , and in memory & for a signe of gods resting in christ promised , god sanctified the seventh daie to be an holy weeklie sabbath , & bound man to this duty of rest on the sabbath day from all secular businesse . thirdly , in all ages whensoever god repeated the law of the sabbath , or vrged the observation of it , either by moses or the prophets we shall observe that rest and cessation is injoyned , as exod. . . the seventh day is the sabbath , in it thou shal● do no maner of worke . & exod. . . thou shalt do no manner of worke therein . & exod. . . devt . . . whosoever doth any work on the sabbath shall surely be put to death . they might not gather man̄a on the sabbath day . exo. . . they who went out to seeke manna are called trasgressours . and all the prophets which in after times made mention of the sabbath , vrged rest , & blamed all servile vvorks vvhich concern this life : as isa. . . jer. . . neh. . . fourthly vve in these later daies , haue as much need of rest & more then men in former ages , and the greater hopes and more cleare evidences of rest and glorie in heaven which we haue , do more bind us to rest from worldly cares , and to set our mindes on heaven where our hopes are . these are strong arguments to prove that rest vpon the sabbath day , is a duty which generally belongs to all men in al ages , which the first thing serving to satisfie the former doubt & to proue the first generall duty . secondly , gods sanctifying of the sabbath , and his first commandement given to adam for the keeping holy of the seventh day : binds all men , in all ages , to keepe a weekely sabbath to the end of the vvorld , as i haue before proued , and therfore the duty of rest belongs to all . thirdly , they vvho hold the lavv of the vveekly sabbath to be but for a time , and that it is novv abolished , they can shevv no scriptures to vvarrant their opinion . that place vvhich they object , coloss. . . speakes not in the singular number of the vveekly sabbath , instituted here in my text . for though the day bee chaunged upon vveightie reasons and good ground . yet the sabbathisme still remaineth to the people of god , not onely the eternall , and heavenlie , but also the temporall sabbath on earth which leads to the heavenly . the words of the apostle speake of those sabbaths or holy daies of the iewes , which were tipicall , and shaddows of things to bee exhibited in christ , such as were the first and last daies of the passouer , pentecost , and other great yearly feasts . the word sabbaton , being of the plurall number , implies soe much , and the nameing of feasts , daies , and new moones which were shaddowes of the law , giue us just cause to conceiue that the apostle intends only the festiuall and not the weekly sabbaths . or if we should grant that the weekly sabbath is meant , among the rest , which the father 's obserued on the seuenth day : yet the apostle calls it a shaddow , onlie in respect of the particular day of the promise of christ , which day is a bolished , & giues place to the first day , in which the promise was fullie performed , and christ became a perfect redeemer actuallie in his resurrection . the anti-sabbatarians haue onely two objections which haue some shew and coulour of reason at the first hearing . the first is , that if it had beene the minde and will of christ , that the weekly sabbath should be continued and remoued to the lords day , vnder the gospell , then would he either by himselfe , or by his apostles , haue giuen some expresse commandement to that purpose , which they say , he did not . to this i answere . first that our saviour spake fully to this point , when he said , that he came not to destroy , but to fulfill the law . it remaines therefore on their part to shew , that the commandement of the sabbath is no part of the morall law , or else they do but beate the aire and labour in vaine . secondlie , the apostles themselves kept their holy assembles , & ordained in all churches of the beleeving gentiles that publick assemblies should be kept and exercises of the holy sabbath perfomed ordinarily on the first day of the weeke , as i haue before proved , from . act . & cor. . , . and whatsoever they ordained was the comma●dement of che lord cor. . vers . . thirdlie , while the first temple was yet standing in the daies of the apostles , and moses was not yet buried and quite taken out of the way : jt was not convenient that the apostles should chaunge the day of the sabbath among the beleeving iewes . yea they themselves in iudea and all places among the iewes , kept the seventh daie : among the gentiles the lords daie . we never read that the lords day was called a sabbath in the primitiue times next after the apostles , nor since , by any but onely by iewish sabbatarians . howsoever these adversaries , put on a bold impudent face , to colour and countenance this objection : yet herein publish a manifest untruth . for igna●ius immediatly after the apostles saith . that the christians must keep their holy sabbath : not after the man̄er of the profane iews of those times , with excessiue feasting , dauncing , and such carnall sports and pleasures , nor on their seventh day : but on the lords day , the day of christs resurrection , which he calls the queene and supeeme lady of daies , as i haue formerlie shewed . saint hilary saith , nos in prima die perfecti sabbathi festiuitate latae mur. i.e. we christians rejoyce in the festiuity of our perfect sabbath on the first day of the weeke . st. augustine in the . sermon de tempore . hauing rehearsed diuers notable blessings and prero●atiues which god of old honoured the first day of the weeke the lords day , doth there affirme , that upon those grounds the holy doctors of the c●urch , to weet : the apostles . who were taught by christ , and inspired by the holy ghost in all things which they decreed and ordained , haue by their decree remoued or rather transferred all the glory of the iewish sabbathisme , vnto the lords day . and immediatly he adds this exhortation . let us christians therefore obserue the lord day , and let us sanctifie it so as of old the law giver commanded the fathers concerning the sabbath saying . from evening to evening shall ye celebrate the sabbath . and further he saith , that if wee from the evening of the iewes sabbath the satturday , to the evening of the lords day sequester our selves from all rurall workes ; and all seculiar busines and devote our selves onely to gods worship , then we rightly sanctifie the lords sabbath according ●he wordes of the law : ( yee shall not doe any worke in it . also psalm . . he affirmes that keeping of the sabbath is one of the things which belong to the loue of god , and thus he exhorts every true christian. observa diem sabbati non carnaliter , non judaicis delicijs , &c. that is observe the day of the sabbath not carnally with iudiciall delicacies , for they abuse their rest , and rest to naughtinesse for indeede it is better that men should digge all the day then daunce as they doe : but doe thou meditate on the rest in god and doing all things for obtaining that rest , abstaine from servile worke . and in his . tract at vpon iohn . he saith , we are more strictly commanded to keepe the sabbath then the iewes : for we are injoyned to keepe it spiritually . jewes keepe it carnally in luxury and drunkennes , and it were far better that their women should be busied in working all the day in woll , then dance . the true christian keepes the sabbath spiritually , by refraining from servile worke . these and diuers other testimonies of the auncients shew ●ufficiently the falshode and vanity of this objection . and that in the judgment of the most godly and learned fathers , the law of god bindeth us to keepe the sabbath holy on the lords day weekly . it is true that some part of the sevēth day was by reason of great multitudes of iewes abounding in all countries , soe frequent and soe commonly known & called by the name of the sabbath , & that name was so proper to the saturday in those times , that if any had called the lords day by that name , his wordes would bee understood by the hearers of the iewes sabbath , except ●e had expounded his meaning as those fathers before named do in their speeches b●f●re mentioned . and againe the iewes were soe superstitious in observing their sabbath , ●o contrarie to the christian sanctifying of the lords day , even with feasting , dauncing , and profane pomp , that the name of sabbath through their abuse of it grew distastfull to godly christians , even as in our time the old name catholike ; by reason of the antichristian papists , falsly vsurping and approbria●ing it to their apostaticall church and false religion , is growne to haue an ill sound in the eares of reformed christians . and therefore t●e auncients were very sparing in calling the name of the sabbath , and seldome did they call the holy weeklie rest of christians by that name , except onlie in case when they opposed it to the jewish sabbath , and preferred it farre before their carnall observation . but wheras in this objection the aspersion and reproachfull name of iewish sabbatarians is laid on all them who call the lords day the cbristian sabbath , and urge the sanctification of it , by the law of god. this is a point of such notable impudency and intemperancie , that it deserues the scourge & whip of ecclesiasticall censure & punishment , to chastise and correct , rather then any arguments of reason or divinity to convince such raylors . for in the homilies which are comprehended and commanded in the articles of our religion , by law established : the lords day is frequently stiled by the name of sabbath , even no lesse then eight times in one homily , which treateth of the time & place of praier . and both there , and in the writings of the most godly diuines , and builders of our church , gods people are vrged by the law of god , even the fourth commandement to keepe holy the lords day , for the christian weekly sabbath , and in our divine service after the publicke rehearsing of that commandement in the congregation , are injoyned to pray in these words . lo●d haue mercy upon us , and incline our hea●tes to keepe thy law and this you see the first generall duty of the sabbath , to weet : resting from worldly affaires clearly proved , and that while their is a sabbath or weekly day of holy assemblies , either under the gospel , all men are bound to observe this rest . the second generall duty necessa●ily to be performed in the keeping of the sabbath is sanctification , which is by mens devoting of themselves wholy to divine worship , & such religious actions , as god requirs in the times of the church in which they live , such as are publick assemblies for praising god , praying to him , preaching , reading , expounding , and hearing of his word , commemoration of his great works , and rehearsing of his promises for common edification . also private praier● , and meditations on heavenly things , domesticall instructions and the like . all these are necessary sabbath duties to be observed of al men , in all ages , both under the old & new testament . first the words wherin moses here in my text , discribes gods first institutiō of the sabbath , proue this fully . for here it is said that god sanctified it , that is , set it apart for holy exercises in the performance whereof men do sanctifie it . for sanctifying is either by infusion of holinesse into the thing sanctified , or setting it apart to holy use and exercise , but it had no holinesse infused into it , as i haue else where proved . therefore it was sa●ctified , by consecration , that is , setting apart to holy use . secondly , it is called the holy sabbath , that is : such a day of rest as is to be kept exod. . . before the giving of the fourth commandement as moses shewes , saying . to morrow is the rest of our holy sabbath to the lord , that is : this is a rest not of idlenesse , but from common affairs , that men may be exercised in holy duties onely . thirdly , in the giving of the law from mount sina , god commands expresly , that all his people doe remember to sanctifie and keepe holie the sabbath , which cannot be but by exercise of holy duties , and performance of holy service and worshippe vnto god. exod. ● . . l●stly , in all the scriptures of the law , which speake of the sabbath in the old testament , it is called the lords holy sabbath . and sanctification of it , is required as appeares , exod. . & , . . deut. . . and in the evangellicall prophets , which speake of the sabbath both of old , and also in the last daies of the gospell , it is called the lords holy day . isa. : : & : : and it is said , that all flesh , that is true christians of all nations shall from one sabbath to another come to worship before the lord & ezech. . . they shall hallow the sabbath . but here some perhaps will object . that none can truly sanctifie the sabbath , nor performe a●y holy duty , who are wholy carnall , & unregenerate and haue not the spirit of god dwelling in them , & sanctifying them , & such are many even in the bosome of the true church . and therfore sanctification of the sabbath , cannot be a generall duty performed by al men , nor requi●ed of all , but is a special duty pr●per to the elect saints , who are truly sanctified , others were neuer able to sanctifie the sabbath and therefore it is not a duty which god can justly require of all in generall . jt is true indeed , that as a bitter fountaine & corrupt , can send forth no sweet and pure water , so no naturall man can performe a true & holy duty . holines is a supernaturall guift of the holy ghost , and he it is who enables men to performe all workes which are eternally holy : but as ther is a two fold sanctification the one internal , which is the wo●k of the holy ghost in men ; the other externall , which is the consecrating & setting apart of things naturall and artificiall to be imployed to an holy vse , and to supernaturall end , so also there are two sorts of holy exercise . some which are eternally holy , as holy prayers and praises and all workes of true piety , which onely holy men performe , by the power of the holy ghost working in them and mouing them . others are only externally holy , by outward consecration & seperation , because the are appointed to be done for holy use , & to be used in the worship of god , such are all outward religious duties , as sacrificing and such like performed by hipocrites and carnall professours in the old testament , such as caine , saul , and elis wicked sonnes were . and reading , preaching , set formes of prayer , and gestures of worship performed by hipocrites both before and under the gospel . these later are in the power of hipocrites and unregenerate men , who by a common guift and generall grace are enabled to performe farre more in this kinde then they do , or are willing to do . now though all men cannot performe the first , yet so farr as they are able they are bound to performe the later sort of dut●es , among which are the externall sanctifications of the sabbath , as frequenting holy and publick ass●mblies , singing of psalmes , joyning with the church in publick prayers and the like : which as they are able to do , so they are bound to do , and if they refuse in such things to conforme themselves , they are punis●ed both by god for disobedience to his law , and also by the censures of the church . the third generall duty necessarily required of all in the observation of the sabbath is : that they keep for their holy sabbath that verie day of the week , whether it be the first or seventh , which god hath blessed aboue all other daies with the greatest blessing , and which he hath sanctified aboue all other daies by more full relation of his own holines to the world , and opening of a more wide doore of holines for the san●tifying of all his people . thus i prove . first most plainly from the words of my text , which describe gods first institution of the sabbath . first by blessing it aboue other daies with that greatest of blessings even the promise of christ a perfect saviour and redeemer of mankinde . secondly , by sanctifying it in revealing his holinesse to man , and sanctifying man by his spirit & the promise and thereupon appointing it to be kept holy . as i haue fully before proved . secondly , the lord god himselfe , both in giving the law from mount sina , and often repeating of the fourth commandement by moses , still vrgeth the obseruation of the weekly sabbath upon this groūd : because he hath on that day redeemed them out of the house of bo●dage with a mighty hand & streached out arme . deut. . . & in oth●r places : for indeede on the sabbath he redemed them and sanctified the first borne to himselfe . exod. . from whence we conclude , that gods blessing of a day aboue other daies with greatest blessings , is a good ground for the keeping of it for his holy sabbath , and so also is gods sāctifying of it by more speciall holines . thirdly it is manifest , that all extraordinary and yearlie sabbaths which god commanded israell to keepe holy such as the first and seventh dai●s of the feasts of the passover , pentecost , & of tabernacles were al enjoyned to be k●pt & observed in memory of greater blessings given on those daies , and of gods sanctifying them by more full revelation of his holines . and therefore much more is the observation of the continuall weekly sabbath grounded upon greater blessings given , & holines fully revealed on that day of the week which is to be observed for the sabbath : & in whatsoever age , time , or state , of the church men do live , they are bound by the first institution of the sabbath , and by the first law which god then gaue for the keeping of it , as to obserue an holy weekly sabbath , so to obserue on that verie daie of the weeke , which god hath at that time and in that age revealed , and declared to be the day which he hath blessed and sanctified aboue all others daies of the weeke . as for example , while christ was promised a redeemer of the world , and was not yet given , the day of the promise wherin he was first promised , and did undertake and begin to mediate for man , was the most blessed day which god had sanctified and blessed with the promise , which was the greatest blessing revealed and made knowne in the old testament . but when an other day of the weeke comes to be blessed with a greater blessing , even the giving of christ , and the full exhibition of him a perfect redeemer , then is that the day which god hath sanctified aboue all daies , & then the law & the words of the first institutiōs bind mē to keep that for the holy sabbath . and thus you see the generall duties which god requires of all men in generall which are necessary to the being of the sabbath , and with out which there can be no right obseruation of a weekly sabbath holy to the lord. chap. . the second sort of duties now follow , to weet : those which were proper to the people of god in the old testament , vnto which the fathers were specially bound befor the cōming of christ while he was yet only promised & not given a perfect redeemer . they also though they consist in many particulars : yet may be reduced to three chiefe heads . first to rest and cessation . secondly to sanctification . thirdly to obseruation of the seventh and last day of the weeke for their holy weekly sabbath . first concerning rest from all worldly affaires , and cessation from bodily exercises such as delight and refresh the outward man onely , and are directed to no other end , there are different opinions among the learned . some hold that the fathers vnder the law , were bound more strictly to rest from bodily exercises and worldly affaires on their sabbath , then christians are on the lords day under the gospel , jnsomuch that the strict bond of rest vnto which the law tyed them , was an heavy yoke , and apart of the bondage vnder which they groaned . others are of opinion , that their rest being no more but from worldly affaires & bodily exercises : seruing only for bodily delight & worldly profit , was the very same vnto which all gods people were bound in all ages , and are still under the gospel . there are reasons brought on both sides : but all scriptures and reasons being well weighed : i doubt not but they may bee brought to agree in one truth : if only one thing wherin both sides agre , and which both mistake , be remoued , namely a conceipt which both haue of a more strict and religious exaction of rest and cessation , then indeede was required in the sabbath of the old testament . they who hold the first opinion , bring many testimonies of scripture , which seeme to impose such a strict rest & cessation on the fathers , and the isralites vnder the law , as is by common experience found to be an heavy burden , hard to be borne , and even intollerable . as for example . exod. . . , where moses speakes thus unto israell . this is that which the lord hath said . to morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath vnto the lord , bake that which yee will bake to day , and seeth that yee will seeth , and that which remaineth over , lay vp for you to be kept untill the morning . hence they conclude that the fathers were restrained frō baking or seething any meate on the sabbath day . also verse . wher moses saith let no mā go forth of his place , but every mā abide in his place on the seventh day . hence they inferre . that the fathers might not walke abroad on their sabbath . likewise from the words of the law . exod. . . jn it thou shalt not do any worke , they gather that the isralites might upon no worldly occasion do any worke on the sabbath day , not so much as make a plaister or medicine for a sick and wounded man. and so the learned doctours of the iewes vnderstodd the law , and observed it , as they shewed by their reproving of christ for healing a diseased person by a word onely and no other labour . also exod. . . . & . . all kinde of worke is forbideen under paine of death . whosoever doth any worke therein shal be put to death , saith the lord. yea he forbids to kindle a fire through their habitations on the sabbath day , & num. . . the man that was found gathering stickes in the wildernesse on the sabbath day , was by gods appointment stoned to death by the congregation . & neh : : . jt was called profaning of the sabbath , when men sould any wares or vitails , and when straungers of other nations brought in wares and fish on the sabbath day to be sold. also amos . . they whose mindes were so set on the worldly affaires , that they longed , till the sabbath was past , and had their minde on selling corne and wheate . the lord sweares by the excellency of iacob , that hee will not forgit to reveng their doings : from these scriptures divers both of the auncients , and later diuines haue concluded that the law of the sabbath in respect of rest and cessation , which is exacted in the old testament , with such rigour and upon such grievous penalties . was an heavy and intollerable burden , and therefore is abolished by christ , in respect of that totall cessation and strict rest . others on the contrary doe hold , that as christians haue more clear evidence & hope of eternall rest in heaven , and the spirit which makes the more spirituall , shed on them more abundantly through christ , soe they ought to be more restrained from loue of the world , & from care of earthly things . and therefore by the law of the sabbath are bound rather more strictly then the fathers in the old testament , to rest and cease from all worldly cares , and all laboures , and affaires of this life , on the lords day , which is consecrated by the resurrection of christ , to be the weekly sabbath of all christians . but if these scriptures be diligently searched , and all circumstances well weighed . it will appeare vpon good reason , that both sides are mistaken , and that the forenamed scriptures do not import any such rigorous rest or burden some cessation . for first of all , though the pharises , and other strict sects , and rabbinicall doctors , and expounders of the law , did of later times alittle before , and at the appearance of our saviour in the flesh , expound the law soe strictly in respect of the carnall and literall sence , that thereby they laid heavy burdens vpon men , as our saviour doth charge them . matth. . . yet it was not so from the beginning , but even the isralites themselves who lived vnder the law , as under a scoole maister , and under the rudiments of the world , they had liberty to go out of them places , and dwellings a sabbath days journey , which was , as their rabbinnes writes two thousand cubites , that is as some take it an italian mile , & in the opinion of others two miles . and king. . . . it is recorded the priests and people went in and out , to and from the house of the lord on every sabbath day . they did also kindle fire for sacrifices & burnt offerings , which they did offer unto god double , morning and evening everie sabbath daie , after they had killed and dressed the beasts , and this according to the strict sence and strained exposition of the law , which the scribes and pharises gaue of it , was a breach of the law , and prophanation of the sabbath as our saviour shewes . matth. . . secondly , the scribes and pharises did not expound the law , as forbidding all bodily workes . for they do circumcise children , & apply medicines to heale the sores of the circumcised on the sabbath , when it happened vpon the eight day after the birth of children , as our saviour also shewes . joh. . . they led their oxen & asses to the water , and if a sheepe , or oxe , or asse did fall into a pit they did pull it out on the sabbath , because these were works of necessity . luk. . . & . . and the chiefest and strictest of the pharises did make great feasts & invited many guests , & our saviour himselfe amongst the rest , who did not refuse to take part with them . luk. . . & did obserue how the invited guists did choose out the chiefest roomes ver . . which shewes plainly that dressing of necessary and convenient meat was not forbidden by the law on the sabbath day , neither did the pharises so expound the law . thirdly for the places of scrpture before alleaged , let us take a perticular view of them in order , and we shall see , that they are much mistaken . first that place exod. . . doth not enjoyne every man to keepe his place , and not to goe out of their campe to gather manna on the seventh day , the reason prefixed shewes this plainly , to weet : because god gaue them on the sixth day manna sufficient for that day & the seventh . the exposition which some make of the . ver . is very idle & ridiculous , namly that the isralites were commanded to bake and seeth on the sixth day , that which they were to eate on the seventh . and therefore it was not lawfull to bake and seeth on the sabbath . for moses doth not bidde them bake for the sabbath which was the morrow after , but onely that which they were to eate on the present day , and to reserve the ouerplus , which they did not bake and seeth vntill the seventh day ; and though they did so , and did not bake and seeth it : yet it did not putrifie neither were any worms therin , which had it beē sodde or baked , for baking and seething do naturally and as an ordinarie means preserue things from stincking and putrefaction . in the next place the wordes of the fourth commandement ( in it thou shalt not do any worke ) they do not forbid religious workes which tend either to inward or outward sanctification of the sabbath day , nor workes of mercy , charity , or necessity which are necessarie , for the safety and preseruation of the life of man or beast . though the perverse scribes and pharises out of their hipocrisie did ●oo strictlie expound and interpret the law of the sabbath against our savious doeings , and held it unlawfull to heale the sick on the sabbath daie , though it were but by speaking a word : yet their practise which they received from the fathers of killing and offering sacrifices , circumcising their children , leading their oxen to the water to drinke , and drawing their sheepe , asses and other profittable cattell out of a ditch : did shew that they were taught from the beginning a contrary lesson , of more liberty , which our saviour approueth , and thereby convinceth them of grosse errour and hipocrisie . thirdly , that place of exod. . where they are forbidden to kindle a fire in all their habitations on the sabbath day , is not a generall commandement binding all simplie at al times . but a perticular precept binding in some cases , for they kindled fires and burned sacrifices twice every sabbath , they also kindled fires to dresse necessary and comfortable meat exod. : . where god forbidding all manner of workes on the sabbath of the passouer , which were commanded to be kept as strictly , and to be sanctified with holy assemblies and solemnities , as much as the weekly sabbath , yet exceps that which is to be done in dressing necessarie meat . wherefore the kindling of a fire here forbidden , is expounded by some rabbines to be onely making of fires to burne malefactors . but indeed if we looke to that which followeth , it will appeare that moses being about to summon the people to bring all materials , gold , silver , brasse , jron , and other materials , and also silke , purple , and other stuffe for the building of the altar , the tabernacle and all things therunto belonging , doth first call to their remembrance the law of the sabbath , and doth giue them a charge from god that in building of the tabernacle , the place of his worship , they abstaine from all worke on the sabbath day vnder paine of death , and that they doe not kindle a fire to melt gold , or silver , or brass , for the altar or the arke , or any holie thing in the tabernacle . for god abhorres the breaking of his law , or prophaning his sabbath vnder the pretence of building an house , or tabernacle , or altars to him . and this is no more then our builders of the famous cathedrall church of saint paul , in this city , are on our lords day the christian sabbath , at this time bound to observe , and do abserue very strictly . fourthly the forbidding of all worke vnder paine of death , exod : . . . . and the commanding of him to be stoned who gathered sticks on the sabbath day . num. . . are not thus to be understood , that every breach of the sabbath by any bodily labour , was to be punished with death in all persons under the law ( though inded before god everie b●each of every commandement deserues death . ) but that the open wilfull & presumptious prophaning of the sabbath by any scandalous act , or by a cōmon practise was to be punished wi●h death . this is plaine by the words next before going . num. . ● . . where the lord commands that he who sinneth presump●iously with an high hand , and so reproacheth the lord. and dispiseth his word , be cut of from among his people , against which word and expresse commandement the man which was found gathering sticks on the sabbath daie , did presently sin , and committed wilfull transgression presumptuously , not through ignorance nor compelled by necessity , and therefore he was stoned for an example of terrour to all presumptious transgre●sours . but as for others who did beare burdens , and sell vitailes not presumptuously , but either through ignorance or forgetfulnesse , or drawn by custome and ill example of the multitude in the daies of jeremiah , and nehemiah , they were not by the law put to death , but compelled by authority and rebukes , and by threatnings of wrath & judgments of god , to desist from profanat●ō of the holy sabbath , as the plac●s before named shew . neh. . ier. . . as for them whole mindes are altogether carried away after buying , s●lling , and worldly games on the sabbath day , amos. . they are threatned with no other wo , then that which belongs to all such as af●er the same manner ; vnhallow the lords day now under the gospell . wherefore it is manifest that the fathers in the old testament , had no heavy burden of strict rest laid on them by the law , but the same cessation from worldly affaires which they are bound vnto , is still required of us , and of all gods people in all ages of the world . they were not restrained in time of war from works of necessity , as fig●t●ng against enimies , taking and destroying their cities , as we see in the compassing of jericho seven daies together , one of which must needes be the sabbath day . iosh. . they might flee for their liues , and pull cattell out of pits , and do any other worke which could not be deferred vntill the next day , but present necessity requ●red it for their owne safety , and for the saftie of their cattell and of other good creatures which otherwise were in danger to perish . but suppose the opinion of diuers both auncient and late writers were true , to weet . that the isralites were bound to obserue a more strict and burdensome rest , and under greater penalties , then either the fathers before the law , or we who liue in the light and liberty of the gospell : yet this proues no more but onely that this rigour was apart of the bondage and paedagogie of the law ; wherewith they are hardlie pressed , for this end to driue them to seeke ease in christ , and to long for his comming in the flesh . and this burden and rigour onely is abolished by christ , together with the chaunge of the perticular day : but the substance of the law still remaines and bindes all men to keepe the sabbath , resting and ceasing from all worldly busines , except that which is of necessity & charity , even as the fathers were boūd frō the first institution . the secōd principal head of which the secōd sort ●f special & proper duties which god r●quired the fathers under the old testamēt , may be reduced , as sanctification . for ouer and aboue ●heir resting from secular affaires , they were by gods first institution of the sababath bound to sanctifie the seventh day , with holy and religious duties , such as god in that state and condition of the church required , as an holie service and for heavenly and spirituall use , even for begitting and increasing of grace and faith in them , and for the fitting of them for the fruition of eternall rest . the sanctification of the sabbath in generall belongs to all mankinde in all ages , and that all are bound to it by a perpetuall law . as i haue proued sufficiently before . i am now onlie to shew the speciall and perticular duties of sanctification , which god required of his people in the old testament . the first speciall duty of sanctification was the solemne commemoration of christ the blessed seed , and of the promise of redemption by him . unto this all the fa●hers fro adam until moses , & so to christ , were bound by gods fi●st institution of the sabbath and sanctifying the seventh day , vpon promise made of the blessed seed : for full proofe of of this : i argue thus both from scripture and common experience . whensoever a day is set a part either by god or holy men , to be kept with solemnity because of some great blessing or deliverance given or promised , the chiefe thing to be observed in that solemnity , is a publick & solemn commemoration & rehearsall of the blessing & deliverance with joy & praise . experience of all ages doth proue this . in the solemn feast of the passouer , the chiefe duty of sanctification was the cōmemoration of gods deliuerance of jsraell from bondage in egypt , by his mighty hand streched out to smite egypt , and his destroying angel passing over all the houses of the isralites , & slaying all the first borne of ●he egyptians , & this deliuerance was the blessing , because of which god instituted this feast . exd. . . the solemnitie of the feast of tabernacles for seven daies together was instituted by god , because of his preservatiō of israell in the wildernes forty yeares together without houses or cities , in boothes & tents , & the chiefe thing which they were bound to obserue in this holy solemnity , was the commemoration of that preseruation in the wildernes , by dwelling in boothes all the time of that feast , wherby occasion was given to thē to rehearse vnto their childrē , & their child . were moved to enquir , learn , & bear in mind that blessing of gods preservatiō lev. . . & so in al ages we find by experience , that the commemoration of the blessing upon which every feast was first ordained , is the chiefe duty in all the solemnity , as the cōmemoration and rehersal of christs resurrectiō in the feast of easter , of the cōming down of the holy ghost in the feast of pentecost , of christs incarnation in the feast of the nativity . and in our late yearely f●stivall for our deliuerance from the powder treason , the chiefe duty is the cōmemoration of that deliuerance . so that this proposition is most certain & undeniable . now what the blessing of the seventh day was , because of which god sanctified , it to be the weekly sabbath of the old testament , & also after by moses commanded it to be kept holy . as i haue largely before proued : euen the promise of christ the redeemer . and therfore it followes necessarily , that the first and chiefest duty of sanctification of the sabbath , which the fathers were bound vnto , was the commem●ration of the promise of christ & of redemption by him , which was the blessing wherwith god blessed the seventh day , and therupon sanctified it : and because from adam untill noah , christ was promised to be the seed of the woman : and then he was promised to come of the seed of shem , & afterwards abraham was singled out of shems family , & christ the blessed seed was promised more specially to come of his seed , even of isaak the sonne of promise , & of iacob isaaks younger sonne . and of all the tribes of jsraell judah was nominated . and of all the families of iudah davids house was chosen , & david received the promise that he should be the progenitor of christ. and all the prophets in all ages in their prophesies of christ foretold : that he should be made of the seed of david according to the flesh . therefore the fathers from adam untill noah , and after him untill abraham , isaak , & iacob , their seed & posterity in their severall families , still made a commemoration of christ promised to come of them , in all their weekly sabbaths . and when god had enlarged his church in all the tribes of israel : & had by moses recorded the promise of christ , that he should be the seed of abrahā &c. & after the prophets had foretold that the messiah was to come of davids royal seed : then they were all bound to preach christ. and to commemorate the promise of him after a most solemn manner , to their publick ●ssemblies on every sabbath day . and this was a prime duty , and speciall worke of their sanctification of that day . as we reade luk. . . & act. . , the second speciall duty was offering of sabbath sacrifices , which were types and shaddowes of christ , and of red●mption and reconcilia●ion of men vnto god in him . for as they did more solemnly rehearse the promises of christ , so also they did offer more solemne sacrifices , & in a double measure both morning and evening everie sabbath day , this god commanded by moses to israell . num. . . and vndoubtedly caine and abell being instructed by adam , did bring their ●fferings on the seventh day which ended the weeke , gen. . . and noah his pleasing sacrifice was a sweet savour of rest , that is a sabbath sac●ifice . gen. . . as j haue largely before proved . the third speciall dutie , was an holie assembly or holie convoca●ion , which they were commanded to keepe on all other yearly festivall sabbaths , so every weekly sabbath day as we reade . l●vit . ● . . for although while the church & people of god , were but a small number , and despersed in severall places and families , as in the familie of melchisedek , and abraham , and lot , and afterwards in the family of i●b , and of the sonnes of abraham , and iacob before that israell grew vp to be a nation , there were few publicke holy assemblies kept either on the sabbath , or vpon any other occasion . the godly fathers did onelie call togither their houshould and families by themselves , and did commaund and teach them to keepe the way of the lord , and to remember this covenant . as is testified particularly of abraham . gen. . . and in another place . where he is said to build altars and there to worshippe god. as gen. . . & . . as also it is said of job . c. . . that he rose up early and sanctified his seven sonnes , and offered vp burnt offerings according to the number of them . yet it is manifest that whensoever in any age , there was a great increase of gods people , and an enlargment of his church ouer a whole nation and countrie , the sabbath was by gods appointment sanctified with holy assemblies . after the birth of enosh when the family of seth began to increase and multiply , it is said , that men began then to call upon the name of the lord. or as some not unfittly doe translate the words , then they began to call men by the name of the lord , that is : adam and his sonnes especially seth & his children began to separate themselves from the wicked and profane people of caines race , and being gathered into a church , were called the children of god , & gods people , and did assemble themselues togither in set places , and at set times every sabbath day to worshippe god , and to call upon his name , as appeares in the four●h chapter of gen. ver . . thus luther and iunius expound that place , & as the words will uery well beare this exposition , so also both scrip●ure & reason confirme it . for gen. . . the people of god who were gathered into the church , & professed pure religion in their assemblies , are called by the name of god , even the sons of god and by this title are distinguished from the wicked and profane , who are called the sonnes of adam , that is carnall earthly corrupt men . secondly , it is manifest that abell long before seth and enosh did worshippe god and call upon his name , and so undoubtedly did adam and seth before this time in their priuate families , and therefore here cannot bee meant the first begining of mens calling upon gods name , and worshipping him . but certainly the first beginning of gods worship in publick assemblies of the church in set places , and at set times even everie sabbath day . as for them who translate this place , that when enosh was born men began to profane the name of the lord , they make way for diuers absurdities . first that calling upon gods name is profanation of it . secondly , that profanation began in the family of seth , or at the least by the increase of his posterity . thirdly , that there was no profanation of gods name committed by caine and bloody lamech before this time , contrary to that which is recorded before in this chapter ver . . & . where lamech is brought in skorning of gods threatnings . and as we haue some monuments of antiquity which shew that holie assemblies were observed as religious duties of the holy sabbath from the beginning . so after that israell became a nation , and god set up his church and tabernacle among them , we haue most cleare and expresse commandements of god given by moses to them and all their posterity , that they should do no servile worke , as appeares levit : . . . . num. : & . . deut. . . and that the priests and levites toge●her with the people assemble together in the temple on the sabbath day , it is recorded king. . . cron. . . but i need not insist vpon further proofe of this point . for everie man of reason must needes confesse , that no publick holy sabbath duties can be performed but in publick assemblies . the fourth speciall duty of the sabbath ( unto which gods people under the law were bound ; after the time of the law written by moses , and the publishing of the promises in the scriptures of the prophe●s ) was the publick reading , and expounding of the law & the prophets , by the priests and publick teachers , and reverent hearing of them by the people . this is manifest by the places before named , to proue asolemne rehearsall of the promise , to weet : luk. . . & ast : : . and that on the sabbath day . for as those scriptures do shew that the promises of christ were solemnly rehearsed . and out of moses and the prophets every sabbath day . so also they shew that moses and the prophets were publickly read , and heard in their weekely holy assemblies , and by this meanes the people were taught , not onely in the promises and prophecies of christ to beleeue in him a redeemer to come : but also in all the righteousnes and duties of the law morall , and all the judgments ; ordinances , & ceremonies of the law ceremonial , w●ich was their scoole-maister to lead them to christ. wee haue also to this purpose another plaine testimony luk. . . where it is said , that our saviour as his custome was , went into the sinagogue on the sabbath day & stood up to read , and the booke of isaiah the prophet was delivered unto him . and he read a place which was written concerning himselfe , and expounded it vnto them with the generall aprobation of the assembly . also ast , . & verses . jt is testified , that the iewes in their sinagogues on every sabbath daie , had moses and the prophets read unto them publickely : both in forraine countries where they were disperced , and also at ierusalem and in their own countrie . and that this was an auncient practise even from moses , and in the time of the iudges , and the kings of jsraell and iudah , to reade the law in the holy assemblies , and to heare it read by the priests we may gather from exod. . . where it is said , that moses read the covenant in the audience of the people , & deut. · . . where the isralites are commanded to read the law in their assemblies , in the hearing of all men , women & children . i● may also be collected from i●sh . . . . iudg. . . & cron. . . . . & . . & . . that it was in vse after the captivity , the historie of nehemiah testifies nehem. . , & . . the auncient division of the five bookes of moses into lectures , that th●y might be read over once in every yeare , by reading one lecture every sabbath , is a thing soe auncient , that we finde no mention of the author of it , & therfore it may be supposed to be from moses the writer of those books . and the reading of a lecture also out of the prophets everie sabbath , is recorded to be a custome long before christs birth begun , by occasion of the tirant antiochus who prohibited the iewes to reade the law of moses in their sabbath assemblies vnder the paine of death . as we read in the apocripall history of the macchabees lib. . c. . . whereupon they were forced insteed of the law of moses to read lectures , out of the prophets as elias leuita saith , and euer since that custome is retained and was in use in our saviours daies luk. . . the fifth speciall dutie of sanctification , was the worshipping of the lord , which as it is required of gods people in priuate and upon particular occasion at all times : so publick upon the sabbath day , and in all holy yearlie sabbaths . the dutie of worshippe consists in confession of sinnes , praiers , supplications , lauding and praising god , singing of psalmes , and offering of free will offering , and the like as wee read , neh. . . levit. . . deut. . . where confession & acknowledging gods favours is called worship , and set downe for apart of it . & gen. . . & . & . . and psa. . . where the name of invocation and calling upon god by prayer is used by synechdoche for all worship in in generall and exod. . . iud. . lauding and praising god with singing of psalmes , and holy songs are rehearsed as a speciall part of gods worshippe . now this worshippe of god by publick confession , praiers , and singing of praises , cannot be but in publick assemblies , and holy convocations which are especially kept on the sabbaths , and therefore this worshippe must needs be a speciall duty of the sabbath and one part of the sanctification of it . david also shewes this psal. : . where he saith that he was wont to go up to the house of god , among the multitude which kept holy day , with the voyce of joy and singing . and the . psalme which is intitul●d a psalme for the sabbath day , doth proclaime it to bee a good and necessarie duty on that day , to giue thankes and to sing prayses to the name of the lord , to shew forth his loving kindnesse and truth from morning to night , to triumph in his works , to speake of them with admiration . and to declare his mercies and judgments and what a rock he is to rest on . these are the most notable duties which gods people were bound vnto , in their sanctifying of the seventh day in the old testament . the third and last principall head comprehen●ing the rest of the duties . which did belong to the observation of the sabbath in the old testament is the day it selfe which they were bound to keepe for their weekly sabbath , that is the last day of the week even the seventh from the beginning of the creation . that this and no other was to be kept for their weeklie sabbath in the old testament appeares most plainlie by three things . first because it vvas the day which god blessed with the greatest blessing of al which were giuen and reveal●d before the resurrection of christ , to weet : the promise of christ & of the redemption of the world by him , & gods entering into the covenant of grae with man , & christs open actuall undertaking to be mans mediatour & saviour in whom the mutable worke of creation is perfected , and god is well pleased and resteth satisfied : as j haue before proved . secondly , because as the fathers and isralites obserued it according to gods commandement in the first institution exod. . before the giving of the law from mount sina : so in giving of the law to jsraell & in the renuing of the commandement by moses vpon divers occasions the lord doth expresly require the keeping of the seventh day for his holy sabbath : as we see exod. . & . . & deut. . thirdlie , because not onely as the prophets and holy men of god urged & taught all men to obserue that day vntill the comming of christ. but also our saviour himselfe all his life time on earth , and after his death kept this sabbath by resting in the ground . and the apostles also while they lived among the jewes and the tabernacle was yet standing , and moses was not yet buried , did obserue & keep for orders sake the old sabbath of the seventh day as appeares luk. . . ast : . . and diuers other places . chap. . i am come now to the last place , to the speciall sabbath duties , vnto which all christians are bound under the gospell . in the right observation of the lords day which is their holy sabbath : and these speciall duties may be reduced to the common & generall heads before named . the first which come here to be handled in the first place , as the ground upon which the rest are builded , is the consideration of the particular day of the weeke which they are bound to keepe for their weekly sabbath . this is that which is most controverted & called in question among the learned in this age , & therfore comes to be first proued and clearly demonstrated by testimonies and proofes out of the holy scriptures , which being performed i proceed in the next place to the dutie of rest , & will shew how far christians are bound unto it on their weekly sabbath the lords day . and in the last place , i will come to the speciall duties of sanctification by which that day is to be kept holy to the lord now under the gospell . first for the day it selfe . some are of opinion that it is the same which was from the begining , that is : the seventh & last day of the week this opinion is grounded upon the bare letter of the law , as it was giuen both in the institution , and sanctifying of the seventh day , & renewed againe in the fourth commandement , and understood by the fathers in the old testament . j confesse that the words of the law , if we take them as they were limited to the fathers , not considering wi●hall how and upon what grounds and conditions god made the seventh day the weekly sabbath , they seeme to favour their opinion . for if we conceiue no mo●e but a mere cessation and rest of god from his works on the six daies created , to be the ground of the law , then we may also conceiue that the law of the weekly sabbath binds all mankind to that particular day in all ages , because the ground is the same to all men & equally belongs to all men , in all times to the worlds end . o●hers are of opinion that the law of the sabbath , being but a mere ceremoniall law is a bolished by the comming of christ , and bindes not us under the gospell to any particular day . and that it is free for the church of god , to appoint any day for their holy assemblies , and that christians haue no sabbath , neither are bound to keepe any such rest as the law required in the old testament . others hold that the law of the sabbath is naturally simply morall , in the generall nature of it as it requires a weekly sabbath to be sanctified and kept holy , and that the particular determination of the daie is an honour and prerogatiue which belongs to christ the redemer who is the lord of the sabbath . and that it was the purpose of god from all eternity and in the first giving of the law , as to consecrate the seventh day in memory of god perfecting all the works of creation , & resting from them on that day , so also to consecrate by the resurrection of christ ; the first day of the weeke to be ever after the weekly sabbath in honour and memory of the worke of redemption , which on that day was fully perfected by christs rising from the dead , and entering into that state of glory , in which he rests for ever , hauing no more to do for the ransoming and redeming of mankinde . gods justice being full satisfied . the first of these opinions being grounded vpon a carnall vndestanding , and imperfect sence of the words of the law , hath but a weake and sandy found●tion , and because as the first authors of it were blasphemous hereticks which erred in diuers fundamental points of christian faith and religion : soe also the reviuers of it , are either cursed anabaptists , or men who doe not rightly vnderstand the law nor the groundes and conditions vpon which it requires an holy weekly sabbath . therefore it is justly hated and rejected as a jewish errour , & the maintainers thereof haue in all true christian churches of all ages beene branded with the name of hereticall and iudaicall sabbatarians . and i need not spend any precious time in confuting it , and the frivolous fallacies by which it is maintained . the second opinion being too rashly conceived , and vnadvisedlie professed and held by some godly divines of the reformed churches , who in this point do much contradict themselves , also being an unsound opinion and therefore well relished by popish schoole-men , malicious iesuites , licentious liber●ines and men of profane hearts , hath no ground in the scriptures , nor any sound orthodox writings of any auncient fathers : yea bringing great confusion into the decalouge which is the summe of the morall law , and laying a foule staine upon our church which hath appointed the commandement of the sabbath , to be read among the tenne commandements , and enjoynes the people to pray that god would incline their hearts to keepe that law , as well as all and everie one of the rest . therefore i shall not spend any time in the confutation of it : the arguments which are brought for the confutation of the contrary truth , will sufficiently raze and vtterly abolish it , out of the hearts of all true christians . the third opinion is most agreeable to the holy scripture , and the common doctrine of the orthodox writers both of auncient and later times , especially of the most godly and learned in the church of england , who haue heretofore writen learned treatises of the sabbath , and expositions of the ten commandements of the decalogue . and therefore i wil bee bold here againe to commend it to you for an undoubted truth ▪ which i haue aboundantly proued & confirmed by many demonstratiue convincing arguments already , partly in that large search which j haue made before into the nature of the law of the sabbath ; and that description which i haue made of it , but most fully in that passage where i proued the change of the day by the resurrection of christ from the seventh to the first day of the weeke now vnder the gospel , and brought diuers argumen●s to shew that the law which god gaue for the keeping holy of a seventh day in every weeke ( at the first institution of the sabbath here in my text ; and renewed againe on mount sina , and giue ●f●en in charge by moses to israell ) doth now as strictly binde us to keepe an holy sabbath on the lords day in everie weeke , as it bound the auncient people of god in the old testament to keepe the sabbath of the seventh day . but for the confirming of your hearts in the beleife of this truth , and in the knowledge of this duty . i will not multiply any new arguments , onely that you may more firmely retaine it in your memories and still beare it in minde , that you are in conscience bound to keepe only the lords daie and none other for your weekly sabbath in these times of the gospell : j will bri●fly touch and explaine some principall heades which haue beene before laid down at large and in ample manner . the summe whereof is this ; namely : that although the law of the sabbath is not a law of nature in ●hat rigid sence in which some do conceive it , that is a law written in mans heart expresly and distinctly in the creation which by the mere instinct of nature , and direction of naturall reason did lead man to keepe everie seventh day of the weeke an holie sabbath to the lord. but that indeed it came in after mans fall together with the promise of christ , and therefore is more fitly called a law of grace , and a positiue evangellicall law requiring duties of obedience to god which chiefly and especiallie tend to begit grace & and increase holinesse in men . yet it is not simply positiue . nor soe evangellicallie morall , but that it may in some sence and respect bee called naturall also . for first it requires some duties of obedience which in their owne nature are good and profittable , though the law giuer had not by expresse commandement revealed his will that they should be done , such is the giuing , no wof rest & int●rmission of bodilie labour and toile , to our bodies and to the bodies of our servants and labouring cattell one whole day in everie weeke ouer and besides that which they haue in the time of sleepe in the darknesse & dead of the night . this is according to naturall reason and common equitie . secondly , it commands some duties of gods worship and service which man by the law of nature was bound to performe in his innocency and which are naturally morall , as lauding and praising god , and giuing to him all honour and reverence in the most solemne and pu●lick manner . thirdly , it commands such holy spirituall works of grace , & such duties of sanctification , as in thei● own nature worke to the sanctifying of men more & more , & to make them capable of eternall rest in heaven , & of the full fruition of god. as for example : meeting upon a set daie in everie week in holy assemblies , for to heare & read gods word , publick instructions , exhortations , & mutuall provocations to piety , sanctity & christian charity . fourthly , the patticular day of the week which the law commands to be kept for an holy sabbath , is separated upon such a just ground & reason in the first institution of the sabbath , and blessed by god with such a blessing aboue other daies of the week , that whosoever knows the law & true intent & meaning of it , & rightlie unde●stands the ground of the sabbath mentioned in the law , he must by the light both of nature & grace , he forced to confesse & acknowledge the particular day which the law commands to bee kept an holie sabbath both in the old & new testament . for the law doth not command one day in seven to be an holy rest simply & merely for the pleasure of the lawgiuer , because he would haue it soe , & for no other reason : but for very good reason & upon a ground because he dignified the day of the sabbath & blessed it aboue all other daies with a singular blessing : & our owne reason doth tell us , that the particular day of the weeke , which hath in it the true reasons & the honour & blessing of the sabbath , it ought by the law to be obserued for the holy sabbath & none other , while it retaines that honour & blessing , & hath the true reasons properly annexed to it . now it it most manifest to all who read the scriptures , & are well exercised in gods word & law : that as the seventh & last day of the weeke was blessed , honoured & adorned by god with the greatest blessing which god gaue to the world in the old testament , to weet : the promise of christ the redeemer of the world , & gods entring into the couenant of grace & of eternall life & salvavation with man , also gods perfecting of the whole worke of creation , by revealing & giving in promise the worke of redemption , & his resting in christs mediation on that day vndertaken & begun . and therefor every reasonable man must by his own reason be induced , & lead to acknowledg that day the fittest & most worthy of all daies in the week to be the holy sabbath , & to be spent in thankfull commemoration of gods free loue & bountie to mankinde . during the whole time of the old testament before the comming of christ. so likewise god hauing now under the gospel transferred this honour to the first day of the week , that is become a blessed day aboue all other daies , being blessed of god with a blessing farr more excellent then that of the seventh day , to weet : the actuall performance of the promise by giving & exhibiting christ a perfect actuall redeemer in his resurrection without which resurrection all our preaching of christ , & all our faith in gods promises would prove vaine as the apostle proueth . cor. . therfore every man must out of common reason & equity conclude , that together with the ground & reason of the sabbath which god hath now removed from the seventh to the first day , he hath also remoued the honour & festiuall solemnity of the sabbath . also his first law which enjoyneth man to keep that day for the holy sabbath which god hath blessed with the grea●est blessing , doth bind all christians to obserue the lords day for their weekly sabb●th under the gospel : and in a word that it were a thing most vnequall & unjust , if a man or any church should goe about to set up for the weekely sabbath any other day which god hath not dignified & honoured with so great a blessing . now upon these pr●missed reasons , i hope it appeares manifestly . first that though the commandement of the weekly sabbath is no dict●te of nature : but a positiue evangellicall law : yet it doth by common naturall reason as well as by the light of grace direct every reasonable man to the partilar day of the weekly sabbath as to the seventh day in the old testament , so to the first in the new testament . and no resonable man can deny it to be the most equall which this law binds men unto , but vpon the true grounds of the sab : well weighed & considered must be forced to confesse , that as the seventh day was most worthy of the honour of the sabbath , & had it before christs full exhibition in his resurrection , so ever since the lords day the first of the week is become the true sab : of christians , & none hath power to giue that honour to any other day . secondly , it is here manifest : that though christ the sonne of god made also the son of man , & mans redeemer is the lord of the sab : & the determination of the particular day of the week depends on him , and none other haue the honour & pror●g●tiue to appoint the particular day , but he only . yet we must not conceiue that christ by his bare will sets downe the particular day , & that the day is to be obserued only because of his bare will & commandement , & that any other is as fit & worthy as the seventh , & the first if he would be pleased at any time to comm●nd the same . but we are to hold th●● christ is the lord ▪ of the sabbath , & hath the determinatiō of the particular day depends on him the redeemer , onely because the ho●y sabbath is founded and builded upon him , and in him alone are to be found all the meane and essentiall grounds and reasons both of the sabbath and alsoe ●f the particular day wherein hee requires that it should be obserued . if he had not undertaken mans redemption from death and hell , and mans exaltation to eternall rest and glory , there had beene neither any place for mans keeping of a sabbath nor anie use of it to fit him for heaven or to be a pledg of eternall rest in heaven . jf god had not on the seventh day promised christ the blessed seed to redeeme man from death , to purchase life for him , and to continue to him the benefit of the creatures , and to perfect his creation . surely it had not been the most blessed day of the weeke , neither would god haue instituted it to be a weekly sabbath at the first , and soe to continue untill the comming of christ. and if god had not raised up christ on the first day of the weeke , and so exhibited him aperfect redeemer ; and fully performed his promise . then the first day had not beene made a more blessed day then the seventh and all other daies of the weeke . and the lord christ would never haue made that day of the weeke his sabbath alwaies after , neither would his holy apostles by inspiration of his spirit being moued to call it the lords day , and to obserue it , and teach others to obserue it for their day of holy assemblies for the performing of all holy sabbath duties . and thus we see christ is the lord of the sabbath , and so determines the particular day of the weeke , not by his bare will & word , but by bringing in such blessings on the sevēth or first day of the week , as made the one of them most worthy under the new testament to bee the holy sabbath , to be kept and obserued of all gods people , vnto the observation whereof they are justly lead by the light both of grace and nature : and it is not either in the power of man or any other creature or in the just will of god , or agreeable to the will of the lord christ and the wisedome of his spirit to appoint any other day for the weekly sabbath , but onely the day of the lord christ , that is the day of him promised in the old , and the day of him fully exhibited in the new testament . the first of which and no other the fathers were bound to keepe for their holy rest of old . and the later and no other is our weekly sabbath and the due obseruation of that particular , is the first speciall sabbath duty of all christians under the time of the gospell untill the last resurrection . the second sort of speciall duties vnto which all true christians are bound unto , in their obseruation of the lords day , which is the christian sabbath , are the duties of rest & cessation from all worldly affaires which now follow to be handled in the n●x● place . concerning which j finde much diuersity both of opinion and practise , not only betweene true christians of the reformed churches , and antichristian papists & other hereticks , but also in the reformed churches among themselves . first for the church of rome , and all that are of her faction devoted to her superstition and idolatry , and marked with the marke of the beast which beares up the romish babylon , though diuers of their learned scoole-men haue heretofore maintained a very strict obseruation of rest on the lords day . yet now in later times both in doctrine & practise they are growne uery desolate , especially the romish catholicks which liue among us , turning the lords day into a day of liberty , and spending a great part of it in sports , plaies , revelling other bodily exercises which are carnall , fleshly , prophane and impious . as if so be their irreligious prophanenesse were at strife with their idolatrous religion . and at great emulation contending which should out go & ouer runne the other in carrying them with greater speede to hell . yea to shew and make it manifest to the world , that the romish man of sinne is that great antichrist , which exalts himselfe aboue al that is called god , euen aboue the true god , & the lord iesus christ whose vicar he in hipocrisie makes himself . the church of rome doth teach and urge her uassals to ke●p yearelie holie daies most strictly , which are of her owne devising , which the pope hath commanded to be observed in honour of his cananized saints : & in the mean time opposeth with many great profanations the lords day , which the lord hath consecrated by his resurrection . which day being blessed by god with the greatest blessing aboue all other daies of the weeke , is by the law vvhich god gaue from the beginning , commanded to bee kept for the lords holy sabbath vveeklie . secondly , there are of the hereticall faction of the anabaptists , antimonians , families & other such prophane sectaries , which make little so● any lavv of god or man , saving onlie the dictate of their faniticall ●pirit . and left the commandemēt of the vveekly sab : least they should seeme to be subject to gods lavv and to be be his ( servants vvhich they account slauerie ) and not absolute libertines and sonnes of beliall vvhich haue cast of the lords yoke . these esteem and obserue no daie at all , but according to their own fancie , & make the lords day so far as they dare for feare of men a market day of buying and selling wa●es , & a daie of labour , and of bearing and carrying our burdens as they well know who haue beene at amsterdam where such heretickes and sectaries are tolerated . thirdlie , among christians of the reformed churches there is a difference both in doctrine and practise . some of the reformed churches , who out of their extreme hatred to popish superstition , and to all popish rites and ceremonies , being unwilling to retaine any thing which was used in poperie , except there bee some expresse commandement or example for it in the scriptures , especiallie of the new testament , and labouring to overthrow the whole hierachie and gouernment of the church by bishops , & all bodily rites : they do in the heat of their zeale so violently set themselues against popish superstious holie dayes , that they goe about to take away all observations of daies , and they haue proceeded so farre , as to deny that any either weekely sabbath , or yearelie set feast , ought to be kept holy by any speciall law or commandement of god. they teach that the sabbath as it was commanded to be kept of old , was a mere ceremoniall & shaddow of things which are accomplished in christ , and that is now a bolished . but because it is a thing necessary for the hauing of holy assemblies , and for good order in the churches , that there should be a set day either a seseventh or sixth day of eight dayes : and because the law of nature requires that christian people should haue some daies of rest from hard labour for the refreshing of themselves , and their seruants and cattell : therefore the church of god m●y appoint any day of the weeke . and in honour of the resurrection of christ on that day , hath from the time of the apostles agreed to keepe that day for the lords day , not out of any opinion that god hath blessed & sanctified it aboue all other daies of the weeke , but onely for good orders sake , and that it is lawfull for gods people , after publick exercises of religion and some needfull rest and refreshing , to use necessarie laboures and bodily recreations ; which in themselves are not sinfull and unlawfull , neither do hinder publick duties of religion and of gods worship . but on the contrarie it is the common doctrine of the most godly and learned in the church of england , ever since the reform●●ion of religion held , maintained & taught , that although christians are by christ freed from the observation of the seventh day , which was the sabbath of the old testament , and from that servile bondage and rigorous rest which the law litterally and carnally vnderstood did impose on them , or rather they by their carnal exposition & wresting of the law did impose on themselves , as not kindling of a fire , nor liberty to heal the sick , nor to do any worke of charitie and necessity on the s●bbath day , which could not without danger be deferred . yet they are bound by the law which was first giuen here in my text , and after by moses and the prophets , to keepe in everie weeke an holy rest , and that on the first day which is the lords day , because god hath blessed it with a blessing aboue all other daies , even by exhibiting christ a perfect redeemer in his resurrection , and hath thereby consecrated that day to be his holie sabbath . and that all bodilie laboures , sports and recreations , and all worldly negociation , are by gods law strictly prohibited now under the gospell , as they were in the daies of the patriarches , and prophets , and under the law , because indeed and in truth they crosse the holie purpose of god which he hath manifested in his law , and are impediments of those holy exercises , which are required in the sanctification of his holie day . this doctrine and practise i hold to be the best , and this we are all bound to receiue and imbrace and to cleaue vnto it , not onely because it is the doctrine of our mother church , commended to us in the book of homilies , established by divets lawes statutes and constitutions still in force : but also because it is most consonant to the sacred scriptures , the precepts and practise of the apostles , and to the common doctrine of the purest and most holy orthoxe of the auncient fathers in the primitiue times , and ages next succeeding after the apostles , as by gods assistance as j shall make cleare and manifest . in the justifying & proving of this doctrine , and in laying open the speciall duties of christians which concerne rest and cessation from all worldly negociation , and bodilie laboures , on the lords daie which is the christian sabbath : i will shew : first of all . that rest and c●ssation from all bodilie laboures about the worldlie businesse , and from all servile and and earthlie workes which concerne this fraile life , is a necessarie dutie which god requires by his law of all christians on the lords daie , which is their holie weeklie sabbath vnder the gospell . . that gods law rightlie understood doth in respect of rest from worldly cares , and all bodily workes and pleasures , as strictly binde us vnder the gospell on the lords day as it bound the fathers upon their seventh day in the old testament . . i will shew how far gods word & law doth allow of bodily exercises which concerne this life , and how farre in such exercises we may goe with good warrant upon the lords holy sabbath , and what exercises are condemned in the word of god. chap. . for the full proofe of the first point , there are many strong and invincible arguments grounded vpon the word and law of god , upon the generall consent of orthodox divines both auncient and moderne , even upon the confession of them who in this point much differ , and seeme to deny that the lords day either is , or ought to be called a sab. the first argument is drawn from the words of the law , which forbids all workes to be done on the sabbath day either by man himselfe , or his children , servants , or cattell , as exod. : . deut. . : where it is said . in it thou sh●lt not do any worke thou nor thy son nor thy servant nor thy cattell : & exod. . leuit. . . yee shall do no servile work● therein , whosoeve● doth any work therin shall be put to death . the reasons why the lord requires rest from all servile worke on the sabbath day are two . first because he who is the lord our god and our redeemer , hath on that day rested from his worke , and him we ought to imitate if we will enter into his rest . secondly , because he hath blessed the day which is his sabbath aboue all daies of the weeke , and wheresoever the causes and reasons stand firme , there the law is still in force . now this law of the sabbath doth reach to the lords day : ( as j haue proved before ) & the reasō vpon which it requirs rest frō se●vile works are much more to be found in the lords day which is the christian sab : then in the old sabbath of the seventh day . for in it christ who is god ouer all blessed for ever , and who is our redeemer from a greater then egyptian bondage , even the slauery of sinne , death and hell , and the divell , hath rested from the great worke of redemption as god the creatour did one the seventh day from the worke of creation . and this day is now by christs resurrection in which christ perfected mans redemption , blessed with a blessing farre more excellent then any wherewith god blessed the seventh day . therfore this is the sabbath now under the gospell , & in it god requirs of us by his law a rest & total cessatiō frō al servile works . secondly whatsoever day is the lords holy day , & a day of holy convocations & assemblies that is a sab : of rest frō al servile works & worldly busines , this is manifest exod. . . & . . & . : & leuit. . : : which places do plainly shew , that every day which is holy to the lord and a day of holy assemblies , is a sab : of rest , & no worke may be done therin . and so likewise in all the law & the prophets every day which is a day of holy convocation , & an holy day is called a sab : & day of rest from our own works & pleasures & every sab : is called the lords holy day , for these two are termini convertibiles , termes which may be naturally affi●med one of another , as apeares neh. : : & isa : : : now the lords day in the time of the gospell is the chiefe of all holy dayes among christians : it was sanctified & observed by the apostles for their day of holy assemblies from the first publishing of the gospell among the gentiles , on that they did meet together to heare the word & to receiue the sacrament of the lords supper act : : : and on that day st paul ordained that the collections & offerings should bee made for the saints cor : : : which were things proper for holy & publicke assemblies : so st : john cals it by the name of the lords day : revel : : : that is , the day which is universall , sacred , & holy to the lord in an high degree . for whatsoever things haue the lords name named on them , are such , as all confesse & many examples of scripture proue abundantly : all the auncient fathers & doctors of the church who immediatly & in the ●ext ages succeed the apostles , do proclaime it to be the chief holy day of christians ; even the queene & supreme lady of dayes : so ignatius cals it as j haue often before noted : also the day of their holie assemblies wherin they did come together to preach , read , expound , & heare gods word , to worshipp god , to pray & to praise god with their one voyce , to receiue the sacramentt and offer up almes . so iustin martyr affirmes : the rest of the most learned fathers , as basill , nazianzene , chrysostome , hyerome , & austen , do all extoll it for the lords high roiall holy daie , the chief● , primate , & first fruites of daies , as the learned of all sides know & co●fesse , even calvin , & his followers , who made a doubt & scruple of calling it the sab : or observing it for a sab : of holy rest by any warrant from gods law . therefore none can with any good reason deny , that one maine duty of this day is rest from all earthly workes . thirdly , wheresoever there is as much use of holie rest & cessation frō all worldlie affaires , as there was of old when god first gaue , & afterwards repeated and urged the law of the weekly sab : there a sab : of rest ought to be kept weeklie even by the com : of god. this is truth & undeniable . for no laws of god comm●nding things which are but tipes & figures , are at any time abrogated , vntill the things commanded cease to be of use as the apostle shewes in the : & cap : of heb : now christ who is the body and substance of all types and shaddowes , hath not by his comming so fulfilled the rest of the weekly sabbath , but there is as great , as holy and as necessary use of it to us christians , as there was to the people of god in the old testament . first , we haue as much and more need of refreshing our weak bodies , and the bodies of our servants and labouring cattell then they had , by keeping a weekly sabbath , for we are grown farre more weake and feeble , and of shorter life then they were . secondly , we haue as great neede of seperating , sequestring , and recalling our minds and affections from all worldly cares negociations , and pleasures , ●hat we may haue pleasure and freedome to worship and serue god , and devote one day in everie weeke to publick assemblies for our edification in grace faith and holin●sse . for we are more full of infirmities , and doe decay and grow corrupt more and more , as all the world doth , and haue need of all outward helpes more then they . thirdlie , as rest from all workes and labours which concerne this life was necessarie and of great vse to adam , and al the fathers , to withdraw their hearts and mind●s from placing their felicitie and seeking happinesse in this world , and to put them in remembrance , that ( being fallen from that integrity in which they were created , and the first covenant of life by mans owne workes , being broken and made voyd by the first fall and disobedience ) there is no hope of life or of any true blessednesse . soe it is of no lesse use , but of much more necessitie for us , who are farre more eagre after the world , more readie to place our felicitie in earthly things , and more proud and arrogant , readie to glorie in our own merits , & to boast of our own righteousnesse , ●s we see by common course of the world , which now a daies soe madlie doateth after popish and pelagian merits . f●ur●hlie , as gods commanding of a weeklie rest to be given to man and beast ; and the resting of the fathers on the sabbath day , from servile workes and labour which came in as a curse for sinne , were of great vse to teach them , and to be a pledge , and token unto them , that god did rest in christs mediation , and his justice was fullie satisfied , and his wrath appeased towards them , by that satisfaction which christ had vndertaken to make , and that the sting of sinne and death , and the bitternesse of the curse was taken awaie by him . so likewise it is of the same use still to us , and we haue as much need of the same weekly holie r●st , to make us feele more sensible , and relish more sweetly the virtue of christs satisfaction , the sweetnesse whereof wee through our dullnesse can hardlie tast and relish , and many amongst us make a doubt whether there be any such satisfaction of gods justice needfull at all , or any appeasing of his wrath by christ. fifthly , as gods injoyning of rest was of use to the fathers to testifie to them his prouident care ouer his creatures , both men and beasts , and his hatred and detestation of mercilesse crueltie and unjust oppression : soe it is much more usefull to us for the same purpose in these last daies and perillous times , wherein men are become fierce , cruell , implacable , without naturall affection , as experience teacheth , and the apostle foretold . tim. . . . lastlie , as the weekly rest of the old sabbath grounded upon the obscure promise of christ , was commanded by god , that it might bee a meanes to stirre up the fathers to looke for true comfort , ease & refreshing in christ , if they did by faith flee to him , whensoever they did travell under the burden of their sinnes , and satans temptations , as wee read that iob did cap. . . and . . soe now it is much more usefull to stirre us up to seeke to christ , when wee are heavie laden , and groane under the burden of sinne , and of the miseries which come by sinne , and of satans dangerous temptations . seeing as satan doth now ●ore rage like a roaring lyon , pet . . and is full of wrath because his time growes shorter revel . . so we haue christ actuallie given and revealed , and in the gospell calling and inviting us and promising rest and refreshing for our soules in such causes of distresse , if we come to him . jn a word , to us the rest of the lord christs day is a more liuelie pledge of eternall rest by him prepared in heaven for us : these things being cleare and manifest , the conclusion following vpon these praemises it this . that we are as much or more bound by gods law to keepe the lords day as a sabbath of weekly rest , by ceasing from all affaires of this life , laying aside all worldlie cares , and resting from all our owne ordinarie and common workes and labours . fourthlie , they who are more spirituall and haue haue liuely hope of heaven , and haue the spirit shed on them more abundantlie , they are more bound by gods law to sequester themselves and withdraw their mindes from worldlie cares , and more to minde heavenlie things as at all other times , so on the lords holie daie , which is consecrated to heavenly , spirituall and religious worship and seruice of god , & is a pledg to them of eternall rest with christ in heaven . for to whome god hath given , more of them shall more bee required . now it is most plainly testified in the scriptures . that christians vnder the gospell are more spirituall , and haue the spirit more abundantly shed on them through christ , then the fathers had act. . . & tit. . . the ministery of the new testament is the ministery of the spirit not of the letter cor. . . and we haue now more evidence & more assurance of the blessed hope reserued in heaven for vs. colos. . . there is christ our life and treasure colos. , . . and there our hearts ought to be , and not on earthly things . we must now be ready if christ call vs to sell all and to giue to the poore , that we may haue treasure in heaven . therefore we are bound by the law especially on the lords day our weekly holy day , to be more sequestered from the world , and to rest wholy from all cares and labours about earthly things , that we may be wholy deuoted to heavenly things and to divine meditations . lastly , though auncient fathers and doctours of the church did much condemne in their writings , the observation of the sabbath after the manner of the later iewes , to weet : in idlenesse , and from resting from all worldly affaires , that they might spend the day in vaine sports and delights , and in wanton leaping and dauncing , which in the graue judgment of these learned fathers : was worse and more prophane then plowing and digging and working in woll . yet notwithstanding they doe generally commend the lords day as a day of rest to all gods people from all rurall workes and worldly affaires , that they may be at leasure to exercise themselues in holy duties , and be wholy devoted to the worshipp of god. and hereupon it is , that the learned of these later times ; especially the builders of gods church in this land , do most frequently in respect of this rest and cessarion from al seculiar affaires call the lords day the sabbath of christians , as appeares in the first part of the homily of the time and place of prayer , and do affirme that as the fathers in the old testament were bound to rest one the seventh day from all manner of worke : soe also are christians bound on the lords day to rest and that by the law of god. chap. the second position which i haue propounded before , which now comes to be proved is : that gods law rightly understood , doth in respect of this duty of rest from all worldly affaires , as strictly bind us under the gospell on the lords day , as it bound the fathers on the sabbath of the seventh day in the old testament . here some will perhaps imagine , that i goe about to laye an heavy yoke of jewish legall bondage upon christians , contrary to christian liberty , by which christ hath made us free . but if they remember , and beare in minde what i haue before proued , to weet : that the fathers from the beginning had no such burden imposed on them as is commonly conceived , and that the scrip●ures are alleaged to proue that they might not kindle a fire nor dresse meate , nor goe out of their place on the sabbath day , and that it was death to gather sticks on that day in case of necessity , are much mistaken . they shall be forced to confesse that i take away the heavy yoke which many lay upon the fathers in the old testament , ra●hen then lay any yoke upon christians in the obseruation of the sabbath . yea that i require and urge no more , then that which all the learned of best note in all ages haue ever since the time of the apostles , and by tradition from them commended to the churches of christ , which also the lawes , canons ; and doctrine of the church of england generally receiued and established , doe impose on us the light burden and easie yoke of christ. it is true that the scribes and pharises those great corrupters of the law , and blinde hypocrites as our saviour cals them , did lay an heavy yoke on the people of their time , by their false glosses and corrupt traditions , as in diuers other points , so in the obseruation of the sabbath . they held it unlawfull in case of necessity to pull an eare of corne , or any fruite from a tree on the sabbath day , and blamed christs disciples for doing so when they were hungry and had no other meanes to keepe themselues from fainting . they accused our saviour christ for working a glorious miracle , and doing a worke of great charity on the sabbath , when by his word he healed some that were sick of great infirmities , and sent them away bearing their beds on their backes in open sight of all , which tended much to the honour of god , and made the people glorifie christ and his gospell . but our saviour reproues them for this strictnesse , and convinceth them of errour by diuers argument● . first , by scripture which saith , that god will haue mercy rather then sacrifice , that is : god is serued more acceptably with workes of mercy which are morall duties , then sacrifices which are but a seruice ceremonial , & he delights more in works of mercy & charity then in them , as at all times , so when they are done to his glory on the sab : day . so that if it was a breach and prophanation of the sab : to do any worke of mercie in it , then it must needs be much more a prophanation to labour & worke about sacrifices in killing beasts , dressing & washing their flesh , & making fires to burne them on the altar , which were not so pleasing to god as works of mercy . but the pharisees allowed & approued such works of sacrificing & durst not condemn thē . and th●●for our saviour concludes that they ought not to condemne his mercifull works of healing the sick on the sab : day , & shewes that by censuring his doings for prophanation , they did much more censure the forenamed actions of their priests even the dressing & burning sacrifices mat . . . . . secondly , our saviour proues , that by gods owne law they were allowed to circumcise children on the sab : day , whensoever it happened to fall out on the eight daie after the birth of children , and to the child circumcised they applied healing medicin●s , and therfore they groslie erred in accusing him for healing on the sabbath which was a thing pleasing to god and was a lesse labour then circumcision , iohn , . . thirdlie , he convinceth them of grosse hypocrisie and blindnesse in that they imposed heavie burdens upon others which they themselves would not beare , they did restraine men from pulling an eare of corne , rubbing & eating it on the sabbath daie in the case of hunger & great necessitie . and yet they led their oxen to the water , and did pull a sheepe or a asse out of a pitt on the sabbath daie . mat. . . luk. . . & . . by these arguments which our saviour vsed against the scribes and pharisees in the gospell it is most cleare and manifest , that it was not the law of god given from the beginning , nor the will of god the lawgiuer , but onely the hipocriticall scribes and pharises who by their traditions & devices of their owne brains , imposed on the iews that strict and rigorous rest and cessation from all works whatsoever on the sabbath day , which the learned fathers and christian writers do cal an heauy burden hard to be borne object . but it may bee some will object that the fathers in the old testament were bound to offer double sacrifices on sabbath daie , num. . . even two lambes of the first yeare without spott , and two tenth deales of flower for a meate offering mingled with oyle , & the drink● offering thereof . which was more costly & required more bodily labour and care , then any which is imposed on us chri●●ian● by gods law upon our christian sabbat● , and therefore their observation of the sabbath was an heavie yoke & burden harder to be borne , then ●ny which is imposed on us . answ. i answer , that this objection doth strongly proue the point in hand . for if more bodilie labour and care was required of the fathers in their worship ( which was more carnall & bodilie then ours ) on their sabbath , and vve are therefore eased of that yoke , & haue a more spirituall vvorship taught us , and imposed on us by christ and his apostles as the prophets foretold . then vvere the fathers lesse restrained from bodilie laboures then wee are , neither was there soe strict and rigorous a rest and cessation imposed on them , which serues much for the justifying of our position , to weet : that gods law rightly understood , and expounded according to the will and intent of god the lawgiuer , doth as strictly bind us under the gospell to rest from all worldlie businesse on the lords day , as it bound the fathers one the seventh day in the old testament . but to proceed in the further manifestation of this truth : although i could bring many arguments and proofes both out of scripture , alsoe out of the writings of the learned , and cleare testimonies which shew the consent of all godlie orthodox vvrititers of all ages : yet because i vvill leave no occasion or colour to such sonnes of beliall as doe intrude into our assemblies , to catch calumniate and report my vvords safely and to accuse my doctrine , except they vvill h●rden their despeand malicious hearts , and put on brasen faces vvith vvhorish foreheads to accuse the holy scriptures , and the doctrine published in the booke of homilyes , and by lavv established in this church of england vvherof vve are members : therefore i vvill onely commend to your consideration the publick doctrine of our church in the verie vvords of the homilies , vvhich both by statut● lavv , and royall perogatiue are established in this land and kingdome , and vvill shevv hovv parfectlie they agree vvith holie scripture in this point . first in the first part of the homilie . concerning the time and place of prayer , we are taught : that god in the f●urth commandement hath appointed the time for his people to assemble themselves together solemnly , when he said . remember that thou keepe holy the sabbath . secondly , in the same place it is affirmed , that the praecise keeping of the seventh day , and the externall ceremoniall worshippe of the sabbath which the law required , as it wa● given to the jew●s being b●t c●remoniall are ceased to us , and we are not bound by the law so strictly to forbeare worke and labour in the case of necessity after the manner of the iewes . that is as they were taught by the scribes and pharisees . but we keepe now the first day of the weeke which is our sunday ; and make that our sabbath , that is our day of rest , in the honour of our lord christ , who as upon that day rose from death , conquering the same most triumphantly . these are the words of the homily . and that the keeping of a set time , to weet : one day in weeke , wherein wee ought to rest from lawfull and needfull workes , js found in the fourth command●ment , among th● things which appertain to the law of nature , & is a thing most godly most just , and needfull for the setting forth of gods glory , and ough● to 〈◊〉 retained & kept of all good christian people . so is it there expresly affirmed . thirdly , we are there ●aught . that as by the fourth commandement no man on the six dayes ought to be slothfull , or idle , but diligently to labour in their estate wherein god hath set him . even so god hath given expresse charge to all men , that on the sabbath day which is now our sunday , they sho●ld 〈◊〉 from all worldly and worke day labour , and that gods obedient people should use the sabbath holily , and so rest from their common & dayly businesse , that they may giue themselves wholy to heavenly exercises of gods true religion and service . fourthly , in the same homily all gods people are urged and pressed to keepe the sunday for their holy sabath . by three a●guments . the first is the commandement of god in the law . the second is , gods examample who rested on the seventh day , and did no worke of creation at all , but blessed and sanctified it , and consecrated it to quietnesse , and rest from labour . the third is an example of the apostles , who immediately after the ascention of our lord christ began to keepe this day of the week , & commended it the first churches of the gentiles cor. ▪ and called it the lords day . revel . . . sithens which time gods people hath alwaies with out any gainsaying obserued it . fifthly , and lastly the homilies shewes that the rest and cessation which god requires by his law one the lords day , at the hands of us christians , is the same which the law did bind the fathers unto from the beginning upon this sabbath in the old testament . first , whereas the law commanded the fathers to rest from all such workes , as they are allowed to do on the other common dayes of the weeke , that is wordly labours as the expresse words of the law shew . in it thou sh●lt not do any worke , thou nor thy sonne , nor thy daugther , nor thy servant , &c. exod. . . and again thou shalt do no servile work therin levit. . . thou shalt do no manner of servile worke . num. . . so the homily blames all those people for wicked boldnesse & carelesse prophanation of the lords day , who make no conscience of doeing their worldly businesse one that day , though there bee no extreame need and necessity . secondly , as the law forbids journeying from home about worldly affaires on the sabbath : exod. . . bringing in and carrying out loads and burdens ier. . . exercising themeselves in the workes of their ordinary calling & trade , as buying , selling , keeping market and faires on that day . so also the homily condemnes them as transgressours & profaners of the lords sabbath , who on the sunday which is the lords day and christian sabbath , do not spare to ride , and journey , bring and carry , row , and ferry , buy , and sell keepe markets and faires ; and so use the lords holy dayes and worke dayes both a like . thirdly , as the law and the prophets commanded gods people in the old testament to rest in holynesse , exod. . . & . . and not pollute the sabbath , by doing their owne pleasure , but to honour the lord , not doing their own wayes , nor finding their own pleasure , nor speaking their owne words isa. . . so also the homily requires of all gods people , the same holy rest on the lords day , in that it condemnes them who follow vain and carnall sportes , and fleshly pleasures , and all such exercises as cause brawling and railing and tending to wantonnesse , as a worse sort of people then they that breake the sabbath by working and doing all their businesse in it . for these are the words of the homily . the other sort is yet worse , for though they will not travell and labour on the sunday , as on the weeke day , yet they will not rest in holinesse , as god commandeth , but they rest in vngodlinesse and filthynesse praunsing in their pride , pranking , and pricking , pointing , and painting themselues to be gorgeous , and gay , they rest in excesse and superfluity , in gluttony and drunkennesse , like rats and swine , they rest in brawling and rayling , in quarrelling and fighting . they rest in wantonnesse , ●oyish ●alking , and filthy fleshlynesse . so that it doth evidently appeare , that god is more dishonoured , and the divell better served upon sunday , then all other dayes of the week besides . and i assure you the beasts which are commanded to rest one the sunday , honour god better then this kinde of people . now by these expresse words of the homily we se most clearly , that both this and the former position are not any new doctrines , or factious opinions of my owne devising ; as some malicious catchers & false traducers haue slaunderously reported both of them & mee : but the true orthodox doctrine of the scriptures in the law , the prophets & new testament , & the divine doctrin pubklickly receiued in the church of england , & by law established . for the further confirmation whereof , j could say much besides the strong arguments which i haue brought to proue the former position , which doe ouer and aboue most strongly proue this also . for . jf the lords day be a more blessed day then the seventh daie was in the old testament . . jf it bee a more holie day , & a daie of more holy convocations & assemblies . . jf we haue as much , & as manifold use of rest & cessation as they had & more . . jf we be bound by gods law , & by the gospel to be more spirituall & more sequestred from the world , because we haue more abundant gifts of the spirit , more cleare sight & knowledg of heavenly & eternall rest , & more hope of eternall life & glory . then it must needs follow , that we by gods law are as strictly bound to rest & cease from all worldlie cares , & bodily workes , sports , and pleasures , as the fathers were in the old testament . but because slaunderous traducers shal haue nothing here to object against me in this point , except they can desperately harden their hear●s , and faces to accuse , blaspheme , & wound thr●ugh my sides the holie scriptures , and the publick doctrine of the church of england by the law established and royall authoritie maintained : i will content my selfe & desire you my hearers to be satisfied with this which i haue said & you haue heard alreadie . and so i passe to the third point befor propounded concerning the dutie of rest , even the manner & measur● of it , & in what cases gods law permits bodily exercises on the l : day . chap. . howsoeu●r all worldlie workes and labours are forbidden , and rest from them all is commanded in the law , yet the equitie of the law permits some labours and exercises , and in some cases allowes such bodilie workes , as are ordinarilie vnlawfull to be done on the lordes holie sabbath daie . first of all it is lawfull for ministers and preachers of gods word to doe some painfull and laborious workes upon the lords daie , even all such as are necessarie for the better sanctification of the daie , and for the edification of the people and flock in publick . though they are not allowed to neglect their studies on the six daies , but are bound to read , study , meditate , & for help of their memories to write downe the heads , points , and proofes of their doctrine ; before the day of assembly ? yet because few or none are so perfect , as to preach publick with good order , method and readinesse of speach and memorie , that which they haue studied , without searching , and reading ouer the testimonies of scripture which they haue collected and studied , & noting down & writing some which come new & fresh to their mind , & serious meditating upon that which they are to speak , for better imprinting of it in their mem●ries . therefore their is a necessity laid on them to labour in this kinde on the lords sabbath . a●d though it be a great labour of the body to stand up & preach in the congregation , with intention of the voyce & earnestnes of affection , & doth more spend the spirits , & strength of the body , & makes drops of sweat run downe the face more abundantly then the tilling of the ground : yet the matter in which they deale is holy & all their worke is religious , & their labour tends to an holy & supernatural end , & is necessary for a ful sanctification of the day : therf●re it is not only allowed , but also required & commandement by the law of god. if any doth make a doubt or question of this truth we haue very strong proofe thereof in the holy scriptures . th● first argument is drawne from the hard bodily labours & artificiall practises of the preists which they vver● by the law bound to performe in their double sacrifices & offerings on the sab : day in the old testament , they were bound to flealambs & to dresse & wash the flesh & the intrals , & to offer them up in sacrifices on the altar , thy were bound to lay them upon wood on the altar , to kindle the fire & burne the fat , & some part of the flesh also they were to take a tenth deale of flower to mingle it with oyle , & to make the drinke offering thereof also , & to offer all to god as we read , num. . . now if god by his law allowed & commanded such bodily works on the sab : day , because they were needfull for sacrifices , & circumcision which were but a ceremoniall & tipicall seruice of the lord , which he in his temple required by a ceremoniall law for the sanctification of the sab. then much more doth gods law allow & cōmand his publike ministers , to labour & sweat & spend their bodily strength & spirits in preaching his word in the holy christian assemblies , where christ who is greater then the temple is present by his spirit in many of his members who are so many temples of the holy ghost and of god. the second argument is drawne from the practise and example of christ and his apostles . for as the priests and learned scribes did of old read and expound the law and the prophets in all their sinagogues every sabbath day . and our saviour approued this by joyning with them in some practise , preaching & teaching in their sinagogues in great throngs & assemblies of people , which thronged after him & undoubtedly made him sweate as appeares . mat. . . & iohn . . . so also the holy apostles did on the first day of the week the lords day , labour in the word as we see by the example of st. paul , who at troas continued his preaching till midnight , because he was to depart the next daye . act. . . now what they did performe as a duty taught by the law and moued by the spirit of god. jn that all their faithfull successoures are bound to immitate them . therefore the laboures and paines of ministers and preachers are allowed on the lords day , being holy and religious workes , and fittest of all for the holy day and holy place . a second sort of workes alowed to be done on the lords day : are bodily workes and laboures which are soe necessary for the fitting and enabling of christians to sanctifie that day , and for bringing them vnto holy and publick assemblies and places of prayer and of gods worship and holy service , that wit●out such working and labouring even on that day they neither can be so fit and able to serue god joyfully , and to worshippe him with cheerefull hearts , neither can they as the present case stands , come unto holy sabbath assemblies , to heare the word , to pray and to worship in publick . as for example , in places of restreant , and of trouble and persecution where publicke sabbath assemblies of true christians are not tollerated , but in churches which are remote diuers miles , and in barren countries where the churches are foure or fiue miles distant from some houses and vilages in the parrish , men may lawfully ●rauell on foote and ride one horses , or make their horses labour in drawing them to the church in coaches . and because men cannot be soe cheerfull in the seruice of god , nor soe hartily rejoyce before him , not with strength and delight spend the whole day in sabbath duties , wit●out warme and wholesome food , and plentifull refreshing of their weake bodies . therefore the dressing boyling baking and rosting of meate is lawfull on the lords day , soe farre as it more helps then hinders holy duties and the service of god. this is manifest by the words of the law , exod. . . where the lord forbidding all manner of worke on his holy sabbaths , excepts labour and worke about that which people were to eate , and which was necessary for the upholding of an holy moderate feasting on those daies . this was practised by the ph●rises and by our saviour and his apostles who on the sabbath day came to a feast to the house of a chiefe pharise , luk. . . . also the speech of the shanamite to his wife king. . : doth import , that for the solemn observation of the sabbath they were wont to ride and travell to the prophets and to places where they might worship god ; and be instructed in the knowledge of his will and worship . for when shee desi●d an asse to ride on , and a young man to attend her unto carmell where elisha ●he man of god was . wherefore wilt thou ( saith he ) got to him to day seeing it is neither new moon nor sabbath ? but here let me giue a caution . that christian people bee not too heedlesse setting their inhabitations in places remote from the church for some worldly commodities , when they may with a litle lesse conveniency dwell neere . and that they do not by vnnecessary feasting and superstitious dressing of meate , hinder , or wholy disable some of their fam●ly from keeping holy the lords day a fault to common in our daies . thirdly , all works & actions of bodily labour which are works of mercy and of charity which cannot without convenience or danger be deferred , or which may be done without hindering of our soules in gods publick worship , and to the great comfort of our brethren are lawfull and may be done on the lords day . as for example , visiting of the si●k , and of them that are in prison , or in any great distresse , and applying and ministering comfort , and healing medicines to them : offering and gathering of collections for the reliefe of poore saints , labouring to set men at ●nity , and to reconcile jarring neighbours . these are holy pious workes as our saviour shewes , and hee accounts such deeds when they come from a sincere heart as if they were don to himselfe , mat . : yea he himselfe did commonly on the sabbath day practise such deeds soe often as he found occasion as we read , mat. . luk. : paul by inspiration of the spirit and by commandement from the lord christ doth ordaine , and appoint such vvorks to be done on the lords day : cor. . : . and from the daies of the apostles , all true churches of christ did practise such vvorkes of mercy , pietie , and charity as justine martyr vvitnesseth , and divers others in alter ages . and such works the ecclesiasticall constitutions of our english church , commanded and commend on the sundayes & holy daies of the lord. fourthly , all bodily workes of great , and extreame necessity which concerne the life and safety of men , and of their cattell , the preseruation of necessary creatures , & other good things of good use , value and moment , serving for mans being and welbeing , may lawfully be done on the lords day . as for example . . fighting for our liues and for the safety of our country or city against enimies which invade us , and set upon us , and taking advantage if god doth offer it to us on the lords day , as ioshua did at jerico in compassing the city by gods appointm●nt , and ( by circumstances it is probable ) taking it on the seventh day and offering a bloudy sacrifice in fire to god , as a cherem , or anathema , devoted and seperated to god , for the first fruites of the land of canaan after they came to jordan from which no man might without sacrilege detract any thing as achan did and was cut off for it , josh. . if ioshua did compasse the citty seven daies together , ( as the text saith ) then one of the seventh must needs be the sabbath , & most likely the last of the seventh , wherein the citty was taken and offered up in fire as a devote thing to god. god offering the occasion and giving the advantage by the ruine of all the walles about the citty , did impose a necessity vpon them to take and destroy the cittie on that day , and this worke was dispensed with and approved by god , and so are all of the like kinde : ( for necessity hath no law ) . secondly , by the same rule other works of necessity , as labour in quēching fire , when mens houses are on fire , or the towne in danger , or in stopping of a breach when the sea , or some overflowing river breakes through the banks , and is readie to draw some part of the countrie ; and to destroy men and beasts , and there is a necessi●y of removing men & beasts , corn & other good creaturs that they be not be drowned & swallowed vp . and in a word wheresoever god brings men into that necessity , that they cannot be kept in welbeing without present help by some worke done on the sabbath day , such workes are not forbidden on that day . neither killing of sheep and oxen , nor dressing of them nor grinding corne nor baking bread to refresh an armye returned from battell and ready to faint without present sustenance , by dressing and preparing some part of the praey which they haue taken : our saviour in the gospell proues this clearlie mat. . where by davids example , who did take and eate the shew bread in his necessity he defends his disciples & their act of plucking ●ares of corn , rubbing and eating them on the sab : & also alloweth leading of cattell to drink , & the drawing thē out of pits , & such like . but because occasion is here offered to speak of all kinds of actions which are allowed to be don , & from which men are not bound to r●st wholy on the lords day : it will be expected of some , that i should speak of actions and exercises of sport and recreation , whether men be altogether restrained from them , or whether any of them be lawfull to bee vsed on the lords day : now because i will not provoke nor exasperate any who seem of contrary judgment , especially men of great place & authority : i will propound my judgment which i conceiue to be agreable to gods word , onely ingenerall rules gathered out of the holy scriptures , which all understanding christians may easily apply to the particulars . . jt is acknowledged by all godly learned divines : that nor creations or sports which feed and cherish mens corrupt & carnall affections are at any time lawfull , as idle & uaine jefting , wanton gestures , and daliance which increase lust and occasion wantonnesse , and therefore least of all to be tollerated on the lords day : for this is seeking of our own pleasures & polluting the lords holy day , which the prophet jsaiah condemnes isa , . . honest and lawfull sports and recreations , such as shoo●ing , wrastling and other games of actiuity , hunting , hawking , angling , and the like , though they be lawfull at other times : yet they are not to be tollerated on the lords day in any measure if they be found to hinder men from publick worship & seruice of god , and publicke set duties of piety fit for the day , or to withdraw them from private duties requisit in christian families , as prayer , reading , meditation , repetition , and examining of doctrines by the scripture which haue beene publickly preached and heard , private instructions , exhortations , and mutuall provocations to piety and to praising of god by singing psalmes and the like : whatsoever sports and recreations do hinder these , and withdraw people from them , they are on the lords day impious and prophane how lawfull soever on other daies : in this point all godly grave and learned divines do agree . and how sinfull prophane and hatefull to god such sports are on the lords day . the lord himselfe doth continually shew and declare by the many examples of dreadfull judgments and tokens of his wrath which hee hath shewed and doth still shew in this and in all ages for such doings , dorwning some in their swimming , breaking the backs , armes , legges and necks of other in their wrastling , stricking with horrible lamenesse and with dreadly surfers , and sudden death , leapers , dauncers , hunters , hawkers , riders , bowlers , and such like . and let every man take heed that his own heart do not deceiue him , and that he doe not flatter himselfe in his follie , when it is manifest that such sports are a mans owne pleasures condemned by the prophet , isa. . and are seen and known daily to steale away mens hearts from holy duties , and to turne their affections from heavenly and spirituall things , wherein they ought chiefly to delight . thirdly , as men may not do the lawfull works of their calling , neither in providing meat , drinke , cloathes , or other necessaries on the lords day , with a bare respect of naturall good and worldly profitt , because this is doing of his owne waies and workes , and not the worke of god. unto which gods holy day is wholy consecrated and set apart : except onely in case of necessity , when men and beasts cannot otherwise bee preserued in life , health and being , or when gods people without such workes cannot be made fit , & able to serue god cheerfully as they ought on that day : so also no bodily sports , recreations and pleasures are to be tolerated or used , merely to cherish the flesh , to refresh the body , and to procure bodily strength , but onely such as are in verie deed needfull in themselves , and used and intended by gods people with this purpose , and ●o this end , that they may with more abilitie , alacrity , and cheerefulnesse do the holy workes , and performe the holie duties of gods worship and service which are proper to the lords holy day . first , this is manifest by the words of the lord : isa. . . where he requires of his people , that they turne away their feete from doing their owne pleasure on his holy day , and call the sabbath a delight , the holy of the lord , honourable , and honour him , not doing their owne wayes , nor finding their owne pleasure . by their owne waies and pleasures , we are to understand , not onely their corrupt sinfull workes , filthy words , and vaine carnall pleasures which proceed from nature corrupted and naturally tend to increase transgression , ( for they are to be abhorred every daie and at all times , ) but here by their owne waies , words , and pleasure we are to understand such as proceed from nature created good , and are onely intended to that end , and haue none other effect : for such , though at other times lawfull and honest , yet on gods holy daie are prophane , common and inordinate , as these words imply . secondly , as it is not lawfull to use gods holy word in jeasting , nor with it to mingle our owne vaine talke , nor to play with holy things , because this is taking of gods name in vaine . soe undoubtedly to use worldly delights , and to sport our selues with uanishing , earthly naturall and ciuill pleasures , which are neither usefull to helpe and further us in holy devotion , nor intended by us to that end , is a prophanation of gods holy day , and an intermingling of our owne prophannesse with the spirituall , and heavenly obseruation of the lords holie day , in which god requires serious sanctification , and graue and sober conversations as our own ecclesiasticall constitutions do affirme : the reason is the same in both . thirdly , in all other things consecrated by god himselfe , and by his word and commandement to holy and heavenly use , it hath alwayes beene counted a greevious offence to ad our owne naturall inventions and diuises to them , or to turne them to common civill and mere naturall use , either in whole or part , except in case of necessity . so undoutedly it is by the same reason a greevious offence willingly and purposly to imploy the lords holy daie , or any part thereof to common naturall and civill sports and delights . now the first is manifest by the word and law of god. nahab , & abihu , the sonnes of aron , were consumed by fire from the lord when they offered sacrifices with common fire lev. . because they added to the holy offering that which was common . alsoe the sonnes of ely did sinne greeviously in turning any part of the consecrated flesh to feede their owne bellies sam. . saul in turning gods sacrifice to a prophane use , and forcing himselfe to doe it in ordinately , that he might make the people to stand to him , and keep them from scattering , sinned and lost his kingdome . sam. . and when the jewes prophaned gods house of praier ; which was the holie place , by buying , selling : and money chaunging , it was so vile in our saviours eyes , and so wicked , that he who in other things was a meeke lambe , being moved with zeale , did like a lyon roare against them , fell violentlie upon them and whipt them out with disgrace , iohn . . now the lords sabbath is an holie day sanctified by god immediatlie after the creation , and commanded in the fourth commandement to be kept holy . and our sauiour by his resurrection hath consecrated & blessed the lords day aboue all other dayes of the weeke and made it the lords sabbath , more holie then the first as haue beene before abundantly proved . and as all true christian churches , so our church more especiallie both by doctrine and practise hath openlie approved this for the lords sabbath . therefore no part of this day ought to be turned to nautrall , ciuill or carnall sports and delights . lastly , though our churches the places of our holy assemblies , and our communion tables haue no particular expresse commandement for them from god , but onely are consonant and agreable to the houses of god in israel , and we haue no other warrant for them but the example of gods people in the old testament , & our own experience , & reason teaching that they are very necessary for publick assemblies , and holie service : the plot of ground is chosen by men , and the materials and framing of them and the forme of them are all the workes of men . god hath neither appointed the place as in the temple of ierusalem , nor the materials & the forme , as in the tabernacle , the arke & altars which were built by moses : yet we would count a great offence , to turn any part of the church to be a place for common sports , & plaies , or a dancing schoole , and to play at dice , or cards , or other profane games , vpon the communion table . now then seeing we count it unlawfull to profane the places consecrated to holy vse by men inimitation of god , and not by expresse commandement given for the separation of the ground or the place : we ought more to count it unlawfull to spend any part of gods holy day in carnall sports , being a time sanctified by his expresse word , and blessed with the greatest blessing . fourthly , and in the last place , whatsoever recreations and exercises of body and mind , are necessary required for the bettering of our sanctification of the lords day , & the enabling of us to perform with more cheerfulnesse strength and courage the holy worship of god , and the work and service of his holy sabbath , and which are also intended by vs onely to that end and use them we may vse . and so farre as they serve to further , and in no wise to hinder gods holy worship and the immediate works and duties thereof . this is manifest by gods allowing to his people in the law , dressing of meat , & cheerfull feasting on his sab : and holy daies : which are needfull to cheere up men , and to provoke them to worship him with all thankfulnesse of heart , also to put on our best apparell ; that we may come decently to gods house . as these are lawfull being directed to holy use , so undoubtedly honest refreshing with recreations which cheer up the heart , & refresh the spirits , are lawfull when they are helpfull to holy exercises and are directed to that end , as stirring of the body ; walking in to gardens or fields , to take fresh aire being found very helpefull to preachers , to reviue their spirits ▪ s●rengthen their loynes , cleare their voyces , sharpen and quicken their wits , and memories , and being done only to that end are lawfull . so also walking into the corne feilds in ●ommer o● harvest , or into meddowes or pastures in the spring , both to refresh our bodies & spirits , and to give vs occasion to admire gods bountie in clothing the bodies , and his fatherlye providence in making the ear●h so fruitfull , and to laud and praise him , is lawfull for vs. and if after publick & private exercise we doe soe walke about , diuers together conferring of heavenly things , & taking occasion by sight of earthly blessings to provoke one another to thankfulnesse , & acknowledgment of gods loue , this no doubt is a recreation fitt for the lords day , and helps much our devotion , and this seemes to haue beene practised by our saviour who went through the corne feilds on the sabbath day mat. . . and his disciples with them . chap. . in the last place j come to the speciall duties of holinesse by which the lords sabbath is especially said to be sanctified , which i will run through as breifly as i can , so far as brevity may stand with plainesse & perspecuity . and first of all you shall see , that the most strict sanctification of the lords day , which is taught and urged by the godly learned both auncient and moderne christian divines , is no judaisme . i would haue you to take speciall notice , that whatsoeuer things the iewes and naturall isralites were bound by the law ●o perfo●me in the sanctification of the old sabbath , which were meerely tipicall and ceremoniall , and were ordained and practised onely to signifie some things , which are fullie accomplished in christ ; that we hold to be so abolished and made void , that christians ought in no case to obser●e or practise them , on their new sabbath the lords day . for they are all removed with the chaunge of the day , & we ought to a voyd them as much as we avoyd the old sab : which was the seventh day from the begining of daies in the creation . as for example offering the sacrifices of slaine beasts , and mear , and drinke offerings of fine flower mingled with oyle and such like , and incense and gummes and spices , they where but tipes and shaddowes of christ his substanciall sacrifice , and in that respect holy by consecration . and though divers of them were indifferent and tollerable while the bodily temple was yet standing . yet when god hath cast them out by the destruction of the materiall temple , & the chaunge of the weekly sabbath , they are growne unlawfull to be practised , and the reviuing of the practise of them is called abomination , dan. . and apostacy from christ , gala. . & turning againe to weak and beggarly elements and rudiments , and becoming slaues to them , gal. . . wherfor we are now onely to observe in our sanctification of our holie weekly sabbath such holie duties , and exercises as are holie at al● times and in all ages , both before and under the law , and now also under the gospell , which in their owne nature are either trulie holie or t●nde to beg it , increase , and cherish holie graces in men . and because god hath by the gospell shined into our hearts , to giue us the light of the knowledge of his glorie the face of iesus christ cor. . . and hath shed his spirit on us aboundantly through him . tit. . . and soe made us more spirituall , because also our saviour himselfe hath taught vs in the gospell , that god is a spirit & they are true worshippers who worship him in spirit , iohn , . . . therefore the chiefest duties by which the sabbath is sanctifi●d , are the most speciall duties of gods worshippe , and the more spirituall , the more pleasing to god & more beseeming christ●ans . soe that the first rule which is here to be giuen , and to be observed is this . that all gods people doe chiefely labour to stirre up , and quicken the grace of god in their hearts , and holy , heavenly and supernaturall aff●ctions in their soules , that with pure mind● and spirits they may performe all duties and actions of gods worship and seruice both publick and priuate . it is true that all times and on all daies we ought to keepe our whole spirit and soule , as well as our body pure and blameles , to serue god as well with inward affection of heart and purity of spirit , as ou●ward , visible , sencible actions and gestures of body . but because the lords day is the most blessed daie of the w●eke , sanct●fied & set apart for the holy worshippe , and immediate service of god , and for publick and priuate service . devotion and religious duties onelie , therefore we all ought to haue as great care to furnish our soules with spiritual beauties of holinesse more abundan●ly & in greater measure , as we haue to make cleane and neate our houses , and to decke and adorne our bodies with our best and cleanest holy daie apparell , on the lords day . for though outward & bodily actions , & gestures are required as r●quisit and necessary in the publick worship of god , and without them it is as impossible to do that publick duty and service to god , which belongs to mutuall edification of christians in this life , & to the solemne lauding and praising of him in publick assemblies , as it is to performe visible & senceable actions of this life by the soule only without the body . yet bodily service & worship of god , as coming duly & diligently to the house of god to publick assemblies , hearing the word withall attentions , and speaking it with great vehemency , praying worshipping and giving thankes in the best forme of wordes , which can be devised , and with most humble and reverent gestures of devotion , as bowing down the body to the ground , knocking of the breasts , sighing , groaning , lifting up the hands , and eyes to heaven , and the like , they all without spirituall affection and devotion of the heart , are no better then a dead karcast without a soule , yea they are filthy hyp●crisie , and mockerie of god , and lothsome abomination in his sight as the lord by the prophet testifieth isa. c : : to the : verse : & : : and therefore let our first and chiefest care bee about the fitting and preparing of our hearts , and filling and , replenishing our soules with spiriruall affections , and quickening and stirring up inward and spirituall grace within us ; for these are the life and soule of all religious duties . & of all holy worship of god , & without them we can̄ot in the least measure sanctifie gods holy day , nor performe any least duty of sanctificatiō acceptable to god : now the speciall means which serve for the quickning of spirituall grace , & kindling of spirituall devotion in our hearts , are diuers : the first is that which j haue spoken of befor in the duties which concerne rest , to weet : a totall sequestring of our selues from all worldly businesse , & puting away all earthly thoughts , cares , & delights , that our whole heart and soule , & all our affections being purged from all such drosse , may haue roome for holinesse only , and for spirituall devotion and motions of the spirit : for no man can serve two masters at once , god and the world : cast out earthlie carnall thoughts , and spiritual and heavenlie affections will easilie enter , and beare sway : and because this sequestring of our selves from cares of the world : must go befor true sanctification in order & time , therfor undoubtedlie the beginning of the lords sab : daie , is there where the old iewish sab : ended , that is in the evening of the saturdaie : and certainlie when men taking their rest from labour the whole night befor the lords daie for sequestring themselves from worldlie businesse , fitting of their soules with spirituall devotion , and stirring vp of grace in their hearts , then do they most profittablie begin their sabbath , for by the meanes the time of preparation and quitting of the minde from worldlie troublesome thoughts , shall go before the time of practise and publick assemblies wherein they are to appeare before god , and to performe the maine duties of sanctification and of his holy worship . and her● j cannot passe by without some reproofe that evill carnall custome , most worthy to be condemned which is to common among our cittizens , who defer their reckoni●g with their worke-men untill the evening and night which beginns the lords day . let me here admonish you all to forsake this practise , if you loue the lord , and will honour his holy sab. the second meanes is to meditate on those things which may stirre up our dull spirits , and quicken grace in our hearts , as first upon the greatnesse , holinesse , and gl●rie ●f the lord , and more specially to present our selves when the light of the day commeth , & both to speak to him in praier and praises , to heare him speake to us in his word read and preached . this must needs moue and stirre up spirituall devotion and affection : as we see by experience in worldly things , how carefull we are to trimme and fit our selves when we are to go before an earthly king or some great nobles . secondly , to consider what holinesse and purity , especially of heart and soule is required in vsing the publick holie ordinances of god , and in approaching neare to him , to worship him in his holy place his owns house . as wee reade leviticus , . . peter . . . the holinesse that becomes gods house is not vanishing showes , and shaddowes which passe awaie in the doing and vsing of them , as bowing , cringing , and such gestures , but a spirituall and eternall holinesse which lasts for ever , and can never bee defaced nor perish , as david shewes psal. . . it is better then thousands of rammes mich. . . . , it is putting on of humility , mercy , meeknesse , and all other affections , and departing from all iniquity , tim. . . it is the jmage of christ in the new creature which is created after god in righteousnesse and holinesse , that is ; which cannot lye nor deceiue by faiding , but lasts for ever . ephes. . . thirdly , to call to mind those scripturs which require holy preparation as eccle. . . which shewes gods anger against such as come to his house without due furniture and a wedding garment , as mat. . . fourthly , to meditate on that whereof the sabbath is a signe and pledge vnto us , even our resurrection to eternall life , and to the eternall rest of glory in heaven in the sight and fruition of god , whom none can see without holinesse . thi● is most powerfull to stirre up spirituall affection and to quicken grace in our hearts . the third meanes is earnest prayer to god for his spirit and increase of his spirituall grace in our hearts , that is of great force if it be importunate luk. . . & . . and fervent , iam. . . and therefor when the lords day begineth in the evening or day going of the satturday , we must make speciall prayers for this purpose , as also in the morning when we awake and see the light of the lords holy day . jn the next place after we are thus prepared , wee must set our selves wholy to the performance of the duties of holinesse , which are required for the sanctification of an holy sabbath to the lord , which are either publick or private . the first publick duty is diligent assembling of our selues with the congregation of gods people in the house of god the place of publick assemblies . this is so necessary that without it there can be no solemne service , nor publick worship of god performed by us . this the lord requires in the law , where he joynes these two together , as in seperable companions , even holy convocations and keeping of a sabbath . ex. . . these our saviour christ did frequent though lord of the sabbath , as well as the fathers did under the law , as appears mark. . . and so did his apostles on the new sabbath the lords day . cor , . . . the second publick duty in the publick worship of god , is praier , lauding and praising him , and offering vp sacrifices of thankfulnesse and the first fruites a●d calues of our lippes , in a solemne orderly and decent manner and order . this the holy men of god carefully performed in the house of god on their sabbath in the old testament : as david shewes . psal. . . & . . and this our saviour commandes to us for an holy duty in gods house , where hee cals the house of god the house of prayer mat. . . that not only to the jews , but also to al beleeving nations as the prophets words by him cited do shew isa. : . this the godly at philippi , where they had no synagogue nor church , performed in a publick assembly by a riuers side , act. . . this was practised by the first christians at iudaea act. . . . and this the apostle injoynes , heb , . . this david foretold psal. . . in a word all scriptures which teach us , to call upon god , to pray to confesse our sinnes , to humble our selves before god , to worshippe him and to giue thankes , and do commend these for holy duties , they doe much more teach vs to performe them on the lords day , in our holy assemblies . the third sort of publicke duties are the holy ordinances of god , which tend properly to beget and increase holinesse , and to teach christians gods holy worship and feare , to weet : the publick reading and and expounded of the word of god , and preaching and catechising on the mininisters part , and on the peoples part , reverent attention & hearing of the word of god. this was a constant practise from the daies of old which the fathers obserued soe long as the church of the jewes , and first temple was standing . as appeares . ast. . & cap. . . . also by our saviours practise . preaching in the sinagogues every sabbath day luk. . . mar. . . and this the apostles practised in holie assemblies which they appointed to be kept on the lords day , and this they commanded to be performed by all the christian churches , as appeares act. . . & , . & cor. . : & . . . colos. . thes. . . fourthly , besides preaching , reading , and expounding , of the holy scripturs , ther is also the administration of the sacraments , as of baptisme and the lords supper , the later of which especially is an holy sab : daies ordinance of christ , first instituted in the assembly of his apostles , & not to be administred and receiued ordinarily but in sab : assēblies , and publick meeting of the church comming together on the lords day as we gather from . act. . . & cor. . . . and that publick baptisme is most fit to bee administered on the lords day in the publicke assembly , these reasons sh●w . . because it is joyned with preaching , mathew , . : secondly , because it is the receiuing of the baptized into the true visible church . thirdly , in publick it may bee better perfomed by the joynt prayers of the whole congregation· fourthly , it may much profit the whole publick congregation of gods people by putting them in minde of the covenant made in baptisme . the fifth sort of publick sabbath duties , are workes of mercy & charity which are fruites of faith working by loue . unto which duties the publick ministers soe often occasion is offered , are to excite up the people , and they ought to offer freelie and to make collections for the poore saints . this st. paul taught cor. . : : and this was in times and ages next after the apostles practised , and performed . as iustin martyr testifies apolog. : pag. . sixthly , publick censures of the church , and actions of correction are most fitly performed in publick assemblies of the whole church on the lords day , such as open rebuke of scandalous , sinners , before all the people , that others may feare excommunication and casting out , & excluding from outward communion , obstinate and refractary offenders , as hereticks , adulterers , incestuous persons , & such like . receiving into the church of god such as were cast out , upon their humble confession , and publick repentance openly before the whole church . these are not to be done in corners but in the face of the church , as st. paul ordained by commandement from the lord , & by direction from the spirit of god. tim. , ▪ cor. . . & cor : : : : and as divers of the auncients haue held and shewed in their practise . seventhly , ordaining and calling of bishops , pastors , and elders , being of old performed in the face of the whole church , with publick prayers , and laying on of hands , act. . . & . . cor. . . as it was of old , soe at this day is a verie fitt dutye of the lord holy weekly sabbath . besides these publick duties , there are diuers priuate duties which are necessary both to make the publick duties effectuall , and frutefull , and to testifie to the praise and glory of god the power of his holy ordinances and the worke of the spirit by them upon our hearts and soules . the first of these is private prayer , either by our selves alone or in our families with our children , servants , and others of the houshold , for if we must pray continually when just occasion , and oppertunity is offered as the apostle teacheth , thes. . then most especially before we go vnto , and after we returne from the publicke assemblies , for a blessing upon gods publick ordinances both to our selves and others : our saviour bids us pray in secret , and david exhorts vs to commune with god on our beds , and to pray after his example , morning , evening and at noone day : the second is meditation of such as are alone , on things heard in the church , and repetition in the family for the printing of the the word in their mindes and memories , and mutuall instruction and exhortation , one of another , without which the word will take small effect afterwards and quicklie beforgotten : saint paul doth intimate the necessary vse of this duty ; where he commands women to aske and learne of their husbands at home , and not to speak in the church cor : : : & tim : : . this is the holy duty which god commended in abraham : gen : : that he did command and teach his houshold & children which few men can do conveniently on the week daies , when every one is about their worke , some in one place and some in another , onely the lords day is the fittest . the third is rejoycing , singing of psalmes , and praising god in our families , this david commends for a duty of the sabbath . psal. . . and this paul and silas taught us by their example act. . . where they two being in prison and in the stocks , are said on the lords day at midnight , to pray and sing psalmes with soe loud a voyce , that the prisoners heard them . and yet i hope none dare call them puritants , and hipocrites , as the profane miscreaunts of our time call all the familes in which they heare singing of psalmes on the lords day . the fourth is visiting of the sick , & of prisoners , releiving the poore and needy , perswading of disagreeing neighbours to peace , and reconciliation : these are works of mercie and of christian loue and charity , & haue no proper end but to bring honour to god , and to make him to be praised , of his people and his people to be edified in loue . and being an holie private service of god , they may be done on the lords daie , & our church doctrine doth teach them , and ecclesiasticall constitutions allow them . the last duty is meditating on gods workes , magnifying them and speaking of them with admiration one to another , if upon any just occasion , or for necessarie refreshing we walke diuers together into the feilds . this david mentions in the psalme for the sabbath day psal. , . where he saith : thou lord hast made me glad through thy workes , and i will tryumph in the workes of thy hands . o lord how great are thy workes ? thus much for the speciall duties both publick & priuate , which christians are bound to performe on the lords day , which is the christian sabbath . now the consideration of these severall duties , being some publick , some priuate , some more proper for the sabbath , and some for all daies , offer to us somethings more to be obserued . first the publicke duties of the whole church , together must first be regarded and preferred before priuate duties at home , and mumbling of private praies with our selves in the church , because they make more for gods glory and mutuall edification , and do shew and declare our christian vnity . secondly , publick duties must take up the best , and greatest part of the day , because they are proper to the day , and to publick assemblies , which are to be kept weekly on the sabbath day : priuate duties are common to all daies of the weeke . thirdly , the duties of mercy & charity to men , must giue place to the mediate worship of god , when there is no vrgent necessity , and they may bee deferred to another day , without any inconvenience . men hauing oppertunity before must not put them off , vntill the lords daie , and then by them shoulder out holy duties of piety and gods solemne worshippe . lastly , by the many and severall duties required on the lords sabbath , wee see that to him who hath a care and respect of them all , there will be no time left for for idle words , and toyish talking , praunsing in pride and vanity , nor for any carnall sports , pastimes , and pleasures . but gods day wil be found little enough for holy duties which are to be performed . and therefore i dare not allow any liberty for any sports how honest & lawful so ever at other times , except they bee holy , and gods worship be furthered , and no better duties by them be hindered : which no man can in reason conceive or imagine . if god be to be loved aboue all , and honoured and served with all the heart and mind , soule & strength as the law commands . j do not see but all gods people ought so to do , especially on the lords day , & to be discontent & grieued that they can̄ot do it so fully as they ought , & not to allow to themselves in these things anie liberty which may hinder gods holy worship . the greatest opposites of the weekly christians sabbath , when they haue most vehemently disputed , & spent al their argumēts , against the observation of the lords day for an holy sab : & day of holy rest , are by the cleare evidence of the truth so convinced , that will they , nill they , their conscience forceth them to confesse : that the spēding of the whole day even the space of four & twenty hours of the lords day , an holie rest & cessation from all worldly thoughts & cares & from all seculiar affaires , & in holy duties , of gods worship & service , both publick and private , is a thing commendable & praise worthy in them , and pleasing and acceptable in the sight of god. to that one only wise omnipotent , immortall , and eternall god , who in all things and ouer all enimies maketh his truth to triumph , be all honour , glory , and praise now and for euer . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e justin. dialog . cū triphone . tertull. adversus judoeos irenaeus lib. . c. * tostatus pererius gomarus . heb. . . . origen . hierom. trad . in gen. austin in psal. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gen. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gen. . . heb. . . ioh. . . heb. · . notes for div a -e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 notes for div a -e doctrine . reason reason reason reason notes for div a -e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 notes for div a -e . position negative . · pit. . ▪ objection . answer . notes for div a -e . position affirmative notes for div a -e . position affi●mative . gen. . notes for div a -e position affirmative objection . answer . object . . answer . notes for div a -e the severall opinions concerning the law of the sabbath . notes for div a -e the distinction of gods laws notes for div a -e serm . . de tempore . serm . de tempore . . zanch. lib de de calog . thes , . notes for div a -e argument . argument . argument . argum. argument . argument . . argu. . argu. notes for div a -e of mans sanctification of the sabbath . argument . argument . argument . . argu. argument . notes for div a -e objection answer . object . answer . prolog . in psalm . objection answer . notes for div a -e lexic● cold . notes for div a -e . argument . argument . . argument . . argum. . argu : chrisostom in cor. . augst ser. . de temp : gregor . magn epist : lib : . : a defense of the christian sabbath in answer to a treatise of mr. tho. bampfield pleading for saturday-sabbath / by john wallis. wallis, john, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing w estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a defense of the christian sabbath in answer to a treatise of mr. tho. bampfield pleading for saturday-sabbath / by john wallis. wallis, john, - . p. printed by l. litchfield and are to be sold by chr. coningsby, oxford : . caption title: a discourse concerning the christian sabbath. running title: the christian sabbath. reproduction of original in the cambridge university library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng bampfield, thomas, ?- . -- enquiry whether the lord jesus christ made the world. sabbath -- early works to . sunday -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - olivia bottum sampled and proofread - olivia bottum text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a defense of the christian sabbath . in answer to a treatise of mr. tho. bampfield pleading for saturday-sabbath . by iohn wallis , d. d. and professor of geometry in the university of oxford . oxford , printed by l. lichfield , and are to be sold by chr. coningsby , at the golden turks-head over against st. dunstan's church in fleet-street , london . . imprimatur , ionath . edwards , vice-can . oxon . sep. t. . a discourse concerning the christian sabbath . sir , iune . . i had a while since a book sent me by the carrier ( i know not well from whom ) of mr. thomas bampfield , which in the title-page , is said to be printed for the author — . it is concerning the sabbath . which he thinks should rather be observed on what we call saturday , than on what we call sunday . i should not , on this account , give any disturbance to the peace or practise of the church where i live , so that a sabbath be duly observed as to the substantials of it , though perhaps not upon what day i should chuse . for i do not know ▪ and i believe no man living can tell me , whether what we now call sunday , be a first , a second , a third , or a seventh day , in a continued circulation of weeks from the creation . and what it is impossible for me to know , i think will be no crime to be ignorant of . nor hath this author any other way than common tradition , ( on which he is not willing that we should lay weight , ) whereby to guess , which is the first , or which is the seventh day , in such a circulation of weeks , either from the creation , or even from christ's time. i am sufficiently satisfied that we ought to keep a sabbath , that is , a day of holy rest , after six days of ordinary labour , according to the fourth commandment : and this in a continued course or circulation : but i am not certain , nor can i be , which is a first , or a seventh day in such a circulation of weeks from the creation . and therefore shall content my self to observe that day which i find observed in the church where i live . in old england i observe the sabbath which here i find : and if i were in new-england , i would observe the sabbath which i find observed there . though i think it may be disputable whether they and we may be said to observe the same day , ( the first meridian passing between them and us . ) and yet i would not advise to have it changed in either . now i can hardly think , that god hath laid the great stress of so weighty a point ( as whereon the main of gods publick worship doth much depend ) on such a circumstance as is impossible for us to know , and of which we may be modestly ignorant . i should rather think that what christ says of the place , ioh. . , , the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain nor in ierusalem worship the father , but the true worshipers shall worship the father in spirit and in truth , is in good measure true of the time also ; and , as it is not so material whether in this or that place , god be worshiped , so he be worshiped aright : so neither is it so material , whether on this , or that day ; as , that a sabbath or day of holy rest be duly kept . the publick worship of god , was then in great measure confined to the temple ; not indifferently , in any place within thy gates , but in the place which the lord thy god shall chuse , to put his name there , deut. . , , , . for which any other place may now be as well assigned ; that men pray every where lifting up holy hands , &c. tim. . . ( privately in private places , and publickly in places appointed for the publick ▪ ) and i do not think we are now more confined to the iewish sabbath , than to the iewish temple . this premised , i can agree with this author in many things by him discussed . i agree , that our lord iesus christ ( according to his divinity ) was god ( and is so ) the true god , the god that made heaven and earth , the god who delivered the law upon mount sinai . for though we do acknowledge , in the godhead , a trinity of persons ; father , son , and holy ghost , ( whereof christ according to his divinity is called the second person , the son of god , or god the son ; ) yet those three persons are but one god. nor do i know any other true god but one , the god that made heaven and earth , the lord iehovah , the god of abraham , isaac and iacob , the lord god of israel , the lord their god who brought them out of the land of egypt , out of the house of bondage , and besides whom we are to have no other god , the god who delivered the law to them on mount sinai ; and i do agree that our lord iesus christ , is ( as to his divinity ) this god , the true god , the onely true god , and that he was so before his incarnation . how far each of those actions are to be ascribed to this or that person of the trinity , we need not be over solicitous . what in the new testament is more peculiarly ascribed to this or that of the three persons , is in the old testament wont to be ascribed to god indefinitely , without such particular application ; the doctrine of the trinity being then not so distinctly discovered . but i cannot agree that christ as god and man ( in contradistinction to the father and holy ghost ) did all those things ; for he was not then man. i agree with him also , that god who made the world in six days , rested the seventh day , gen. . . exod. . . and that he blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it . and that accordingly he hath appointed after six days of ordinary labour , man should observe a seventh day of holy rest , and this in a continued succession . but i should rather say , that our lord iesus christ is ( according to his divinity ) that god who blessed the seventh day gen. . than that the god who blessed the sabbath day , is the lord iesus christ ; ( as he doth p. . and elsewhere very often , seeming to lay great stress upon it . ) for he was not then the lord christ ( god and man ) nor did he bless it as christ , but as god ; in union with the father and holy ghost , not as contradistinguished from them . i agree also , that the law of the sabbath is one of the decalogue or ten commandments delivered to israel on mount sinai . ex. . but i am willing to think it was a law before . not only because we find it observed , exod. . ( before the giving of the law on mount sinai , ex. . ) but especially because of that in gen. . . god blessed the seventh day and sanctified it , because in it he rested from all his work. and those who are most averse to the morality ( as it is wont to be called ) or the perpetuity of the sabbath , or day of holy rest , and are yet very zealous for the holiness of places , would be very fond of it if they could find so clear a testimony , and so ancient , for the holiness of place , as here is for that of time. i agree also that the law of the decalogue or ten commandments , though then given peculiarly to israel , is obligatory to us also . for though some clauses therein do peculiarly respect them ; as that who brought thee out of the land of egypt out of the house of bondage , and that thy days may be long in the land which the lord thy god giveth thee , ( which i think is there said with a particular respect to the land of canaan , which god gave to israel , not to us ; ) yet the body of that law and the preceptive part of it , i take to be obligatory to others also , and to us in particular ; the decalogue being declarative of what was ( i think ) a law before ( however neglected or forgotten , ) and is by christ and his apostles frequently cited as such , even to gentiles as well as jews . nor will i dispute it with him , whether the sabbath were observed from the creation to the floud . for i am willing to think that if it were not , it should have been ; though , in the short history that moses gives us of that time , there be no mention made of such observation . but i doubt it was not universally so observed , if at all . for when all flesh had corrupted their ways , i doubt the sabbath day and the worship of that day were by them not much regarded . nor do i find ( gen. . . ) any express command ( such as he demands for the first days sabbath ) that it should be observed thenceforth by men , every seventh day of the week for ever . how far the words he blessed and sanctified it may extend i will not dispute . it may be a strong intimation ( and i think it is , ) but it is not expresly said , that , all mankind must , for ever after , observe every seventh day , in every week , of days , reckoned continually from the first creation . nor do i think it necessary to have been so recorded by moses , ( any more , than the law for sacrifices , ) if it did otherwise appear to have been the will of god. and therefore i would not have him lay too great a stress , on what he saith , that there is no express commandment , recorded in the new testament , for observing the first day : it is enough if we there find sufficient intimation for us to judge that god was pleased to have it observed . i say the like as to the time from the floud to that of abraham , and from thence to the coming of israel out of egypt . for i do not find any mention of their observing a sabbath ( either in the writings of moses , or the book of iob ) earlier than that of exod. . after israels coming out of egypt , and after the time that god is said to have made a statute and ordinance for them , at marah , ex. . . what that statute and ordinance was , we cannot tell . the jewish writers think ( or some of them ) that it was that of the sabbath ; and perhaps it might , or this be some part of it . it was perhaps a revival of what had been before disused . nor is it likely that their task-masters in egypt would suffer them to be idle , and neglect their work , one whole day in seven . nor do i find any foot-steps in history that any other nation but the jews did ( for many ages after this time ) so much as measure out their time by weeks . i know that many learned and pious men have been searching to that purpose and willing to lay hold on any thing that might seem to look that way . and i should be well enough pleased to see it made out . but i have not seen any thing convictive to give me satisfaction therein . i have consulted clemens alexandrinus , and what he cites in the fifth book of his stromata , who hath i believe made the best search of any into heathen writers for that purpose . his design in that book is to shew that the heathens had stollen or borrowed much of their philosophy from what he calls philosophia barbara , or barbarorum , meaning thereby the iewish learning ; ( for , with the greeks , all but themselves were barbarians . ) and amongst many other things , he takes notice of the number seven sometimes mentioned in heathen writers , as with some veneration ; which he thinks to be occasioned from that number oft mentioned in the sacred writers , and particularly from that of their sabbath , and measuring their time by weeks . but he doth not at all intimate as if himself did think the heathens so to have divided their time , or to keep that sabbath , but only that they were acquainted with the jewish learning , and borrowed much of theirs from thence . that which therein seemed to me the most promising ( and by others also is oft alledged ) was that cited from hesiod , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( the seventh a sacred day . ) but when i consulted the place in hesiod , in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ( in the latter part of which he treats of days ) i find nothing there of weeks , or days of the week , but only days of the month. for 't is this he there proposeth to speak of , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ( the thirty days of the month , ) on which he makes divers remarks ; as , which of them were to be accounted good days , and which bad days , and , for what purposes . and begins with these , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( begin we with the first , and the fourth , and the seventh , a sacred day , because that on this day apollo who hath the golden sword was born of latona . ) so that ( it seems ) the seventh day ( not the first ) was then sunday . ( for apollo with his gold sword , is but another name for the sun. ) but it was the seventh day of the month , not the seventh day of the week , ( for of weeks he there says nothing . ) and he then goes on to speak of the eighth and ninth days ; then of the eleventh and twelfth , next of the thirteenth , and so of other days of the month ; shewing which of them were accounted lucky days , and which unlucky , and for what affairs . but nothing of weeks at all . however , hesiod himself , though one of the oldest of the heathen writers , is but young as to the times we speak of ; who is reckoned to have lived about the time of king uzziah , seven hundred years after the time we are now considering , upon the coming of israel out of egypt . nor doth clemens alexandrinus think , when they name seven , it was from any old tradition ( from adam or noah ) but from what acquaintance they then had with the jewish writers of later time . nor do i find any thing that is more to the purpose , in all there cited by clemens alexandrinus than this of hesiod . but if any where he could have found , that the heathens divided their time by weeks ; no doubt but he would have mentioned this as borrowed from the iewish learning ; ( which was the thing he was there inquiring after . ) and , when he saith nothing of it , we may be sure he could not find it . i find indeed that , some of the heathens ( as iuvenal and lucian ) do laugh or jeer at the jewish sabbath ( recutitaque sabbata pallent ) and therefore did know of the jewish sabbath ; but not that they did observe it , or so much as divide their time by weeks . now if we should admit , that in some families ( where the true worship of god was preserved ) there be a strong presumption ( for 't is no more ) that they did observe a sabbath ; that is , a seventh day of holy rest after six days of ordinary labour ; yet 't is a question , whether that were just the seventh day in a continual succession of weeks from the creation . and if at any time there chance to be an intermission , and the day forgotten , it is impossible ( without a miracle or a new revelation ) that it can be restored again . and if from thenceforth they would again keep a sabbath ( as we find the pass-over was revived by hezekiah and iosiah which had been long intermitted kings . and chr. . ) they must begin at adventure , and thence continue it . now if we consider , that the true worship of god was oft reduced to some one family , as in the time of noah , and perhaps of abraham ; and even that family sometimes corrupt enough , ( as was that of nahor , from whence abraham for that reason was removed ; and that of laban where iacob sojourned ; and how oft also the like happened , we cannot tell ) it was very possible the sabbath might be neglected ; as himself observes p. , it had been before and under the captivity for a long time , and made a market-day , as well as any other day of the week ; like as the temple was become a market-place , mat. . , . ioh. . . . as was also the pass-over in great measure from the time of samuel till that of iosiah , chr. . . and the feast of tabernacles , from the days of ioshuah to nehemiah , neh. . . and circumcision , for forty years together in the wilderness , iosh. . . now if circumcision and the pass-over and the feast of tabernacles were thus neglected when they were at liberty ; how much more the sabbath , when they were bond-men in egypt ; of which we have not the least mention from god's keeping a sabbath , gen. . . till after israels coming out of egypt , exod. . nor is there the least mention ( as i shew'd but now ) in any history sacred or profane , so much as of dividing their time by weeks , all that time ; nor , except that of israel , for many ages after . and though the sun , moon and stars ( gen. . . ) are said to be for signs and for seasons , for days and for years , yet not a word is there of weeks . nor could they indeed , by their motions , distinguish weeks , as they do months and years . and therefore though i find years and months to have been observed all the world over long ago ; yet weeks no where ( that i know ) of ancient times , but by the nation of the iews onely , nor by them before their coming out of egypt . so that , though , i am willing to think , the sabbath ought to have been observed all that while , yet there is too much reason to doubt it was not ; or , if at all , not without frequent intermissions , which would , in this case , be fatal . now to argue as he doth , that abel , and enoch , and noah , and abraham , were good men , and are ( some of them ) said to walk with god , and to keep his commandments , and therefore may be presumed to have kept a sabbath , is but a weak argument as to matter of fact , and , to begg the question . for we are not to think them so good as to be guilty of no failings or omissions . the law of marriage is certainly as old , if not older than that of the sabbath , the tenour of which was ( he tells us p. . ) that they two should be one flesh ; not , they three , four or five : yet he tells us also , that polygamy , or having many wives , was frequently practised , from lamech to malachi , even by some eminent in the church at that time , and by them ( he supposeth ) held to be lawful . and it may as well be thought , the law for the sabbath might sometime within that two thousand five hundred years ) be neglected and forgotten ; as that of marriage ; in a time when there was no writing ( that we know of ) to preserve it . and , if once forgotten , it could never ( as to that seventh day ) be recovered . and i would ask that gentleman , in case the day should chance to have been sometime forgotten , ( as is very possible and not unlikely , ) and that after such time ( upon finding the book of the law , as in iosiah's time kings . . which had been lost ) it did appear that a sabbath should have been kept , but was not , ( as was there the case of the pass-over , chap. . . ) what doth this gentleman think ( in such case ) should be done ? must they never restore the sabbath because they do not know the day ? or must they begin upon a new account ? i should think this latter ; ( and that it would be warranted by the fourth commandment ; ) notwithstanding his objection , no other day ( but the seventh from the creation ) is commanded ; no promise to the observance of any other ; nor threatning for the omission . indeed in our days when so great a part of the world reckon by weeks , and we be stored with astronomical tables adjusted to the motions of the sun , moon and stars , and many celestial observations , ( as for instance , that such a year , such a day of such a month there was an eclipse on monday morning or the like ) 't were more easy to rectify such an intermission . but in those days , when there was nothing of all this , nor so much as the use of writing ( that we know of ) older than moses ; there was no way to rectify an interrupted tradition . all which is not said to disparage the observation of the sabbath day ( for which i have as great veneration as he that pleads for the saturday sabbath , ) but onely to shew , that we can be at no certainty , ( and scarce a conjecture , ) which is the first , second , or seventh day of the week in a continued circulation of weeks from the creation . and consequently i cannot think that the great stress of the fourth commandment is to be understood of just that seventh day in every such week from the creation ( which i doubt cannot be known ) but rather that there should be a weekly sabbath ; that is , after six days of work , the seventh should be a holy rest , and then , after another six days of work , the seventh should be again a holy rest ; and so continually ; which is as truly observed in the sunday-sabbath , as in that of saturday . as when god requires the tenth of our increase ; it is not meant of the tenth in order ( for it should rather be the first in order , for he requires the first-fruits ) but the tenth in proportion ; so here the seventh . and this author knows very well , that it is signally noted by expositors on the fourth commandment , and other writers about the sabbath , that this commandment begins with remember to keep holy the sabbath-day , or the day of rest , ( not the seventh day ; much less the seventh day of the week from the first creation ; ) and what is that day of rest , the next words tell us , six days shalt thou labour , but the seventh is the sabbath , &c. that is , after six days of labour , the seventh shall be a day of rest. and in the close of that commandment ( ex. . . ) our bibles have it wherefore the lord blessed the sabbath-day ( not as we commonly repeat it , the seventh day ) and hallowed it . the reason given to inforce it is , for in six days the lord made heaven and earth &c. and rested the seventh day , and accordingly should we , after six days of work have a seventh day of rest , and so onward . if he thinks that to make a difference , that we now reckon our weeks to begin with the day of rest , and after that , six working days ( which in a continued circulation comes all to one , ) i will allow that gentleman ( if that will please him better ) to begin the week on monday , and then sunday will be the seventh . the commandment says nothing of the seventh day of the week in a continued succession from the creation ; but the seventh day after six days of labour . and whereas he observes ( and would lay great weight upon it ) that it is ( hashebigni ) the seventh ( the article ha answering to our the ) not a seventh . 't is very true , and very proper so to be . for the meaning is not that , after six days of labour , there should be a seventh for rest no matter when ; but the seventh day , that is , the next day after those six . but it is not said the seventh in course from the creation . just as when it is said , a male-child is to be circumcised the eighth day , it is not meant of an eighth day in course from the creation ; but , the eighth day from the birth . and in like manner ex. . . in the seventh day there shall be a holy convocation ; it is not meant of the seventh day of the week from the creation ; but on the seventh day of the feast of unleavened bread , what ever day of the week that happen to be . and exod. . , . the sixth and seventh day there mentioned , seem plainly to be , not the sixth and seventh in course from the creation ( which i doubt was not then known ) but from the first raining of manna , ver . , . he 'll say perhaps , the jews observed such seventh day from the creation , and that was their sabbath . but that is more than he or i know , or any man living . they had i grant , a circulation of seven days , but from what epocha we cannot tell . and when moses tells them ( on the sixth day ) ex. . . tomorrow is the rest of the holy sabbath . it seems to be the fixing of a new epocha ( from the first raining of manna ) and then all his arguments , from the continual observation of the seventh day from the creation till that time , are at an end . whether this ( from the first raining of manna ) be the same with that from the creation ; no man can tell . and there is six to one odds that it is not . now , that there is a new course of sabbath ( from a new beginning ) whereof this seventh day from the first raining of manna is the first , and not a continuation of a former course hitherto observed without interruption ; seems farther evident from this consideration , because , if this were but a continuation of that uninterrupted course of sabbaths , then the next seventh day before it , would have been a sabbath also , and to have been in like manner observed ; that is , the next day before the first raining of manna . but , on that day we find ( exod. . , . ) the quails came up and covered the camp , without any prohibition to gather them . if therefore they might not ( now ) gather manna , because it was the sabbath ; but might ( before ) gather quails ; it should seem , that was not a sabbath . and if it be not allowed , upon occasion , to fix a new epocha ; then if the circulation of weeks from the beginning of the world ( which was then about years old ) did ever chance to have been interrupted , and the day forgotten , ( as in all likelyhood it might be in egypt , if not long before ) or if ever after it should chance so to be ( as in the days of iosiah when the book of the law was lost , and the pass-over forgotten ; ) men must never keep a sabbath thenceforth . for then all his own arguments return upon him ; no other day is commanded ( 't is will-worship , ) no promise to the observance , no threatning for the neglect . i should rather think , if that day were unknown ( as i believe it is ) any day were better than none at all . for gods commands do more respect the substance of the duty than the circumstance of time , especially if they cannot both be had . circumcision was to be administred on the eighth day , according to the institution , ( i do not mean the eighth day of the week , but the eighth day of the childs age ; and therefore on the same day of the week on which the child was born. ) but if by accident or default it were omitted , it might be done any day after , rather than not at all . abraham we know was years old , and ismael when they were circumcised , ( and what was the age of other males in abraham's family , we cannot tell ; ) and a proselyte , at any age , was to be circumcised ; ( though perhaps it were not remembred on what day of the week he was born ; ) and those who were born in the wilderness for forty years together , were all circumcised at once , iosh. . , , . ( though not all born on the same day of the week . ) the pass-over was appointed to be eaten standing , with their loyns girt , their shoes on their feet , and their staffs in their hand , as in hast to be gone ex. . yet our saviour seemeth to have eaten it sitting , or rather lying . and none of them were to stir out of doors till morning , ex. . . yet christ and his disciples went out the same night to the mount of olives , and thence to gethsemane , mat. . , . the shew-bread was to be eaten by the priests only : yet our saviour observes that david did eat of it ( on a special occasion ) without blaming him for so doing . the rechabites are commended ier. . for obeying the command of ionathan their father , not to drink wine , nor build houses , but to dwell in tents &c. yet did they , upon nebuchadnezzar's invasion , quit their tents and repair to ierusalem ; nor is it reputed a disobedience . the paschal lamb was to be kill'd the fourteenth day of the first month at evening : yet if we consider how little knowledge they had in those days , of the sun and moons motions , and if we consider what the jewish writers tell us of their very uncertain method of judging , which was the first month , and which the fourteenth day of that month we shall find they were at great uncertainties , as to the just day ; yet was not the service thereof to be neglected , upon pretense there was danger of missing the right day . for they had not almanacks in those days , as we have now , to tell us before hand when will be a new moon . but ( if we may believe the jewish writers ) their manner was , about the time when they expected a new-moon , to send men to watch for it on the top of some hill or high place ; and he who could first discover a new-moon , was to tell the priest , and he to blow the trumpet to give the people notice that there was a new-moon , ( much like our custom at oxford , at the time of the assizes , to set some on st. maries steeple to watch when the judges are coming , and then to ring the great bell to give notice to those concerned , that the judges are at hand ; ) but , in case of cloudy weather , if in three days time from their first expectation no man could see a new moon , they did then venture ( but not before ) to blow the trumpet without seeing it , which must needs cause a great uncertainty ; and the same moon sooner seen at one place than at another , and the pass-over kept accordingly . and t is manifest in the story of our saviours last pass-over , that he kept it on one day and the jews on another ( perhaps he about a fortnight before , might see a new-moon , a day sooner than they did . ) so great uncertainty there was at that time , as to the particular day , though the institution was punctual for the fourteenth day of the first month. and the like uncertainty there was as to all their feasts of new-moons . and even in our days , when the motions of the sun and moon are much better known than at that time they were , we are far from being exact in point of time . our rule for easter is much the same with theirs for the pass-over ; the rule in general is this , the sunday next after the fourteenth day of the first month , is to be easter day . but when we come to make particular application , we do strangely miss of our rule . and our paschal tables which should direct us , do put us farther out than if we had none at all . for ( by reason that we take the length of our common year a little too long , by about eleven minutes of an hour , and the length of our months too long also ; ) since the time that those tables were made , 't is well known that the beginning of our ecclesiastical first month , is ten or eleven days later than that of the heavens ; and our ecclesiastical new-moons and full-moons , is later by four or five days than those of the heavens . whereby we do very often mistake the month , and yet oftner the true week , for keeping of easter . and though pope gregory the eighth , did ( somewhat more than an hundred years ago ) somewhat rectify the calendar , yet both papists and protestants do observe , some the newer gregorian , and some the older iulian account , and ( in the united provinces of the netherlands ) one town observes one account , and the next the other account , and accordingly keep their easters ( if at all ) at three , four or five weeks distance , and so for christmas-day . 't is not agreed amongst chronologers either what year , or what month , much less what day of that month , our saviour was born , yet wee keep december th . in memory of his birth , as supposing him to have been then born . yea we are at so great uncertainty , that we reckon the year from his circumcision , to begin the first of ianuary ; but the same year as from his conception , not till the th of march next following ; as if his birth and circumcision had been a quarter of a year before his conception . and if we be now at so great an uncertainty , in so short a period as from the birth of christ , i do not think the jews could be punctual , as to a day , in observing their pass-over ; and much less , as to a day from the creation of the world. he 'l say perhaps , that easter and christmas being of humane institution , it is not much matter though we miss the day , nor much matter perhaps whether it be kept or no. be it so ; but the pass-over was of divine institution ; yet were they at a great uncertainty , and might chance to miss more than a day or two ; yet was not the duty to be therefore neglected . the mistake of a day , was of much less concernment than the neglect of the duty ; as was the tithing of mint and annise , than the weightier things of the law. these little circumstances are but shaddows , in comparison of the substance , as the comparison is col. . . which is not said to incourage any one to violate the laws of god , even in little things , ( for we find god sometimes very severe even in such ; as in the case of uzzah's touching the ark , and nadab and ahihu's offering strange fire ; for reasons best known to himself , of which we are not aware . ) but onely to shew that the substantials of a duty are to be regarded more than circumstantials ; and these upon occasion to give way to those . and in such cases ( if it were a fault ) the prayer of hezekiah ( chr. . . ) is to take place , the good lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seek god , though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary . and his service was accepted , though ( as it is expresly noted ) they did eat the pass-over otherwise than as it was written : and , in the second month , in stead of the first . and doubtless in the present case , if we do not know ( as certainly we do not ) which is the first or seventh day in a continual circulation from the creation , it is much better to keep a weekly sabbath on any day of the week whatever , than to keep none at all , and much more agreable to the true meaning of the fourth commandment . all which is said , partly by way of caution , not to be forward , upon slight grounds , to disturb the peace and settled practise of the whole christian church at this day . partly to take off what he would have to be admitted but cannot be proved , that the seventh day in a continued circulation of weeks from the first creation , was observed as the weekly sabbath , from the creation to the floud ; from thence to abraham ; from thence to israels coming out of egypt ; and from thence till after the resurrection of christ. which i think is impossible for any man to know . and partly to satisfy what he objects from the fourth commandment . which saith indeed that there is to be a rest on the seventh day after six days of labour , but not a word of its being such seventh day in a continual circulation of weeks from the creation . and therefore we are safe hitherto , for ought i see . but i 'le come up a little nearer to him . he may perhaps tell us ( though i do not find he doth ) that the jews did certainly keep their weekly sabbath ( at the time of our saviours death ) on what they called the seventh day . if not on the seventh day of the week from the creation ( of which we can have no certainty ) at lest on the seventh day of the week , as the weeks were then reckoned ; ( which i readily grant him ) and that they had so done for a long time before , and perhaps from the time of giving the law on mount sinai . ( and it may be so , for ought i know , but we cannot be certain . ) and what was then called the first day of the week , was another day from what they called the seventh ( which i admit also . ) and that , what they called the seventh day , is now what we call saturday , and what they called the first day is what we now call sunday . but this , i say , is more than he or i know . he may think so ; and so do i ; but i am not sure of it . the reason why i think so , is , because i think that christ or his apostles ( according to christs direction ) did remove the observation of the sabbath , from the seventh to the first day of the week , and that we have ever since kept the sabbath as they did , ( for i do not know that it hath been since altered , ) and as we now keep it on sunday , so i believe they did ; and therefore think that our sunday is what they called the first day . and if the apostles did then remove it from their seventh day to their first day , i presume they had direction from christ so to do , who after his resurrection , shewed himself to them for fourty days , giving commandments to his apostles speaking to them of things pertaining to the kingdom of god , acts . , . and therefore , what they did afterwards in settling the christian church , they did ( we are to presume ) according to such directions and commandments of christ , and this in particular of so removing the observation of the sabbath day , if they did remove it , ( as i think was done ) by his authority who was lord of the sabbath day . matth. . . luk. . . but if they did not so remove it ; i do not know that it hath since been changed . for i think we keep the same sabbath which they did : and that the christian church hath ever since so done ; and doth pretend so to have done , by a constant tradition ever since . and we therefore think our sunday to be their first day of the week , because we think their sabbath so to have been . but if we mistake in that tradition , we are ( for ought i know ) accordingly mistaken in thinking sunday to be their first day ; ( for we have nothing but tradition for either . ) and then for ought he can shew ( by better than tradition ) to the contrary , our sunday may be their seventh day . and then he hath no pretense to quarel with it . if he say the jews do at this day keep saturday as their seventh day . i confess they do . but they do no more know which is the seventh day ; than we , which is the first day . and because they find that christians generally take sunday to be what was before called the first day , they do accordingly take saturday to be their seventh day . but their tradition is of no greater authority than ours . all depending upon this , that our sunday being that sabbath which we think christ or his appostles did appoint , we take it to be the first day , because christ or his apostles ( by christs directions ) did remove the observation of the sabbath to that day . he 'l say perhaps ; i do not my self think our sunday to be their seventh day . and then , why should not our sabbath be on saturday as theirs was ? 't is true , i do not think our sunday to be their seventh day . and i have told you the reason why i do not think it ; because i think christ or his apostles did change the day , and for that reason only . and for the same reason i think our sabbath should be as now it is , and as i think it hath been ever since . but if i be mistaken in it , i may be mistaken in the other also : but , either way , sunday is yet to be our sabbath . he says , it is no where expresly said in scripture , that the apostles did thus change it . true , and 't is no where said in scripture , that our sunday is not their seventh day . it may be the same for ought i know , ( and for ought he knows ) if it were not then changed . though , because i think the day was then changed , i do therefore think it is not the same . and if it were not changed , then all the difference is , that what they called the seventh day of their week , we call the first day of our week . which , if the author do not like , he may call monday the first day , and then sunday will be the seventh , as it was before . but i say further ; there be many things , even as to the worship of god , which we may reasonably think to have been done , though it be not expresly said so ; but only to be collected by consequence from what is said . 't is no where said expresly , that , after the first sabbath of god himself , ( gen. . . ) any other sabbath was ever kept before that in exod. . which was above two thousand and five hundred years after . yet this author would have us think it was observed all that while ; and that it was commanded so to be , which yet is no where said expresly . but a slight presumption , it seems , may serve his turn , but not ours . 't is known that god was worshiped by sacrifices very early ; at least as early , as that of cain and abel ; and that this worship was accepted of god , at least that of abel . and therefore i suppose this author would have us think it was commanded . ( not a meer will-worship , without any direction or institution from god. ) yet we are no where told , of any such command or institution . we may say the like of iacob's consecrating a pillar , by pouring oyl upon it , gen. . . though we do not find mention , before that time , of any direction for any such consecration ( of things or persons ) by anointing , or pouring on of oyl . we have also reason to think there was some command from god , that the fire for incense should be taken from the altar , ( or somewhat of like nature ; ) else nadab and abihu would not have been destroyed for offering strange fire . yet we are no where told expresly of any such command . we have no particular command ( that i know of ) for baptizing of infants , nor any particular mention in scripture of any such baptized . yet i do not know that this author would have us thence infer , that none such were baptized , or that they ought not so to be . nor have we any express mention of womens receiving the other sacrament ; nor any express command for their so doing ( any more than for females being circumcised ) yet i know not any who doth therefore think they ought not . we know that children were reputed members of the church of god before christ's coming ; and we have no reason to think that christ did put them out ( and make them in a worse condition than they were before ) but rather would have them continue so to be ; and seems to favour it , by that of suffer little children to come to me and forbid them not ; for of such is the kingdom of heaven mar. . . and did accordingly embrace them as such . and therefore , as ( before ) they were circumcised , ( which was then the sacrament of admission ; ) so they should ( now ) be baptized which is our sacrament of admission . ) and when we find whole families to be baptized , we cannot think but that there might be little children in some of them ; ( and more likely so than otherwise . ) and we are , in such cases , to practise according to what we may judge by what we find . we find also that women were baptized ( though not circumcised in the jewish church , ) yet we have no command for so doing . and because there seems to be the same reason for womens receiving the other sacrament as for men , ( and we find nothing to the contrary , ) therefore we do now practise it ( as the most likely to be god's will , according to the light we now have ) though we find in scripture neither express precept nor example for it . in like manner it is no argument that christ or his apostles did not make such a change , because in scripture it is not expresly said so . 't is enough if we there find so much as that we may thence reasonably judge they did so ; and more likely so than not . now i meet with so much there to that purpose , as makes 〈◊〉 judge they did . and so much as ( i believe ) would make this gentleman so to think , if he were not otherwise prepossessed with prejudice ; and with a great fondness to find out somewhat wherewith to find fault . i find that christ , on the very day of his resurrection ( which was the first day of their week ) did not only appear to the good women at the sepulchre ( who sought him there ) and declare to them the resurrection ( which was then to preach a new doctrine , of which they were not before aware ) and bid them tell it to his disciples : but did also the same day himself declare it to two of them going to emmaus ( luk. . ) preaching to them , from moses and the prophets ver . , , ▪ the doctrine of his death and resurrection ( which was to them a new doctrine , which till then they did not understand , ) or ( as the phrase there is ) did expound to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself ver . . which i think , was preaching , and did open to them the scriptures ( ver . . ) concerning those points ; ( which was a sabbath-days exercise , though perhaps they did not at first so apprehend it ) and did , i take it , celebrate with them the sacrament of the lords supper ( and perhaps the first time after the first institution ) for so much seems to be implyed in those words , ( ver . . ) he took bread and blessed it , and brake , and gave to them , and ( ver . . ) he was known to them by breaking of bread , ( for that sacrament used to be designed by breaking of bread. ) and if our author could but shew so much as this , once done , in the first years from the creation , on the seventh day , it would be a better proof for the celebration of the seventh-day sabbath in that time , than all that he offers at to that purpose . and the effect of this preaching was on them so much , that their eyes were opened , and their heart did burn within them , while he talked with them by the way , and opened to them the scriptures , ver . , . and they returned presently ( the same hour ) to ierusalem , to acquaint the disciples ( who were there assembled ) with this good news . if he tell us that this journey from ierusalem to emmaus ( being about threescore furlongs , near eight of our miles ) and back again , was more than a sabbath-days iourney ; i confess it was ( unless upon an urgent occasion ) if they had known it to be a sabbath-day , when they undertook the iourney ; but this then they knew not ; nor was it therefore , on this occasion , a breach of the sabbath so to do . if he say , christ knew it ( though they did not ) if it were now a sabbath . 't is true ; he did so . but christ , i presume , in that estate ( after his resurrection ) could travel without pain , and therefore without breaking the sabbath . or if it were painful ; he tells us mat. . , that the priests in the temple profane the sabbath and are blameless ; that is , they take as much pains or labour in killing , dressing , and offering the sacrifices , as a butcher would do in killing and dressing his meat ; which would in the butcher be a culpable profanation of the sabbath ; but is not so in the priests , because theirs is religious service . nor doth this author think that in preaching , though it be a labour , the minister doth thereby break the sabbath . and such was christs imployment here . and , then , whether he preach standing , or preach walking , 't is all one . and if he say farther , that the disciples at ierusalem ( not then knowing this ) could not be thought then to have met upon a sabbatical account : i grant this also , that their then meeting was providential ( as was that of the two other meeting christ in their journey , ) yet they might before they parted ( as did those others ) know more of it than at their first coming together . and christ knew before what he meant to do , though they did not , and did accordingly so order it by his providence . and though they did not know that it was thenceforth to be kept as a sabbath , yet may they well be supposed to be imployed on religious work , upon what tidings the women had before brought them ( of christs being risen ) waiting for what directions they should farther receive from christ. to this purpose let us consider what was further done at this meeting . while these two were telling the rest what had happened to them ; as they thus spake ( ver . . ) iesus himself stood in the midst of them , and said peace be unto you : and did ( by shewing them his hands , and feet , and their handling of them , and seeing him eat before them ) convince them that he was indeed risen from the dead , and that it was not only a spirit that appeared to them ( ver . , , , , , . ) and did again , to them , preach the same doctrine which he had before preached to the two ; that it was what he had told them while he was yet with them ( though they did not understand it , ) that this was but what was written in the law of moses , and the prophets , and the psalms concerning him ; and opened their understanding that they might understand the scriptures ; that it was thus written , that it behoved christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day ; and that repentance and remission of sins was to be preached in his name among all nations ; whereof they were to be his witnesses , and apostles ( ver . , , , , . ) and did renew his promise of sending the holy-ghost , and power from on high ( v. . ) he did moreover at the same meeting , not only upbraid them for their unbelief , ( mark . . ) but did authorize them with a solemn commission for the work they were to be sent abqut , to go into all the world , and preach the gospel to every creature ; that he who believeth and is baptized shall be saved , but he who believeth not shall be damned , ( ver . , , ) and a power to work miracles ( ver . , , ) in confirmation of that doctrine . and to the same purpose , iohn ▪ . the same day at evening ( in which he before appeared to mary magdalen and the rest ) being the first day of the week ( the very day of his resurrection ) where the disciples were assembled ( at a private meeting ) for fear of the iews ( the door being shut ) iesus came and stood in the midst of them , and gave them his solemn benediction , saying unto them , peace be unto you ; and in confirmation of his resurrection , shewed them his hands and his side ; ( ver . . ) and then a second time gives them his solemn blessing together with his ordination or commission for preaching the gospel , and planting the christian church , iesus saith to them again , peace be unto you ; as my father hath sent me , even so send i you . and when he had said this , he breathed upon them and said unto them , receive the holy ghost : who 's soever sins ye remit , they are remitted to them ; and who 's soever sins ye retain , they are retained , ver . , , . all which being put together , seems to me very like the celebration ( if not the consecration ) of a christian sabbath , or day of holy rest and religious service . 't is all of it sabbatical work , and there is a great deal of it . 't is not indeed expresly said , that he did bid them thus to meet on such other first day of the week , ( as neither is it expresly said , gen. . . that god did then bid adam and eve to keep a weekly sabbath , or that he did bid them to offer sacrifice ; ) but it is very likely christ might so order it ( and more likely than that he did not . ) for , that they did so meet we are sure ; and therefore 't is very likely ( if not a strong presumption ) that they were bid so to do . for so we find it ioh. . . after eight days ( that is , as we commonly speak in english , on that day sennight ) his disciples were again within , and thomas with them ( who before was absent ) the door being shut ; then iesus came and stood in the midst and said peace be unto you , ( as he had done the week before , ) and satisfyed thomas , who before doubted . so that we have here two solemn meetings of the disciples , two weeks together ( the two first after his resurrection ) on the first day of the week ; and christ with them on both . ( and i am sure we have not more for the first sabbath , gen. . . ) on how many more such sabbaths he so met with them , i cannot tell . that he oft appeared to them ( during the forty days of his abode on earth after his resurrection ) we cannot doubt , and its like it might be on these days . the cavil which here he makes to this place , is so weak , that i am sorry to see it from one who would seem to be serious . as if eight days after , or after eight days , were not the same as what we would say a week after or that day sennight after ; for he must needs know , that 't is not only the common scripture language , but the general language of latine and greek writers , to reckon inclusively ; that is , to take in both the extreams ; and so it is even at this day ( i think ) in most languages except english. what we call a sennight , the french call huict jours ( eight days ) and what we say a fortnight , is with them quinze jours ( fifteen days ; ) and so in all manner of reckoning . a fourth , a fifth , an eighth , a fifteenth , and other intervals in musick are always so reckoned . what we call a third-day-ague , the latins call a quartan ; and what we call every other day , they call a tertian . so they call secundo calendas ( i. e. secundo die ante calendas ) what we would say one day ( not two days ) before the calends ; and they call tertio calendas , what is with us two days ( not three days ) before the calends . so nudius tertius is what we would say two days ago ; and nudius quartus is in our language three days ago ( not four. ) so mark . . where christ speaks of himself , that the son of man should be killed and after three days rise again , that is , on the third day after ( inclusively taken ) or after the third day is come ; whereas , according to the sense this author would put upon the words , it should rather have been said after one day ( for there was but one day between his death and resurrection ; ) and it is the same in sense , with what he says ioh. . . destroy this temple , ( speaking of his body ) and in three days i will raise it up , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or as mat. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , the third day after ( inclusively . ) and mat. . . they tell pilate , this deceiver said , after three days i will rise again , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( meaning thereby the third day after , inclusively , ) and therefore they pray , that the sepulchre may be made sure till the third day . whereas , if ( as our author would reckon upon his fingers ) by after three days ; were to be understood , when three whole days after that should be past , they need not set their watch before the fourth or fifth day . thus christ's ascension is said to be forty days after his resurrection , ( speaking of a scripture computation , in scripture language , ) which in our ordinary manner of speech is but nine and thirty . for ascension-thursday ( if easter-day be not reckoned for one ) is but days after easter . upon a like account that christ tells us mat. . . that as jonas was three days and three nights in the whales belly , so shall the son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth . not three whole days , and three whole nights ; but , till the third was begun . for by day and night is here understood the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or what we now call the artificial day , consisting of hours , day and night : and till such third day ( or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) was begun , christ rested in the grave ; otherwise , though he were in the grave ( part of ) three days , yet but two nights . so luke . . when eight days were accomplished ( for the circumcision of the child ) they called his name iesus ; that is , upon the eighth day , inclusively ; reckoning the day of birth for the first , and the day of circumcision for the last ( of the eight days ) which with six whole days between make eight . ( whereas , if eight whole days had been fully past , christ had been circumcised the tenth day . ) the sense being the same with that concerning iohn the baptist , luk. . . on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child . so here , after eight days , that is on the eighth day , or after the eighth day was come . and this , i think , is the constant language of scripture every where . and his objection needs no other answer , but , that st. john did not speak english. and i cannot but think ( however he please thus to object ) that himself doth believe this , after eight days , to be here meant of the first day of the next week , ( and he should have been so candid as to own it . ) and that post octo dies is the same in sense with octo post diebus , that is , the eighth day after , ( reckoning the present day for one , ) and that it is so to be understood in this place . we should not , in a serious enquiry , press what possibly might be , but what we truly think is the meaning . a lawyer at the bar may fairly propose for his client , what possibly may be the sense of such or such a clause . but a judge on the bench ( and a counsellor , to his client , ) is to consider what really is the sense of words in question . i dare appeal to himself , whether ( in his own thoughts ) he do not think after eight days , here to signifie the same , as after eight days were accomplished , luk. . . and , if so , then this is rather to wrangle , than to dispute fairly . before i dismiss this place , it is not amiss to take more particular notice about what time it was that mary magdalen and the other women came to the sepulchre on the day of christs resurrection . 't is said luke . , . when they beheld the sepulchre and how the body was laid , ( on the sixth day day at night whereon he was crucified ) they returned and prepared spices and ointments , and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment . and in the next words luk. . . now upon the first day of the week , very early in the morning , they came to the sepulchre bringing the spices which they had prepared . in mat. . . in the end of the sabbath when it began to dawn toward the first day of the week . in mark . . when the sabbath was past , very early in the morning the first day of the week , they came to the sepulchre at the rising of the sun , or by sun-rising . and ioh. . . the first day of the week , early , when it was yet dark , they came to the sepulchre . ( perhaps all the women did not come just at the same time , but were all there by sun-rising . ) but the body was raised before they came , as is agreed by all the evangelists . where i observe first that the sabbath , according to their account , did not end till toward the morning of the next day . the end of the sabbath , or when the sabbath was past , was early in the morning , before the sun-rising , while the day did begin to dawn , and while it was yet dark . very early indeed in the morning , but yet not till morning , ( not in the evening over night . ) and therefore ( without disputing how the day was reputed to begin in the time of moses ) 't is manifest that , at this time , as well the sabbath as other days was by them reckoned not from ( the beginning of ) the evening to ( the beginning of ) the evening , but rather ( according to the rom. account ) from midnight to midnight . for 't is manifest that it was toward evening of the sixth day before the crucifixion was over ; for it was some while after the ninth hour ( that is , after our three a clock ) that he cryed with a loud voice and gave up the ghost , mark . , . and it was yet later , when they brake the legs of the two thieves , ( that they might not remain on the cross upon the sabbath ) but only pierced his side , because he was already dead , joh. . , , , . and later yet when ioseph of arimathea begged his body and buried it . for 't is expresly said , when even was come there came a rich man of arimathea , named ioseph , and begged the body of iesus , and when he had taken the body ▪ he wrapped it in a clean linnen cloth and buried it in his own new tomb , mat. . , , , . mark . , , , , . luk . , , . but , though even were come before this time , yet the sabbath was not begun ; for so it followeth , luk. . . that day was the preparation and the sabbath drew on . and after this , ver . , . the women who beheld the sepulchre , and how the body was laid , returned and prepared spices and ointments ( the same night ) but rested the sabbath day according to the commandment ; and by this time it must needs be pretty late at night ; while yet the sabbath was not begun . that is , i suppose not till midnight of the sixth day . nor was the sabbath ended when evening began on the seventh day . for if so , the women might that night have brought and applyed their spices and ointments which they had prepared the night before . for they had as much time so to do , after the evening was begun that night ( if the sabbath were now ended ) as they had , to do what was done the night before ; after that evening was then begun . nothing hindered them but because the sabbath was not yet done , and they were to rest the sabbath day according to the commandment . but , so soon as well they could , when the sabbath was ended , they came early , the next morning , while it was yet dark . and might as well have come the night before , if the sabbath had ended when the evening began . i add farther , if the sabbath had ended at the evening of the seventh day , and the first day of the week had then begun ( as this author would have it , ) christ might have risen that night ( for it would then have been the third day , ) and not have stay'd in the grave ( for the third day ) till the next morning , which yet we know he did . 't is manifest therefore that the first day of the week did begin from the middle of the night , not from the first evening of the seventh day . and that christ was risen very early in the morning of that first day while it was yet dark . we are next to consider how long that first day lasted . after christ was risen early in the morning while it was yet dark , ( how early that was , we cannot tell , but it was in the morning , not over night ; ) he appeared first to mary magdalen , and the women who went to the sepulchre ; they , as they were directed , carried news of it to the disciples ; and when they were going , ( mat. . . ) the watch came into the city and shewed to the high-priests the things which were done ; who , calling a councel , gave the souldiers money to say , his disciples came and stole him away while they were asleep ; undertaking to secure them in case the governour should come to hear it . upon this news being brought by the women to the disciples , two of them , from the rest , went to the sepulchre to enquire into the business ; and brought an account of it to the rest , who were astonished at it . and all this happened before the two disciples began their journey to emmaus ; for they discoursed of it by the way , and told it to iesus who fell into their company , luk . , , , , , . now their journey from ierusalem to emmaus , was about threescore furlongs , ver . . which our author rightly computes to be about seven miles and an half , of our miles ; which they travelled on foot , for 't is said they walked , ( mark . . ) and iesus in their company , preaching to them ( out of moses and the prophets ) the doctrine of christ's death and resurrection . when they came near to emmaus it was towards evening , and the day far spent , ( luk. . . ) they did there abide for some time , and iesus with them , continuing to preach on the same subject , and was at length known to them by breaking of bread , ver . . . after which they returned to ierusalem and told these things to the disciples then gathered together , ver . . by which time ( having now walked another seven miles and an half ) we may reasonably suppose it to be pretty late at night ; for , when they first approached to emmaus it was then so late , as that it was not thought convenient ( unless upon some such great occasion ) to travel further , ver . . yet , after they were come back to ierusalem , christ then appeared himself to the disciples , blessing them , reproaching their unbelief , confirming their faith , giving them instructions , and commission for preaching the gospel , and planting the christian church . and it was yet but the same day at evening , being the first day of the week , ( joh. . . ) on which he rose : but , now late at night , when the doors were shut ; that is , ( if i mistake not ) so late as that it was time to shut up doors as men use to do towards bed-time . not as if christ came in through the key-hole ( any more than did the two disciples that came from emmaus ) or did penetrate the doors , ( as the papists would have us think in favour of their transubstantiation ; ) for they were not so shut but that they could , be opened again ( upon occasion ) to let him in ( as they had been to let in those two that came from emmaus ) ▪ as well as to let in peter ( late at night ) act. . . so that from very early in the morning while it was dark , till very late night and about mid-night , was the same day , the first day of the week . 't is manifest therefore that about our saviours time , according to the computation of the new testament , both the jews and the four evangelists did reckon their days from mid-night to mid-night . and if they did not so reckon ▪ christ could not be said ( mat. . . ) to be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth . for it was evening , when ▪ ioseph begged the body of iesus , and later yet before he had buried it , and yet this must be reckoned part of the sixth day , olse he had not been three days in the grave , or heart of the earth . and i think they were so reckoned in the times of the old testament also . which though it be not so much to the present purpose , yet ( if you will pardon this digression ) i will tell you why i think so . it is i know an opinion taken up by some ( and i find it is grown pretty current even amongst learned men ) that the jews in the time of the old testament did reckon their days from evening to evening ( whether they mean from sun-set to sun-set , or from six a clock to six a clock , i cannot tell , nor perhaps are they all agreed as to that point . ) but i take it to be a mistake ; which being at first taken up without sufficient ground hath since passed ( without further examination ) from hand to hand . we find exod. . . the pass-over was to be killed in the first month , on the fourteenth day in the evening ; which i think is agreed by all to be the evening at the end of the fourteenth day , ( not that at the end of the thirteenth , ) for the next morning was the fifteenth day ; which evening therefore belonged to the fourteenth day . but it is noted in the margin of our bibles , that it is , in the hebrew , between the two evening ▪ s. you 'l ask perhaps , what are those two evenings : i 'le tell you what i think they are . the word day , you know , is taken in a double sense . sometimes for ( what we call ) the natural day ( as it is contradistinguished to night ) from sun-rising to sun-setting : sometimes for ( what we call ) the artificial day ( or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) so as to take in both day and night . our saviour tells us there are twelve hours in the day ; meaning the natural day . but in the artificial day ( of which we are now speaking ) there be four and twenty hours . some please to call that the natural day , which i call the artificial ( for all do not use the words in the same sense ) but that matters not , so long as we understand one another . now by the word evening is understood the end of the day . which , as to the natural day , is at sun-set ; but as to the artificial day , it is ( i think ) at mid-night . and consequently , between the two evenings , is as much as to say , after sun-set , and before mid-night . and this is what , in our language , we commonly call the evening , which is in the hebrew between the two evenings , ( that is , between the end of the natural day , and the end of the artificial day : ) and within this time was the passover to be killed , rosted and eaten ; nothing of it was to remain till the morning ; that is , not after mid-night ; for as soon as mid-night is past morning begins . and within this time all leaven was to be put away ; that is before the mid-night of the fourteenth day . which is so fair an account of it , as that we need not scruple to embrace it . and it was the fifteenth day , that was the first day of the feast of unlevened bread ; ( all leven being put away before mid-night , ) and this fifteenth day was to be kept as a sabbath , and a holy feast to the lord , ver . . ( on what ever day of the week it chanced to fall . ) and so was the one and twentieth day , which was the last of those seven days : seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread ; even the first day ye shall put away ( or shall have put away ) leaven out of your house . and in the first day there shall be an holy convocation , and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation ; no manner of work shall be done in them , save that which every man shall eat ; ( that is they are to be kept as a sabbath or day of holy rest ; ) ver . , . from the fourteenth day at evening till the one and twentieth day at evening , ver . . that is , from the fourteenth day at midnight , till the one and twentieth at mid-night . and in like manner , lev. . . from even to even , or night to night , that is , from mid-night to mid-night ; or from the end of one evening to the end of the next evening . so in levit. . . and numb . . , . in the fourteenth day of the first month is the pass-over of the lord ; and in the fifteenth day of this month is the feast ; seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten , &c. where it is manifest that the fourteenth day which is the lords pass-over , is another day from the fifteenth which is the first day of the feast . for i will pass through the land of egypt ( saith god ) this night ; ( that is the night of the fourteenth day ) and will smite all the first born in the land of egypt , ex. . . and what time of the night it was , we are told ver . . and it came to pass at midnight the lord smote all the first born of the land of egypt . and to the same purpose moses tells pharaoh , chap. . , , , , thus saith the lord , about mid-night will i go out into the midst of egypt , and the first born of the land of egypt shall dy , from the first born of pharaoh , &c. that ye may know that the lord hath put a difference between the egyptians and israel . so that the fourteenth day , which was the lords pass-over continued till the mid-night of that day ; and then began the fifteenth day which was the first day of the feast . than which i think nothing can be more clear . and num. . . the fifteenth day of the first month is the morrow after the pass-over . in like manner , deut. . . thou shalt sacrifice the pass-over at even , at the going down of the sun , ( that is , after the going down of the sun , or when the sun is gone down ) at the season that thou camest forth out of egypt , which was about mid-night , ex. . . ex. . . what he offers from gen. . . is easily answered . the evening and the morning were the first day , ( and so of the other days ; ) whence he would have it thought , that the day is to begin at the begining of the evening . or ( as the margin tells us it is in the hebrew ) the evening was , and the morning was , the first day . or , there was evening , and there was morning , day one , ( for in such order the words stand in the hebrew . ) or , and was evening , and was morning , day one . that is , there was in the first day , ( and so in the rest ) evening and morning ; or darkness and light ; and the dark is put first , because ( beginning the day from midnight ) the dark is before the light. and by day one , is meant the first day . and it was moreover very agreable so to reckon . for , supposing paradise the principal seat of action ; the sun may reasonably be supposed to be created ( in the middle of the fourth day , gen. . . ) in the meridian of that place , ( as in its greatest splendor ) or , if not in the meridian of that place , it must needs be in the meridian of some place : and wherever that be , the day ( of hours ) being there half past , it must have begun at mid-night foregoing . and i doubt not but a child born on saturday night at ten a clock , was to be circumcised the next saturday ( as being the eighth day , ) not on the sunday after . i have insisted the longer on this , because i find him afterward moving another question about what time the sabbath is to begin and end , and lays great stress upon it , as we shall see anon . of which i think we need not be further solicitous than to begin and end this day , according as other days are accounted to begin and end in the places where we live . i do not think the fourth commandment to descend to these punctilio's . but , if he think it necessary to be more curious in it ; i take it to be very plain from what i have said , that at the time of christs death and resurrection , it was accounted to begin very early in the morning , while it was dark , and continue till very late at night , according as we now account our days , from midnight to mid-night . but i go on . we have now found our saviours example , as to the two first sundays from his resurrection ( if at least their first day of the week be our sunday ) imploying the day in religious exercises and sabbatical affairs with his disciples . how many more sundays he so spent with them we cannot tell . which examples of his two first , with their imitation of him in others after , ( of which we are to speak by and by , ) and the churches practise ever since , looks so like the celebration and institution of a christian sabbath , or day of holy rest and religious exercise , as that we may warrantably do the like . i am sure it is more than he can shew for the saturday sabbath in gen. . . save that men are apt to think a small thing an institution and ius divinum for what they fansy ; but , as to what they do not , nothing will serve but full express words . we have next clear evidence , of a like practise ( consonant to this example ) in act. . . on the first day of the week ▪ when the disciples came together to break bread , paul preached unto them ready to depart on the morrow , and continued his speech until mid-night . which is so plain that he is much put to his shifts to avoid it . that here is a religious assembly of the disciples , he doth not deny ; paul was preaching very late , even till mid-night , and they met to break bread , which i think is generally agreed by interpreters , to signify the celebration of the lords supper ; and i know not well what clearer character we need demand of a religious meeting for worship , sutable to the work of a sabbath or holy rest. and it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which i think he will not deny ( though he seem to cavil at it ) to signify , on the first day of the week . but he excepts , that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here translated preached , is elsewhere render'd reasoned or discoursed . be it so , and if that word will please him better , let it be so here ; he reasoned , discoursed , treated , or did hold forth ; that i think will not alter the case ; and he continued , or held on ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) this discourse , this speech , this sermon , ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sermonem ) till mid-night ; ( he held on this holding forth till mid-night ) which i take to be the same with what we now call preaching , ( or very like it ; ) 't was a long continued discourse to a congregation met together on a religious account for the service of god. but let it be called ( if he please ) a religious discourse of the holy apostle to a congregation of christians met together for such a purpose . he would then have it thought a favour or condescention to admit this breaking of bread , to be meant of the lords supper ; and not barely a common eating . but since he doth not deny it , we will accept the favour and take it so to be ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the disciples being congregated or assembled to break bread ▪ 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the disciples ; ( not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some of them : ) and they were ( perhaps not every one but the generality of them , as at other meetings ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 congregated or assembled ; and it seems to be a good full congregation , by eutychus's being mounted to the third loft ( whatever he meant by that third loft , though but the third scaffold , ) so high that by a fall from thence he was in great danger of being killed . now it is not likely that such a congregation of christians were thus assembled for common eating . he says , paul was to go away on the morrow . true ; but it is not said they came together to take leave of paul ; but , came together to break bread. paul's going away on the morrow , might be the reason ( and i believe was ) why they continued there so long : but the end for which they came together , was to break bread : and the occasion of their so coming , because it was the first day of the week : on which , it should seem , they were wont so to do for that end . and if he candidly ▪ consider it , methinks ▪ it should seem so to him . paul came to them at troas in five days , where he abode seven days : and on the first day of the week when the disciples came together to break bread , paul preachea to them . doth not the fair prospect of the place import thus much , that they were then met to break bread , as being the first day of the week ? what other occasion was there of mentioning what day of the week it was ? it had been otherwise a fairer transition to have said , he staid there seven days , and on the seventh day ( or the last of those seven ) the disciples came together to take leave of paul and sup with him over night , who was to depart on the morrow . now if it had been said on the seventh day ( though meaning but the last of those seven ) it would no doubt have been urged as a great argument of paul's keeping a seventh day sabbath , and the disciples with him ; not as a iewish but as a christiam assembly ; for breaking of bread ( which was a christian not a iewish service ; ) for then , breaking of bread , would certainly have been the lords supper : ( but because it was on the first day of the week ) it must now be but common eating , to take leave of paul ▪ and to sup with him ; as ( he tells us p. . ) friends commonly do ( when a minister or any other special acquaintance intends to take a iourney in the morning ) to sup with him over night . but if he thinks this to be all which is there meant by the disciples coming together on the first day of the week to break bread ; he must excuse me if i cannot be of his opinion . but because he is content to admit ( upon some terms ) their meeting might be upon a religious account , for the lords supper ( as no doubt it was ) i shall press him no further therein : but accept of his condescension . when he tells us , that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is greek for one , and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may as well be rendered one day of the week , as the first day of the week : surely he is not in earnest . such trifling doth more hurt than help his cause . no doubt , but , when ever they met ▪ it was one day of the week , we need not be told it ; nor need the word week be added , he might as well have said one day ; nor need he have said so much ▪ but this author cannot think ( nor doth he ) that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth any where signify other than the first day of the week . in the whole story of christs resurrection , and what followed on that day in all the four evangelists , we have no other word for it but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , nor have we any other word for it ( that i know of ) there or any where else . i do not know that it is any where called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . such shifting doth not look well . 't is somewhat like the story of a man who bought a horse for five pounds to be paid the next day . and accordingly on the next day he sent five pounds of candles . perhaps ( in the bargain ) it was not said expresly ( in words at length ) five pounds of lawful money of england . but , by common intendment , it must be so understood . ( and an honest english iury ▪ upon a tryal , would so find it . ) the latin word pridie , is a derivative ( or compound rather ) from prae , prior ; and postridie from post , posterior ; and accordingly ( in latin ) pridie calendarum , and postridie calendarum must signify a day before , and a day after the calends . but can any man think it is meant of any day ? no , but the next day before , and the next day after . so if we say , christ was crucified one day before the sabbath , and rose again one day after the sabbath . this one day is the next day . and so any man who hath not a mind to cavil , will understand it . and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , one day after the sabbath , must needs be understood of the next day after the sabbath : nor is it ever used in any other sense . if it were to be understood of any indefinitely , it should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some day after the sabbath , not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one day after . but the most pleasant shift of all , is , when he would have us think that this evening ( which is called the first day of the week ) was the evening after the seventh day , that is saturday night ; and the next morning ( when paul was to go away ) was sunday morning ( and he to travel that sunday : ) and that the evening of saturday was the beginning of sunday , and was therefore called the first day of the week . because it is said gen. . the evening and the morning was the first day , ( and so of the rest , ) and therefore the evening was the beginning of every day . see what ▪ shift a man will make , rather than quit an opinion he hath once taken up . we are taught that on the fourteenth day of the first month at even the pass-over was to be killed . doth he think that this fourteenth day at even was the end of the thirteenth day , the fourteenth day then beginning ? i think every body else takes it to be the evening at the end of the fourteenth day , and the fifteenth day ( on the morrow ) was the first day of the feast of unleavened bread. for though it were the fourteenth day at evening , yet it was the fourteenth day , not the fifteenth . and luke . . the evening after our saviours crucifixion , on the sixth day , when it was late at night ( as was shewed before , and must be , according to the story of what had been done before that time ) was yet but the preparation , not the sabbath , the seventh day being not yet begun . for so we have it , it was the preparation , and the sabbath drew on . and the women were then preparing their spices and oyntments , yet rested the sabbath day according to the commandment ; so that the sabbath day was not yet begun ; nor was it ended when the evening of the next day began , but on the morning of the day following ▪ as was shewed above . and ( as we shewed at large before ) the first day of the week ( on which christ rose ) began very early in the morning while it was dark , and continued ( the same day ) till very late at night . and this is the constant language of the new testament every where . so that when the congregation of christians , acts . . did on the first day of the week assemble to break bread , and paul preached to them , continuing his sermon till mid-night ; this must needs be on what we call sunday ; and the morning following was munday morning ; not sunday morning as this author would have it . 't is manifest therefore , that there was a religious assembly , of the christian congregation at troas , on the first day of the week , for celebration of the lords supper , and preaching ; and paul with them . which i take to be the celebration of a christian sabbath . however , this ( he says ) is but one instance . true , this is but one . ( but we have heard of more before , and shall hear of more by and by . ) but this one is more than he can shew for more than two thousand five hundred years ( from god's resting on the seventh day gen. . . till after israel was come out of egypt ex. . ) during which time he would have us think the seventh-day sabbath was constantly observed . and if he could shew any one such instance ( of enoch , noah , abraham , or other , ) where such a religious assembly , for the worship of god , was held on the seventh day in course from the creation ; he would think his point well proved , though no more were said of it than is of this . whereas now as to the time from thence to the floud , he brings no other proof , but that abel , and enoch , and noah were good men ( as no doubt they were ) and therefore it is to be presumed they kept a sabbath ; and that upon the seventh day . which is to beg the question , not to prove it . from thence till israels going into egypt , all that he brings to prove this matter of fact is but that of gen. . . where ( speaking of abram and lot , with the multitude of their cattel ) it is said , the land was not able to bear them that they might dwell together ; for their substance was great so that they could not dwell together ; and there was a strife between the herd-men of abrams cattle , and the herd-men of lots cattle , &c. they could not dwell together , that is ( saith he ) they could not rest together , that is , they could not keep a sabbath together ; therefore ( he concludes ) they did use to keep a sabbath ; and that sabbath was the seventh day in course from the creation . and is not this a goodly proof ? i should think ( if he would put a stress on the word rest ) it should rather signify , they could not live quietly together without their herd-mens quarrelling about their pasture ; for so it follows in the next words , there was a strife between their herds-men . from thence till after their coming out of egypt , he brings no other proof but that of ex. . , . where , when moses and aaron had been pressing pharaoh to let israel go three days iourney into the wilderness , to keep a feast and sacrifice to the lord their god ; pharaoh replies , wherefore do ye lett ( or hinder ) the people from their work ; you make them rest from their burdens , or you take them off from their work ; that is , says he , you make them keep a sabbath . for the word or verb there translated you make them rest is , ( he tells us ) a derivative from another verb which signifies to rest , from which verb the word sabbath is also derived : they did therefore rest ( saith he ) that is keep a sabbath , and that sabbath was every week , and it was on the seventh day in course from the creation . alas ! how little do either or both of these places prove , of what he would have to be granted him thence ! he tells us sometimes there were other sabbaths , besides that of the seventh day ; i am sure there were other restings . if moses and aaron had desired pharaoh to excuse them from their work one day in seven , that on such day they might serve the lord their god ; it would have looked like an argument . but when it is , to go three days into the wilderness to keep a feast to the lord ; what is this to a weekly sabbath ? this seventh-day sabbath , so runs in the mind of this author , that if any where he can lay hold of the word rest , it must presently prove a seventh-day-sabbath . else who would have thought , that because abram and lot could not dwell quietly together ; therefore they must needs keep a sabbath , and that upon the seventh day , and in course from the creation ? and the like of the israelites in egypt , because moses and aaron are said to hinder them from their work ; therefore they did constantly keep a weekly sabbath , and that upon the seventh day , in course from the creation . he might have to better purpose , alleged pharaoh's seven fat kine and seven lean ones , and the seven full ears of corn , and seven empty ; for here we have the number seven signalized ; only these were seven years , not seven days ; and the like of nebuchadnezzar's being seven years turned out to the beasts of the field , dan. . , , . or that of the clean beasts and fowls coming into the ark by sevens , gen. . , . but , what is more to his purpose ( and which he should not have missed ) is that of gen. . . and gen. . , . where we have the interval of seven days particularly mentioned ; for yet seven days , and i will cause it to rain upon the earth , &c. ( chap. . . ) where god gives to noah just a weeks warning of the time when the floud should begin , during which interval ( if those days were sabbath days ) he might remove himself and what was necessary into the ark before the next sabbath . and , toward the end of the floud , noah sends out the dove , chap. . . and he staid seven days , and again sent forth the dove , ver . . and he staid yet other seven days , and sent forth the dove , &c. ver . . where we have the dove sent out three times , just at seven days distance . and how do we know but that these three days were three sabbath days ? which though it be not a conclusive argument , is better than any that he brings . for here we have three intervals of seven days , in these two chapters . but if a weekly sabbath were then kept , 't is very strange that we should have no intimation of any such thing in the books of moses ( before israel's coming out of egypt . ) and much more , that there is nothing of it in the book of iob. and , that none of his friends ( amongst the many charges they bring against him ) should never object his neglect of the sabbath , or want of due observance thereof . which being so plausible an objection , it seems more likely , that a sabbath was not then wont to be observed : for which he hath so very little to shew . and by what we have iob . . it should seem that iob's seven sons kept feasting ( each in his own day ) for seven days together ; without any mention of a sabbath intervening . nor was it a religious feast but a feast of mirth and jollity , such as made iob suspicious lest they might sin and curse god in their heart , v. . and therefore he offer'd propitiatory sacrifices for them continually , or ( as the margin tells us it is in the hebrew ) all the days , that is every of these seven days . as little a matter will serve his turn to prove ( p. . ) that christs ascension was , and his coming to iudgment is to be , on a saturday , or seventh-day-sabbath : because it is said acts . . that mount olivet ( whence he ascended ) is , from ierusalem , a sabbath-days iourney . but he tells us that by no account that he can make ▪ can he assign the ascension on the first day , ( no more can i. ) but what then ? well! but why upon a saturday rather than a sunday ? because he observes , that after christ's ascension from mount olivet , it is said , then they returned to ierusalem , from mount olivet , which is from ierusalem a sabbath-days iourney . well! what of this ? he cannot see why it was expresly said , that it was but a sabbath-days iourney from ierusalem , but because it was the sabbath-day . perhaps i may shew him another reason as likely as it . if the word then do not there signify the same day ( but only at large , after his ascension ▪ ) this is nothing to the purpose . but admitting that by then be meant the same day ; the connexion runs fairly thus , after his ascension they returned from thence to ierusalem the same day , for it was ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) but a little way off , about a sabbath days iourney . which , i think , is a fair account of the place ▪ especially since we know otherwise , that it was not upon 〈…〉 account ( as he speaks ) will serve as well for the one as for the other . but , indeed , for neither . but how doth this concern his coming to iudgment ? yes , because it is there said ( ver . . ) he shall come in like manner ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) as ye have seen him go into heaven . and ( because this author fansies ) he did ascend on a sabbath day , therefore ( he fansies also ) he shall on a sabbath day come again . i see a weak argument , with a strong fansy will go far . but to prove his ascension to be on the sabbath ( besides this , of a sabbath-days journey ) he adds further , that christ and his disciples were then assembled , and that christ preached . well! and why may we not as well conclude that the day of his resurrection was also a sabbath ? for christ and his disciples were then assembled , ( first at emmaus , and then at ierusalem , ) and christ did then also ( at both places ) preach to them , and the substance of his preaching was much the same , ( as will appear by comparing luk . with acts . ) and did then also celebrate the lords supper . and eight days after , christ was again assembled with the disciples , and preached to them , on the same day of the week . if christs presence and preaching will prove the ascension day to be a sabbath , why should it not as well prove the resurrection day to be a sabbath ? the onely difference is , that ( he thinks ) serves his turn , but this makes against him . and why should it not also be thought a sabbath , acts . for paul and the disciples were then assembled ; and they were assembled to break bread ; and paul there preached to them . and all these assemblies were on the first day of the week . and they seem to me a much stronger proof of the first day , ( the day of his resurrection ) being a sabbath , than that the ascension day was so . and the preaching which our author here mentions as on the day of ascension , seems to me rather to have been on that of the resurrection . for st. luke in the beginning of this chapter of acts . seems to give a short repetition of what himself had delivered more at large luk. . and gives an account not only of what happened on the day of ascension , ( though he close with it ) but of what happened during the forty days from his resurrection to that time . and this preaching , i take to be that mentioned luke . on the day of his resurrection . but ( after all ) this is but a whimsey , ( what he tells us of christs ascension on a seventh-day-sabbath . ) for 't is very plain that his ascension was neither on a seventh day , nor on a first , but on a fifth day of the week . for 't is plainly said , acts . . that he shewed himself alive after his passion , being seen of them forty days , ( that is , he was seen of them at times , not constantly , for the space of fourty days ) whereof that of his resurrection was the first , and that of his ascension was the last . and if that were sunday , this must be thursday . he may tell it upon his fingers ( as he speaks p. . ) if he please . but though our saviours ascension was not on the seventh day of the week ( in observance of the seventh-day sabbath , or in confirmation thereof : ) yet the mission of the holy ghost ( according as on the first day of the week , the day of his resurrection , he had promised . luk . . ) was on the first day of the week fulfilled also , as appears acts . when the day of pentecost was fully come , that is , the fiftieth day ( for so pentecost signifieth in greek ) they were all with one accord in one place ( that is , they were unanimously assembled ) and suddenly there came a sound from heaven , as of a rushing mighty wind , and filled the house , where they were sitting ; and there appeared to them cloven tongues like as of fire , and it sat upon each of them ( that is , at least , upon each of the apostles , ) and they were all filled with the holy ghost , and began to speak with other tongues as the spirit gave them utterance . which i take to be a further instance , ( if our author will not allow it to be called a sabbath ) at lest of a religious assembly for the worship of god ; ( and if it had been on the seventh day , how great a proof would this have been with him for a seventh-day sabbath . ) this i take to be a christian sabbath , and within the prospect of the fourth commandment . and though it be not expresly called a sabbath ( to avoid confusion or ambiguity , because the word sabbath in common speech was then appropriated to the jewish sabbath , ) yet it is the same thing . and if he doubt whether the feast of pentecost were on the first day of the week , as was that of the resurrection ; he may be satisfied from levit. . . where that feast is appointed . after mention made of the pass-over , ( ver . . &c. ) moses proceeds to that of the wave-offering , v. , . when ye be come into the land which i give unto you , and shall reap the harvest thereof ; then shall ye bring a sheaf of the first-fruits of your harvest unto the priest , and he shall wave the sheaf before the lord to be accepted for you ; on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it . whether by the sabbath here mentioned be meant the weekly sabbath , or the first day of the feast of unleavened-bread , is not material ; because , in that year whereof we are speaking , this first day of the feast was on the weekly sabbath , ( as is manifest from the story of christs crucifixion , which was on the sixth day of the week , and the next day ( being the seventh day ) was the feast of the pass-over ) and the morrow after this sabbath , was the day of christ's resurrection , as well as of the wave-offering . and then he proceeds , ver . , , to the feast of pentecost , or the feast of weeks . ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath , from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave-offering , seven sabbaths , shall be compleat , even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath , shall ye number fifty days ▪ ( inclusively taken , as the manner is in scripture reckoning , and must needs be so here . ) it was called the feast of pentecost , or the feast of weeks ( as deut. . , . ) which feast of pentecost was the morrow after the sabbath ; on a first day of the week . and on this first day of the week , ( the morrow after the seventh day sabbath ) here was a solemn assembly for religious worship , and a very large one , both of jews and gentiles out of every nation under heaven , parthians , medes , elamites , &c. and this solemnized by a miraculous effusion of the holy ghost , in the gift of tongues ▪ for we all hear ( say those of that great assembly ) every one in our own tongue where in we were born the wonderful works of god , ver . , , , , , , . with a long sermon of peter's on that occasion ▪ which i take to be another celebration of the first day sabbath ; and a very eminent one . we are to observe also , that in some of the places alleged to this purpose , though but single instances , there is an intimation of a frequent usage . as in that act. . ● . on the first day of the week , the disciples being assembled to break bread , paul preached , &c. is a fair intimation , that on the first day they did use so to assemble . if it were said amongst us , about six a clock ; when they were come together ( in the college-hall ) to supper , such a thing happened : any ( unprejudiced ) person would take it for a fair intimation , that they used to suppe about six a clock . and if this author could any where find , in the book of iob , that on the seventh day of the week ( from the creation ) when iob and his friends were assembled for the joint service of god ▪ bildad spake thus , &c. he would take this for a strong proof , that the seventh-day sabbath was then wont to be observed . much stronger than what he allegeth to that purpose ; abram and lot had each of them so many cattel , that they could not dwell or rest ) together , without quarrellings amongst their servants . and that of what pharaoh said to moses and aaron , why do you hinder their work , you make the people rest from their burthens ? a like place is that of cor. . , . nov concerning the collection for the saints , as i have given order to the churches of galatia , even so do ye ( and what that was , we are told in the next words , ) upon the first day of the week , let every one of you lay by him in store as god hath prospered him ; that there be no gatherings when i come . ( if it had been so said ( to 〈◊〉 , to 〈◊〉 , or to iob , upon the seventh day of the week do this or thus ) what a strong proof would this have been for the observation of a seventh day sabbath ! ) i think it is plain from hence , that the first day of the week , was weekly observed , and was wont to be so observed , both by the church of corinth , and by the churches of galatia . for so paul doth not here advise it , but suppose it , or take it for granted . what that order was to the churches of galatia our author says he cannot tell . 〈◊〉 thought it had been plain enough : he bids the corinthians do , as he had bid the galatians , that is , on the first day of the week , &c. what further order , he had given the galatians , it is not as to this point necessary for us to know . but saith he , if they must on that day lay by as god hath blessed them , then they must on that day cast up their accounts , tell their mony , reckon their stock , compute their expenses , &c. which are not sabbath-day works . a wise objection ▪ as though all this could not as well be done before ( so far as is necessary ) and , on sunday , put so much into the poor mans box ( or give to the deacons or collectors ) as ( upon such account ) they should have found fit ; like as is now done in our churches when there is occasion for such collections . why doth he not make the same exception to that of deut. . . concerning the feast of pentecost ? where they are to bring a tribute of a free-will-offering , which ( says he ) thou shalt give unto the lord thy god , &c. according as the lord thy god hath blessed thee ; doth he think that on the day of pentecost ( which was to be strictly observed as a sabbath , a holy convocation and no servile work to be done , lev. , . ) they must cast up their accounts , tell their money , &c. because they were to offer according as the lord hath blessed them ? i think not ▪ but here comes in again his former trifling objection of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , whether it signify , the first day of the week ? yet i am very confident , himself doth really believe it doth here so signify , and ( as to his own thoughts ) doth not doubt of it . but perhaps thinks it a piece of wit , or skill in greek , thus to object against his own judgment . yet since he will have it so , ( and we must come again to childs play , ) i will say some what to it . whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be good greek or no , as to the common analogy of that tongue ; or , what is the reason of that syntax ; i need not trouble my self to enquire , ( because it is nothing to the purpose ; for we are not inquiring whether it be good greek , but what it here signifies . ) there are i presume in all languages ( by negligence or corruption ) some harsh expressions , as to the analogy of the language , which yet are allowable by common usage , and well enough understood . he would think it perhaps a little harsh to say in greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ( that is in latine , tres & decimum , quatuor & decimum , ) for what we say in english thirteenth , fourteenth ; yet so they speak . and somewhat harsh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rev. . . rev. . . and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , rev. . . ( instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) yet so it is . and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , yet so we find it rev. . . and many such may be shewed . in latine , idcirco , quocirca , posthac , quapropter , controvertor , paterfamilias , omne genus homines , aethiops albus dentes , pridie catendas , and many more , are scarce to be accounted for as regular , save that they are so used ; but , because they are so used ; they are accounted elegant enough . in english ; methinks ( for i think , ) three pound ten shillings , ( for three pounds , &c. ) three foot nine inches , many a one , a few pottage , and the like , are scarce regular ; yet are so used . when a merchant marks his parcels ( and so calls them ) number one , number two , &c. he means first and second . so , in the year of our lord one thousand six hundred and ninety one , one thousand six hundred ninety two , is commonly said ; when yet we mean ninety first , ninety second ; so one a clock , two a clock , for the first and second hour after twelve . and other the like cases , where the cardinal number is put for the ordinal . as it is also in gen. . the evening , and morning were ( jom echad ) day one ; which the septuagint renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth there signify 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . yet no wise man will cavil as to the sense of such expressions , ( what ever they may do as to the grammatical construction , ) when we know what is meant by them . so here ; 't is true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth properly signify one in common construction : but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth never signify other than the first of the week , ( either in the new testament or any where else , ) not any day of the week , any more than one a clock doth signify any other hour than the first after twelve . when a thing is said to be done at one a clock ; he that shall object , this may be any hour , for every hour is one ; would be laugh'd at . and when a merchant bids his prentice bring him number one , if he bring him what else he pleases ( because every number , is number one , or one number ) he deserves to be knockt . now when every one knows ( who understands any thing of this nature , ) that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the proper name of that day which is next after the iewish sabbath , as much as one a clock is the proper name of that hour which is next after twelve : it must either be great ignorance , or somewhat worse so to object . i appeal to himself , whether ever he met with that name ( in any author ) in any other sense . he seems to take it very unkindly , pag. . of those who should think that , by son of man should be meant an ordinary man , in mar. . , . the sabbath was made for man , and not man for the sabbath ; therefore the son of man is lord also of the sabbath . where i think it is plain , that in the former verse ( the sabbath was made for man , &c. ) it is manifestly spoken of ordinary men. and though in the latter verse , ( the son of man is lord also of the sabbath , ) by son of man i suppose is meant christ ; yet is that title given also to ordinary men , elsewhere , very often . as iob , . . how much less man who is a worm , and the son of man which is a worm ? and isai. . . who art thou that shouldst be afraid of a man that shall dy , and of the son of man which shall be made as grass . so ps. . . what is man , that thou art mindful of him , and the son of man that thou visitest him ? and to the same purpose , ps. . . and ( to name no more ) in the book of ezekiel , the prophet ezekiel is , in that one book , called son of man , oftener than christ is so called in the whole bible . and if we would argue as he doth , we might plausiby object , it might be so meant here ; though i think it is not . but he cannot shew that ever the iewish sabbath was called the lords day ( however he thinks it might have been ; ) nor ( though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be greek for one ) that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is ever used for other than the first day of the week , or the next after the jewish sabbath . nor doth he think it . such trifling ( to give it no harder name ) may do well enough in drollery or burlesque , but not in a plain honest enquiry . but if he would be curious as to the phrase ; 't is plain enough that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not properly the genitive case governed of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for then it should have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of the neuter gender . ( and 't is a mistake therefore when p. . he renders it by one of the sabbaths , as if it had been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ) but 't is governed rather of some praeposition or particle understood , ( as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the like , ) and then , as in latin pridie calendas ( that is , p●io● dies ante calendas ) is the next day before the calends . so is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) the next day after the sabbath : the full construction is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ( the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being understood in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 understood in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ) that is one day after the sabbath ; which being the proper name of a day , cannot be meant of any other but the next day after . 't is certain therefore that ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) the first day of the week , or the first day after the iewish sabbath , was from the resurrection of christ and after , eminently signalized , as a day of special observation ; 't was honoured with christs resurrection on that day ; with his first appearance to mary magdalen and the other women ; then , to the two disciples going to emmaus , and his religious assembling with them there ; after that , to the disciples at ierusalem and assembling with them the same day ; and the whole time of those assemblings employed in religious exercises , ( preaching , celebrating the sacrament , instructing and blessing his disciples , and giving them commission for preaching the gospel and planting the christian church . ) and again with the same disciples on that day sen-night , assembled with them , and in like manner employed . it was specially signalized also by the miraculous effusion of the holy ghost on that day , in a great assembly of iews and gentiles on the day of pentecost ; and the day employed in preaching and other religious exercises . it was observed in like manner at troas , in preaching the word , celebrating the sacrament , and other religious communion , as things there usual on that day . it was observed at corinth , not once onely , but as a thing of course ; and so presumed by the apostle when he gives particular instructions concerning a collection for the saints to be made weekly on that day . and in like manner in the churches of galatia , with a like direction to them . ( and we have no reason to suspect but that in other churches also , there was a like custome of observing that day ) and it is the onely day of the week ( unless the seventh-day , in order to the iewish sabbath ) that is so much as mentioned by name after the resurrection of christ. ( at least i do not at present remember the second , third , fourth , fifth , or sixth day of the week by name so mentioned . ) now what we have reason to believe was so generally observed after the resurrection , by christ himself ( more than once , ) by his apostles , and by the christian churches in their days ; we have reason to believe was according to christs direction . for we know very well , that christ did after his resurrection give commandments to the apostles , about things pertaining to the kingdome of god , and ●●●●ling the christian church . what those commandments were in particular , we cannot tell ; but are to presume that what they did therein , was pursuant of those commands ; and this in particular about observing the first day of the week , which we call the christian sabbath ; and which ( in contradistinction to the iewish sabbath ) is called the lords day ; rev. . . and hath accordingly been so called , and so observed ever since . which being so practised by the apostles , and so continued ever since , i take to be a good warrant for us to continue it , as a thing agreeable to the will of god. as to what he so often objects , that there is no express command thereof recorded : that is , not such a command as our author demands . we are not to prescribe to god in what terms he shall make known his will , ( any more than the pharisees , mat. . . were to prescribe to christ what kind of signs he was to shew to testify his authority ; ) 't is sufficient if god do in his own way intimate what is his will , though it be it not with the formality of be it enacted . and those who are willing to be taught of god , will be content so to understand his meaning . an approved practise in the worship of god , frequently repeated , attested by miracles , encouraged by christs own example , and that of the apostles and the christian churches then , and continued in the christian church ever since : is to me great evidence of the will of god ; and that there was a command for it , though it be not recorded . ( like as i believe that there was , very early , a command from god , to worship him by sacrifice , though that command be not recorded . but ( to that of its being so observed ever since ) he objects , we have nothing but tradition , either that the christian sabbath hath been so observed , or that it is called the lords-day . and tradition is what he takes great pleasure to exclaim against ; if that be admitted ( saith he ) where shall we stop ? very well ! i am not over fond of laying too great a weight upon traditions ; at least not on all things that are pretended so to be . but i pray , how can he tell , otherwise than by tradition , whether our saturday or our sunday , be the seventh day in course from the creation ? or , ( if that be too hard a question ) whether of the two is the seventh day of the iewish week ? i know nothing but tradition for it . i cannot remember so long : nor have i so long kept so strict account of days as to be sure of it . i trust to the common computation of the world , that our sabbath is a continuation of that sabbath which the apostles kept . and if so , i am safe . if not , i cannot help it . and because i think the apostles sabbath was on the first day of the jewish week , therefore i think ours to be so . but if theirs was not , neither is ours . he would not have that of st. iohn , revel . . . i was in the spirit on the lords-day to be understood of our sabbath . and why not ? he tells us , . some think it to be christmass-day ; . some think it to be easter-day ; and . some think it to be the day of iudgment . and long discourses we have upon all these . well! but doth he think it to be meant of any of these ? no. then , to what purpose are these alleged , in disparagement of the christian sabbath ? but he seems to have so great displeasure against the christian sabbath , that whatever he can think of to be objected ( though he do not think it to be true ) he will be sure to object , ( that he may disparage the day , or perplex the argument ) as if he were more concerned to beat down the christian sabbath , than to set up the iewish . not considering , that , by all this , he is doing their work who would have none at all . for they know well that the iewish sabbath hath been long since laid aside ( without any great fear of returning ; ) and if they can but throw off the christian sabbath also , 't is what they would have . and 't is of a like import what he argues ( p. ) for coming to the publick but once a day , ( not twice as our manner is ; ) for those who care not to come at all , if he dispense with them as to the one , they will dispense with themselves as to the other meeting . i should rather think , that , the whole day being due to the service of god ( publick and private ) it is to be parcelled out , as to the number and times of publick meeting ; as might ( according to christian prudence ) be judged most conducing ( in this or that place ) to those ends , and to common edification ; and that , to make such little circumstances ( otherwise than as they conduce to those general ends ) a matter of religious observation , or divine institution , is a like extravagance as that of the pharisees in laying like weight on their traditions , and that of the papists on their numerous superstitious ceremonies . and is as properly superstition , as these . i do not know this author , ( who thus argues against observing the christian sabbath , and against publick meeting on that day more than once ; ) and therefore am not willing to judge hardly . but the natural result of what he argues , is as i told you . he doth not think that iohn , was ( on the lords day rev. . . ) keeping the anniversary of christs incarnation ; nor of his resurrection . ( no more do i. ) but why not ? because ( saith he ) he may say as in the case of moses's dead body , no man knows of his sepulchre to this day . now as to the incarnation , i am apt to think , that no man doth at this day know certainly , either on what day of the year , or what day of the week christ was born ( nor is it any matter whether we do or no. ) but i should rather say , no man knows at this day , than ( as he ) no man knoweth to this day , ( as if no man hitherto had known it : ) for certainly there have been those who knew it heretofore ( while he was alive ) though it be now forgotten , and at this day no man knows it . but will he say so as to the resurrection ? i think it is plain , that christ was crucified on the fourteenth day , lay in the grave the fifteenth , and rose again the sixteenth day , of the first month . and that he rose on the first day of the week , no man doubts . he should rather have put it thus , as no man knows to this day , where is the body of moses , ( that it might not be worshiped , ) so no man knows at this day , which is the seventh in course from the creation ; that we might not contend about it . however , i am contented to admit , ( if that will please him ) that the lords day there mentioned was neither meant of christmass-day , nor easter-day , nor whit-sunday , nor the day of iudgment ; but think it to be meant of the first day of the week , which is the christian sabbath . not , of any of those other days mentioned ; nor of the iewish sabbath , as he would have it . 't is , i think , a new notion of his own ( at least i know none other of his mind ) that it should be meant of the iewish sabbath . he grants there is nothing from the circumstances of the place to determine it to this day . nor doth he pretend to shew that the jewish sabbath was ever so called . but he thinks it might have been so called . for he says god blessed and sanctified the seventh day ( that is , the seventh day after six days of labour ) therefore it might have been called the lords day : and so may as well the christian sabbath as the iews sabbath . that the son of man is lord also of the sabbath day ; and so he is of every day in the week ; and of the christian sabbath ( when that is the sabbath ) as well as of the iewish . that the seventh day is the sabbath of the lord our god ; that is , the seventh day after six days of labour , but whether the seventh day in course from the creation , is no where said . that isai. . . the sabbath is called my holy day : true , on what ever day the sabbath be : first or seventh of the week ; or whatever day god appoints to be kept holy ; as for instance , the first and seventh day of the feast of unleavened bread , ex. . . the first day shall be a holy convocation ; and the seventh day shall be a holy convocation ; and each of them was the lords holy day , on what ever day of the week they happened . and the like for other days . so levit. . , , , , , , , , , , , , , . and num. . , , . num. . , , , . all the days here mentioned are the lords holy days , yet i do not take any of them to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and all he can pretend to from these or whatever he produceth , is no more but that the iewish sabbath ( while it was the sabbath ) might have been so called , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lords day ; he doth not pretend to shew that ever it was so called . now i would desire this gentleman ( if he can but a little while lay aside his prejudice ) to consider , first that the lords day was the proper name of a day ; whereby it might be known as distinguished from other days ; ( else to what purpose is it said i was in the spirit on the lords day ; ) whereas the proper name of the iewish sabbath ( and of that onely as he would have us think p. . ) was the sabbath day ; and there is no appearance of reason , why , if he meant that day , he should not rather have said i was in the spirit on the sabbath day , or the seventh day . this therefore must needs be meant of some other day , known by another name . . i would have him next consider , that the lord in the old testament is the usual name of god indefinitely ; without particularizing this or that of the three persons ; and the sabbath of the lord thy god , doth not appropriate it to the second person more than to the first and third . and though i do not deny , that our christ was the god who gave the ten commandments ( for all the three persons are the same god , ) yet i do not think it to be christ onely , as contradistinguished to the other two . and when it is said , i am the lord thy god , thou shall have no other god but me ; the meaning is not , i the second person , am so the lord thy god , that thou shalt own no other person for thy god beside me the second person . but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lord , in the new testament , is for the most part applied peculiarly to our lord christ ( god and man. ) and is understood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of him . ( as he is called elsewhere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the son of man. ) and accordingly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be a day peculiarly appropriate ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) to our lord christ ; which the jewish sabbath was not , nor that of the fourth commandment ; which is the sabbath of the lord thy god , that is of god indefinitely ; for 't is in that notion that god speaks in the ten commandments , not as one person contradistinct to the other two . it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lords day in a like sense as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lords supper , cor. . . and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the cup of the lord , the table of the lord , cor. . , . cor. . . in all which , by the lord is meant the lord christ , god and man. and because , there being a double sabbath then in use , ( the iewish sabbath , and the christian sabbath , ) and the word sabbath indefinitely having been a long time applied to the iewish sabbath , and would be apt to be understood of it ; therefore ( by way of distinction ) that of the christians ( though a sabbath also , within the sense of the fourth commandment ) was called the lords day , as being the day or sabbath appropriate to our lord iesus christ. and therefore when he tells us , so often , the world was made by our lord iesus christ , and the law given on mount sinai by our lord iesus christ , ( upon which notions he seems to lay great stress , though it be nothing to the purpose , ) i think it is a mistake . for our lord iesus christ is god and man , but he was not god and man when the world was made , or the law given , but onely god. 't is true christ as god , ( according to his divine nature ) is the same god who made the world , and gave the law , ( for we have no other god but one ) but not as god and man. for man he was not at that time , but in the fulness of time became man. the sabbath of the lord our god ( in the fourth commandment , with equal respect to all the three persons ) doth not signify the same as , the sabbath of our lord iesus christ ( god and man. ) the lord our god there , not the same with our lord iesus christ , in the new testament . but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( the lords supper ) is the supper of our lord iesus christ ( god and man ) the founder of our christian religion : and accordingly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( the lords day ) is the day of our lord iesus christ , a day appointed by him . . i would have him consider further , that the lords day , ( dominica , or dies dominicus , ) hath been all along , in all ages of the christian church , used as the proper name of what we otherwise call the christian sabbath ; and not for the proper name of any other day ; and therefore , till somewhat do appear to the contrary , i shall take it to be the same with what is called the lords day in scripture . there is , in the new testament , a place called rome ; and there is at this day a place in italy called rome , and which hath been so called all along ever since ; neither do i know of any other eminent place of called . therefore ( till somewhat do appear to the contrary ) i shall presume our rome to be the same place with that which in the new testament is called rome . we find in scripture there is an island of the mediterranean sea called melita or malta ( where st. paul suffered ship-wrack ) not far from another island called crete : now we know also there is in the mediterranean sea an island called malta at this day , and another not far from thence called crete or candy , and we do not know of any other islands so called , then , or at any time since ; and therefore we may safely presume ( till somewhat do appear to the contrary ) that those islands now so called , are the same islands with those which were then so called . and in like manner , that day which hath been ever since called the lords-day as by its proper name , we may and ought to presume to be the same day which was by st. iohn so called ( as by its proper name ) in rev. . . when he wrote the book of the revelation ; till it can be shewed that he did by that name mean some other day . and we have the more reason so to presume , because we find it so called by others , very soon after st. iohn's time ; and by those whom we have great reason to believe to have been well acquainted with st. iohn's meaning and his manner of speech . the first i shall name is st. ignatius , who was not onely contemporary with st. iohn , but was a disciple or scholar of st. iohn . now st. iohn ( according to the best account we can have from chronology ) wrote his revelation in patmos ( whither he was banished by domitian , ) in or about the year of our lord ; ( after which he wrote his gospel , upon his return from patmos to ephesus : ) and died in the year or under trajanus . and ignatius died a martyr under the same emperour trajan , in the year of our lord . so that there is no great distance in time . ( and if we should miss a year or two it is not material . ) how long before his death ignatius wrote his epistle to the magnesians , we are not sure ( nor is it material ; ) now in that his epistle to the magnesians , even according to the genuine edition published by bishop usher out of an ancient manuscript ( not that which is justly suspected to be interpolated , ) he doth earnestly exhort them not to iudaize , but to live as christians ; ( si enim usque nunc secundum iudaismum vivimus ; confitemur gratiam non recepisse . ) and as to the sabbath in particular , non amplius sabbatizantes , sed secundum dominicam viventes , in qua & vita nostra orta est ▪ ) not any longer observing the iewish sabbath , but the lords day on which christ our life 〈…〉 is manifest therefore , that within or years after 〈…〉 writing , the lords day did not signify the jewish sabbath , but the first day of the week , on which our saviour rose again ; and that it was then observed in contradistinction to the jewish sabbath . i forbear to mention his epistle ad trallianos ( where again we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 applied to the first day of the week on which christ rose again ) because it is in that edition which is suspected to be interpolated . i might to this add the testimony of polycarp , who was also a disciple of st. iohn , and collected and published these epistles of ignatius , and may be presumed to understand what st. iohn meant by the lords day . but i shall add in the next place that of iustin martyr ; whom though i cannot call a disciple of st. iohn , ( because he was not converted to the christian religion till about the year of our lord , about thirty years after st. iohn's death , ) yet he lived so soon after , that he could not be ignorant of the christians practise , and what they understood st. iohn to mean by the lords day . and how that day was observed in iustin's time , he tells us in ( what is called ) his second apology , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and a little after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . on that day commonly called sunday , there is held a congregation or a general meeting together , of all inhabitants whether of city or country , and there are publickly read the memorials or monuments of the apostles , or the writings of the prophets , &c. and again , the day called sunday we do all in common make 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the meeting-day ; for that the first-day is it on which god from darkness and matter made the world , and our saviour iesus christ did on the same day rise from the dead . in which places though it be not called dominica , but dies solis , yet how it was then solemnly observed , in memory of our lord christs resurrection , is evident . 't is manifest therefore that the lords day ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , dominica , or dies dominicus , ) was the known name of a day so called when st. iohn wrote his revelation ; that it was a day of religious worship contradistinguished to that of the iewish sabbath , so observed and so called by ( st. iohn's disciple ) ignatius within or years at most after st. iohn's writing that book ; ( which he would not have done if he had not thought it to be so meant by his master st. iohn . ) 〈…〉 manner it was observed ( in their solemn religious assemblies ) iustin martyr tells us within ● years after that ; and that it was otherwise called ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) sunday . and that dominica or dies dominicus ; hath been so used not onely by the ancient christian writers , ignatius , clemens , irenaeus , origen , tertullian , &c. but by the councils and church history all along ; hath been so often shewed by divers , and is to be seen by any who please to consult them , as is not to be doubted by any ; unless we would ( under the notion of tradition ) deny all history ; which in a plain matter of fact were very unreasonable . nor can he shew that the name of the lords day ever was ( however it might have been as he thinks ) attributed to the iewish sabbath . and therefore to tell us that this name is stollen from the iewish sabbath to be applied to ours ▪ is such a fansy as may be laughed at , but doth not deserve a serious answer . sure we are that the christian sabbath hath been long in possession of that name ; but , that ever the iewish sabbath was so , there is no evidence : therefore the theft must be on his side , who steals it from us to give it to the jewish sabbath . but he tells us , that our saviour himself observed the jewish sabbath . ( and i suppose he did so ▪ and , that he was circumcised also , and did observe the ceremonial law ▪ ) but it was before his death and resurrection . i do not find that he observed it afterward . but he says , after christs death when he had said it is finished , he kept the sabbath in the grave . be it so ( if that were keeping a sabbath . ) and the good women rested on that day according to the commandment . and why not ? since christ was not yet risen ; nor was the day yet changed , or pretended so to be . this therefore is but whimsey and nothing to the purpose . we all agree ; that , till the resurrection of christ , the jews observed the jewish sabbath , on what they called the seventh-day of their week . but whether or no it were a seventh from the creation , we cannot tell . 't is more to the purpose what he tells us , that paul and other christians did after christs resurrection seem to observe the jewish sabbath ; going to the temple and to the synagogues on the sabbath-day ; meaning thereby the iewish sabbath . and it is true ; they did so go . but i answer ; . so they did on other days as well as on the sabbath , and in other places , as well as in the synagogue and the temple , act . . dayly in the temple , and in every house , or from house to house ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 they ceased not to preach iesus christ. and act. . . they continued dayly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with one accord in the temple , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and breaking bread at home , or from house to house . as to such duties of worship as were common to them with the jews , they took the opportunity of joining therein with them ; whether on their sabbath , or on any other day ; but as to what was peculiarly christian , this they performed in separate meetings from them ; breaking their bread at home , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or from house to house ; the sacrament of the lords supper ( being peculiarly a christian service ) they did celebrate in their houses , or separate places of meeting . and so we find it at troas ; and , on the first day of the week ; act. . . on the first day of the week , when the disciples were met to break bread , paul preached , &c. their meeting for this christian service , was in a separate place , and on another day , from that of the iewish service . and paul at athens . act. . . he disputed in the synagogue with the jews , and with the devout persons , and in the market , dayly , ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ) he took the opportunity of publick meetings , whether in the synagogues or elsewhere , whether on the sabbath or any other day , to preach christ to them , whether jews or greeks . which doth not prove that they did then take the seventh day to be the christian sabbath ▪ any more than our going to hear or preach a week-day lecture , suppose on thursday , would prove , that we take thursday to be our sabbath ▪ or paul's preaching on mars-hill , or in the market-place , would prove that he took these places to be the temple or synagogue . he knew these to be times and places of concourse , and therefore took the opportunity of preaching then and there ; and would so have done at any other time and place as there was occasion : in season or out of season , as he adviseth timothy , tim. . . he doth not deny , p. . but that paul did keep the feast ( of the pass-over ) after the resurrection of christ ; because of what we have act. . . he bids them farewel ( at ephesus ) saying , i must by all means keep this feast that cometh , at jerusalem ; but i will return again unto you , if god will. which feast he thinks to be that of the pass-over , though it be not named . but whether that or whatever feast of the jews it be , it is all one as to our business . how great a proof would this have been for the seventh-day-sabbath , if it had been said i must by all means keep the sabbath ! 't is said indeed , he did on the sabbath-day go into the synagogue ( but so he did on other days , ) but not that he kept the sabbath-day ; much less that he must by all means keep it . or that he must by all means take a journey from ephesus to ierusalem rather than not keep it , though he were to return thither again . yet this author doth not , for all this think , the law for the iewish pass-over to be then in force . but onely that paul took occasion to be there at that publick great concourse of people , to preach christ to the multitude . for , that the apostles were under no obligation to keep that feast of the pass-over , after the death of christ , is to him ( he says ) past doubt . and why may not we say the same of his going into the synagogue on the sabbath day ( rather than miss such an oportunity of a publick concourse ) which was a less journey than from ephesus to ierusalem ? though under no obligation to keep the iewish sabbath , more than to keep the iews pass-over . . but i answer further . the jews who were not christians , did yet continue to observe the jewish sabbath as a matter of duty . and there was no reason why they should not . for , while they did not acknowledge our christ to be the messiah , nor the mosaick law to be at an end , but circumcision and the jewish oeconomy yet in force , there was no reason why they should not think themselves obliged to the jewish sabbath . and many of the christian jews , who were not yet satisfied of the abolition of the mosaick law , did comply with them therein . for knowing this to have been a law once , and not yet being fully satisfied that it was expired , they were content still to observe it . ( and if our gentleman be of that mind , i would not hinder him , if a jew , from so doing ; but neither would i incourage him . ) and i find the apostles willing to connive at it , and even to countenance it . not as a thing necessary , but at least allowable . and though they did not think fit to bring a new yoke upon the gentiles , who had not before been obliged to the jewish law , ( and therefore would not allow the gentiles to be circumcised ; as appears by s. paul's epistle to the galatians , and the decrees of the synod at ierusalem , act. . ) yet he allowed the iews to practise it ( to whom it had once been a law ) and accordingly circumcised timothy act. . because , though his father were a greek , yet his mother was a jew : ( but he did not circumcise titus , gal. . . for whom there was not the same reason . ) and he did himself comply with the iewish ceremonies ; as act. . . having shorn his head in canchrea ; for he had a vow . and those of purification act. . not that he thought those laws now obliging ; but , because many of the believing iews were yet zealous of the law , and thought themselves obliged by it , he would not give offense to them . for he was satisfied as to himself , that circumcision availeth nothing , nor uncircumcision , cor. . . gal. . . but was content ( till by time and further instruction they should be better satisfied ) that each one should be gratified , as to their own practise , according to their own sentiments , as to things yet disputable . and accordingly , as to eating or not eating things forbidden by moses's law , his advise was , to the romans , ( many of whom were jews ) rom. . . let not him that eateth not , judge him that eateth , ( as breaking a law which he thinks to be yet in force , ) nor let him that eateth , despise him that eateth not , ( as a fool that doth not understand his own liberty ) for the kingdom of god is not meat and drink , &c. and in like manner those at ierusalem act. . though they did not think fit to bring a new yoke of circumcision upon the gentiles ( to whom before it had not been a law ) yet do advise them to forbear things strangled and bloud , because this had once been a law to all the sons of noah , gen. . . not but that this was even now antiquated , but ( to avoid offense ) because it had once been a law. for i take even those things to fall under these generals , the kingdom of god is not meat and drink , but righteousness and peace and joy in the holy ghost , rom. . . and every creature of god is good , tim. . . i know , and am perswaded that there is nothing unclean of it self : but all things indeed are pure , rom. . , . tit. . . meat commendeth us not to god ; for neither if we eat , are we the better ( as making use of our lawful liberty ) neither if we eat not ( in compliance with those who be unsatisfied ) are we the worse , cor. . . so that the practise of the apostles or of the church at that time , in compliance with the jews , as to what had before been a law , but now was not ; is no argument that the thing was then obligatory , as before it had been , but onely an argument of their condescension in things of a middle nature , rather than to give offense to those who were therein unsatisfied ; according to that principle of his all things are lawful for me but all things are not expedient , cor. . . to give no offense either to iew or gentile , or to the church of god , ver . , . to the iews i became as a iew ; to the weak i became as weak ; i am made all things to all men ; . cor. . . in so much that even in those things which he knew to be lawful , yet , rather than give offense to a weak brother , he would forbear , if meat make my brother to offend , ( or , be an offense to a brother ) i will eat no flesh while the world standeth , left i ma●● my brother to offend . and the like i suppose as to the iewish sabbath ▪ he that regardeth a day regardeth it to the lord ; and he that regardeth not the day , to the lord he doth not regard it . he that eateth , eateth to the lord , for he giveth god thanks ; and he that eateth not , to the lord he eateth not , and giveth god thanks , rom , . . where 't is manifest that he doth parallel the observing or not observing a day than questionable ; with the abstaining from meats disputable ; that is , from such as before were unlawful , but now ceased so to be , though all were not yet therein satisfied . and though it be not expresly said , what was the day thus in question ; yet it is most likely to be that of the iewish sabbath ; for , that the first day of the week or christian sabbath was now observed , seems very plain : and whether the iewish sabbath should be observed also , was the question . and those who were for continuing circumcision and the mosaick ceremonies , were doubtless for that also . and the apostles rule was for a mutual condescension ( as to the jews ) for each to follow their own sentiments therein , without censuring one another . but as to the gentiles , he seems to be of another mind ; and therefore to the galatians , who were most of their gentile-christians , he would not so much as allow the practise of circumcision ( which to the jews he did ; ) and tells them that if they be circumcised christ profiteth them nothing ; and he that is circumcised is debtor to the whole law , gal. . , . for it was a renouncing christ who had made them free ; putting themselves under the jewish yoke , to which ( even before ) they were not subject . and therefore to these he speaks more warmly , gal. . , . i marvel that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of christ , unto another gospel : which is not another , ( or , there being no other gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , where as there is not any other gospel ; ) onely there be some that trouble you , and would pervert the gospel of christ. and such are those who would bring on them a new yoke , ( by making that a duty which god had not made so . ) where he presseth them to keep close to the gospel of christ , as by him delivered ( without any connexion of moses's law , ) there being indeed no other gospel but that ; and they who teach them otherwise , do pervert the gospel ; the true gospel of christ , including no obligation to the jewish law ; either as to circumcision or the difference of meats , or other particulars of that law ; as he argues , in the second , third and fourth chapters ; shewing that even those who were before under it , are now freed from it , and they much more who were never under it . and thereupon chap. . , , . he rebukes them severely , that after they had known god ( or rather were known of god ) they should turn again to the weak and beggarly rudiments or elements . ye observe ( saith he ) days and months and times and years , i am afraid of you lest i have bestowed upon you labour in vain . 't is not indeed here said in particular , what those days were , that are here meant ; yet it is most likely ( and scarce to be doubted ) to be meant of the iewish sabbath . for though other observation of times be here reckoned up ( there being the same reason of all ) yet there was no occasion for the others , in galatia . for the jews themselves did not think themselves obliged ( nor do the jews at this day ) to the observation of their other feasts or fasts out of their own land . but to that of circumcision , and of the iewish sabbath , and the distinction of meats , they thought themselves obliged even out of their own land . and of such we must understand this to the galatians . these being the things there in question ; not those other , which were confined to the land of canaan . but he objects here , that though days be mentioned , yet not sabbath days ; and fansies it might be meant of some other days ; not of sabbaths . to gratify him therefore in this also , i will proceed to that of colos. . . where sabbaths are expresly named . to the colossians , who were also christian gentiles , he pursues the same notions ; least any one should beguile them with inticing words , col. . . ( thereby to bring them under the mosaick law : ) he bids them beware lest any spoil them through philosophy and vain deceit . whereby , i suppose , he means the mosaick doctrines or philosophy of the jews , ( which clemens alexandrinus doth all along call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in contradistinction to that of the greeks , ) after the traditions of men , after the rudiments ( or elements ) of the world , and not after christ , ver , . and that particularly of circumcision ver . . ( in the room of which , baptism is come ; ver . . ) christ , by his death having blotted out the hand-writing of ordinances ( meaning the jewish law ) and took it out af the way , nailing it to his cross , ver . . and ( amongst other things ) let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink ( as if some were now clean others unclean , as under the mosaick law , ) or in respect of an holy day , ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a festival ) or of the new moon , or of the sabbath days ▪ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ver . . where by sabbath must be meant the iewish sabbath ; the day which in common speech was understood by the word sabbath . for this , he hath two or three evasions . he doth commonly press hard in other places , that by sabbath is to be understood the jews seventh-day-sabbath , and no other day . ( the holy spirit doth call the seventh-day , the sabbath , ( and no other day of the week ) both in the old and in the new testament throughout , p. . and , i think , he is not much out therein ; that it doth , usually , so signify where it doth not come with some intimation to direct us to some other sense . and why it should not be thought so to signify here , i see no reason . for though i take our christian sabbath to fall as properly under the word sabbath in the fourth commandment , as that of the iews ▪ yet the word , in common use , having by this time become the proper name of that day which the jews so called , it was necessary ( to avoid confusion ) to give the christian sabbath another name ; as that of the lords day , or the first day of the week . and consequently that the sabbaths here mentioned , are to be understood ( according to the then use of the word ) of those sabbaths . not as if all days of holy rest where hereby forbidden ; but onely the nicety of confining it particularly to that day which was then ( in common speech ) so called . but he would not have it here understood of the seventh-day sabbath ( as every where else ) but some other ceremonial sabbaths ; but what those are , he doth not tell us . that there were some other feasts observed by the jews , which , in the old testament , are sometimes called sabbaths ( but very seldome , ) i do not deny : nor that those come under the general words in this place . but those do not seem to be here principally intended , because it is manifest to be understood of the sabbath there in dispute . now there was no occasion of a dispute concerning the observance of those other sabbaths , amongst the gentiles , out of the holy-land . these observations being not thought obligatory , even to the jews , but in their own land onely . and it is expresly provided , deut. . that these were not to be kept in any place promiscuously ; not within any of the gates which the lord thy god giveth thee ; but in the place which the lord thy god shall chuse to place his name there . so of the pass-over , ver . , . so of the feast of pentecost , ver . . so of the feast of tabernacles , ver . . and of altogether , ver . . and therefore , not out of their own land. i do not deny but that they might , in private houses , eat the paschal lamb , ( as christ did , with his disciples , ) but not sacrifice the pass-over . for it was to be sacrificed in the temple onely ; and the feast of the pass-over to be there solemnly kept . not in private houses ; and much less out of their own land. nor do i remember , that any where in all the new testament , the word sabbath is used for any such sabbaths : nor can reasonably be supposed to be here meant of those feasts , because it is put in contradistinction to them . let no man judge you in respect of a feast , of the new-moon , or of the sabbaths . which yet i do not understand as if no sabbath might now be kept , but that the obligation to that sabbath was now at an end . another evasion is this , he would have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( sabbata ) in the plural number , to signify weeks , not sabbath-days . the sabbath-day being called , in the singular number , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( sabbatum . ) for he will rather play at small game than stand out . if we should allow him this , it would not advance his purpose at all . for if the business of weeks be at an end , ( that we are no longer to distribute our time into weeks , ) than that of the sabbath much more , which he would have to be the seventh day of the week . but suppose we do allow that one sabbath is to be called sabbatum what are we to call two or more sabbaths ? must not they be sabbata ? and if this be his meaning , then are we not to observe such sabbaths any longer . but what must we then say to mat. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which we render in the end of the sabbath , meaning thereby the seventh day sabbath then past , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as it began to draw towards the first day of the week : must we read it , at the end the sabbaths ( because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in the plural number , ) when the sabbaths ( meaning the seventh-day sabbaths ) were now at an end , and the first-day sabbath coming on in their place ? if that reading please him ; it will serve us as well . but he is mistaken in his criticism . 't is true that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plural number seems to be sometime put for a week ( but not weeks , that i know of , as he would have it . ) and so it is commonly taken to be where we find 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for the first day of the week ( but may as well be rendered , the first day after the sabbath . ) and so is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the singular , as luke . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i fast twice in the week , i suppose he would not have us render it i fast twice on the sabbath day ( though it be in the singular number , ) as if he did fast twice upon one day . but thus rather , i keep two fasts to one sabbath ; which is the same in sense with , i fast twice in the week ▪ in like manner as the olympiad , may be taken sometime for that particular year on which were the olympick games ( which were wont to return every fifth year inclusively , that is , as we use to speak the fourth year after the last olympick ; ) sometime for the interval of four years from the end of one olympick to the end of the next following . so here , sabbatum may be sometime taken strictly for the sabbath-day , and sometime for the whole septiduum or week from sabbath to sabbath . and so is sabbata ( in the plural number ) taken also for a sabbath-day ; thus i take it to be here , ( mat. . . ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when the sabbath-day was ended ; in the same sense with that of mark . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( speaking of the very same time ) when the sabbath was past . and in like manner , matth. . . at that time iesus went on the sabbath day through the corn , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( sabbatis ) in the plural number . and so it is in mark . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . yet it is meant but of one day , as appears by the parallel place ( where the same is again related luk. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and so mat. . , , . mar. . . luk. . . luk. . , . and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the septuagint is commonly put for the sabbath-day . i will not say . allways ( because i have not examined it ) but in all the places which i consulted . and even in the body of the ten commandments exod. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ( remember the day of the sabbaths ; in the plural number ▪ ) and again ver . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ( but the seventh day sabbaths to the lord thy god ; ) so ex. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ( the sabbaths a holy rest unto the lord , to morrow . ) and levit. . . six days shall work be done , but the seventh is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sabbaths of rest ; ye shall do no work therein , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is the sabbaths of the lord. which are the signal places wherein the sabbath is commanded . and the like very often ( if not always ) in the septuagint , whose language the new testament doth usually follow . so that his criticism comes to nothing , but only to shew how careless he is of what he says if at least he may seem to say somewhat . ( such is that when he tells us p. . that god who hath reserved a tenth of our substance , hath reserved but a seventh of time. as though he thought a tenth part to be more than a seventh part . and many such negligences , which i spare to mention . ) but whether we render it sabbath-day or sabbath-days the sense is still the same . and the apostles design in all these places seems to be this , that though to the iews , to whom it had once been a law , he doth allow a liberty ( till they should be better satisfied ) for each to follow his own judgment ( without censuring others ) as well in this of the iewish sabbath , as in the business of circumcision , and the abstinence from meats , and their other rites ; yet he would by no means suffer these to be brought upon the gentiles as a new yoke to which before they had not been subject . i say as a new yoke to which they had not been subject . for though i do admit that by natural light , or the law of nature , man ought to allow a competent time for the solemn service of god ; and , by a positive law , that it should be at least one day in seven , that is , after six days of labour , the seventh to be a day of rest ; and so much to be intended in the fourth commandment . yet , i do not think it to be so determined to this day in order , as to be unchangable to after ages . we can be no ways sure , that the seventh day in order from the first raining of manna , ex. . was the seventh in order from the creation . and as they did observe it then in order from thence ; so when christ , or his apostles by direction from him , did put it into a new order , this new order doth as well sute the words of the fourth commandment as that former . i do the rather say that this to the gentiles is a new yoke , because i find this to be given as a sign , a covenant , or distinctive mark given to the jews , as gods peculiar people , in contradistinction to other nations ; just as circumcision was . so exod. . . my sabbaths ye shall keep , for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations , and ver . . the children of israel shall keep the sabbath , to observe the sabbath throughout their generations for a perpetual covenant , and ver . . it is a sign between me and the children of israel for ever . so ezek. . . i gave them my sabbaths to be a sign between me and them ; and ver . . they shall be a sign between me and you , that ye may know that i am the lord your god. just as it is said of circumcision , gen. . . i will establish my covenant between me and thee ( saith god to abraham ) and thy seed after thee , for an everlasting covenant , to be a god unto thee and thy seed after thee : and ver . , . this is my covenant which ye shall keep between me and you , and thy seed after thee , every male-child among you shall be circumcised , and it shall be a token of the covenant between me and you : and ver . . my covenant shall be in your flesh an everlasting covenant , ( not as if circumcision were to be for ever obligatory ; but rebus sic stantibus , so long as things continued in that estate . ) and so it is called rom. . . he received the sign of circumcision , a seal of the righteousness of faith. and such was the bloud of the paschal lamb on the door-posts of the house , ex. . . to be a distinctive mark between the israelites and the egyptians ; as ver . . the bloud shall be to you for a token upon the houses where you are , and when i see the bloud i will pass over you . and so ex. . , , . that ye may know how that the lord doth put a distinction between the egyptians and israel . and our author himself , pag. . doth press the same , and puts great weight upon it , that this seventh-day-sabbath is often called a sign for ever between him and them , and a perpetual covenant , to distinguish his people from others ; that is , the people of the jews from other nations . and so to be a sign for ever , as circumcision is an everlasting covenant . now whatsoever was a distinctive mark of the people of israel , from other nations , as was that of circumcision , the pass-over , and the seventh-day-sabbath , was at an end and to cease when the partition-wall was broken down between jew and gentile , when christ had made both one , and abolished in his flesh the enmity , ( even the law of commandments contained in ordinances , ) to make of twain one new man ; to reconcile both in one body by the cross , having slain the enmity thereby , eph. . , , . or as it is col. . . having blotted out the hand-writing of ordinances which was against us , and was contrary to us , ( as separating us gentiles from the jews , and so excluding us out of gods visible church , ) and nailing it to his cross. from whence he there infers , ver . . let no man therefore judge you in meat or drink , or in respect of a holy-day ( a festival ) or of sabbaths , ( the proper name , at that time , of the seventh-day sabbath : ) which things are a shadow of things to come , but the body is of christ ; these being but shadows or empty things , whereas it is the body , ( the substance ) that christ regards . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , those are but shadow , but 't is the body that christ looks at . that is ( in our language ) those are only circumstantials , but 't is substance or the substantials of religion that christ and christianity respects . and , as it is meerly circumstantial ( and doth not at all influence religion ) whether in the temple or other place god be worshiped ( ioh. . . ) so , whether on this or another day , a sabbath be kept . if therefore those sabbaths ( as is shewed ) were distinctive marks or signs of gods peculiar covenant or contract with the church of israel as their peculiar god , in contradistinction to other nations ; then 't is manifest that those other nations did not at all keep a sabbath , or not on that day ; ( else how could this be a distinctive mark ? ) and therefore to bring this now upon the gentiles , was to bring upon them a new yoke . i add further , that this iewish sabbath ( as is shewed before ) seems to be , not a continuation of a former sabbath from the creation , ( which i doubt was either not observed at all , or had long before this time been forgot , ) but rather a new institution or restitution after their coming out of egypt ( from a new epocha ) at marah ; where god is said to have made a statute and an ordinance , exod. . . to which commandment and statute if they would hearken diligently and give ear , he would not bring upon them the diseases which he had brought upon egypt , for ( saith he ) i am the lord that healeth thee , ver . . whereupon follows ( in the next chapter ) a sabbath to be observed on the seventh-day from the first raining of manna , ( not from the first creation . ) and with reference to their rest or refreshing after their labour or bondage in egypt ; ( as was that of the pass-over , to their being passed-over , when the first-born of the egyptians were slain . ) for so he saith , exod. . . my sabbath shall ye keep , for it is a sign between me and you , that ye may know that i am the lord that doth sanctifiy you ( or separate you to my self as a peculiar people , a holy people ; ) and ver . , . the children of israel shall keep my sabbaths ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) for a perpetual covenant ; it is a sign between me and the children of israel for ever ; for in six days the lord made heaven and earth , and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed . not that god was wearied with his work , and needed refreshment ; but he doth parallel his rest after his work of creation , with their refreshment after their labour in egypt . and that god had a particular respect to their rest and refreshment from their labour and bondage in egypt ; is farther evident , not onely from the general preface to all the commandments , ( i am the lord thy god which brought thee out of the land of egypt , out of the house of bondage ; ) but from the close of this fourth commandment , as it is repeated in deut. . , , , . ( somewhat different from what is in exod. . ) where , ( instead of for in six days the lord made heaven and earth , &c. exod. . . ) we have ( deut. . . ) and remember that thou wast a servant in the land of egypt , and that the lord thy god brought thee out thence , through a mighty hand , and a stretched out arm ; therefore the lord thy god commanded thee to keep the sabbath-day . which shews that this sabbath , had a particular respect to that deliverance . now as god by moses did , upon a new occasion ( of their rest from their labour in egypt ) give a new epocha or beginning to a circulation of sabbaths , to be reckoned from thence , in imitation of his own resting from the work of creation ; not by the fourth commandment ( for that speaks indifferently as to any circulation , ) but by this ordinance at marah , or at elim ( for 't is this determines the circulation to the seventh day after the raining of manna ; ) so might christ as well ( by himself or his apostles ) six another epocha from his resurrection ; ( as we have reason to think he did ; ) and this equally within the prospect of the fourth commandment . this rest from the egyptian bondage , being as much a shadow , of what christ regards as the substance ; as was the escaping of the egyptian destruction , of which the pass-over was the memorial . and accordingly this circulation equally to cease with that of the pass-over , at the coming of christ ; notwithstanding the continuance of the fourth commandment , in a new circulation from another epocha . it is not indeed expresly said that christ bid his apostles so to do : but as moses is presumed to do what he did by gods direction ; so the apostles by christs direction ; to whom he gave commandments for that purpose , act. . , . as to what he says so often ; that not one iott or tittle of the law ( meaning that of the decalogue ) is destroyed , but doth still continue in force : this , as to the substance of the duty , i grant . but if his meaning be , that there is not a word or letter therein which doth not as literally belong to us now , as it did then to israel : i cannot assent to it . for it cannot be said of all us who are under that law , that god hath brought us out of the land of egypt , out of the house of bondage ; or that we are to expect long life , in the land ( of canaan ) which he gave them. if he say that our deliverance from spiritual bondage is equivalent to theirs from egypt , and our land the same to us as canaan was to them : i grant it . but so is our lords day equivalent to their seventh-day-sabbath , and christ the true manna ( more than ) equivalent to that of theirs , from the raining of which they reckoned their iewish sabbaths . as to what he says of mat. . . pray that your flight be not in the winter , nor on the sabbath-day ; which he thinks to be understood of the iewish sabbath , years after christs resurrection . perhaps it may . for the obstinate jews , ( who would not in their day understand the things that belonged to their peace , but rejected christ , ) did no doubt continue to observe their jewish sabbath , and thought themselves obliged so to do : and it would then be as great an affliction to them , as if their sabbath were yet in force : but no more a sin to fly on that day , than to fly in the winter . it would be so to the christians , if put to flight on the christian sabbath ( for the case would be the like of both ) and they might as well pray against it : that is , against their flight on the christian sabbath ; as the iews on the iewish sabbath . this therefore makes nothing at all to his purpose . he might as well argue from hence , that it were a sin to labour in winter ; as , on the iewish sabbath . he hath many other little excursions , as little to the purpose , with which i shall not trouble my self or you ; having fully answered what seems to me to have any appearance of argument . but he takes great pleasure to expose the name of sunday . yet i do not find any more fond of using it , than he . not , that he would be thought to like the word , but because he thinks it a reproach . if he do not like that name , he may call it as we do , the lords day , the christian sabbath , or ( if he think these too good names for it ) he may call it the first day of the week . but why not as angry with the monday ? or other of the week days ? if on monday the heathens ( as he would have us think ) did worship the moon , as the sun on sunday , why is he not as angry with that ? it is as much idolatry to worship the moon on monday , as the sun on sunday . true. but that doth not concern the christians sabbath ( which is what he hath a mind to reproach ) and therefore he speaks little of the other , and but seldome : but sunday is to be snubbed upon every occasion . he would not have a sabbath upon sunday , because he says , on that day they worshiped the sun. but why upon saturday if on that day ( as he would have us think ) they worshiped saturn ? now 't is true that some of the heathen did worship the sun , and the moon , and the host of heaven . but that they did worship the sun more upon sunday , than they did upon monday or tuesday , is more than i know , or he can prove . he tells us , verstegan says , that the heathen saxons did so . but verstegan is too young an author to settle this upon his own authority ; unless he can bring vouchers for it more ancient than himself . it was , i suppose , a fansy of verstegan then ( as it is of our author now ; ) but i do not remember that he cites any author ancienter than himself . and though some others may say the like ; yet i look upon it but as a plausible conjecture , without any good foundation in history . and even the heathen suxons are too late for his purpose . he tells us , p. . the heathen nations long before christs birth did offer sacrifice to the sun , and worship it as a god upon sunday . his proof is from iob . , , . if i beheld the sun when it shined , or the moon walking in brightness , and my heart hath been secretly enticed , or my mouth hath kissed my hand , this were an iniquity to be punished by the iudges ▪ for i should have denied the lord above . but what is all this to sunday ? it may perhaps be a disclaimer of worshiping the sun ; but says nothing of sunday . doth our author think the name of sunday to be as old as iob's times ? if iob had said , if i have worshiped the sun upon sunday , or the moon upon monday , and not the lord upon saturday ; it had been to his purpose : but here is nothing of that . not a word of what day it was on which they worshiped the sun. but i would not have him lay too great a load upon sunday . for hesiod tells us ( as was said before ) that in his time ( one of the oldest of the heathen writers , though younger than iob ) the seventh day was sun-day , not the first . and he hath nothing to shew ( more than the bare name of sunday ) to make us believe that those of the heathen , who worshiped the sun , did confine that worship to this day of the week ; or , did more worship it on this day than on others . i do not certainly know how ancient those names are of saturday , sunday , monday , &c. nor upon what occasion they were first taken up , ( nor is it much to our purpose . ) the most ancient heathen writer whom i know to have mentioned them is dio cassius , who lived about the year of our lord . who speaking of the destruction of ierusalem and the temple , tells us that the iews had such a reverence for saturn's day , as that they would not labour on that day for their defense ; which the romans understanding , did on that day assault them , and prevailed . ( against their temple and sabbath both at once . ) not as if the iews did then call it saturn's day , ( nor am i sure that any other did then so call it , ) for they called it their sabbath-day ; but it was that day of the week which , in dio's time , was called saturday . but dio speaks of it as a new thing so to call the days of the week , and which the ancient greeks ( he tells us ) knew not . ( 't was therefore not very ancient . ) and therefore he supposeth the romans to have taken it up from the egyptians . not the old egyptians of moses's time , but rather from those about the time of ptolomy ; not of king ptolomy , but of claudius ptolomaeus the astronomer ( or perhaps somewhat earlier ) when astronomy there flourished , and from whom the romans had it . in a christian writer , i find it earlier than dio ; in iustin martyr's apology , written about the year of christ . who mentions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the day of the sun , as the christian sabbath . and tertullian in his apology , mentions saturday and sunday . and it may perhaps be found in writers earlier than these , though i do not at present meet with it . nor do i think it worth the while to make any great search about it . i grant , that when christianity was spread among the gentiles ▪ and , with it , the christian sabbath ; they did ( in order to the observing that sabbath ) distinguish their time into weeks , and thereupon gave names to each day . i grant also that the iews did , before , so distinguish their time : but i do not find that any other nation did so . if any think , that all nations did so distinguish , and every nation , all the world over , call the days by those names by which they are now called : this i take to be but a presumption , without proof . but when ever those names were first taken up , i do not think they were taken from the number of their gods ( for then they must have had a great many more days in their week than seven , if each of their gods must have a peculiar day : ) but from the number of the planets , which were then reckoned to be seven , and in this order saturn , iupiter , mars , sol , venus , mercury , luna . though we now know the planets to be more than seven . ( for the satellites of iupiter and saturn are as much planets as our moon ; but were not then known . ) nor were the seven planets always reckoned in the same order ; but some had been thought to be above the sun , which , before these names were given , were accounted to be below it . and therefore these names must be at least so late . and certainly not so old as iob's time . i take them not to be older than what are called the planetary hours , but to take their rise from thence , and the order of the names to be thence determined . for having divided the day into hours ; beginning with saturn , the highest of the planets , they assigned to him the first hour of one day , which thence they called saturn's day ; the second hour to iupiter , the third to mars , and so in order till they came to the eighth hour which falls to saturn's turn again , and so again to the fifteenth , and the two and twentieth ; and then the three and twentieth to iupiter , the four and twentieth to mars , and the next hour , being the first of the next day , to sol. which day doth thence take the name of sol or sunday ( next in order after saturn . ) and , in like manner proceeding , the eighth , fifteenth , and two and twentieth hour of that day will fall again to sol , the three and twentieth to venus , the four and twentieth to mercury ; and then the first hour of the next day to luna , thence called monday ( next after sunday . ) and , in like manner , the first hour of the following day to mars ; of the next to mercury ; the next to iupiter , the next to venus ; and then again to saturn ; and so onward as before . and this i take to be the true account of those names , and in that order : saturday , sunday , monday , after which ( in the latine denomination ) follow the days of mars , mercury , iupiter , and venus . but some of our ancestors the saxons , thought fit ( as is supposed ) to put-in the names of twisco , woden , thor , frea , ( some of their princes ) instead of mars , mercury , iupiter , and venus , ( as iulius and augustus , amongst the romans , gave their names to the months formerly called quintilis and sextilis . ) from which saxon princes we have the names of tuesday , wednesday , thursday and fryday : the other days retaining the names of their respective planets as they did before . this account ( from the order of the planetary hours ) dio gives us of the names of the week-days , and of their order . why so called , and why in this order . he tells us of another account from the principles of harmonicks . because dia-tessaron ( which we call a fourth ) is reputed a concord in musick ; therefore they might , beginning with saturn ( skipping two , iupiter and mars , ) take the fourth sol : then ( skipping the two next venus and mercury ) take luna : and then ( skipping saturn and iupiter ) take mars : then ( skipping sol and venus ) take mercury : then ( skipping luna and saturn ) take iupiter : then ( skipping mars and sol ) take venus : then ( skipping mercury and luna ) take saturn ; and so onward as before . but this account seems more forced , and the former more natural . which therefore i take to be the true ground of this order . but either way , depending upon the order of the planets as they were then accounted when these names were given to the week-days , it is at least so far evident that they cannot be older than since the planets were accounted to be placed in this order . and therefore not so old as when venus or mercury or both of them were thought to be above the sun. ( for this would quite disturb the order . ) and therefore , certainly , not so old as iob's time . whether on each of these days they did worship those respective planets , as so many gods , i cannot say ; nor do i think it . nor do i think that each of those planets have any more government of their respective hours , or days , than of others . for i take the whole foundation as well of these , as of the other parts of iudicial astrology , to be purely precarious ; and assigned onely at pleasure , by those whose business it was to amuse credulous people , and thereby to make a gain of them . but , whatever were the occasion of the first imposing ; these are now the known names of those days . ( and we need no more scruple the use of these names ; than to talk of pope pius , clemens , boniface , and innocent ; though possibly the persons so called , had none of those good qualities . ) in like manner as we have a spring near oxford which we call aristotle's well ; not that we think aristotle was ever there , or was lord of the place , and much less that he was wont to be there worshiped ; but we so call it as being now the proper name of the place ( imposed at pleasure ) by which it is known . and so for the days of the week ; whatever were the occasion of the first imposing , they now signify no more than the proper distinctive names by which the days are known . and why we may not continue so to call them , i know not . we are told act. . , . of paul's being at areopagus or mars-hill , because that was the known name of the place , without scrupling the reason why it was so called ( whether , because mars had been there worshiped , or for what other reason . ) and act. . . 〈◊〉 a ship designed by castor and pollux , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , without scrupling the reason of that name , or what relation these stars had to iupiter , so as to be called his lads . and when paul cor. . allows them without scruple to eat of things offered in sacrifice to idols , even though they knew , or had reason to presume them so to be , ( unless when they might be suspected to do it with respect to the idol ) as the apostle argues at large cor. . and again chap. . no doubt we may as lawfully make use of proper names ( whereby persons , times , or places be commonly known ) without scrupling the occasion of their first imposition . and i would desire those gentlemen ( who are so over scrupulous where there is no just occasion , and make it their business to throw scruples and cast stumbling-blocks before others , ) to consider seriously , whose work they be doing all that while ; and whether it be not as truly and properly superstition to represent and quarel with things as unlawful and sinful , which in their own nature are not so ; as it is to introduce things under a pretence of holiness which have in them no such thing . and whether this be not to dote about questions and strife of words ▪ whether these be not of those foolish and unlearned questions which we are advised to avoid ; knowing that they gender strifes ; and to avoid foolish questions , and genealogies and contentions about the law , for they are unprofitable and vain ; and instead thereof to mind those things that are good and profitable to men ; to follow righteousness , faith , charity , peace , &c. as we are directed , tim. . , . tim. . , . tit. . , . they do not consider how much the studying and prosecuting these foolish questions , and needless scrupulosities , doth eat out the power of godliness and true piety , and the substantials of religion , while we busy our selves about these shadows ; about little circumstances which do not at all influence the substance of spiritual worship . there be so many necessary duties , and indubitable truths , in the serious practise of piety and godliness , that we need not trouble the heads of men ( and make it our business so to do ) with doubtful disputations . it seems to be the design of the new testament to take us off from the circumstantials and scrupulosities of religion ( which commonly produce strifes and contentions to no purpose ) and put us upon worshiping god in spirit and in truth . si deus est animus , nobis ut carmina dicunt , hic tibi praecipue sit pura mente colendus ▪ was well enough said of the poet ; and is a good paraphrase on that , god is a spirit and will be worshiped in spirit and in truth . i have been told long since of a grave divine , who when asked , why he did not preach against long hair ( which was at that time more offensive than now it is , ) gave this answer ; if he could but preach jesus christ into their hearts ; he should not much concern himself for their hair. this author tells us , p. . that our liberty gal. . . doth eminently consist in a freedome not onely from the ceremonial law of old , but also in a liberty not to be intangled with a new yoke of mens devices . i take needless scrupulosities to be such ; the making of more sins than god hath made ; the making or pretending of those things to be sins which are no sins , and putting a religious necessity upon things which are matters of meer prudence and discretion . like those tim. . . forbidding to marry , or ( as i would rather render it ) bidding not to marry ; and , to abstain from meats , &c. forbidding things as unlawful which are not so ; is alike superstitious as to impose things as holy which are not holy : and equally contrary to the liberty there intended . whether the days be called saturday , sunday , monday , or alpha , beta , gamma , is all one to me , ( i take them as i find them : ) i think we ought not to foment quarels upon such trifles ; and we sin if we do so . whether to meet once , or twice , or thrice , on a sabbath-day , ( if so as is most for edification and the real service of god , ) is meerly prudential in this or that place , without laying a new religious yoke where god leaves it to prudence . and if , in prudentials , things be not managed sometimes with so much prudence as we think they might , we must be content to bear with such imprudences as we cannot help ; and better so , than to pull-on greater inconveniences . whether to begin the sabbath at six or ten or twelve a clock on saturday-night , is a thing ( i think ) not worth contending about ▪ ( so that it be religiously observed as to the substantials of it , ) and for which we ought not to disturb the church where we live , but to follow righteousness , charity , peace ; and avoid foolish questions which gender strife . and i should not think it much more , whether on this or that day , so the sabbath be well kept : and i would by no means , on that account , give a disturbance to a church where it is peaceably settled : 't is less material when , than how , a sabbath be kept . and , in many cases , it must be unavoidably left to prudence , whether this or that day be called the first or seventh day of the week . we are in such cases to study the things that make for peace , and wherewith one may edify another . rom. . . the fruits of the spirit are love , joy , peace , &c. but variance , emulation , wrath , strife , are fruits of the flesh : gal. . , . to study and spin out disputes into too fine a threed ( like that of a spider out of her own bowels ) is but to pervert the simplicity of the gospel of christ ; to make that abstruse and difficult , which the scripture would have plain and easy : in speculatives as well as practicals . we should mind the substantials of spiritual worship ; and not dote upon circumstantials further than as they do really advance the substance . refuse profane and old-wives fables , and exercise thy self rather unto godliness ; for bodily exercise profiteth little , tim. . , . such are those col. . , . touch not , tast not , handle not , ( and others of like nature ) all which perish in the using , ( there is no real advantage doth ac●rew from the use of them ; 't is but labour lost ; ) or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are but mischievous in their use . we complain of the papists ( and deservedly ) for loading their worship with a multitude of ceremonies and mimical gestures ; the number of which would be a burthen , even though singly they were tolerable . being so many diversions of the mind from attending the spirituality of the service . but they have some reason for it . for when much of their devotion is either to be spoken so low as not to be heard , or in such a language as not to be understood , they have need of somewhat to gratify the eye , when the ear is not edified . and it is almost the same mischief , when mens minds are amused with nice speculations and needless scrupulosities , whereby they are diverted from the substantials of serious religion . yet i would not so be understood , as if no care were to be had of corporeal worship , or the necessary circumstances attending it . ( for god expects the worship of the body as well as the soul , and religious actions must have their circumstances , as time , place , gesture , and the like , as well as other actions . ) but these circumstantials should be considered as circumstances ( not as the substance of the worship ; ) and as prudentials ; so to be managed ( as in all other actions ) as may , with decency and convenience , best advance the spiritual worship ; and may be varied according as the diversity of times and places may require . not to lay the weight of divine institution upon such little things . as if , because paul kneeled down and prayed ( act. . . ) therefore it were unlawful to use any other gesture in praying ; or as if , because christ bids , when thou prayest , enter into thy closet and shut the door ( mat. . . ) therefore we may not pray in the chamber ▪ parlour , dining-room , or chappel : or , because christ did celebrate the lords supper , at night , in an upper-room , to men onely , and but twelve , and to those sitting or lying ; therefore we may not do it at noon or morning , in a low-room , to women as well as men , in greater numbers , or in some other gesture . for though such circumstances may be lawful , and sometimes advisable when convenient ; yet to put a religious necessity upon them , as of divine institution , looks like a piece of superstition . and if we consider seriously how great a mischief many times some needless scruples do create to the church of god ; how great a matter a little fire kindles ; and how great hindrance to real piety ; it might justly make us wary how we add fewel to such a flame , and rather bear with some things we think amiss , ( but may perhaps not be so ) than by attempting to remove a suppos'd evil create a greater mischief . as to the present point in question ; i have said so much upon the whole , as i think might satisfy the gentleman if he well consider it . yet i know , when men have once espoused a notion of which they are fond ; and have so long pored upon it as to rivet it in their mind ; catching at every little thing that may seem to favour it , and slighting whatever makes against it ; ( as we find our author doth very often ; ) and that hardly any thing can be said so plain , as that there be nothing to be cavilled at , by one who is minded so to do ; and that when god hath declared his will as plainly as he thinks fit to do , if men will not be contented with reasonable evidence , he is not obliged to gratify their humours : when ( i say ) we consider this ; it looks somewhat like what solomon tells us prov. . . of a brother offended , harder to be won than a strong city ; and i must leave the success to god ▪ who so teacheth as none like him . he remits us to two writers on this subject , in defense of the christian sabbath , mr. shepheard and mr. hughs ( whom i have not read , nor have them at hand , ) and two others whom he names not ( nor know i well whom he means , for more than two have since written ; ) who , he thinks , do tacitly retract somewhat that those before had granted . and divers 〈◊〉 have written on this subject ▪ though i have scarce consulted any of them . and particularly i have not seen what is written by dr. young or mr. warren , whom i find cited in a late book of g. t. which came out since this was written and part of it printed . it is very possible , that some of those may have said much of what i now say , or that i may now say somewhat of what they have said before . but , in this , there is no hurt . if in some particulars i vary from some of them ; it is not because i slight them , or out of a desire to contradict them , but freely to speak my own thoughts as they do theirs . nor is it to be expected that all writers on the same subject should agree in every particular , ( nor is he to make advantage of it ; for p. . he owns it is so also with those who are for the seventh day : ) but as to the main ( i presume ) we do well enough agree . i have been a great deal longer than i did intend when i first began to write . i shall give you a brief summe of what i have said to this purpose , as to both questions . ( for the question is double , though it seem to be but one . ) first concerning the iewish sabbath , whether that be antiquated and at an end . secondly , concerning the christian sabbath , whether there be sufficient ground for this to succeed in the place thereof . as to the first ; i agree with him in many things which he prosecutes at large , though not peculiar to his question ; as , that our lord iesus christ is god ; that he is the lord iehovah , the god who made the world , who rested the seventh day , who brought israel out of egypt , and gave the law on mount sinai : for there is no other god. but , this i say , he did as god ( in union with the father and holy ghost ; ) not as christ ( god and man ) our mediator and redeemer . for he was not then man ; nor was there occasion of a mediator and redeemer before the fall . i agree also that the decalogue ( or ten commandments ) is obligatory to us gentiles ; ( as being for the substance of it , a law before it was so delivered on mount sinai . ) and that the fourth commandment concerning the sabbath is one of them ; which requires after six days of labour , the seventh day to be a sabbath or day of holy rest. and our christian sabbath is such . but it doth not say , the seventh in course from the creation , nor doth it appear that the iewish sabbath was such , but rather the seventh day from the first raining of manna . i do agree also that god himself did rest on the seventh day from the creation , gen. . that is , he did cease to create . but i do not there find , that man did so rest , or that there was any express command for him so to do on that day ; much less for ever after , on every seventh day in course from the creation . how much may be thought to be implyed in those words , he blessed and sanctified it , i will not dispute ; however , it is but by implication not by any express command ; such as our author demands for the christian sabbath . nor do i find that ever it was observed by man till after the israelites coming out of egypt , or expresly commanded so to be . nor do i find that any other nation ( beside the jews ) did anciently so much as divide their time by weeks . since the times of christianity they have : but that they did so , long before that time , i do not find . i do agree also that after israels coming out of egypt they did observe a sabbath , exod. . but it was from a new command , ( at marah or elim ) which appeared new to them , not a continuation of a constant practise ; and it was from a new beginning ( the seventh day from the first raining of manna , ) and as a distinctive sign or token , of gods being their god in a special manner , as contradistir guished to other nations ; ( as himself owns p. . and . ) and as a memorial of their refreshing after their bondage and labour in egypt , and feeding them with bread from heaven . i do presume also that , they did , from this first raining of manna continue a circulation of weeks for a long time , and perhaps till the time of our saviour . yet we are not sure but that it might be intermitted in the seventy years of the babylonish captivity , and the day forgotten ; and then restored a-new by nehemiah ( from a new beginning ) neh. . as he restored the feast of tabernacles ( chap. . ) which had been intermitted from the days of ioshua the son of nun to that day . but i rather think , the memory was preserved ( by tradition ) during those seventy years . i agree also that the church of the jews was the most visible church of god , but i am loth to say ( with him , p. . ) it was the whole visible church ; for i presume there might be many good men of other nations , who worshiped the true god ( of whom we have no history , ) though not joined to the jewish church , nor were ( that i know of ) obliged so to be . such was melchizedek ( whoever he were ) not of the seed of abraham , much less of israel . and such was iob , and his friends from divers countries ( of whom , were it not for the story of iob , we should have had no knowledge , ) nor are we to think these were the onely persons of those countries who worshiped the true god. and how many such were in other nations , we cannot tell . who might , if they had opportunity , join as proselites with the iewish church , when established . but i do not think they were necessarily obliged so to do , or to keep the same sabbath with them . for i take it to be true , even before christs coming , that god is no respecter of persons ; but in every nation , he that feareth him and worketh righteousness , is accepted with him . act. . , . whether iew or greek , rom. . , . pet. . . which are but quotations from deut. . . nor do i find that any nation , except the iews , did observe the iewish sabbath . but i rather take it to be a distinctive sign of them from other nations , ex. . , . as circumcision and the pass-over were ; which , when the wall of partition was taken away , ceased also . yet , as to what was moral in them ( the circumcision of the heart being pointed at by that of the flesh ; and the old leaven of malice and wickedness to be put away instead of that of bread ; and a rest from sin of more respect with god than that from labour ; ) we have instead thereof , baptism , in the room of circumcision ; the lords supper , in the room of the pass-over ; and the lords day or christian sabbath , instead of the iewish . and , as that took date from the raining of manna after their deliverance from egypt ; so ours from the resurrection of christ , the true manna . i agree also that the apostle , and other christians , even after christs resurrection , did go to the temple and the jewish synagogues on their sabbath days ( and did there assist at prayers , and reading the law , and other services common to jews and christians ) on a like account as when we now meet to hear a sermon , or keep a fast or thanksgiving on a week-day . but so they did as to circumcision , and other iewish rites . as when paul circumcised timothy , and joined in the jewish rites of purification , act. . on account of those believing iews who were yet zealous of the law : to testify to them that he had been misrepresented by those who said he did teach the iews which are among the gentiles to forsake moses , and that they ought not to circumcise their children , nor to walk after the customs . whereas indeed he taught that gentiles ought so to forbear , ( as being a new yoke to which before they were not subject , ) but as to the iews which were amongst the gentiles he did allow them ( if not yet satisfied of their christian liberty ) so to practise . for he puts a great difference between the gentiles , and the iews among the gentiles ; of which i doubt our author doth not take notice ; else he would not tell us ( p. . ) of paul's writing one thing , and practising another . he preached and wrote against circumcision as to the gentiles ; but allowed it to the iews ; and himself practised it , as to timothy ( a jew ) but not as to titus who was no iew. and the like we may say as to the iewish sabbath on their seventh day . as to what services were peculiarly christian ( as breaking of bread ) they did it not at the temple or synagogues , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at home , or from house to house , act. . . and on another day , the first day of the week , act. . . now this is all that he hath to urge , for the iewish sabbath in particular : which he cannot shew to be commanded to all the world ( but rather to them in particular in contradistinction to the rest of the world , ) nor that it was a seventh day from the creation , but from the first raining of manna . for the fourth commandment saith nothing of this sabbath in particular , but onely of the seventh day after six days of labour . as to that imperious demand , p. , , . where is there any such power recorded in scripture to be given to any man or men whatsoever , after christ had said it is finished , to alter the seventh-day sabbath instituted by our lord iesus christ ? i doubt he hath forgotten that the same god who gave the law of the ten commandments , gave also the ceremonial law ; and if it were the lord iesus christ who gave the one , it was he that gave the other also . and will he then ask where is there any power recorded in scripture to be given to any man or number of men to abolish circumcision and the rest of the mosaick rites instituted by the lord iesus christ ? i know no such power recorded in scripture to be given , as to circumcision and the rest , more than as to the iewish sabbath . and we find them both put together col. . , . or will he say , where is any power recorded in scripture to be given to any man or men , ( after christ had said it is finished , ) to appoint elders and deacons and other officers in the christian church , and give orders concerning it , which christ ( before he so said , ) had not given ? yet we know circumcision was abolished , and such officers and orders given . so that all this is but flourish . as to that of christ having said it is finished ; whatever be meant by that , we know that the whole order and constitution of the christian church was settled after that time : and whatever else be signified by it , it is not meant that there was nothing to be done further concerning it ; for , if so , to what purpose did christ give commandments to his apostles , of things pertaining to the kingdome of god after his resurrection , if nothing were to be further done ? and if we consider the apostles deportment ; we do not find them any where insist authoritatively upon a power given them from christ , to abrogate circumcision or the like , and thereupon to proceed pro imperio . but they argue it from the nature of the thing , that what was typical of christ , was at an end now christ is come ; that what was distinctive of the jews from other nations , was now to cease when the partition wall was broken down ; that what were but shadows as to the substantials of religion , were now to pass away , as beggarly rudiments , christ regarding the body or substance not the shadows ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , these are but shadows in comparison of what christ came to settle , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but 't is the body ( the substance ) that christ respects , col. . . they do not command , but argue . they do no where pretend that god or christ had given them authority to abrogate a law which god had made : but argue ( from the nature of the thing ) that the law was ceased ; and was not intended to oblige longer : that the law was now antiquated or expired when the end for which it was made was attained : that the types were at an end , when the thing typified was exhibited : that the distinctive marks were now no more of use , when jews and gentiles were united : that the elements or rudiments ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) which god ( for reasons best known to himself ) thought fit for the training-up of his church while as in a state of minority ( wherein a child though heir of all doth little differ from a servant ) should now cease when it comes to full age , gal. . and to the same purpose heb. . he argues that the old covenant was at an end when a better covenant was come in the room ; citing that of ier. . behold the days come , saith the lord , when i will make a new covenant with the house of israel and with the house of iudah : not according to the covenant which i made with their fathers when i led them out of the land of egypt , for this is the covenant that i will make , that i will put my laws into their mind , and write them in their hearts . meaning , instead of an outward ceremonial service , he would establish a service more spiritual . from whence he concludes the antiquation of the former : in that he saith a new covenant , he hath made the first old : now that which decayeth and waxeth old , is ready to vanish away ▪ they do not claim a power , to abolish a law of gods making ; but prove by argument , that these laws are antiquated or expired ; as not being intended , by the law-maker , to bind longer than till such a time . as rom. . the woman is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives ; but if the husband be dead , she is free from the law : not that the law is abolished ; but the case is altered . and it is from these considerations that he argues against circumcision col. . . and the iewish sabbath , ver . . for as to the substantials of the service , provided a sabbath be duly kept , it is much one whether on the seventh or the first day . now these ( substantials ) are ( he tells us p. . ) a lively spiritual converse with the father , son and holy-ghost , in private duties and publick ordinances ( where they can be had , ) and in a holy rest all that day , saving emergent cases of necessity and mercy . which may be equally done on either day . but as to those who were not satisfied with these arguments ; ( if they were such as were before under those commands ) he doth not urge his authority ; he leaves them to practise according to their own judgment ( but without censuring others ) till they shall be better satisfied , as in rom. . but as to the gentiles , who had never been under these laws , the case was otherwise . which makes him argue otherwise with the ( gentile ) galatians , ephesians , and colossians , than with the christian iews at rome . and as to his question , p. . when , where , and by whom , it was taken away , i say then , there , and by the same , who took away circumcision and the other mosaick rites . that is , fundamentally by christ at his death who nailed them to his cross , after which they ceased to be obligatory ; but executively and practically by his apostles , and the christian church , according as they did ( leisurably and in time ) come to understand their liberty . all which we are to presume they did according to such directions as christ gave them . for ( as this author observes p. . ) paul , in those primitive times , when the ceremonial law was fresh in memory , and the gospel newly preached , had much a do t●●e move the first converted iews from circumcision and other ceremonials , ( and so from their iewish sabbath ; ) therefore these things were to wear off by degrees , and not to be torn from them all at once . and this i think is enough ( to a person not prejudiced ) as to the removal of the ( then ) iewish sabbath ; appointed by moses after their coming out of egypt , on the seventh day from the first raining of manna , and not given to all the world , but to be a distinctive sign of them from other nations . now as to the other point in question , the observation of the lords day : i would ground that originally on the fourth commandment ; which doth appoint a seventh day of holy rest , after six days of ordinary labour . which doth directly concern the substantials of worship ( that a sabbath be kept and god thus served ) , but whether on this or that day of the seven , is meerly circumstantial , and ( as paul calls it ) a shadow , in comparison of the body or substance , which is , he tells us , what christ respects . but then as to that , why the first day rather than another ? i answer , first , here was a much more memorable accident , of christs resurrection ; than was that of raining manna , from whence the jewish sabbath takes its date , as the seventh day from it ( not from the creation ) or that of the quails the night before , ( the first day that god fed them by miracle from heaven , ) and therefore stands as fair for beginning such a circulation of weeks and sabbaths . we are told ier. . , . and ier. , , . behold the days come ( saith the lord ) that it shall no more be said , the lord liveth that brought up the children of israel out of the land of egypt ; but , the lordliveth that brought up the children of israel out of the north country . not , that the former deliverance was to be forgotten ; but a greater than it did make it ( comparatively ) to disappear ( as when the light of the sun doth obscure that of the moon and stars ; ) and so here , the resurrection of christ to be commemorated paramount to that of former mercies . next , in pursuance of this occasion , we find our saviour did on that day of his resurrection , appear to mary magdalen and the other women , declaring to them the doctrine of the resurrection ▪ then , to the two disciples going to emmaus , preaching to them ( at large ) the same doctrine , and celebrating with them the lords supper ; and afterward ( the same day ) to those assembled at ierusalem ( with other sabbatical works ) and solemnly blessing that convention . and if our author by blessing the seventh day gen. . would have us understand an institution or command to observe it ; we have as much here ; christ joined in this assembly , and blessed it . for so much is intimated in that his solemn benediction ( a first and second time , ioh. . , . ) peace be unto you ; and he breathed on them saying , receive ye the holy ghost . he did so a second time on the same day the next week ; he assembled with them ( in religious services ) and blessed them . he did ( according to his promise made on that first day of his resurrection ) send on them that miraculous effusion of the holy ghost on the day of pentecost , which being the fiftieth day from his resurrection , was therefore the first day of the week as was that of the resurrection . on which day of pentecost we find them also otherwise exercised in religious employments , and attested further by a miraculous conversion of three thousand souls . we find st. paul at troas act. . preaching to the disciples assembled ( as it seems their manner was ) on the first day of the week to break bread ; that is , to celebrate the lords supper . that such assemblies were wont to be at corinth , on the first day of the week , the apostle presumes , or takes for granted ; and gives direction for a collection to be then made , cor. . and he had so done before , as he there signifies , to the churches of galatia ; presuming or taking for granted , that they also did so use to meet on the first day of the week . and we have no reason to doubt but that such meetings were wont to be in other churches . we cannot doubt but that other of the apostles did disperse themselves in other parts of the world , though we have not a like account of their travels , as we have of paul's recorded by st. luke : but we are to presume ( though it be not recorded ) that their doctrine and practise was consonant to his ; and that accordingly they had such weekly meetings on the lords day as these churches had of whom we have the history . hence that day had the name given of the lords day , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as we find it called rev. . . ( as that of the sacrament is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lords supper , cor. . . ) which name it retaineth to this day , and for such purpose . and all this , i think , is sufficient for us to continue our observation of the same day . i am sure 't is much more than he can shew for his seventh-day sabbath for more than two thousand five hundred years from the first creation . it is not necessary that we have express words of command recorded . we have no record in scripture of such express words of command for the seventh-day sabbath , till after israels coming out of egypt ; nor for the worshiping of god by sacrifice ; nor for other things which yet were duties before any record of such express words of command . it is enough if we can otherwise collect it to be gods will , according to the best light we have . if this gentleman think himself obliged to keep the jewish sabbath also : this doth not hurt us . this , i think , was the case of the christian iews at first . i do not much question but that they did , as other christians , observe the lords day . the doubt was , whether they were not to observe also the jewish sabbath as before they did . and these believers who were yet zealous of the law , and thought themselves obliged , together with christianity , to observe the law of moses , did no doubt think themselves equally obliged to the iewish sabbath . those who thought themselves obliged to be baptized , and to be circumcised also , thought themselves in like manner obliged to observe the lords day and also the iewish sabbath . and ( till they should be better satified ) the apostles permit ( the iews ) so to do . if this do not satisfy him ; i have yet two expedients for him . . let him begin his week on monday ▪ and then sunday will be the seventh day . whether the seventh in course from the creation , i cannot tell ; nor can any man living inform me . but it will at least be the seventh day of his week . . if he be not satisfied with this : my next expedient is thus . let him take a voyage round the world , as sir francis drake did . going out of the atlantick ocean west-ward by the streights of magellan to the east-indies ; and then , from the east , returning by the cape of good hope ( the usual way ) homeward . and take with him as many as please of those who are of his mind . and let them keep their saturday-sabbath all the way . when they come home to england , they will find their saturday to fall upon our sunday ; and they may thenceforth continue to observe their saturday-sabbath on the same day with us . which is the second expedient . if you ask , how this can be ? i will make it very plain , that so it will be , and so it must be . for , supposing the earth to be round , and the sun moving from east to west ; you must allow that it comes sooner to the eastern parts than to the western . it will sooner be noon in holland than in england , and sooner here than in ireland . if you ask , how much sooner ? we say , that fifteen degrees of longitude west-ward , makes it an hour later . as if he embark about dover , yarmouth , or other port on the east-side of england , and sail as far west-ward as the west of ireland ( or a little farther ) it will be an hour later , and not be noon there till it be one a clock at the place where he embarked . and so in proportion , an hour for every fifteen degrees . and accordingly , when he hath gone round the whole circle of three hundred and sixty degrees , ( that is four and twenty times fifteen , ) it will be later by four and twenty hours ▪ that is , it will be but saturday-noon with him , when it is sundaynoon with those who staid here . that is , his saturday will be our sunday . and thenceforth his saturday-sabbath will be the same day with our sunday-sabbath ever after . and this , i think , should fully satisfy him . for he tells us , p. . the variety of the time of the sun-rising or setting in different climates doth no way disturb ; for that a day longer , or shorter is still a day , and but a day ▪ most certain it is he who shall have thus sailed round the world will have had one day fewer than those who staid here . so it was with sir francis drake and his company : and so it hath been with all who have taken such a voyage , ( as many have done , for it is not a rare case : ) and so will be to any who shall so do . what he would resolve upon this case , or what he thinks sir francis drake was to do when this happened ; i cannot tell . if he would go on to reckon the days according as they had happened to him in his voyage ; then this expedient must fully satisfy him . for then he keeps his saturday-sabbath on our sunday . if he thinks the account should be rectified when or before he comes home , and call the days thenceforth as he finds those to do that staid here , what shall be come of that day he hath lost ? and which day of the week shall he reckon that to be ? and when must he rectify that account ? when he comes home , or somewhere by the way ? for it would be just the same , if , before he come at england , he should have landed in france or spain , or on the coast of africk , or even at the east-indies ; and all the way from thence , he would still be a day behind them . and so he would be with every ship that in his way he should meet with . if he and such other ship meet at the isle of st. helens to take fresh water , his saturday will be their sunday ; and on which of the two days are they to keep their sabbath ? or must they keep it one on the one day , and the other on the other ? if he say that the account is to be rectified by the way ( before he comes home ) then where ? or when ? and by what rule ? for when ever he doth so rectify it , he must then begin to call sunday what just before he was to call saturday . if he say , this must be left to discretion , when , and where : then must it be matter of discretion ( and not determin'd by the fourth commandment ) on which of the two days in question the sabbath shall be kept . but then here will again come in our amazing demand ( as p. , , . ) what man or men , without an high usurpation of the divine authority , contrary to the first commandment shall , with pretended good intentions , assume an authority of their own heads , to appoint ( for this or that place ; suppose the streights of magellan ) what day shall be the lords holy sabbath ? who , but our lord iesus christ , that is lord of the sabbath , hath power to institute a sabbath day ? if the church or any part thereof be once admitted to have such power , what bolts or locks will be strong enough for such a door , to keep it from letting in upon the churches of christ what soever pleaseth those in power ? i shall not much trouble my self to answer all this warmth . but ( when that is over ) if at or near the streights of magellan ( a place , i think , not inhabited , or not by christian , ) a colony be planted by some from hence , and some from the east-indies ; those who come thither from hence will ( according to their account ) call that saturday , which those who come thither from the other side will ( according to their account ) call sunday : must they have no sabbath at all ? ( that 's against the fourth commandment : ) or must they by consent agree upon the day ? ( this i should think , if he would give me leave : ) or must they keep it some upon one day some on the other ? this i would by no means advise , if it may be avoided : because it would be a manifest confusion and disorder ; and they would not both ( if either ) be the seventh-day in course from the creation : and which of them is so , is not possible for any man to know . and it would be more for common edification that they do agree upon a common day . and not much matter , whether of the two. this gentleman , if he can consider of it calmly , i am apt to think will be of the same mind ; and think it better to have such a sabbath than none at all ; and that the little circumstance , whether on this or that day , should be disregarded in comparison of the substantials of the duty . there be many things which the word of god or the divine law doth determine in thesi , which when in hypothesi they come in practise , will require the intervention of prudentials or humane laws . the eighth commandment says , i must not steal , or take unduly from my neighbour what is his : but , what is mine , and what is my neighbours , will depend much upon humane laws ; and , what shall be reputed a trespass on my neighbours land ; or , a forfeiture of his right . the seventh commandment says , thou shalt not commit adultery : but it will depend much upon humane law , what shall be reputed a good marriage . the sixth commandment says thou shalt not kill : but it will much depend upon humane law what shall be reputed self-defense , or a just war , or a forfeiture of life . the fifth commandment requires us to honour and obey our parents ; but , in many cases , 't is humane law that is to determine , who is to be reputed the father . if a widow be left whith child by a former husband , and marry another before that child be born ( which sometime happens ; ) 't will be a point in law , not in divinity , to whether of the two fathers this son shall be heir . and if my father require me to part with what estate is my own , 't will be a point in law , how far i am required to obey such a command . ( and the like as to other superiours , as well as natural parents . ) and those laws which seem absolute ( as thou shalt not kill , thou shalt not steal , &c. ) have yet their tacite limitations implied . for no man doubts but there are cases wherein to kill may be lawful ; as in self-defense , in a just war , and for capital crimes ; and in such cases , to take from our neighbour what was his. and , notwithstanding the command of honour thy father and mother , or that of children obey your parents in all things ; there may things happen , wherein we are not obliged to do what they bid us . and in all such cases there is room for prudence to interpose . not , to abrogate or repeal a law of god ; but to judge what is the true intent of that law. so not withstanding that command of the sabbath , in it thou shall do no manner of work ; yet our saviour tells us , the priests in the temple profane the sabbath and are blameless ; and against the pharisees superstitious rigour he argues , not onely from his own authority ( the son of man is lord of the sabbath-day ) but from the reason of the law , the sabbath was made for man , and not man for the sabbath ; and consequently is so to be understood as may be for the good of man ( spiritual and bodily ) not for his hurt . and our author allows the emergent cases of necessity and mercy ; and no man doubts but that if a house be on fire , we may labour to quench it . in all which cases prudence may be used , but must not ( upon that pretense ) be abused . not as if it were left to our prudence , whether or no the law of god shall be obeyed ; but , what is , in such cases , the true intendment of the law of god. and there needs no other locks or bolts ( as our author speaks ) to confine prudence in such cases , than in all other prudential acts. so when the fourth commandment requires us to keep holy the sabath-day ; it may yet , in many cases , depend much upon prudence or humane laws , which day shall be reputed the sabbath . and if this author tell us , it must be the seventh in course from the creation ; we are never a whit the nearer . for though he take great pleasure , on all occasions , to exclaim against tradition ; yet he must admit a great deal of tradition to intervene before he can prove this or that day to be a seventh in course from the creation . i am apt to think also , that when he hath well consider'd the case of sr. francis drake ( and many more since that time , who sailing round the world , as he did , have lost a day , ) he will come to one of these two resolutions : either that when he comes back to england he must continue to call that saturday which on his account was so ; ( and then his saturday-sabbath will be the same with our sunday : ) or else that his account must be somewhere rectified in his voyage by skipping a day ; and then and there beginning to call sunday what , just before , he was to call saturday . now because there is nothing in nature to determine where this must be ; nor is there any thing of divine institution ( that i know of ) to determine where it shall be ; it seems to me to be prudential , or most rational , ( if nothing intervene to counterbalance it , ) to be at what we call the first meridian , from whence we reckon the degrees of longitude , east-ward , , , , &c. and so onward till we come round to , at the same meridian again ; and thence begin to reckon onward , , , &c. as before , for another round . this first meridian , in ptolemy's time , was accounted to be about the western part of the african shore ; as being the most western part of the world then known . of later times , geographers have been pleased to remove it more west , about the islands called azores , or the flemish islands . but all agree to place it between our continent and that of america . and if from that meridian , from whence we reckon the beginning of longitude , we reckon also the beginning of days ; then the last of saturday must there end , and the first of sunday must there begin . and therefore at that meridian the sailers round the world should rectify their account , calling it saturday on the one side of it , and sunday on the other ; that being the latest of saturday , and the soonest of sunday . he will tell me perhaps , that , by this account , if we keep our sabbath on sunday , those in new-england must be said to keep theirs on monday , as being on the other side of that meridian . and 't is true , it would so follow . and therefore i did interpose , if nothing else do intervene to counterbalance it . and this is what i did at first intimate , as disputable , whether we and they in new-england are to be said to keep our sabbath on the same day . but it is the same case as to the whole continent of america . and the same resolution will reach all . and therefore , the thing being once settled by the common consent of all , i would by no means advise to change the day . for the placing the first meridian is purely arbitrary . it might as well have been placed beyond america , ( if men had so pleased , and that america had been known in ptolemy's time ) as on this side : ( and we might have numbred our degrees of longitude westward , as now we do eastward : ) and may be so reputed now , if men so please ( as it is now reputed about or degrees more to the westward than it was in ptolemy's days . ) and it is purely arbitrary , where to begin to change the name of the day which is to be so called ; whether at the first meridian , or else-where . and consequently 't is purely arbitrary or discretional , whether in america such day shall be called sunday or monday . there is nothing in the fourth commandment , nor in the word of god , to determine it . but it so happening , that america hath been peopled from europe , traveling westward from hence ( without taking notice that we cross the first meridian , ) we have reckoned the days ( and so named them ) according as they appeared to those upon their voyage who went thither . whereas if it had been peopled ( i mean , as to the christians there ) from asia and the east-indies ( by people coming thence to the other side of america ) what there is now called sunday , would ( for the like reason ) have been called monday : and the fourth commandment equally observed either way . and upon a like account christians in the east-indies , and in china and iapan , traveling eastward from hence thither , do call their days there according as they appeared to fall out to them in the course of their voyage . now 't is true , that some part of the day which we here call sunday , is coincident with some part of what is so called in iapan , and also some part of our sunday ( though not the same part ) is coincident with part of theirs in america . but very little of theirs in the east of iapan , with theirs in the west of america . about eleven a clock at night in the one ( or yet later ) before it begins to be one a clock in the morning in the other , ( scarce an hour in common ) according to our ancient maps . ( our later maps make it somewhat more , as if it might be ten at night in the one , when it begins to be two in the morning at the other . ) yet these pass for the same sunday . and 't is well enough so to reckon . but it is prudentially so : because the chief trade and intercourse of america , is with europe ; not with asia . and therefore it is considered as lying west from europe ; rather than as east from iapan . and accordingly it is so placed in our maps . and though we continue to reckon our longitude as from a meridian between us and america , yet the account of our days we begin as from a meridian beyond it , between america and asia . which is not said to raise new scruples , ( as if i would advise an alteration of a received computation ; which is well enough as it is ; and i know not how to mend it : ) but to shew there is an unavoidable necessity of leaving much to prudential considerations , what day shall be reputed sunday , and what the sabbath , in this or that place . and therefore it cannot reasonably be thought the design of the fourth commandment to confine us to such circumstantial niceties , which do not at all influence the substantials of worship . the fourth commandment requires the seventh day of holy rest , after six days of ordinary labour . but of a seventh day in course from the creation to be so observed , it saith nothing : nor is it possible for us to know . the iews observed a seventh day in course from the first raining of manna ; but i do not know how that concerns us ; or , if it did , how we shall know which is that day ? ( for this gentleman will not allow tradition to be a good proof . ) we observe a seventh day in course from what ( we think ) the apostles did observe . if we mistake our reckoning ( which i think we do not ) it is not a culpable ignorance ; for it is according to the best light we have . this day we are in possession of , and the christian church hath so been for many hundred years . and he that would dispossess us of it , must shew a better title . ( the old rule is , possidentis potior est ratio . ) to change meerly for change sake , is foolish . if he would lay a divine necessity on us to observe the iewish sabbath from the first raining of manna ( if at least that be the day by them observed in our saviours time ; ) he must make it clear to us , which is that day ( by a better argument , if he can , than tradition : ) and , that we are of necessity obliged to that day ; which was ( himself acknowledges ) a distinctive sign of them from other nations , as circumcision also was . and if this distinctive mark ( when the partition wall is broken down ) do as much cease as that did : 't is as truly superstition now to put a necessity upon it , as upon circumcision . which though the apostles would , for a while , permit to the jews ; ( to whom it had once been a law ) till they should be better satisfied ; yet would by no means allow to the gentiles , to whom it had not before been a law. and i think the case is just the same of the iewish sabbath as contradistinguished to the lords day . i am yours , &c. finis . the jewish sabbath abrogated, or, the saturday sabbatarians confuted in two parts : first, proving the abrogation of the old seventh-day sabbath : secondly, that the lord's-day is of divine appointment : containing several sermons newly preach'd upon a special occasion, wherein are many new arguments not found in former authors / by benjamin keach. keach, benjamin, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing k estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the jewish sabbath abrogated, or, the saturday sabbatarians confuted in two parts : first, proving the abrogation of the old seventh-day sabbath : secondly, that the lord's-day is of divine appointment : containing several sermons newly preach'd upon a special occasion, wherein are many new arguments not found in former authors / by benjamin keach. keach, benjamin, - . vi, [ ], , [ ] p. : port. printed and sold by john marshall ..., london : . errata: p. [ ] at beginning. advertisement: p. [ ] at end. pages from beginning to p. and - photographed from yale university copy and inserted at the end. reproduction of original in british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng sabbath -- early works to . sabbatarians. sabbath -- sermons. sermons, english. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - rachel losh sampled and proofread - rachel losh text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion benjamin . keach minister of the gospel ▪ aetat . . the jewish sabbath abrogated : or , the saturday sabbatarians confuted . in two parts . first , proving the abrogation of the old seventh-day sabbath . secondly , that the lord's-day is of divine appointment . containing several sermons newly preach'd upon a special occasion , wherein are many new arguments not found in former authors . by benjamin keach . gal. . . stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith christ hath made us free , and be not again intangled with the yoke of bondage . london ; printed and sold by john marshall at the bible in grace-church-street , . to the reader . there is not one controvertable point in and about religion that i less thought to have been concerned with this way , than that contained in these sermons presented here to thy view , until i was alarm'd on a sudden , and provoked ( some few months ago ) to undertake it ; there being one person especially under my charge ( who for some time , by his unsettled and wavering spirit , and aspiring temper , i feared would be troublesome ) who had for some considerable time , unknown to me , suck'd in the notion of the jewish sabbath , and laboured to corrupt many others of the younger sort , some of which , with himself , fell into the practice of keeping that day , and cast off the lord's-day , as not being of divine appointment . some of them being apprentices , declared they would and could do any business or work for their masters upon the first day of the week : and this principle they received without acquainting me or the church with it , or ever coming to me to hear what i had to say against it ; insomuch that when it was publickly known , it had almost put the whole congregation into a flame ; but to prevent which , i was desired by divers members to endeavour to convince them by scripture and solid arguments , which i laboured to do , but found all was in vain as to several of them . so that the brethren saw it was necessary for me to preach upon this subject , which i my self perceived an absolute necessity to do ; and praised be the lord who hath blessed my undertaking herein , and answered my hopes , which was not so much to regain those hot-headed and conceited young men , as to establish , confirm and strengthen all others ; many being much startled , and doubting which day they ought to observe , which the ringleaders i perceived much gloried at , some of them giving it out , that they hoped to bring over great part of the congregation to their opinion ; but these seasonable and timely endeavours , through the blessing of god , have , i hope , finally prevented their design , all generally ( save them who were at first corrupted ) being throughly established in the observation of the lord's-day in opposition to the old seventh-day sabbath : and several that were wavering told me how fully all their doubts were resolved by hearing some of these sermons preached . these things first mentioned being the occasion of my insisting upon this controversy , i hope all will say my call was just ; and none will or can blame me , that have no prejudice against me . and now also at the request and desire of many ( some not members with us ) the sermons are published , hoping they may be of some use to the church of god in general . as to the work it self , all may perceive that i have taken no small pains according to my small ability , in searching not only into god's word , but also into the works and labours of many pious and learned authors ; and i have cited ( to confirm my own arguments ) many passages out of their writings . ( . ) thinking their words might do more with some persons , than any thing i my self might say , whose learning and abilities far exceed mine . ( . ) because few may be ever saw some of these books . i have , 't is true , repeated some things two or three times which i look upon emphatical , that they might make the greater impression on such readers , for whose sake these sermons are published , viz. who are not learned ; for others need not my help . reader , i did not ( for some reasons ) deliver from the pulpit great part of what is here published ; and also some things i might say that are here omitted , which being not in my notes , i could not remember . dr. owen , dr. wallis , mr. warren , &c. in particular , with several other reverend ministers , have said enough to satisfy any on this subject , whose books have not ever been answered . in my citations of divers authors , i have transcribed both the greek and latin , that all may know the original words , of which our opponents would make some earnings ; and i can solemnly say i have not wilfully mist in any quotation . and if any of these sabbatarians make reply to me , let them rather answer them ( especially those three i have now mentioned ) than me , it will be more for their honour : and this i will say , if they do think to reply , unless they answer what these and other learned men have said which i have here recited , i shall take it for no answer at all : let them therefore attempt to do it effectually , or not meddle with it . 't is true , i differ from divers learned men in one or two things i have cited , and from reverend dr. owen particularly , i. e. about adam in innocency , and the patriarchs keeping the ●eventh day ; yet what the doctor saith on heb. . doth well comport with my principle : but tho as soon as god finished his work , he rested , and that day of rest ensued thereon , to answer the end of creation , and the covenant of works ; yet i can't see any ground to believe it was given to any to observe until moses's time , exod. . for reasons i and others have given . moreover , dr. wallis has shewed in his rejoiner to mr. bamfield , p. . that that very day before it rained manna could not be a sabbath , because on that day quails covered the camp , and they were not forbid to gather them , exod. . , . but no more of that here . i expect better usage or treatment from these opponents than i met formerly with from some others about another controversy , who left the argument to abuse my person ; yet i may say ( with a late * writer on this subject ) as for the leaders ( he saith deceivers ) i despair of doing good to them , but shall be glad if i may be an instrument to recover any that are misled , or deceived : self-denial is a hard lesson . you will find many new arguments i think not found in former authors . i shall conclude with advice to unsettled persons , who are ready to receive novelties . but first , take a note or two how you may know such : they that are firmly rooted in the truth will not be soon shaken or removed . erronious persons , . are subject to cavil with truth doubtfully uttered , which by an honest hearer will be well taken . . they are subject to contradict plain evident truth with a delight to gainsay it , because they would not have it to be otherwise than they believe . . they have a vehement desire to infect others , or to draw many to be of their opinion . . a desire of conference under pretence of taking satisfaction , but on purpose to vent their notions more freely , and get the good opinion of others , and occasion of insulting . . commend themselves thro pride , and diminish the credit and honour of others , and care not what pious congregations they divide and trouble , to augment their own company . . make a profession of new light , that hardly any before them ever attained , and that all are in darkness but themselves . . pretend to conscience , and that they would imbrace the truth when they see it : yet after clear demonstration of truth they remain stubborn , and persevere in their errors . . they matter not church-dealings , nor any just and righteous censure , nor regard their own most solemn church-engagements , so that they can but please their own fancy , and feed on their new notions the more greedily — and hardly can a man receive an error , but he will prove a seducer of others . . they shew great zeal and concernedness of mind if they find any oppose their errors , as if their all lay at stake . . and if they receive one error , they are ready to receive more . . they commonly seem uneasy under the word where they are members , and catch at any thing to blemish their minister , and will wander abroad to hear as their fancies lead them , as if under no government , tho they grieve and afflict the church and members to whom they belong , breaking christ's bands , and casting his cords from them . to close , ( . ) take heed of erronious books , and if you doubt do not presently turn your doubts into practice . ( . ) beware of your own private interpretation of scripture , and confer with such as have better judgments than your selves . ( . ) suspect all private opinions which differ and dissent from the general doctrine , as taught by christ and his apostles , and owned in the two next ages after them , or that dissent from the general doctrine and practice of such whom you believe in this age have obtained the clearest light : remember the way of truth is no by-path , but trodden by the primitive flock or gospel-churches . ( . ) besure hear what can be said against your notion , as well as what you hear for it . there is one thing i should have noted touching the error of these sabbatarians , viz. their notion brings in an external force upon the conscience in matters of religion ; for they must force their children and servants not only to rest , but to worship god on the seventh day tho against their light , or they are guilty of sabbath-breaking . but i will add no more . o that god would put a rebuke on , and stop all the errors of these evil days , and increase love among his people ! let us all cry for more of the anointing , or for the latter rain , and the glorious kingdom of our lord jesus christ , that is now just at the door . and , reader , if thou dost receive any profit by what is here wrote , give the glory to god , and let me have thy prayers , who am thy soul's friend and servant in the gospel , horsly-down , southwark , this th of jan. - . benj. keach . the contents of this book . the first part. sermon i. the occasion of these sermons , with the scope of the text , pag. to . the terms opened , and eight explanatory propositions , p. to . serm. ii. the th proposition containing many things about this controversy , out of dr. owen on the sab. p. to . the general proposition from whence the author proceeds in his whole work , in six particulars , p. , . no law of the sabbath written in adam's heart in innocency , shewed in six particulars , p. to . no positive command given to adam to keep the th day as a sabbath , proved by arguments , p. to . serm. iii. the patriarchs kept not the th day , proved in arguments . p. to . serm. iv. the sabbath begun in the wilderness of sin , exod . . p. , . what a moral precept is , shew'd from the learned , p. , . the simple morality of the th command consists not in the observance of the precise th day , proved by arguments , p. to . serm. v. eight arguments more to prove the same , p. to . the th day a sign of the covenant of works , p. 〈◊〉 , . what a shadow of , p. . serm. . the law of the decalogue was only given to israel and proselites , p. to . objections answered from rom. . . gal. . . and james , p. to . the moral law in the hand of christ as mediator , p. to . no precept nor precedent to keep the th day in the new testament , p. to . serm. vii . ten arguments against the th day , p. to . the law of the th day sabbath not written in the hearts of gospel-believers ; p. , . twelve dangerous consequents attending the opinion of these sabbatarians , p. to . the second part. sermon i. the scope of the text opened , p. , . the first day of divine appointment : man has no power to appoint a weekly day of worship , p. , . the equity of one day in seven , p. . how to distinguish moral precepts from ceremonial , p. , . pentecost proved the first day of the week . a long citation of mr. warren , who cites dr. ulher's letter to dr. twiss , from p. to . serm. ii. the foundation of the first day ; partly containing citations of dr. owen on heb. . from p. to . this is the day the lord hath made , p. to . first day confirmed by the examples of the gospel-saints and churches , p. to . serm. iii. first day proved from acts . . p. . also from rev. . . the lord's day proved to be the first day of the week , p. to . serm. . proving there is one day of the week for preaching the word in season , and that 't is the first day , p. , . the first day proved from cor. . . p. . to . when the first day begins , and how it ought to be kept , from p. to the end . faults escaped the press , which before you read pray correct with your pen. page . in the contents , line . for no , read any . p. . l. . for six , r. eight . p. . l. . for god's covenant , r. is called the covenant . p. . last line save one , r. not without law to god. p. . l. . for breaking , r. breakers . p. . last line , for by , r. is . p. . l. . blot out law. p. . l. . r. sabbath was made , blot out not . p. . l. . for he , r. our . p. . title , for heb. . . r. heb. . . and so p. . p. . l. . f. had they met , r. meeting together . p. . l. . for approved it , r. and he approved of it . p. . l. . for when they that intimate , r. when they intimate . the jewish sabbath abrogated , or the saturday sabbatarian confuted , &c. sermon i. the occasion of the author 's preaching on this subject . the scope and coherence of the text open'd . the terms explain'd , and the doctrines raised . divers preliminary propositions , shewing what medium the author intends to take in treating on this subject . gal. iv . , . ye observe days and months , times and years : i am afraid of you , lest i have bestowed upon you labor in vain . my brethren , i am troubled i have such a provoking occasion to enter upon this controversy , viz. what day of the week we under the gospel dispensation ought to observe as a day of rest , and of solemn worship to the lord , since universally the church and people of god of all persuasions are agreed about it , and have been ever since the new world , or gospel-day did commence , except a few christians formerly , and a little remnant of late times in this nation , who have deserted , and err'd in this case . and had i not a clear call to enter upon this subject , thro the inadvertence of some young men among us , i had not meddled with it ; who have not only , without advising with me or the congregation , presum'd to keep the jewish sabbath , but with an unaccountable and over-heated zeal have prosecuted their notion and practice to the disturbing of the quiet and peace of the congregation . my brethren , is it not a lamentable thing to see how satan hath prevail'd to hinder the power of godliness , which consisteth not in meats and drinks ( nor in the observation of jewish days ) but in righteousness , and peace , and joy in the holy ghost ? one while he hath endeavour'd to do this by suggesting of strange and uncouth notions , and principles that edify not , into the minds of christians ; at another time by raising up needless cavils and objections about the mode of the discharge of a moral as well as a gospel-duty , i mean that of singing the praises of god , which formerly caus'd no small trouble amongst us , as well as in other churches . but when that controversy was near vanquish'd , so another is rais'd , which i hope god will make me an instrument to quell also , and utterly drive away hence , he having set me for the defence of the gospel , and of all pure gospel-truths , in this place , in opposition to all innovations , and judaical rites and observations , which some seem too fond of . yet let none mistake me : i shall not censure such as keep the seventh day , provided they lay no stress upon it , but believe they are oblig'd by the authority of christ ( who is lord of the sabbath ) to observe religiously the lord's-day , or first day of the week , free from labor , in the worship and service of god ; provided also they are such as have the command of their own time , and can do it without wronging their families , or are not by the observation of the seventh day necessitated to violate precepts that all agree are moral duties . . in not doing their fathers ; or masters business , in not working six days ; for tho it may be said of some , six days work may be done , yet it may be said of others who are servants , six days they must work , it being their indispensible duty so to do . . in violating the fifth commandment ( as the whole moral law is in the hands of christ ) which requires obedience to their natural and political parents : in all things wherein they transgress no law of god , they ought carefully to subject themselves to them ; and in not doing it , they sin and are guilty before god : children , obey your parents in the lord ; for this is right : the lord commands it , or it is agreeable to his will. again , it is said , let every soul be subject to the higher powers , &c. put them in mind to obey magistrates , &c. and again , submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the lord's sake ; whether it be to the king , as supreme , &c. whatsoever magistrates or parents do require agreeable to the divine will , ought faithfully to be done , and in conscience to god. and as to the religious observation of the first day of the week , i shall prove before i have done , that it is agreeable to the will of god ; and those who observe it not , do violate the rule of the gospel , or the new creation , and so break both the law of god and man : nay , it grieves my soul to hear what a reproach and scandal some rash young men who are apprentices , have herein brought upon their profession ; and i hear some who know they are members with us , have unjustly blam'd and censured me and the church upon that account , not hearing what pains i have taken to convince them of their great evil therein : and i do now declare my abhorrence of their practices and unbecoming behaviour to their parents and masters ; and let such as encourage or countenance them , see how they will answer it in the great day . but not to retain you any longer in a way of introduction , i shall proceed to my text. and first to the occasion of the words , which were written by holy paul , the great minister of the gentiles , to the churches that were then at galatia ; not church in the singular , but to the churches ( there were more at galatia than one ) so it is express'd cor. . . and thus he begins his epistle , i. e. to the churches of galatia , chap. . . . he kindly salutes them , ver . . grace be unto you , and peace from god the father , and from our lord jesus christ . . but soon upon it he sharply reproves them , ver . . i marvel ye are so soon removed from him that called you to another gospel , ver . . which is not another ; but there are some that trouble you , and would pervert the gospel of christ . query . what was the error they were corrupted with ? . i answer , they were by some false brethren taught to mix the law and the gospel together in justification , or to mix works with grace : and this is to pervert the gospel of christ , and obscure the doctrine of free-grace . . they turned to judaism in respect of the observation of circumcision and jewish days : how turn ye again to weak and beggarly elements , whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage ? chap. . vers . . ye having ( as if he should say ) attained to the knowledg of the glory of god in the face of jesus christ , the glorious mediator , soveraign lord , and only lawgiver of his church , it is strange you should turn again to moses , and so eclipse the glory of christ ; this doth not comport with your former knowledg , and of that revelation you have had of the truth as it is in jesus . by beggarly elements he doth not only mean circumcision , but also observation of jewish days : ye observe days , &c. he doth not mean the gospel , or new testament days of worship , but jewish days ; he could not be afraid of them if they had only observ'd the first day of the week , because he had given charge to these churches as well as others , religiously to keep it , as appears cor. . , , . but they observ'd the jewish sabbath , and other old testament days ; nay , and they laid such stress upon them , as to make the observation of them necessary to eternal life , as some do now , by affirming the keeping of the seventh-day , or old jewish sabbath , is a moral duty , being of the same nature with the first commandment , viz. thou shalt have no other gods before me , or any other simple moral precept . true , such at rome as did esteem some other day besides the first day of the week , and lookt upon it as an indifferent thing , were not reproved , as rom. . . the converted jews perhaps thought they might keep the jewish sabbath as well as the lord's-day , and paul dealt with them for a time as children , or babes in christ . but when any came to plead for it as a moral duty , or as necessary to salvation , how sharp was he with them ? i am afraid of you . from hence by the way observe , that jewish-day and shadowy ordinances under the law , in comparison of new testament ordinances , are but weak and beggerly elements . the explanation . . by days , i understand the jewish weekly sabbath-days . . by months , is meant their new moons or monthly sabbaths , which were every new moon . . by times , the feasts of the passover , the feast of pentecost , and that of tabernacles . . by years , every seventh year , and every fiftieth year , which was their great jubilee . i find divers learned men thus explaining these terms ; and tho mr. perkins seems to go astray afterwards , yet he speaks much to the same purpose . now , my brethren , the reasons why i conclude by days here , are meant the jewish weekly sabbath-days , are , first , because when moses speaks of their feasts , and holy-days , he brings in first of all their seventh-day sabbath , levit. . secondly , if days , months , times and years , comprehend all days , months , times , and years which the jews observed ; then their seventh-day sabbath is comprehended here : but days , months , times , and years , comprehend all days , months , times and years , that the jews observed ; therefore it comprehends their seventh day here . if the minor be denyed , let our opponents , or any person shew where days , months , times , and years are mentioned , and yet the seventh-day not comprehended . perhaps it may be objected by some who keep the jewish sabbath , that the seventh day is every where in scripture expressed in the singular number , i. e. day , not days . that is not true ; for in several places the seventh-day is expressed in the plural number , i. e. days : the jews themselves called it days ; and they asked him , saying , is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days ? see matth. . . my sabbaths ye shall keep , 't is a sign , &c. deut. . . in the greek 't is read sabbaths , exod. . . and deut. . . as the learned in that language shew ; and all men of note , both antient and modern expositors of holy scripture , saith my author , expound st. paul , col. . . of weekly sabbaths as well as annual sabbaths . again it is objected , that the days , months , times , and years , were not jewish but heathenish days , &c. thus coppinger in his dispute with mr. ives ; because , 't is said , they did service to them who by nature are no gods. that there were jews among these galatians is evident : yet if otherwise , i. e. tho they were gentiles , 't is clear they desired to be under the law. tell me ye that desire to be under the law , do you hear the law ? you that desire to be circumcised , and to observe the jewish sabbath , and other mosaical times and seasons ; do you hear the law , i. e. do you not know that the bond-woman and her son are cast out , that the sinai covenant that gendered to bondage is abolished , and the law given on mount sinai as a rule of righteousness , is put into the hands of the son of god considered as mediator ? ye are not come to mount sinai , but to mount sion ; and are not now to hear him that spoke of earth , but him that speaketh from heaven : as if paul should have said , do not you know that circumcision , the seventh-day sabbaths , and other jewish times , seasons , and legal rites , are gone , even all old things , and that all things are become new ? my brethren , these christians did not desire to be under the observation of heathenish , but of jewish days . they are called the elements of the world , therefore not jewish days . . the jewish rites were called the elements of the world ; for does not paul say , we when children were in bondage under the elements of the world ? gal. . , . . besides , they were such rudiments as the jews were to observe till the appointed time of the father . now the father never appointed his children gentile idolatrous rudiments , therefore they could not be heathenish days . . what heathenish nation kept the seventh , or the fiftieth year as a sabbath ? for by years in our text , our antagonists confess are meant those years ; and i am sure by all expositors 't is so understood . . the jewish sanctuary is called a worldly sanctuary ; see heb. . . then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service , and a worldly sanctuary . . it is evident the apostle means mosaical rudiments , by blaming of peter , who would have the gentiles live after the manner of the jews , gal. . . moreover , he refers , as all may see , to the jewish yoke , gal. . , . . to put it quite out of doubt what days he intends , read col. . . let no man judg you in meats , or drinks , or in respect of a holy day , or of the new moons , or of the sabbath days ; which are a shadow of things to come , but the body is of christ . i. now were any of the idolatrous days among the heathen , shadows of things to come , or of christ ? was he , or that rest he hath brought in , the antitype of them ? ii. he speaks of a holy day , as a term given to the seventh-day in the old testament , and of sabbath-days ; and do any think he means by neither the seventh-day sabbath , and yet speaks of sabbath-days distinct from new-moons , times , and years ? certainly he must intend , in one or the other , the jewish weekly sabbath days . i find a very learned man writing on this text , speaking thus , viz. for which also he cites st. hierom : paul writ this epistle in the sixteenth year after christ ; he lays it positively down that the sabbath was now abrogated , with the other ceremonies which were to vanish at christ's coming . let no man judg you , &c. the sabbath , saith he , is well match'd with meats and drinks , new moons , and holy days , which were all temporary ordinances , and to go off the stage at our saviour's entrance . and that paul means the seventh-day sabbaths , he cites ambrose , hierom , epiphanius , chrysostom , augustin , and their particular books : that they understood paul thus in col. . . as he did , take what hierom saith as follows ; there is no sermon of the apostles , saith he , either delivered by epistle , or by word of mouth , wherein he labours not to prove , that all the burdens of the law are now laid away ( that all those things which were before in types and figures , namely the sabbath , circumcision , the new moons , and the three solemn festivals ) did cease upon preaching the gospel . in the context , and from these verses , the weekly sabbath no doubt is included : for , . it is part of the hand-writing , vers . . . it is a shadow , &c. vers . . . they are commanded not to submit to the censures of men herein , vers . . and whereas it is objected , the apostle doth not mean the weekly sabbath . . it is certain that the primary ( and almost constant ) use of the word sabbath , is to denote that weekly day of rest which god commanded the jews to observe ; and whereas it is applied to any other days , 't is in allusion to this , because of the rest from servile work upon them ; in which respect they were like to the weekly sabbath , as appears levit. . . and chap. , , , . which are all the places where the word sabbath is expresly applied to any other days : and therefore the primary and almost constant use of the word ought not to be forsaken . . wherever the word sabbaths is used absolutely , as here , without any expression in the text to limit it , 't is to be understood of the weekly sabbath : the reason of which rule is obvious , because otherwise the scripture would be of doubtful interpretation , and , as cor. . . the trumpet would give an uncertain sound . . therefore , as i said , wherever the word sabbaths is used , as here , with distinction from holy days , or feasts , and new moons , it must mean the weekly sabbaths , otherwise the apostle would be guilty of an unnecessary tautology , it being certain there is no other day called a sabbath in scripture , but what is included in those two words . therefore i conclude , by sabbaths in this text not only may , but must be understood the weekly sabbath ; and consequently it proves not only that christians are not bound to observe the jewish sabbath , but that they ought not so to do . take here what mr. baxter saith on this text , viz. how plainly and expresly paul numbereth sabbaths with shadows that cease , see col. . . to pass by other texts ; and what violence mens own wits must use in denying the evidence of so plain a text. the reason that he saith not sabbath , but sabbaths , is against themselves , the plural number being most comprehensive , and other sabbaths receiving their name from this ▪ and the word sabbath is always used in scripture for a rest , which was partly ceremonial . see what dr. young in his excellent dies domin . saith , &c. iii. moreover , can any serious thinking christian suppose that paul , the great apostle of the gentiles , would thus write of sabbath days , new moons , times and years , without exception , if the seventh-day sabbath had remained as the sabbath of the lord , and the day of gospel-worship ? what , speak thus without restriction , or intimation , and yet not include the seventh-day sabbath ! had not that day been comprehended and meant by sabbath days , sure he had let this church have known it ; it behoved him to be faithful to us , who was our apostle , and so he says he was , and had declared the whole counsel of god , yet makes no mention of any such jewish sabbath to be our duty to observe , but the direct contrary , that it was a shadow , and that we are not to be judged or condemn'd , who regard it not any more than other times , as new moons , &c. but saith the seventh-day sabbatarian , the ordinances of the law were glorious , therefore paul could not refer to them when he speaks of beggerly elements . thus tillam . when compared to the ordinances of the gospel , they may be called weak and beggerly , as paul shews , speaking of the law written in two tables of stone , which he calls glorious , cor. . . yet a ministration of death and condemnation , vers . . for even that which was made glorious , had no glory in this respect , by reason of the glory that excelleth , vers . . the shadow seems glorious till the substance comes ; but what glory appears in it then ? none at all . what is the glory of the moon when the sun appears and shines forth splendidly ? so what signifies the shadow of rest , to the true antitypical sabbath of rest which we have in christ ? we that believe , do enter into rest . besides , st. paul calls jewish ordinances , carnal ordinances ; which terms as much eclipse their glory , as to call them weak and beggerly elements ; heb. . . meats and drinks , and divers washings , and carnal ordinances . carnal ordinances , no doubt , include all the jewish sabbaths , viz. days , months , times , and years , as well as circumcision , legal washings , and sacrifices . the apostle calls them not only carnal , weak , and beggerly elements , but unprofitable : there was a disannulling of the commandment going before , for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof . take here what calvin saith , tho i in some things differ from him . for seeing in the lord's resurrection is found the end and fulfilling of the true rest , which the old sabbath shadowed ; by that very day , which set an end to those shadows , christians are admonished not to stick to the shadowing ceremony . he it seems concludes , that the jewish weekly sabbath , as well as their fellows , was a shadow of that rest we have in christ . take also what another nameless author saith concerning the antient fathers . st. paul sharply reproveth those who allowed yet the jewish sabbath , i. e. they observed days , months , times , and years , as if he had bestowed his labour in vain upon them , gal. . , . but more particularly in his epistle to the colossians , chap. . , . let no man judg you in respect of an holy day , or of the new moons , or of the sabbath-days , which were a shadow of things to come , but the body is of christ . yet notwithstanding all this care , both of the apostles in general , and more especially of st. paul , to suppress this error , it grew up still , and had its patrons and abettors , ebion and cerinthus , two of the wretchedest hereticks of the primitive times : and after them apollinarius is said to countenance and defend it ; which doubtless made the antient fathers declare themselves fully in it , as a dangerous point ; it seemed to confirm the jews in their incredulity , and might occasion others to make question of our saviour's coming in the flesh . hence irenaeus , justin martyr , tertullian , and eusebius , men of note in the primitive times , affirm , that never any of the patriarchs before moses's law , observed the sabbath , which question less they must have done had that law been moral , and dictated by the light of nature . he cites also epiphanius and theodoret on ezech. . procopius on gen. . damascen , and our venerable bede concurring with the former fathers : all talk , saith he , that the observation of the jewish sabbath vanished utterly , &c : i might mention other authors to the same purpose . but to proceed , my brethren , because one of my arguments against the precise seventh-day sabbath , will be to prove it a sign or shadow of that rest believers enter into when they first close with christ , i shall say no more now by way of explanation of my text , but proceed to those points of doctrine that arise herefrom . doct. . that it is not the duty of believing gentiles under the dispensation of the gospel , to keep the seventh day as a sabbath to the lord. doct. . that it is a dangerous thing for any to plead for , and keep the seventh day , so i● to lay the same stress on the observation thereof , as on a purely natural , or simply mora● precept . these two propositions i purpose , god assisting , to prosecute , and confirm in this method . first , i shall lay down several explanatory propositions . secondly , give many arguments to prove th● truth of the first proposition . thirdly , i shall ( taking in the second proposition ) endeavour to prove , that the observing the seventh day sabbath , so as to lay the same stre● on it as on a natural and simply moral precept , ● a dangerous thing . fourthly , i shall prove that all believers 〈◊〉 oblig'd to observe the first day of the week free from secular business , in religious worship , as the time in season only under the gospel-dispensation . fifthly , i shall endeavour to answer all the main objections brought by our opponents against the observation of the first day of the week . to begin , first proposition premised . let it be considered , that the apostles perceiving the weakness of the jews who believ'd in christ , to take them off gradually from jewish observation of days , and other legal rites and ordinances , did admit of the practice of some of them for a time , till they were better instructed in the truth as it is in jesus , the nature of the new creation , and the change of the whole law , viz. the utter abolishing of all things ceremonial , or that were signs and shadows of things to come , and the removing the ministration of all moral precepts from moses as lawgiver , into the hand of christ as mediator , in which capacity he had all power delegated to him in heaven and earth as our only lord and lawgiver . thou seest , brother , how many thousands of the jews there are which believe , and they are all zealous of the law ; acts . . hence paul complied with them to purify himself , and to shave his head , v. . and on the like account , in compliance with their weakness , he circumcised timothy . i might from hence by the way note , that had we such a passage that paul kept one jewish sabbath , as we have here of his circumcising timothy , i suppose our brethren would make no small advantage of it , that it is our duty from thence to keep it ; but that might have been on the same account and no better ground , than it would be for us to plead for circumcision , and be circumcised , as tillam , skip and cooly were ( as i am informed ) who called themselves the ministers of the circumcision . but to proceed ; upon the same reason perhaps the jewish rites , days , and typical or shadowy ordinances , might , and were called by their former and antient names , as well as for distinction sake : for tho those legal ordinances were dead , yet as our annotators observe , they were not then deadly ( if look'd upon as indifferent things ) however god was pleased ( they being his own appointments ) to vouchsafe them a gradual and decent funeral . second proposition . but nevertheless after they had been better instructed into the truth of the gospel , and the change or end of the law , they were more plainly dealt with : i mean , he more fully and clearly informed them , and shewed them the great danger if they observed those legal rites , days , and ordinances , especially when he saw they laid such stress upon them , as to make them necessary to eternal life as a rule of obedience . hence the apostle says , i paul testify unto you , that if ye be circumcised , christ shall profit you nothing , gal. . . and why if circumcised ? because it was a shadow , and the keeping up the shadow was a virtual denying that the substance was come ; and besides , they were thereby bound to keep the whole law. such was the natural tendency of observing one legal rite , or precept , as given by moses , it being in that ministration a covenant of works ; and he that kept one was obliged to keep all , and he that broke one was guilty of all . . and if so , why might not paul have told them the same thing and danger if they kept the legal sabbath , which led them according to the tenor of it , and in the strictest observance to perfect obedience ; which is implyed in those words , thou shalt not think thy own thoughts , nor speak thy own words ? . or provided they made it necessary in order to a holy life in point of obedience , as a pure moral precept , even of the same nature with the first commandment , viz. thou shalt have no other gods but me ; or the second , thou shalt not make to thy self any graven image , &c. or the third , or fifth , or any of the rest ; i speak not of what is simply moral in the fourth commandment , but of that precise seventh day : i say , may not their danger be as great , if thus they look'd upon those jewish sabbaths , as if circumcised , because then if they kept them not , it necessarily must follow , it would exclude them the kingdom of heaven , as all other immoral acts , or actual breach of pure moral precepts would do ? . because paul tells them that those sabbaths were a shadow or sign , so far as circumcision was , as i have and shall further make appear ; and so hereby unwarily they would deny that christ was come to give us rest , and we do not yet cease working for life in order to enter into rest , which was held forth as the tenor of that ministration of the moral law by moses , and particularly in their sabbath . third proposit . let it be consider'd that the substance of the whole moral law , or ten commandments ( i mean materially , not formally ) was written in the heart of adam in innocency ; and as written there , it contained the covenant of works . and so long as he kept that law perfectly , he stood justified , and all mankind in him : and also that he had but one positive precept given him to try his obedience ( according to the tenor of this covenant , and law of his creation ) is very evident , viz. thou shalt not eat of the tree of knowledg of good and evil , &c. which positive command he broke , and in breaking it broke all the ten commandments as to the matter or substance of them , and consequently the fourth , as to what was simply moral therein . thus dr. lightfoot : adam , saith he , heard as much in the garden as israel did at sinai , but in fewer words , and without thunder — at one clap he broke all the ten commandments . i. he chose himself another god , when he follow'd the devil . ii. he idoliz'd and defil'd his own belly , making it ( as the apostle phrases it ) his god. iii. he took god's name in vain , when he believ'd him not . iv. he kept not the rest and state wherein god had set him . v. he dishonour'd his father which was in heaven , and therefore his days were not prolong'd on earth . vi. he murder'd himself and all his posterity . vii . from eve he was a virgin , but in his eyes and mind he committed spiritual adultery . viii . he stole ( like achan ) that which god set aside , not to be meddled with , &c. ix . he bare witness against god , when he believ'd the witness of the devil before him . x. he coveted an evil covetousness , like ammon , which cost him his life and all his progeny . fourth proposit . that tho a time of rest , and a sufficient time to worship god be moral , yet the particular precise day or time must be by revelation , i. e. by some positive precept or example made known to mankind ; it being in god , not in man , not in nature , not in grace : and god hath reserved to himself a power to require , or to alter both the time , place , and modes of his worship as seems good in his sight , tho the second and fourth commandments be moral and of the same nature with the rest . moreover , god if he please may make a positive precept perpetual , and alike obligatory as simple moral precepts are , tho they differ in respect of their own nature . fifth proposit . all natural and pure moral precepts do , as i conceive , oblige all mankind , and are unchangeable in their nature as to the matter of them , and differ greatly from laws or precepts merely positive . pure or simple moral precepts are good , good in themselves , and therefore commanded ; but precepts merely positive and arbitrary are commanded of god , and therefore good : and that goodness that is in simple moral precepts i do not conceive , as mr. shepherd hints ( if i mistake him not ) refers to man , i. e. sutable to his good chiefly , but in reference to god , from the rectitude of whose holy nature they proceed . moreover , 't is acknowledg'd also that all precepts naturally and simply moral , are written in the hearts of all men , tho much blur'd by sin , for otherwise the gentiles had not the law written in their hearts , but a part as to the matter of the law. simple moral precepts are known by the light of nature , as to the matter ●or substance of them . precepts naturally moral may be known without revelation , or the knowledg of the scripture ; tho i know some learned men seem to differ from others here , particularly mr. cawdrey and mr. palmer , who affirm that some precepts may be moral by a positive command , and these others call moral-positives , which i understand not ; yet i deny not ( as i said before ) but that god may make a positive command perpetually obligatory . but more to this word moral , when i come to speak of the fourth commandment in exod. . now mere positive precepts cannot be known unless god by his word , or in some supernatural way , discovers them to his creatures ; and such was circumcision , the precise seventh-day sabbath , the passover , and divers other things under the law : and such is the first day of the week under the gospel as a day of rest , and of the solemn worship of god , as also baptism , the lord's-supper , &c. sixth proposit . that the whole moral law is chang'd from moses to jesus christ ; not only chang'd as a covenant of works , but as a rule of life : for tho the moral law as to the matter or substance of it perpetually remains as a rule of righteousness , yet not as given in the hand of moses , exod. . but as in the hand of christ , consider'd as mediator , who is our sole lord and lawgiver , mat. . , . and that we are to receive the law from his mouth , who is our antitypical high-priest ; and behold , a voice from the cloud which said , this is my beloved son , hear him : hear him exclusively of moses . the disciples would have had three tabernacles , one for moses , one for elias , and another for christ ; i. e. they would have moses to teach them , or be under his ministration : but in this transfiguration , wherein was a clear representation of the gospel church-state ( signified by the kingdom of god ) in a figure , they saw there was none to be heard as a law-giver but christ alone ; and when they lifted up their eyes they saw no man save jesus only , ver . . certainly their eyes are not open'd throughly , who go to mount sinai to know what their duty is in respect of any part of gospel-worship , or day of worship : compare this place of scripture with acts . , . for moses truly said to the fathers , a prophet shall the lord your god raise up to you , of your brethren , like unto me ; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you . so heb. . , , . and again it is said , that the servant abideth not in the house for ever : moses was a servant , and he had his day , and he is gone ; but the son abideth for ever . seventh proposit . that as old things are done away , and all things become new ; so is the old seventh-day sabbath . and it behoves us to call the gospel-day of worship , or that day appointed by christ in the new testament , by that name or names given therein to it , viz. the first day , and the lord's-day , and day of rest , or sabbath , as dr. owen aptly enough calls it on heb. . . therefore tho the day of rest under the gospel is not call'd a sabbath , yet i shall blame none that so call it , since sabbath signifies rest : and this is our only sabbath or resting day under this new and last dispensation : but the great antitype of the seventh-day sabbath being come , we do not find that name directly given to our day of rest in gospel times . eighth proposit . that the moral law or law of the ten commandments , as given exod. . contain'd directly an administration of the covenant of works , and was not given to israel as god's people , as in a special and peculiar relation to himself according to the new covenant , or covenant of grace , but as his people in that legal external typical covenant made with the whole house of israel . let it be consider'd also , that that law and covenant was not made with , nor given to any other people but the people and house of israel only : so that as it had but its time , consider'd as a law given by moses , or as in his hands , it did cease as so consider'd , and could not oblige any to observe it as there formerly deliver'd ( while it was in force ) but such only as were under it ; tho i deny not , but affirm the whole world were under the covenant of works in the first adam , and oblig'd by the law of god written in their hearts to discharge all duties that are naturally and simply moral , &c. moreover , i shall enquire whether the morality of the fourth commandment doth lie in the observation of the precise seventh day or not . and now brethren , by these propositions all may perceive upon what foot of account , or mediums i purpose to go , or take in handling this great and long controverted subject . but there is one proposition more , which i thought to have mention'd now , but must refer to the next time . sermon ii. the ninth proposition by way of premise . the method propos'd . one general proposition laid down . why the law was added on mount sinai . no seventh-day sabbath written in adam's heart in innocency : nor no positive law given to him to observe it . gal. iv . , . ye observe days , and months , and times , and years : i am afraid of you , lest i have bestowed upon you labor in vain . my brethren , the first thing i promised was to lay down several explanatory propositions , to make my way the more easy to what i have to say : and i past thro eight ; i shall add but one more . ninth proposit . there are several things to be consider'd in respect of this controversy , which being noted by dr. owen , i shall recite them : those about the thing it self ( saith he ) are various , and respect all the concerns of the day enquir'd after . nothing that relates to it , no part of its respect to the worship of god , is admitted by all , uncontended about ; for it is debated amongst all persons , . whether any part of time be naturally and morally to be separated and set apart to the solemn worship of god ; or ( which is the same ) whether it be a natural and moral duty to separate any part of time in any revolution of it , to divine service ; i mean , so as it should be stated and fixed in any periodical revolution ; otherwise to say , that god is solemnly to be worshipped , and yet that no time is requir'd thereto , is an open contradiction . . whether such a time suppos'd , be absolutely and originally moral , or made so by positive command , suted unto general principles and intimations of nature : and under this consideration also , a part of time is call'd moral , metonymically , from the duty of its observance . . whether on a supposition of some part of time so design'd , the space or quantity of it , have its determination , or limitation morally , or be merely positive and arbitrary ? for the observation of some part of time may be moral , and the quanta pars arbitrary . . whether every law positive of the old testament were absolutely ceremonial , or whether there may not be a law moral positive as given to , and obligatory on all mankind , tho not absolutely written in the heart of man by nature : that is , whether there be no morality in any law , but what is a part of the law of creation ? . whether the institution of the seventh-day sabbath was from the beginning of the world , and before the fall of man ; or whether it was first appointed when the israelites came into the wilderness . this in it self is only a matter of fact , yet such as whereon the determination of a point of right , as to the universal obligation to the observation of such a day doth much depend , * and therefore hath the investigation and true sta●●ng of it , been much la●our'd in , and after by learned men. . upon a supposition of the institution of the sabbath from the beginning , whether the additions made , and observances annexed unto it at the giving of the law on mount sinai , with the ends whereunto it was then design'd , and the uses whereunto it was employ'd , gave unto the seventh day a new state distinct from what it had before ; altho naturally the same day was continued as before . for if they did so , that new state of the day seems only to be taken away under the new testament ; if not , the day it self seems to be abolish'd ; † for that some change is made therein , from what was fixed under the judaical oeconomy , cannot modestly be deny'd . . whether in the fourth commandment , there be a foundation of a distinction between a seventh day in general , or one day in seven , and that seventh day which was the same numerically and precisely from the foundation of the world. for whereas an obligation unto the strict observation of that day precisely is , as we shall prove , plainly taken away in the gospel , if the distinction intimated be not allowed , there can be nothing remaining obligatory unto us in that command , whilst it is supposed that that day ( the doctor means the seventh day ) is at all requir'd of us from thence ‖ . . it is especially enquir'd , whether 〈◊〉 seventh day , or one in seven , or the hebd●madal cycle be to be observ'd holy unto th● lord , on the account of the fourth command●ment . . whether under the new testament 〈◊〉 religious observation of days be so taken 〈◊〉 way , as that there is no divine obligation ●●maining for the observance of any one da● at all ; but that as all days are alike in the●●selves , so are they equally free to be dispos● of , and used by us as occasion shall requir● for if the observation of one day in seven 〈◊〉 not founded in the law of nature , express● in the original positive command concernin● it * ; and if it be not seated morally in th● fourth commandment , it is , now certain th● the necessary observance of it is taken away . . on the other extream , whether th● seventh day from the creation of the world●● be to be observ'd precisely under the new t●●stament by virtue of the fourth comman●●ment , and no other . the assertion here●● supposeth that our lord jesus christ , 〈◊〉 lord of the sabbath , hath neither chang'd 〈◊〉 nor reform'd any thing in and about the re●ligious observation of an holy day of rest unto the lord : whence it follows , that such an observation can be no part or act of evangelical worship properly so call'd , but only a moral duty of the law † . . whether on the supposition of a non-obligation in the law unto the observation of the seventh day precisely , and of a new day to be observ'd weekly under the new testament , as a sabbath of the lord , on what grounds it is to be observ'd . . whether from the fourth commandment , as one day in seven , or only unto some part or portion of time ; or whether without any respect unto that command as purely ceremonial . for granting ( as most do ) the necessity of the observation of such a day ; yet some say that it has no respect at all to the fourth decalogical precept , which is totally and absolutely abolished , with the rest of the mosaical institutions . others say that there is yet remaining in it an obligation to the sacred separation of some time , or portion of time , unto the solemn service of god , ( and some say that it precisely requires the sanctification of one day in seven . ) . if a day be so now to be observed , it is enquired on what ground , or on what authority there is an alteration made from the day observed under the old testament , to that now in use , that is , from the last day to the first day of the week ; whether was this translation of the day of the solemn worship of god made by christ and his apostles , or by the primitive church ? &c. . if this were done by the authority of christ and his apostles , whether by an express institution of this new day , or whether a direct example be sufficient , no institution being needful for the first day : for if we suppose there is no obligation to the observance of one day in seven indispensibly abiding ; and on the supposition that an obligation to keep one day in seven doth abide , then no institution is necessary , or can be properly made as to the whole nature of it * . thus far the doctor , who says many other things necessary to be considered about the observation of a day of worship , whether as to the work of the day it ought to be kept with the like strictness as the jewish sabbath in all respects , and what duties are to be performed on it ; as also as to the proper limits of that day , some pleading it ought to be from evening to evening as the jews kept it , or from morning to evening , that is from after twelve a clock in the morning to twelve the next evening , &c. from what the doctor notes , it appears that the case in controversy calls for much study and diligence ; and it may be accounted an act of great weakness in any persons to observe the seventh day to the disturbance of the church , without enquiring of such as god has enlightned in these things , and to whom the care of their souls are committed , to see what can be said against it . is it wisdom to advise with those only that are for it , and not with such also as are directly against it ? this shall suffice for the propositions i first proposed . i shall endeavour to clear most of those things that seem difficult , which may have been the occasion of some persons ( if not all ) going astray , and falling into the error i purpose clearly and largely to detect . this brings me to the next general head of discourse proposed . secondly , i told you i should lay down dive●● arguments to prove the truth of our proposition , that it is not the duty of gentile believers to keep the seventh day as a sabbath i● gospel-times . first , i shall lay down one general proposition , to discover the method i shall pursue fo● proving what i have taken in hand . . if the law of god written in adam's heart in innocency , did not oblige him to keep the seventh day as a sabbath , that law cannot oblige gentile believers to keep it . . if a positive law , or express institution , supposed to be given to adam before , or just after his fall , doth not oblige gentile believers to keep it : . if the law written in the hearts of the gentiles , or the most refined and enlightned among them , doth not oblige gentile believers to keep it : . if the law of moses , or the law written in the two tables of stone , doth not oblige gentile believers to keep it : . if the gospel , by any precept or example , doth not oblige them to keep the seventh day as a sabbath : . and lastly , if the law written in the hearts of all gospel-believers by the holy spirit , doth oblige them to keep the seventh day as a sabbath to the lord : then i infer it is not their duty to keep the seventh-day , &c. for i know no other way , or means whereby gentile believers can pretend to know they are obliged to keep the seventh-day as a sabbath , or a day of rest and solemn worship . but by none of these ways or means , believing gentiles are obliged to keep the seventh-day as a sabbath , &c. therefore it is not the duty of gentile believers to keep it . to proceed , . let it be considered , that if the keeping of the seventh-day as a sabbath , i. e. that precise day from the creation of the world , were a purely natural or simply moral precept , no doubt but it was legibly written in adam's heart ; i mean as a law of creation , and so part of the holy image of god , or of the same nature with all other moral precepts that result from the perfections of god's holy nature , and not from the soveraignty of his will only : and if it was so written in adam's heart in innocency , he needed no positive law to make it known to him . what , was any thing that was purely or simply moral , even that which belonged to good manners , or to true natural godliness or righteousness , not made known to adam , to perfect adam ? this certainly cannot be . that spiritual worship which is due to god , saith mr. charnock , is known by the light of nature : but much more , say i , was it clearly manifested to adam in innocency . but furthermore , saith he , the outward means or matter of that worship which would be acceptable to god , was not known by the light of nature : the law for a spiritual worship by the faculties of our souls was natural , and part of the law of creation ; tho the determination of the particular acts , whereby god would have this homage testified , was of positive institution , and depended not on the law of creation . tho adam in innocence knew god was to be worshipped , yet by nature he did not know by what outward acts he was to pay this respect , or at what time he was more solemnly to be exercised in it than another : this depended on the directions god , as the soveraign governor and lawgiver , should prescribe ; you shall therefore find the positive institution it is observable that this great man is not here concerned to confute the seventh-day sabbatarians , but about another thing ; yet affirms ( with many other learned men ) that adam by the law of creation , did not know in innocency at what time god was more solemnly to be worshipped than another . . no doubt but the substance of all the ten precepts was wrote in adam's heart ; yet it appears the knowledg of the seventh-day to be kept as a sabbath was not written there , tho that which was simply and naturally moral of the fourth commandment was . secondly , i argue thus : if the precise seventh-day was written in adam's heart , there had been no need of an institution or positive law to make it known to him ; for , what more need had he of an outward revelation of this , than of the other commandments ? take here what a learned man hath said : * if the keeping of the seventh-day were a moral duty , our father adam , by that light of nature god put in his mind when he created him , would have known it , as well as he knew all other things in themselves good and necessary ; but he neither had , nor should have had any knowledg thereof , if god had not injoined it to him by a particular command , ( as those which maintain the morality of the sabbath do avouch . ) so that this followeth manifestly , that the observation of the seventh-day depends merely on institution . my brethren , let this be considered well , that if the knowledg of the seventh-day wholly depended on the will of god , or on mere institution , and resulted not , as all pure and simple moral precepts do , from the holy rectitude of god's nature , it follows that the precise day pertains not to the essence of the fourth commandment , but the simple morality of that precept lies only in a time of worship : and certainly if god by a mere positive command had not given it to israel , they had no more known it their duty to keep it , than the pagan world did , who were wholly ignorant thereof , as i shall prove . and be sure if god wrote not the law or knowledg of the seventh-day sabbath on adam's heart ; the seventh-day is not of the same nature with simply moral precepts , which god engraved on his heart , even the substance or tenor of all the ten commandments , and made him know them naturally , without any instruction by word of mouth . but it appears by their own assertion , it was instituted , &c. therefore the knowledg of the seventh-day as a special time of worship , was not wrote in his heart . our opponents dare not deny but the substance of the whole moral law was wrote in his heart , and they foresee it is dangerous to deny it : from whence it appears , that all the other precepts are simply moral , and so is a time of worship ; but the precise seventh-day , by their own concession , was instituted in man's innocency , and so depends wholly upon an express positive command , declared to adam by audible words resounding in his ears . mr. tillam says , it was instituted before the fall , and founded in mount paradise . answ . tho i believe no such matter , nor can any man prove it , yet to grant it , for argument-sake , then i say it follows , it was not written in adam's heart ; for the being perfect , he would naturally have known it without being told it was his duty to keep it . for consider that he was created on the sixth day , and understood what was naturally and universally good ▪ i. e. all those duties that were essential parts of godliness , and righteousness , or things belonging to good manners . now if so , why need he be told he must keep the seventh-day ? or why must that precept come under express institution , and none of the rest ? object . god saw good to bring all the ten commandments under express institution on mount sinai , as well as he brought the seventh-day sabbath in paradise under express institution . answ . i deny it not ; god did then see good so to do , considering how the nature of man was corrupted , and his law written in his heart was blotted and blur'd by the fall. but let it be consider'd , that the law was not written in two tables of stone , so much for a rule of life , as for other reasons : . it was added and written there , to aggravate sin on the conscience ; it was added ( saith pual ) because of transgression , gal. . . it was to make sin appear exceeding sinful , rom. . . . it was written there to shew the creature his sad and woful condition , and to make known how unable fallen man was to fulfil the righteousness of god. . and as a schoolmaster to lead such as were under it , to christ , in whom perfect righteousness only is to be found ; man being not able to keep perfectly that holy and just law. . and to shew them , as i conceive , that nothing but the finger of god could write his holy law in the stony hearts of sinners , as shall be further demonstrated hereafter ; for that whole ministration of the law and covenant i shall prove was a shadow and typical , and so no standing law or ministration as there written , but as it is in the hand of jesus christ . . that whole law , and consequently the seventh-day sabbath , was given on mount sinai as it suted the judaical oeconomy , as well their political as ecclesiastical state . there are many additions made to the seventh-day sabbath , together with other ends annex'd , and designs and uses thereto employ'd ; which is granted by such as assert it was given to adam in paradise * . secondly , if it had been given to adam in innocency , he not knowing without an institution it was his duty to keep it , i argue from hence : it follows that he had the same need of knowing what special worship he outht to be found exercised in on that day . what , a sabbath instituted , and no sabbath-service appointed on that day ? but this i shall further handle when i come to speak of the pretended institution and express command given to adam in innocency . thirdly , if the law of the seventh-day sabbath was wrote in adam's heart , some remainders of the knowledg of that day would have been left in the heart of his offspring , as there is of all other precepts that are simply moral : tho much blur'd , and almost quite obliterated in some , yet there were many heathens who retain'd , or recover'd much knowledg of god's law first written in the heart of man ; yea , they were led to the knowledg of all pure moral precepts , i.e. that there was but one god , and that he was to be worshipped , and his name not profan'd ; that they should not murder , commit adultery , steal , &c. nay and also to the knowledg of the fourth commandment , as to what was simply moral in it , viz. a sufficient time to worship that god ; yet they were none of them led to know that they ought to keep the seventh day as a sabbath . fourthly , moreover , if the seventh-day sabbath had been a simple , or pure moral precept , and written in adam's heart , it would have been written in the hearts of all god's new-covenant children , as he promised he would write his law there , in gospel-times : and evident it is that all believers in christ , whether jews or gentiles , have the image of god restor'd to them , it being stampt upon their hearts by the spirit of god ; hence it is said , who after god are created in righteousness , and true holiness , eph. . . nay , they are all said to be renew'd in knowledg , after the image of him that created them , col. . . but in the second impression of god's holy law and image thus written on our hearts , there is not one line , nor lineament of any knowledg that it is our duty to keep the seventh day as a sabbath to the lord , which i shall further evince hereafter . fifthly , take what a learned man saith : if adam was bound to keep the sabbath , i demand by what law ? by the law written in his heart ? why then he was bound to keep a sabbath before there was a sabbath to keep : for the law was ingraven on his heart on the sixth day , as a branch of that divine image of god concreated with him ; whereas the sabbath ( to be sure ) could not be instituted till the seventh day , if then . sixthly , before i close this , let me note here what is said concerning this very thing by the antient fathers , and primitive christian writers , who it appears deny'd the knowledg of the seventh-day sabbath was written in adam's heart . see justin martyr . theodoret saith , that these commandments , thou shalt not kill , thou shalt not commit adultery , thou shalt not steal , and others of that kind , were generally implanted by nature in the minds of men ; but for the keeping of the sabbath , it came not in by nature , but by moses's law. chrysostom affirms ( saith my author ) that neither adam nor any man liv'd without the law imprinted on the soul of man , as made a living creature ; but neither he nor any other of them say the seventh day was one of those laws . also rivet and others , who plead for the antiquity of the sabbath , dare not , saith he , refer the keeping of it to the law written in adam's heart . so that i may from what has been said positively affirm , the precept of keeping the seventh day was not written in adam's heart in innocency ; and therefore that believing gentiles are not oblig'd to keep the seventh day from that law. from hence also i infer , it could not be written in the hearts of any of the jews or gentiles ; for doubtless adam by nature knew that which corrupt man never so perfectly knew : and it were great presumption in any , since sin was so generally prevailing , to say they knew in a natural way that which adam knew not . besides , is it not great folly for any to say this , since the law in adam's heart was the original ? and shall a blur'd copy be deem'd more perfect than that , or the muddy stream be clearer than the chrystal fountain ? therefore , since it appears the law of the seventh-day sabbath was not written in adam's heart , but that he needed an express positive law to know it , or discover it to him , i infer , much more need there was for poor gentiles , nay for believers , to have an express law to discover it to them . and since our opponents affirm that the commandment of the precise seventh day as a sabbath , is of the same nature and quality with the first commandment , and all other simply moral precepts , i. e. not only a time of worship , or one day in seven , but the precise seventh day from the creation ; i infer then what a woful condition are all we in , that break , or violate in the very letter a simply moral command , nay and teach men so to do ? may , and how could our saviour then be without sin , who made clay on that day , and did many other works , and commanded a burden to be born , and also commended acts of mercy ( which was but a moral duty ) above keeping of the seventh-day sabbath ; comparing the strict observation of that with sacrifices , which all know were but mere positive laws to israel under that legal dispensation . but more of this hereafter . object . but tho it was not written in adam's heart that he should keep the seventh day as a sabbath , yet it was given to adam in innocency by a positive institution . answ . this is sooner said than proved : but let me tell you , that the law of nature our opponents acknowledg was antecedent to the institution of the sabbath , and that all purely moral precepts were certainly written in adam's heart . now can the precise seventh day be adam's duty to keep before it was sanctified to that end ? this is to say a thing was before it was , and that the law of creation teaches that which it was impossible to teach , and also that revealed religion may be known by natural dictates or principles , which is absurd to affirm ; besides , all confess that mere positive precepts or commands in instituted worship may be alter'd or chang'd , as the great lawgiver pleaseth . but to proceed to answer what is affirm'd about its institution in paradise , as given to innocent adam ; we will come to , and well weigh the words of this pretended positive precept given to adam in paradise : gen. . . and on the seventh day god ended his work which he had made ; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made . ver. . and god blessed the seventh day , and sanctified it ; because that in it he had rested from all work , which god created and made . these are the words which contain what is call'd the institution and command of the sabbath to adam in paradise . tillam and others make a great noise of the sabbath instituted in paradise , and given to adam to keep : but brethren , i must tell you that the learned strangely differ among themselves , who would have the antiquity of the sabbath thus early ; some of them affirming it was given to adam in innocency ; others say not till he fell . one speaks thus ; and for the time when god first instituted the sabbath , i conceiv'd it to have been not in the state of innocency , but after mans fall immediately , and yet upon the seventh day , wherein god rested . these are his very words . from hence i observe , he believ'd adam did not stand in his innocency one day , and this he endeavours to prove ; and others as well as he , men of great learning and wisdom . let me cite here one more * , i shall propose ( saith he ) and endeavour to prove a counter position , namely , that it seems more consonant to scripture ( tho at the beginning ) yet after the fall in man's corrupt and vitiated state , the probation whereof depends much ( tho not altogether ) upon the decision of that often canvassed question , whether our first parents sinned the same day on which they were created . others not of less note and learning , say , that the sabbath did not commence till israel came into the wilderness , and at the fall of manna : it appeareth not at all , that god gave any commandment to adam , either before or after his fall , binding him or his progeny to the keeping of any such day whatsoever , as to a thing moral and necessary : neither is there any trace of such a commandment to be found till the coming of the israelites to the wilderness — and that god assign'd to them the seventh day of the week , as a particular point of ecclesiastical government , whereof he prescrib'd unto them all the particular rites . now my brethren , i shall shew you , . what is said by those who affirm it was given to adam in innocency , whose arguments seem to me of no weight at all . . i shall take notice what is said by those learned men who deny it was given to adam in innocency , and affirm it was not given as a command till israel came into the wilderness . to begin with those who affirm god gave it to adam before his fall in paradise , or in his state of innocency . . they ground it upon what moses saith in gen. . because it is there mention'd as the day on which god rested from all his works . . because god blessed the seventh day , and sanctified it . dr. owen , after he had shew'd that some jews and rabbins affirm , the sabbath did not begin till the israelites came into the wilderness , tho some of them differ'd in their opinions about its commencement ; comes to tell us , that the opinion of the institution of the sabbath from the beginning of the world , is founded principally on a double testimony : first , from the old testament , gen. . , , . because moses saith , god blessed the seventh day , and sanctified it ; not , saith he , that god kept it holy himself , nor that he purified it , and made it inherently holy , which the nature of the day is not capable of ; nor that he celebrated that which in it self was holy ; but that he set it apart to sacred use . secondly , the testimony to the same purpose , saith he , taken out of the new testament , is in heb. . , . for we which believe do enter into rest , as he said , as i have sworn in my wrath , if they shall enter into my rest , altho the works were finished from the foundation of the world. for he speaketh in a certain place on this wise , and god did rest the seventh day from all his works . now , saith the doctor , the works , and the finishing of them , did not at all belong to the apostle's discourse , but only as they denoted the beginning of the seventh-day sabbath ; for it is the several rests of god alone that he is enquiring after . but to pass by what the doctor saith ; . let this be considered , that in this place only of all paul's writings mention is made of the seventh-day ; but not one word here intimating that 't was our duty to observe that day under the gospel ; which had it been the christian sabbath , no doubt he would have given some hint of at this turn . . by the manner of his words and expressions , comparing these two verses together , it seems the sabbath did not commence from the beginning of the world ; for tho god rested on the seventh-day , and might then set it apart , yet he might give no command to keep it till after-times , when sabbath-day service or worship was appointed : this i rather think from these words , altho the works were finished from the foundation of the world ; yet the day , as man's duty , was not given till long after ; for , as our annotators observe , paul alludes to exod. . . for he speaks in a certain place on his wise , &c. thus having given you the proofs of those who assert the sabbath was given to man in in●ocency , i shall now give you the reasons urg'd ●y others who affirm it was not given till israel came into the wilderness : their arguments are of two sorts . . many of them affirm , that moses wrote ●ere in gen. . by a prolepsis , or way of antici●ation . . others do not so much assert that , but ●low it might be set apart in the design of god from his finishing his work , and yet af●●rm it was not given to any to keep till israel's ●oming into the wilderness , when god was a●out to form them into an ecclesiastical and po●itical church-state ; and appointed them laws and ordinances , particularly the worship , duties , and sacrifices they were to discharge on their sabbath-day . and indeed it may seem unreasonable to believe that the wise god shall give a sabbath , not only for rest , but for divine worship , before he appointed those du●●es of worship he would have them to per●orm on that day ; which were essentially ne●essary for all to know , as well as the special ●recise day it self . . but to begin with the first argument , that moses wrote those words in his history by way of prolepsis , or anticipation , and so to be ●ead , as it were , in a parenthesis : that is , moses being the first man that wrote by revelation or inspiration ; and having before he began to write , received the command of the seventh-day sabbath , and the reason of its institution , coming to write of the time when god finished his work , put in this concerning the sabbath by way of anticipation , saying , god blessed the seventh-day , and sanctified it ; not that adam knew any thing of it , or that he gave him a command to keep it . dr. owe● owns there are sundry things asserted in history by way of anticipation , tho he suppose they fell out commonly in the same age : but methinks he saith little to the purpose to confut● what other learned men have said on this account ; and to reserve my own thoughts to m●●self , i shall give you an account of what two 〈◊〉 three of them assert , who believe moses wrot● this in gen. . by way of anticipation . on● author having shew'd that some believe god 〈◊〉 the beginning of the world did set apart th● seventh day , and commanded adam to keep it says , that others , and those antienter , and o● more authority , conceive these words to be spoken by a prolepsis or anticipation , and to relate to the times wherein moses wrote ; and intimated only the reason why god required of the jews to sanctify the seventh day rather than any other : no precept to that purpose being given to adam and to his posterity , nor any mystery in the number seven , why it should be thought most proper for god's publick worship : and this , saith he , is indeed the antienter and more general opinion , unanimously deliver'd both by jews and christians , and not so much as question'd till these latter days : and tho some ascribe it to tostatus as the first inventer of it , yet it is antienter far than he ; tho were it so , it could not be deny'd but it had an able and learned author , who , considering the times in which he lived , and the shortness of his life , hardly ever had his equal . 〈◊〉 is true , tostatus makes this query , whether 〈◊〉 sabbath being sanctified by god in the in●●cy of the world , had been observ'd by men ●o the light of nature ; and returns this an●●er , that god commanded not the sabbath to 〈◊〉 sanctified in the beginning of the world , 〈◊〉 it was commanded afterwards by the law 〈◊〉 moses , when god did publickly make known 〈◊〉 will on mount sinai ; and that whereas 〈◊〉 scripture speaks of sanctifying the seventh 〈◊〉 in gen. . it is not to be understood as if 〈◊〉 lord did then appoint it for his publick ●orship , but to be refer'd to the time wherein ●oses wrote , which was in the wilderness , &c. 〈◊〉 so the meaning of the prophet will be ●●iefly this , that god did sanctify that day , ●at is , to us that are his people of the house 〈◊〉 jacob. so far tostatus . our author also cites 〈◊〉 josephus speaking after the same manner : * and , ●●th he , solomon jarchi , one of the principal ●abbins , speaks more expresly to this purpose , 〈◊〉 makes this gloss or comment upon moses's words : god blessed the seventh day , i. e. in manna , because for every day of the week an homer of it fell upon the earth , and a double ●ortion on the sixth ; but none fell on the seventh ●ay at all . he also quotes mercer , one much ●onversant in the rabbins , who confesses the rab●ins generally refer'd gen. . to the following ●●mes , even to the sanctification of the sabbath ●stablish'd by the law of moses . — doubtless ●he jews who so much doted on their sabbath , would by no means have robbed it of so great antiquity , had they had any ground to approve ●hereof , or not known the contrary : so that the ●cope of moses in this place was not to shew the time when , but the occasion why god did afterwards sanctify the seventh day , because that on that day he rested from all his works . moreover , the same author saith ; nor 〈◊〉 it otherwise conceiv'd , than that moses did he●● speak by way of prolepsis or anticipation , 〈◊〉 ambrose catharini * opened the contrary , th●● next falls foul upon tostatus : yet , saith he , 〈◊〉 same catharini affirms in the same book , th●● nothing is more frequent in holy scripture th●● these anticipations ; and among others our a●●thor mentions one or two : it is said of abr●●ham , that he removed to a mountain eastwa●● of bethel , whereas it was not called bethel till 〈◊〉 hundred years after , and abraham knew it 〈◊〉 by that name ; but moses writing the histor● of abraham ( saith a french protestant divine 〈◊〉 calls it by anticipation bethel , which was 〈◊〉 so called till jacob gave it that name , which b●●fore was call'd luz . so in judg. . , . 〈◊〉 said , the angel of the lord came up from g●●gal to bokim , which was not so call'd till afte●●wards . we also find in exod. . that mos●● said , this is the thing that the lord commanded ▪ fill an omer of it to be kept for your generations , that they may see the bread wherewith you have been fed in the wilderness , when i broug●● you forth from the land of egypt . — so aaron laid it up before the testimony to be kept . calvin saith this author , tells us on this text , indeed it could not well be otherwise interpreted ( i. e. but by anticipation ) for how could aaron lay up a pot of manna to keep before the testimony , when as yet there was neither ark nor tabernacle , and so no testimony at that time ▪ moreover , moses tells us in the place before mention'd , that the children of israel eat manna forty years , which , saith he , is not otherwise true in that place and time , but by anticipation . now i argue thus : if moses by way of anticipation speaks of that as being done , ●●ich was not actually done till forty , fifty , or ●undred years after , why might he not in 〈◊〉 . . put that in after the same manner , that ●s not indeed done till his time , when god gave 〈◊〉 the commandment of the sabbath ? if he ●ts that into his history as done , which was 〈◊〉 done till a hundred years after , why not 〈◊〉 other thing till two thousand years ? the ●●stance of time to me signifies nothing , tho 〈◊〉 . owen seems to intimate as if it did . i ●●ll leave this to all mens serious thoughts , 〈◊〉 what little reason the sabbatarians , or others 〈◊〉 to cast so much contempt on what these 〈◊〉 have said . secondly , as to the other sort , who insist not 〈◊〉 much on this , yet deny that god gave adam 〈◊〉 command to keep the seventh day , tho it 〈◊〉 said , god blessed the seventh day , and sanctified 〈◊〉 now by the way consider , . the scripture expresses not the manner 〈◊〉 the lord sanctified it : ( . ) whether by ●●parting any special holiness to that day , ●hich ( as dr. owen saith ) it was not capable 〈◊〉 , there being no inherent holiness in that day ●ore than another . ( . ) or by dedicating the ●●me to any religious worship for adam to be ●●und in on that day . or , ( . ) whether he ●●ight not then by a decree or purpose only ●●estine that day to religious worship for future ●●mes : for he foresaw man would fall , and need 〈◊〉 sabbath for himself , and a particular day to ●orship god in . now 't is evident a law may 〈◊〉 instituted * long before the time of its com●encement , or being in force . divers great ●en both antient and modern , as dr. white ●●timates , affirm that god by a decree only destin'd that day to religious service in future time ; he instances in venerable bede , and before him , justin martyr , tertullian , and iren●us , that god sanctified the seventh day , gen. . by his decree and destination only , not by any present imposition . the arguments on which this opinion 〈◊〉 grounded are very weighty , which shall 〈◊〉 next consider'd . first , all generally conclude that god ga●● to adam but one positive law , and in brea●●ing of that ( as dr. lightfoot , and others shew● he broke all the ten commandments , which 〈◊〉 to the matter or substance of them were wro● in his heart ; and that this greatened his si● viz. that tho he had but one commandment ▪ he violated it . secondly , suppose adam had had this positive law given to him also , to keep holy the seventh day , and had broke it , had he thereby been guilty of the breach of all the others ? for i have just now shew'd that most believe him guilty of all in breaking that one command , thou shalt not eat of the tree of knowledg of good and evil . but being every way guilty , it must be supposed he broke both those positive commands , if he had two given him , and so was guilty of the breach of the fourth twice . nay , if what i say be consider'd , and that which i inquire about be granted , he was doubly guilty of the breach of them all . thirdly , the law of the sabbath was ( as it is conceiv'd ) that adam should keep that day holy ; nay , he must be so oblig'd , if any command was given to him , yea and keep it more holy than any of the other six . now if so , would it not follow that adam was not perfect in innocency ? doth perfection admit of any ●urther degree of holiness , or require more ●anctity on that day than any other ? certain●● while he stood , every day must be kept with ●e holiness and sanctity . or i say , what ●ason can be given that adam , who was so ●ly and perfect , and capable in the same de●ree of contemplating every day the perfecti●ns of his blessed creator , should need one ●ecial day to do this in , having nothing to ●vert his thoughts , nor any need of a day of ●st from toilsom labor ? if so , doth not what ●ey say argue some imperfection attending 〈◊〉 ? how then was he created in the image of 〈◊〉 , and perfect , if he was capable of keeping ●y one day more holy than the rest whilst in ●nocency ? if any should say he was capable 〈◊〉 rest from dressing the garden on one day : 〈◊〉 answer , if the dressing the garden was any ●nderance to him in divine contemplation , 〈◊〉 any holy duty , it argues still he was not ●erfect , nor compleatly happy . fourthly , if one special day was appointed to ●orship god in , and this he stood in need of , ●ill it not follow by the same reason , that he ●eeded to be told what special parts of wor●ip he should perform to god on that day ? ●or , as i hinted before , it seems strange he ●ould need a special day of worship by a po●●ive law to be appointed him , and no duties ●f worship be instituted sutable to such a day . ●vident it is , when god commanded his peo●le israel to keep the seventh-day sabbath , he ●old them how they should do it , and what ●cts of worship they should discharge on that ●ay . fifthly , it may seem strange that any wise ●an should affirm that adam was injoyned to ●eep a sabbath , from what is said in gen. . whenas we read not one word of a sabbath there ; all that moses says is , that , god blessed the seventh day , and sanctified it . now , as one observes , the seventh day is three times mentioned in this text , but the term sabbath not at all , nor indeed any where else , till it came to be given to the children of israel in the wilderness ; nor can they ever prove that the seventh day mentioned exod. . or . wa● the precise seventh day immediately succeedin● the six days of the creation : but more 〈◊〉 that hereafter . sixthly , since we read of no day call'd 〈◊〉 sabbath till near two thousand years from th● creation , how should any before the flood● or before moses , know of such a day ? for th● bear expression , that god sanctified the sevent● day , &c. if that was known to the old world and afterwards ( which i much doubt of ) could not without some other revelation discover that they were obliged to keep it as a sabbath in religious worship : tho it is said , god sanctified the seventh day , yet it is not said that ada● also sanctified it , nor can they tell how adam should know that god then sanctified it ; for being not created till the sixth day , how could he , without some special revelation , know the next day after was the seventh day from the creation ? could he tell how long god was in making the heavens and the earth ? &c. moreover , 't is worth noting how strenuously our opponents do urge that there is no express command to keep the first day . now may not w● say , there is no express command for adam in innocency , or when fallen , or for any till moses's time to keep the seventh day as a sabbath ? yet they boldly affirm it was their duty to keep it . again , should it be granted that god commanded adam to keep that very seventh day on which he himself rested from his work , and that adam did sanctify that one day , yet it is not ●aid that he did , or was bid to keep holy every ●eventh day to the world's end ; and that he must ●egin every such day just at the same time as god did his seventh day , or just at the same time ●f the day as it was in paradise , at that moment ●hen god ceas'd to work . thus dr. wallis , who ●rther saith , it is not expresly said that all man●ind must for ever after observe the seventh day , 〈◊〉 every week of days , reckoned continually from 〈◊〉 first creation . let me here add what another author saith ●s to the words of the text blessed and sancti●●ed : that this was done ( saith he ) we all agree ; when it was done is the question : for this circumstance we have not expresly in the text. things are said in scripture to be sanctified two ways : . by way of purpose and destination only , as god sanctified jeremiah to be a prophet to him before he was born . . by way of actual use and imployment , as when the levites were admitted to the actual service of the tabernacle . god's resting from his works , and sanctifying the seventh day , were coetaneous in the first sense , i. e. by way of purpose and intention , which moses relates ; but not in the latter , by way of actual execution . as soon as he had ended his work , he ordained the seventh day , the day of his own rest , to be that on which his church should rest , and follow his example ; and this was the great blessing and prerogative bestowed on that day . musculus saith , he dos well express sanctificatus by destinatus , a day sanctified , by a day destinated and afore-appointed . mr. byfield has observ'd , that the word in the original signifies to prepare : to prepare is one thing , and actually to appoint is another . so then the sabbath had not an actual existence in the world from the beginning , it had only a metaphysical being , as all natural things are said to be in their causes : for the cause or reason of the sabbath's sanctification ( god's rest ) was from the beginning , tho the sanctification it self was a long time after . yet he owns god did sanctify the day then by way of destination — that as god then actually rested , so he actually sanctified the day ; but that therefore he then commanded adam to observe it , doth not follow : for that god did then sanctify , that is , destinate that day to be the church's sabbath in due time , is one thing ; and to command adam to observe it ▪ is another . — he proceeds to shew how the medes were call'd god's sanctified ones , that is ▪ destinated to be in time destroyers of babylon and the father sanctified his son , and sent hi● into the world ; joh. . . also cyrus , isa . . . seventhly , besides , the law of the seventh day sabbath ran thus , six days thou shalt work ▪ and do all thou hast to do , but the seventh is the sabbath , &c. now the old testament sabbath was the last day of the week : they were to work six , the six first ; but this he could not do i mean the six first from the creation , because he was not created till the sixth day . so that the first six days , tho the six days in which th● lord did all his work , could not be adam's six working days . but if the sabbath was given to him in innocency , no doubt , as tilla● says , he kept the first sabbath ; and then it ●ollows he begun with god , and rested before 〈◊〉 labour'd six days , contrary to the order and ●ommand of the instituted sabbath , exod. . moreover , many learned men believe adam ●ll the same day he was created , namely , on ●he sixth day , and so could not keep one sab●ath in innocency . but i desire such as would 〈◊〉 further inform'd of this , to read mr. edw. ●arren's treatise , who shews , . that adam fell the same day he was created , appears from the words of our blessed saviour , joh. . . that the devil was a murderer from the beginning , a liar , and the father of lies : not , saith he , from the beginning of the world's creation , but of man's creation , which most properly and precisely implys the sixth day . . he says , the parly betwixt the woman and the serpent intimates as much ; for both the serpent's demand , and the woman's reply speak plainly that as yet they had not tasted the sweets of paradise : hath god said , ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden ? the serpent had not been so subtile to ask whether that might be done which had been done already . besides , we may conclude that , had not the serpent immediately set upon the woman , his craftiness had not been so great ; and adam hearing of a tree of life , we may suppose would have first tasted of that ; and satan it may be fearing the effects of it , immediately set upon the woman . and , says our author , the tree of life being sacramental , hence may it well be thought that if adam had stood one sabbath , he had tasted of the tree of life , so had been out of a possibility of falling . . satan besure would take the fittest season and therefore tempts the woman timely . . 't is said they heard the voice of th● lord god in the cool of the day , or in th● evening ; and as he notes , mr. roberts saith th● this is the evening mention'd after the cre●●tion of adam , and the covenant made with him . adam was arraign'd and sentenc'd to●wards the evening of the sixth day , therefore he sinned the same day , and so kept 〈◊〉 sabbath in innocency . . he mentions that text , adam in hono● lodged not a night , but was like the beasts th● perish ; for , saith he , so it is in the hebre● word for word . he further confirms what he says her● and answers all tillam's objections , and tha● about the work adam did of giving names 〈◊〉 all living creatures , which he shews he might soon do ; and as to that of god's saying o● the sixth day he saw all his works that the● were good , therefore man had not then sinne● he replys , that god's days works were don● each day by a word speaking , or in a mo●ment ; he did not work as man doth : so tha● on the sixth day early , or as soon as ma● was created , he might say all his works wer● good , yet man might sin and fall before night . . he argues from adam's not knowing hi● wife till he had sinned , and shews that 〈◊〉 good reason can be given why he should no● have known her , had he stood one day now these things tho doubtful , with the othe● being well observed , why should any affir● the sabbath was given to adam in innocency and that he kept the first sabbath in paradi●● with his creator ? for so saith tillam . eighthly , a sabbath was not agreeable to adam in paradise , either in respect to himself , ●o rest from labor , or as a special day to wor●●ip god in : such was the happiness of his ●ate , that he had no burdens to bear , nor ●y toilsom labour ; nor was there any curse 〈◊〉 the creatures , that they should need a day 〈◊〉 rest ; he had no need of servants , & c. ●o doubt the sabbath refer'd only to the state 〈◊〉 fallen man , and was given in mercy to ●●rael , god 's own covenant-people , under the ●aw ; i say , in mercy to them , and to the ●asts who groan under their burden . adam's ●bour , if any , in innocency was matter of ●light , and every day was a sabbath to him : ●nd , as tertullian observes , man lived in pa●●dise in a fruition of god. let me close this ●ith what a reverend author says . first , they all go too far , and have not one word in scripture for their opinion , that say adam in innocency should or would have kept every seventh day for holy rest , and that god would have required it at his hands : for all scriptures which mention the sabbath , speak of it as of a holy sign looking towards christ , and the state of grace and glory in him , and not towards the state of innocency . it is most certain , adam in that state was perfect with all natural perfections , and at all times equally disposed to obey and serve god , to remember his creation , and to honour his creator : he needed no observation of any day to be put in mind of any thing he had before known , and which god had revealed to him ; his memory was perfect ; his will was every day ready to do whatever he knew to be right ; he needed no sign to admonish him of his duty , or to move him to do it in due season : he did not labor nor weary himself ; every day to him was a day of delight and pleasure , of rest and recreation . — in a word , his whole life was a constant and obedient serving o● god ; and there was no inequality , nor les● worship of god perform'd by him in on● day than in another , for he fully served god at all times . whoever denies this , must needs deny man's perfections , and constant conformity to god in the state of innocency for where one day is kept better than an●●ther , there is an inequality , and no consta● uniformity in himself , nor conformity to 〈◊〉 will of god. in the second place , they who hold the sabbath was first instituted after man's fall , and yet written in man's heart in innocency , and that he was then bound to keep it , fall into many absurdities ; as , . that man was bound to keep a sabbath before ever it was instituted . . that god did by his word teach man in vain , i. e. that which he was fully taught already , and had written in his heart . . that god gave man a law in vain after his fall , because he was become unable to keep it . . they that hold that the law of the sabbath was not written in man's heart , but was by a positive law given in the state of innocency , of the same nature with that of eating of the tree of knowledg , make this commandment of the sabbath utterly void by man's fall , even as that of eating , &c. is now void . thus far mr. walker . i might add , certainly there was a vast difference as to the cause and design of god's giving a sabbath to man in innocency , and when fallen ▪ could a sabbath sute equally with perfect and ●allen man ? or could there be the same need of a sabbath to both ? certainly if god had ●ot given that command by moses , the keep●●g that precise day would not have been known 〈◊〉 be the duty of any of adam's off-spring , ●om a positive law given to him in innocency . ninthly , to put the matter further out of ●oubt , pray mind the words of this pretended ●ositive command , god rested on the seventh●●y ; what then ? but he also blessed and sanc●●fied it : what tho ? because god sanctified 〈◊〉 priest , may others do so too ? he might 〈◊〉 the seventh-day apart for his people in after●●es . because god sanctified it , must adam ●nctify it or keep it holy without a com●●and ? is it said therefore , thou adam shalt ●eep this day as a sabbath ? no doubt moses ●ould not only have mention'd god's blessing ●nd sanctifying that day , had it been given to adam as a sabbath ; but god's express command would have been mention'd by him , and would also have called it the sabbath-day . i might now come to the last argument , viz. if it had been commanded adam and all his posterity to keep the seventh-day after he fell , ●he patriarchs that lived before moses kept it : but more of this next time . tenthly , if adam had the sabbath positively given to him in innocency , besure it was injoined with some penalty , as the command of not eating of the tree of knowledg was . we also find the penalty of the breach of the seventh-day sabbath was death : but as we read of no positive command given to him to keep that day , so of no threatning if he broke or violated it ; therefore certainly it was never enjoyn'd upon him . elevehthly , when the sabbath was institured for the house of jacob , god declared it was a sign between him and them , or a shadow of things to come , col. . , . it referred to christ , or to that rest all believers do enter into . speak thou unto the children of israel , saying , verily my sabbaths , it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations , that ye may know that i am the lord that sanctify you , exod. . . ye shall keep my sabbath , therefore it is holy unto you ; every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death : for every one that doth any work on the sabbath-day , shall be cut off from amongst his people , vers . . it was a sign god set apart that people with a ceremonial sanctification , to signify that alone by jesus christ all the true spiritual israel should have gospel-sanctification , as well as it was a sign of the covenant of works : but it could be no sign of this sanctification to adam in innocency , nor of any other gospel-blessing , therefore doubtless the sabbath was not given to adam in innocency . twelfthly , what reason can be given that god should allow adam in innocency six days to labour in , and require but one , i. e. the seventh , as a day to his creator ? no , it is evident from hence the sabbath refer'd to fallen man , who god foresaw would need six days to do all his labour ; and it shews god's great mercy to man and beast in that woful condition of servitude , under the curse . i might add , should it be granted that god gave adam a positive command to keep the seventh day in innocency , how can our opponents thence prove it the duty of all to keep the said day ? a command to him in innocency may not oblige any man in his fallen state , except the same be renewed . i find two of the chiefest writers i have met with , who are approved orthodox , plead not for the sabbath as given to adam in innocency , viz. mr. dan. ●awdrey , and mr. herbert , palmer : take their words , we purpose not to maintain that the sabbath was given to adam in innocency before the fall : but they hint it might be given to him after the fall , and that he fell the same day he was created . moreover , they say , if it was given before his fall , it doth not follow it should oblige at this day ; for the positive precept of not eating of the tree of knowledg , was given in innocency , and yet doth not universally oblige adam's posterity , nor should if the tree were at this day known . a positive precept binds only during the pleasure of the lawgiver , &c. so say i , the same must be granted , when it was given exod. . & . the precise seventh day being there a positive precept . sermon iii. proving the patriarchs kept not the seventh-day sabbath : that the knowledg of the seventh day was not written in the hearts of all mankind by nature . gal. iv . , . ye observe days , and months , &c. my brethren , there are three sorts of persons i have little hopes of doing good to in preaching on this subject . . such as thro self-conceit are so fond of their own apprehensions , that they resolve not to regard the strongest arguments against what they believe : thus it is with some who have sucked in dangerous errors ; who if a book be presented to them , presently cry , away with it , we will not read it : they are not like him that said , what i know not , teach thou me ; nor like the great appollos , who was ready to receive further light by a poor man and his wife , much inferior to him both as to parts , knowledg , and learning , acts . . the second sort are such as thro the weakness of their capacities are not able to take in the strength of an argument ; and therefore , let never so much be said , do intimate it is all little or nothing to them . . the third sort are such as seem indifferent whether they keep the seventh , or the first day , or perhaps any at all , as a special day to the lord : these not seeing the danger of observing the old jewish sabbath , nor of their indifference about keeping any day at all , trouble not themselves at all about this matter . but to ●●ass this , and proceed . i have proved , . that the command for , or knowledg of keeping the seventh-day sabbath was not written in adam 's heart . . that there was 〈◊〉 positive command given to him , to observe that ●ay above any other , either before or immediately after his fall. a time to worship god was wrote in adam's heart no doubt ; and indeed all his time , while in innocency , he was naturally led to give up to his blessed creator . what had he to do , but to adore , and contemplate the perfections of his bountiful creator ? and could he have done it better on one day than another ? the best and highest acts of worship he was capable of performing would have been his work and delight for ever , had he abode in that state : for perfection admits of no greater number , measure , degrees , or additions . now i may infer from hence : if the command of god to observe the seventh day was not wrote in adam's heart , then it is not written in the hearts of any of his offspring by nature : for as i have said , the muddy stream cannot be clearer than the chrystal fountain . but our brethren who keep the seventh day , and some others affirm , that the patriarchs from adam to moses did keep that day . answ . this i deny , and if i put them to prove it , they can never do it . first , i grant that from adam to moses the holy and pious patriarchs not only discharged all duties of natural religion , but all duties given by express command to them ; yet we read not that god commanded them to keep the seventh day , or reminded them of a former precept given to adam , and in him to them . and no doubt they observed a sufficient time for the worship of god , it may be a part of every day , or more than one in seven : for they not only improved their natural light and knowledg , but had a special revelation of the will of god to them ; yet we find not the least intimation that any of them kept the seventh day . abel we read sacrificed ; and this of offering sacrifices could not be known by the light of nature ; god therefore commanded him so to do , or revealed it some way or another in a supernatural way to him , because him and his offering god had respect unto : besides , he did it in faith , and faith must have a rule to act by ; but we do not read he offer'd sacrifices on the seventh day , or kept that day as a sabbath : had he kept one sabbath-day , tho no mention is made of any command he had so to do , we should no more doubt of it , but conclude he had such a command , as we believe he had for his offering sacrifices ; but if he or any other of the patriarchs had kept the seventh day as a sabbath , would it from thence follow it was a moral precept , and obligatory on us , any more than their offering sacrifices obliges us so to do ? we read of men who began to call upon the name of the lord , gen. . . or to call themselves by the name of the lord , as one reads it , but not a word of such a sabbath observ'd by them . ainsworth reads it thus , then began men profanely to call upon the name of the lord : and one of the rabins * saith , in those days idolatry took its first beginning ; so that from hence there can no proof be taken that they kept the seventh-day as a sabbath . enoch walked with god three hundred years , and certainly if he had kept the sabbath we should have had ●ome account of it ; but as we read of no such matter , so justin martyr , as i find him cited by approved authors , declares enoch was one if those that was not circumcised , neither kept the sabbath . and irenaeus mentioning enoch , with my author , speaks thus , viz. enoch that righteous man , being neither circumcised , nor a sabbath-keeper , was by the lord translated . and as it cannot be proved that the seventh day was observed before the flood , so we have ●o reason to believe it was kept by noah , in those days the flood overflow'd the world : 〈◊〉 is said , noah was only righteous in that generation , and therefore a true worshipper of god ; but we read not of his keeping the seventh-day sabbath . i know some would catch at that expression , gen. . , . that noah stay'd seven days before he sent out the dove ; as if this might re●er to the sabbath . but in answer to this ( which indeed needs ●one at all ) take what a learned man hath ●id for a reason why noah stay'd seven days , and again other seven days : noah , saith he , desired to know whether the waters were decreased . now the waters being regulated by the moon , noah was most especially to regard her motions : for as she is either in opposition or conjunction with the sun in her increase or wane , there is proportionably an increase or falling of the waters . noah then considering the moon in her several quarters , which commonly we know are at seven days distance , sent forth his dove to bring him tydings : for the text tells us , that he sent out the raven and the dove four times ; and the fourth time , the moon being in the last quarter , when both by the ordinary course of nature the waters usually are , and by the will of god were then much decreased ; the dove which was sent out , had found good footing on the earth . there is greater reason to believe this than to suppose it refer'd to the sabbath . * scaliger , saith my author , one while thought the day on which , noah left the ark and offered sacrifices , to be the seventh day ; but in the next edition he fixed that day to be the fourth day of the week . now after the flood we find god gave to noah and his sons some express laws and commands , i. e. not to eat blood , and forbidding murder , &c. now this is the time doubtless to hear of a sabbath , and of the charge about it , if god had given it either to adam before or after the fall ; but not one word is mention'd , for 't is not said , remember the seventh day , &c. or ye shall observe my sabbath . now from shem , ham and japhet , both jews and gentiles , proceeded even the whole world ; and to me it seems not probable , had the sabbath been commanded , that jehovah should not at this time have given them a charge about it , there being then so few positive laws instituted ; here is blood forbid to the whole world , and murder , but not one word of a sabbath , or seventh day to be observ'd . the rabbins speak of seven precepts given to noah and his sons , but exclude the seventh-day sabbath out of that number . if we have it not mentioned here , besure we shall not meet with it till we come to moses ; but here we have it not , nor indeed was it possible for some of them to keep that precise day , being scatter'd to the furthermost ends of the earth . we read of abraham , that he kept all god's commandments , yet he kept no seventh-day sabbath : he built an altar , and sacrificed , which were mere positive precepts , and 〈◊〉 the seventh-day sabbath is not mention'd , ●or commanded him , nor a hint given to remember him to keep it . job liv'd also , it is concluded , about abraham's time , which may be gather'd by the number of years he liv'd , which was about two hundred years , which few attain'd to after abraham . joseph liv'd but a hundred and ten . 't is said job liv'd a hundred and forty years after his sore trials were ended : the jews speak of his living in all two hundred and eighty years . ●ow , as one observes , when he pleads his in●●grity and innocence even to very minute particulars , he neither alledges his strict observation of the seventh-say sabbath , nor apologizes for the neglect thereof ; nor do this friends , who rak'd up every thing against him , speak a word about this , nor of the sabbath throughout the whole book ; which treats in a manner wholly about worship and devotion towards god : the sabbath therefore no doubt had not ●●●ap'd ( as he minds ) if it had been known , 〈◊〉 been a duty in his days . as to isaac , he was a most devout man , and 〈◊〉 life was taken up in a continual course of ●●ety : his custom was to go into the fields to meditate , but it is not said he did it on the ●eventh day , or that he kept this day as a sabbath . jacob was a man that fled from idolatry 〈◊〉 god's command , and liv'd a godly life : and tho we read of his performing many acts of worship , yet nothing of his keeping the seventh day as a sabbath ; no , tho we read of his hard service when he kept laban's sheep both in winter and summer , which might have caused him to complain of his being incommoded from a strict observation of that day , had he known it as his duty ; but in all his complaints not one word of this . we know among us how shepherds are hindered in sabbath-observations , of which many have complained , or may have occasion to do . moreover during joseph's being in pharaoh's court , nor before , do we read of his observing this sabbath , and when jacob came into egypt , we read 〈◊〉 of his observation thereof , nor of the egyptian keeping of it ; or had they forgot it , besu● there would have been some notice taken of jacob's keeping it , nor would he have avoided i● that he might please pharaoh and his servants . nor can it be thought on any good grounds that the children of israel kept the seventh-day sabbath under their taskmasters in egypt , th● some would infer they did from these words , that you make the people rest from their burdens , exod. . . they would have these words to mean , you make them keep a sabbath , where as no such thing seems to have the least countenance , because pharaoh's officers complain not of their resting or being idle on one day only ▪ but two days together ; see exod. . . wherefore have you not fulfilled your task in making of brick , both yesterday and to day , as heretofore ? now since there is no mention that any 〈◊〉 the patriarchs kept the seventh day as a sabbath , we infer this as the first reason why they observ'd it not . secondly , let it be consider'd that we read 〈◊〉 many positive commands given to noah , to abraham , isaac and jacob , but none to keep the seventh-day sabbath , nor no reminding them of any former institution or precept to observe it ; wherefore we may conclude they kept it not . thirdly , we read how the faithful patriarchs were commended for doing whatsoever god commanded them , but not of any of them being commended for keeping the seventh day as a sabbath : yet after moses's time , when the sabbath was instituted and given by god's express command to israel , he took ( we find ) as much notice of their observing his sabbaths as of any other duty injoined on them , and this to their great commendation . therefore had the patriarchs been oblig'd to keep it , no doubt they had as faithfully discharged their duty therein , as any of god's servants did in after times ; and god besure would have left something on record to their commendation . fourthly , we read of divers sins the old world was guilty of , which provoked god , and brought the flood upon them , but not one word or hint given that they were guilty of sabbath-breaking . now if it had been known either by the light of nature , or by any positive precept given to adam , and handed down to them by tradition or otherwise ; they being so universally corrupted and polluted , no doubt had profan'd that day ; and if so , the sacred record had mention'd that great sin doubtless as well as others . fifthly , moreover , we read of the crying sins of the people of sodom , &c. and no doubt but they had violated all god's commands , or whatsoever were their known duties ; but nothing of breaking the sabbath is charged against them . now can it be imagin'd they should not have fail'd in this case , or that god would overlook or take no notice of it ? sixtly , we have a catalogue of almost all immoral evils before and after the flood , as idolatry , gluttony , drunkenness , lasciviousness , incest , murder , lying , covetousness , theft , &c. and how sin had possessed the thoughts , hearts , and lives of men ; but no account of their violation of the sabbath-day . seventhly , let it be consider'd , that since god so severely reprehended the jews for profaning his sabbaths , and hardly reproved them more sharply for any one sin than for this ; certainly in his enumerating the sins 〈◊〉 his people , and of the wickedness of those that liv'd from adam to moses , he would have reproved them for sabbath-breaking , and not have utterly passed it by in silence , had they been guilty of it : or can it be rationally supposed that tho they fail'd in all other respects , yet that they did not in this ? no doubt , had it been a known duty , ( and that some of them had been guilty of the breach of it , as in all likelihood they would ) but god would have severely reprehended them for it . eighthly , since we read of no sabbath till moses's time , exod. . only that god sanctified the seventh day ; what makes our brethren so boldly say that adam in innocence kept it , and all the patriarchs from adam to moses ? this may seem strange to any thinking man , i. e. that they should affirm this , seeing they require an express command from us for the keeping of the first day , or else all is nothing with them . brethren , this i will say , that had we no more ground to keep the lord's day in solemn worship , as a day of rest , than they can find for the patriarchs keeping of the seventh day as a sabbath , we should not say one word more for it : i challenge them to shew us one place where a sabbath is so much as once mention'd , or any express or implicit command given to any to observe it ; or one example from the creation of the world that any man or woman ever kept the seventh day as a sabbath until we come to moses , exod. . i shall , god assisting , shew that we have more than meer examples of the gospel primitive churches for observing in a solemn manner the lord's-day , or the first day of the week , when i come to that part of my work. now let them produce but one example , that ●ne , tho but one of the patriarchs did keep the ●eventh day as a sabbath , i will conclude it might be given to adam after his fall ; for before his fall it could not be a law to him , for the reasons i have urged : but if they could produce such an example , yet say some learned men , it doth no more prove that precise day is a moral precept , or that it from hence follows , that it is our duty in gospel-times to observe it , than it proves 't is our duty to offer sacrifices , which we read ( before the ceremonial law was given ) they frequently did . but since there is not one instance to be given of any one person that kept that day till moses's time , but that the word of god is wholly silent about it , we must and may say , according to that common maxim used by divines , i. e. where god hath not a mouth to speak , we ought not to have an ear to hear . ninthly , let us now consider what some learned men have produced for their pretended proofs that the patriarchs kept the seventh day as a sabbath , which i fear hath imboldned the jewish sabbatarians to affirm with such confidence that all the patriarchs did keep it . but by the way , dr. owen , who is one that asserted what i utterly deny , doth yet confess that many of the jewish masters or rabbins ascribe the original of the sabbath to the statute given to them in mara , exod. . and others of them to exod. . yet the said reverend doctor cites some of the probable grounds to prove that the patriarchs kept it . . the first and chief place i find he mentions is that in gen. . . for i know him , that he will command his children and his houshold after him , and they shall keep the ways of the lord , and do justice and judgment . answ . that abraham had this charge and commandment given to him is granted : but what little reason there is from hence to conclude he kept the sabbath , or gave charge to his children so to do , i will leave to all mens consideration . god gave to abraham commands , we find that evident enough ; and some of them not very easy to flesh and blood , as that of offering up his only son. moreover , none doubt of the faithfulness of the patriarch abraham ; but if the sabbath was not then instituted , nor any command given to him to keep it , there could not be any such command meant or comprehended in that charge given to him . the truth is , my brethren , learned men , who are men also of great natural parts , can put a fair gloss on any thing , and make that seem to be a truth that there is not the least ground to believe is so . abraham did all he did in faith , and therefore he had divine authority for all he did in god's service . dr. twiss's main argument to prove that the patriarchs observed the seventh-day sabbath , is this , viz. the lord blessed the seventh day and sanctified it , therefore saith he the patriarchs did observe it . answ . i answer , god blessed the seventh day and sanctified it , but did not give any command to adam to keep it ; therefore the patriarchs from thence could not know , or see they had any ground to observe it . dr. twiss saith in the same place , i. e. and the truth is , until the coming of the children of israel out of egypt we read not of any church of god any where but in single families ; neither do we read of the patriarchs before the flood , or a long time after , that they kept any day consecrated to god's service . but we say with him , that it doth not therefore follow that they kept no day at all in god's service . they owned the true god , and worshipped him , and knew that there must be a time , a sufficient time to discharge that homage or worship to him ; and tho perhaps they observ'd one day in seven , yet , as i conceive , they did not know what precise day they ought to observe above any other , until god by some express positive command made it known , which was not till he constituted the whole house of israel into a typical church-state , and gave them an instituted worship , and commanded their legal and typical sabbath . besides , how could the patriarchs know what duties proper for sabbath-observation they should perform , except it had by some positive law or precept been discover'd to them , of which we read not ? when god gave to israel a sabbath , he told them how they should keep it , as well as the reasons , end and causes wherefore . tenthly , i might also add here what some learned men seem to affirm , i. e. that 't is doubtful whether the patriarchs had the distinction of days into weeks , but rather reckon'd by months and years ; so that the precise seventh day from the creation cannot be certainly known : and 't is thought that the jews observ'd their seventh day from the falling of manna six days , but none on the seventh . no doubt but it is impossible for any to know that that was the precise seventh day from the creation . but it may not be amiss to answer our opponents as to what they say about the scripture not mentioning any sabbath from adam to moses , or any precept or remembrance of it , and yet things of less moment are punctually recited . . this they say , that we read not of circumcision perform'd during all the time of israel's being in egypt , which was near four hundred years , till zippora circumcised her son. . also say they , we read not of the sabbath in the books of joshua and judges , &c. answ . this is no parallel case ; for after the positive command given to israel to keep it , there needed no such constant relation of it ; for no doubt but after that time it was continually observ'd . let me close this with what i find recited by many learned men concerning the judgment of divers of the antient fathers about the patriarchs observing the sabbath . justin martyr saith , that melchisedec ( who it is supposed was shem the son of noah ) was neither circumcised , nor kept the sabbath . irenaeus saith , abraham believed , and it was imputed to him for righteousness before he was circumcised , and without observing of the sabbath . tertullian saith , abel , enoch , noah and melchisedec observ'd not the sabbath . and again , he saith that not any of the patriarchs kept the sabbath , neither adam , enoch , noah nor abraham , for years . and hence tertullian saith , it is manifest therefore that that cannot be moral , nor perpetual , that began with moses ( as justin says ) and ended in christ . eusebius saith , moses brings in melchisedec priest of the most high god , neither being circumcised , nor anointed with oil ( as was afterwards commanded in the law ) no nor so much as knowing there was a sabbath . justin martyr again saith , in the days of enoch people observd not circumcision , or the sabbath ; before abraham there was no circumcision , and before moses no keeping holy the sabbath . i might also add several of the jewish rabbins asserting the same thing . but to proceed . i infer from hence , that that text gen. . doth not contain in it any present institution of the sabbath , but signifies god's destination or purpose to give it as a law to his people israel in after times , and was not given to adam in innocence for him to sanctify it . god might sanctify that precise day to his own rest after adam fell , with respect had to christ , in whom he took up his perfect rest ; and afterwards appointed the seventh day as a sign thereof . however , it is one thing for god to sanctify or set apart a thing for this or that use , and another thing to command that thing , or immediately to put it into being . our lord jesus was long sanctified or set apart to be our redeemer , before he was sent into the world actually to redeem us . jeremiah the prophet was sanctified or set apart to his work and office , long before he was actually call'd to the execution thereof . so that if these words , gen. . concerning god's blessing and sanctifying of the seventh day , are to be extended , saith one , to relate to any thing further than to that particular seventh day following the creation , it doth not refer to any immediate institution of the sabbath , but is a historical narration telling us what was done , and not when it was done . if therefore we can find out a certain time when the sabbath was indeed instituted , there is good reason to conclude this text refers to that time , as giving us the reason why god in the institution of the seventh-day sabbath made choice of that day . and to sum up what i have said , take these arguments . . we may infer , that if the patriarchs kept the seventh day , they had the knowledg of it by the light of nature , or by a positive command ; but they had not the knowledg of it by the light of nature , nor by any positive command , therefore they observ'd it not . . if they kept it by virtue of an express command and institution , they had no doubt some directions about the due observation thereof , and instituted sabbath-days worship : but they had no directions about it , nor instituted sabbath-days worship ; therefore they did not observe it . . certainly if the patriarchs were obliged to observe the seventh day as a sabbath , god would either have commended them , or some of them for keeping it , or else reprehended others for not keeping it : but god neither commended any of them for the keeping it , nor reprehended any others for profaning , and not ●eeping it ; therefore none of them did observe 〈◊〉 . eleventhly , let me add one argument more 〈◊〉 prove that the patriarchs did not observe the seventh day as a sabbath , viz. if the patriarchs and all mankind from the beginning of the world were or had been obliged to keep the seventh-day sabbath , certainly there had ●een some account given of the penalty or punishment due to sabbath-breakers : but we read of no penalty or punishment to be inflicted on sabbath-breakers ; therefore we conclude they were not oblig'd to the observation thereof . how can it be thought that the law of the seventh-day sabbath should be imposed upon them , and yet god should hide the punishment due to the breach thereof from the world for more than two thousand years ? evident it is that they knew what punishment was to be inflicted for the breach of other moral precepts , as murder , adultery , &c. and if this were of like nature , i. e. a pure moral duty , how came it to pass that god discover'd not the penalty to them for violating this precept ? twelfthly , my last argument is this ; the sabbath under the old testament had a respect to a stated , and stinted instituted worship in a national church : but the patriarchs , and all god's people from adam to moses were not brought into such an ecclesiastical and political church-state ; and from hence it seems to me they were not injoyn'd to observe the seventh-day sabbath : that is , they had no instituted , stated , and stinted worship , nor any in a magistratical capacity to inflict punishment 〈◊〉 such as violated the pretended sabbath ; 〈◊〉 had they been put into such a capacity , 〈◊〉 doubt but god had given them his sabbath with the like sanction to them as afterward that the penalty might have been inflicted 〈◊〉 offenders , as he did after the sabbath was ●●deed given to the house of israel in the wi●derness of sinai . nehemiah clearly intimates that the sa●bath was only made known to israel , t●● madest known to them thy holy sahbaths : was first made known to moses , and then him to the children of israel ; therefore 〈◊〉 known to him or them before . the scripture is certainly to be taken 〈◊〉 this sense , and not in that sense which so●● would have the holy ghost intend , viz. th●● it was made known more clearly to that people with the mode of its observation , &c. but certainly it was never known till god reveal'd 〈◊〉 to moses , nor given as a law to any till give● to the people of israel in the wilderness 〈◊〉 sin. sermon iv. 〈◊〉 the commencement of the sabbath , and that it was in the wilderness of sin. what a moral law or precept is . that the morality of the fourth commandment lies not in the precise seventh day . four arguments urg'd to prove this . gal. iv . , . ye observe days , and months , &c. i have , my brethren , endeavour'd to shew and prove , . that god did not write the law of 〈◊〉 seventh-day sabbath in adam's heart ; that 〈◊〉 is no law of creation wrote in the hearts of the gentiles , and of all mankind , and so no ●atural or simple moral precept . . that it was not given to adam by any express positive command either before or immediately after he fell ; and so none of the pa●riarchs did observe it . we can find no original of the seventh-day sabbath ( as to any observance of it ) hitherto , therefore must look for its beginning or original , or any actual or express command for the observation thereof , somewhere else ; which indeed we have in exod. . . true , some of the jewish rabbins affirm that it was given to israel , exod. . . at marah : there he made them a statute and an ordinance , and there he proved them . it is called a statut● and ordinance in the singular , not statutes 〈◊〉 ordinances ; and probably it might be the statute of the sabbath , tho 't is not expressed 〈◊〉 the falling of manna , chap. . tho others by 〈◊〉 figure think it may comprehend not only th● sabbath , but all other precepts of the law. i know that dr. owen seems not to be of opinion , that this statute refers to the sabbath neither can we determine the case , yet it is very probable it might be that . but we find 〈◊〉 directly and expresly commanded , chap. . ● ▪ to morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the lord , &c. and many learned men do asse●● that here was the institution , and original 〈◊〉 the observance of it : thus a late writer expresses himself ; the first time we find the observation of the sabbath-day injoyned is 〈◊〉 the wilderness of sin , before they came 〈◊〉 mount sinai , where the ten commandment● were deliver'd ; as if it were purposely 〈◊〉 distinguish the day , which is ceremonial , an● of divine positive institution , from the wo●●ship it self . the words in exod. . . express plainly enough the institution of this day , by way of information to the people , viz. to morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the lord bake that which you will bake to day , &c. and when the day came or begun , moses said , eat that to day , for to day is a sabbath to the lord ▪ and in ver . . six days ye shall gather it , but on the seventh day , which is the sabbath , in it there shall be none . observe by the way , that here is not one word on what day the manna first fell , so that none can tell this was the seventh day from the creation ; but that it was the seventh day after the six days of its raining of manna , is evi●ent . but to return to our business in hand : here , ●●ay , is the original , or first beginning of the ●●bbath , that we read of , as to any precept or ●●junction on the people , or any observation of 〈◊〉 ▪ which was , as one observes , about a month ●●fore moses receiv'd the law on mount sinai . some , it is true , would infer , that the sab●●th was known , and observ'd by the jews be●●re , because ( they say ) it is here spoken of 〈◊〉 a thing well known . . i answer in the words of our late author : this is a force put upon the words , and a gross mistake ; for it is evidently spoken of as a new thing , else what means that frequent inculcation to make the people take notice of it , if it had been familiar to them before ? and what means the coming of the rulers of the congregation to moses to consult him as on an unusual and unknown matter ? . and let me add , they were told that they should gather it six days , and that there should be none found on the seventh ; and yet some of the people went to gather it on the seventh day , as not being yet well acquainted with their sabbath , ver . , . and this displeased the lord ; and therefore moses again told them , ver . . see , for the lord hath given you the sabbath , therefore he giveth you on the sixth day bread for two days . he hath given you the sabbath ; doth not ●his imply he had not given it to any before ? to you , and none else ; to you , and to none that went before you , as he spake to them afterwards , deut. . , . as to his laws and covenant on mount sinai , the covenant which god made with us in horeb , the lord made not this covenant with our fathers , but with us , even 〈◊〉 who are alive this day . their fathers had the covenant and all the precepts before materially , as to the substance of them , or what was simply moral ; but the● had not this covenant , nor those precepts formally given to them , and so not the precise seventh day . . if the people did know there was a sabbath given in charge to moses before manna it might refer to that chap. . yet they might not know what particular day it was to begi● on , or which day should be the day of their first sabbath , nor know yet how to keep it . fo● . as the same author notes , the case of th● man who gather'd sticks on the sabbath-day ▪ shews they were still unacquainted with sabbath-days duties , or rather wholly ignorant of the penalty of the breach of it : they knew no● what they should do with him , and this was whilst they were in the wilderness ; and they put him in ward , for it was not yet declar'd what should be done unto him . by which it appears ( saith he ) to be a new thing not yet adjusted : for had it been a law from the creation , it is scarce possible that all men should have been ignorant whether any punishment or not , or what punishment did belong to the violation of a law of such standing . object . i know that dr. owen saith , if the original of the sabbath was here , then the national observation of it is introduced with a strange abruptness , &c. answ . to which i answer , that it doth not so appear to me ; however , let every man read the words of moses again , and how he repeats the same over and over , to morrow is the sabbath , &c. to day is a sabbath unto the lord ; ●gain , the lord hath given you the sabbath : ●an any thing be brought in more solemnly ? ●ut i see how men will try their wits to de●●nd their own scriptureless notion of a sabbath given in paradise , as well as in pleading 〈◊〉 other groundless practices . object . but since you grant a sabbath before 〈◊〉 law on mount sinai or ceremonial laws ●ere given , doth not this prove it is a moral pre●●pt ? answ . no , not at all , because we find that sacrifices , and offering the firstlings of the ●locks , and first fruits of the ground , were offered to god from the beginning : and therefore should we grant that the seventh-day sabbath had been practised from the beginning ●●so , yet that would no more prove it a moral ●nd perpetual law , than it proves the offering ●f the firstlings of the flocks , and the first-●ruits , &c. to be perpetual laws , or moral duties ; the sabbath being a sign and shadow as well as they were so . we come now to the ●●urth part of our first general proposition . object . the seventh-day sabbath was given in the th . chapter of exodus , with all the other ●ine moral and perpetual commandments wrote in two tables of stone , by the finger of jehovah himself ; and therefore it obliged believing gentiles to keep it , and all mankind . . to this i answer , that if i can prove it is not the duty of gentile believers , nor any believers in christ in all the world to keep the seventh-day sabbath from hence , i shall overthrow our opponents strongest fort , and so utterly confute them ; which i doubt not by god's assistance i shall fully do , and in order hereto shall lay down three propositions . first , i affirm the morality of the fourth commandment lies not in the observation of the precise seventh day from the creation . secondly , that the law of the ten commandments , as formally given to moses , and written with the finger of god in two tables of stone , and given to the whole house of israel , were not given to the gentiles , nor to any other people in the world , save the strangers that were within their gates , or were proselyted to the jewish religion . thirdly , that the whole law is changed ▪ and that what was ceremonial , or shadows 〈◊〉 things to come , ceased at the death of christ : and all precepts of the moral law , or what 〈◊〉 simply moral , as they were formally given by moses , are taken out of his hand , and put into the hands of christ consider'd as mediator , our lord , and only lawgiver . i shall now begin with the first of these propositious . first , i shall give you the sense of the learned about a pure moral precept . first , the term moral being but a scholastical expression , and not properly signifying that which is usually understood by it , say mr. cawdry and mr. palmer , we have ever judg'd it a bone of contention : moral ( relating to a law ) signifies in it self any precept serving to regulate the manners of men. dr. white saith , a divine law call'd moral is a just rule or measure imposed by god , directing and obliging to obedience of things holy , honest , and just . the same is twofold , simply moral , or moral only by some external constitution or imposition of god. divine law simply moral , commands or prohibits actions good or evil , in respect of their inward nature and quality . dr. owen saith , moral laws are such as have the reasons of them taken from the nature of the things themselves requir'd in them ; for they are good from their respect to the nature of god himself , &c. laws positive , as they are occasionally given , so they are esteem'd alterable at pleasure , being fixed by mere will and prerogative , without respect to any thing that should make them necessary antecedently to their being given ; they may by the same authority at any time be taken away and abolished . mr. shepherd saith , a law strictly and especially moral , is that which concerns the manners of all men , of which we now speak , and may be thus describ'd , viz. it is such a law as is commanded , because it is good ; and it is not therefore merely good because it is commanded . and thus austin , saith he , describ'd it long since . also cameron , and multitudes of other writers and learned men. but mere divine positive laws are commanded of god , and therefore good . some say , that is simply moral that is the law of nature , or which naturally obligeth all men , and is distinguished from laws ceremonial , and judicial . thus one expresseth himself , i. e. this law moral all men take to be the law of nature , and reciprocally they take the law of nature for this law , for that which is naturally and universally just . mr. cawdry and palmer say , it implys any law of god exprest in scripture , whether it can be prov'd natural or not , which from the time it was given to the end of the world binds all succeeding generations of their posterity to whom it was given , and more especially it obliges the church , &c. i think mr. baxter in this case has said excellently well : moral , saith he , signifieth that which by nature is universal and perpetually obligatory . he answers this question , do not divines say the decalogue written in stone is the moral law , and of perpetual obligation ? answ . yes , for by moral they mean natural , and so take moral not in a large sense , as it signifies a law de moribus , as all laws be whatsoever ; but in a narrower sense , as signifying that which by nature is of universal and perpetual obligation . now then that which i call a pure of simple moral law or precept , is that which is a transcript of god's holy nature , and therefore commanded , whether written in the heart of innocent adam , or in god's word or law ; and doth universally and perpetually oblige the whole world to conform thereunto . now having let you know what is to be understood by a simple moral law , i shall shew that the law of the precise seventh-day sabbath is not a law of this nature , i. e. a pure moral precept universally and perpetually obligatory on all men : tho i deny not but there is that in the fourth commandment which is moral in the sense i have given , viz. . a time , a sufficient time to be set apart from all worldly business , for rest , and the worship of god ; and this is all i can find simply moral in the fourth commandment . . there is something more contained in it , which god by a positive command requir'd from the soveraignty of his will , as that which he sees just and reasonable ; namely , that one day in seven be set apart as a day of rest , and for his service , and that this should be perpetual to the end of the world. i know divines call this positively moral ; and tho i cannot see reason so to call it , yet i grant as much i think as they mean thereby . . god did also command the whole house of israel under their legal and typical church-●tate , to observe the seventh , or last day of the week in remembrance of his finishing the works of the first creation . and now that the precise seventh day was a ●hadow or a sign , i have and shall prove ; and 〈◊〉 was only a law to the israelites during that typical dispensation , and their political church-●tate , which christ nailed to his cross , and ●uried with all other shadows and legal ceremonies . but before i proceed , i might give you the observations of divers expositors on the order and manner of the expressions in the fourth commandment : as first , the essential part , remember the sabbath-day to keep it holy ; not the seventh day . true , in the next words god declar'd that the seventh day should be the jews sabbath , whom he took into a legal and typical covenant , and church-state , to be his own people : the seventh day is the sabbath of the lord thy god ; not thy god in christ upon the terms of the new covenant ; no , no , but thy god in a legal , and external covenant . and so their sabbath was given to them upon the terms of the law of creation , or the covenant of works , which is a legal , relative , and external covenant god enter'd into with the whole house of israel , or nation of the jews , even them and all their natural seed as such . my brethren , upon this foot of account was the seventh-day sabbath founded ; not in christ , or on a new covenant bottom ; nor given to new-covenant children as such ; but it wa● bottom'd upon the covenant of works , and only given to that people whom god brought out of the land of egypt , and redeem'd from egyptian bondage . and when he enters into that covenant with them , he positively says therefore he gave them his sabbaths , which was a shadow of a far greater work than that 〈◊〉 creation , and of a greater redemption th●● that out of egypt . i heard lately of one 〈◊〉 said , this was his chief reason of observing 〈◊〉 seventh-day sabbath , because it was given 〈◊〉 god's covenant-people , &c. not being able to discern between that legal and typical covenant made with the whole nation of israel ( which took in their fleshly seed as such ) an● the covenant of grace . moreover , expositors observe concerning the close of this commandment , ver . . wherefore god blessed the sabbath-day , and sanctified it , that 't is not said the seventh day here ▪ but the sabbath-day . one day in seven , and not the precise seventh day from the creation , is by a positive command in this place intimated to be god's will and pleasure to be observed to the end of the world. but the precise seventh-day sabbath given to israel . i shall prove is not the moral part of the fourth commandment , but a shadow of what was to come , and principally refers to christ , and to that spiritual rest believers enter into when they first close with him . i know divines call one day in seven a moral positive , as i just now told you : by moral they 〈◊〉 , as i conceive , that which ought perpe●●ally to be observed ; but that day which god from the soveraignty of his will commanded the jews , was 't is plain the seventh : and when christ came , who has given us the true rest , and rose from the dead , he appointed , as i shall hereafter prove , the first day of seven upon the account of his finishing his work , i. e. the work of redemption , as god commanded the israe●●tes to keep the seventh-day , because on it he ●ested when he had finished his work , viz. ●hat of creation . now then , tho there is something naturally ●nd simply moral in the fourth commandment ; ●nd tho god doth here intimate from his own ●rerogative or arbitrary will , that he will ●ave one day in seven perpetually observed as a ●ay of rest and sacred worship ; yet that ●art of it that speaks of the seventh-day was ●erely positive and typical , and so ceased with ●he covenant of works . indeed dr. owen has excellently shewed how his commandment is of a mixt or compound ●ature , partly simply moral , partly positively ●oral , and partly typical or ceremonial : the ●●st he refers to the precise seventh day , when he says , it was instituted for an outward present religious observation , to signify and represent something to come : and such , saith he , were all the particulars of the whole system of the mosaical worship , whereof the law of the sabbath was a part . and in ●rief , the whole law of the sabbath was , as 〈◊〉 its general nature , positive and arbitrary , ●nd so changeable , and particularly ceremo●ial and typical , and so is actually changed and abolished . now to proceed : the precise seventh-day sabbath cannot be a simple moral precept , and therefore in that lies not the morality of the ●ourth commandment . in order to prove this , ●et me lay down this proposition , viz. if the law of the observation of the precise seventh day hath not in it one character of a law that is simply moral ; then the morality of the fourth commandment doth not confist in the observation of that precise day : but that it has not one characte● of such a law , i shall endeavour to prove , first , a simple moral precept ( that i me● which is naturally moral , obliging all manki●● for ever ) as to the very matter of it , or this it self as so considered ( abstracted from 〈◊〉 positive command ) is naturally holy , as ●●sulting from the nature of god. but the seventh day ( in which our breth●● place the essence or substance of the four● commandment , or the morality of it ) is 〈◊〉 more holy naturally than any other day of 〈◊〉 week . object . if they say , but god sanctified th●● day . . i answer , they will not say that god added any inherent holiness to that day . . but if they should say he did , then 〈◊〉 would overthrow the morality of it , i. e. as 〈◊〉 this first property of a simple moral precept for then it will follow it was made holy 〈◊〉 an act of god's arbitrary will and pleasure ▪ and that it was not so naturally , as that day was created , or proceeded from the holiness of god : because , as we have shew'd , all pu●● moral precepts as to the matter of them are not good merely because god commands them , 〈◊〉 are in themselves good as resulting from the holiness of his nature . for evident it is , that every day of the 〈◊〉 had one and the same efficient cause , namely ▪ divine creation ; and all days and things go● made were very good ; and god's sanctifying the seventh day was but his setting it apart fo●● some holy use : the day , saith dr. owen , was not capable of any inherent holiness . god then sanctified , says he , this day , not that he kept it holy himself , which in no sense the divine nature is capable of ; nor that he purified it and made it inherently holy , which the nature of the day is not capable of , nor that he celebrated that which in it self was holy [ mark that well ] but he set it apart to holy use . so that from hence it follows , if the morality of the fourth commandment lay in the precise seventh day , it wants the first character of a simple moral precept . god might have set apart at first any other day if he had pleased , as well as the seventh . secondly , every precept or law simply moral ( which obliges all men to obedience perpetually ) must be made known to all men either by the law of nature , or by revelation from god himself in some supernatural way : the righteousness of god requires this , because the violation of simple moral precepts is damnable . ( . ) now were there such a law written in mens hearts , i mean to keep the seventh day , some one man or another would that way have known it . but no man hath ever so known it , therefore no such law is written in any man's heart ; and if not one man that way ever knew it , then not all men universally besure . ( . ) and as the law of the seventh-day sabbath is not revealed to all the world by the lord this way , so he never gave any commission to moses , nor to any of his prophets to promulgate it , or reveal it to all mankind ; therefore i argue , it wants the second character of a simple moral precept . thirdly , that law which upon urgent necessity may be omitted or laid aside , or be broken , can be no precept simply moral ; but the keeping of the seventh-day sabbath , upon divers urgent necessities , might be omitted or broken : the jews themselves might war , and go to battle on that day ; and our saviour shews they might pull a sheep or any other beast out of a pit or ditch on the sabbath-day ; nay , our lord wrought with his hands , and made clay on that day , did many miracles , and commanded the man he healed to bear a burden , i. e. to carry his bed on that day . but precepts simply moral , in respect of the negative part , oblige perpetually , and by no means must be transgressed ; for , as a divine saith , a man must not tell a lye to save the world. can any pretended necessity make it lawful to worship another god , or prophane his name , or steal , murder , or commit adultery ? i know what is said about the israelites borrowing of the egyptians ; and of god's commanding abraham to slay his son : but those actions are to be accounted for , as being extraordinary cases . obj. works of mercy may be done on the sabbath-day , and christ speaks of works of mercy . answ . of what nature are works of mercy ? i hope not of a higher concern than the discharge of a simple moral precept . and can one simple moral precept have more sanctity in it than another ? what , violate the very letter of one moral law , to do that which is but implyed as the necessary consequence of another ! nay , break a command of the first table , to keep a command of the second table ! this is a hard case . fourthly , that law or precept which is equalled to , or compared with sacrifices , is no simple moral precept : but such is the law or precept of the seventh-day sabbath ; therefore 't is not a simple moral precept . that our saviour himself doth equal it to , or compare it with sacrifices , see mat. . , , , . . our lord justifies his disciples in plucking the ears of corn on the sabbath-day , and compares their so doing to david's eating the shew-bread , vers . . which was unlawful by a mere positive law. . he shews them how the priests in the temple prophaned the sabbath , and were blameless , vers . . some think they slew beasts on that day ; however our lord saith , they prophaned the sabbath , &c. but then , says he , if ye had known what that meaneth , i will have mercy and not sacrifice , ye would not have condemned the guiltless , vers . . what can he intend less than this ; viz. if ye had known the difference between a pure moral precept and such a precept as is nothing more than a sign , a shadow , like those of sacrifices , or a mere positive law that i am lord of , and can take away , and give another at my pleasure , you would not have condemn'd the guiltless . for tho all god's mere positive precepts have great sanctity in them , and ought carefully to be kept ; yet when a simple moral duty comes in competition with such as are but positive or ceremonial , the lesser must give place to the greater ; as we commonly say , of two evils choose the least . but if the precise seventh-day sabbath was a pure moral precept , equal with , and of the same nature of that precept of shewing mercy , there had been no ground for our lord thus to have answered the jews : for if it had been so , no doubt he would have said , i must indeed blame my disciples , because they have broke one of god's righteous precepts , whose nature and quality is above that of david's eating of shew-bread , or sacrifices . but he who was the great expounder of the law , knew best the vast difference between a moral precept , and such as their sabbath and sacrifices were . our late annotators on this place , express themselves to this purpose : the meaning is , that god preferreth mercy before sacrifices ; where two laws in respect of some circumstances , seem to clash one with another , so as we cannot obey both , our obedience is due to the more excellent law. now , saith our saviour , the law of mercy is the more excellent law ; god prefers it before sacrifice ; which had you considered , you would never have accused my disciples , who in this point are guiltless . why a more excellent law ? is it not because the one is a moral law proceeding from god's nature , and the other but merely positive and typical , and so arbitrary ? and why do the annotators apply that to sacrifices ? our lord remotely refers to that , but directly and immediatly to the seventh-day sabbath , and mentions sacrifices to show that the precise seventh-day sabbath was no moral law , but of the same nature with the law of sacrifices , and that of the shew-bread . besides , our saviour's bringing in ( on this occasion ) those words , for the son of man is lord even of the sabbath , clearly shews that he as mediator had power to change , dispose of , or take away the law of the seventh-day sabbath : for what a person is lord of , he may do what he will with . so that it may be lawful for any man to do any work on that day , when it ceas'd and was abolished , as indeed it now is , with all other shadows and legal ceremonies . but none sure will say , christ as the son of man , or as mediator , is lord of any pure moral precept ; so that he can give liberty to men to worship other gods , or to make graven images and bow down to them , or take god's holy name in vain , or commit murder , adultery , or steal , &c. no , no , it would be blasphemy with a witness to say this ; such is the vast difference between laws that result from the nature of god , and mere positives , shadowy and ceremonial precepts , which were given for a time as an act of god's prerogative and good pleasure , and when the antitype is come , were to cease for ever . obj. but what say some ? if christ brake the seventh-day sabbath , he sinned : thus a rash person lately exprest himself . ans . . because our lord came not to destroy the law , &c. but to fulfil it , and was obliged exactly to keep the whole moral law of god ( that it might be imputed to us with his passive obedience , to justify us before god , as his full and perfect righteousness ) that therefore he was obliged to conform to all typical and ceremonial laws , of which he himself was the antitype , none i think ever asserted ; he had another way to fulfil all such laws , than by his actual obedience to them . and , . let it be considered in respect to the typical sabbath , the antitype being now come , which was that evangelical spiritual rest in and by christ , which all entered into that believed in him at that time : for having given rest to all that came to him , he had thereby in part fulfilled that figurative and typical law ; and by his shewing such strange indifference about his observance thereof , and his carriage towards it at every turn , did clearly intimate that that typical sabbath was departing , or in a dying condition , tho not quite dead , till he himself suffered and dyed on the cross ; and was afterwards gradually , and decently buried , it having , as one observes , an honourable funeral , when further light was given to god's people about it . but no more at this time . sermon v. six arguments more to prove the seventh-day sabbath not moral . that it was a sign and shadow to israel of the covenant of works . gal. iv . , . ye observe days , and months , &c. the last day i gave four reasons to prove that the simple moral part of the fourth commandment lies not in the observation of the precise seventh-day sabbath . i have six more to add . fifthly . that the precise seventh-day sabbath cannot be that part of the fourth commandment which is purely moral , i argue thus : whatsoever is a simple moral precept , universally and perpetually obligatory , is by our saviour or his apostles confirmed or given forth anew in the new testament ; but the seventh-day sabbath is not so confirm'd or given forth , therefore is not a simple moral precept . to prove the major , or first proposition , let it be considered , that the moral law is transfer'd from moses to jesus christ , or taken out of moses's hands as a lawgiver , and put into the hands of christ considered as mediator : and this was signified by those words , the priests lips should keep knowledg , and they should seek the law at his mouth ; for he is the messenger of the lord of hosts . whatsoever was doubtful , the high-priest was to determine . in this the priests under the law were a type of christ , signifying that when christ came , who is god's messenger , all should receive the law from his mouth , who was to be the great interpreter of it : and accordingly we find he opened the nature of the moral law in mat. . and other places , shewing the spirituality thereof ; and how men may be said to break the commands against adultery , murder , &c. by the lusts and malice in their hearts , tho they never actually commit either of those sins . nay , i know not one simple moral precept , which our lord or his apostles did not confirm or give forth anew , who no ways extenuated the guilt of the breach of it , but with far greater severity aggravated every transgression thereof . paul shews how the wrath of god is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness , and unrighteousness of men. now neither our lord nor his apostles seemed to confirm or give forth anew the old jewish seventh-day sabbath ; but contrarywise , as i have shew'd , he seemed to excuse his disciples when charged with the breach thereof , and allow'd others to do that which was deem'd unlawful on the sabbath-day , as bearing a burden , &c. if our adversaries can prove that every simple moral precept of the decalogue was not confirm'd by christ or his apostles , let them do it . obj. i know they say , that neither christ nor his apostles ever confirmed , or gave out anew that command , thou shalt not make to thy self any graven image , &c. answ . as to idols , they are directly forbid : an idol is nothing in the world ; there is none other god but one . and st. john saith , little children , keep your selves from idols : and again , flee from idolatry . now what is a graven image but an idol ? every graven image made to be worshipped is an idol , tho every idol is not a graven image . where do they read that an image made of bread is forbid in moses's law ? true , the second command forbids all idols , and all idols are forbid in the gospel . nay , idols are in a more nice manner defined and condemned in the gospel , than by the law of moses . we read that a man may idolize or make a god of his belly ; and paul declares that covetousness is idolatry . object . but where do we read in the new testament that it is unlawful for a man to marry his own sister ? answ . . where all uncleanness , and lusts of concupiscence and fornication are forbid , there a man is forbid to marry his own sister . . is not this sort of incest forbidden and condemned , cor. . . where the incestuous person is condemned for marrying his father's wife ? if it be unlawful for a man to marry his brother's wife , or his father's wife , it is unlawful to marry his own sister , because nearer of kin . . all manner of incest is forbid to believing gentiles in acts . . this was one of those things contain'd in the law that is given forth anew to believing gentiles . the holy ghost inspir'd the apostles to write to the gentiles to abstain from blood , meats offered to idols , things strangled , and from fornication : now incest is by paul call'd fornication , cor. . . i hear there is fornication amongst you , &c. tho in strict speaking ( say our late annotators ) by fornication we mean uncleanness of single persons , yet by this word often in scripture is understood all species of uncleanness . nor is it probable that the holy ghost refers to the uncleanness of single persons in acts . but to somewhat more doubtful : and therefore i conceive all sorts of incest in this place are forbidden . . if any should say , how can they know it was unlawful for a man to marry his own sister ? i answer : 't is not only known ( as i have shew'd ) by the new testament , and forbid there , but also by the very light of nature : for such fornication , saith paul , is not so much as once nam'd among the gentiles ; that is , among the more civiliz'd heathens , who had no other law than the light of nature , which teaches men to abhor such a marriage . for doth the light of nature teach a man that it is a shame to wear long hair , and not teach him it is a shame to marry his own sister ? . moreover , tho i said the whole moral law is transfer'd from moses as a lawgiver , to christ as mediator ; yet the old testament and the law as written by moses , as well as the prophets , are of great use in many respects : all scripture is profitable for doctrine , for reproof , for correction , and instruction in righteousness , &c. sixthly , the morality of the fourth commandment consists not in the observation of the precise seventh day , because that day was a sign or shadow of something to come . i did at first prove , in opening my text , that the weekly jewish sabbath is comprehended in those days the false brethren taught the galatians to observe ; and gave many arguments to evince , that tho there is one day in seven by a positive law perpetually to be kept , yet the old jewish seventh day from the creation , and under the covenant of works , was a shadow of things to come . but i shall add here something out of an approved author , further to confirm this : that sabbath , saith he , and the particular seventh day which the jews observed , was certainly of a shadowy nature ; being instituted at first with reference to christ , as all other shadows were , having a type after fix'd to it . and of this we may safely expound that forementioned text , col. . . let no man judg you in meats or in drinks , or in respect of an holy day , or new moons or sabbaths , which were shadows of things to come : but the body is of christ . the only question is , whether their weekly sabbath was here intended . some are jealous lest in pressing it so far , it should prove prejudicial to our weekly christian sabbath ; but this is a mere causless jealousy . for let us ponder the scope and design of the place , and it will appear that the apostles design is not to level christian days and duties , but such as the jews observ'd , and would have introduced with circumcision . 't is apparent that in all those three places , rom. . , . gal. . , . col. . . he crys down the ordinances of the law or old testament , not the institutions of the gospel . look what the jewish false teachers cry'd up , st. paul cried down . so as to argue from hence against all difference of days under the gospel , is evidently to stretch the text beyond the scope ; but to urge it against all jewish holy days ( their weekly sabbath and all ) is not to force it . for , . the apostle seems to speak distinctly and distributively , enumerating the several sorts of days in observation among the jews , holy-days , new-moons , sabbaths : and the gradation from yearly holy-days to monthly new-moons , and from them to weekly sabbaths , is visible enough to such as are not blinded with prejudice . mr. shepherd speaks much to the same purpose : the plural term [ sabbaths ] is usually put for the singular , the sabbath or seventh day , now under dispute . yea , i cannot find any one text in all the new testament , where it is applied in the same number to any other day or sabbath , but the old seventh-day sabbath . * seven or eight times the same word as is here set down in the plural number , is used for the old weekly sabbath , and not so much as once for any yearly sabbath : therefore in all reason that precise weekly sabbath must be here ( i will not say included only , but ) principally intended . even in the old testament , wherever new moons and sabbaths are coupled together ( unless the phrase be figurative , as in isa . . . ) the jews weekly sabbath is denoted by it , as appears by those scriptures cited in the margin † , in most of which their annual sabbaths are excepted , and distinguished by another name , scil . [ feasts ] to which answers the word holy-days in this place , col. . . for indeed the word in the original signifies a feast or festival-day . thus let scripture expound scripture , and truth will be truth in spite of error : take the whole sentence together , holy-days , new-moons , sabbaths , and ( if it be an old testament phrase ) it always implies the old seventh-day sabbath ; or take the word [ sabbaths ] singly by it self , and ( if it be a new testament term , as 't is like it is ) it ever signifies the same seventh day ; unless when put for week , which here it cannot be . the conclusion then is undeniable , that the jews seventh-day sabbath was a shadowy sabbath . dr. owen also repeats what some learned men say upon this place , let no man judg you in meats or drinks , or in respect of an holy-day , or the new-moon , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or of the sabbath , or sabbath-days , which were a shadow of things to come : but the body is of christ . from hence they affirm ( saith he ) it will follow , that there is nothing moral in the observation of the sabbath , seeing it was a mere type and shadow , as were other mosaical institutions ; and also that it is absolutely abolished and taken away by christ . and if they mean no more but that precise seventh day , they were certainly right : nay dr. owen himself , as i conceive , determines the matter so as to make that precise day refer to moses , and his oeconomy . but indeed i see some learned men have wrote very darkly , because they strive to preserve a sabbath in the gospel-day , or a day of rest , and of solemn worship ; and that tho not simply , yet positively moral , from the fourth command : and if by moral positive they mean one day in seven , which god from his soveraign pleasure will have perpetually observed as a day of rest and solemn worship , i am of their mind . quest . but since the jewish seventh day was a sign and a shadow , what was it a sign and shadow of ? answ . before i give a direct answer to this , let me premise one thing , which in a special manner we ought to regard , viz. that the law of the seventh-day sabbath was bottom'd upon the covenant of works in that ministration of it given to the whole house of israel , as suting with their ecclesiastical , political , and typical church-state . and this dr. owen has fully proved , speaking of that covenant : now , saith he , this is not absolutely and merely a law , but as it contain'd a covenant between god and man. a law it might have been , and not a covenant , which doth not necessarily follow upon either its instructive or preceptive power . yet it was originally given in the counsel of god to that end , and accompanied with promises and threatnings , whence it had the nature of a covenant . by virtue of this law , as a covenant , was the observation of a sabbath prescribed , and required , as a token and pledg of god's rest in that covenant in the performance of the works whereon it was instituted , and of man's interest in it — again , he saith ; seeing therefore that the moral law , as a covenant between god and man , requir'd this sacred rest — we must inquire what place , as such , it had in the mosaical oeconomy , whereon the true reason and notion of the sabbath doth depend : for the sabbath being originally annexed to the covenant between god and man * , the renovation of the covenant doth necessarily require a special renovation of the sabbath ; and the change of the covenant as to the nature of it , in like manner doth introduce a change of the sabbath , &c. . from hence note , that dr. owen saith , the law given exod. . was a renewal of the covenant of works . . that the seventh-day sabbath was given as a token or pledg of that covenant , and rest . . that the seventh-day sabbath of rest was not a type of our eternal rest in heaven , but a type or shadow of that true spiritual rest we enter into under the new covenant when we believe in christ ; and so this rest is the antitype of the jewish seventh-day sabbath . my brethren , this is that rest of god which he referr'd to , and in which he takes up his delight and complacence . moreover , god shewed his people israel by their sabbath , how impossible it was for them , by the covenant of works , to enter into this rest , where they should utterly cease from sin : it was a sign between god and them , that they should perform the whole obedience due under the covenant of works , signified by that obligation , that in six days they should labour and do all they had to do , and then rest , denoting that the whole law must be kept , or no rest : the man that doth them shall live by them , or have life , rest , and peace on that condition . this , i say , did signify man's working for life before he could enter into rest ; for if they could do all they had to do , or god required of them , or answer all the demands of the law , then they should have rest , peace , and justification thereby . here you have the six-days labour , and the seventh-day's sabbath , it being an epitome of the covenant of works : for their sabbath , as calvin shews , in the tenor of it , put them upon the highest acts of obedience , even to live and sin not , or cease from all iniquity in words , thoughts , and actions . now if this did not tend to bondage , and so was a law against them , and contrary to them , nothing could ; but now in christ , who hath kept the law perfectly for us , or has done all we were to do , and suffer , we come to have true spiritual rest and peace . and , our lord , no doubt , alludes to this , ma● . . , . come to me all ye that labour and are heavy laden , and i will give you rest . brethren , mind those two words , labour and heavy laden . on the jewish sabbath no servile labour was to be done , nor any burdens to be born , signifying that believers in christ cease from labouring for life , and must not bear any burden of sin , either in respect of the guilt or fear of the punishment ; christ having done all , and born the burden of all our sins in his own body on the tree ; so that we must cast our burden on the lord , and he will sustain us . and so we begin our sabbath after all our works are done , and burdens born by our dear lord , and blessed surety , on the first day of the week , as he has directed us ; and from hence we work not for life and rest , but from life , rest and peace . therefore to answer that question , what was the jewish sabbath a sign of ? you have in part heard , but shall yet more fully hear . . i affirm that it was a sign of the covenant of works in that ministration given to israel , written and engraven in tables of stone . how often is that sabbath called a sign between god and them ; exod. . . verily my sabbaths ye shall keep ; it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations . again , vers . . 't is a sign between me and the children of israel . ezek. . . moreover also i gave them my sabbath to be a sign between me and them , that they might know that i am the lord that sanctifieth them . but still it is enquired , what was it a sign of ? some say that israel were in bondage in egypt ; others , that god created the world in six days . answ . i answer , but remotely , if at all , it was a sign of either of them ; for they are laid down as the reasons why god gave israel their sabbath , and not as a sign of those things . but let it now be well considered , that god never since the fall entered into a covenant with any people , but he gave a sign or token of it . . when he entered into a covenant with noah ( and all the world in him ) that he would no more destroy the world by water , he gave a sign , viz. a rainbow : this was a covenant of external favour , without any restipulation . . when god entered into covenant with abraham , and with all his fleshly seed as such , he gave them a sign of that covenant , namely circumcision : this is that which we call the covenant of peculiarity ; tho we deny not but god entered into a spiritual or gospel-covenant with abraham , and with all his true spiritual seed also , which contained only a free promise of grace in christ : but that covenant with his natural seed as such , is called the covenant of circumcision , because circumcision was the sign thereof . moreover , they that can't see a twofold covenant was made with abraham , are strangely blinded . . and that there was a renewal of the covenant of works with the whole house of israel given by moses , contained in the th chapter of exodus , is most evident , tho not given for life , but for other reasons which i have mentioned : and this covenant contained ten commandments , with the promise of life upon the condition of universal obedience thereunto . and to this all the people consented , and joined in with god by mutual restipulation : and all the people answered with one voice , and said , all that the lord hath said , we will do . and now i say , their seventh-day sabbath was given as a sign of this ministration of the old covenant of works : and hence also as circumcision , the sign of that legal typical covenant made with abraham and his fleshly seed as such , is god's covenant ; so the seventh-day sabbath is call'd also god's covenant : wherefore the children of israel shall keep the sabbath to observe it throughout their generations for a perpetual covenant ; and this because it was a sign or a pledg to them of that obligation they lay under to keep the whole law. i might here add , that the lord's-supper is a sign of the gospel-covenant ; and it is also call'd the new testament , or covenant in christ's blood. and thus as circumcision bound all to keep the whole law that conformed to it , ( that being a sign of that part of the legal covenant to abraham and his natural seed throughout their generations ) so the seventh-day sabbath is a sign of the same legal covenant in that ministration with the house of israel , exod. . and obliged all that observe it , to keep the whole law also . and that this is not my judgment alone , take what dr. owen has said on this account . whereas the covenant which man originally was taken into , was a covenant of works , wherein rest with god depended absolutely on his doing all the works he had to do by way of legal obedience , he was during the dispensation of that covenant tied up precisely to the observation of the seventh day , or that which follow'd the whole work of creation . and the seventh day as such is a token of the rest promised in the covenant of works , and no other . and those who would advance that day again into a necessary observation , do consequentially introduce the whole covenant of works , and are become debtors to the whole law. for the works of god which precede the seventh day precisely , were those whereby man was initiated into , and instructed in the covenant of works ; and the day it self was a token and pledg of the righteousness thereof , or a moral and natural sign of it , and of god's rest therein , and of man's with god thereby . and it is no service to the church of god , nor hath any tendency to the honour of christ in the gospel , to endeavour a reduction of us to the covenant of works . what is now become of mr. tillam's flourish , who insults over such as call the seventh-day sabbath a sign ? the sabbath is indeed ( saith he ) a sign of good things formerly produced , as the creation , or else of good things at present enjoy'd , as god's sanctifying grace ; but never was set up for a sign of good things to come , like the ceremonial sabbaths . i might here retort the vaunting language of the preacher of peter's ( of cutting off goliah's head with his own sword ) for if the morality of the sabbath cease , by being a sign to the jews in their generations , upon the same account must the whole law cease to be moral , since god's spirit hath set it also for a sign . answ . . tho the marks of true grace are call'd signs , yet there is a great difference between them , and the signs of covenants . miracles also are call'd signs ; and god's people are set as signs and wonders : but what of this ? . he mistakes greatly when he affirms , that god saith the sabbath was a sign of his sanctifying the whole house of israel with his sanctifying grace . did god so sanctify them , or were they spiritually sanctified ? no , no , it signified that god took the whole nation of israel into an external , federal , and legal relation to himself , or set them apart as so considered from all people in the world , to be his own people ; and in that covenant-relation he was married to them , as he says elsewhere . . to sanctify , often in the old testament only refers to god's setting apart a thing , a person , &c. for himself , or to some holy legal use or service . thus the seventh day was sanctified , and the priests , and vessels of the sanctuary , &c. were sanctified . and their sabbath was a sign that they became god's people , in that legal and typical covenant , or upon the terms of the covenant of works ; they promising that all the lord commanded them they would do , which confirms what we said before . . let none suppose that god took the whole house of israel into a special relation with himself , according to the tenor of the new covenant , or covenant of grace ; or that that covenant , exod. . was the covenant of grace . let them read what the prophet jeremiah saith : behold , the days come , saith the lord , that i will make a new covenant with the house of israel , and with the house of judah : not according to the covenant that i made with their fathers in the day i took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of egypt ; which my covenant they broke , altho i was a husband to them , saith the lord. but this shall be my covenant that i will make . — after those days , saith the lord , i will put my law into their inward parts , and write it in their hearts ; and i will be their god , and they shall be my people . . had the former covenant been the covenant of grace , no doubt but they had abode in that covenant to this day and for ever : but they are cut off , and now are in no actual covenant relation with god at all . sure the covenant of grace cannot be utterly broken . . moreover then they should not have needed to look for the law in two tables of stone , because that whole moral law should not only be written in the new testament , the book of the new covenant , but in their hearts also . . now when a covenant is abolished ( as the old covenant is ) will any dare to plead for the sign of it , which obliges them to keep the whole law ? no , plain it is , the sign , i. e. the old sabbath , is gone with the covenant it self . quest . if the old sabbath was a sign of that of which you say , what was it a type or shadow of ? answ . it was a type or shadow of our blessed rest in christ : for we which have believed do enter into rest . this is the antitype of the seventh-day rest , when no labor is to be done , nor any burden of sin to be born by believers ; this is that rest god is pleased with : and here we also rest from all labour or works of our own , as god did from his at first . macarius saith , that sabbath given to moses was a type and shadow only of that real rest given by god to the soul. my brethren , what comfort is here to you that enter into this rest ? what joy may hence spring in your hearts , who are delivered from bondage and grievous burdens . stand 〈◊〉 therefore in that liberty wherewith christ has made you free , and be not again entangled with the yoke of bondage , lest christ profit you nothing . seventhly , i might prove that the morality of the fourth commandment consists not in the precise seventh-day sabbath , even from that memorandum that is fix'd in the beginning of the command , viz. remember the sabbath-day to keep it holy . now tho one day in seven be by a positive law made perpetually obligatory in the fourth command , yet that is not , as so considered , a simple moral precept , much less not the precise seventh day ; and this because it is brought in with remember , denoting clearly the difference between this command as to any particular day , and that which is purely moral in this command : for that which is connatural to us , or an inherent law of nature , is so engraven in our hearts , that inlightned persons especially are not very subject to forget it . but a mere positive precept , which is not so written in our hearts by nature , we are too ready to forget ; therefore god ( as i conceive ) to this precept added this , remember the sabbath-day to keep it holy . 't is not said , remember ye have no gods but me ; or remember you do not take the name of the lord in vain ; or , remember you do not disobey your father and mother ; or that you do not steal , commit adultery , murder , &c. no such charge is given there ; why so ? because these precepts being simply moral , are written in our hearts . the word remember ( as one notes ) hath not primarily any reference either to the works of god , or to the finishing his works , but to god's destination of the day to be in time to come the churches sabbath . — not remember how your fathers kept it , or god instituted it from the beginning ; but it is a new ordinance , and of another nature , i. e. the chief of all ceremonies , &c. eighthly , to prove that the precise seventh day is not a simple moral precept , i argue thus : that which all men throughout the world are not able precisely to observe or keep , or which is morally impossible for them so to do , can be no simple moral precept : but all men throughout the world are not able to observe the seventh precise day from the creation , it being morally impossible so to do ; therefore it is no simple moral precept . i shall not so much insist on that part , that it is impossible for any man , much less for the whole world , to know which is the precise seventh day from the creation , as what some learned men have shewn , viz. that it is morally impossible to keep such a precise seventh day . . this must be premised , that the saturday sabbatarians affirm , that the precise seventh day is to be kept ( saying in this the morality of the fourth command lies ) which consists of hours , and hath a morning or sun-rising , and an evening or sun-setting , throughout the whole year ; and it was that precise day of the week in which god rested from all his works . now , as one observes , in some habitable regions , and under some climates , the year is not distinguished by weeks , containing each of them seven days ; neither are there several natural days of twenty four hours , consisting of morning and evening , by means of the rising and setting of the sun ; as these instances and examples following do declare . continuance of the sun above the horizon . . deg . . in the southern part 〈◊〉 groinland , finmark , lapland : and in the north of russia and tartaria , one day lasteth from the th of may unto july . 〈◊〉 five of our days . . deg . . in the north of groinland the isle of chery , nova zembla , lancas●er and horse-sounds ; the day continueth from april , until august the d ; of our day . . deg . . in the north of bassins●bay and greenland , the day continueth from april the th , until august , and of our days . . deg . . in regions and places undiscovered , the day continueth from march . until august . of our days . . deg . . under this degree , the day continueth from march the th , until september the th , of our days . now from the premisses this argument ariseth . the law of the fourth commandment enjoyneth the observation of such a sabbath day , as is distinguished from the other days of the week , by morning and evening , by the rising and setting of the sun , and by the presence and absence thereof , within the space of every hours . but in many regions of the world , and under sundry climats , there are no ordinary weeks containing seven particular days , distinguished each from other by morning and evening , and by the rising and setting , and by the presence and departure of the sun. therefore the sabbath-day of the fourth commandment cannot be observed in many regions of the universal world , by such nations as live under a climate where there are no such weeks and days as the law of the fourth commandment enjoineth to be observed . for the subject of that commandment is a natural day of hours : and where that subject is wanting , how is it possible for any law that wanteth its proper subject to be in force ? now if any shall conceive , that altho in the regions and climates aforesaid , there be no such particular day as is expressed in the fourth commandment ; yet there is a sufficient and equivalent space of time , which may be measured by hours : my answer is , that the law of the decalogue requireth the keeping holy of such a seventh-day , as is distinguished from the day before , and the day after , by a new return , arising , presence , and going down of the sun : but time and hours in general , do not yield or constitute such a day . and saith another author ; there is no moral law of nature in scripture , but is it self possible to all in all parts of the world , in regard of the thing commanded : but a natural sabbath-day , as made to consist of hours , or of a day and a night , is absolutely , impossible for some men in some parts of the world to be observed . if it be objected , that this makes equally against the first day as against the seventh ; i answer , we do not say the observation of the first day is a moral precept , but merely positive . no doubt but the seventh-day was instituted for israel , whose habitation was fixed in the land of canaan . see a late author on the sabbath ; the day of god's rest , saith he , which is the seventh day from the creation , is the same universal day with all people ; but it can't be the same day of the week with all people . if the day of god's rest be saturday with some , it must needs be friday or sunday with others . so likewise the time of christ's coming to judgment ; if it be , saith he , on the saturday with some , it will be on friday or sunday with others . this he proves , because the earth is not plain but round . the jews , saith he , neither did nor could keep the very seventh-day on which god rested in all places ; but as we , according to god's command , work six days and rest the seventh , so did they : and as sunday with christians was ever the day following six days of labour , so was the saturday with the jews . if this be so , it can't be deny'd that the seventh-day of god's resting cannot be kept by all , nor do any know they do keep it . ninthly , the morality of the fourth commandment consists not in the precise seventh-day sabbath , because of christ's lordship over it as mediator . that commandment over which christ was absolute lord , as the son of man , cannot be moral : for a moral precept is part of god's eternal law , over which the son of man can have no power , saith a learned author , being made under the law. but christ as the son of man , was lord of the sabbath , as himself twice has told us . object . so it is said , he is lord of the dead and living . answ . this , saith our author , is to play with the ambiguity of the words . 't is one thing for christ to be lord of the church , to guide , govern , perfect , quicken , raise , and glorify her , eph. . , , . and another to be lord of a law or constitution , to moderate , dispense with , order , alter and abolish it : for in what other construction can any one be said to be lord of a law ? obj. christ can't be said to refer to this , because he had not then abrogated the sabbath . answ . . i have shewed that spiritual rest ( signified by the seventh-day's rest ) was given to all them that believed in christ ; so that the antitype being come , the type was a flying away , and was in a dying state at that very time ; tho all typical ordinances were not utterly abolished till his death and resurrection . . 't is as if our lord should have said , you magnify the sabbath as if that was one of the greatest commandments , and the main end of man's creation ; but you must know the sabbath was made for man , and not man for the sabbath , as were all legal rites and ceremonies . and if it be thus , i that am the messiah , am by my office lord of the sabbath ; and i can and will abrogate it , and appoint another day in its room . certainly man was made to discharge all pure moral precepts , they being originally stampt on his heart ; as christ , who was made under the law , was ordain'd to keep the law for us , and not the law made for him . man was made in the image of god , and under a holy law , and covenant of perfect obedience , to serve his creator ; and by the observation of that holy law written in his heart , as the law of his very creation , he bore the image of god in the world , serving him in righteousness and holiness to the glory of his name , and for this he was made ; yet man was not made for the sabbath , but the sabbath for him , i. e. for his good , in respect to his body and soul : ( . ) as to his outward rest , &c. ( . ) as a help to discharge all duties of instituted worship the better for the good of his soul : ( . ) and chiefly to point out or shadow forth to him the true rest by jesus christ ; and so that typical sabbath was to remain no longer than till that true rest was come and finally established , for then it could be of no further use to man , for which end it was chiefly appointed for him . object . i know some object from these words ▪ the sabbath was made for man , that therefore it was for every man. answ . the woman was made for man also , but must every man have a wife therefore ? god ne'r design'd that for such to whom he hath given the gift to live without marrying . so neither were all men to have this sabbath ; no , none but they to whom it was given : tho it was made for man , yet not for every man in the world , but only for the whole house of israel , and the proselyted stranger within their gate , as i shall shew in the next place . tenthly , the pure morality of the fourth command consists not in the observation of the precise seventh-day sabbath , because it lies not in one day in seven , but in a sufficient time for rest , and the worship of god ; tho i do assert , and stedfastly believe , that by a positive precept contain'd in the fourth commandment , one day in seven god will have observed to the end of the world , which i think is the sum 〈◊〉 what the learned mean by a law positive ●●ral : not that precise day ; for mind the words exod. . remember the sabbath-day to keep it holy . in this clause it does not directly point at one peculiar day more than another : the light of nature requires a time , and god positively lays claim to a seventh day , or one day in seven , perpetually to be observed as a day of rest and solemn worship . and tho the last of seven was that precise day injoyn'd under the old covenant upon the people of israel , yet that sabbath was not to continue longer than till the antitype came ; and it being a sign and shadow , it is , as i have proved , done away . dr. owen , speaking of the seventh-day sabbath , saith , that day was not directly nor absolutely required in the decalogue , but consequentially , only by way of appropriation to the mosaical oeconomy , whereunto it was then annexed . the command is to observe the sabbath-day ; god blessed the sabbath-day . and the mention of the seventh day in the body of the command fixes the number of the days in whose revolution a sabbatical rest returns , but determines not an everlasting order in them , seeing the order relating to the old creation is inconsistent with the law , reason , and worship of the new . and if the seventh day , and the sabbath , as some pretend , are the same , the sense of the command in the inforcing part of it is , but the seventh day is the seventh day of the lord thy god , which is none at all . so , as he and all learned men generally say , 't is not the precise seventh day , but one day in seven , which is perpetually obligatory in the fourth commandment . mind the words again , wherein the substance , or the essential part of this command is expressed : six days shalt thou labour , but a seventh is a sabbath ; 't is not in the original [ the seventh ] but seventh , denoting not a monthly or yearly , but a weekly sabbath : the phrase is exclusive , as one observes , implying thus much , i. e. thou art not bound to keep the sixth day , or one in six , or the tenth , or one in ten , but the seventh , that is , one in seven , or one in a week . the term seventh is opposed to all other numbers , either ninth , or twentieth , as also to the six working days , which clearly intend such a number , as six in seven ; so the seventh , as one in seven . suppose i give or lend a poor man seven pounds , on condition that he improves one pound for me : now by the seventh is intended one in seven ; so doth god here intend one day in seven for a holy rest to himself . tho i deny not the last of seven , or one after six working days was given to the people of israel ; yet it was a sign they should keep the whole law , and was a shadow of that spiritual and antitypical rest we have in christ ; and so was upon a special occasion imposed on them , with the greatest strictness and severest penalty . but let it be considered , that which is signified in the fourth command , as perpetually obliging us , is , that we observe one day in seven as a day of rest to the lord. let me give you one parallel case more , viz. the law of tithes . now god required the tenth of their increase : but will any man say , god intended any one precise tenth ? no , begin where you will , the tenth sheaf or lamb is the lord's . so here , god will have one day in seven ; but the reason why he fixed on the last of the seven under the old covenant , i have shewed ; and shall further shew why he chuseth the first of seven in the new covenant , neither being expressed in the essential and first part of the fourth command . had god chose now one in six , or one in nine , he had altered , as one observes , the substance of this command . it is needless to recite the words of all * those who hold that one in seven , not the precise last day of the seven , is perpetually to be observ'd , and that the old seventh day is abolished : but i shall observe what mr. warren saith , viz. thus i grant the time of worship , a sabbath it self , being an inseparable adjunct of solemn worship , is perpetual : but the old day , the seventh from the creation , was made mutable — and we have a sabbath still , a literal sabbath ; but the old sabbaths and old sacrifices being twins , tho both honourable and serviceable in their generations , as they liv'd together and dy'd together , let both together in god's name be buried in the grave of christ , so as never to rise up again : but let our gospel-worship and gospel-sabbath take life from our saviour's resurrection , which brought with it a new creation , a new world , making all things new . but to wave this a little , 't is well observ'd by dr. wallis : he 'll say perhaps [ i. e. mr. banfield ] the jews observed such a seventh day from the creation , and that was their sabbath : but that is more than he or i know , or any man living . they had i grant a circulation of seven days , but from what epocha we cannot tell . and when moses tells them on the sixth day , to morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath , it seems to be the fixing of a new epocha from the first raining of manna ; and then all his arguments from the continual observation of the sabbath from the creation till that time , are at an end , i. e. whether this from the first raining of manna be the same with that from the creation : and there is six to one odds , that it is not . . observe , that at the opening and giving forth of the command , exod. . . 't is said , remember the sabbath-day , that is , the day of holy rest of god's appointing . . in the conclusion of the command , v. . wherefore the lord blessed and sanctified the sabbath-day ; 't is not expressed the seventh day , but the sabbath-day of holy rest : this is evident , that neither in the opening nor shutting up the commandment ( where we have the moral substance of it ) is there mention of any particular day at all . . what intervenes and comes in by way of explication , or inforcement of obedience , between the opening and shutting up of the command , ought to be observed ; as , . in what revolution of time god had appointed this day of holy rest to be observ'd , and that is one whole day of seven ; of every seven days six for labour , one for rest — not one in ten , or one in twenty , but one in seven , one day in every week . . i observe the inforcement of obedience to the command from god's resting the seventh day : here i acknowledg the last of seven is mentioned , but not as any branch of the unchangeable moral substance of the command , nor the observation of it directly , but only consequentially , being instituted before , as is acknowledged by all . and it must be owned that the last of seven here mentioned , had first of all the honour to be the day of god's appointing , and accordingly was observed till the time came that another day , the first of seven , was to succeed in the rome of it . note , . as was said before , neither in giving forth , nor shutting up the commandment , is there any mention of a precise , or particular day . . nor in any thing that intervenes between . . nor in any thing that expresses the revolution of time , wherein the day of holy rest is to be observed . six days shalt thou labor . thus i understand this limitation , or rule for direction . . six days shalt thou labor , unless god otherwise appoint ; and he did appoint in the old administration other days to be kept holy , which tho not always , yet some times fell out on some or other of the six working days , &c. . further , six days shalt thou labor , no excluding the solemn worship of god out of those six days ; for it would be no sin to hear a sermon , or set some hour apart for prayer any of these six days , as it is for a man to work upon that day of seven which god sets apart for himself . . and yet further , which is most of all to be taken notice of ; six days , &c. rest one , not injoyning the last of seven ( which was instituted before ) but only six parts of the time shall be for your selves , the seventh shall be mine : so gen. . . you shall have four parts , saith joseph , the fifth shall be pharaoh's ; let all be divided into five parts , four shall be for your selves , the fifth shall be for the king ; not telling them which fifth , but only one of five . thus lev. . . let all be divided into ten , you shall have nine , the tenth shall be the lord's ; not appointing them which tenth , but only one of ten — so here i find not one word for the last of seven . moreover , i perceive nothing at all in god's example for it , nothing there but one day in seven : but when the last day of seven is required of israel , that refers to the covenant of works , their labouring first , doing all they had to do , and so to rest , which was a sign ( as i have proved ) of the covenant of works , and a pledg of their obligation in their restipulation with god , according to the tenour of that conditional covenant : hence their sabbath was called a perpetual covenant , and with that covenant it is gone for ever . yet one day in seven , as a day of rest and solemn worship , is still to be the lord 's by virtue of the fourth command : and tho god's example of resting is mentioned , yet it must be acknowledg'd to relate to some special end and purpose , which may not only refer to man's good , but to god's ceasing from the work of creation for ever ; which being the first and greatest work then done , the day of his finishing his work was to be observ'd upon that reason . but when christ god-man came , and also had finished the work of redemption , and ceased from his work , as god did from his ; there is the same moral reason why the day in which he rested from redeeming , i.e. the first day of seven , should be our day of rest , because this is a far greater work than that of creation , as shall be made plain and clear hereafter . for we in gospel-days ( as foretold ) shall not remember the old heavens and the old earth any more , the new carrying away the glory of that ; i.e. remember them no more by the observation of that old seventh day . to this purpose mr. b. of dorchester . now i say god's example under the covenant of works in working six days , and then resting , is no ways obligatory on us , tho it was on israel under the same old covenant . but we must ground and bottom our observation of one day in seven upon christ's ceasing and resting from his works , and his institution of a new day upon the tenor or nature of the covenant of grace , to rest first , and then work six days , not for rest , or to rest , &c. but from that rest christ enter'd into on the first day of the week , when our rest and justification was compleated , which we enter actually into when we first believe . now the reason ( saith mr. b. to mr. banfield ) why herein i dissent from you , 't is this , god blessed the seventh day and sanctified it , but not as it was the last day of the seven , but as it was the day of his rest , declaring thereby creation-work to be perfected . neither was his resting , so far as i can see , the ground of his blessing and sanctifying it , but as consider'd in conjunction with the reason of his rest , i.e. his finishing his creation ; and also with the result and consequence of his rest , viz. his magnifying and honouring that day , for the time being , above all other days , for the greatest work in being . for , . god's resting cannot refer to any thing but his ceasing from creating-work ; because otherwise he ceaseth not working * ; and his example of resting , as some learned men observe , is not alledged here to lay an obligation on our conscience , that that same day we must observe for ever . . it seems to relate to what god himself did , rather than any way propounded as an argument to prove that for which 't is urged . take a parallel case , cor. . . where we have the institution of the lord's-supper repeated out of the evangelists , and christ's example is related as to the time when , which was not only in the night , but that particular night in which he was betray'd . now this is not recorded as a binding rule on us for our imitation . that is historically related , and so may this of god's example in the fourth commandment . there is one thing more worth noting . dr. twiss , dr. owen , and many other learned men cannot see how it can be said that god sanctified the seventh day , gen. . but that it must refer to adam in innocence , as his duty to keep it , and not that god then only by destination , decree and purpose , set it apart for his church and people to observe in after-times — now grant it was , as i have last hinted , pray do not they say as much as this comes to in respect of the gospel-sabbath ? do not they say , that in the fourth command ( both in the first part , and close of that precept ) god only set apart or sanctified one day in seven , and so conclude the original sanctification of the first day of the week is comprehended in the fourth commandment ? ( which i will not deny ) but was not this near years before he design'd his people should observe it , or that it was the absolute duty of any so to do ? and as there was an interval from adam to moses , of such a state of god's people and things , as render'd them not capable to observe the seventh-day sabbath according to the law of it ; so there was an interval of such a state of the church and things under the legal covenant , from moses to christ , as render'd them not capable to observe the lord's-day according to the design and purport of god therein , tho that day was by god's destination set apart long before . eleventhly , whatsoever is a simple moral precept , or one of the ten commandments , as materially so , the holy ghost doth convince all believers of now under the gospel ( as i have shew'd before ) and also he reproves them for the neglect or breach of all such precepts : but the holy ghost doth not convince believers 't is their duty to observe the seventh-day sabbath , for reprove them for the neglect or breach of ●t , tho they work and bear burdens on that as well as on any other day of the week ; therefore 't is no moral precept . twelfthly , that which is a pure moral precept is written in the hearts of all true believers by the holy ghost . god promised in gospel-times he would not write his law in tables of stone , put in the fleshly tables of our hearts : now the law of the seventh-day sabbath is not written in the hearts of believers by the spirit , therefore 't is no moral precept . tillam saith , the moral law is written in the hearts of all believers , and so saith mr. soarsby , and they say right ; yea even the whole moral law , we being created again in christ jesus in the image of god : but no law of the seventh-day sabbath is written in our hearts ; ergo , to conclude , we may hereby learn to distinguish between those parts contain'd in some of the ten commandments that are simply moral , and oblige us as the law is in christ's hand , and what was judicial . for , . the preface to the whole ten was judicial . . the second command obliged the jews to observe the whole ceremonial law ; and that part of god's visiting the sins of the fathers on the children unto the third and fourth generation , belonged to the covenant of works , and not to us . . that in the fourth command also of the seventh precise day belonged to the covenant of works , and so to them only . . the promise annexed to the fifth only belonged to the israelites that inherited the land of canaan . . in the tenth commandment , vsury or interest of mony , houses , &c. was forbid to the jews from their poor brethren ; but that was only a judicial law , and is no law to us . thus we may see that the moral law is only a law to us as in the hand of jesus christ . sermon vi. proving that the law of the decalogue was given to no people but the people of israel : that the moral law is transferr'd from moses into the hand of christ as mediator . gal. iv . , . ye observe days , and months , &c. that it is not the duty of believing gentiles to keep the old seventh-day sabbath , i have proved by many reasons : the fourth was , it is not their duty by virtue of the decalogue given to the people of israel in exod. . first , because the precise seventh-day sabbath is not the moral part of the fourth commandment ; this i have proved by twelve arguments . i shall now proceed and give you the next reason why it is not the duty of believing gentiles to keep the seventh-day sabbath from hence . secondly , it cannot be their duty to keep that day from thence , because the law of the decalogue ( and particularly the seventh-day sabbath mentioned therein ) was given to no people or nation , but the people of israel only , and the proselyted stranger . . i shall prove this directly from express texts out of the old testament . . from direct and express texts out of the new testament . . i shall answer some of the chiefest objections brought by the seventh-day sabbatarians against what i shall say . but before i proceed let me premise two things . . that all the world were under the law of the first covenant as made with the first adam , the common head of all mankind ; and that the substance of that natural and simple moral law is written in the hearts of all his off-spring , tho much darken'd by the fall and actual sin , especially in some . . that whatsoever is naturally or simply moral , contained in the decalogue , is given forth by jesus christ anew in the new testament , as i have proved ; and as so consider'd , the sum or substance of those ten words are obligatory on all mankind . now , first , as to the proofs out of the old testament . . the very preface to the decalogue declares to whom all the commandments contained therein was given , viz. those very people god brought out of the land of egypt ; that people which he sanctified or set apart for himself above all people on the earth ; as also by the promise annexed to the fifth commandment , viz. that thy days may be long in the land which the lord thy god giveth thee . this shews the laws of the decalogue were only given to the people of israel . again , . 't is said , what nation is there so great , that hath statutes and judgments so righteous , as this law which is set before you this day ? now if this law was given to all people in the world , or to any one nation or people besides israel , then the whole world ( or that particular people as well as the israelites ) had laws and statutes as great and righteous as israel had , tho they might not have them in so clear a revelation or manner as they had . . it is expresly said , he shewed his word to jacob , his statutes and his judgments unto israel : he hath not dealt so with any other nation , and for his judgments they have not known them . praise ye the lord. how vain as well as sinful is it to go about to contradict god's word ? here it is laid down affirmatively and negatively , it was given to israel , and not to any other nation , &c. dr. chamberlen saith , it was given to israel as a privilege only , and to other nations by way of punishment to judg them by it . answ . men may say what they please after this manner : but i shall prove that no nation or people but that of israel ( who were under that law ) shall be judged by it . . how often doth god by moses , and other of his servants , declare that the sabbath was given to israel ? it is a sign between me and the children of israel , &c. also nehemiah speaking of israel , saith , god made known to them his holy sabbath : to them ; and the psalmist says , not to any other nation . take two or three arguments further to evince this . . the law of the decalogue was given only to a people in covenant with god : and because the whole house of jacob were taken into that legal typical covenant which peculiarly referr'd to that people ; therefore god gave them that law , and the sabbath , as a sign that god sanctified and set them apart to be a peculiar people to himself ; and as a sign also of that obligation they were laid under to keep it , as i have proved . but god entered into no such covenant with any other people or nation under heaven ; therefore the law of the decalogue could not concern any besides the house of israel only . were the heathen gentiles , or believing gentiles , under that ministration of the legal covenant given by moses to israel ? no , until christ came , no other people were in covenant with god at all . . because 't is expresly said , that the sabbath , exod. . was given to the jews and proselyte stranger ; to thee and thy man-servant , and maid-servant , and stranger that is within thy gate : not any gentiles , or strangers without the pale of the jewish church , but only them who were within their gate . so that god doth implicitly declare he injoyns none else to observe it . . the law of the decalogue could not be given to all or any other people , because god did not give any command to moses , or to any of his servants , to promulge , declare , or make known that law , or the sabbath , to any other people in the world but the jews only . no law can bind without promulgation : the gospel is of a large extent , as appears by the commission , go into all the world , &c. go teach all nations , &c. thus our lord hath appointed the promulgation of the gospel , but not a word of any such commission for the promulgation of the law of moses given exod. . . because moses was never made or appointed a lawgiver to any other people but israel only : he was a ruler over none but the jews , and the decalogue was but part of the jewish law as written in tables of stone . others may say , who made thee a ruler over us , or a legislator , or deputed officer from god to us ? . the decalogue , and consequently the sabbath , could not be given to any other people , because it referr'd to a people in a church-state , having many other laws , statutes , and judgments annexed unto it ; the punishment for the breach of each precept thereof being death : he that broke the sabbath must die . now certainly if that law had been given to other nations or people , god would have put them also into such a church-state as the israelites were , and have given them like statutes , judgments , and officers to execute those judgments : but this he did not do . . besides ( as one observes ) there were ceremonies belonging to the sabbath , that were essential to the right keeping of it , which were not enjoined on the gentiles , except proselytes . that law given to all people , must have the same services , rites and ceremonies essentially annexed to it , given to them also ; but those services , rites , and ceremonies , were given to none but the jews . otherwise , as he observes , there would be two sorts of worship acceptable to god ; and then it would follow also that god was more severe to israel than to others , by imposing more hard and costly services on them than on the gentiles . . take here what mr. bunyan hath said : good nehemiah threatned the gentiles that were merchants for lying then about the walls of the city , for that by that means they were a temptation to the jews to break their sabbath ; yet he still charges the breach thereof upon his own people , nehem. . , , &c. can it be imagined , had the gentiles been concerned by a divine law to keep this sabbath , that so holy and good a man as nehemiah would let them escape without a rebuke for so notorious a transgression ? moreover , in the prophet ezekiel , ch . . , , . 't is said , i gave my sabbaths to be a sign between me and them , that they might know that i am the lord that sanctified them . before i close with this , take what two or three learned writers have declared in confirmation of what i say . a law which in it self was general and universal , equally pertains to jews and gentiles ; the latter , which knew not the law , doing by nature the things contained in the law , as st. paul has told us : but this law published on mount sinai , and as delivered by the hand of moses , obliged those of the house of israel only . take what another saith : as neither the judicial , nor ceremonial , so nor the moral law contained in the decalogue , doth concern us christians , as given by moses to the jews , but only so far forth as it is consonant to the law of nature , which bind all alike , and was afterwards ratified by christ our king. the reason he asserts this , was to prove the gentiles were never obliged to observe their sabbath . let me add what mr. baxter hath wrote : he saith , that the fourth commandment of moses bindeth us not to the seventh-day sabbath , because that moses's law never bound any but the jews , and those proselytes that made themselves inhabitants of their land , or voluntarily subjected themselves to their policy . for moses was ruler of none but the jews , nor a legislator or deputed officer from god to any other nation . the decalogue was but part of the jewish law , if you consider it not as written in nature , but in tables of stone ; and the jewish law was given as a law to no other people but to them . it was a national law , as they were a peculiar people and holy nation ; so that even in moses's days it bound no other nations of the world ; therefore it needed no abrogation to the gentiles , but a declaration that it did not bind them . . to close with what we find in the old testament about this : 't is worthy our noting , that god told the israelites that those seven nations of canaan , whom they should drive out , were defiled with all those sins and abominations that he commanded them to abstain from ; i. e. they had violated all natural or simple moral precepts . but god never charged them with the sin of breaking the jews sabbath : so that from thence i infer the decalogue was not given to them , and so not the sabbath . secondly , i shall prove out of the new testament , that the law of moses , i. e. the decalogue , was given to none but the jews or people of israel . . see rom. . to whom pertaineth the giving forth of the law , &c. speaking of the israelites : to whom , that is by way of contradistinction to any other people ; or to them and none else . . upon this very account paul shews that the jews had the advantage of all other people ; what advantage then hath the jew ? &c. much every way , chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of god. now stephen shews by the oracles of god are meant the ten words , who told the jews , their fathers received on mount sinai the lively oracles , to deliver them , saith he , to us , i. e. us jews . now i argue thus : if the gentiles had the same lively oracles , or oracles of god given to them , then in this the jews had not the advantage above the gentiles . he doth not speak of the advantage the jews had as to the clearest revelation of those oracles to them , above the gentiles , but of the giving of them to the jews and not to the gentiles . . again , two or three times paul expresly affirms that the gentiles had not the law , and were without the law : for when the gentiles which have not the law , &c. rom. . . what is more plainly expressed ? the gentiles , he saith , had not the law , that is , as given by moses , tho they had the law written in their hearts . so elsewhere he says , vnto the jew i became a jew , that i might gain the jews ; to them that are under the law , as under the law , &c. to them that are without the law , as without the law ; being not without law to god , but under the law to christ ; that i might gain them that are without the law. three times he here affirms the gentiles are without the law. object . he means the ceremonial law. answ . true , they were without that law as well as the decalogue law : but he cannot here refer to the ceremonial law , because it is such a law as the gentiles were under to christ , or as it is in the hand of christ ; which must intend the moral law , for no gentile believer or unbeliever was under the ceremonial law to christ , because utterly abolished , but so is not the moral law : in which sense we are without the law to god , but under the law to , or as it is in the hand of christ . . take this argument : that law which the gentiles shall not be judged by , they were never under ; but the gentiles shall not be judged by the law of moses , therefore they were never under that law. for proof of the major proposition , see what paul saith : for as many as have sinned without law , shall be judged without law ; and as many as have sinned in the law , shall be judged by the law. by the first he means the gentiles , and by the latter the jews . and from hence the apostle proceeds to evince , that as the gentiles shew'd the works of the law written in their hearts , they should be judged by that law , but not as that law was formerly written by moses in two tables of stone , ver . . as to the minor proposition ; can any suppose , that if the gentiles had been under moses's law , yet they should not be judged by it ? sure none can . obj. if the gentiles were not under the law , christ came not to redeem them ; for he came to redeem none but such as were under the law , gal. . . answ . the old world was under the law and covenant of works , and the curse thereof , in the first adam : it was his first transgression that brought all the world under the curse of the law , or breach of the first covenant ; and not the law as given by moses , tho that law , 't is true , pronounceth that curse afresh on those that continued not in all things contain'd therein . for by one man's offence death reigned by one , &c. by one man sin entered into the world , and death by sin — therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation , &c. thus we were all under the law of the first covenant , and as the law is written in our hearts ; but we were not all under that ministration of the law given by moses . obj. if all the world became guilty by the breach of moses's law , then all the world was under it : but this paul affirms , rom. . . now we know whatsoever things the law saith , it saith to them who are under the law , that every mouth may be stopped , and all the world may become guilty before god. answ . paul in the precedent chapter , and what goes before in this , had proved that the gentiles were under sin , and were all guilty before god for violating the law written in their hearts : see chap. . . and . . well what of this ? the gentiles then were cast and found guilty that way ; yet they were not all , but part of the whole world. and from hence he in this th verse comes again to speak of the jews who were under moses's law , and saith , what the law ( that is moses's law ) saith , it saith to them who are under it ( meaning the jews ) and what the consequence of this is he shews , i. e. that every mouth might be stopped ; not the mouths of the gentiles only , but the mouths of the jews also , that so all the world , that is both jews and gentiles , might become guilty before god. i hope all are and will be convinc'd that this is directly the meaning of paul , if they consider the scope and coherence of the text. and thus i have clearly proved that the law of the decalogue , or moses's law , was not given to any but the jews and proselyte strangers ; and therefore from that it cannot be the duty of believing gentiles to keep the seventh-day sabbath . object . but it is again objected , that the apostle james injoineth the royal law upon believing gentiles ; and the royal law is the law of the decalogue , therefore all were under the law of the decalogue , which forbids adultery , murder , &c. answ . . it is a hard case that men , to prove their fond notions , should put such an interpretation on a text of scripture , as is directly contrary to other plain texts : for unless they can prove we mistake those scriptures newly mentioned , which say that moses's law was only given to the jews , and not to the gentiles , besure they urge this to no purpose , but mistake the sense of the apostle , as others do about what he says concerning justification . . we never deny'd , but readily grant that all believing gentiles are oblig'd to keep the whole moral law , or all simple moral precepts , as they are in the hand of our lord , that one lawgiver , of which this apostle speaks : but i have proved that the precise seventh-day sabbath is not a simple moral precept , nor any part of the morality of the fourth commandment , and therefore not intended here . therefore it followeth , that man may fulfil the royal law according to the scripture , and yet not observe the seventh-day sabbath . . the apostle james clears the matter himself : so speak and so do , as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty , ver . . he can refer in these words to no law but that of christ , or rather christ's gospel ; or to the law as in his hands , who hath fulfilled the whole law for us by his own perfect obedience : and hence we are delivered from the law as in the hand of moses ; because as so considered it was not a law of liberty , but a law of bondage , or that which gender'd to bondage . and he shews it is a rule of righteousness to us only , as christ is our lawgiver , whose law is a law of liberty : but as he that offended in one point , was guilty of the breach of the whole law ; there he clearly alludes to the law as in moses's hand , and as a covenant of works . we are not to do , nor speak , nor live , as the law in moses's hands directs , or as he was a lawgiver ; for then we should be under perpetual bondage : and nothing is more plain , than that moses's law , as to the strict observance of its precepts , brought the jews into bondage ; 't is call'd a yoke of bondage , gal. . , &c. but so speak , and so do , as they who shall be judged by the law of liberty , that is , the gospel ; for not by the law as in moses's hand , but by the gospel we shall be judged at the last day , who live only under that ministration . and from hence let such as keep the seventh-day sabbath , take heed lest they are brought into bondage , by obliging themselves to observe the whole law ; since i have prov'd it was appointed as a sign or pledg of the covenant of works , binding them to universal and perfect obedience , who were on their sabbath-day not to think their own thoughts , nor speak their own words , but to make the law of god their delight so as not to sin ; which none ever did , or could do , save jesus christ , who thus kept the sabbath , even as long as he liv'd for us on the earth , that we might enter into his rest , or into the anti●●pical sabbath . thirdly , the third argument to prove it is not the duty of gentile believers to keep the seventh-day sabbath from the fourth commandment in the decalogue , is , because that law , as there written and given , is taken out of the hand of moses as a lawgiver , as well as it was a covenant of works , and put into the hand of christ as mediator . my brethren , could our adversaries prove that the law on mount sinai was given to all the world , and so to believing gentiles ( which i have shewn it was not ) yet this would not in the least do their business : for the believing jews are now no longer under the law , no not as the moral law was given by moses as a rule of life , any more than they are not under it as a covenant of works . . indeed my work is partly done in this respect already , by what i have said in opening the plain sense of the apostle james in that place just now mentioned . . this appears , because we have but one lawgiver , namely jesus christ : the lord is judg , the lord is our lawgiver , the lord is our king , he will save us ; that is , jehovah our righteousness , who came to save us . there is one lawgiver , who is able to save and to destroy . now is not this our lord jesus christ ? obj. he doth not say we have but one . answ . but 't is imply'd . paul says , there is one god , and one mediator : doth not this imply that there is but one god , and but one mediator ? who are you now that will introduce another lawgiver , a co-partner , or a co-rival with christ , to partake of part of his honour ? . because our lord declares that all power is given to him in heaven and earth , mat. . , . all power consider'd as mediator : for as he is god , it was not given to him , but was his own essentially . but this is a power delegated to him , i. e. all power as sole lord and lawgiver to his church , who only is the head thereof : therefore we must look to him for laws , and how to be governed . he governed by a substitute before , but now being come himself , the substitute is utterly devested of his power . . the moral law as a rule of righteousness , must only be in the hand of christ , because our lord saith , the law and the prophets were until john , luke . . that is , moses and the prophets were as teachers , by whom god spake to the people ; that is , at the time of their ministration and prophecy : but now the date of their ministration is near expir'd ; they have moses and the prophets . but in the transfiguration ( which was a figure or representation of christ's glorious gospel-church or kingdom , and his ministration ) moses disappear'd with elias , who being one of the chiefest prophets , might signify all the rest , and john also . the disciples would have three tabernacles , one for moses , one for elias , and one for christ : i. e. they would have been under their ministrations as lawgivers and teachers , and would have them to share with christ of that glory . but lo , a voice was heard from the cloud saying , this is my beloved son , hear him ; and when they lifted up their eyes , they saw no man but jesus only . moses and elias were gone ; and tho the writings of moses and the prophets are of great use still for comfort and instruction , &c. yet now god only speaks to us by his son , whom he hath appointed heir of all things . on him all the father's love and glory doth terminate : no lord , no ruler , no lawgiver but he is to be heard ; he being the truth it self , and having receiv'd the whole counsel of the father , has revealed all things that we are to believe and practise . he is the great prophet moses spoke of , whom we are to hear in all things . must we 〈◊〉 to moses to know how christ is to govern ●s church , or take any law from him ? no , ●is would be to eclipse the glory of christ . . because the servant was not to abide in the ●ouse for ever , viz. as a lawgiver : that is , ●s ministration of the law was to cease . . because the moral law ( or the decalogue ) 〈◊〉 deliver'd by moses , had several things in it ●at only pertained to the israelites , or to the ●gal church-state of the jews , and was given ●y him as a covenant of works : mind the preface to that law , exod. . and the pro●ise annexed to the fifth commandment , ho●our thy father and thy mother , that thy days ●ay be long in the land which the lord thy god ●veth thee . these things shew that the law ●ven by moses was not to last but till the end 〈◊〉 that dispensation , and church-state . . because we are not come to mount sinai , ●ot to receive the law as there delivered ; but ●e are come to mount sion , to the gospel-●ispensation , and so to hear him only that speak●h from heaven . but such as keep the old sabbath , go for it to mount sinai , and are ●earers not of christ , but of moses in that ●ase . . because the whole law is changed , or the ●●d covenant ; and all the laws and precepts ●hat belonged peculiarly to that , as the old sabbath did , are abolished . therefore if any man be in christ , he is of the new creation , or 〈◊〉 new creature : old things are passed away , and behold all things are become new . the old church and old church-membership , rites , privileges , and ordinances , both the old jewish worship , and old day of worship , are gone for ever ; and a new church-state , new ordinances , a new worship , and a new day of worship are introduced in their stead . now since the old sabbath was a sign of the old covenant , nay called the covenant , be sure that is gone : wherefore the children of israel shall keep the sabbath throughout their generations for a perpetual covenant . it belonged to the old creation in a peculiar sense ; and from hence , upon the bringing in the new creation , and making all things new , this sabbath cannot remain ; the old jewish , legal , typical church-worship , and day of worship went off all together . can any think that the old sabbath still remains , which was the sign of the old covenant ? this is strange ; if it doth remain , be sure the penalty annexed for the breach of it remains also : but the penalty can't remain , therefore the sabbath is gone . take away the penalty of a law , and what is become of that law ? is it not abrogated ? now the penalty being corporal death , the sabbath is gone , because the gospel-church has no such policy or political power to inflict any such punishment on sabbath-breaking . a sabbatarian being in prison with mr. tho. grantham , he professed much love to him . ah , said grantham , thou wouldst kill me . who i , said he , what kill my brother ? or to that effect . saith the other , had you the power of the civil magistracy in your hand , and should i break your sabbath , what would you do with me ? said he , i confess justice must take place . it is well they have not that power in their hands . . because christ as a testator hath made another will , which is his last will and testament ; and this makes all precepts void that were given in the old testament , and are not given forth or repeated in the new . all know that no legacy bequeathed in a former will , that is left out in a last will , is recoverable . upon this account it is you have argued that the law for tithes is not in force now , nor infant churchmembership , nor an external canaan flowing with milk and honey ; or have ministers sons a right to succeed in the ministry , and many other things , because they are not legacies left in christ's last will and testament , tho they were in the old testament . so the old sabbath , being left out in christ's last testament , is no legacy left to us . . that the decalogue-law is transferred from moses to christ , appears by the manner of the writing of the one and the other . moses had it to give as it was written in two tables of stone by the finger of god : christ hath wrote it not in stone , but in the fleshly tables of our hearts by the holy spirit ; which was signified by god's writing of it with is finger , the spirit being called the finger of god : if i by the finger of god cast out devils , &c. to close this , take what mr. b. hath said , viz. the whole law of moses , formally as such , ●s ceased or abrogated by christ ; i say as such , because materially the same things that are in that law , may be the matter of the law of nature , and the law of christ , of which i shall speak anon . that the whole law of moses as such is ab●ogated , is most clearly proved : by the frequent arguings of paul , who ever speaketh of that law as ceased , without excepting any part ; and christ saith , luke . . the law and the prophets were until john ; that is , were the chief doctrine of the church till then . the law was given by moses , but grace and truth came by jesus christ . no jew would have understood this , if the word [ law ] had not contained the decalogue . so , john . , , . acts . . it was the whole law of moses as such , which by circumcision they would have bound men to , gal. . . the gentiles are said to sin without law , even when they broke the law of nature , meaning [ without moses's law. ] in all these scriptures it 's not part , but the whole law of moses which paul excludeth ; which i acknowledged to the antinomians , tho they take me for their too great adversary . * . . more particularly , there are some texts which express the cessation of the decalogue as it was moses ' s law , cor. . , . not in tables of stone , but in the fleshly tables of the heart — but if the ministration of death written and engraven in stone was glorious , so that the children of israel could not stedfastly behold the face of moses , for the glory of his countenance , which was to be done away ( or is done away . ) they that say the glory , and not the law , is here said to be done away , speak against the plain scope of the text : for the glory of moses's face , and the glorious manner of deliverance , ceased in a few days , which is not the cessation here intended . but as dr. hammond speaketh [ that glory , and that law so gloriously delivered , is done away ] and this the th verse fully expresseth : for if that which is done away was glorious , ( or by glory ) much more that which remaineth is glorious ( or is glory . ) so that as it is not only the glory , but the glorious law , gospel , or testament which is said to remain ; so it is not only the glory , but the law which is said to be done away : and this is the law which was written in stone . nothing but partial violence can evade the force of this text. so heb. . , . [ under it ] ( the levitical priesthood ) the people received the law — and the priesthood being changed , there is made of necessity a change also of the law. ver. . for there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before , for the weakness and the unprofitableness thereof : for the law made nothing perfect , but the bringing a better hope did . and so much was jesus made a surety of a better testament . in all this it is plain , that it is the whole frame of the mosaical law that is changed , and the new testament set up in its stead . heb. . , . neither was the first testament dedicated without blood : for when moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law , &c. here the law , before said to be changed , is said to contain every precept . and , ephes . . . it is the law of commandments contained in ordinances , which christ abolished in his flesh ; which cannot be exclusive of the chief part thereof . object . this is the doctrine of the antinomians that the law is abrogated , even the moral law. answ . it is the doctrin of the true antinomians , that we are under no divine law , neither of nature nor of christ : but it is the doctrin of paul and all christians , that the jewish mosaical law is abolished . object . but do not all divines say that the moral law is of perpetual obligation ? answ . yes ; because it is god's law of nature , and the law of christ . object . but do not most say , that the decalogue written in stone is the moral law , and of perpetual obligation ? answ . yes ; for by the word [ moral ] they mean [ natural ] , and so take moral not in the large sense , as signifying a law de moribus , as all laws are whatsoever ; but in a narrower sense , as signifying that which by nature is of universal and perpetual obligation . so that they mean , not that it is perpetual as it is moses's law , and written in stone formally , but as it is that which is natural : and they mean , that materially the decalogue containeth the same law which is the law of nature ; and therefore it is materially in force still . but they except still certain points and circumstances in it , as the prefatory reason , i am the lord your god that brought you out of the land of egypt , and especially this of the seventh-day sabbath . quest . how far then are we bound to keep the law ? answ . ( . ) as it is the law of nature . ( . ) as it is own'd by christ , and made part of his law : and therefore no more of it bindeth directly , than we can prove to be either the law of nature , or the law of christ . — thus mr. b. object . but christ saith , he came not to destroy the law and the prophets , but to fulfil them ; and that not one jot or tittle of the law shall pass away till all be fulfilled . answ . the whole moral law christ hath fulfilled in our nature , for us , and in our stead , in his life : and by his death , he hath antitypically fulfilled all the prophecies concerning himself in reference to such things ; and hath abolished the ceremonial law also ; for till then not a tittle of that could pass away . is a fulfilling the law a destroying it ? besides , all simple moral precepts of the law ( as in christ's hand ) stand firm for ever ; therefore he came not to destroy the law : yet is he the end of it for righteousness to every one that believeth ; tho as a rule of life in his hands , it obligeth them perpetually . moreover , brethren , 't is said , the law enter'd , that the offence might abound , &c. and the commandment came , &c. now this entering of the law , and coming of the commandment , chiefly refers to the law as it is in christ's hand , set home with power by the spirit upon the conscience . the bare entrance of the law on mount sinai , as in moses's hand , was with thundering and lightning , but without rain , i mean without contrition or brokenness of heart . men may read moses's law , and hear it preach'd every day ; nay write it on the walls of their houses , and carry it in their bosoms ; but yet it may have no operations on their hearts : no , 't is the ministration of the law in christ's hand by his spirit , that wounds the conscience , pierces and melts the hard heart , that god's law may be written there . the ministration of the law in christ's hand answers the chief design of god in giving it forth , and renders the minstration of it by moses of little or no use : for as in his hand , it is done away ; but the law by the spirit greatens sin , or makes sin abound , and grace superabound . sin thus by the law becomes exceeding sinful ; and it doth not only wound , but slay the soul : sin taking occasion by the commandment , deceived me , and by it slew me : wherefore the law is holy , &c. o blessed be god for the law as it is in christ's hand ! thus sin reviv'd , 〈◊〉 i dy'd , saith paul ; i dy'd as to any hope of justification , or eternal life by the law. the jews who had the law only as in moses's hand , were puff'd up or fill'd with pride : they ( as paul before conversion , or the coming of the commandment in and by the spirit , as in christ's hand ) were alive ; so he thought himself alive , in a justified state ; but when the commandment came , it was then quite otherwise with him . so that christ came not to destroy the law , but to fulfil it , and also to make it of great use to all that receive the spirit of christ : which spirit is a spirit of burning , before it is a spirit of consolation ; or a spirit of bo●dage , before it is the spirit of adoption , and so a schoolmaster to bring us to christ . thus we do not make void the law through faith , but establish it . god in christ hath magnified the law , and made it honourable , and that three ways . . in sending his own son in our nature to keep it perfectly , and to die for our breach thereof ; christ was made under the law to this very end . o how doth it magnify the law , to see godman thus conform to it , and die to bear the penalty thereof for us ? . he magnifieth the law in putting it into the hands of his own son , as mediator , to give it forth . doth not the dignity and glory of the lawgiver add to the glory of the law given ? is not christ a more glorious person than moses ? see heb. . , , . & . , . — this man was accounted worthy of more glory than moses , heb. . . but alas ! some would have moses partake of some part of christ's glory ; he must be their lawgiver . . by making of it , as in christ's hand , of far greater use to believers , as i have shewed , than ever it was in the hands of moses , and so to answer god's design in it . let me only add , that all moses's law , even the decalogue , was political , as one observes . god's law was for the particular political government of the jewish nation , as a typical church and political body ; and therefore when their kingdom or policy ceased , the law as political , and their figurative sabbath could not continue any longer . and thus i close with the fourth general argument , viz. it is not the duty of believing gentiles to keep the seventh-day sabbath from the law of the decalogue given by moses , exod. . fifthly , it is not their duty to keep it by any precept given by christ , or precedent we have in the new testament . . that which is urged concerning christ's not coming to destroy the law , &c. we have answer'd ; as also that of paul , we do not make void the law through faith. that text also we have answer'd , and turn'd the sword against our adversaries , which says , the son of man is lord even of the sabbath , and the sabbath was 〈◊〉 made for man. . and also their great proof in that of james , if ye fulfil the royal law , jam. . , . this i have given a full answer to in this discourse . . i proceed to another pretended argument , viz. pray that your flight be not in the winter , nor on the sabbath-day , mat. . . answ . this text some learned men have not , i am satisfied , given the right sense of . but let us premise three things : . that christ gave the old names to jewish ordinances very often , and so did his apostles . . that our lord well knew how superstitiously zealous the unbelieving jews were and would remain for their sabbath . now pray mind the scope of this text : christ shews how sudden their flight would be , when jerusalem was to be destroyed , ver . , . and v. . he saith , wo to them that are with child , and them that give suck in those days . but pray that your flight be not in the winter , nor on the sabbath-day : for then shall be great tribulation . . it is evident there is the same reason they should pray that their flight be not in the winter , as not on the jewish sabbath-day . why , not in the winter ? because of the difficulties of the ways ; they might be deep and unpassable then , whereby their escape might be hinder'd . why not on the sabbath-day ? because , say some , their consciences would not admit them to fly then further than a sabbath-day's journy . it is strange to me that our lord should tell them a little before , that it was lawful to save the life of a sorry animal , a brute , on the sabbath-day , and bid a man take up his bed or bear a burden on the sabbath ; and now hint that it was not lawful , or that they would so think , to save their lives by flying on the sabbath-day : believe this who will. was it not lawful to pull an ox , or sheep out of a pit on the sabbath-day ; or for men to carry their goods out of their houses on the sabbath-day , if a fire should then happen ? i do not think they were ever so superstitiously blind . nay , to preserve human life our lord shew'd was much more lawful on that day than the life of beasts . but , say some , it would be grievous and uncomfortable to them to fly on that day in which they used to find so much delight . answ . our lord gives a direct contrary reason , i.e. for then will be great tribulation : the unbelieving jews , should they fly on their sabbath , would severely handle them , may be knock them on the head ; on this account our lord bids them so to pray : therefore this could not be the meaning of it . moreover , he knew his own disciples before that time came , would be convinced that the jewish sabbath was ceased with other legal rites . therefore this i take to be the direct meaning of our blessed lord , viz. because on the jewish sabbath-day , the unbelieving jews , among whom you will remain ( or many of you ) when the destruction of the city comes , may be so strict and superstitious as to keep watch and ward at every gate and way , that you will not be able to escape , at least not above one of their sabbath-day's journey ; therefore pray your flight be not on that day . this is all i can see in this text. both david and elijah were fain to fly on the sabbath-day . besides , some learned men from this passage argue for the christian sabbath , as 't is not unknown to our opponents , as dr. twiss , and many more ; and that our lord alludes to that sabbath that he knew his disciples would observe after his death : but i rather adhere to the former exposition . obj. but the women rested on the sabbath-day , according to the commandment , luke . . answ . the men themselves ( i mean the disciples ) before our lord suffer'd , were so ignorant that they knew not their lord should die ; and some a great while after did not know that they should preach to the gentiles : and is it any wonder that these good women should not know so soon that the sabbath was abrogated ? some after that were zealous for circumcision , &c. and is that an argument that circumcision is our duty ? besides , no new day for solemn worship was then appointed , nor till after our lord rose from the dead . object . paul , as his manner was , and other apostles , observed the jews sabbath-day ; they preached in the temple and synagogue of the jews on the sabbath-day . answ . . they never taught the jews nor gentiles to observe the seventh-day sabbath . . no one church , as we read of , ever met to celebrate any gospel-ordinance on the jewish sabbath-day . . there is not one word of any saint that ever kept it . . all that is on record is , that the apostles preached to the jews on that day . why so ? because they could not preach to them but when assembled together ; and having a commission first to preach the gospel to them , they went into the temple , and into their synagogue , and preach'd to them on that day ; and so did paul at mars-hill to the athenians , as well as to the jews on their sabbath . 't is said , that paul , as his manner was , went in unto them , and three sabbath-days reasoned with them out of the scriptures : not , saith one , to solemnize the sabbath after the jewish manner ( from the observation whereof the apostles , because of the authority committed to them by christ , were far enough ) especially when paul himself did most severely reprove the colossians and galations , because some among them stood for the sabbath , and other feasts of the jews ; but because they then had a fit occasion of communing with the jews met together , that after the readings of the law were over , they might preach the gospel with more fruit in such a concourse of people , which upon other days they could not so easily obtain ; and for no other end , as from the alledged testimony is evident . which things let the reader seriously weigh : for at any time , or in what place soever they could , they preached the gospel to the jews ; therefore on the sabbaths , as well in their synagogues as elsewhere : the apostles were not wanting in the office of preaching ; for this cause they tarried certain days among the macedonians , because no fit occasion for preaching the gospel offered — which the apostles every where greedily sought after : they preached christ on the sabbath days out of the city , by a river side , to women which resorted to publick prayers . so paul hastened to keep the feast of pentecost at jerusalem , only that he might have many jews ( who liv'd dispersed in divers places of the world ) there together , and so preach the gospel to them . — chrysostom says , what means paul 's hastning to this feast ? it was not for the feasts , but for the multitudes — he made haste to preach the word . now had any text said that paul must needs hast to jerusalem to keep the sabbath among the jews , what improvement would the sabbatarians have made of it ? yet that no more would prove the sabbath ought to be kept than the feast of pentecost . see what paul saith , rom. . . but i will tarry at ephesus will pentecost ; for a great door and effectual is opened to me . this shews what his reason was to keep that feast , and also in preaching on their sabbaths . object . but he calls it the sabbath . answ . so he calls that feast pentecost , and circumcision by its own name ; must we therefore keep pentecost , and be circumcised ? it was only for distinction-sake , the old names of jewish rites being still kept up by the jews . object . but the gentiles also desired the same word might be preach'd to them the next sabbath : sure if the apostles had kept the first day , they would rather have desir'd that paul should preach to them the next first day . answ . paul was but newly come into those parts , and there was no gospel-church there ; nor can any think that those poor unbelieving gentiles should have heard of any other day observ'd than the jewish sabbath , for they liv'd among the jews ; and if it is said , the whole city the next sabbath came together : and no doubt but 't was in the synagogue of the jews in which they met , some of the gentiles being proselytes to the jewish religion . so that it is evident this is nothing to their purpose ; for here is no more ground from hence for us to keep the jewish sabbath , than to meet in jewish synagogues . moreover , dr. young has one passage worth observation : saith he , justin martyr had satisfied with little ado trypho the jew , that counselled him to observe their sabbath : for it had been enough for justin martyr to have answer'd the jew , that the christian church did observe the sabbath ; yet this he grants not , but plainly denies that the jewish sabbath ought by the christians to be observ'd . the same , saith he , do other fathers against the jews , &c. there are one or two more pretended reasons out of the new testament , brought to prove that we ought to observe the seventh day : but no more at this time . sermon vii . containing ten arguments against the observance of the jewish sabbath . the law of the seventh-day sabbath not written in the hearts of believers , or god's new covenant children , which is in answer to the sixth and last pretended proof for our observation thereof . twelve dangerous consequences that necessarily follow their principle , who assert the precise seventh-day sabbath is a pure moral precept . gal. iv . , . ye observe days , and months , &c. brethren , i have answer'd several pretended proofs brought from the new testament for the observation of the old jewish sabbath . i shall mention one morc , viz. object . . it is objected further , that it is certain that the jews kept sabbaths at the time of paul's writing his epistles , and were zealous for all the law. thus mr. soarsby . ans . . may be 't is aptly enough put in sabbaths , as comprehending other sabbaths as well as the jews weekly sabbath . . but were they not as zealous for circumcision also ? nay , the objection allows they were zealous for the whole law ; and it is not deny'd but paul was forced to comply with their weakness for a time , till they were fully formed as to the cessation or abrogation of ●ose legal rites , nay of the whole law as in ●e hand of moses . so that paul's forbearance with them in their ●fancy and weakness , is weakly urged . these being the chief proofs i find brought 〈◊〉 prove it our duty to keep the seventh day out 〈◊〉 the new testament , i shall add divers arguments in opposition to what they say on this ●●count . st . our saviour's carriage and behaviour ●owards the old sabbath , and his expressions about it , which i have mention'd , shews he was far from confirming that either as a moral , or gospel duty . dly . paul's declaring against all jewish days without exception , as shadows , &c. may con●●nce all that he observ'd it not in compliance with the law of moses , or as a command given to him by christ the only lawgiver . dly . his putting the estimation of the jewish sabbath-day among meats and drinks , or as indifferent things , which a christian may do or ●ot do , shews that sabbath was gone . i do believe when paul saith , one man esteemeth one day above another , and another esteemeth every day alike , that he intends not all days of ●he week without exception , but every day ●ave the first day , or the lord's-day ; because ●e speaks of jewish rites , days , and scruples about meats and drinks among them . for ●e gave command about the solemn duties and observation of the first day of the week to all the churches , as i shall prove . . therefore let none once think that paul was for the observance of no special day above others , in the worship of god , in the gospel-dispensation . . neither let any conclude from hence , th●● he gave liberty to the saints to keep the jewish sabbath any further than they looked upon 〈◊〉 as an indifferent thing ; nor any longer th● till their understanding was further inlight●●● and their consciences better informed . f●● how severe was he with those ( as in my te●● who lay any stress upon it , i.e. as a moral d●ty , or of necessity to a holy life ? thly . this appears , because christ , who received from his father the whole will of god and was faithful as a son in declaring all thing commanded him , hath not commanded us ( 〈◊〉 given the least ground or reason for us to believe we ought ) to keep the seventh-day sabbath . besides , he confirms afresh all simple moral precepts , &c. as i have shew'd observe what he saith ; for all things th● 〈◊〉 have heard of my father i have made 〈◊〉 unto you . the father that sent me , he gave 〈◊〉 commandement what i should say , and what 〈◊〉 should speak . thly . we read acts . , &c. of fal●● brethren that went from jerusalem , and taugh● the believing gentiles , that unless they were circumcised and kept the law of moses , they coul● not be saved ; or that it was needful for them 〈◊〉 to do , ver . . . pray observe the matter well : for no● we may expect to hear , if ever , whether 〈◊〉 be the duty of believing gentiles or not 〈◊〉 keep the seventh-day sabbath , because th●● was none of the least precepts of the law 〈◊〉 moses ; and this was one thing , no doubt which these false brethren taught them to observe . . all the great and chief apostles meet together abont this matter , and consulted what answer to send ; and they had the extraordinary presence of the holy ghost with them , ●o dictated to them what to write . . and this was the result , viz. for it seem'd ●●d to the holy ghost and to us , to lay upon you greater burden than these necessary things , that ●abstain from meats offer'd to idols , and from ●ood , and from things strangled , and from for●cation ; from which if ye keep your selves , ye ●ll do well . fare ye well . note , these things were forbidden in the ●●w , and these things they commanded them ●t to do ; but not one word that they should ●●ep the sabbath given in moses's law : this is ●ne of those things they should observe . therefore it is not the counsel or mind of the ●oly ghost that gentile believers should keep at day . thly . paul says positively , that he had not ●●nned to declare to the saints all the counsel of ●d . and how he kept back nothing that was pro●able to them , but had shewed them all things , &c. ●ow i challenge any man in the world to ●ew that paul ever made known , or shew'd ●em this thing , viz. that it was their duty to ●●ep the seventh-day sabbath : therefore i in●●r , this is none of the counsel of god , nor ●ofitable to believers in gospel-days . from ●hence i argue thus , i.e. arg. . paul declared all , or the whole coun●● of god : paul did not declare the seventh-●●bbath ; ergo , that is none of the counsel of ●od . . if he did declare the seventh-day sabbath , 〈◊〉 make it known to the saints to be god's coun●● , some one man or another can shew us the ●ace where it is written : but no one man can ●●ew us the place where it is written that he declared or made known to the saints that the seventh-day sabbath was the counsel of god ergo , it is none of the counsel of god to 〈◊〉 saints or gospel-believers . thly . the holy spirit , saith our lord , 〈◊〉 receive of mine , and shew it unto you . again 〈◊〉 saith , the spirit of truth shall guide you 〈◊〉 all truth . but the spirit of truth neither guides believers into the observation of the seventh day , &c. in the word or new testament ; nor by his inward motions , influence and operations on their hearts : therefore it 〈◊〉 none of their duty to observe that day . thly . if not one gospel-church observed 〈◊〉 seventh-day sabbath in meeting together as 〈◊〉 church , to discharge the duties of 〈◊〉 worship ; then it is not the duty of believer● in gospel-days to observe it . — but not on● gospel-church , &c. observ'd the seventh-day sabbath , &c. therefore 't is not believers duty in gospel-days to observe it . let them shew us where one gospel-church did observe that day in meeting together , as 〈◊〉 church , to discharge the duties of gospel worship , and i will give up the cause . so much in this respect there is in an apostolical precedent in my judgment : for what was the practice of one church as a church was the duty and practice of every church . thly . gentile believers ought not to observe the seventh-day sabbath , because the churches in the gospel time observed , in religious duties and worship , the first day of the week : and we are not required to keep two days in every week in god's solemn worship . thly . because the law of god written in the hearts of all believers , doth not teach them to observe the seventh-day sabbath . and this brings me to the last general argument . sixthly , if it be not the duty of believing gentiles to keep the seventh-day sabbath from the law written by the spirit of the living god in the hearts of all his new-covenant children , it is not their duty to keep it , because by no other law i have proved it is their duty ; and now i shall prove that it is not their duty to keep it by virtue of this law. . if it was their duty by this law to keep ●●t , the holy spirit besure had left it written in the new testament : for whatsoever law is written in our hearts , it is but the same in substance ( in respect to all simple moral precepts ) with what is written in the new testament . . consider that god expresly says in the new covenant , i will put my law in their inward parts , and write it in their hearts . — saith paul , written not with ink , but with the spirit of the living god ; not in tables of stone , but in the fleshly tables of the heart . this shews we are not to go to the tables of stone , to mount sinai , for the law of god , now the antitype of that is come . god's finger has wrote his law in better tables ; tho naturally our hearts were like stone , yet his spirit can and hath written his law there . what is god's law but a transcript , or a gracious impression of his holy nature , or his divine image stampt on our souls ? now then read this blessed book , ye new-covenant saints ; look within ye holy and renewed ones , and see if you can find the knowledg of the seventh day , or that you have this precept written in your hearts and inward parts . were you ever by this law led to know ( or reproved for not observing ) the seventh-day sabbath ? let me close this with an answer given to tillam by mr. warren . . tillam saith , it was written in adam's heart , and for this he quotes rom. . . that it was written afterwards in tables of stone , for which he cites gal. . . . that it is written in the fleshly table of renewed hearts . to which mr. warren answereth , speaking to the latter : the experience of almost all renewed hearts in heaven and earth doth contradict it ; for to speak in the language of eliphas , call now if there be any that will answer thee , and to which of the saints wilt thou turn ? either scripture-saints , or church-saints ; ask st. paul , st. cyprian , st. chrysostom , st. augustine , and they will tell you that your antiquated sabbath was so far from being in their hearts , that they have wrote against it with their pens . turn over the works of the eminent fathers — add to these the most judicious , pious and zealous ministers and martyrs of christ , who have liv'd , and dy'd within the compass of these sixteen hundred years ; and most , if not all of them will tell you that they never owned your saturday sabbath ; they liv'd without it , dy'd without it , and are , i doubt not , gone to heaven without it . besides , how many faithful witnesses of late years has the lord raised up to bear testimony against it ? of whom , i suppose , the greatest part are yet alive , tho some are fallen asleep . in a word , how many precious , and gracious , and pious christians are yet upon the earth , men and women redeem'd from the earth , and crucified to the world ( of whom the world is not worthy ) who look upon your sabbath as a cypher , can freely labor , and travel upon it , buy and sell upon it , and this after accurate inquiry about it ? and to this day their consciences never reproach them , their hearts never smote them for it . what will you say ? are all these hypocrites , unrenewed , unsanctified ones ? this were to condemn the generation of god's children , and canonize your self , with your few misled associates , for the only saints in christendom ; which i would hope you dare not do , tho i know * you dare as much as another . well , the adversary is brought to this dilemma ; either god has no people in the world but such as are of his perswasion , or his moral and immutable laws are not written in their hearts ; or the saturday sabbath is none of those laws . thus this author . if the law of the seventh-day sabbath be written in the hearts of believers , some one man or another can produce some one believer that was by the law written in his heart convinc'd of it , without reading moses's law , or any book or books compiled by men about the sabbath . but no man can produce any such believer that will or can say this ; therefore it is not written in the hearts of believers . thus it appears that it is not the duty of gentile believers to keep the seventh day from the law of god written in the hearts of god's new covenant children , which was the sixth and last part of the general argument first proposed . the last thing in speaking to the seventh-day sabbath i promised to do , was to shew you , that as some hold and maintain it , it is a dangerous error . . is not that dangerous which caused paul to fear he had bestowed on the persons he speaks of , labor in vain ? was it not because they observ'd jewish days , laying stress on those things ? . is not that a dangerous error that leads men to ratify or sign the covenant of works , which binds them to keep the whole law ? this i have proved is the natural tendency of this practice ; and the same thing dr. owen , you have heard , positively affirms also . . is not that dangerous that magnifies the first creation work above redemption , or the new creation work , when god began to create the new heavens and new earth , which refers to the gospel or new creation ? what saith the lord , the old heavens and old earth shall be remembered no more ; that is , in a day kept to that end : for otherwise sure the great works of the first creation ought not to be forgot ; but the new creation excelling the old , the new day must be kept in remembrance thereof , and not the old day . . is not that a dangerous error that tends , as the necessary consequence of it , to eclipse the glory of christ , as the only lord , head and lawgiver to his church , and that gives part of this honour to moses ? . is not that dangerous that tends to intangle , and bring into bondage , and under legal terror , poor weak christians , as some who have kept the seventh-day sabbath have confessed , till god open'd their eyes , they fearing they broke the sabbath in some way or another ? for indeed no man can perfectly keep it , any more than he can keep the whole law , as has been hinted . i was always in a trembling state ( saith one ) so long as i kept it , &c. or to that purpose . brethren , it is not to be thought what bondage it brought the zealous jews under , they not knowing when they had answered the strict observance of that day ; and if they brake it , they must die without mercy , as the poor man that gathered sticks on that day : they were not to speak their own words , &c. how should they know when they did this ? nay live , and sin not : they would not , mr. trap saith , spit , nor ease themselves on that day , which is hard to believe : tho some were superstitiously zealous , 't is true ; yet others who were piously zealous , by means of the strictness of the precept , continually were in fear and bondage : and sad it is for any to be entangled again thereby . . is not that a dangerous thing , that by the necessary consequence of it leads men to observe other legal rites and ceremonies , as not to eat swines-flesh , nor wear a garment of linen and woolen , nor mar the corner of their beards ? nay , some of the chief of them formerly were led to circumcision , and to worse than that also . i saw a book published many years ago by two of them , in which they called themselves the ministers of the circumcision . that these things are the necessary consequences of their notion about their sabbath , appears , because they go to moses for it as the law was in his hand , and believe many other things that were meer judicial laws to be in force now : they are for moses's law , with the statutes and judgments , and have declared that that law is in force to stone to death such as break the sabbath . and no marvel : for if that sabbath be in force , the punishment is in force also . nay , they believe ( i hear ) that a rebellious son ought to be put to death . . is not that error dangerous , and of an evil nature , the necessary consequence whereof renders all that keep not that precise seventh-day as the sabbath ( nor can be convinced 't is their duty to observe it ) to be guilty of immorality , i. e. in breaking a moral precept in the very letter of it , nay one of the precepts of the first table ? for it must be thus , if the morality of the fourth commandment lies in the observation of the precise seventh-day sabbath ; and it must be as great an evil to violate it , as 't is to have another god , or to bow down to a graven image , or to swear or profane the holy name of god , or commit actual adultery , murder , &c. and thus their doctrin renders all true christians to be guilty of a most gross immorality , who do not observe the precise seventh-day . nay , the like consequences attend their notion , who through ignorance and an over-heated zeal , have also asserted the same morality to consist in the observance of the first day of the week ; as is evident by what some ministers in their parish-churches did formerly affirm : one in oxfordshire said , that to do any servile work on the lord's day , is as great a sin as to kill a man. another in a sermon in norfolk , said , to make a feast or wedding-dinner on the lord's day , is as great a sin , as for a father to take a knife and cut his own child's throat . a sabbatarian also , i am told , did lately say , ( having a child to put out an apprentice ) he knew not any that kept the sabbath whose trade he liked ; and to place him with one that would cause him to work on that day , was as bad as adultery or theft , or to that effect . another lately told us , that we in not keeping the sabbath , or fourth command , broke all the rest ; or words to the same purpose . . and from hence also , which is the plain and necessary consequence of their principle , either such must perish who live and die in a palpable violation of this pretended simple moral precept without any sorrow or repentance ; or else that men may be saved , who live and die under the guilt of immoral evil in the grossest sense . for tho it is granted that a true christian may be guilty in some sense of an immoral evil , and who is not ? yet if a moral precept be broke in the letter of it , or in the grossest sense , as he that commits actual adultery or murder ; can such be saved , living and dying in those sins , without any true sight of the evil of them , or repentance for them ? nay , that do not only live in the literal breach of this moral precept ( as they call it ) but teach men so to do ? object . but they do it ignorantly . answ . ignorance of any human law , tho the breach of it be death , will not excuse any man , because the law is published , or they may know it . so ignorance cannot excuse a man that breaks any precept of the moral law of god. . this notion and principle of theirs seems not only to admit of such consequences naturally to attend it ; but they indeed express themselves very directly on this occasion , even to shut out of the kingdom of heaven all that keep not the seventh-day sabbath , or at least such who teach men to break it . see what mr. soarsby saith , viz. the decalogue in the new testament — is abundantly confirmed by many places in the gospel , which establish the authority of the law , and commandments of god to christians , both jews and gentiles : our lord came not to destroy the law , but to fulfil it . some men , saith he , affirm , contrary to both , they who teach and do these commandments , shall be great in the kingdom of heaven ; but such as break the least , and teach men so to do , shall be least in it ( that is , have no part in it ) ; for unless christians keep them better than the scribes , there is no entering into heaven , mat. . . the summary of the two tables , are the great commandments on which hang all the law and the prophets . the doing of these , as written and read in the law , is the way to eternal life , luke . , . again he saith , it is not the hearer of the law that shall be justified amongst the romans as well as the jews , &c. two things note here : . he takes it for granted , that the precise seventh-day sabbath is one part of the moral law ; and so his design is ( as i conceive ) to shew that such as violate this sabbath , and teach men so to do , have no part in heaven . . he says , the doing of these is the way to eternal life , mistaking the purport of our saviour's words to the young man , who spake to him as one under the covenant of works , to discover his ignorance of the way to heaven , which is by christ alone , not by doing those commands as written and read in the law ; 't is not do , but believe , &c. is not this man ignorant of the way to eternal life ; did our lord come to ratify the decalogue for us , to keep and fulfil in our own persons , thereby to be justified and saved ? here is not one word of the righteousness of christ . no , no , but that righteousness that must exceed the righteousness of the scribes , is our own inherent righteousness only . true , we say a sincere inherent righteousness we must have for a meetness for eternal life ; but that is not our title to it , or the way to it , but the righteousness and merits of christ alone . doth he not establish the covenant of works and justification by the law ? what popish doctrin is worse ? also in a printed paper given one lord's day at the door * by some sabbatarian , you have these words ; christ died to procure grace to enable men to fulfil this law , rom. . . ( not that 't is fulfilled in us , that is in our head , i. e. by christ in our nature for us ) but in us , that is , by us . o woful stuff ! besides , doth christ help us to fulfil the whole law perfectly ? if so , 't is by the law thus fulfilled that we are justified ; and then also 't is not by the obedience of one man that we are made righteous . do not these men , like the jews , go about to establish their own righteousness ? moreover , their doctrin renders all that keep not , or violate their sabbath , to be guilty of the breach of the whole law , which they affirm this is one point of ( i. e. a simple moral precept ) and not the least command neither i fear with these men . now , my brethren , how are these young men and others blinded , who out of mistaken zeal strive to bring in a jewish rite , or the observation of the old legal sabbath ; in promoting of which error they disperse such pernicious books and pamphlets as tend directly to establish the covenant of works , to the utter destroying the doctrin of the gospel , and the free grace of god in our justification by the obedience of christ alone , and to the palpable hazard and perdition of their own and other peoples souls . these persons seek to sacrifice all that is truly valuable , to the blind observation of a day that obliges them to keep the whole law. . that the natural consequence of their principle and practice , as reverend dr. owen shews , tends to the great scandal of the christian religion , and to the hardening of the jews in their infidelity , is apparent to all : for the introduction of any part of the old mosaical system of ordinances , is a tacit denial of christ's being come in the flesh , at least of his being king and law-giver to his church . and to lay the foundation of all religious solemn worship in the observation of a day , as the seventh-day precisely had no relation to any natural or moral precept , nor was instituted or approved by jesus christ , cannot but be unpleasing to them who desire to have their consciences immediately influenced by his authority in all their approaches unto god. but christ herein is supposed to have built the whole fabrick of his worship on the foundation of moses , and to have grafted all his institutions into a stock that was not of his own planting . . moreover , it is evident that the consequence of their opinion concerning the necessary observation of the seventh-day sabbath , as the doctor saith , tends to the increasing and perpetuating of schisms and differences among christians . and those are the worst , saith he , and most pernicious , which occasion or draw after them any thing whereby men are hindred from joining together in the same publick solemn worship , whereby they yield unto god that reverence of his glory — but now upon a supposition of an adherence by any unto the seventh-day sabbath , all communion among professors in solemn gospel-ordinances is rendered impossible : for if those of that perswasion do expect that others will be brought unto a relinquishment of an evangelical observance of the lord's day sabbath , they will find themselves mistaken . the evidence which they have of its appointment , and the experience they have had of god's presence in its religious observation , will secure their practice in this matter , &c. the seventh-day sabbath men on the other hand , supposing themselves obliged to meet for solemn worship on the seventh-day ( which the other account unwarrantable for them to do on the pretence of any binding law to that purpose ) and esteeming it unlawful ( saith he ) to assemble religiously with others on the first-day , on the plea of evangelical warranty , do absolutely cut off themselves from all possibility of communion in the administration of gospel-ordinances with any other churches of christ . and whereas most other breaches as to communion are in their nature capable of healing , without a renunciation of those principles in the minds of men , which seem to give countenance to them ; the distance is here made absolutely irreparable , while the opinion maintained is owned by any . i will press this , saith he , no further , but only by affirming that persons truly fearing the lord , ought to be very careful and jealous over their own understanding , before they embrace an opinion and practice which will shut them from all visible communion with the generality of the saints of god in the world. to which let me add , how can they have communion with us , if they consider and observe the consequences of their principle ? are not we guilty of absolute immorality , i. e. the literal breach of one precept of the first table ? can they , or we have communion with such as bow down to a graven image , or profane the holy name of god , or are guilty of murder , & c. ? and thus you may see what the natural and genuine consequences of this principle are , and that it not only tends to lay the generation of the righteous under the guilt of the breach of a moral precept , and renders them guilty in their sense of the breach of the whole law , but hath other bad consequents attending it also . and this may tend to convince all ( that consider of what i say ) that the morality of the fourth commandment doth not consist in that precise seventh-day sabbath , and discovers how blind these men are . brethren , tho i believe many who keep this day , and affirm it is a moral precept , are very pious and good christians , and do not affirm what i say , nor may be see it not to be so , or will not say thus : what then ? yet i will appeal to all thinking impartial persons , whether i do not infer the direct natural consequence of their principle . moreover , let me ask here this question , how it can stand consistent with a good conscience for a minister to forbear preaching in any congregation some part of morality , or a moral precept . i grant that love , wisdom , charity , peace , &c. may prevent some men from preaching some duties of mere positive right , for a short time at least , that are disputable , and not essentials of salvation . but what are such things to a simple moral precept , both materially and formally one of the ten commandments , as they affirm their sabbath is ? suppose a minister preaches to a congregation that he knows are generally guilty of worshipping a graven image , or of profane swearing , or of adultery , or of killing their innocent neighbours ; would not he preach against these horrid evils , for fear he should offend the congregation ? or if he forbear so to do , would he not be shamefully guilty of great sin , and of their blood also ? happy is the man that condemns not himself in the thing he allows . i know what some have said about polygamy : if they answer me , let them use that argument ; i am prepared to reply . but let none think i speak thus to expose any of them out of prejudice ; for i can appeal to almighty god i have none against any of their persons : but it is to expose their principle and practice , in love to their souls , and to the souls of other persons . but before i conclude with this old sabbath , i must add one dangerous consequence more of their principle . . is not that a dangerous error that reflects , nay casts contempt upon the holy ghost , in respect of his work and office , which is to convince believers of all sin , especially of all immoral evils , under his most clear and glorious ministration , since our saviour's ascension into heaven ? now i ask our opponents , whether the holy spirit doth convince all believers that they ought to keep the old seventh-day sabbath , or reprove them for immorality in the non-observance thereof ? sirs , as these things aggravate their evil in what they affirm , so it clearly tends to overthrow the pretended morality of that precise seventh-day sabbath : for the holy spirit never convinces believers of any such duty , nor reproves them for working on that day , or for bearing of burdens on it , any more than on any other day in the week , to their dying day . but it lets them silently fall asleep , without the least sense of any such pretended immoral evil. besides , the generality of believers after their utmost inquiry , search , and seeking to god in all sincerity , cannot be convinc'd it is their duty to keep this day . would the holy ghost thus leave the generation of the godly under sin , and such ignorance ( think you ) were this a moral duty ? and as to such as do observe it , i am satisfied the spirit of god never taught them so to do . but they in this are left to themselves , and have a zeal , but not according to knowledg , which god in time i hope by his spirit will convince them of . quest . if it be thus , what think you of them that observe this sabbath ? answ . as to such gracious christians who observe it out of conscience , and because 't is put into the fourth commandment , do think it may be their duty so to do , but attempt not to affirm it is a moral duty ; nor dare they neglect to observe the first day , provided they are in a capacity ( being not servants ) to observe both days , and make no noise nor disturbance about it , but keep it to themselves : i think it may be ( as to them ) a harmless error . and as to others , i must leave them to the lord , and judg them not , tho i judg and must condemn their principle . and let them take heed how they judg us in respect of the non-observation of a jewish rite , &c. or of jewish sabbath-days . part ii. the gospel-sabbath ; or , the lord's-day of divine institution . containing four sermons lately preach'd on a special occasion . sermon i. shewing that our lord christ did certainly give directions to his disciples to observe the first day of the week under the gospel . that pentecost was the first day of the week ; and that then the first day was confirmed to be the day of gospel-worship . mat. xxviii . . teaching them to observe all things whatsoever i have commanded you : and lo , i am with you alway , even to the end of the world. our blessed lord as mediator , having received all power in heaven and earth , as king , head , governor , only soveraign and law-giver to his church , gave forth here his great commission to his disciple● . in which , . ( as our annotators note ) he asserts his own power . . he delegates a power to his disciples . . he subjoins a promise to them . 't is a power to congregate churches , and to proclaim free justification and remission of sins , thro his perfect obedience in his holy life , and thro the death of his cross ; as also power to give forth laws and ordinances to his people , and to give eternal life to whomsoever he pleaseth . this power was essentially and inherently in him as god over all blessed for evermore ; but given to him as mediator , god-man , our soveraign lord and redeemer ; given him when he first came into the world , but more especially given and manifested , and confirmed to him when he rose from the dead . in which words we have , . a command expresly given , teaching them , &c. . the universality of this command , all things whatsoever i have commanded you . . a gracious promise annexed by way of encouragement ; and lo , i am with you alway , &c. doct. that many things christ commanded his disciples to teach others , are included or comprehended in this his great commission , which are not expressed . this is evident ; so that if we would know what these things are which are not expressed , we must have recourse , . either to what things they doctrinally preach'd , or by their example led the gospel churches into the practice of . but , . let it be consider'd , that we are obliged to believe that whatsoever the holy apostles did teach , or lead the churches into the practice of by their example , were such things as christ commanded them ; and this paul doth positively declare : for i will not dare to speak of any of those things , to make the gentiles obedient by word or deed , which christ hath not wrought in me , or commanded me . and indeed should it be thought otherwise , it would render the apostles unfaithful , and guilty of bringing innovations into the churches ; either in respect of any one precise day of worship , or any matter or part of worship to be perform'd . i speak not now of the mode of worship , but any essential part thereof . now that paul , who was the minister and great apostle of the gentiles , did teach the churches to observe the first day of the week , by assembling together to discharge the duties of religious worship , is evident . nor can it be once supposed , since he endeavour'd to take the churches off from the observance of the jewish sabbath ( as i have proved ) that he should not direct them , or discover to them what day of the week christ had commanded his people to observe in the time of the gospel : they knowing especially that one day in seven the lord declared in the fourth commandment he would have perpetually sequestred to his service , as also the reasonableness or equitableness thereof . therefore , my brethren , as i have endeavour'd to answer all the pretended arguments brought to prove that we ought to observe the old jewish sabbath , the simple morality of the fourth commandment , they say , consisting in the observation of that precise day : so i shall now , god assisting , attempt to prove that we are obliged to observe the first day of the week as a day of rest , and solemn worship to god ; while i esteem such as are for no special or particular day to be observed by divine authority both in private families and in church assemblies , to be strangely left of god , and to be no friends to our sacred religion , but such as open a door to great licentiousness and profaneness . if therefore any should say , that there is no one precise day in seven of divine authority under the gospel-dispensation , but that the church may appoint what day she pleaseth : i reply . . what force or authority can such a human precept have upon any man's conscience , i. e. the observance of one day in every week free from all worldly business , if god requires it not ? . then also it would follow , that god doth admit vile man to share , or partake of equal honour with himself ; i. e. that tho he will appoint the ordinances of his own worship , and have all that glory to himself , yet man shall have the honour to appoint the precise , constant time of his worship , which is next in point of honour to the other . . and by granting men that honour and dignity , it may let in by parity of reason , a power to alter , and change , if not add new laws and ordinances of worship also . . besides , it will also follow , that the church on the first day of the week doth not meet together by divine appointment , if all days are alike , but only by human authority . . moreover , perhaps one part of the church may be for one day in four ; and another less zealous may be for one day in a fortnight ; nay , one day in a month some may say is sufficient . so that it would put all things into confusion ; for how can a human law , or the bare authority of a church , without the divine appointment of christ jesus himself , awe the conscience ? moreover , perhaps some would be for no day at all ; and what then would become of the publick and private worship of god ? that notion therefore , that every day is alike , is most hateful to god no doubt : for as soon as he established a visible church , giving a stinted , stated worship , laws and ordinances , he appointed himself the precise time of worship under the law ; and the equitableness , as well as the divine authority of one day in seven , is , as i have proved , perpetually obligatory upon all his people . for the further clearing of this , pray consider that , . christ is lord of the sabbath , and of that day god would have observ'd under the gospel : and tho he hath dispensed with the observance of the seventh day , or abolished that , yet as lord and lawgiver he hath instituted a weekly day of rest for his people , and for his solemn worship in gospel-times . and none have this power but himself alone : for shall the servant appoint what precise time his master's business shall be done , or set the times when his master's family shall have their distinct meals , or be fed ? no certainly . therefore , as reverend dr. twiss observes , if any pretend that christ hath delegated this power of his to his church , it stands upon them to make it good . what times god himself took to work in , or to rest after creation , the same proportion of time ( as dr. lake hints ) did he assign to men , and made his pattern a perpetual law. so then of our time god reserves a seventh part for his service . the reserving ( saith he ) a seventh part i hold to be god's ordinance , who is not variable in his choice , but as everlasting as the world. and so should the hallowing of the seventh-day from the creation have been , had it not been for sin ; for what could have altered it but a new creation ? . but man having sinned , and so abolished the first creation de jure , tho not de facto , god was pleased to make by christ an instauration [ or renewal ] of the world ( he means , as i conceive , god so abolished the old creation , that no precise day remains to be observed in the remembrance of it ) and by christ in redemption hath made a new heaven and a new earth ; and old things being passed away ; all things are become new : yea , every man in christ is a new creature ( or of the new creation . ) and as god when he ended his work of the first creation , made a day of rest , and sanctified it : so christ when he ended the work of redemption , made a day of rest , and sanctified it ; not altering the proportion of time which is perpetual , but taking the first of seven for his portion , because it sutes with his new creation , and with his entring into it thro him ; that old being a legal rite , and suting with the covenant of works , which is abolished with the covenant it self ; but the new , the first of seven , remains for ever . . for the further clearing of this matter , consider , that under the first creation god required one day in seven for himself : but the precise seventh-day being a judicial law , is gone ; yet the equity or equitableness of one day in seven as due to god , to be improved to his glory for ever , remains . . god then gave poor servants and cattel , one day of rest in seven ; the last day of seven is gone , but the equity or equitableness of one day in seven for a day of rest for servants and cattel , remains for ever . . god required his people to give his ministers under the law the tenth of all their increase : the law of tithes is gone , but the equity or equitableness that his ministers under the gospel should have as sufficient a maintenance , remains for ever . . under the law god required his people to meet together in his material temple ; the temple is gone , but the equity or equitableness of assembling together in some place or another for publick worship , remains for ever . . under the law god's people in their prayers offered incense : incense was typical , and is gone ; but the equitableness of our duty in making our prayers to god , and confessing our sins , remains for ever . . they under the law had instruments of musick when they sang god's praises : instruments of musick were typical , and only served the jewish worship ; but the equitableness of the duty to sing god's praises with grace in our hearts , remains for ever . . also note , that the second commandment ( as given by moses ) injoined the jewish nation to observe the whole ceremonial law , and all other precepts of the mosaical oeconomy . but as the moral law is in the hands of christ , the second command doth not injoyn on us the observance of those precepts , because abolished ; but it injoyns on us the observance of all ordinances whatsoever christ hath commanded us . also that clause in the second commandment , viz. visiting the iniquities of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation ; doubtless belonged to the covenant of works , and was a temporal punishment . doth god do thus under the new covenant ? moreover , the promise annexed to the fifth commandment , shews that the law , as given by moses , only appertained to the people of israel ; as also the preface to them all , exod. . . doth the like . . so the fourth commandment ( as in the hand of moses ) injoyned the people of israel the observance of the seventh-day : but as the law is in the hand of christ , it doth not injoyn us to observe that day , but being a shadow is abolished . but it doth injoyn us to observe the first day of the week , which christ ( as the lord of the sabbath ) hath instituted under the gospel in its room , tho not to be observed with that legal strictness and penalty as the old sabbath , which was a sign of the covenant of works , and gendred to bondage . object . but where is there a divine appointment of the first day of the week ; and by whom was it required ? answ . this is the cry of our adversaries : and i answer , that i doubt not but our lord and saviour at this time did institute it , and also gave command to his disciples to observe it . i know some others have cryed , where is laying on of hands either upon elders , or baptized believers as such commanded ? and so of divers other things : as if every precept of the gospel must be laid down in express words of command because some of them are . . but to proceed ; let it be well considered , that as i have proved from the fourth command , that a time , a sufficient time for rest , and in the solemn worship of god , is a simple moral duty : . and that god also hath there , by an express positive law , laid claim to one day in seven , as perpetually obligatory on his people . and as i have also proved , that the last day of seven was only given to the jews , or people of israel ; and that it is utterly abolished , it being a sign of the covenant of works : . so i shall now prove that our lord has appointed the first day of the week for us to observe under the gospel . for , first , consider , jesus christ , the son of god , as mediator , is the only head , sovereign lord , and lawgiver to his church ; and therefore it may seem strange , that the special day or time of gospel-worship in his own kingdom-state , should not be given forth by himself . but that moses should have that honour ascribed to him , and that we should commemorate the glorious work of the new creation , or redemption on the old day , which was partly appointed for remembrance of the work of the first creation , is very strange : for the prophet tells us , that upon the creating of the new heaven and the new earth , the former shall be no more remembred ; that is , ( as i conceive ) not in such a way of remembrance , i. e. by the observation of that former day appointed in part on that very account . for certainly god's glorious works of the first creation shall otherwise be never forgot , and 't is evident the text refers to the gospel day . jerusalem paul applys to the new testament church . secondly , now in my text our blessed lord gives forth his commission : go and teach all nations , baptizing them , &c. and then these words are added , teaching them to observe all things whatsoever i have commanded you . what many of those commands were , we know not . it is also said , acts . , . that he was with his disciples forty days and forty nights , having given commandment to his apostles whom he had chosen . yet neither in this place are those commandments expressed , only he bid them not to depart from jerusalem till they received the promised spirit , and were indowed with power from on high . now no doubt but during these days , he fully settled all things appertaining to his spiritual kingdom , and instructed them in all matters they should both do and teach . and can any rationally judg , that he did not then command them which day in seven he would have observed as a day of rest and solemn worship ? thirdly , in the pursuit of what i aim at , consider , that from the day of his ascension into heaven , till the day of pentecost , there were but ten days , during which we do not read they had any special general assembly for religious worship , tho on the two first days some were together , and on both those days he appeared to them . and remarkable it is , that there were two jewish sabbath-days between his ascension and the day of their first general solemn meeting . now had not the old sabbath been gone , certainly they had assembled on both those days : but no doubt our lord had told them on what day they should first meet together , in expectation of the gift and promise of the father ; which day he purposed to ratify as the only day of gospel-worship , by a marvellous effusion of the spirit . to me nothing deserves more to be observ'd than this , viz. on what day of the week the first general gospel-assembly was held , after our lord's resurrection , and just upon ( or soon after ) his ascension : for no doubt that was the day which christ did settle in his gospel-church . and that they were bid to be altogether on this day , and to wait till it was come , seems plainly implyed in the very words of the text , acts . . and when the day of pentecost was fully come ; fully come , doth not that denote they waited for it ? quest . well , and what then ? answ . why , they were all with one accord in one place . certainly this assembly of the church on this day was by divine appointment ; and our lord might order their first assembling together then ( i mean on this first day of the week ) because pentecost fell out then , and because he knew that great multitudes would be together then to celebrate that feast . and therefore , as s. chrysostom notes , god sent down the holy ghost at that time of pentecost , because those men that did consent to our saviour's death , might publickly receive rebuke for that bloody act ; and so bear record to the power of our saviour's gospel before the world. this day , i say , was the first day of the week ; and then the mighty effusion of the holy ghost came upon the apostles , &c. and no less than three thousand souls were converted on this day . these were two of the most wonderful things that ever were done by our lord. and thus our lord first ratified and confirmed the precise day , which no doubt he had command his disciples to meet upon , as the day of gospel-worship , before he in any marvellous manner confirmed any ordinance pertaining to gospel-worship after his resurrection . the jewish sabbath , i must tell you , never was after so glorious a manner confirmed . and remarkable it is , that god first gave the sabbath to the jews , exod. . before he gave any written laws of worship ; they had their sabbath a month before they came to mount sinai , where the law was given . so christ first confirmed the gospel-day of worship , before he confirmed any gospel-ordinance of worship after his resurrection . obj. but we deny that pentecost was the first day of the week , because the jewish rabbins suppose that by sabbath , lev. . . is not meant the weekly sabbath , but the st day of unleavened bread , wherein they are followed by some christians also . answ . i shall prove that pentecost was the first day of the week ; . by the word of god. . by universal tradition . . by the testimony of most approved writers : and then what will become of your fabulous rabbinical traditional jews , or of such christians who too fondly admire their writings which contradict the holy scripture ? now , i say , the day of pentecost was not , as tillam and others pretend , the seventh-day of the week , or the jewish sabbath , but the first-day , or the lord's day . but let me premise , . that pentecost is the same which is called the feast of harvest , exod. . . and the feast of weeks , deut. . . this all agree in . . that it is called by a greek name pentecost ( or the fiftieth day ) because always to be observed on the fiftieth day from the offering of the wave sheaf , as we read lev. . , . . now that this day of pentecost was not upon the jewish sabbath , but on the day after it , is expresly asserted in the last mentioned text , lev. . . and he shall wave the sheaf before the lord to be accepted for you ; ●n the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it . and in ver . , . they were commanded to count from thence seven sabbaths , and on the morrow after the seventh sabbath to keep the fiftieth day or pentecost . observe , the sheaf was to be waved the day after the sabbath ; this is spoken in contradistinction to the feasts spoken of in the d verse , which are elsewhere called sabbaths : but here is an emphasis laid on the word [ the sabbath ] i. e. the sabbath spoken of ver . . and that it is not meant of any of those fore-mentioned feasts , appears in that there are not any particular feasts mentioned , but there is a command to observe them , and the word is in the plural number there . therefore no particular feasts , as the first day of unleavened bread , but the seventh-day sabbath is directly here meant . for wherever there is mention of the sabbath without a restriction to any other feasts , it is to be understood of the seventh-day sabbath , as exod. . . to morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath : the emphasis limits it to the seventh-day sabbath , and that because there is ●o other feast particularly spoken of . secondly , tradition has handed it down to us that the day of pentecost was the first day of the week ; and it is the day call'd whit-sunday . now if tradition has failed here , it fails also as to their seventh day : for how do we know this is the first day , or yesterday was the seventh , but by tradition ? thirdly , here i might mention many learned writers ; yea all generally do affirm that pentecost was the first day of the week . thus dr. heylin , who was no friend to the lord's-day or christian sabbath , saith that pentecost was the first day of the week . mr. durham saith the same . mr. cawdrey and mr. palmer say , that pentecost was the first day of the week , and answer the arguments brought against it . dr. wallis says , pentecost was the first day of the week , and proves it from levit. . . the morrow after the sabbath the priest was to wave the sheaf-offering . and then he proceeds , ver . , . to the feast of pentecost or feast of weeks , ye shall count unto you from the morrow of the sabbath from the day you brought the sheaf of the wave-offering ; seven sabbaths shall be compleat , even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days ▪ inclusively taken , as the manner of the scripture reckoning is , and must needs be so here . it was called the feast of pentecost , or the feast of weeks , as deut. . , . which feast was the morrow after the sabbath , i. e. on the first day of the week . dr. owen saith , pentecost was the first day of the week . when the lord christ intended conspicuously to build his church upon his work and rest , by sending the holy ghost with his miraculous gifts upon the apostles , he did it on this day , which was then among the jews the feast of pentecost , or of week ▪ then were the disciples gathered together with one accord in observance of the day signalized to them by his resurrection , acts . . and by this doth their obedience receive a blessed confirmation , as well as their persons a glorious endowment with abilities for the work they were immediately to apply themselves to . and hereon did they set out to the whole work of building the church on that foundation , and promoting the worship of it , which on that day was especially to be celebrated . thus dr. owen . mr. rich. baxter likewise proves that pentecost was the first day of the week , when the holy ghost came upon the apostles : and , saith he , it is not a trifle that the first sermon to the people was preach'd by peter on that day , and three thousand converted by it , and baptized . dr. vsher also fully clears that pentecost was the first day of the week always , as you shall near by and by , who hath finally resolved this doubt . i have another medium by which to prove it was on the first day of the week that ●he sheaf-offering was to be waved before the lord ; which is this : no doubt but god did hereby signify that our lord christ should on that day rise from the dead , who is said to be ●he first-fruits of them that slept . the wave-offering was , i say , a shadow of christ's re●urrection . the wave-offering was a sheaf of the first ripe fruits of harvest , and was to be offered the morrow after the sabbath . so christ ●s the first-fruits of that great harvest of the saints blessed resurrection ; and he rose again ●n the morrow after the sabbath , and so answered the type . here we have the gospel sabbath , or gospel-day of worship , confirm'd by our lord jesus christ . as for those who assign the institution of his day to the apostles , it is not , as reverend owen observes , to be imagin'd that they knowing ●he day observed under the law of moses was ●emoved , would fix on another day without immediate direction from the lord christ . for indeed they delivered , saith he , nothing to be constantly observed in the worship of god , but what they had his authority for , cor. . . but to return back , because the sabbat●●i●●s deny that pentecost was the first day of the week , i shall here endeavour further to confute them and finally to resolve this doubt , recite some pages out of a reverend author , the substance o● which i perceive he took out of a printed letter wrote by the famous vsher to dr. twiss , who hath , i think , put an end to this controversy . that pentecost is the first day of the week , is generally taken by christian writers , and so it may be evidently proved by the scripture . let plain scripture determine the matter : i look into the statute laws of moses concerning 〈◊〉 feast of pentecost . exod. . , . six days shalt thou 〈◊〉 , but the seventh thou shalt rest , both in earing-time and in harvest . and thou shalt observe the feast of weeks , of the first-fruits of wheat-harvest . lev. . , , , . when ye are come 〈◊〉 the land which i give unto you , and ye shal● reap the harvest thereof , then ye shall bring 〈◊〉 sheaf of the first-fruits of your harvest to 〈◊〉 priest ; and he shall wave it , together with 〈◊〉 offering of a lamb without blemish : on the 〈◊〉 row after the sabbath he shall wave it . and ye shall count unto you from the morr●● after the sabbath , from the day that ye bring●●● the sheaf ; seven sabbaths shall be compl●● even to the morrow after the seventh sabbath , ye shall number fifty days . so numb . . . deut. . . seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee ; begin to number th●● seven weeks from such time as thou begin●● 〈◊〉 put the sickle to the corn. from the harmony of which four te●●● 〈◊〉 appears , that this feast had three 〈…〉 names , which were all made good at that solemn pentecost , acts . . it was call'd the feast of weeks or of sevens , because from the waving of the sheaf they reckoned as many weeks to this feast as there be days in seven weeks ; which evidently shadowed out some weekly festiyal under the gospel , the day whereof was noted by that pentecost , acts . , . . it was call'd the feast of first-fruits , and of harvest ; because as they began their harvest upon the first of the fifty days when they offered the sheaf of first-fruits , so they ended it upon the fiftieth day , which was properly the feast-day : upon which they offered the wave-loaves . and these fifty days or seven weeks were the appointed weeks of their harvest ; and by the offering of the sheaf at the beginning of their harvest there , their after-fruits were sanctified . and the offering of the ●oaves on the fiftieth day was not only an eu●haristical oblation , but also a token of the harvest being finished . . it is called the feast of pentecost , because it was ever kept the fiftieth day ; the fiftieth , ●ow reckoned ? from the morrow after the ●abbath ( that is , the first day of the week ) ●ut what mark had they to know their morrow 〈◊〉 ? moses tells them , when you shall reap the harvest of your land ; or when you begin to ●eap it , for so 't is expounded in deut. . . begin to number the seven weeks from such a ●ime as thou beginnest to put the sickle to the ●orn . so , that when they began their harvest , they must begin their account of fifty ●ays . and the first of the fifty was the morrow of the sabbath , or the day following the sabbath , namely the first day of the week : and as they began , so they must end their account on the same day ; as the first , so the fiftieth day , or day of pentecost , must be on the morrow of the last sabbath , levit. . , . and this is injoin'd by the express command of god , to be observ'd as a statute for ever throughout their generations . this is the plain scripture-account ; and who can but observe the wisdom of god in ordering the matter thus ? viz. that this feast of weeks should never fall upon the seventh-day , but always upon the first day of the week , the morrow after the sabbath , or the day immediately following it , if at least his statute-law had always been observ'd . and what else could this presignify , as dr. vsher speaks , but that under the state of the gospel the solemnity of the weekly service should be celebrated upon that day ? now i hope that famous pentecost , act. . . will be no parable , tho we state it ( according to the divine oracle ) upon the first day of the week , the morrow after the jews sabbath . we need no almanack to help us here , the bible is sufficient . nor , say i , do we need the traditions of the blind doting rabbins . but ( to proceed ) because the sabbataria● stand so much upon supposed mysteries in the feast of pentecost , according to their traditional account , i shall acquaint them with the real mysteries of christ accomplished exactly according to this scriptural account , where they may see the type and the truth admirably concurring : for as at the time of the passover , christ our passover was sacrificed for us , and lay in his grave the whole jewish sabbath following : so on the morrow after the sabbath ( when the sheaf of the first fruits was offered to god ) jesus christ rose from the dead , and became the first-fruits of them that slept ; and many of the saints that slept rose likewise after him . from hence was the account taken of the seven sabbaths , or fifty days ; and upon the morrow after the seventh sabbath ( which was our lord's day ) was that famous feast of weeks , that day of pentecost , acts . . upon which day the apostles having themselves received the first fruits of the spirit , begat three thousand souls with the word of truth , and presented them as the first fruits of the christian church to god , and to the lamb. here was the feast of loaves in the antitype , that feasted some thousands of souls . and from that time forward do the waldenses note , that the lord's day was observed in the christian church in the place of the jewish sabbath . thus dr. vsher , that library of learning . object . if it be objected , that in this discourse he states christ suffering at the feast of the passover , and so falls in with the vulgar opinion , which takes the morrow after the sabbath , levit. . for the morrow after the passover sabbath . i answer , that cannot be : for he had declared before that the sabbath there intended is the weekly sabbath ; and the morrow after it is the first day of the week : and he cites isychius and ruportius in interpreting it so before him ; to whom i shall be bold , saith * he , to add nazianzen who was before them all , who speaking of the feast of pentecost , says , this nation ( meaning the jewish nation ) uses to consecrate to god , not only the first of their fruits , and first born , but the first fruits of their days and years also . thus the illustrious number of seven has carried the honour of pentecost : for seven being composed upon it self , makes fifty wanting but one day , which we have taken from this future age , being both the eighth and the first day . his argument is clearly this , that the jewish pentecost was fain to be beholden to the christians eighth day , or first day of the week , to make up the compleat number of fifty days . and the like he says a little before concerning their jubilee every fiftieth year : for seven times seven makes but forty nine ; to perfect the number , they borrowed the first day of the week , and so consecrated to god the first of their days as well as of their land. so that this computation of the fifty days to pentecost , from the morrow of the sabbath , wants no authority to back it , either divine or humane . but the word of god is our best warrant ; and we may be satisfied that dr. twiss was no child at argument , nor one that would be perswaded on slight grounds ; but upon bishop , vsher's discovery of this truth by the forementioned scripture-evidence , he professed he received great satisfaction , and acknowledges that the mystery of the feast of first fruits was opened to the singular advantage and honour of the lord's day . object . the only objection against this interpretation , is the judgment of mr. ainsworth , and our english annotators , who take the sabbath , levit. . for the feast of the passover sabbath . answ . . herein they are led by the common opinion of the hebrew doctors , who indeed are excellent guides when they keep the beaten road of scripture ; but in many things made void the commandments of god by their traditions . let this mistake lie at their door ; for certainly a mistake it is , and that the morrow after the sabbath could not be the passover , is clear , because , . it must be such a morrow after the sabbath as never falls upon the weekly sabbath : the reason is plain , because it is the beginning of harvest , when they put in their sickle to the corn , or their harvest , levit. . . which the are expresly forbidden to do upon their weekly sabbath , exod. . , . six days thou shalt labour , but on the seventh thou shalt rest , both in earing time and harvest . and see how this is coupled with the feast of first fruits in the very same place , thou shalt observe the feast of weeks , &c. . observe it , if the morrow after the sabbath , levit. . had been the morrow after the passover , this would often have fallen on the weekly sabbath : for the passover being fixed upon the th of nisan , whenever this th of nisan fell upon the friday , the morrow after it must be saturday , and so they must begin to reap their harvest on the weekly sabbath against the express command of god. the hebrew doctors foresaw this inconvenience , and had no other way to salve it , but by affirming that this reaping did drive away the sabbath , and that it was lawful on the sabbath-day . a most impious opinion ! for it crosses the very letter of god's law , in ●aring-time and harvest thou shalt rest . . the morrow after the sabbath , at the beginning of their account , must be such a morrow as concludes it , levit. . , . therefore it could not be the morrow after the passover-sabbath , or any festival ; for there was no such sabbath at the end of any account whatsoever . . the passover-sabbath was fixed to a certain day of the month , namely , the th of the first month ; and thus all their other festivals had their fixed days . but this feast of pentecost is no where affixed in all the books of moses to any certain day of the month : nor indeed could it be , unless god should make a ceremonial law to cross the law of nature ; or rather limit the course of divine providence , to ripen their corn just against such a day of the month : which , as dr. vsher observes , is a very great presumption that the feast of pentecost was a moveable feast , but immoveable as to the day of the week ; so varying , that it might always fall upon the day immediately following the ordinary sabbath . . the antitype is the best key to unlock the type : and this is clear in the new testament ; for that christ was our first fruits in reference to his resurrection , st. paul assures us ; and that he rose from the dead on the morrow after the weekly sabbath , all the four evangelists do inform us . and tho. tillam has granted , that these things must be punctually fulfilled by christ , as well in the time * as in the type . from his own grant therefore i conclude , that the day of first fruits was the first day of the week , and therefore was the day of pentecost , to the everlasting honour of that lord's day , and the glory of god the holy ghost , who sanctified it by his presence and power , sending down a new supply of tongues from heaven ( as if all the tongues upon earth were not sufficient ) to sound forth the praises of this redeemer , and spread the gospel all over the world on the first day of the week , as an earnest whereof there was a glorious beginning made on this day . the gospel was now published to some of all nations , there being a great concourse even of every nation under heaven met at jerusalem , acts . . and at this meeting three thousand souls were converted and baptized , ver . . a double baptism was indeed dispensed this day ; the apostles were now baptized with fire , and three thousand converts with water ; which was such a solemnity , as the church of god never saw the like to that day , nor since . our adversary tillam confesses , that this was the most glorious sabbath that ever the church enjoyed ; only he perswaded himself and others it was the saturday-sabbath : but herein he befools himself , and deceives others . . 't is strange indeed any should once suppose the feast of pentecost could ever fall on the seventh-day sabbath ; because as the wave-offering was to be offered the morrow after the sabbath , so from that very day inclusively they were to count seven sabbaths , and then the morrow after the last of the seven was the fifth day , i. e. pentecost . i need not say any more to this . to conclude , after all attempts to the contrary , the glory of the spirit 's mission rests on the first day of the week : this day the church of christ was visited from on high , the promise of the father was sent , the blessed spirit came ; the disciples were assembled , peter preached , and three thousand were converted and baptized ; and all this is written : why the church assembled ? ( as mr. sprint argues ) why on this day ? why the holy ghost ? why preaching , why conversion , and administration of the sacraments ? why the promise of christ accomplished all on this day ? but still to declare the will of christ in appointing , blessing , and sanctifying of this day to his church , and making it a day of publick solemn worship , as a day in all its prerogatives above all other days : a day of christ's resurrection , by which we are justified , in which he ceased from his work , as god did from his on the seventh , and so hath the same reason for a day of rest : the day 〈◊〉 the holy spirit 's descension , by whom we are sanctified : a day of assembling and preaching , on which sinners were converted , and believers edified ; by which the whole trinity is glorified . and where is he now , who said , none can prove one whole first day was kept in religious worship in all the new testament ? was not this first day so kept , and established for us to observe and keep from morning to evening ? sermon ii. the institution and foundation of the first day , proved from heb. . , , &c. that it is the day which the lord hath made for divine worship . that the disciples and primitive churches assembling together upon that day , is a full proof of the same . my brethren , i have endeavoured to prove , that the first day of the week our lord jesus christ hath appointed to be the special day of rest , and for the worship of god under the gospel ▪ first , by virtue of his command , who was with his disciples forty days giving them commandments , &c. before his ascension , which are not expressed . secondly , because pentecost was the first day of the week , when this day was confirmed by the miraculous effusion of the holy ghost . but to proceed : thirdly , my next argument shall be taken from christ's resting , or ceasing from his works upon that day , as god did from his . and this indeed i take to be the foundation of the observance of the first day ; and that which i mentioned last is a clear confirmation thereof . in order to do this , consider , that each day to be observed , either under the law or gospel , must be comprehended in the fourth command ▪ and that the change of the old day takes not away the perpetual obligation of one day in seven , nor the reason of that positive perpetual law. now there are but two great and general instances in which god is said to rest , viz. . that after the first creation was finished , god rested from all his work , namely , from creation-work , so as he never will create any material thing again to the end of the world. as to his creating the soul , that is not the creating of any new species of beings . . the rest of god-man , after he had finished the work of redemption , or the second creation , which is never to be repeated . now there is a moral reason which is deducible from the fourth commandment , that whenever god rests , there is a foundation of a day of rest for man , comporting with the nature and tendency of each covenant to which that rest doth refer . [ thou shalt do no manner of work , &c. for in six days , &c. ] the word for implys a moral reason , which makes it applicable to any rest of god , therefore to god's rest from the work of redemption , i mean that of god-man , which is also deducible from heb. christ rested from his work , as god did from his . therefore there remaineth a rest for the people of god : for he that is entered into his rest , hath also ceased from his works , as god did from his . here is the institution of the lord's day : for tho this rest hath a particular relation to the gospel-day of rest , i. e. of that grace , rest , and peace christ procured for us , by his doing all that we had to do , and of that burden of punishment he bore , which we had to undergo for our sins ; yet not exclusive of a particular sabbath or day of rest ; but it is directly intended here as the foundation and institution of it , because that rest in the former verses , which has a more particular respect to the rest in canaan , is spoken of not excluding god's resting the seventh-day . now in pursuit of this i shall here cite some material passages out of dr. owen on the sabbath , who has fully confirmed what i here assert . how the creation of all things was finished , and the rest of god and man that ensued thereon , hath been ( saith he ) declared . it hath also in part , and sufficiently as to our present purpose , been evidenced , how the great ends of the creation of all , in the glory of god , and the blessedness of man in him , with the pledg thereof in a sabbatical rest , were for a season as it were defeated and disappointed by the entrance of sin , which brake the covenant that was founded in the law of creation , and rendered it useless unto those ends — hence it could no more bring man to rest in god ; but yet there was the continuation of the obligatory force of the law and covenant , and hence of the sabbatical rest in the church of israel , with the especial application of its command to that people — in this state of things . god had of old determined the renovation of all things by a new creation , a new law of that creation , a new covenant , and a new sabbatical rest to his glory by jesus christ — and this renovation of all things accordingly to be accomplished in christ . 't is said , old things are past away , and behold all things are become new ; the old law , the old covenant , old worship , old sabbath , and all that was peculiar to the covenant of works as such , in the first institution of it , and its renewed declaration on mount sinai , all are gone and antiquated . — and what now remains of them as to any usefulness in our living to god , doth not abide on the old foundation , but on a new disposition of them by the renovation of all things in christ , eph. . . — a new law of obedience is introduc'd by the new creation in christ jesus — and there is a great renovation thereof shewed in god's writing his law in our hearts , not here to be insisted on — god brings over * in this state the use of the first law as renewed , and represented in tables of stone , for a directive rule of obedience to the new creature , whereby the first original law is wholly supply'd . hereunto he makes an addition of what positive laws he thinks meet . — so the moral law , tho materially always the same , — yet this old law as brought over into this new state , is new also ; for all old things are become new . and it is now the rule of our obedience , not merely to god as creator , but to god in christ bringing us into a new relation to himself , in the renovation of the image of god in our souls , and the transferring over of the moral law as a rule , accompanied with new principles , motives and ends. and now observe , all the rests of god are founded in his own rest in his works ; for a pledg hereof a day of rest must be given and observed — but as the apostle tells in another case , the priesthood being changed , there must also of necessity be a change of the law — so the covenant being changed , and the rest which was the end of it , being changed ; and the way of entering into the rest of god , being changed ; a change of the day must of necessity thereon ensue . and no man can assert the same day of rest precisely to abide as of old , but he must likewise assert the same way of entering into ●t , which yet , as all acknowledg , is changed . the day first annexed to the covenant of works ( that is the seventh day ) was continued under the old testament , because the outward administration of the covenant of works was continued . — but now the new covenant being absolutely established , and the other abolished , both as to its nature , use , efficacy and power , no more to be represented nor proposed unto believers , even the whole of it : yea , and its renewed administration under the old testament being removed , taken away , and disappearing , heb. . . the precise day of rest belonging unto it was to be changed also , and so it came to pass . on these suppositions we lay , and ought to ●ay the observation of the lord's-day under the new testament according to the institution of ●t , or declaration of the mind of christ , who ●s our lord and lawgiver concerning it . a new work of creation , or work of a new creation , is undertaken and compleated * . this new creation is accompanied with a new law and covenant , or the law of faith and covenant of grace , rom. . . ch . . , , . jer. . , . heb. . , , , &c. to this law and covenant a day of holy rest unto the lord doth belong , which cannot be the same with the former , no more than it is the same law or same covenant which was originally given , heb. . . rev. . . that this day was limited and determined to the first day of the week by our lord jesus christ , is that which shall now further be confirmed . — first , on this day he rested from his work by his resurrection , for then he laid the foundation of the new heavens and new earth , and finished the works of the new creation , when all the stars sang together , and the sons of god shouted for joy. on this day he rested from his works , as god did ; and was refreshed , as god was : for tho he worketh hitherto , in communication of his spirit and graces ( as the father continueth to do in his works of providence ) after the finishing of his works of the old creation , tho these works belong thereunto ; yet he ceaseth absolutely from that kind of work , whereby he laid the foundation of the new creation : henceforth he dyeth no more , and on this day was he refreshed in the view of his works , for he saw it was exceeding good . now as god's rest , and his being refreshed in his work on the seventh day of old , was a sufficient indication of the precise day of rest , which he would have observed under the administration of that original law and covenant ; so the rest of our lord jesus christ , and of his being refreshed in and from his work on the first day , is a sufficient indication of the precise day of rest to be observ'd under the dispensation of the new-covenant , now confirm'd and established . and the church of christ could not pass one week under the new testament , or in a gospel-state of worship , without this indication . for the judaical sabbath , as sure as it was so , and as sure as it was annexed to the mosa●●l administration of the covenant , was so far abolish'd , as not to oblige really the disciples of christ in conscience to the observation of it , whatsoever any of them might for a season apprehend . and if a new day was not now determined , there was no day or season appointed for an observance of an holy rest unto the lord , nor any pledg given us of our entering into the rest of christ . — accordingly this indication of the gospel-day of rest , and worship , was imbraced by the apostles , who were to be as the chief corner stones in the foundation of the christian church . for immediately they assembled themselves on that day , and were confirmed in their obedience by the grace of our lord in meeting with them thereon , joh. . , . and it appears on this day only he appeared to them , when they were assembled together , altho occasionally : he shewed himself to sundry of them at other seasons . — moreover , from this time forward this day was never without its solemn assemblies , as shall further be cleared afterwards . thus the doctor . he then proceeds further to prove more fully from this of heb. . the foundation and institution of the lord's-day ; in which he has certainly not only out-done all expositors before him , but hath made it very plain that the first day is here by the apostle declared to be established by christ's rest , and our resting in him ; and to be the day of rest and solemn worship under the gospel , as god's resting from his work was the foundation of the old sabbath . he cites heb. . — . moreover , he opens the many rests mentioned , and proves the rest spoken of in the psalms to intend the rest of christ and his people in the gospel-dispensation ; and not the eternal rest above , but that rest which all that believe do enter into , after christ had done all our work , and ceased , or finished his work for ever , as god finished his ; and as a pledg of his rest , hath left us a day of rest : there remaineth therefore a sabbatism for the people of god. here is both the foundation and institution of the first day as a day of rest , or a gospel sabbath ; and the manner of our entering into it , as well as the abrogation of the old day . the foundation , saith he , of the whole is laid down , ver . . for he that is entered into his rest , has ceased from his works , as god did from his : i. e. that as god ceased working , rested , and took satisfaction and complacency in his work , never working any more in creating , and so a rest followed on that day ; so christ ceased and rested from the work of redemption on the first day , and a rest followed for us on that day , he taking rest and complacency in his work. there is the rest of the one and the other ; and these ( saith he ) also have their mutual proportion . now god rested from his own work of creation , . by ceasing from creating , only continuing all things by his power in their order and propagation to his glory . . by his respect to them , and refreshment in them , as those which expressed his excellencies , and set forth his praise , and so satisfied his glorious design . . so christ also must cease working , i. e. he must die no more , suffer no more , but only continue the work of his grace and power in the preservation of the new creation , and the orderly increase and propagation of it by his spirit . . he takes delight and satisfaction in the works he hath wrought ; for he sees of the travel of his soul , and is satisfied . — in brief , all that he did and suffered in and from his incarnation to his resurrection , as mediator of the covenant , with all the fruits , and effects , and consequences of what he so did , whereby the church was built , and the new creation finished , belongs to his works . his rest that ensued on these works , hath two parts : ( . ) a cessation from his works , which was eminent , and answered god's rest from his works . ( . ) satisfaction in his works , and the glorious product of them , as those which had an impression on them of his love and grace , psal . . . now lest any should suppose that christ rather ceased from his works , when he died , because it is said 't is finished , &c. which certainly refers to all those things that were types or prophecies of him to that time ; for the work of redemption could not be finished till he rose from the dead : take what the doctor further saith to this . it remains , saith he , only that we enquire into christ's entrance into his rest , both how and when he did so , even as god entered into his on the seventh-day . for this ( saith he ) must limit and determine a day of rest to the gospel-church . now this was not his lying down in the grave . his body indeed there rested for a while : but that was no part of his mediatory rest , as he was the founder and builder of the church . for , . it was part of his humiliation : not only his death , but his abode and continuance in the state of death was so , and a principal part of it : for after the whole human nature was united to the person of the son of god , to have it brought into a state of dissolution , or to have the body and soul separated from each other , was a great humiliation . and every , thing of this nature belonged to his work , and not to his rest . . this separation of body and soul under the power of death was penal , a part of the sentence of the law which he underwent . and therefore peter declares , that the pains of death were not loosed but by his resurrection , acts . . this therefore could not be his rest , or any part of it . . nor did he first enter into his rest , at his ascension : then he indeed took possession of his glory — but to enter into his rest is one thing , and to take possession of glory another . — and it is placed by the apostle as the consequent of his being justified in the spirit . but this his entring into rest was in and by his resurrection from the dead : — for , . then and there he was freed from the sentence , power , and stroke of the law , being discharged of all the debts of our sins , which he had undertaken to make satisfaction for , acts . . . then and therein were all types , all predictions and prophecies fulfilled , which concerned the work of our redemption . . then and therein his work was done , which answered to god's creating-work . . then and therein he was declared the son of god with power . — thus did the author of the new creation , the son of god , the builder of the church , having finished his work , enter into his rest : and this was on the morning of the first day of the week . and hereby he did limit and determine the day for our sabbatical rest under the new testament : for now was the old covenant utterly abolished ; and therefore the day which was the pledg of god's and man's rest therein , was to be taken away , and accordingly was , as we have proved . — and this is that which the apostle affirms as the substance of all he hath evinced , namely , that there is a sabbatism for the people of god , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; the word is framed by our apostle from an hebrew original , with a greek termination ; and he useth it as that which is comprehensive of his whole sense , which no other word would be , for he would shew there is a sabbatical rest founded in the rest of god , [ god-man ] remaining for the church ; and therefore makes use of the same word whereby god expressed his own rest , when he sanctified the seventh-day for a day of rest thereon . again he further proves , that the apostle asserts an evangelical sabbath , or day of rest , to be constantly observed in and for the worship of god under the gospel . thus far and to this effect speaks dr. owen . 't is , my brethren , the apostle's business in this chapter , as the doctor has proved , to shew an institution of the first day of the week , and this upon the great work of redemption , and christ's resting from his works , as god did from his ; as also the manner of his entering into his rest , which was not till all our work was done by our surety , and our burden was born by him for us ; for till then we could not enter into his rest . and being in his rest , he has appointed this day as a pledg thereof , that we may begin with god , give him the first day , and so seek first the kingdom of god. first as to the early days of our life ; first in the day , and first in every day of the week . brethren , we have rest before we work , or labour for it , and so work from rest , life and peace , and not work for life , or to enter into rest that way , as they were to do under the old covenant . remarkable is that passage of paul , as many as walk according to this rule ( that is , the rule of the new creature , or new creation ) peace be on them . and as in matters of worship , so in respect to the new day of worship , the apostle pronounceth peace to such , &c. and thus i have shewed how the first day was confirmed by the miraculous effusion of the spirit , and also the foundation and institution of this day , as here laid down by the apostle . fourthly , my fourth argument to prove the institution of the first day of the week , shall be taken from psal . . , , . the stone that the builders refused , is become the head stone of the corner . this is the lord 's doing , and it is marvellous in our sight . this is the day the lord hath made , we will be glad and rejoice in it . . pray observe that our lord became the head-stone of the corner on the day of his happy resurrection ; on this day the gospel-church took its beginning : on this day he entered into his rest , and was invested with actual victory over all his enemies , and clothed with soveraign power and authority as king and law-giver . . well , and what saith the holy ghost ? this is the day the lord hath made . . he speaks , as all expositors note , of the particular day of christ's resurrection . . and that this is the day which the lord hath made : how made ? god created that , and every day of the week at first . but this day is constituted or made for some special end and use , above any other day in the week : nothing lies more plain in the text than this . . the lord hath made it , i. e. instituted or appointed it to these great ends ; not the apostles , not the church , not man , but the lord himself hath made it . . and then the gospel-church , and all gospel-believers signified by this word [ we ] resolve upon this great authority to observe it ; we will rejoice and be glad in it . here it is foretold that god hath singularly made , created , or instituted this day for us , to meet together , and to worship him with joy and gladness of heart ; and accordingly we have proved it was confirmed . i challenge any man to shew us a reason why any day besides this can be here intended . obj. the prophet alludes to the general gospel-day , or else only to that very precise day on which christ rose ; not that that day should successively be kept . answ . we deny not but that the general gospel-days of grace came in with this day : but in the days of the gospel this text also shews god hath made or appointed a particular day to be observed with rejoycing and gladness of heart , not the seventh but the first day . for it is evident this day was the day when our lord was made or became the head-stone of the corner , viz. the day of his glorious resurrection . where is the general day of the gospel called a day made ? is not this as much as that at the beginning the lord blessed and sanctified the seventh day ? 't is not there said he sanctified it for men successively to keep . now ( . ) here is expressed a particular day ; and what day 't is , the verses going before shew . ( . ) 't is a day made or instituted for singular use . ( . ) it is a day made by the lord to that end . ( . ) for us to worship god in , or to rejoice in before him with gladness of our heart . god meeteth him that rejoiceth , and that remembers him in his ways . . god hath made or instituted this day for singular , nay for the highest and chiefest end and purpose . . and what day have we cause to rejoice in , keep and observe like this day ? for has not redemption-work the preference of creation-work ? the glory of creation-work was mar'd by sin ; but redemption-work , redemption-grace , restores the image of god to us again , and puts us into a far better condition than we were in at first . in redemption-work the glory of all god's attributes shines forth , so they did not in the first creation . the day of christ's resurrection is the day of our deliverance from sin , the law , wrath , death , devils , and all enemies for ever . this is the day the lord has made more honorable and glorious , and more to be remembred than god's creating the heavens and the earth . are there any dare say that the first creation ought more to be remembred than the second or the new creation ▪ or doth the covenant of works excel the covenant of grace , or the law the gospel ? did god's finishing his work call for a day of remembrance , and doth not christ's finishing his work call for the same ? certainly it doth ; and therefore this is the day the lord hath made , and we will rejoice and be glad in it● and doth not the apostle say , heb. . . upon the same foot of account , there remaineth 〈◊〉 rest ( i. e. a day of rest ) to the people of god ? this is the day in which christ our surety received for us our free justification , i. e. our discharge from the curse of the law , from sin and eternal wrath. on this day christ made an end of sin , finished transgression , and brought in everlasting righteousness ; therefore this is the day the lord hath made , and we will rejoice and be glad in it . . the lord made and created the seventh-day , and afterwards made it a sabbath to answer the end and design of the old creation and old covenant . so the lord created the first day ; and when the new creation was brought in , he made it for a day of sacred rest , and for his solemn worship , answering the end and design of the new creation . . the seventh-day sabbath was made for man under the legal and typical church of israel ; so the first-day was made for man , the new man , or for all the true israel of god , under the gospel , or for the gospel-church . . god made the seventh-day an honourable day , answering his design in the first creation ; and christ has made this day a more honourable day , answering his design in redemption , or new creation . . god made the seventh-day a day of rest , because in it he ceased for ever from first-creation works , and took complacency in his works . so the lord christ hath made the first day a day of rest , because in it he ceased for ever from the works of redemption , never to die or offer any more sacrifice for sin , and took complacency in his work. this is therefore the day the lord hath made ; and we will rejoice and be glad in it . how made ? saith one , not by creation , for so it was made before . . and as the seventh day was instituted and confirmed before the law was given to israel , exod. . so the first day was confirmed , act. . by the mighty effusion of the spirit , before any other gospel-precept was confirmed after the resurrection of our lord. it is called , saith dr. young , dominicum , because , as austin notes , — the lord made it : this , saith he , perhaps will be of no great weight with some , since the lord made all days ; but he seems to have made this day after a special manner , namely , by his resurrection from the dead ( the commemoration of which benefit exceeded the memory of the old creation ) — or else because it was destinated for worshipping the lord jesus christ , &c. thus it was prophesied what day christ would ordain for his service under the gospel , and which believers should observe with joy in his worship . psal . . compar'd with acts . must needs , saith mr. warren , be meant the day of christ's resurrection ; and doth not the spirit speak expresly , this is the day the lord hath made ? it is a day of the lord 's making ; and will he [ that is tillam ] make nothing of that ? what else can be made of it , but a prediction of a divine institution , which is equivalent to a precept ; especially when 't is expounded by an apostolical practice , as this hath been ? what can a day ( made long before in respect of creation ) be stiled the day which the lord hath made then in respect to a divine institution ? an institution then it is , and that on the occasion of christ's resurrection . fifthly , my next argument to prove that the lord hath appointed the first day of the week as a day of rest and solemn worship , shall be taken from those clear examples we have in the new testament of the disciples , and churches of christ meeting together in god's worship upon this day . . let this be considered , that that day which the saints and churches in the apostles time observ'd , must be the precise day in every week , which ought to be kept till our lord comes again . and , . that an apostolical precedent or example is equivalent , or of like authority with an apostolical precept : so that had we no more than this , it would be a sufficient warrant for the observation of this day . now as the observation of the first day , as i have proved , hath its rise , foundation and institution from the resurrection of our lord from the dead ; so we find on that very day the apostles were assembled , tho thomas was not there ; and our lord on that day appear'd unto them : first in the morning of that day , to mary magdalen , mark . . and after that ( perhaps about noon ) he appeared in another form to two of them as they walked in the country : and in the evening of the same day he appeared to many of the disciples together . then the same day at evening , being the first day of the week , when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the jews , came jesus and stood in the midst of them , and saith unto them , peace be unto you . observe how the holy ghost records it , the same day ; again , the first day of the week is twice mentioned , that we no doubt should take notice how he approved of their assembling on that day , and of his honouring this precise day by his appearing three times to one or another of them upon it . and then after eight days , again his disciples were together , and thomas with them : then came jesus , the doors being shut , and stood in the midst , and said , peace be unto you , joh. . . observe , that here was one seventh day or jewish sabbath , between the time of their first assembling and his appearing to them , and the second assembling and his appearing . and i shall prove anon , by an express text , that he did not appear on any other day of the week betwixt these two first days . object . 't is objected , it was not the next first day , but after eight days . answ . . tho this makes nothing for their seventh day , yet would they have it to be on the second day of the week , rather than on the first , having no mind to honour that day christ hath honoured . . but this pretended objection is a meer figment or idle dream . their second meeting , saith dr. young , was the eighth day from the first inclusive . cyril affirms it was the eighth or lord's-day , the first and last being included . what tho it be said after eight days ? is it not also said that christ after three days should rise again ? mark . . yet our lord rose from the dead on the third day of his burial , not after the third day . so also 't is said , luke . . when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child , i. e. on the eighth precise day ; it was not on the ninth , for the holy ghost speaks of the eighth day current , and not finished . so here , after eight days , or on the eighth day , is all one . it might also be on the evening of the eighth day . but see what dr. wallis saith to this , who gives many instances to the same purpose : what we call ( saith he ) a third day ague , the latins call a quartan ; and what we call every other day , they call a tertian . joh. . . destroy this temple , and in three days i will raise it up again ; that is , on the third day . they tell pilate , this deceiver said , after three days i will rise again ( meaning thereby the third day after inclusively ) and therefore they pray that the sepulchre may be made sure till the third day , not longer . after eight days , saith mr. warren , were come , that is , on the eighth day , which reckoning the resurrection-day inclusively , was just that day sevennight , or the next first day of the week . moreover , let it be considered , that this was ( as i hinted before ) the second solemn apparition of our blessed saviour after he rose from the dead . for read joh. . . when he appear'd the next time to them , 't is said , this is now the third time that jesus shewed himself to his . disciples after he was risen from the dead : tho this was not on the first day ( i mean the third time he appeared to them ) for they were then a fishing . yet note , that they neither met together , nor did he ever appear to them ( as we read ) on the seventh day : no , he was far from honouring the old sabbath now abolished , after any such manner . nor do we read of any solemn assembling , and of his apparition to them but on the first day only . and ought not this duly to be considered ? has the holy ghost left this on record for no purpose ? therefore note , that here are two precedents or examples for our imitation , to meet or assemble together on the first day of the week . were there but one such precedent that they assembled together , and of our lord 's owning them in it by his most gracious presence , and by breathing on them , upon the seventh day , ( as i have said ) we should not further contend with our brethren in this matter . moreover , the third time of their general assembling together , or all with one accord in one place , was i have proved on the first day of the week also , namely on the day of pentecost . object . tho they did meet together on the first day of the week , yet it was for fear of the jews , and so no rule for us . answ . . evident it is that the apostles and primitive christians did celebrate the first day ; and this was either by divine appointment , or for some other reasons peculiar to themselves . if by divine appointment , then it is a rule and warrant for us ; but if for some reasons peculiar to themselves , then some can assign those reasons . the principal reason alledged is , you hear , for fear of being persecuted , and therefore they could not meet on the seventh day , and this made them observe the first . . persecution must not hinder us in our obedience to god ; what , disown god , or his day of worship , desert his holy sabbath ? no , had the seventh-day sabbath remained , they could not have done thus without great sin , tho it cost them their lives . . and can it be once imagin'd , had they by slavish fear neglected to keep that sabbath , and changed the only time of meeting together to another day , that our blessed lord would have owned them in so doing , or vouchsafed his most gracious presence to them ? no certainly , he would ( had he appeared to them ) rather severely have rebuked them for their great iniquity , and not have said , peace be unto you . . besides , it would have been a very absurd method to avoid persecution not to meet on the jewish sabbath , because they knew how superstitious the jews were , and that they would not attempt any such thing on their sabbath-day , i mean to persecute , imprison , or any way molest them , had they met on that day . and , . of all days of the week they might rather expect to be disturbed , persecuted , or imprisoned , had they met together on the first day , especially on that very first-day our lord rose from the dead ; because the guard of soldiers were commanded to be together till that day , and besure would not soon , or just on the morning of the third day be discharged . besides , their not finding the dead body might inrage the soldiers against the disciples , should they have been together on that day . . we will grant the privacy of their meeting , and shutting the doors might be indeed for fear of the jews : but yet meet they would , and did ; and certainly they were led so to do by the holy ghost , in that christ appeared in the midst of them on both those days , when they were so assembled . before i close with this , i cannot omit what a reverend author hath said about the day of our lord's resurrection . it was , saith he , a remarkable day in many respects . . it was the eighth day in a continued reckoning of days , which was a number of greater perfection than seven in some respects , witness circumcision — the antients insist much that this circumcision on the eighth day was a type of that eighth day on which our lord rose again from the dead . thus cyprian . moreover , the first day of the week is a day of greatest renown , being first in order of creation , and the first in dignity by our lord's resurrection ; the first fruits of time , and the first of days , and the only day in which our lord became the first fruits of them that slept , and the first-born from the dead , that in all things he might have the preheminence : and , say i , the first day of the new world or kingdom of the messia , or gospel-dispensation . — again , we have , saith he , another conspicuous mark to note this day by , above all other days in the week . . that these glorious apparitions of our now glorious redeemer were no common favors , but choice and special evidences of his owning providence , both as to persons and times — for as he appeared not to all sorts of persons , but to some select chosen witnesses , who were either eminently devoted to his service , or design'd to teach others — so neither did he appear to those persons every day , but principally and most usually upon the day designed by the prophets to his worship and service , and now consecrated by his blessed resurrection . . altho it be said that he was seen of his apostles forty days between his resurrection and ascension , yet was he not seen every day during those forty — that is , by the space of forty days at times , for some times he disappear'd . . however it may be supposed that our saviour did appear on other days ( as once upon a working day ) yet no other day of the week has he honoured to be denominated as the day of his appearing , but the first day of the week only . not on the second , third , fourth , much less the last of the week , the seventh day : but the first is expresly and emphatically noted by name , the same day , the first day of the week jesus came and stood in the midst of them . . 't is evident that our lord appeared often on this day , gracing it with his divine presence : in the morning to mary magdalen , and the rest of the holy women ; in the evening of the same day to the eleven disciples , when gathered together in the nature of a church-assembly . after eight days , or after day-light of the eighth day was past , he appeared again . christ appeared in the morning of the resurrection-day , as well as at the evening ; very early as well as very late ; to teach us that that whole day is his : 't is that day which the lord hath made ; not a piece of the day . thus ( saith he ) i remember dr. hakewell long ago stopt the mouth of this objector * , joh. . . the same day at evening , being the first day of the week . he calls it the first day of the week , tho the evening ; to put the matter out of doubt , that this evening was part of the first day of the week — thus the holy ghost provides against future errors . by christ's second appearance that day seven-night they might be better instructed , witness their assembling on that day , act. . . and acts o . to conclude this , why our lord should neglect the jews sabbath , and afford his glorious presence in christian assemblies on the first-day of the week , thus often , and thus eminently , but to establish this day for sacred assemblies , and to teach us on what day especially we may expect his presence and blessing , i confess i am to seek . . we may take notice of the gracious speeches , actions , and transactions of christ at his several appearings , tending partly to prove his resurrection , the ground of our hope , and the hinge of the day . to this purpose , how did he condescend to his poor doubting staggering disciples , manifesting himself on this day to all their senses — distinguishing it from all other days by sabbath-exercises ? . by his heavenly instructions opening the scriptures , and preaching peace to his disciples , and to us as well as them ; having slain the enmity by his cross , he came and preached peace . on this day he came with his olive-branch in his mouth , saying , peace be unto you . . by giving forth commissions to his disciples , matth. . , , . john . . as my father hath sent me , so i send you . whose sins ye remit , they are remitted , &c. and then breathing upon them the holy ghost . . by convincing demonstrations of his resurrection , to strengthen the faith of thomas . to which some add , . his celebration of the sacred supper according to that promise , i will no more drink of the fruit of the vine , until that day i drink it new in the kingdom of god : that is , after i rise from the dead , which therefore 't is like he then did ; yea , then he broke bread , and was known of his disciples in breaking of bread as he sate with them ( not at meat , as we read it ) the word only implys his gesture of sitting . thus mr. warren . 't is probable he did again celebrate the sacred supper among them ; for breaking of bread commonly alludes to that : and his being known to them in breaking of bread , may denote that ordinance . but this is very doubtful . another indelible mark of honour fixed upon the first-day of the week , is the mission of the holy ghost , or the sending the promise of the father as a royal gift of christ upon his coronation-day ; such a gift as was never given before : and that the day of pentecost was the first-day of the week i have fully proved . sermon iii. proving the first-day of the week to be the special day of solemn worship under the gospel , from acts . . and from rev. . . in which last place it is called the lord's day . having passed through five arguments to prove the first-day of the week to be the day which christ hath appointed for his solemn worship under the gospel , i shall proceed to the next argument . sixthly , because the churches and disciples of our lord jesus christ met together upon this day to break bread , &c. acts . . and upon the first-day of the week , when the disciples came together to break bread. this was the day , it appears , on which they met together , not only for preaching , hearing , praying , &c. but also to celebrate the lord's supper . . observe , 't is said in the context , that paul stayed at troas seven days . and by the way note , that he was there upon one of the jews sabbath-days , but then the church met not together ; and it is evident also that paul waited till the first-day came , that he might not only preach to them when they were generally assembled together , but also celebrate the lord's supper before he departed . now that this was the first-day of the week , none can reasonably deny : but since mr. banfield , mr. smith , mr. soarsby , and others , do doubt of it , take what divers learned men have said ; and first dr. du veil . vpon the first day of the week ; that is , that day , as sozomon saith , which is called the lord's day , which the hebrews called the first day of the week , but the greeks dedicated it to the 〈…〉 the table of canons lately publised by the famous john baptist cotelerius : it was not before christ's resurrection called the lord's day , but the first day ; but after the resurrection it was called the lord's day , the lady of all days , &c. we have the name of the lord's day in rev. . . in ignatius his epistle to the trallians and magnesians : and sometimes in clement's institutions ; also in that place of ireneus , which the writer of the answers to the orthodox in justin martyr hath preserved to us — when the disciples came together — from this place , and that in cor. . . is gathered , that the christians did then use upon the first day of the week to keep up solemn meetings . justin saith , vpon the day called sunday , all that live in citys or country meet in one place . this meeting ( another saith ) was upon the first day of the week 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : which phrase , tho gomarus , primrose , heylin , and many others go about to translate thus , viz. upon one of the days of the week , yet this is sufficient to dash that dream . that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifys on the first day of the week , the generality of the antients both greeks and latins agree ; whose testimony about the sense of a word is the best dictionary . and the same phrase used of the day of christ's resurrection by the evangelists , proveth it . had it been said that paul abode seven days at troas , and on the seventh day of the week when the disciples came together to break bread , no doubt but these sabbatarians would have made this no small proof to observe the old jewish sabbath ; and i confess it would have been a good argument for their practice ; or had paul 〈◊〉 the churches observed the seventh day : and yet they will not allow it to be a proof for the observation of the first day . dr. wallis tells us , that mr. bamfield urg'd , that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is greek for one , and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may as well be rendered one day of the week , as the first day of the week . answ . surely ( saith the doctor ) he is not in earnest ; such trifling doth more hurt than help his cause . no doubt but when they met , it was one day of the week , we need not be told it ; nor need the word week be added , he might have said one day ; nor need he have said so much : but this author cannot think ( nor doth he ) that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth any where signify other than the first day of the week . in the whole story of christ's resurrection , and what followed on that day , in all the four evangelists , we have no other word but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the latin word pridie is a derivative ( or compound rather ) from prae , prior ; and postridie from post , posterior : and accordingly ( in latin ) pridie calendarum must signify a day before the calends . but can any man think it is meant of any day ? no , but the next day before . so if we say , christ was crucified one day before the sabbath , and rose again one day after the sabbath : this one day is the next day . and so any man who hath not a mind to cavil will understand it . and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , one day after the sabbath , must needs be understood of the next day after the sabbath , nor is it ever used in any other sense . if it were to be unstood of any day indefinitely , it should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , some day after the sabbath ; not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , one day after . thus dr. wallis . see how hard these men are put to it , in labouring to cast away , nay tread under-foot the glorious day of our lord's resurrection . and 't is strange to see how men , to maintain their errors , will quarrel and find fault with the translation of our bible . 't is manifest therefore , that there was a religious assembly of the christian congregation at troas , on the first day of the week , for celebration of the lord's supper , and preaching ; and paul with them : which i take to be the celebration of the christian sabbath . obj. however this , mr. t. bamfield says , is but one instance . answ . true ( saith the doctor ) this is but one ( but we have heard of more before , and shall hear of more by and by ) yet this one is more than he can shew for more than two thousand five hundred years , from god's resting on the seventh-day , gen. . . till after israel was come out of egypt , exod. . during which time he would have us think the seventh-day was constantly observed . and if he could shew any one instance of enoch , noah , abraham , or others , where such a religious assembly for the worship of god was held on the seventh-day in course from the creation , he would think his point well proved , tho no more were said of it than is of this . whereas now as to the time from thence to the flood , he brings no other proof , but that abel , enoch , and noah were good men ( as no doubt but they were ) and therefore it is to be presumed they kept a sabbath , and that upon the seventh day : which is to beg the question , not to prove it . thus the same author . object . but it is objected that it was an occasional and accidental meeting for common eating . answ . . it was a full assembly , that is evident : for some were fain to get up into the windows three stories high , as eutychus , ver . . the lower room would not hold them ; therefore it was no small meeting . . 't is said , they came together to break bread. what , is paul so thoughtful of eating and drinking , to refresh his body with them , as to stay seven days for that ? no , no , it was a better feast he hunger'd after , to break bread , saith the text ; to receive the eucharist , says the syriac translation , that is , to receive the lord's-supper upon the lord's-day . . but why must paul break the bread to them ? ver . . had it been common bread , no doubt but good manners had prevented that , and not put him upon any such service as to cause him to carve for them all . . we know the celebration of the lord's-supper is call'd breaking of bread , acts . nor is there reason to conceive it was any other sort of breaking of bread , but that this is meant here . that it was no festival day , not the first day of unleavened bread , mr. hughes has proved . but there is reason , saith he , to believe this was sacramental bread ; for the church came together to break this bread ( so they were never said to do in breaking any other kind of bread ) and paul brake that which was properly bread among them ; but for breaking of bread to the hungry , it is not always meant of bread literally , but of means whereby they may procure them bread and necessaries . neither , saith he , did the church purposely come together for this , but rather sent it from house to house . nothing hinders then but that this bread broken , put synec●ochically as a part for the whole , doth note the lord's-supper . take what dr. du-veil has said . to break bread ; to wit , that was consecrated to be a symbol of the body of christ , offered for us upon the cross . hence the syrian render it , that we might break the eucharist . the arabick , that we might distribute the body of christ . the ethiopick , to bless the table . all understood it of this holy rite , by which the lord jesus would have the memory of his bitter death to be celebrated by his disciples . compare this with what he says on acts . , . object . again it is objected , that they did not break bread on the first day , because paul continued preaching till midnight . answ . . it was principally to this end they came together on the first day , which shews it was their usual practice so to do . . they might break bread first , and did no doubt ; and then paul might renew his speech , and continue preaching till midnight . the order of words in a historical relation are not always to be followed . . they did break bread ; and if it was after midnight , yet that extraordinary occasion of paul's preaching , being ready to depart , might be by the lord dispensed with , tho the proper season to administer that ordinance be on the first day of the week . for who will say , that ordinance upon an extraordinary occasion may not be administred on another day of the week ? so that tho this should be granted , i see not how it hurts our cause . object . the greek reads it first of the sabbaths ; and say what you will , 't is doubtful what day this was . answ . dr. wallis has said enough to clear this to all that are willing to be satisfied : yet i shall add another learned writer ; acts . . cor. . . in which place ( he shews ) 't is the same called by the evangelists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * : so in those places una sabbatorum must be expounded by the lord's-day , saith chrysostom † , whose interpretation hierom allows , and expounds the reason thereof ; ad hebidum quaest . . because , saith he , every week is divided into the sabbath , into the first , and second , and third , and fourth , and fifth , and sixth days ; which the heathens call'd by the names of their idols and elements : and therefore in those fathers opinion , una sabbatorum ( by enallage of the plural number for the singular ; for it 's seldom read in the singular number in the old testament , which the writers of the new testament do imitate ) and prima sabbatorum are all one : for the name of sabbath among the antients denoteth not only the last day of the week , but the whole week . — the hebrews called the whole week sabbath . and in this sense is the pharisee to be understood about the sabbath — he glories of fasting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , quasi twice a sabbath : there by sabbath we must of necessity understand the whole week , by an hebraism , and not the last day thereof . for the pharisees ( as most learned searchers of hebrew antiquities have often observ'd , which thing epiphanius put us in mind of ) instituted two feasts every week , namely on monday and thursday : therefore the lord's-day was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or una sabbatorum , as in the evangelists and apostles , so in the writers of the following age. he that will look into their writings , shall find examples enough . thus this place doth sufficiently tend to prove , with 〈◊〉 other text before mentioned , that the first day of the week the gospel-churches did observe as the special day of sacred worship ; and that it was the first day of the week , the generality of the antients both greek and latin , it is evident , do agree . moreover , here are many things worthy of our consideration . ( . ) that this meeting was for publick worship , as preaching , breaking of bread , &c. ( . ) that the holy ghost on purpose records the precise day ; paul having waited at troas the six former days , till this day , the first day of the week , came : tho no doubt they might have some other private occasional meetings on other days before , for paul besure was not idle . ( . ) that their coming generally then together , was not new , nor occasional , but their common practice , or usual day of assembling together , to preach and administer the lord's-supper . ( . ) it is clear , that by a special applying of these exercises to that day , and by mentioning that day to this end , it was their most solemn day in season to meet upon , and that the old sabbath was not , but was abolished with the covenant of works . ( . ) nor is it likely that paul would have stay'd there , who was ready to depart , had not that day been the day of solemn worship , when perhaps many in the adjacent places came together . nor would they have slipt over the seventh day , without any notice taken of that ; for it necessarily shews they had no regard to the old sabbath : which the disciples would besure never have done , if there had been so great a sanction for that day as for the first day of the week . ( . ) as dr. owen notes , the disciples came together without an extraordinary warning , or being sent to , or call'd together in answer to their duty ; which they were accustomed so to do . such , saith he , is the account that justin martyr gives of the practice of all churches in the next age , i. e. on the day called sunday there is an assembly of all christians , whether living in the city or country ; and because of their constant breaking of bread on that day , it was called dies panis . august . epist . . and athanasius proved that he brake not a chalice at such a time , because it was not the first day of the week when it was used . and whosoever reads this passage without prejudice , will grant , that it is a marvellous , adrupt and uncouth expression , if it do not signify that it was the common observance among all the disciples of christ , which could have no other foundation , but that only laid down before , of the authority of the lord christ requiring it of them . and , saith he , i doubt not but paul preach'd his farewel sermon ( after all the ordinary service of the church was perform'd ) which continued till midnight . and all the objections i have met with against this instance , amounts to no more than this , i. e. that the scripture says that the disciples met together to break bread , yet indeed they did not so . and this , by what the doctor says , vanishes into smoak . . from the whole i may argue : if the apostles and primitive christians did observe the first day of the week as their prime and chief time for solemn worship in season , and passed over the old seventh day ; then is the first day of the week , and not the seventh , that precise day christ has appointed to be observ'd in his solemn worship under the gospel . but this was the prime and chief time for solemn worship in season , &c. ergo. . and if those meetings on the first day were not such as used to be formerly on the seventh day , i desire to know a reason , . why their meetings on the first day should be particularly recorded , rather than their meetings on the seventh . . and why also the one is so oft mentioned , i. e. their meetings on the first day , and no mention at all that they met on the seventh day in the new testament , from the resurrection of christ , as a church-assembly to worship god , or discharge any part of religious duties ; nor of their meeting on the second , third , fourth , &c. object . but it seems as if they came not together till the evening of this day , tho it was the first day of the week ; and so it proves not that this whole day ought to be kept in solemn worship . answ . for this there is not the least shadow of proof . what tho paul continued his speech till midnight ; might not some other ministers spend the former part of the day in preaching , exhortation , or in prayer ? or , might not paul ( as some of us do ) preach twice himself on that day , and they refresh themselves about the middle of the day ? i find one author speaking thus : paul spending this whole day in that service , and continuing his sermon till midnight ( yet accounting it still one day ) in solemn meeting , doth confirm this day to be more than an ordinary day , or than other days of the week , as being specially dedicated to these services and exercises , and totally spent in them . it is said , that they came together on the first day of the week ; and no doubt but it was in the morning of that day , for so we find they did on the same day of the week , acts . , . for when peter began to preach , it was but the third hour , which is our nine of the clock in the morning . sixthly , my sixth argument to prove that the first day of the week ought to be observed as a day of rest and solemn worship under the gospel , shall be taken from that appellation given to this day , rev. . . where it is called the lord's-day ; i was in the spirit on the lord's-day . surely this royal name or title adds no small honour to this illustrious day : as it was the first day of time mentioned in the beginning of the first book of the bible ; so it is the last day of fame noted in the beginning of the last book of the bible , to the praise of him who is our alpha and omega . the very name speaks the lord christ to be the author of it , who upon the day of his resurrection was declared both lord and christ . i find , saith my author , an elegant and pious poem written by sedulius an antient christian * jerom's junior , being by him translated to this effect : after sad sabbaths th' happy day did dawn , whose lofty name from lord of lords is drawn : a blessed day , that first was grac'd to see christ's rising , and the world's nativity . i shall endeavour to prove that after christ's resurrection and ascension there was a peculiar day belonging to the lord above any other day of the week ; and that this day was not the old jewish sabbath-day , but the first day of the week . . that there was a peculiar day , or one precise day of the week observed to the lord , in which the churches assembled together for the worship of god , none will deny : god lays claim to one day in seven as his day . . and now that this was not the seventh day of the week appears , because we no where read that any one gospel-church ever assembled together on that day from the resurrection of christ . now if that had been the day the lord christ had appointed as mediator and lawgiver , besure we should have had it mentioned in some place , as the very day in which the churches , or at least some one church did meet together : but this we do not find , therefore that is not , cannot be the day . . we read of their meeting together no less than four or five times , from our lord's resurrection and after his ascension , on the first day of the week , joh. . . and ver . . acts . , . ch . . . to which i might add cor. . , . . no doubt the apostle john , when he says on the lord's-day , refers to a certain particular day well known to all the churches to whom he was to write , nay known to all believers and saints of that time . . and evident it is , that the jewish sabbath-day is no where , either in the old or new testament , called the lord's day , tho it is called the lord's sabbath , and the sabbath of the lord thy god. lord in the old testament ( as one observes ) is the usual name of god indefinitely , without particularizing this or that of the three persons : and the sabbath of the lord thy god , doth not appropriate it to the second person , more than to the first or third . and tho the second person , or christ considered as god , made the world , and gave the ten commandments , as well as he gave forth all the ceremonial law , the three persons being the same one god ; yet christ is contradistinguished , i. e. referring to his human nature , or the anointed of god , as mediator or god-man : and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the lord in the new testament is commonly and peculiarly applied to our lord christ , as cor. . . but to us there is but one god , the father , of whom are all things , and we in him ; and one lord jesus christ , &c. so eph. . one lord — one god and father , &c. and to this lord doth the day here refer . i● the fourth commandment , that which is called the sabbath of the lord thy god ( speaking of israel ) is meant of god indefinitely , and not of one person contradistinguished to the other two. the work of creation is commonly ascribed to god the father , and so the old seventh-day sabbath is properly the father's day , not christ's , tho all the three persons created the world. . this day is called the lord's day , in a like sense as the holy supper is in some places called the lord's supper ; in which places is meant the lord christ , god and man. this may answer their common objection , viz. object . it might be called the lord's day in respect of god the creator , not of christ the redeemer ; and therefore may be meant the seventh-day sabbath : besides , the world was made by christ , and he gave the law on mount sinai . i further tell them , this name or appellation [ christ ] refers to our lord as mediator , or as he is god and man : but the second person was not god and man when the world was made , or when the law was given on mount sinai . tho the second person , or christ as god , created the world , and with the father and holy ghost is that one god that gave the law ; yet christ the anointed , or as mediator , god in our nature , actually existed not till the fulness of time was come . ( . ) and why may not they call the lord's supper , and the lord's table so , with respect to god the creator , or christ as creator ? ( . ) consider that in the new testament christ as mediator is actually exalted to be lord of 〈◊〉 ; of all persons , men and angels , and of all things : for to this end christ both died , and rose again and revived , that he might be lord both of the dead and living , rom. . . ( . ) so that as the term lord is peculiarly ascribed to jesus christ as mediator , so certainly is the day here called his day . and as the supper is called the lord's supper , because he instituted it , and it wholly refers to christ ; so the first day is called the lord's day , because the lord christ instituted or appointed it as the special day of his worship , and as it refers to his glorious resurrection . object . if the scriptures be the rule to judg whether that day be not the lord's day , which ( and which only as distinguished from other days of the week ) the son of man is lord of ? answ . . christ is lord of all days no doubt , because he is lord of all things ; but the seventh-day sabbath is no where appropriated to christ as mediator , nor ever called the lord's day . ( . ) when 't is said in the new testament , that the son of man is lord also , or even of the sabbath-day ; he shews that it was in his power to dispose of it , for he gives this as a reason for his doing that which the pharisees counted sabbath-breaking , and by which he oftentimes offended them . and so it is far from being a reason of his establishing it to abide a sabbath in his kingdom-state . and , as one well observes , it seems plainly to mean , that that being a positive law belonging to moses , our lord had power to change it , or dispense with it , as well as other positive and mosaical laws . as it is said , he hath made him head over all things to the church , not head to all things : so he is lord over all days , but all are not separated to his worship . as it is said , thou hast given him power over all flesh — so it may be said , thou hast given him power over all days , that he may sanctify one to his own peculiar service and use , and leave the rest common to us to work in . . there is , saith mr. shepherd , no other day on which mention is made of any work or action of christ , which might occasion a holy day , but this only of his resurrection , which is exactly noted of all the evangelists to be the first day of the week ; and by which work he is expresly said to have all power given him in heaven and earth , and to be actually lord of the dead and living . and therefore why should any other lord's day be dreamed of ? why should mr. brabourn imagin that this day might be some superstitious easter-day , which happens once a year ? the holy ghost , on the contrary , not setting down the month , or day of the year , but the day of the week wherein christ rose ; therefore it must be meant of a weekly holy-day , here called the lord's day . . this was the day in which christ ceased from his w●●k , and rested , as the father ceased from his work , and rested on the seventh-day ; and therefore this is his day , as the other was the father's day ; there being a day remaining to him , and to us thro him , from the same foot of account in the times of the gospel , as we have proved . . that 't is this day which is called the lord's day , because of his frequent appearance on it after his resurrection , and because after his ascension he crown'd it with that miraculous effusion of the holy spirit , to put a glory upon it , and to confirm it as that day appointed for his people to wait upon him in . . john , in calling it the lord's day , did not surprize the churches with a new name , but denoted to them the time of his vision , by the name of the day , which was well known to them . and there is no solid reason why it should be so called , but that it owes its preeminence and observation to his institution and authority . and no man who shall deny these things , can give any tolerable account how , when , and from whence this day came to be so called : it is the lord's day , as the holy supper is called the lord's supper , by reason of his institution . . because ( as i have proved ) the lord hath made it , therefore it is called the lord's day . this is an argument ( saith a reverend author * ) used by the church of god in all ages , for twelve hundred years . st. austin used it in his time . the psalmist prophesieth of the resurrection of christ ; the stone which the builders refused , is beeome the head-stone of the corner : this is the lord 's doing , and it is marvellous in our eyes . our lord ( saith he ) expounds it of his crucifixion and resurrection ; this is the day the lord hath made . and we desire to be built upon this corner-stone ; we will be glad and rejoice in this day , we will keep it as a glorious day , a day of thanksgiving and rejoicing in god — again ( he saith ) it was prophesied that the first day of the week should be the sabbath-day , i. e. the lord's day : in that day there shall be a root of jesse , which shall stand up for an ensign to the people ; and to him shall the gentiles seek , and his rest shall be glorious . not only the father's rest shall be glorious , as when he had created the heaven and earth , and rested on the seventh-day ; but christ's rest shall be glorious : for all divines agree that the prophet speaks of the rest of christ from the work of redemption . as god the father rested from his work , and his rest was glorious for four thousand years together ; so christ's rest from his work shall be glorious . thus mr. fenner . object . perhaps some will say , this only refers to the gospel spiritual rest which we have by christ , and not to a peculiar day of rest . answ . the rest spoken of here may be meant of that ; and from thence we have also a day of rest allowed us : and by comparing this with heb. . i can't see but it clearly has respect to this day of rest , the lord's day , because the seventh-day is called the father's day of rest ; and the day of christ's resurrection is also christ's day of rest , as we have proved . object . it may refer to the great lord's day , the day of the last judgment : i saw the dead , &c. for a thousand years with the lord is as one day . thus the sabbatarians . answ . ( . ) these men would have it to be any day , rather than the very day the holy apostle means , i. e. the first-day ; one while 't is the day of christ's birth , or the day of his death , or some feast-day , or else the day of judgment : whereas we find the gospel-church observed no day but the first-day of the week , the day of our lord's resurrection . ( . ) there is a great difference between these two phrases , the lord's day , and the day of the lord : for such an interpretation of the lord's day would render it an uncertain time , and so directly cross the scope of john in setting down , ( . ) the place where . ( . ) the day when . ( . ) the vision it self . and , as one observes , it is void of all judgment to take it for the day of judgment : for in the readiest construction of the words , st. john spoke of a day that was in being before he had the vision , and a day well-known to the churches at that time . but was the day of judgment then come , or hath it yet been ? there are more than a thousand years since john was on that day in the spirit , &c. this is an idle dream : for of that day and hour knoweth no man. a learned writer answers four questions on this text , rev. . . ( . ) how will you prove this to be the first-day of the week . ( . ) how will it be made good that this name imports a sabbath ? ( . ) how can it be declared ( or proved ) that the lord himself imposed this name ? ( . ) what influence had john upon him in declaring this name ? he gives excellent answers to all these querys : i shall cite but a part of them . ( . ) no indefinite or undetermined time is meant by this day , as some would have it ; but 't is a distinct and determined day , owned by the lord : the word is plain , the lord's day , noting one single day . ( . ) neither can it refer to the seventh-day : 't is as irrational to say this lord's day is the old sabbath , as to affirm the lord's supper means the passover . — this lord's day was revealed after his coming in the flesh , but the seventh-day long before . as he was revealed newly in the gospel , to be the one lord jesus christ , our mediator ; so a new day of his was revealed also , which the church never knew before , viz. his resurrection , which was notoriously known to be the lord's day . ( . ) he proves it can't be attributed to the day of his nativity . ( . ) that this title , the lord's day , was not imposed upon any extraordinary time , by reason of the great revelation given out to john therein . ( . ) he was in the spirit on the lord's day , before he received those revelations , therefore they could not be the ground of this appellation — to pretend to prolepsis here , is a miserable shift . ( . ) he writes to the seven churches in asia , and informs them of the time known to them when he had these revelations , viz. the weekly lord's day — it is the day which he himself made to declare himself to be the son of god , the chief corner-stone , the foundation of the church . secondly , he answers the second question , viz. that this title imports a new day of rest to be his , for four reasons : one is this ; the word used here denoting the lord's day , is but once to be found in the new testament , where we read of the lord's supper , and all grant it signifieth an ordinance where-ever the word is used ; and therefore so here . thirdly , that the lord jesus himself put his name upon this day . ( . ) the giving or bestowing of god's name on any time , thing , or person , is reciprocal with himself ; therefore none but the lord could put his name upon this day : who hath the disposing of the lord's name but himself ? — will you say the apostles , or the church might do it ? what , without the lord's commission or command ? they would not , they durst not ; god never intrusted any of them to bestow his glory , or call his name upon any thing , but only declaratively from himself . ( . ) all power in heaven and earth was given to the lord christ , to settle his church , and to appoint ordinances , and to change times according to the father's pleasure : therefore he only authoritatively could change the sabbath , and put his name upon this day . fourthly , to the fourth query he saith , the influence of power which the beloved john had in naming this day , is only ministeral or instrumental ; the lord jesus giveth it , and he wrote it . this is the highest of their claim , who are ministers , by whom souls are brought to believe the gospel : and no more was he but a faithful messenger to declare that to be the lord's day , upon which the lord himself had fixed his name . and thus enough hath been said to prove that this day , called the lord's-day , was the first day of the week : but to put it further out of doubt , in the last place , . the antient fathers , whose credit and authority i see no cause to doubt , have positively declared that it was the first day of the week that john called the lord's-day . the first i shall mention is ignatius , who was john 's disciple , and writes thus : let every one that loves the lord jesus christ , keep holy the lord's-day , which was consecrated to the lord's resurrection . ignatius , saith my author , was not only contemporary with st. john , but was his disciple , or scholar : now john , according to the best account we can have from chronology , wrote his revelation in pa●●os , whither he was banished by domitian , in or about the year of our lord ; after which he wrote his gospel , and dy'd anno , or . and ignatius dy'd a martyr under trajan in the year . — how long before his death ignatius wrote his epistle to the magnesians , we are not certain ; nor is it material . in that epistle to the magnesians , even according to the genuine edition published by bishop vsher out of an antient manuscript , not that which is suspected , he doth earnestly exhort them not to judaize , but to live as christians — not any longer observing the jewish , but the lord's-day , on which christ our life rose again . it is manifest therefore , saith he , that within eight or ten years after john's writing , the lord's-day did not signify the jewish sabbath , but the first day of the week , on which our saviour rose again . — why should any longer doubt in this matter ? besure ignatius well knew what day it was that john called the lord's-day , who for some years conversed with that beloved apostle and disciple of christ . i might to this ( saith this author ) add the testimony of polycarp , who was also a disciple of john , and collected and published these epistles of ignatius , and knew what st. john meant by the lord's-day . he proceeds to justin martyr , who saith , he was not converted to the christian religion till about the year . about thirty years after st. john 's death ; yet he lived so soon after , that he could not be ignorant of the christian practice , and what they understood st. john to mean by the lord's-day ; and how that day was observed . on that day commonly called sunday , there is held a congregation or general meeting together of all inhabitants , whether of city or country ; and there are publickly read the memorials or monuments of the apostles , or writings of the prophets . — again , the day called sunday we do all in common make the meeting-day , for that the first day is it on which god from darkness and matter made the world , and our saviour christ did rise from the dead , &c. in which places , saith he , tho it be not called dominica * , but dies solis † , ( because speaking to a heathen emperor ) yet it was then solemnly observed . — 't is manifest therefore that the lord's-day , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , dominica , or dies dominicus , was the known name of a day so called when john wrote his revelation ; that it was a day of religious worship , contradistinguished to that of the jewish sabbath , and so observed , and so called by ignatius within eight or ten years at most after john's writing that book ; which he would not have done if he had not thought it to be so meant by his master st. john. and in what manner it was observed in their solemn religious assemblies , justin martyr tells us , he also adds clemens , irenaeus , origen , tertullian , &c. to which i might add pliny that liv'd under trajan , who , tho a heathen , could observe how these morning stars used to meet early on this day , and sing hymns to christ ; and not only sing his praises , but celebrate his holy supper on the lord's-day . and 't is known to have been the common question put to the christians by the pagans , dost thou observe the lord's-day ? the usual answer was , i am a christian , i dare not intermit it . — o blessed souls ! ( saith my author ) because they were christians , they durst not intermit the lord's-day , tho they lost their dearest lives for keeping it . — the learned dr. du-veil cites not only ignatius and clemens , but theophilus patriarch of alexandria , to the same purpose ; also sedulius , and divers other antient fathers , as austin , maximus , isidore , and gregorius turonensis , who speaketh thus : this is the day of the resurrection of our lord jesus christ , which we properly call the lord's-day . — eusebius saith , we keep holy the lord's-day . dr. white cites ignatius his epistle ad magnes . instead of the sabbath , let every friend of christ keep holy the lord christ's day — in memory of his resurrection , the day wherein spiritual life received beginning , and death was vanquished . this encomium , saith the doctor , which this holy martyr ignatius hath stampt as an honourable character upon the lord's-day , declareth what esteem the primitive church entertained of this day . moreover , theodoret has this material passage , that they did no longer keep the sabbath , but led their lives according to the lord's-day , in which our life arose , meaning our blessed lord. dionysius , bishop of corinth , saith , we have spent holy the lord's-day ( or passed thro it ) to the end . tertullian , who flourish'd about the year , saith , on the lord's-day we hold it lawful to feast * , because it is a day of joy and gladness : so that in his time the title of lord's-day was appropriated to the first day of the week . origen saith , the lord rained manna from heaven first upon the first-day , which is the lord's-day , and upon the sabbath none . let the jews understand that even our lord's-day was preferred before the jewish sabbath . athanasius 's testimony is also full : the sabbath was of great esteem among the antients , but the lord hath changed the sabbath into the lord's-day — not we by our authority have slighted the old sabbath , but because it did belong to the pedagogy of the law : when christ the great master came , it became useless , as the candle is put out when the sun shines . he affirmed also , that the sabbath and circumcision were both of them legal observances . moreover , i might cite austin , ambrose , hierom , and many more , who all testify that the lord's-day was the first day of the week , and observed as the special day in god's solemn worship . and so all along down to this day 't was kept , and observ'd even by our blessed reformers , as the lord's-day , or a day of his appointing , &c. therefore from the whole we note , it was no popish innovation , nor , as tillam falsly affirms , a device of antichrist , who changed times and laws , &c. but no more at this time . sermon iv. proving there is one day of the week in season to preach the word , and that it is the first day . that collections by divine authority are to be made every first day , &c. and that the churches did meet on that day . that god hath inflicted dreadful judgments on such as have profaned the lord's-day . several arguments further urged , shewing when the lord's-day begins , and how it ought to be observed . seventhly , another argument for the observance of the first day , shall be taken from paul's charge to timothy : preach the word , be instant in season , and out of season , &c. tim. . . from whence i note , there is one day above all others in the week , as the day in season when the word is to be preached . . in season , implies a fit time for doing a work ; and so here a particular day christ hath appointed for his worship , prayer , preaching , and administration of all other ordinances . . but if there was not one precise day appointed by christ to the end , and all days were alike under the gospel ; then on all days the word would either be in season , or out of season : but since there is a time in season , and times out of season , i argue , there is one special day appointed for those great things to be done upon . . solomon saith , to every thing there is a season , and a time to every purpose under heaven ; i. e. a certain set time appointed by god to be observed with the greatest diligence to the end for which it is ordained . and hath god set a time to every thing , and for every purpose and work ; and yet set no particular time for his worship ? this cannot be , for we have proved one day in seven he claims from the fourth command ; and in gospel-times it must be the first day of the week , ( . ) because the old sabbath is gone . ( . ) because on this day christ rested from all his works , as god did from his . ( . ) because this day he owned and confirmed by the miraculous effusion of his spirit . ( . ) because on this day his disciples met together , and he approved it by his gracious appearance , and preaching peace to them . ( . ) because 't is called the lord's-day . ( . ) because no church met in a special manner on any other day , in the new testament . so that this day is the day in season , or there is none at all ; but that can't be , because there is a special season appointed to every thing and purpose under heaven . . this day is the day in season , because it sutes with the state of gospel-believers ; we first entering into rest through jesus christ , who has done for us all we had to do , and born all those burdens we were to bear in order to our entering into rest : therefore it can't sute with us to keep the old sabbath , which injoyn'd the creature to do and live , i.e. to labor to do all that god commanded , in obedience even to the whole law , if ever they would have rest and peace . so that the jews day shewed they were to work for life according to the tenor of the first covenant ; but our day shews we work from life , and we have rest , life , and peace first , or are justified , and so obey ; and this from better , more evangelical principles . so that in comparison of this day , this special season , all other days of the week are out of season for gospel-work and service . eightly the first day of the week is appointed by christ under the gospel to be observed , because all the gospel-churches were required this day to make collections for the poor saints ; cor. . , . as i have given order to the churches of galatia , even so do ye : upon the first day of the week let every one lay by him as god hath prospered him , that there be no gatherings when i come . . observe what was the practice of one church as a church , was the practice of every church . besides , paul saith , that the same thing he had given orders about in the churches of galatia , and so no doubt in all churches . . paul in causing the churches to be obedient in this matter , received this authority from christ , as he intimates plainly enough in cor. . . if any man think himself to be a prophet , or spiritual , let him acknowledg that the things i wrote unto you are the commandments of the lord. and elsewhere he shews that without the same authority he durst not make the gentiles obedient either by word or deed . . here is a duty injoyn'd then by christ's authority on all the churches , and not by paul any other ways than ministerially ; which is upon every first day to make collections for the poor saints : they must deposite their alms all on the same day , which could not be done unless the churches did assemble upon that day ; and besure it was injoyned on that day , because they then did meet together for solemn worship , and because such acts of mercy suted sabbath-duties , and were well-pleasing to god. . besides , no man can assingn a reason why the churches should be required on every first day to make collections for the poor , if it were not the usual day in which they assembled themselves together . object . that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is greek for one , and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may as well be rendered one day of the week as the first day of the week . thus mr. bamfield on acts . . answ . take dr. wallis's answer , viz. surely this author cannot think that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth any where signify other than the first day of the week . moreover , all who well understood the greek-tongue , agree that the word is here the same as in mat. . . mark . . luk. . . 't is clear , saith one , to be the first day of the week , since the same phrase used by the evangelists is made use of here by the apostle , who no question follows the evangelists . moreover , our adversaries acknowledg , and cannot help it , that by that greek phrase used by the evangelists , is meant the first day of the week , tho call'd one of the sabbaths , or the first from the jewish sabbath : therefore this is a meer cavil . now every one knows ( who understand any thing of this nature ) that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the proper name of the very day next after the jewish sabbath , as much as one a clock is the proper name of one hour , which is next after twelve : it must be great ignorance , or somewhat worse , thus to object . i will appeal to himself * , whether ever he met with that name in any other sense . object . they must on that day lay by them as god had blessed them , i. e. then cast up their accounts , tell their mony , reckon their stock , compute their expences , &c. and not collect mony , or lay it together on that day . a wise objection , saith dr. wallis ; as tho all this could not be done before ( so far as necessary ) and they on sunday put so much into the poors box , or give it to the deacons , &c. . according to this childish objection , they were but bid , as it were , to take so much money as they purposed to give out of one pocket on that day , and put it by it self into another . but i will appeal to them whether this would have prevented any gatherings when the apostle came to them ; and no doubt paul here put them in mind of some extraordinary occasion , that they might have more money collected and put together against he came than usually on that day they might collect : yet it is clear it was all the churches practice , by the direction of the holy ghost , on every first-day when the churches met together for solemn worship , to gather money for their poor brethren and sisters . . the constant day of the churches solemn assemblings , being fixed , saith dr. owen , paul here takes it for granted , and directs them to the observance of a special duty on that day . object . but here is no mention made of any meeting that was , or was to be at this season , or the least prescription binding the conscience to the weekly observation of the first-day , for a sabbath by divine appointment . answ . as the doctor saith , this and other churches were before fixed on the constant observance of the first-day of the week for the solemn worship of god ; and his directing them upon this day to make collections for the poor , even every first-day , &c. doth fully shew that it was the precise day of church-assemblies , and that among all the churches . 't is enough that on this day the churches met , not to preach only and make gatherings for the poor , but to administer the lord's supper : and we read of none that met as a church to do any of these things on the seventh-day . besides , it is called the lord's day ; our lord christ allows us all the other days to work in , but this is his day , wholly to be sequestered to his service , and therefore of divine institution : had it been said , on every seventh-day let every one lay by him , &c. our opponents would have urg'd it as a great proof for their sabbath . what some except , saith dr. owen , that here is no mention of any church-assembly , but only that every one on that day should lay by him what he would give , which every one might do at home , or where they pleased , is exceeding weak , and unsutable to the mind of the apostle . for to what end should they be limited to a day , and that the first of the week , for doing of that which might as well , and to as good purpose and advantage , be performed at any other time , or on any other day of the week whatever ? besides , it was such a laying aside , such a treasuring of it in a common stock , as that there should be no need of any collection when the apostle came . — and now if this practice and example of the primitive churches be no rule to us , or bind us not , certainly nothing they did or practised as churches , can oblige us : nay , if so , worse will follow also for if their example in observing the first-day be no warrant for us , nor it is not our duty from any thing that has been said , to observe the lord's day , it will follow that we in gospel-times are not obliged to keep any special weekly day at all ; seeing we are by no precept nor precedent obliged to keep the jewish sabbath . so that these men from hence appear the chiefest enemies to any gospel-sabbath , or day of rest and solemn worship in the world. note also , that this day was not observed , or to be observed once only , but as a thing in course , and so presumed by the apostle when he gave particular directions concerning a collection for the poor saints to be made weekly on that day : and in like manner in the churches of galatia , with like direction to them . and we have reason to believe , that it was observed in all other churches also : for paul in another case saith , as he ordained in all churches of the saints : they all walked by one and the same rule , and observed besure one and the same day , and discharged the same duties upon that day . the first-day of the week therefore being that on which christ rose from the dead , and upon which the churches met together in one place to break bread , and which is called the lord's day , and on which they were injoined to make collections for the poor saints , besure is that day which our lord commanded them to observe , while he was with them forty days , giving commandments to his apostles about things pertaining unto the kingdom of god , and setling the affairs of the christian church . and no doubt the observance of the first-day was one thing he commanded , because on that day they afterwards met together , and were most eminently owned in so doing , acts . , . and what signifies their objection , there is no express command to observe this day ? as if it must be expressed , as one observes , be it enacted . my brethren , an approved practice in god's worship , frequently repeated , attested by miracles , incouraged by christ's own example , with that of the apostles and christian churches , and continued ever since , is evidence sufficient that it is the will of god that this day ought to be observed : and such as cannot see it , must remain blind . as to such as still question whether this was the first-day of the week , let me note one thing more . beza * had an antient manuscript where it is called the lord's day : let every one on the lord's day lay by him , &c. but enough was said to that before ; it was the first-day of the week , and therefore the lord's day . and if this day had not been more holy , or more fit for this work of love than any other , paul durst not have limited them to this day , nor have honoured this day above any other , yea above the jewish seventh-day . moreover , saith mr. shepherd , the apostle doth not in this place immediately appoint and institute the sabbath , but supposeth it to be so already ( as mr. primrose is forced to acknowledg ) and we know dutys of mercy and charity , as well as of necessary piety , are sabbath-dutys : for which end this day was more fit for those collections than any other day , being then generally together , and their hearts warmed under the word , &c. there must , saith another * , be some peculiar thing in this day , making it fit , yea more fit for such a purpose as doing works of charity on it , rather than on any other : and the apostle commanding this in all the churches , doth necessarily presuppose a reason why he doth it , as drawn from some fitness of this day above another . now if we will , saith he , enquire , no reason can be given but that the seventh-day sabbath was expired , and the first-day instituted in its place , for otherwise any day was alike ; yea , the th day being the last of the week , and whereon men usually reckon their week's success , it would seem more reasonable that at the close of the week they should lay up by them as god had blessed them , than reserve it to the beginning of another week . the fitness then flows from this , that the first-day being the day of their solemn communion with god and one another , and of their partaking most liberally of spiritual blessings from him , therefore they should be most warm'd in their affections , and most liberal in their communications to such as wanted , especially considering the jews were to partake of this their charity , whose debtors the gentiles were , according to that in rom. . , . i shall close this with what another noteth on this place : the apostle did ordain in the church of corinth , when they met for religion weekly ( as the lord's days returned ) alms should be collected for the poors use ; and what they seem privately to have laid aside , as their condition permitted , to bestow for the comfort of the poor ; and that which was thus laid aside , they kept with themselves till the first-day of the week , when they deposited it with the rulers of the church for the poors use . he that shall more considerately weigh the apostle's phrase , may well enough see this was his meaning : for he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. i. e. against the first-day in every week , or when the first of every week comes ; so as it is said among the grecians , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i. e. water ready for washing ones hands . in like manner the alms which were privately laid aside of every one , were deposited on the first-day of the week for the help of the needy ; and then when the church met , are said to be gathered , because their collections were made ( of those who privately had laid it aside ) on the lord's day , or on the first-day of the week . leo admonished his hearers , because on the lord's day there should be a collection , to prepare themselves for a voluntary devotion , and that every one according to his ability might have fellowship in that most sacred oblation . from which testimony one may easily gather , that the christians laid aside by themselves their collections against the lord's day , which they deposited with the rulers of the church to be bestowed . thus dr. young. so that it appears it was on the close of the th day , or at the weeks end , that they cast up their accounts , computed their stock , and not on the lord's day ; 't was not then to be laid aside , but what they had over night laid aside , on the lord's day they put into the deacons hand , and so prevented gatherings when paul came . . and lastly , those fearful judgments inflicted by god on such as have profan'd the lord's day , shew it is of divine institution . can any think that jehovah would punish any person for neglecting or violating an humane tradition , or an ordinance of man ? . a husbandman grinding corn in a mill upon the lord's day , had his meal burnt to ashes . . another carrying corn on this day , had his barn and all his corn in it burnt with fire from heaven the next night after . . a certain noble-man profaning the lord's day usually in hunting , had a child by his wife with a head like a dog , and with ears and chaps crying like a hound . . a covetous woman at kingsta●e in france , . using to work with her maids on the lord's day on flax , fire seemed to issue out of the flax , yet did them no harm , and was quickly quenched : but taking no warning , the third sunday after it took fire again , and burnt the house , and so terribly scorch'd the wretched woman and two of her children , that they died the next day ; yet a child in the cradle was taken out of the fire alive , and unburnt . . in paris garden , at a bear-baiting on the lord's day , the scaffolds fell down and slew eight persons . . stratford upon avon was twice almost consumed with fire for profaning the lord's day . . there was a market kept at tiverton on the lord's-day : and their godly minister told them , some judgments would fall upon them , which fell out , for on the third day of april the whole town ( save the church and a few poor peoples houses ) consisting of dwelling-houses , were consumed to ashes : and again in aug. . not reforming their evil practices , the whole town was again consumed by fire , save about thirty houses of poor people , with a school-house and alms-house . . mr. fenner says that he remember'd above twelve judgments were shewed within half a year for the breach of the lord's-day . . another divine says that a miller had his mill twice burned down for grinding on the lord's-day . sirs , let all tremble that despise , neglect , or profane the lord's-day . but pray who can shew one instance of any judgment of god that ever since christ's resurrection fell upon one person for working , or bearing burdens on the jewish sabbath-day . true , while the seventh day continued the lord's sabbath , there are on record judgments that fell on such as profaned it , but never since . and tho god doth not usually this way punish sinners for their bold and daring sins , and so not some that slight and contemn this day , yet there is a day coming in which god will reckon with them and set all their sins in order before their eyes . but one thing i have omitted , viz. i find these sabbatarians would make great improvement of the records of parliament , in which saturday is called dies sabbati , the sabbath-day . in answer take what dr. wallis hath said in his rejoinder to mr. bampfield . i remember you tell us , enqu . p. , . and you mind me of it , p. , . that i say nothing to it ( being it seems a thing on which you lay great weight ) i. e. that in the records of parliament , and the courts at westminster , saturday is called sabbati , or dies sabbati . true ( as supposing by tradition this day of our week to be what the jews called the sabbath in their week ) but do you not know also in the same records sunday is called dies dominicus , the lord's-day ? and if those prove saturday to be the jewish sabbath , why should not these as well prove sunday to be the lord's-day ? all the difference is , as to that you were quick-sighted , but blind as to this . you may observe also that the one is sabbati , or dies sabbati ( in the genitive case , in the same form with dies saturni , and as the other days are ) but the lord's-day is die dominico in the ablative , meaning ( i suppose ) that saturday is the day which had been the jewish sabbath , but this the day which is the lord's-day . which different construction seems plainly to intend in our law a different import of the words : by dies saturni , or dies lunae , we do not mean a day instituted by saturn or the moon , as by dies dominica we do mean the day instituted by our lord ; like as by coena dominica we mean the supper instituted by our lord ▪ so that these records do you no service at all , but disservice . i shall here , before i close , add a few syllogistical arguments for our opponents to answer . arg. . if the holy spirit doth write the whole moral law of god in the hearts of all true believers , but doth not write the law of the seventh-day sabbath in their hearts ; then the seventh-day sabbath is no moral precept : but the former is true , ergo. arg. . the holy spirit doth convince all gospel-believers of all immoral evils , or of every simple moral precept ; the holy spirit doth not convince all gospel-believers it is an evil not to observe the seventh day as a sabbath , nor that this is a moral precept : ergo , 't is not an immoral evil to work upon that day , &c. or thus , arg. . the holy spirit guides all true believers into all truths that result from the holy nature of god , or that are good , and therefore commanded ; the holy spirit doth not guide all true believers to observe the seventh day as a sabbath : ergo , the seventh-day sabbath is no such truth ; &c. arg. . if the new testament be a perfect rule of faith and practice , and there is no precept nor precedent for the observance of the seventh-day sabbath ; the seventh-day sabbath ought not by us to be observed : but the former is true ; ergo , 't is not our duty to observe that day . arg. . if christ and paul after him , have made known or declared the whole counsel and will of god , or whatsoever we should believe , observe and practise ; but have not made known or declar'd it is our duty to observe the seventh day , then 't is not our duty to observe it : but the former is true , ergo. arg. . if the law of the seventh-day sabbath , as given by moses , belonged wholly , or was annexed to the judgments of the mosaical oeconomy , and the judgments of the mosaical oeconomy belong not to the gospel-church ; then the law of the sabbath , as given by moses , belongs not to us , but this is so , because death was the penalty of the breach thereof ; ergo. object . what if we grant that all the ten commandments belonged , or were annexed to the mosaical oeconomy ; are all the ten commandments abrogated therefore , or not in force to us ? answ . i have shewed that the whole moral law is given forth by christ considered as mediator ; and that we are not obliged to observe them as given by moses : and the precise seventh day being no simple moral precept , but merely judaical , pertaining to the covenant of works , our lord hath not nor could confirm that precept in the gospel : so that it appears the sabbath only belonged to the mosaical oeconomy , and will you affirm that of all the ten. one sabbatarian * saith , that all the ten commandments had the penalty of death annexed to them to be inflicted by the magistrate : which , saith he , is an evident distinction between moral laws and laws ceremonial , &c. again he saith , the sabbath having the same penalty that the other nine have , it convincingly proves the morality of it . answ . . this shews that none of the ten commandments , as given by moses , are in force to believers , or oblige the gospel-church , but only belong'd to the jewish policy as formally deliver'd , exod. . and tho the moral law given by christ as mediator , doth oblige us , yet the precise seventh day being no moral precept , but only judaical , is gone , it not being given forth anew in the gospel , nor could be given with its old sanction , viz. the penalty of death to be inflicted on such that break it , because the gospel-church is no political body or civil state , they can't inflict death on such as transgress this , or other precepts . . nay , nor ought such to die that profane the holy name of god , or disobey their parents , or commit adultery , &c. by any law given by christ in the gospel * , those temporal punishments only belonged to the mosaical oeconomy : many in the gospel-church , before call'd , were guilty of the gross breach of divers moral precepts , yet were not to be put to death , christ came not to take away mens lives , but to save them both from temporal and eternal death . . moreover , it is a grand mistake to say , that the penalty of death distinguisheth moral laws from ceremonial : for he that in the days of atonement did not afflict his soul , must die , or be cut off ; and whosoever toucheth the mount , shall be surely put to death . and he that was not circumcised , must die , or he cut off ; so for divers other sins † that were not moral precepts . pray read heb. . . paul shews that in this respect we are not come to mount sinai , but to mount sion , heb. . . and sad it is to see any so left , as to endeavour to carry the people back again to that fiery law , which was so terrible , as the apostle shews , ver . . but it is no marvel they do thus , when they that intimate the law and covenant , exod. . was the covenant of grace . if i have an answer ( god sparing my life ) you shall see what some of their chief writers have said as to this , and some other things , that may seem more distasteful to all pious christians . arg. . if the first day was observed as a day of worship by the apostolical church , and no other day of the week ; then the first day is that day of worship which we should observe : but the first day was so observed , &c. ergo. arg. . if moses as a lawgiver abode no longer than till christ put an end to his ministration , and christ as mediator is our only lawgiver under the gospel , yet hath not commanded us to observe the seventh-day sabbath ; then 't is not our duty to observe it : but moses as a lawgiver abode no longer , &c. ergo. arg. . if all sabbaths given to the jews , without exception , were shadows of things to come , whereof the body is christ ; then was their weekly sabbath a shadow : but all their sabbaths without exception were shadows , &c. ergo. arg. . whatsoever practice it be that opens a door to judaism , and genders to bondage , can be no truth of christ ; but the observation of the old seventh-day sabbath opens a door to judaism , &c. ergo * . arg. . whatsoever principle and practice reflects upon the honour of christ as mediator , king and lawgiver to his church , who was more faithful than moses , can be no truth of christ ; but the principle and practice of the old jewish sabbath reflects , &c. ergo. evident 't is christ hath nowhere taught or commanded it ; so that if it be our duty , we must go to moses's law for it : and 't is foolish to say , christ as mediator gave the law of the decalogue , tho as god he gave not that only , but the whole ceremonial law also . arg. . that principle and practice that has many evil and dangerous consequents attending it , is no truth of god ; but the principle and practice of some who keep the seventh day , is so attended , &c. ergo. to conclude , let no christian any more doubt , that the lord's day is that day we ought to observe to him in all sacred devotion and piety . consider , . god hath built all things upon jesus christ , and so this day of rest ; wherefore it stands as fast as its foundation . . god the father declared , thou art my son , this day have i begotten thee , ( that is , from the dead ) and this was on the first-day of the week . . this was the first-day of christ's kingdom . . this day christ rested from his work , therefore this day remains as a day of rest to us . . this day our redemption was finished , and christ received our discharge from sin and wrath for ever . . on this day the typical sabbath was ceased , and all shadows of the law vanquished . . in him whom the old sabbath shadowed forth , must we seek our rest , and a day of rest ; we in him being freed from all legal labour , servile fear , and from the burden of all sin and misery . . on this day the disciples met , and christ preached peace to them ; and on this day millions of souls have been converted . . on this day john saw jesus christ walking in the midst of the seven churches in asia . . this day was confirmed by the miraculous effusion of the spirit . . on this day the gospel-churches met together to break bread , and to discharge all parts of gospel-worship . . this is the day when preaching the word is in season . . on this day collections were made for the poor in all the churches of the saints . . this is the lord's day ; all other days he allows us to do work upon , but this is wholly his own day ; he lays claim to this only , o give it wholly up to him . this day all the godly have observed in every age of the church to these present times . . for profaning this day , god hath inflicted many sore and fearful judgments . and thus i shall close what i shall say at present for the observation of the first-day of the week , as a day of rest and solemn worship . when the lord's day begins . . some think we ought to begin it at the time when the jews began their sabbath ; others from midnight to midnight ; others from morning to evening . take what dr. owen saith to this , which i think is very full and clear . some , saith he , contend that it is a natural day , consisting of hours , beginning with the evening of the preceding day , and ending with the same of its own ; and accordingly so was the church of israel directed , levit. . . altho that doth not seem to be a general direction for the observation of the weekly sabbath , but to regard only that particular extraordinary sabbath which was thus instituted , namely the day of atonement on the tenth day of the seventh month , vers . . however suppose it to belong also to the weekly sabbath ; it is evidently an addition to the command particularly suted unto the mosaical pedagogy , that the day might comprize the sacrifice of the proceeding evening in the service of it , from an obedience whereunto we are freed by the gospel . neither can i subscribe to this opinion ; and that because in the description and limitation of the original seven days , it is said of each of the six , that it was constituted of an evening and a morning ; but of the day of rest there is no such description , it is only called the seventh-day , without any assignation of the preceding evening unto it . . a day of rest , according to rules of natural equity , ought to be proportioned to a day of work or labour , which god hath granted unto us for our own use . now this is to be reckoned from morning to evening , psal . . , , , . thou makest darkness , and it is night , &c. — man goeth forth to his labour until the evening . the day of labour is from the removal of darkness , and the night by the light of the sun , until the return of them again ; which allowing for the alterations of the day in the several seasons of the year , seems to be the just measure of our day of rest . . our lord jesus christ , who in his resurrection gave beginning and being to this especial day of holy rest under the gospel , rose not until the morning of the first-day of the week , when the beamings of the light of the sun began to expel the darkness of the night ; or when it dawned towards day , as is variously expressed by the evangelists : this with me determines this whole matter . . meer cessation from labour in the night , seems to have no place in the spiritual rest of the gospel to be expressed on this day , nor to be by any thing distinguished from the night of any other day in the week . . supposing christians under the obligation of the direction given by moses before-mentioned , it may intangel them in the anxious scrupulous intrigues which the jews are subject unto about the beginning of the evening it self , about which their great masters are at variance : which things belong not to the oeconomy of the gospel . upon the whole matter i am inclinable to judg , and do so , that the observation of the day is to be commensurate to the use of our natural strength on any other day , from morning to night ; and nothing is hereby lost that is needful to the due sanctification of it : for what is by some required as a part of its sanctification , is necessary and required as a due preparation thereunto . . from what the learned and pious doctor saith , i infer , that these sabbatarians do not only judaize in respect of the seventh-day it self , but also as to the time when they begin their pretended sabbath . . and as to what he says about the beginning of the lord's day , i see no just cause to dissent from him , provided none from thence take liberty to end the day too soon . and i think it would be a reproach to any person to begin to work before midnight of the lord's day , or to suffer their servants to work after twelve a clock on the seventh-day at night ; nay , it might be better if they left off sooner , that so they may not be hindered in god's service on his day : for the natural day with us begins at midnight , and ends at midnight ; and tho 't is the lord's day , not the night , we are to observe in his solemn worship , yet must we have time for preparation , and after the day is gone , for meditation , prayer , &c. and let none mistake the doctor , he hints plainly enough , that by way of preparation we ought to begin sooner , and then certainly to continue our meditation after the day is past , till it is fit to go to our natural rest : and the contrary is a scandal and reproach to religion and true piety . how the lord's day should be kept . certainly since the lord's day , or the first-day of the week , is the day of holy rest and solemn worship in gospel-times , it behoveth us to know and consider well how we should keep it , or observe it to the lord. . evident it is that some are carried away by delusion , who believe all days are alike , and so every day should be kept as a sabbath ; which is nothing less than the design of the devil , who if he can perswade men that there is no such thing as a sacred rest , or any one day required by authority from christ , will soon bring them to observe no day at all ; and so all gospel-worship , religion , piety , and the special day of worship will soon fall together . . nay , and i am satisfied , that one grand cause of the lamentable decay of true zeal and piety , and of the grievous witherings among us in these days , is that sad carelesness and looseness about a due and religious observance of the lord's day : for when more conscience was made of the dutys of this day , how did religion and strict godliness flourish in this nation , and in the churches of christ and godly families ? nor will it be better till a reformation be attained in this case . . yet , as reverend owen observes , several instances there are of the miscarriages of men on the one hand and on the other : some formerly , and may be now , think they are obliged to keep the lord's day after the manner the jews kept the old sabbath . to which i might add , some are too pharisaical in this matter . there hath been ( saith the doctor ) some excess in directions of many given about the due sanctification of the lord's day , which indeed he calls severe directions about dutys , and manner of performance ; on which some others have taken occasion thereby to seek relief , and have rejected the whole command . so that it appears in this , as in many other cases , men are ready to run into extreams on the one hand or the other . directions , saith he , have been given , and not a few , for the observation of a day of holy rest , which either for the matter of them , or the manner prescribed , have no sufficient warrant or foundation in the scripture . whereas some have made no distinction between the sabbath as moral * , and as mosaical , unless it be merely in the change of the day ; and so have endeavour'd to introduce the whole practice required on the latter into the lord's day . nay , as i shall shew you , they have asserted the simple morality of the fourth commandment to consist in the observance of the precise first-day of the week , or the lord's day , as the saturday sabbatarians do on the seventh ; which is no small error on both sides , and is attended , as i have proved , with great absurdities , and dangerous consequences . therefore if any ask how should we observe the lord's day ; for we are fully satisfied , say they , that is the day the lord hath made as the day of rest and solemn worship under the gospel . i answer , first negatively , not after that legal , severe , or strict manner , as was the jewish sabbath under the law. i am perswaded some good men in the last century have by an over-heated zeal , stumbled many godly christians , by pressing the lord's day observance just after the manner of the old jewish sabbath ; as if one precise day of worship was a pure moral precept . but if the morality of the fourth command consisted not in the observation of the precise seventh-day , as i have shewed , besure it doth not in the observance of the first-day , tho it be our duty , by mere positive right , to keep it wholly to the lord. and should we press the observance of the lord's day with that severity and strictness the seventh-day sabbath was to be observed , we should bring our people into equal bondage with the jews of old . but let us avoid all extreams on either hand ; for as i hinted , some learned men formerly * opened a door to loosness and licentiousness on the one hand , by not allowing the first-day's observance to be of divine institution , and so allowed of sports and carnal delights on the lord's days : i might mention mr. primrose , dr. heylin , pocklington , &c. so others 't is evident have exceeded as much on the other hand ; but 't is best to keep in a medium betwixt both . therefore in the negative , . i do not believe it is unlawful to kindle a fire on the lord's-day , because 't is not forbid in the gospel , as it was under the law on the old sabbath-day . . i do not believe 't is unlawful to travel further than a jewish sabbath-days journey ; whether to to hear a sermon , or to visit a sick person , or the like . we have no bounds under the gospel , saith dr. owen , for a sabbath-days journy , provided it be for sabbath ends. in brief , all pains or labour that our station and condition in this world , as troubles may befal us , make necessary , as that without which we cannot enjoy the solemn ends and uses of this sacred day of rest , are no way inconsistent with the due observation of it . it may be the lot of one man to take so much pains , and to travel so far for and in the due celebration of the lord's-day , as if another should do the like without his occasions and circumstances , it would be a profanation of it . . i do not believe it unlawful to dress a dinner or supper on the lord's-day . refreshments helpful to nature so far as to refresh it , that it may have a supply of spirits to go on chearfully in the duties of holy worship ( saith the doctor ) are lawful and useful : to macerate the body with abstinences on this day , is required of none ; and to turn it into a fast , or to fast upon this day , is generally condemn'd by the antients . wherefore to forbear provision of necessary food for families on this day , is mosaical ; and the enforcement of the particular precepts about not kindling a fire on this day , baking and preparing the food of it the day before , cannot be insisted on without a re-introduction of the seventh day precisely , to whose observation they were annexed , and thereby of the spirit of the old covenant . . provided always these refreshments be seasonable for the time of them , and not when publick duties require our attendance on them . and , . accompanied with singular regard to the rules of temperance ; as ( . ) that there be no appearance of evil. ( . ) that nature be not charged with any kind of excess , so far as to be hindered rather than assisted in the duties of the day . ( . ) that they are accompanied with gravity and sobriety , and purity of conversation . — to which let me add , certainly masters of families ought to take heed they do not put their servants upon greater labour on that day * than needs must , so as to hinder them from a due attendance as often as possible on god's publick worship . now what dr. owen saith , quite differs from that overheated zeal which appeared in some godly ministers in former times . what think you of what dr. white † relates in his treatise of the sabbath , concerning some zealots in his time about sixty years ago ? i have read , and many there be alive which will justify it , how it was preach'd in a market town in oxfordshire , that to do any servile work or business on the lord's-day , is as great a sin as to kill a man , or to commit adultery . it was preached in somersetshire , that to throw a bowl on the sabbath-day , is as great a sin as to kill a man. it was preached in norfolk , that to make a feast , or wedding dinner on the lord's-day , day , is as great a sin as for a father to take a knife and cut his own child's throat . it was preached in suffolk , ( i can name the man , and i was present when he was convened before his ordinary for preaching the same ) that to ring more bells than one on the lord's-day to call the people to church , is as great a sin as to commit murder . such unaccountable zeal hath done no small mischief to the cause of christ . two things i observe from what the doctor notes : . that these men thought we are under the like obligation in observance of the first day , as the jews were on their seventh day . . that they thought the morality of the fourth commandment consisted in the observation of the lord's-day , or the first day of the week , and so is a pure moral precept ; both which i utterly deny , and the contrary i have proved . secondly , in the affirmative i do say , that the first day , tho it be of mere positive right , ought to be observed wholly to the lord : he that observes a day , let him observe it to the lord ; and day , much more the lord's-day . ( . ) to the lord , not to our selves , i.e. for our external profit , or pleasure . ( . ) to the lord , that is , the whole day ; not a part of it , but the whole day from morning to evening . iii. that we begin the day early in the morning , first in private , and then in family devotion . . in reading some part of god's word ; and , . in prayer , laying aside all worldly business but what is of absolute necessity , and as much as in us lies , all worldly discourse , and earthly or worldly thoughts ; that the lord on his day may have our hearts as well as our ears , tongues and feet : and then to attend the publick worship , and that early ; on the first day of the week to seek jesus , as mary magdalen did . certainly it is a horrid shame in any to take more liberty for sleep , or otherwise to gratify the flesh on this day than they do on other days of the week , when imploy'd in doing their own business . do men require the whole day , and with the greatest care and diligence , to do their work ? and doth not the holy god require our utmost care and diligence in his work and service ? cursed is the deceiver which hath in his flock a male , and voweth and sacrificeth unto the lord a corrupt thing , &c. again it is said , cursed be he that doth the work of the lord negligently or deceitfully ; that is , with a cold and careless spirit . my brethren , god is a great king , and a jealous god for his name , and sacred worship : and he will be sanctified by all that draw near to him . and we must , i say , shew greater care and zeal in our serving him on his day , if possible , than in doing work for man. ( . ) he requires it of us : whatsoever thy hand findeth to do , do it with thy might . ( . ) he more deserves it from our hands : should a servant come to his day's work at ten a clock , certainly his master would soon turn him off . o take heed lest god severely rebuke you for your sloth and carelesness in not attending early on his publick worship . iv. in the evening to close the lord's-day in reading , instructing our families , and in repeating what we have heard , or in meditating thereon , and in prayer , and singing of psalms , hymns , and spiritual songs . thus the primitive christians kept the lord's day * . v. preparation for the publick worship is very necessary ; therefore besure you always come into the church from your closets , bearing your ministers upon your hearts , that so the word of god may run and be glorified , and your own souls secretly fed and edified together . and let no small matters hinder you , neither the length of the way , nor weather ; say with your self , sure i would not make these a plea or excuse , were i to receive some great earthly profit . vi. as to the publick worship , that consists in reading god's word , preaching , prayer , and singing of psalms , with a free and charitable contribution for the poor saints on every first-day of the week ; and if our congregations do not need such a weekly collection , yet it ought to be made for others who may need our help : in which contribution every one , save receivers , ought to be givers , according to their ability , tho it be but two mites ; and often on this day also the lord's supper is to be celebrated . these were the practices of the primitive christians , as dr. young abundantly hath shewed out of the writings of the first antient fathers , as ignatius , justin martyr , &c. vii . meditation is a great duty on the lord's day , as dr. owen shews ; and this , ( . ) in respect of god himself , whose glory we must make our end in all we do . we ought to meditate on the majesty , greatness , omnisciency and holiness of god , in our approaches to him in prayer and hearing his word , &c. and so on all the days of our lives . ( . ) we ought to meditate on jesus christ in a peculiar manner , as the special author of that ordinance in which we approach to him , and come together to celebrate . consider his rest : god takes up his rest in christ , his satisfaction and complacency in him , and in the way and covenant of rest , for us thro him ; therefore this is a sutable subject of meditation on this day . ( . ) let us meditate upon the glory and excellency of christ's person , and of his wonderful love. ( . ) the day it self , and its sacred services , are to be meditated upon , and those privileges we are partakers of . on this day our rest was perfected ; for then christ rose again for our justification , and spoke peace to his disciples ; and so he doth to us . on this day we were justified in christ , accepted in christ , pardoned in christ , as in our head and representative on that very first-day he rose from the dead . therefore let faith on this day be exercised , and let us labour for thankful hearts , and rejoice with singing on this day which the lord hath made to this end . caution . let all take heed that none profane the lord's day , nor any way cast contempt upon it ; which may be done many ways . . by doing servile work on this day out of a covetous mind ; and so instead of doing the lord's work on his day , they do their own . . by walking in the fields for their own carnal pleasure and recreation . o this is an abominable evil. . in gaming , and playing , or sporting on the lord's day . . in taking upon them needless journeys to visit their friends , because they cannot , they pretend , spare any other day to do it , for fear of outward loss to themselves and families ; christ shall suffer the loss of his honour and service , rather than they will lose any part of one of their own days . . some will not spare time on working days for themselves or servants to take a potion of physick to remove distempers of the body , but refer it to the lord's day ; which certainly is a horrid evil : and can they think god will bless that physick ? is it not sacrilege to rob god of his day ( for any external advantage ) which he hath dedicated and set apart for his own worship ? &c. he that converts any time of the lord's day , saith one , to worldly business , is a worse thief than he that robs on the high-way : for such a thief does but rob man , but this thief robs god , he robs him of his day . . such as spend part of it in casting up their debts , or setting their shop-books right . . such as take liberty to lie long abed on the lord's day , and prefer their carnal ease above the honour of christ and his sacred worship , to the reproach of his church , and grief of his ministers . . such as spend more time on the morning of the lord's day , to dress and trim their bodies , than they take in prayer , reading , and meditation , to prepare their souls for god's holy worship : these should be taken notice of and reproved ; perhaps all the morning is spent thus , and not two minutes either in prayer , reading , or meditation . . such as neglect coming into the publick worship of god on the lord's day , till perhaps near half the dutys of worship are over : by this god is provoked , and shame attends our assemblies , and our sacred religion is exposed to reproach . how far do the papists for zeal in their false religion out-do many who would be thought the most refined protestants ? how early are they at their devotion on this day , as well as on other days of the week ? let us reform in this case for the lord's sake , or else throw off our profession : god's soul loaths lukewarmness ; let us either be hot or quite cold , lest god spew us out of his mouth . . in worldly and needless discourses : how much time on the lord's day is this way idly wasted , and the day this way profaned , as well as in many other ways , which i shall now omit to mention . to close all , let us make due preparation for the worship of god on his day , and rejoice at the approach thereof , wherein we have a prize for our souls put into our hands , and may injoy god's presence if not wanting to our selves . this is the queen of days ( as ignatius called it ) which god hath crowned with blessings ; on which day the spirit most gloriously descended , and the dew of the same spirit still falls upon our souls , and we may write , this was the day of our new birth , and in which christ often carried our souls into his banquetting-house , and also feasted us with the fat things thereof . this know assuredly , as you grow cold in respect of the day of worship , you do certainly grow cold as to the worship it self : and in this lies one of the great evils of our present day . what zeal did attend christians in this nation in former times ! and how religiously did they observe the lord's day ! let us call to mind our espousal love , and do our first works , lest christ remove our candlesticks out of their places . finis . advertisement . the confession of faith put forth by the elders and brethren of many congregations of christians baptized upon profession of their faith in london and the country : the third edition , with almost forty of the ministers names prefixed to it : as also the catechism agreeable to the confession of faith , owning election and final preseverance ; necessary for the instruction of youth in the fundamentals of religion . the remainder of the impressions of these two books , with the full and true right of printing of them for the future , are sold to the bookseller mr. marshal at the bible in grace-church-street , london : it is desired that all persons that are desirous to promote such useful books , may apply themselves to the said john marshal to be furnished with them . books printed for and sold by john marshall in grace-church-street , writ by mr. benj. keach . the display of glorious grace , or the covenant of peace opened , in fourteen sermons lately preached : in which the errors of the present day about reconciliation and justification are detected . the breach repaired in god's worship ; or , singing of psalms , hymns and spiritual songs , prov'd to be an holy ordinance of jesus christ : wherein the chief arguments of many learned divines who have wrote on that subject are recited , as mr. cotton of new-england , mr. sydenham , dr. roberts , dr. owen , mr. caryl , dr. du-veil , mr. wells , &c. with an answer to all objections . as also an examination of mr. isaac marlow's two papers , one called a discourse concerning singing , &c. the other , an appendix ; wherein his arguments and cavils are refuted . spiritual songs , being the marrow of the scripture in songs of praise to almighty god , &c. with divine hymns on several occasions , as now practised in several congregations in and about london : the second edition , with a table of contents . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e * mr. grascome . notes for div a -e the occasion of the author 's preaching these sermons . rom. . . eph. . . rom. . . tit. . . pet. . . the occasion of the words opened . the terms of the text explained . perkins on gal. p. . object . answ . mat. . . dr. white p. . object . . answ . heb. . . cor. . , , , . object . . answ . praefat. in galat. apocal . . object . answ . read mr. baxter on the subject . baxter on the lord's day , p. acts . object . answ . heb. . . instit . . c. . sect. . the doctrines raised . mat. . , , . adam broke all the commandments . dr. lightfoot 's miscel . p. , . see mr. shepherd on the sabbath , p. , , , , . rom. . , . what precepts are moral . see mr. cawdrey sabbath rediv . p. , . joh. . . th proposit . by way of premise . dr. owen 's exercit. p. , , . * so that , according to the doctor , if it was not instituted in paradise , tho given forth in the wilderness , it can't be universally obligatory on all mankind . † the doctor still , as it seems to me , builds chiefly on its institution in paradise , where we can find no institution referring to innocent adam . ‖ so that the morality of the fourth commandment lies not in the precise seventh day . * he alludes to adam in paradise , where we can find no express positive command . † let our jewish sabbatarians consider well what the doctor positively asserts here . * no express institution is needful for the observance of the first day ; but examples only if the th part of time , or one day in seven , do abide in the th command . the general proposition . charnock on the attributes , p. . the substance of all moral precepts written in adam's heart . the law of the th day sabbath not written in adam's heart . * mr. p. a minister at rouen in france , p. . tillam 's book , p. . the reasons why god added the ministration of the law wrote in two tables of stone . * this gave a new state to it , saith dr. owen , p. , . just . mart. respon . ad qu. p. . theod. on ezek. c. . matth. . no positive law given to adam to keep the seventh-day sabbath . mr. geo. walker's doctrine of the holy sabbath , p. . * see mr. warren's jewish sabbath antiquated . mr. primrose in his treatise of the sabbath in his preface . p. . owen on the sabbath , p. , &c. p. . p. . p. , . heylin's hist . of the sabbath , p. . * antiq. l. , . * one of the trent council . gen. . . ver. . ver. . god by way of destination from the beginning appointed the sabbath for after-times . * tho i do not say the sabbath was instituted in paradise . treatise of the sab. p. . dr. wallis answ . to mr. banfield , p. , . mr. gilb. ironside , on the sab. p. , . he calls it sabbath . muscul . loc . com . byfield against brerewood . warren 's jewish sabbath , &c. in his full answer to tillam 's book , p. , , , , . robert 's myster . p. . psal . . . walker on the sab. p. . exod. . , . ezek. . . it might not be our duty to keep the sabbath , tho given to adam in innocency . see sabbatum redi . part . p. . p. . all adam's time in innocency taken up in adoring his blessed creator . the patriarchs did not keep the seventh day sab. see ainsw . annot. on the place . * rabbi maimon . lib. . c. . ad judaeos . abulensis . * de emendat . temp. l. . gen. . , , , , , , . seven precepts given to noah , but no sabbath . job liv'd , 't is thought about abraham's time . job . . the patriarchs not commended for keeping the seventh-day sabbath . the old world not charg'd with sabbath-breaking . sodom not charg'd with sabbath-breaking . none from adam to moses reprehended for not keeping the sabbath . the proofs of the learned for the patriarchs keeping the sabbath . dr. owen on the sab. p. . dr. twiss on the christian sab. p. . the jews reckon'd their seventh-day sabbath from the falling of manna . the judgment of the an●ient fathers . just . mart. 〈◊〉 cum 〈…〉 iren. l. . c. . tert. adv . judaeos , de praescr . c. , . justin . de verit . l. . in tryph. dem. l. . c. . cont. tryph. joh. . . mr. sam. grascom , p. . the arguments against the patriarchs keeping the sabbath 〈◊〉 up . exod. . . the th day sab. begun in the wilderness of sin. mr. grascome . ver. . grascome's history of the sab. p. . exod. . . numb . . , . dr. owen on the sab. p. . gen. . . & . . & . . & . . the grand argument for the jewish sabbath consider'd and answer'd . the method proposed in answering this argument . cawdry 's christian sabbath , p. , , . white on the sab. p. . owen on the sab. p. . shepherd on the sab. p. , . primrose of the sab. p. . cawdry sabbatum , p. . baxt. on the sab. p. . three things contain'd in the fourth commandment . deut. . . p. , . that the precise seventh day is not the morality of the fourth commandment , proved largely . dr. owen on the sab. p. . the seventh day never known universally to be a sabbath . josh . . . king. . . joh. . . the th day sabb. not given forth afresh by christ or his apostles . mal. . . deut. . . rom. . . cor. . . joh. . . phil. . . col. . . cor. . . tim. . . the seventh-day sabbath proved to be a sign of the covenant of works . gal. . . col. . . warren on the sab. against tillam , p. , , &c. sheph. on the sabb. part . thes . . p. . * mat. . . mark . . cap. . . cap. . . luk. . . cap. . . act. . . † kings . . chron. . . ch . . . ch . . . neh. . . ezek. . . amos . . col. . . dr. owen , p. . dr. owen on the sab. p. . * the dr. takes it for granted , which i deny , that the sabbath was given , to adam . acts . exod. . . exod. . . dr. owen ●n the sab. p. , ● . tillam on the sabb. p. . what is meant by god's sanctifying the whole nation of israel . exod. . , . jer. . , , . heb. . hom. . in mat. . gal. . . 't is naturally impossible for all men to keep the precise th day throout the world. dr. white , p. , , . mr. ironside , p. t. c. recommended by dr. bates and mr. how , c. . p. . christ lord of the sabbath , can dispose of it as he pleases . ironside , p. , . mat. . . mark . . mark . . the simple morality of the fourth command lies not in one day in seven . pag. . mr. warren , p. . * owen , twiss , shepherd , walker , palmer , hughs , dod , wallis , durham , b. of dorchest . weemse , baxter , bunyan , &c. mr. b. of dorchest . p. . exod. . mr. b. of dorchest . p. . * my father , saith our lord , worketh hitherto , and i work . the decalogue given to none but the jews , as written exod. . all the world under the law of works in the first adam . exod. . . deut. . . psal . . , . see mr. ives's saturday no sabbath , p. , . exod. . . neh. . . the ten commandments on mount sinai given only to the house of israel . mat. . , , . moses no law-giver but to the jews . heyl. on the sabb. p. , . zanchius de redempt . l. . c. . tom. . baxter on the sabb. p. . this is a full answ . to mr. soarsby , who has filled many pages of his book to prove the decalogue law was given to all the world. rom. . . act. . . cor. . , . the gentiles shall not be judged by moses's law. rom. . . rom. . ● ▪ , . jam. . , , , . about fulfilling the royal law , opened . the moral law taken out of the hand of moses as a lawgiver , and put into the hand of christ as mediator . isa . . . jam. . . heb. . , . acts . , . heb. . . ver. . cor. . . exod. . . b. on the sabb. p. , . joh. . . * rom. . , , , , , . ch. . , , , . ch. . , . ch. . , , , , , . ch. . , , . ch. . . gal. . , , . ch. . , , , , , , , , . ch. . . ch. . , , , . ch. . . eph. . . phil. . , heb. . , , . ch. . . ch. . . cor. . . rom. . . ch. . . chap. . . the use of the law at in christ's hand . rom. . , . gal. . . no precept to keep the seventh-day sabbath in the new testament . see pet. heylin , p. . acts. . . & . . act. . . acts . . dr. young , p. , . act. . . act. . . hom. . in act. act. . . ver. . several arguments against the observation of the old jewish sabbath . rom. . . heb. . . joh. . . ch . . . act. . . act. . . ver. . joh. . , . no law of the seventh-day sabbath written in the hearts of god's new covenant children . jer. . . cor. . . warren on the sabb. p. , . ●ob . . * meaning tillam . the dangerous consequences of the sabbatarian principles . owen on the sabb. p. . it magnifies creation-work above redemption . it eclipses the glory of christ . on mat. . . p. . jewish sabbath genders to bondage . it renders all that keep it not , guilty of horrid immorality . see dr. white on the sab. new testament sab. p. , . * of our meeting-house . pag. , . rom. . rom. . . p. , . their principle tends to harden the jews . it tends to schism . some of them are for free grace , &c. notes for div a -e the doctrine raised . whatsoever the apostles preached , christ gave them command so to do . see cor. . . cor. . . to appoint a weekly day of worship is not in the power of the church , &c. christian sabbath , p. . the equity of precepts may abide . servants and cattel still have one day in . to rest in . isa . . . the day of pentecost the first day of the week . the wave-offering was the morrow after the weekly sabbath . hist . of the sab. par . . p. . on the ten command . p. . sab. rediv. p. . christ . sab. p. , . owen on the sabb. p. . baxt. on the sabb. p. . cor. . owen , p. . mr. warren . proofs that pentecost was the first day of the week . deut. . . dr. usher in his letter to dr. twiss , p. , . see dr. usher's printed letter . cor. . . cor. . . mat. . , . * mr. warren . nazianze● orat. . numb . . . cor. . . * truth or antitype . pag. . heb. . ● . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . dr. owen on the sab. p. . cor. . , . pag. . * that is , god brings over the law ( as given on mount sinai ) into the hands of christ . pag. . heb. . . pag. . § . * isa . . . ch . . , . pet. . . rev. . . rom. . . . cor. . . gal. . . pag. . the drift of the apostle here is to shew how the first day is established as our day of rest under the gospel . this the doctor . shews the apostle chiefly intends . pag. . § . pag. , , , &c. pag. . § . p. . christ ceased from his work on the day of his resurrection . p. . sect. . tim. . . rom. . . p. . sect. . p. . sect. . the first day made by the lord for a day of rest , joy and gladness in god's worship . dies dominicus , p. . joh. . . ver. . pag. . cyril , l. . in joh. p. , . christian sabb. p. , , . jewish sabb. p. . the first day of the week a day of great renown many ways . mr. warren , p. . joh. . . mr. warren , p. . * tillam . mr. warren , p. . luke . . ephes . . , . john . . mr. warren . luke . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . duveil on acts . p. , . hist. eccl. ch. . shepherd on the sab. p. . baxter in answ . to our opponents , p. . christian sabbath , p. , . dr. wallis , p. . see mr. warren , p. . hughes on the sab. p. , . du-veil on acts . . dr. young's lord's-day , p. . * mat. . . mark . . luk. . . john . † hom. . in cor. cont. haer. l. . c. . on the sab. p. . socrat. lib. . cap. . durham on the ten command . p. . the lord's day the first day of the week , rev. . . mr. warren , p. . * vid. sixti senensis biblioth . sanct. p. . isa . . . dr. walls , p. . cor. . , . ch . . . eph. . . joh. . . on the sab. p. . mat. . . rom. . . owen on the sab. p. . * mr. will. fenner on the sab. p. . ●sal . . ● . isa . . . rev. . . mr. ley sund. sab. mat. . . mr. geo. hughs of plym . aphorisms of the sab. p. . p. . epist . ad trall . & magnes . dr. wallis christ . sab. part. . p. , . dr. young cites the same passage also of ignatius , p. . polycarp . justin martyr an . . his second apology . * the lord's . † sunday . warren on the sabb. p. , . on act. . p. , . ep of ely on the sab. p. . note , there is a treatise of ignatius that is excepted against ( called his epistle to the philippians ) as spurious : see mr. perkins prep . to the dem. of the prolem . this was also approved by dr. twiss , after compared with the latin translation , and two manuscripts at oxon. see mr. warren 's jewish sabb. p. , . * or unlawful to fast . origen an . . alsted . chron. patr. athan. an . . the lord's day is that day in season in which the word ought to be preached , &c , eccl. . . collections for the poor saints to be made upon the first day of the week . christian sab. p. , , , . durham on the commands , p. . dr. wallis . * that is mr. bamfield . owen on the sabb. p. . act. . . owen , p. , . dr. wallis . cor. . . acts . , . & . . * one or two learned men mention this . shepherd on the sab. p. . * mr. durham . young on the lord's day , p. . i find or authors citing these very judgments . . on the sab. p. , . pag. . * mr. edw. stennett on the sab. p. . pag. . see the snare broken . * and do not such as affirm otherwise , strangely judaize ? levit. . . exo. . . † exod. . , . lev. . , , , . & . , . see isa . . , * they plead for the law as given in horeb , with the statutes and judgments . when the lord's day begins . owen on the sabb. p. . on the sab. p. . pag. . * that is , one day in seven , as he calls it , a moral positive elsewhere . * and there are too many of this sort also in our days . on the sab. p. . * nor their beasts neither , since god allows them this one day of the week for rest . † bishop of ely on the sabbath , p. . mr. tho. rogers pref. before the articles . mal. . . jer. . . levit. . . eccl. . . * read dr. young on the lord's day of the next age to the apostles . on the sab. p. . how some profane the lords day . watson 's body of divinity , p. . by the major for as much as the gathering together of persons old and young ... on the lord's day ... when they should be exercised publicly or privately in the duties of religion ... city of london (england). this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing l b). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing l b estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) by the major for as much as the gathering together of persons old and young ... on the lord's day ... when they should be exercised publicly or privately in the duties of religion ... city of london (england). broadside. printed by richard cotes ..., [london] : . second part of title taken from first eight lines of text. "dated at london, the th aprill, ." order for better observance of lord's day. place of publication suggested by wing. reproduction of original in the guildhall, london. eng sabbath legislation -- england. great britain -- religion -- th century. london (england) -- history -- th century. a r (wing l b). civilwar no by the major for as much as the gathering together of persons old and young ... on the lord's day ... when they should be exercised publicly corporation of london a this text has no known defects that were recorded as gap elements at the time of transcription. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - elspeth healey sampled and proofread - elspeth healey text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion by the major . for as much as the gathering together of persons old and young , upon the exchange , and into the fields for sports and recreations , into victualling-houses , and taverns upon the lords-day , and fast-days ; mispending their time there , when they should be exercised publickly or privately in the duties of religion . and for as much as the setting open of shops , and selling of vvine , beer , ale , flesh , fish , fruit , and other victual upon those days , and receiving and entertaining of persons upon those days to drink and tiple , tend very much to the dishonor of god , the encrease and spreading of prophanenesse , the scandall of godly and religious men , and the government of this city . the right honorable the lord maior therefore doth require all persons of what nation or quality soever , to forbear to walk or gather together upon the exchange , or into the fields , for sports and recreations ; or into victualling-houses , or taverns , or to set open any shop , or house , for vending or putting to sale any vvine , ale , beer , or other victuall or commodity whatsoever , upon the said days , except in case of necessity : and all parents and masters of families , to command their children and servants to forbear accordingly : and all constables and other officers to search for , and apprehend such persons as transgresse in any of the aforesaid particulars , and to bring them before his lordship , or some other iustices of the peace , to the intent that they may be proceeded against ; according to the laws in those cases provided . dated at london , the th . aprill , . printed by richard cotes , printer to the honorable city of london , . an epistle to all such as observe the seventh-day of the week for a sabbath to the lord. penington, isaac, - . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing p ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing p estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) an epistle to all such as observe the seventh-day of the week for a sabbath to the lord. penington, isaac, - . sheet ([ ] p.) printed for robert wilson, [london : ] signed: isaac pennington the younger. imprint information suggested by wing. reproduction of original in: friends' library (london, england). eng society of friends -- england -- pastoral letters and charges. sabbath. broadsides -- england -- th century. a r (wing p ). civilwar no an epistle to all such as observe the seventh-day of the week for a sabbath to the lord. penington, isaac b the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the b category of texts with fewer than defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - jonathan blaney sampled and proofread - jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion an epistle to all such as observe the seventh-day of the week for a sabbath to the lord . friends , in true love to your souls , and in the fear of the lord i have a few things to lay before you , that the simplicity in you may not be deceived , and yee err from the way of life , while yee may be eagerly seeking and pressing towards it : for notwithstanding that , if with the wrong eye yee be searching into scripture , ye must needs mis-read , mis-understand , and mispractice ; and so thereby will still be running further and further from god , even while yee think yee are drawing nigher towards him . be perswaded therefore seriously to consider ( out of the wisdome from which god hides , in the babish simplicity of his begetting , where the true life springs ) these few things following . . that the whole law of moses ( the ten words , as well as the institutions about sacrifices and worship ) was added because of transgression , gal. . . . that the whole law ( the ten words , as well as the sacrifices ) were representations , figures or shadows of somewhat relating to christ the seed , subservient to the promise not making perfect , but pointing to , and making way for the bringing in of the better hope , gal. . . heb. . . the law of commandements , or the ten words did no more make perfect , than the other shadows or sacrifices did , but with them made way for the better hope , towards which they were to lead their schollar or disciple as a school-master . . that the whole dispensation of the law was given to the jews , and not to the gentiles , rom. . . and so not any thing there written bindeth the gentiles ( as there written ) but onely the jews . god had another way of making his mind known to the gentiles , rom. . . and . . according to which he would judge them , ver. . and not by the law written , which was given to the jews , which spake not to the gentiles , but to the jews who were under it , rom. . . . that the duration of this dispensation of moses law in the letter , was till christ , the seed should come and fulfill it , gal. . . and ver. , . moses his family with all the laws thereof , were to prepare for christ the seed , and to give way to him when he came : for when that dispensation which was figured out , is come ; then that dispensation which did figure it out , is at an end , heb. . , . christ came to do the will , to keep and fulfill the whole law , and so to put an end to that dispensation of it , psal. . rom. . . and so he taketh away the first administration of the law , which was in the letter , that he might establish the second , which is in the spirit , heb. . . cor. . , . this then is the truth , as it is in jesus concerning this thing , that christ comming in the flesh , and fulfilling all the righteousnesse ( as well of the ten commandements , as of the sacrifices ) puts an end to that dispensation wholly : so that henceforth both jews and gentiles are to come to him , to hear his voice , this is my beloved son , hear him . and moses foretold , that when that prophet came , he was to be heard in all things ; whose whole ministration was but to figure out what the son was afterwards to fulfill in spirit , heb. . . who would be faithfull to give forth the entire law and substance of life to his house or family of believers , as moses was faithful to give the entire shadow to his house or family of that nation of the jews , ver. . so that here , in the gospell , christ being come , the new covenant and law in the spirit takes place , and not the old covenant or law in the letter . and this law is more inward , more full , more close , more spirituall , and more lasting , then the ministration of moses law to them of old time was , gal. . . &c. and it is the ministration of this law of the spirit which is not to passe away from the disciples of christ , untill all be fulfilled ; but is to remain a sword against every lust and desire of the flesh in them , untill they all with the very root of them be thereby cut down , mat. . . heb. . . mat. . , . quest . but what were the ten commandements a figure or shadow of ? answ. the tables of stone were a representation or figure of the fleshly tables of the heart , wherein the new law of the covenant of life is written . the writing of the law of commandements in the tables of stone , was a figure of the writing of this new law by the finger of gods spirit in the heart . the outward writing in the outward tables , was a figure of the inward writing in the inward tables . the law it self of commandements , which was written in those tables , was a figure of the law of life which is to be written in these tables . and this law thus received , thus written , is easily fulfilled , whereas the law in the letter , because of the weaknesse of the flesh was very hard to be fulfilled , and generally proved an hand-writing of ordinances against the jews : for he that was guilty of one , was guilty of all , and so upon every transgression had the force and strength of the whole law against him . and whosoever now runs back to the law in the letter , to take up any command as held forth in it , and so making himself a debter thereto , will be found a breaker thereof in spirit , even one that hath more gods then the lord , a maker of images or liknesses of things in heaven , or things in earth , if not of both , a taker of the name in vain , a prophaner of the sabbath , &c. for he that hath not received the law of the spirit of life in christ jesus , knoweth not the lord of life to be the onely true god , but maketh images in his mind , and taketh his name in vain , not feeling the living power thereof , nor can keep his sabbath ( ceasing from sin , forbearing his own works , his own willing and running , and entring into the rest of the gospell ) for there is but one day of rest holy to the lord ; all the sabbaths of the law were but signes of it , having but a significative or representative holynesse ; but the day of redemption which the lord hath made , psal. . . ( in which his redeemed rejoyce , and rest to him ) that hath the true holynesse . this was it which came by christ , the other came by moses , joh. . . moses his family or children were to keep that day ( that was the day for the servants , who were to be exercised under the shadows ) but the believers are to keep this day in the spirit , to enter into this rest by the faith , heb. . and to worship the father in it , in the spirit , and in the truth , on the mountain of his holynesse , joh. . . whereof the other mountain , temple , worship , and day was but a shadow . now the sum or substance of this law of the spirit , may outwardly be signified in divers short words , as love , that comprehends the whole of it , so doth fear ; there is the whole wisdom and course of the life comprehended also : or thus , thou shalt not lust , ( thus it was administred to paul , rom. . ) or thou shalt keep the sabbath , or believe in the light , folow the light . the observing of any one of these in the spirit , is the keeping of the law ; for every breach of the law is out of the love ▪ out of the fear , a lust of the fleshly spirit , a transgression of the sabbath , or spirituall rest to god , out of the light , and out of the faith . but if ye will read this in the spirit , and come to the true righteousnesse of the faith , which is received in the obedience of faith , to the law of the spirit , ye must come to the word of faith , to which paul directs , rom. . . by the hearing whereof is the justification , and not by a bare believing that christs blood was shed : for it is the vertue of the blood which saves , which vertue is in the living word , and is felt and received in hearing , believing , and obeying that word , thereby bringing into unity and conformity with him both in his death , and in his resurrection and life . this is the onely way to life , be not deceived : there is not , nor ever was any other . o wait on the lord in his fear , that it may be opened to you , and that slain in you which cannot bear the straitnesse thereof , and with which there is no entring . from a friend to your eternall peace , isaac pennington the younger . questions about the nature and perpetunity of the seventh-day sabbath and proof that the first day of the week is the true christian-sabbath / by john bunyan. bunyan, john, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing b estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) questions about the nature and perpetunity of the seventh-day sabbath and proof that the first day of the week is the true christian-sabbath / by john bunyan. bunyan, john, - . 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ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng sabbath. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - melanie sanders sampled and proofread - melanie sanders text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion questions about the nature and perpetuity of the seventh-day-sabbath . and proof , that the first day of the week is the true christian-sabbath . by john bunyan . the son of man is lord also of the sabbath day . london : printed for nath. pond●r , at the peacock in the poultry . . to the reader . some may think it strange , since gods church has already been so well furnished with sound grounds and reasons by so many wise and godly men , for proof that the first day of the week is our true christian sabbath , that i should now offer this small treatise upon the same account . but when the scales are even by what already is put in , a little more , you know , makes the weight the better . or grant we had down weight before , yet something over and above , may make his work the harder , that shall by hanging fictions on the other end , endeavour to make things seem too light . besides , this book being little , may best sute such as have but shallow purses , short memories , and but little time to spare , which usually is the lot of the mean and poorest sort of men . i have also written upon this subject , for that i would , as in other gospel-truths , be a fellow witness with good men that the day in which our lord rose from the dead should be much set by of christians . i have observed that some , otherwise sound in faith , are apt to be entangled with a jewish sabbath , &c. and that some also that are far off from the observation of that , have but little to say for their own practice though good ; and might i help them i should be glad . a jewish seventh-day-sabbath has no promise of grace belonging to it , if that be true ( as to be sure it is ) where paul says , the command to honour parents , is the first commandment with promise , ephes. . , , . also it follows from hence , that the sabbath that has a promise annexed to the keeping of it is rather that which the lord jesus shall give to the churches of the gentiles , isai. . perhaps my method here may not in all things keep the common path of argumentation with them that have gone before me : but i trust the godly-wise will find a taste of scripture-truth in what i present them with as to the sanction of our christian-sabbath . i have here , by handling four questions , proved , that the seventh-day-sabbath was not moral . for that must of necessity be done , before it can be made appear that the first day of the week is that which is the sabbath day for christians . but withal it follows , that if the seventh-day-sabbath was not moral , the first day is not so . what is it then ? why a sabbath for holy worship is moral ; but this or that day appointed for such service , is sanctified by precept or by approved example . the timeing then of a sabbath for us lies in god , not man ; in grace , not nature ; nor in the ministration of death , written and engraven in stones : god always reserving to himself a power to alter and change both time and modes of worship according to his own will. a sabbath then , or day of rest from worldly affairs to solemnize worship to god in , all good men do by nature conclude is meet , yea , necessary : yet that , not nature , but god reveals . nor is that day or time , by god so fixed on , in its own nature , better than any other : the holiness then of a sabbath lies , not in the nature or place of a day , but in the ordinance of god. nor doth our sanctifying of it , to the ends for which it is ordained , lie in a bare confession that it is such ; but in a holy performance of the duty of the day to god by christ , according to his word . but i will not enlarge to detain the reader longer from the following sheets ; but shall commit both him and them to the wise dispose of god , and rest , thine to serve thee , joh. bunyan . questions about the nature and perpe tuity of the seventh-day-sabbath . quest . . whether the seventh-day-sabbath is of , or made known to man by the law and light of nature ? something must be here premised , before i shew the grounds of this question . first then , by the law or light of nature , i mean , that law which was concreat with man ; that which is natural to him , being original with , and essential to himself ; consequently that which is invariable and unalterable , as is that nature . secondly , i grant that by this law of nature , man understands that there is one eternal god ; that this god is to be worshiped according to his own will ; consequently that time must be allowed to do it in : but whether the law or light of nature teacheth , and , that of it self , without the help of revelation , that the seventh day of the week is that time sanctified of god , and set apart for his worship , that 's the question ; and the grounds of it are thefe : first , because the law of nature is anticedent to this day ▪ yea compleated as a law before 't was known or revealed to man that god either did or would sanctifie the seventh day of the week at all . now this law , as was said , being natural to a man , ( for man is a l●m unto himself , ( rom. . ) could onely teach the things of a man , and there the apostle stints it , cor. . . ) ▪ but to be able to determine , and that about things that were yet without being either in nature , or by revelation , is that which belongs not to a man as a man ; and the seventh-day-sabbath as yet , was such : for adam was compleatly made the day before ; and god did not sanctifie the seventh day before it was , none otherwise than by his secret decree . therefore by the law of nature adam understood it not , it was not made known to him thereby . secondly , to affirm the contrary , is to make the law of nature supernatural , which is an impossibility . yea , they that do so , make it a predictor , a prophet ; a prophet about divine things to come ; yea , a prophet able to foretel what shall be , and that without a revelation ; which is a strain that never yet prophet pretended to . besides ; to grant this , is to run into a grievous errour ; for this doth not onely make the law of nature the first of prophets ; contrary to gen. . . compared with joh. . . but it seems to make the will of god , made known by revelation , a needless thing . for if the law of nature , as such , can predict , or foretel gods secrets , and that before he reveals them , and this law of nature is universal in every individal man in the world , what need is there of particular prophets , or of their holy writings ? ( and indeed here the quakers and others split themselves : ) for if the law of nature can of it self reveal unto me one thing pertaining to instituted worship , for that we are treating of now , and the exact time which god has not yet sanctified and set apart for the performance thereof , why may it not reveal unto me more , and so still more ; and at last all that is requisite for me to know , both as to my salvation , and how god is to be worshipped in the church on earth . thirdly , if it be of the law of nature , then all men by nature are convinced of the necessity of keeping it , and that though they never read or heard of the revealed will of god about it ; but this we find not in the world . for though it is true that the law of nature is common to all , and that all men are to this day under the power and command thereof , yet we find not that they are by nature under a conviction of the necessity of keeping of a seventh-day-sabbath . yea , the gentiles , though we read not that they ever despised the law of nature , yet never had , as such , a reverence of a seventh-day-sabbath , but rather the contrary . fourthly , if therefore the seventh-day-sabbath is not of the law of nature , then it should seem not to be obligatory to all . for instituted worship , and the necessary circumstances thereunto belonging , is obligatory but to some . the tree that adam was forbid to eat of , we read not but that his children might have eat the fruit thereof : and circumcision , the passover , and other parts of instituted worship was enjoyned but to some . fifthly , i doubt the seventh-day-sabbath is not of the law of nature , and so not moral ; because though we read that the law of nature , and that before moses , was charged upon the world , yet i fi●d not till then , that the prophanation of a seventh-day-sabbath was charged upon the world : and indeed to me this very thing makes a great scruple in the case . a law , as i said , we read of , and that from adam to moses ( rom. . , . ) the transgressions also of that law we read of them , and that particularly , as in gen. . . ch . . . ch . . , . ch . . . ch . . . ch . . , , , . ch . . . ( ezek. . . ) ch . . . ch . . . ch . . . ch . . , , . deut. . , . ch . . . psal. . , , . and romans the first and second chapters . but in all the scriptures we do not read , that the breach of a seventh-day-sabbath was charged upon men as men all that time . whence i gather , that either a seventh-day-sabbath was not discerned by the light of nature , and so not by that law imposed ; or else , that men by the help and assistance of that ( for we speak of men as men ) in old time kept it better , than in after ages did the church of god with better assistance by far : for they are there yet found fault with as breakers of that sabbath ( ezekel . . ) it follows therefore , that if the law of nature doth not of it self reveal to us , as men , that the seventh day is the holy sabbath of god. that that day , as to the sanction of it , is not moral , but rather arbitrary , to wit , imposed by the will of god upon his people , until the time he thought fit to change it for another day . and if so , it is hence to be concluded , that though by the light of nature men might see that time must be allowed and set apart for the performance of that worship that god would set up in his house , yet , as such , it could not see what time the lord would to that end chuse . nature therefore saw that by a positive precept , or a word revealing it , and by no other means . nor doth this at all take away a whit of that sanction which god once put upon the seventh-day-sabbath ; unless any will say , and by sufficient argument prove , that an ordinance for divine worship receiveth greater sanction from the law of nature than from a divine precept : or standeth stronger when 't is established by a law humane , for such is the law of nature , than when imposed by revelation of god. but the text will put this controversie to an end . the sanction of the seventh-day-sabbath , even as it was the rest of god , was not till after the law of nature was compleated ; god rested the seventh day , and sanctified it , ( gen. . . ) sanctified it ; that is , set it apart to the end there mentioned , to wit , to rest thereon . other grounds of this question i might produce , but at present i will stop here , and conclude , that if a seventh-day-sabbath was an essential necessary to the instituted worship of god , then it self also as to its sanction for that work , was not founded but by a positive precept ; consequently not known of man at first , but by revelation of god. quest . ii. whether the seventh-day-sabbath , as to mans keeping of it holy , was ever made known to or imposed by a positive precept upon him until the time of moses ? which from adam was about two thousand years . something must also be here premised , in order to my propounding of my grounds for this question ; and that is , that the seventh day was sanctified so soon as it had being in the world , unto the rest of god ( as it is gen. . , . ) and he did rest from all his works which he had made therein . but the question is , whether when god did thus sanctifie this day to his own rest , be did also by the space of time above-mentioned , impose it as an holy sabbath of rest upon men ; to the end they might solemnize worship to him in special manner thereon ? and i question this , first , because we read not that it was . and reading , i mean , of the divine testimony , is ordained of god , for us to find out the mind of god , both as to faith and our performance of acceptible service to him . in reading also , we are to have regard to two things . . to see if we can find a precept : or , . a countenanced practice for what we do : for both these ways we are to search , that we may find out what is that good , that acceptible will of god. for the first of these we have gen. . , . and for the second , gen. . , . now as to the imposing of a seventh ▪ day-sabbath upon men from adam to moses , of that we find nothing in holy writ either from precept or example . true , we find that solemn worship was performed by the saints that then lived : for both abel noah , abraham , isaac , jacob sacrificed unto god ( gen. . . ch . . , . ch . . . ch . . . ch . . . ) but we read not that the seventh day was the time prefixed of god for their so worshipping , or that they took any notice of it . some say , that adam in eating the forbidden fruit , brake also the seventh-day-sabbath , because he fell on that day ; but we read not that the breach of a sabbath was charged upon him . that which we read is this ; hast thou eaten of the tree whereof i commanded thee , that thou shouldest not eat ? ( gen. . . ) some say also that cain killed abel on a sabbath day ; but we read not that in his charge god laid any such thing at his door . this was it of which he stood guilty before god ; namely , that his brothers bloud cried unto god against him from the ground , ( gen. . . ) i therefore take little notice of what a man saith , though he flourisheth his matter with many brave words , if he bring not with him , thus saith the lord. for that , and that onely , ought to be my ground of faith as to how my god would be worshipped by me . for in the matters material to the worship of god , 't is safest that thus i be guided in my judgement : for here onely i perceive the footsteps of the flock ( ezek. . . song . . ) they say further , that for god to sanctifie a thing , is to set it apart . this being true ; then it follows , that the seventh-day-sabbath was sanctified , that is , set apart for adam in paradise ; and so , that it was ordained a sabbath of rest to the saints from the beginning . but i answer , as i hinted before , that god did sanctifie it to his own rest . the lord also hath set apart him that is godly for himself . but again , 't is one thing for god to sanctifie this or that thing to an use , and another thing to command that that thing be forthwith in being to us . as for instance : the land of canaan was set apart many years for the children of israel before they possessed that land. christ jesus was long sanctified ; that is , set apart to be our redeemer before he sent him into the world ( deut. . . joh. . . ) if then , by gods sanctifying of the seventh day for a sabbath , you understand it for a sabbath for man , ( but the text saith not so ) yet it might be so set apart for man , long before it should be , as such , made known unto him . and that the seventh-day-sabbath was not as yet made known to men , consider secondly , moses himself seems to have the knowledge of it at first , not by tradition , but by revelation ; as it is ( exod. . . ) this is that , saith he , that the lord hath said , ( namely to me ; for we read not , as yet , that he said it to any body else ) to morrow is the sabbath of the holy rest unto the lord. also holy nehemiah suggesteth this , when he saith of israel to god , thou madest known to them thy holy sabbaths ( neh. . . ) the first of these texts shew us , that tidings of a seventh-day-sabbath for men , came first to moses from heaven : and the second , that it was to israel before unknown . but how could be either the one or the other , if the seventh ▪ day-sabbath was taught men by the light of nature , which is the moral law ? or if from the beginning it was given to men by a positive precept for to be kept . this therefore strengthning my doubt about the affirmative of the first question , and also prepareth an argument for what i plead as to this we have now under consideration . thirdly , this yet seems to me more scrupulous , because that the punishment due to the breach of the seventh-day-sabbath was hid from men to the time of moses ; as is clear ; for that 't is said of the breaker of the sabbath , they put him in ward , because it was not as yet declared what should be done unto him , numb . . , , , , . but methinks , had this seventh-day-sabbath been imposed upon men from the beginning , the penalty or punishment due to the breach thereof had certainly been known before now . when adam was forbidden to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil , the penalty was then , if he disobeyed , annexed to the prohibition . so also it was as to circumcision , the passover , and other ordinances for worship . how then can it be thought , that the seventh-day-sabbath should be imposed upon men from the beginning ; and that the punishment for the breach thereof , should be hid with god for the space of two thousand years ! gen. . , . ch . . , . exod. . , , , , , . and the same chapter , vers . . fourthly , gods giving of the seventh-day-sabbath was with respect to stated and stinted worship in his church ; the which , until the time of moses , was not set up among his people . things till then were adding or growing : now a sacrifice , then circumcision , then again long after that the passover , &c. but when israel was come into the wilderness , there to receive as gods congregation , a stated , stinted , limited way of worship , then he appoints them a time , and times , to perform this worship in ; but as i said afore , before that it was not so , as the whole five books of moses plainly shew : wherefore the seventh-day-sabbath , as such a limited day , cannot be moral , or of the law of nature , nor imposed till then . and methinks christ jesus and his apostles do plainly enough declare this very thing : for that when they repeat unto the people , or expound before them the moral law , they quite exclude the seventh-day-sabbath : yea , paul makes that law to us compleat without it . we will first touch upon what christ doth in this case . as in his sermon upon the mount , matthew chap. . chap. . chap. . in all that large and heavenly discourse upon this law , you have not one syllable about the seventh-day-sabbath . so when the young man came running , and kneeling , and asking what good thing he should do to inherit eternal life , christ bids him keep the commandments ; but when the young man asked which christ quite leaves out the seventh day , and puts him upon the other . as in matth. . , , . as in mark . , , . as in luke . , , . you will say , he left out the first , and second , and third likewise . to which i say , that was because the young man by his question did presuppose that he had been a doer of them : for he profess'd in his supplication , that he was a lover of that which is naturally good , which is god , in that his petition was so universal for every thing which he had commanded . paul also when he makes mention of the moral law , quite leaves out of that the very name of the seventh-day-sabbath , and professeth , that to us christians the law of nature is compleat without it . as in rom. . , . as in rom. . , , , . as in tim. . , , , . he that loveth another , saith he , hath fulfilled the law . for this , thou shalt not commit adultery , thou shalt not kill , thou shalt not steal , thou shalt not covet : and if there be any other commandment , it is briefly comprehended under this saying , thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self . love worketh no ill to his neighbour , therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. i make not an argument of this , but take an occasion to mention it as i go : but certainly , had the seventh-day-sabbath been moral , or of the law of nature , ( as some would fain perswade themselves ) it would not so slenderly have been passed over in all these repetitions of this law , but would by christ or his apostles have been pressed upon the people , when so fair an opportunity as at these times offered it self unto them . but they knew what they did , and wherefore they were so silent as to the mention of a seventh-day-sabbath when they so well talked of the law as moral . fifthly , moses and the prophet ezekel both , do fully confirm what has been insinuated by us ; to wit , that the seventh day as a sabbath was not imposed upon men until israel was brought into the wilderness . . moses saith to israel , remember that thou wast a servant in the land of egypt , and that the lord thy god brought thee out thence through a mighty hand , and by a stretched-out arm ; therefore the lord thy god commandeth thee to keep the sabbath day . yea , he tells us , that the covenant which god made with them in horeb , that written in stones , was not made with their forefathers ( to wit , abraham , isaac , and jacob ) but with them , deut. . , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . . ezekel also is punctual as to this : i caused them , saith god by that prophet , to go forth out of the land of egypt , and brought them into the wilderness . and i gave them my statutes , and shewed them my judgements , which if a man do he shall even live in them . moreover , i gave them my sabbaths to be a sign between me and them , that they might know that i am the lord that sanctifieth them , ezek. . , , , . exod. . ▪ ch . . . ch . . . what can be more plain ? and these to be sure , are two notable witnesses of god , who , as you see , do joyntly concur in this ; to wit , that it was not from paradise , nor from the fathers , but from the wilderness , and from sinai , that men received the seventh-day-sabbath to keep it holy . true , it was gods sabbath before : for on the first seventh day we read , that god rested thereon , and sanctified it . hence he calls it in the first place my sabbath . i gave them my sabbath : but it seems 't was not given to the church till he had brought them into the wilderness . but , i say , if it had been moral , it had been natural to man ; and by the light of nature men would have understood it , even both before it was , and otherwise . but of this you see we read nothing , either by positive law , or countenanced example , or any other way , but rather the flat contrary ; to wit , that moses had ▪ the knowledge of it first from heaven , not by tradition . that israel had it , not of , or from their fathers , but in the wilderness , from him , to wit moses , after he had brought them out of the land of egypt . and that that whole law in which this seventh-day-sabbath is placed , was given for the bounding and better ordering of them in their church-state for their time , till the messias should : come and put by a better ministration this : out of his church , as we shall further shew anon . the seventh-day-sabbath therefore was not from paradise , not from nature , nor from the fathers , but from the wilderness , and from sinai . quest . iii. whether when the seventh-day-sabbath was given to israel in the wilderness , the gentiles , as such , was concerned therein . before i shew my ground for this question , i must also first premise , that the gentiles , as such , were then without the church of god , and pale thereof ; consequently had nothing to do with the essentials or necessary circumstances of that worship which god had set up for himself now among the children of israel . now then for the ground of the question . first , we read not that god gave it to any but to the seed of jacob. hence it is said to israel , and to israel onely , the lord hath given [ you ] his sabbaths : and again , i also gave [ them ] my sabbaths , exod. . . ezek. . , . now , if the gift of the seventh-day-sabbath was onely to israel , as these texts do more than seem to say ; then to the gentiles , as such , it was not given . unless any shall conclude , that god by thus doing preferred the jew to a state of gentilism ; or that he bestowed on them by thus doing , some high gentile priviledge . but this would be very fictious : for , to lay aside reason , the text always , as to preference , did set the jew in the first of places , ( rom. . : ) nor was his giving the seventh-day-sabbath to them but a signe and token thereof . but the great objection is , because the seventh-day-sabbath is found amongst the rest of those precepts which is so commonly called the moral law ; for thence it is concluded to be of a perpetual duration . but i answer , that neither that as given on sinai is moral ; i mean , as to the manner and ends of its ministration ; of which , god permitting , we shall say more in our answer to the fourth question , whither i direct you for satisfaction . but , secondly , the gentiles could not be concerned , as such , with gods giving of a seventh-day-sabbath to israel , because , as i have shewed before , it was given to israel considered as a church of god , ( acts . . ) nor was it given to them , as such , but with rites and ceremonies thereto belonging , so levit. . , , , , . numb . . , . neh. . . ezek. . . now , i say , if this sabbath hath ceremonies thereto belonging , and if these ceremonies were essential to the right keeping of the sabbath : and again , if these ceremonies were given to israel onely , excluding all but such as were their proselytes , then this sabbath was given to them as excluding the gentiles as such . but if it had been moral , the gentiles could assoon have been deprived of their nature as of a seventh-day-sabbath , though the jews should have appropriated it unto themselves onely . again , to say that god gave this seventh-day-sabbath to the gentiles , as such , ( and yet so he must , if it be of the moral law ) is as much as to say , that god hath ordained that that sabbath should be kept by the gentiles without ; but by the jews , not without her ceremonies . and what conclusion will follow from hence , but that god did at one and the same time set up two sorts of acceptable worships in the world : one among the jews , another among the gentiles ? but how ridiculous such a thought would be , and how repugnant to the wisdom of god , you may easily perceive . yea , what a diminution would this be to gods church that then was , for one to say , the gentiles were to serve god with more liberty than the jew ! for the law was a yoak , and yet the gentile is called the dog , and said to be without god in the world , deut. . . psal. . , . matth. . . eph. . , . thirdly , when the gentiles at the jews return from babylon , came and offered their wares to sell to the children of israel at jerusalem on this sabbath ; yea , and sold them to them too : yet not they , but the jews , were rebuked as the onely breakers of that sabbath . nay , there dwelt then at jerusalem men of tyre , that on this sabbath sold their commodities to the jews , and men of judah : yet not they , but the men of judah , were contended with , as the breakers of this sabbath . true , good nehemiah did threaten the gentiles that were merchants , for lying then about the walls of the city , for that by that means they were a temptation to the jews to break their sabbath ; but still he charged the breach thereof onely upon his own people , neh. . , , , , , . but can it be imagined , had the gentiles now been concerned with this sabbath by law divine , that so holy a man as nehemiah would have let them escape without a rebuke for so notorious a transgression thereof ; especially considering , that now also they were upon gods ground , to wit , within and without the walls of jerusalem ? fourthly , wherefore he saith to israel again , verily my sabbaths [ ye ] shall keep . and again , [ ye ] shall keep my sabbaths . and again , the children of israel shall keep my sabbaths to observe my sabbaths thoroughout [ their ] generations , exod. . . ch . . , , . what can be more plain , these things thus standing in the testament of god , than that the seventh-day-sabbath as such , was given to israel , to israel onely ; and that the gentiles , as such , were not concerned therein ! fifthly , the very reason also of gods giving of the seventh-day-sabbath to the jews , doth exclude the gentiles , as such , from having any concern therein . for it was given to the jews , as was said before , as they were considered gods church , and for a sign and token by which they should know that he had chosen and sanctified them to himself for a peculiar people , exod. . , , , , . ezek. . , . and a great token and sign it was that he had so chosen them : for in that he had given to them this sabbath , he had given to them ( his own rest ) a figure and pledge of his sending his son into the world to redeem them from the bondage and slavery of the devil : of whom indeed this sabbath was a shadow or type , coloss. . , . thus have i concluded my ground for this third question : i shall therefore now propound another . quest . iv. whether the seventh day-sabbath did not fall , as such , with the rest of the jewish rites and ceremonies ? or whether that day , as a sabbath , was afterwards by the apostles imposed upon the churches of the gentiles ? i would now also , before i shew the grounds of my proposing this question , premise what is necessary thereunto ; to wit ▪ that time and day were both fixed upon by law , for the solemn performance of divine worship among the jews ; and that time and day is also by law fixed , for the solemnizing of divine worship to god in the churches of the gentiles : but that the seventh-day-sabbath , as such , is that time , that day , that still i question . now before i shew the grounds of my questioning of it , i shall enquire into the nature of that ministration in the bowels of which this seventh-day-sabbath is placed . and first , i say , as to that , the nature of that law is moral , but the ministration , and circumstances thereunto belonging , are shadowish and figurative . by the nature of it , i mean the matter thereof : by the ministration and circumstances thereto belonging , i do mean the giving of it by such hands , at such a place and time , in such a mode , as when 't was given to israel in the wilderness . the matter therefore , to wit , thou shalt love the lord thy god with all thy heart , and with all thy soul , and with all thy mind , and with all thy strength , and thy neighbour as thy self , is everlasting , ( mark . , , . ) and is not from sinai , nor from the two tables of stone , but in nature ; for this law commenced and took being and place that day in which man was created : yea , it was concreate with him , and without it he cannot be a rational creature , as he was in the day in which god created him . but for the ministration of it from sinai , with the circumstances belonging to that ministration , they are not moral , not everlasting , but shadowish and figurative onely . that ministration cannot be moral for three reasons . . it commenced not when morality commenced , but two thousand years after . . it was not universal as the law , as moral is , 't was given onely to the church of the jews in those tables . . it s end is past as such a ministration , though the same law as to the morality thereof abides . where are the tables of stone and this law as therein contained ? we onely , as to that , have the notice of such a ministration , and a rehearsal of the law , with that mode of giving of it , in the testament of god. but to come to particulars . . the very preface to that ministration carrieth in it a type of our deliverance from the bondage of sin , the devil , and hell. pharaoh , and egypt , and israels bondage there , being a type of these . . the very stones in which this law was engraven , was a figure of the tables of the heart . the first two were a figure of the heart carnal , by which the law was broken : the last two , of the heart spiritual , in which the new law , the law of grace is written and preserv'd , exod. . . cor. . . . the very mount on which this ministration was given , was typical of mount zion : see heb. . where they are compared , vers . , , , , . . yea , the very church to whom that ministration was given , was a figure of the church of the gospel that is on mount zion : see the same scripture , and compare it with acts . . revel . . , , , , . . that ministration was given in the hand and by the disposition of angels , to prefigure how the new law or ministration of the spirit was to be given afterwards to the churches under the new testament by the hands of the angel of gods everlasting covenant of grace , who is his onely begotten son , isai. . . matth. . . acts . , . . it was given to israel also in the hand of moses , as mediator , to shew or typisie out , that the law of grace was in after-times to come to the church of christ by the hand and mediation of jesus our lord , gal. . . deut. . . heb. . . tim. . . heb. . . ch . . . . as to this ministration , it was to continue but till the seed should come ; and then must , as such , give place to a better ministration , gal. . . a better covenant , established upon better promises , heb. . . from all this therefore i conclude , that there is a difference to be put between the morality of the law , and the ministration of it upon sinai . the law , as to its morality , was before ; but as to this ministration , 't was not till the church was with moses , and he with the angels on mount sinai in the wilderness . now in the law as moral , we conclude a time propounded , but no seventh-day-sabbath enjoyned : but in that law , as thus ministred , which ministration is already out of doors , we find a seventh day ; that seventh day on which god rested , on which god rested from all his works , enjoyned . what is it then ? why the whole ministration as written and engraven in stones being removed , the seventh-day-sabbath must also be removed ; for that the time , nor yet the day , was as to our holy sabbath , or rest , moral ; but imposed with that whole ministration , as such , upon the church , until the time of reformation : which time being come , this ministration , as i said , as such , ceaseth ; and the whole law , as to the morality of it , is delivered into the hand of christ , who imposes it now also ; but not as a law of works , nor as that ministration written and engraven in stones , but as a rule of life to those that have believed in him , cor. . . so then that law is still moral , and still supposes , since it teaches that there is a god , that time must be set apart for his church to worship him in , according to that will of his that he hath revealed in his word . but though by that law time is required ; yet by that , as moral , the time never was prefixed . the time then of old was appointed by such a ministration of that law as we have been now discoursing of ; and when that ministration ceased , that time did also vanish with it . and now by our new law-giver , the son of god , he being lord also of the sabbath-day , we have a time prefixed , as the law of nature requireth , a new day , by him who is the lord of it ; i say , appointed , wherein we may worship , not in the oldness of that letter written and engraven in stones , but according to , and most agreeing with , his new and holy testament . and this i confirm further by those reasons that now shall follow . first , because we find not from the resurrection of christ to the end of the bible , any thing written by which is imposed that seventh-day-sabbath upon the churches . time , as i said , the law as moral requires ; but that time we find no longer imposed : and in all duties pertaining to god and his true worship in his churches , we must be guided by his laws and testaments : by his old laws , when his old worship was in force ; and by his new laws , when his new worship is in force . and he hath verily now said , behold , i make all things new . secondly , i find , as i have shewed , that this seventh-day-sabbath is confined , not to the law of nature as such , but to that ministration of it which was given on sinai : which ministration as it is come to an end as such , so it is rejected by paul as a ministration no ways capable of abiding in the church now , since the ministration of the spirit also hath taken its place , ( cor. . ) wherefore instead of propounding it to the churches with arguments tending to its reception , he seeks by degrading it of its old lustre and glory , to wean the churches from any likement thereof ; . by calling of it the ministration of death , of the letter , and of condemnation , a term most frightful , but no ways alluring to the godly . . by calling it a ministration that now has no glory , by reason of the exceeding glory of that ministration under which by the holy spirit the new testament-churches are : and these are weaning considerations , cor. . . by telling of them it is a ministration that tendeth to blind the mind , and to veil the heart as to the knowledge of their christ : so that they cannot , while under that , behold his beauteous face , but as their heart shall turn from it to him , cor. . . and that they might not be left in the dark , but perfectly know what ministration it is that he means , he saith expresly , it is that written and engraven in stonès . see again cor. . and in that ministration it is that this seventh-day-sabbath is found . but shall we think that the apostles speaks any thing of all here said , to wean saints off from the law of nature as such ! no verily , that he retains in the church , as being managed there by christ : but this ministration is dangerous now , because it cannot be maintained in the church , but in a way of contempt to the ministration of the spirit , and is derogatory to the glory of that . now these , as i said , are weaning considerations . no man , i do think , that knows himself , or the glory of a gospel-ministration , can , if he understands what paul says here , desire that such a ministration should be retained in the churches . fourthly , this seventh-day-sabbath has lost its ceremonies ( those unto which before you are cited by the texts ) which was with it imposed upon the old church for her due performance of worship to god thereon : how then can this sabbath now he kept ? kept , i say , according to law. for it the church on which it was at first imposed , was not to keep it , yea , could not keep it legally without the practising of those ceremonies : and if those ceremonies are long ago dead and gone , how will those that pretend to a belief of a continuation of the sanction thereof , keep it , i say , according as it is written ? if they say , they retain the day , but change their manner of observation thereof ; i ask , who has commanded them so to do ? this is one of the laws of this sabbath : thou shalt take fine flour , and bake twelve cakes thereof : two tenth deals shall be in one cake . and thou shalt set them in two rows , six on a row , upon the pure table before the lord. and thou shalt put pure frankincense upon each row , that it may be on the bread for a memorial , even an offering made by fire unto the lord. every sabbath he shall set it in order before the lord continually , being taken from the children of israel by an everlasting covenant , levit. . , , , , . you may see also other places , as numb . . , . neh. . . and ezek. . . now if these be the laws of the sabbath , this seventh-day-sabbath ; and if god did never command that this sabbath should by his church be sanctified without them ▪ and , as was said before , if these ceremonies have been long since dead and buried , how must this sabbath be kept ? let men take heed , lest while they plead for law , and pretend themselves to be the onely doers of gods will , they be not found the biggest transgressors thereof . and why can they not as well keep the other sabbaths , as the sabbaths of months , of years , and the jubilee ? for this , as i have shewed , is no moral precept , 't is onely a branch of the ministration of death and condemnation . fifthly , the seventh-day-sabbath , as such , was a sign and shadow of things to come ; and a sign cannot be the thing signified and substance too : wherefore when the thing signified , or substance , is come , the signe or thing shadowing ceaseth . and , i say , the seventh-day-sabbath being so , as a seventh-day-sabbath it ceaseth also . see again , exod. . , . ezek. . , . coloss. . . nor do i find that our protestant writers , notwithstanding their reverence of the sabbath , do conclude otherwise ; but that though time , as to worshipping god , must needs be contained in the bowels of the moral law , as moral ; yet they for good reasons forbear to affix the seventh day as that time there too . they do it , i say , for good reasons , reasons drawn from the scripture ; or rather , for that the scripture draws them so to conclude : yet they cast not away the morality of a sabbath of rest to the church . it is to be granted then , that time for gods worship abideth for ever , but the seventh day vanishes as a shadow and sign ; because such indeed it was , as the scripture above cited declares as to the sanction thereof as a sabbath . the law of nature then calls for time ; but the god of nature assigns it , and has given power to his son to continue such time as himself shall by his eternal wisdom judge most meet for the churches of the gentiles to solemnize worship to god by him in . hence he is said to be lord even of the sabbath day , matth. . . sixthly , i find by reading gods word , that paul by authority apostolical , takes away the sanctions of all the jews festivals and sabbaths . this is manifest , for that he leaves the observation or non-observation of them , as things indifferent to the mind and discretion of the believers . one man esteemeth one day above another : another esteemeth every day alike . let every man be fully perswaded in his own mind . rom. . . by this last clause of the verse , [ let every man be fully perswaded in his own mind ] he doth plainly declare , that such days are now stript of their sanction : for none of gods laws , while they retain their sanction , are left to the will and mind of the believers , as to whether they will observe them or no. men , i say , are not left to their liberty in such a case ; for when a stamp of divine authority is upon a law , and abides , so long we are bound , not to our mind , but to that law : but when a thing , once sacred , has lost its sanction , then it falls , as to faith and conscience , among other common or indifferent things . and so the seventh-day-sabbath did . again . seventhly , thus paul writes to the church of coloss. let no man judge you in meat , or in drink , or in respect of any holy day , or of the new moon , or of the sabbath : which are a shadow of things to come , but the body is christ , coloss. . , . here also , as he serveth other holy-days , he serveth the sabbath : he gives a liberty to believers to refuse the observation of it , and commands that no man should judge against them for their so doing . and as you read , the reason of his so doing is , because the body , the substance is come : christ , saith he , is the body , or that which these things were a shadow or figure of . the body is christ. nor hath the apostle , since he saith [ or of the sabbath ] one would th 〈…〉 left any hole , out at which mens inventions could get : but man has sought out many ; and , so , many he will use . but again , that the apostle by this word sabbath intends the seventh-day-sabbath , is clear ; for that it is by moses himself counted for a sign , as we have shewed : and for that none of the other sabbaths were a more clear shadow of the lord jesus christ than this . for that , and that alone , is called the rest of god : in it god rested from all his works . hence he calls it by way of eminency my sabbath , and my holy-day , isai. . . yet could that rest be nothing else but typical ; for god , never since the world began , really rested , but in his son : this is he , saith god , in whom i am well pleased . this sabbath then , was gods rest typically , and was given to israel as a sign of his grace towards them in christ : wherefore when christ was risen , it ceased , and was no longer of obligation to bind the conscience to the observation thereof . [ or of the sabbath ] he distinctly singleth out this seventh day , as that which was a most noble shadow , a most exact shadow . and then puts that with the other together ; saying , they are a shadow of things to come ; and that christ has answered them all . the body is christ. eighthly , no man will , i think , deny , but that heb. . . intends the seventh-day-sabbath , on which god rested from all his works ; for the text doth plainly say so : yet may the observing reader easily perceive , that both it , and the rest of canaan also , made mention of vers . . were typical , as to a day made mention of vers . , and . which day he calls another . he would not afterwards have made mention of another day . if joshuah had given them rest , he would not . now if they had not that rest in joshuah's days , be sure they had it not by moses ; for he was still before . all the rests therefore that moses gave them , and that joshua gave them too , were but typical of another day , in which god would give them rest , vers . , . and whether the day to come , was christ , or heaven , it makes no matter : 't is enough that they before did fail , as always shadows do , and that therefore mention by david is , and that afterward , made of another day . there remains therefore a rest to the people of god. a rest to come , of which the seventh day in which god rested , and the land of canaan , was a type ; which rest begins in christ now , and shall be consummated in glory . and in that he saith , there remains a rest , referring to that of david , what is it , if it signifies not , that the other rests remain not ? there remains therefore a rest ; a rest prefigured by the seventh day , and by the rest of canaan , though they are fled and gone . there remains a rest ; a rest which stands not now in signs or shadows , in the seventh day , or canaan ; but in the son of god , and his kingdom , to whom , and to which the weary are invited to come for rest . isai. . . matth. . . heb. . . yet this casts not out the christians holy-day or sabbath : for that was not ordained to be a type or shadow of things to come , but to sanctifie the name of their god in , and to perform that worship to him which was also in a shadow signified by the ceremonies of the law , as the epistle to the hebrews doth plentifully declare . and i say again , the seventh-day-sabbath cannot be it , for the reasons shewed afore . ninthly , especially if you adde to all this , that nothing of the ministration of death written and engraven in stones , is brought by jesus , or by his apostles into the kingdom of christ , as a part of his instituted worship . hence it is said of that ministration in the bowels of which this seventh-day-sabbath is sound , that it has now no glory ; that its glory is done away , in or by christ , and so is laid aside , the ministration of the spirit that excels in glory , being come in the room thereof . i will read the text to you . but if the ministration of death , written and engraven in stones , was glorious , so that the children of israel could not stedfastly behold the face of moses , for the glory of his countenance , which glory was to be done away . ( it was given at first with this proviso , that it should not always retain its glory , that sanction , as a ministration ) how shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious ? for if the ministration of condemnation be glory , much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory . for even that which was made glorious , had no glory in this respect , by reason of the glory that excelieth . for if that which is done away was glorious , much more that which remaineth is glorious . cor. . what can be more plain ? the text says expresly , that this ministration doth not remain ; yea , and insinuates , that in its first institution it was ordained with this proviso , it was to be done away . now if in its first institution upon sinai it was thus ordained ; and if by the coming in of the ministration of the spirit , this ordination is now executed ; that is , if by it , and the apostle saith it , it is done away by a ministration that remains : then where is that seventh-day-sabbath ? thus therefore i have discoursed upon this fourth question : and having shewed by this discourse , that the old seventh-day-sabbath is abolished and done away , and that it has nothing to do with the churches of the gentiles ; i am next to shew what day it is that must abide , that must abide as holy to the christians , and for them to perform their new testament-church-service in . take the question thus . quest . v. since it is denied that the seventh-day-sabbath is moral , and is found it is not to abide as a sabbath for ever in the church , what time is to be fixed on for new testament-saints to perform together , divine worship to god by christ in ? upon this question hangs the stress of all , as to the subject now under consideration : but before i can speak distinctly to it , i must premise , as i have in order to my speaking to the questions before , something for the better clearing of our way . . then , we are not now speaking of all manner of worshipping god , nor of all times in which all manner of worship is to be performed ; but of that worship , which is church-worship , or worship that is to be performed by the assembly of saints , when by the will of god they in all parts of his dominion assemble together to worship him ; which worship hath a prefixed time alotted to , or for its performance , and without which it cannot , according to the mind of god , be done . this is the time , i say , that we are to discourse of , and not of all time appointed for all manner of worship . i do not question but that worship by the godly is performed to god every day of the week ; yea , and every night too , and that time is appointed or allowed of god for the performance of such worship . but this time is not fixed to the same moment or ho●● universally , but is left to the discretion of the believers , as their frame of spirit , or occasions , or exigencies , or tenptations , or duty shall require . we meddle then onely with that time that the worship aforesaid is to be performed in ; which time the law of nature as such supposes , but the god of nature chuses . and this time as to the churches of the gentiles , we have proved is not that time which was assigned to the jews , to wit , that seventh day which was imposed upon them by the ministration of death ; for , as we have shewed already , that ministration indeed is done away by a better and more glorious ministration , the ministration of the spirit ; which ministration surely would be much more inferiour than that which has now no glory , was it defective as to this . that is , if it imposed a gospel-service , but appointed not time to perform that worship in : or if notwithstanding all its commendation , it should be forced to borrow of a ministration inferiour to it self ; that , to wit , the time without which by no means its most solemn worship can be performed . this then is the conclusion , that time to worship god in is required by the law of nature ; but that the law of nature doth , as such , fix it on the seventh day from the creation of the world , that i utterly deny , by what i have said already , and have yet to say on that behalf : yea , i hope to make it manifest , as i have , that this seventh day is removed ; that god , by the ministration of the spirit , has changed the time to another day , to wit , the first day of the week . therefore we conclude the time is fixed for the worship of the new testament-christians , or churches of the gentiles , unto that day . now in my discourse upon this subject i shall , . touch upon those texts that are more close , yet have a divine intimation of this thing in them . . and then i shall come to texts more express . first , for those texts that are more close , yet have a divine intimation of this thing in them . first , the comparison that the holy ghost makes between the rest of god from his works , and the rest of christ from his , doth intimate such a thing : he that hath entred into his rest , he also hath ceased from his own works as god did from his , heb. . . now god rested from his works , and sanctified a day of rest to himself , as a signal of that rest ; which day he also gave to his church as a day of holy rest likewise . and if christ thus rested from his own works , ( and the holy ghost says he did thus rest ) he also hath sanctified a day to himself , as that in which he hath finished his work , and given it also to his church to be an everlasting memento of his so doing , and that they should keep it holy for his sake . and see ! as the fathers work was first , so his day went before ; and as the sons work came after , so his day accordingly succeeded . the fathers day was on the seventh day from the creation , the sons the first day following . nor may this be slighted , because the text says , as god finished his work , so christ finished his ; he also hath ceased from his own works as god did from his . he rested , i say , as god did ; but god rested on his resting day , and therefore so did christ. not that he rested on the fathers resting day ; for 't is evident , that then he had great part of his work to do ; for he had not as then got his conquest over death , but the next day he also entred into his rest , having by his rising again , finished his work , viz. made a conquest over the powers of darkness , and brought life and immortality to light through his so doing . so then , that being the day of the rest of the son of god , it must needs be the day of the rest of his churches also . for god gave his resting day to his church to be a sabbath ; and christ rested from his own works as god did from his , therefore he also gave the day in which he rested from his works , a sabbath to the churches , as did the father . not that there are two sabbaths at once : the fathers was imposed for a time , even until the son's should come ; yea , as i have shewed you , even in the very time of its imposing it was also ordained to be done away . hence he saith , that ministration was to be done away , cor. . therefore we plead not for two sabbaths to be at one time , but that a succession of time was ordained to the new testament-saints , or churches of the gentiles , to worship god in ; which time is that in which the son rested from his own works as god did from his . secondly , hence he calls himself , the lord even of the sabbath day , as luke . matth. . shews . now to be a lord , is to have dominion , dominion over a thing , and so power to alter or change it according to that power ; and where is he that dares say christ has not this absolutely ? we will therefore conclude , that it is granted on all hands he hath . the question then is , whether he he hath exercised that power to the demolishing or removing of the jews seventh day , and establishing another in its room ? the which i think is easily answered , in that he did not rest from his own works therein ; but chose , for his own rest , to himself another day . surely , had the lord jesus intended to have established the seventh day to the churches of the gentiles , he would himself in the first place have rested from his own works therein ; but since he passed by that day , and took no notice of it , as to the finishing of his own works , as god took notice of it when he had finished his ; it remains that he fixed upon another day , even the first of the week ; on which , by his rising again , and shewing himself to his disciples before his passion , he made it manifest that he had chosen , as lord of the sabbath , that day for his own rest. consequently , and for the rest of his churches , and for his worship to be solemnized in . thirdly , and on this day some of the saints that slept arose , and began their eternal sabbath , matth. . , . see how the lord jesus had glorified this day ! never was such a stamp of divine honour put upon any other day , no not since the world began . and the graves were opened , and many bodies of saints which slept arose and came out of their graves after his resurrection , &c. that is , they rose as soon as he was risen : but why was not all this done on the seventh day ? no , that day was set apart that saints might adore god for the works of creation , and that saints thorough that might look for redemption by christ : but now a work more glorious than that is to be done , and therefore another day is assigned for the doing of it in . a work , i say , of redemption compleated , a day therefore by it self must be assigned for this ; and some of the saints to begin their eternal sabbath with god in heaven , therefore a day by it self must be appointed for this . yea , and that this day might not want that glory that might attract the most dim-sighted christian to a desire after the sanction of it , the resurrection of christ , and also of those saints met together on it : yea , they both did begin their eternal rest thereon . fourthly , the psalmist speaks of a day that the lord jehovah , the son of god , has made ; and saith , we will rejoyce and be glad in it . but what day is this ? why the day in which christ was made the head of the corner , which must be applied to the day in which he was raised from the dead , which is the first of the week . hence peter saith to the jews , when he treateth of christ before them , and particularly of his resurrection , this is the stone which [ was ] set at nought of you builders which [ is ] become the head of th● corner . he was set at nought b● them , the whole course of his ministry unto his death , and was mad the head of the corner by god that day he rose from the dead . this day therefore is the day that th● lord jehovah has made a day o● rejoycing to the church of christ and we will rejoyce and be glad i● it . for can it be imagined , that the spirit by the prophet should thus signalize this day for nothing ; saying , this is the day which the lord hath made , to no purpose ? yes , you may say , for the resurrection of his son. but i adde , that that is not all , 't is a day that the lord has both made for that , and that we might rejoyce and be glad in it . rejoyce , that is , before the lord while solemn divine worship is performed on it , by all the people that shall partake of the redemption accomplished then . fifthly , god the father again leaves such another stamp of divine note and honour upon this day as he never before did leave upon any ; where he saith to our lord , thou art my son , this day have i begotten thee , acts . . still , i say , having respect to the first day of the week ; for that , and no other , is the day here intended by the apostle . this day , saith god , is the day : and as concerning that he raised him up from the dead , now no more to return to corruption , he saith on this wise , i will give thee the sure mercies of david : wherefore he saith in another psalm , thou shalt not suffer thine holy one to see corruption . wherefore the day in which god did this work , is greater than that in which he finished the work of creation for his making of the creation saved it not from corruption , but now he hath done a work which corruption cannot touch , wherefore the day on which he did this , ha● this note from his own mouth this day , as a day that doth transcend . and , as i said , this day is the fir●● of the week ; for 't was in that da● that god begat his beloved so from the dead . this first day o● the week therefore on it god foun● that pleasure which he found not i● the seventh day from the world creation , for that in it his son did live again to him . now shall not christians , when they do read that god saith , this day , and that too with reference to a work done on it by him , so full of delight to him , and so full of life and heaven to them , set also a remark upon it , saying , this was the day of gods pleasure , for that his son did rise thereon ; and shall it not be the day of my delight in him ! this is the day in which his son was both begotten , and born , and became the first-fruits to god of them that sleep ; yea , and in which also he was made by him the chief , and head of the corner ; and shall not we rejoyce in it ? acts . . heb. . . coloss. . . revel . . . shall kings , and princes , and great men set a remark upon the day of their birth and coronation , and expect that both subjects and servants should do them high honour on that day ! and shall the day in which christ was both begotten and born , be a day contemned by christians ! and his name not be , but of a common regard on that day ? i say again , shall god , as with his finger , point , and that in the face of the world , at this day , saying , thou art my son , this day , &c. and shall not christians fear , and awake from their employments , to worship the lord on this day ! if god remembers it , well may i ! if god says , and that with all gladness of heart , thou art my son , this day have i begotten thee ! may not ! ought not i also to set this day apart to sing the songs of my redemption in ? this day my redemption was finished . this day my dear jesus revived . this day he was declared to be the son of god with power . yea , this is the day in which the lord jesus finished a greater work than ever yet was done in the world : yea , a work in which the father himself was more delighted than he was in making of heaven & earth : and shall darkness and the shadow of death stain this day ! or shall a cloud dwell on this day ! shall god regard this day from above ! and shall not his light shine upon this day ! what shall be done to them that curse this day , and would not that the stars should give their light thereon ? this day ! after this day was come , god never , that we read of , made mention with delight , of the old seventh-day-sabbath more . sixthly , nor is that altogether to be slighted , when he saith , when he bringeth his first - begotten into the world , let all the angels of god worship him , to wit , at that very time and day , heb. . . i know not what our expositors say of this text , but to me it seems to be meant of his resurrection from the dead , both because the apostle is speaking of that , vers . . and closes that argument with this text , thou art my son , this day have i begotten thee . and again , i will be his father , and he shall be my son. and again , when he bringeth his first-begotten into the world , he saith , and let all the angels of god worship him . so then , for gods bringing of his first-begotten now into the world , was by his raising him again from the dead after they by crucifying of him had turned him out of the same . thus then god brought him into the world , never by them to be hurried out of it again : for christ being now raised from the dead , dies no more ▪ death hath no more dominion over him . now , saith the text , when he bringeth him thus into the world , he requireth that worship be done unto him : when ? that very day , and that by all the angels of god. and if by all , then ministers are not excluded ; and if not ministers ▪ then not churches . for what is said to the angel , is said to the church it self , rev. . , . ch . . , . ch . . , . ch . . , . ch . . , . ch . . , . ch . . , and . so then , if the question be asked , when they must worship him : the answer is , when he brought him into the world , which was on the first day of the week ; for then he bringeth him again from the dead , and gave the whole world and the government thereof into his holy hand . this text therefore is of weight as to what we have now under consideration , to wit , that the first day of the week , the day in which god brought his first-begotten into the world , should be the day of worshipping him by all the angels of god. seventhly , hence this day is called the lords day , as john saith , i was in the spirit on the lords day : the day in which he rose from the dead , rev. . . the lords day : every day , say some , is the lords day . indeed this for discourse-sake may be granted ▪ but strictly , no day can so properly by called the lords day , as this first day of the week ; for that no day of the week or of the year has those badges of the lords glory upon it , nor such divine grace put upon it us has the first day of the week . this we have already made appear in part , and shall make appear much more before we have done therewith . there is nothing , as i know of , that bears this title but the lords supper , and this day , cor. , . rev. . . and since christians count it an abuse to allegorize the first , let them also be ashamed to santasticalize the last : the lords day is doubtless the day in which he rose from the dead . to be sure it is not the old seventh day ; for from the day that he arose , to the end of the bible , we find not that he did hang so much as one twist of glory upon that ; but this day is beautified with glory upon glory , and that both by the father and the son ; by the prophets and those that were raised from the dead thereon ; therefore this day must be more than the rest . but we are as yet but upon divine intimations , drawn from such texts which , if candidly considered , do very much smile upon this great truth ; namely , that the first day of the week is to be accounted the christian sabbath , or holy day for divine worship in the churches of the saints . and now i come to the texts that are more express . secondly then , first , this was the day in the which he did use to shew himself to his people , and to congregate with them after he rose from the dead . on the first first day , even on the day on which he rose from the dead , he visited his people , both when together and apart , over , and over , and over , as both luke and john do testifie , ( luk. . joh. . ) and preached such sermons of his resurrection , and gave unto them ; yea , and gave them such demonstration of the truth of-all , as was never given them from the foundation of the world . shewing , he shewed them his risen body ; opening , he opened their understandings ; and dissipating , he so scattered their unbelief on this day , as he never had done before : and this continued one way or another even from before day until the evening . secondly , on the next first day following the church was within again ; that is , congregated to wait upon their lord. and john so relates the matter , as to give us to understand that they were not so assembled together again till then : after eight days , saith he , again the disciples were within ; clearly concluding , that they were not so on the days that were between , no not on the old seventh day . now why should the holy ghost thus precisely speak of their assembling together upon the first day , if not to confirm us in this , that the lord had chosen that day for the new sabbath of his church ? surely the apostles knew what they did in their meeting together upon that day ; yea , and the lord jesus also ; for that he used so to visit them when so assembled , made his practice a law unto them : for practice is enough for us new testament saints , specially when the lord jesus himself is in the head of that practice , and that after he rose from the dead . perhaps some may stumble at the word [ after ] after eight days ; but the meaning is , at the conclusion of the eighth day , or when they had spent in a manner the whole of their sabbath in waiting upon their lord , then in comes their lord , and finisheth that their days service to him with confirming of thomas's faith , and by letting drop other most heavenly treasure among them . christ said , he must lie three days and three nights in the heart of the earth , yet 't is evident , that he rose the third day , cor. . . we must take then a part for the whole , and conclude , that from the time that the lord jesus rose from the dead , to the time that he shewed his hands and his side to thomas , eight days were almost expired ; that is , he had sanctified unto them two first days , and had accepted that service they had performed to him therein , as he testified by giving of them so blessed a farewel at the conclusion of both those days . hence now we conclude , that this was the custom of the church at this day ▪ to wit , upon the first day of the week to meet together , and to wait upon their lord therein . for the holy ghost counts it needless to make a continued repetition of things ; 't is enough therefore if we have now and then mention made thereof . obj. but christ shewed himself alive to them at other times also , as in joh. , &c. answ. the names of all those days in which he so did are obliterate and blotted out , that they might not be idolized ; for christ did not set them apart for worship , but this day , the first day of the week , by its name is kept alive in the church , the holy ghost surely signifying thus much , that how hidden soever other days were , christ would have his day , the first day had in everlasting remembrance among saints . churches also meet together now on the week-days , and have the presence of christ with them too in their employments ; but that takes not off from them the sanction of the first day of the week , no more than it would take away the sanction of the old seventh day , had it still continued holy to them : wherefore this is no let or objection to hinder our sanctifying of the first day of the week to our god. but thirdly , adde to this , that upon pentecost , which was the first day of the week , mention is made of their being together again : for pentecost was always the morrow after the sabbath , the old seventh-day-sabbath . upon this day , i say , the holy ghost saith , they were again with one accord together in one place . but oh ! the glory that then attended them , by the presence of the holy ghost among them : never was such a thing done as was done on that first day till then . we will read the text ; and when the day of pentecost was fully come , they were all with one accord in one place . and suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind , and it filled all the house where they were sitting . and there appeared unto them cloven tongues , as of fire : and it sat upon each of them , and they were all filled with the holy ghost , acts . , , , . here 's a first day glorified ! here 's a countenance given to the day of their christian assembling . but we will note a few things upon it . first , the church was now , as on other , first days , all with one accord in one place . we read not that they came together by vertue of any precedent revelation , nor by accident , but contrarywise by agreement ; they was to gather with one accord , or by appointment , in pursuance of their duty , setting apart that day , as they had done the first days afore , to the holy service of their blessed lord and saviour jesus christ. secondly , we read that this meeting of theirs was not begun on the old sabbath , but when pentecost was fully come : the holy ghost intimating , that they had left now , and begun to leave , the seventh-day-sabbath to the unbelieving jews . thirdly , nor did the holy ghost come down upon them till every moment of the old sabbath was past , pentecost , as was said , was fully come first : and when the day of pentecost was fully come , they were all with one accord in one place , and then , &c. and why was not this done on the seventh-day-sabbath ? but , possibly , to shew , that the ministration of death and condemnation was not that by or thorough which christ the lord would communicate so good a gift unto his churches , gal. . , , , . this gift must be referred to the lords day , the first day of the week , to fulfil the scripture , and to sanctifie yet further this holy day unto the use of all new testament churches of the saints . for since on the first day of the week our lord did rise from the dead , and by his special presence , i mean his personal , did accompany his church therein , and so preach as he did , his holy truths unto them , it was most meet that they on the same day also should receive the first-fruits of their eternal life most gloriously . and , i say again , since from the resurrection of christ to this day , the church then did receive upon the first day , ( but as we read , upon no other ) such glorious things as we have mentioned , it is enough to beget in the hearts of them that love the son of god , a high esteem of the first day of the week . but how much more , when there shall be joyned to these , proof that it was the custom of the first gospel-church , the church of christ at jerusalem , after our lord was risen ; to assemble together to wait upon god on the first day of the week with their lord as leader . to say little more to this head , but onely to repeat what is written of this day of old , to wit , that it should be proclaimed the self same day , to wit , the morrow after the sabbath , which is the first day of the week , that it may be an holy convocation unto you : you shall do no servile work therein : it shall be a statute for ever in all your dwellings , levit. . , , , , , . this ceremony was about the sheaf that was to be waved , and bread of first-fruits , which was a type of christ ; for he is unto god the first-fruits of them that sleep , cor. . . this sheaf , or bread , must not be waved on the old seventh day , but on the morrow after , which is the first-day of the week , the day in which christ rose from the dead and waved himself as the first-fruits of the elect unto god. now from this day they were to count seven sabbaths compleat , and on the morrow after the seventh sabbath , which was the first day of the week again ; and this pentecost upon which we now are , then they was to have a new meat-offering , with meat-offerings and drink-offerings , &c. and on the self same day they , were to proclaim that that first day , should be a holy convocation unto them . the which the apostles did , and grounded that their proclamation so on the resurrection of jesus christ , not on ceremonies , that at the same day they brought three thousand souls ▪ to god , acts . . now what another signal was here put upon the first day of the week ! the day in which our lord rose from the dead , assembled with his disciples , poured out so abundantly of the spirit , and gathered even by the first draught , that his fishermen made by the gospel , such a number of souls to god. thus then they proclaimed , and thus they gathered sinners on the first first day that they preached ; for though they had assembled together over and over with their lord before therein , yet they began not joyntly to preach until this first day pentecost . now , after this the apostles to the churches did never make mention of a seventh-day-sabbath . for as the wave-sheaf and the bread of first-fruits were a figure of the lord jesus , and the waving , of his life from the dead : so that morrow after the sabbath on which the jews waved their sheaf , was a figure of that in which our lord did rise ; consequently , when their morrow after the sabbath ceased , our morrow after that began , and so has continued a blessed morrow after their sabbath , as a holy sabbath to christians from that time ever since . fourthly , we come yet more close to the custom of churches ; i mean , to the custom of the churches of the gentiles ; for as yet we have spoken but of the practice of the church of god which was at jerusalem ; only we will add , that the customs that were laudable & binding with the church at jerusalem , were with reverence to be imitated by the churches of the gentiles ; for there was but one law of christ for them both to worship by . now then , to come to the point , to wit , that it was the custom of the churches of the gentiles , on the first day of the week , but upon no other that we read of , to come together to perform divine worship to their lord. hence it is said , and upon the first day of the week , when the disciples were come together to break bread , &c. acts . . this is a text , that as to matter of fact , cannot be contradicted by any , for the text saith plainly they did so , the disciples then came together to break bread , the disciples among the gentiles did so . thus you see that the solemnizing of a first day to holy uses was not limited to , though first preached by the church that was at jerusalem . the church at jerusalem was the mother-church , and not that at . rome , as some falsely imagine ; for from this church went out the law and the holy word of god to the gentiles . wherefore it must be supposed that this meeting of the gentiles on the first day of the week to break bread , came to them by holy tradition from the church at jerusalem , since they were the first that kept the first day as holy unto the lord their god. and indeed , they had the best advantage to do it ; for they had their lord in the head of them to back them to it by his presence and preaching thereon . but we will a little comment upon the text. upon the [ first day ] of the week . thus you see the day is nominated , and so is kept alive among the churches : for in that the day is nominated on which this religious exercise was performed , it is to be supposed that the holy ghost would have it live , and be taken notice of by the churches that succeed . it also may be nominated to shew , that both the church at jerusalem , and those of the gentiles did harmonize in their sabbath , joyntly concluding to solemnize worship on a day . and then again to shew , that they all had left the old sabbath to the unbelievers , and joyntly chose to sanctifie the day of the rising of their lord , to this work . they came together [ to break bread ] to partake of the supper of the lord. and what day so fit as the lords day for this ? this was to be the work of that day , to wit , to solemnize that ordinance among themselves , adjoyning other solemn worship thereto , to fill up the day , as the following part of the verse shews . this day therefore was designed for this work , the whole day , for the text declares it : the first day of the week was set , by them , apart for this work . upon [ the ] first day ; not upon a first day , or upon one first day , or upon such a first day ; for had he said so , we had had from thence not so strong an argument for our purpose : but when he saith , upon the first day of the week they did it , he insinuates , it was their custom : ( also upon one of these , paul being among them , preached unto them , ready to depart on the morrow . ) upon the first day : what , or which first day of this , or that , of the third or fourth week of the month ? no , but upon the first day , every first day ; for so the text admits us to judge . upon the first day of the week , [ when ] the disciples were come together , supposes a custom [ when ] or as they were wont to come together to perform such service among themselves to god : then paul preached to them , &c. it is a text also that supposes an agreement among themselves as to this thing . they came together then to break bread ; they had appointed to do it then , for that then was the day of their lords resurrection , and that in which he himself congregated after he revived , with the first gospel-church , the church at jerusalem . thus you see , breaking of bread , was the work , the work that by general consent was agreed to be by the churches of the gentiles , performed upon the first day of the week . i say , by the churches ; for i doubt not but that the practice here , was also the practice of the rest of the gentile-churches ▪ even as it had been before the practice of the church at jerusalem : for this practice now did become universal , and so this text implies ; for he speaks here universally of the practice of all disciples as such , though he limits paul preaching to that church with whom he at present personally was . upon the first day of the week , when the disciples were come together to break bread , paul being at that time at troas , preached to them on that day . thus then you see how the gentile-churches did use to break bread , not on the old sabbath , but on the first day of the week . and , i say , they had it from the church of jerusalem , where the apostles were first seated , and beheld the way of their lord with their eyes . now , i say , since we have so ample an example , not onely of the church at jerusalem , but also of the churches of the gentiles , for the keeping of the first day to the lord , and that as countenanced by christ and his apostles , we should not be afraid to tread in their steps , for their practice is the same with law and commandment . but fifthly , we will adde to this another text : now , saith paul , concerning the collection for the saints , as i have given order to the churches of galatia , even so do ye . upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him as god has prospered him , that there be no gatherings when i come , cor. . , . this text some have greatly sought to evade , counting the duty here , on this day to be done , a duty too inferiour for the sanction of an old seventh-day-sabbath ; when yet to shew mercy to an ass on the old sabbath , was a work which our lord no ways condemns , luke . . ch . . . but to pursue our design , we have a duty enjoyned , and that of no inferiour sort : if charity be indeed , as it is , the very bond of perfectness : and if without it all our doings , yea and sufferings too , are not worth so much as a rush , cor. . coloss. . . we have here a duty , i say , that a seventh-day-sabbath , when enforce was not too big for it to be performed in . the work now to be done , was , as you see , to bestow their charity upon the poor ; yea , to provide for time to come : and i say , it must be collected upon the first day of the week . upon the first day ; not a first day , as signifying one or two , but upon the first day , even every first day ; for so your ancient bibles have it ; also our later must be so understood , or else paul had left them to whom he did write , utterly at a loss . for if he intended not every first day , and yet did not specifie a particular one , it could hardly even a been understood which first day he meant : but we need not stand upon this : this work was a work for a first day , for every first day of the week . note again that we have this duty here commanded and enforced by an apostolical order : i have given order , saith paul , for this ; and his orders , as he saith in another place , are the commandments of the lord : you have it in the same epistle , chap. . vers . . whence it follows , that there was given even by the apostles themselves , a holy respect to the first day of the week above all the days of the week ; yea , or of the year besides . further , i find also by this text , that this order is universal . i have , saith he , given this order not onely to you , but to the churches in galatia : consequently to all other that were concerned in this collection , cor. . and . chap. &c. now this , whatever others may think , puts yet more glory upon the first day of the week : for in that all the churches are commanded , as to make their collections , so to make them on this day : what is it , but that this day , by reason of the sanction that christ put upon it , was of vertue to sanctifie the offering thorough and by christ jesus , as the altar and temple afore , did sanctifie the gift and gold that was , and was offered on them . the proverb is , the better day , the better deed. and i believe , that things done on the lords day , are better done , than on other days of the week , in his worship . obj. but yet , say some , here are no orders to keep this first day holy to the lord. answ. . that is supplied ; for that by this very text this day is appointed , above all the days of the week , to do this holy duty in . . you must understand that this order is but additional , and now enjoyned to fill up that which was begun as to holy exercise of religious worship by the churches long before . . the universality of the duty being enjoyned to this day , supposes that this day was universally kept by the churches as holy already . . and let him that scrupleth this , shew me , if he can , that god by the mouth of his apostles did ever command that all the churches should be confined to this or that duty on such a day , and yet put no sanction upon that day ; or that he has commanded that this work should be done on the first day of the week , and yet has reserved other church-ordinances as a publick solemnization of worship to him , to be done of another day , as of a day more fit , more holy . . if charity , if a general collection for the saints in the churches is commanded on this day , and on no other day but this day ; for church-collection is commanded on no other , there must be a reason for it : and if that reason had not respect to the sanction of the day , i know not why the duty should be so strictly confined to it . . but for the apostle now to give with this a particular command to the churches to sanctifie that day as holy unto the lord , had been utterly superfluous ; for that they already , and that by the countenance of their lord and his church at jerusalem , had done . before now , i say , it was become a custom , as by what hath been said already is manifest : wherefore what need that their so solemn a practice be imposed again upon the brethren ? an intimation now of a continued respect thereto , by the very naming of the day , is enough to keep the sanctity thereof on foot in the churches : how much more then , when the lord is still adding holy duty to holy duty , to be performed upon that day . so then , in that the apostle writes to the churches to do this holy duty on the first day of the week , he puts them in mind of the sanction of the day , and insinuates , that he would still have them have a due respect thereto . quest. but is there yet another reason why this holy duty should , in special as it is , be commanded to be performed on the first day of the week ? answ. yes : for that now the churches were come together in their respective places , the better to agree about collections , and to gather them . you know church-worship is a duty so long as we are in the world , and so long also is this of making collections for the saints . and for as much as the apostle speaks here , as i have hinted afore , of a church-collection , when is it more fit to be done , than when the church is come together upon the first day of the week to worship god ? . this part of worship is most comely to be done upon the first day of the week , and that at the close of that days work : for thereby the church shews , not onely her thankfulness to god for a sabbath-days mercy , but also returneth him , by giving to the poor , that sacrifice for their benefit that is most behoveful to make manifest their professed subjection to christ , prov. . . cor. . , , , . it is therefore necessary , that this work be done on the first day of the week , for a comely close of the worship that we perform to the lord our god on that day . . on the first day of the week , when the church is performing of holy worship unto god , then that of collection for the saints is most meet to be performed ; because then , in all likelihood , our hearts will be most warm with the divine presence ; consequently most open and free to contribute to the necessity of the saints . you know , that a man when his heart is open , is taken with some excellent thing ; then , if at all , it is most free to do something for the promoting thereof . why , waiting upon god in the way of his appointments , opens , and makes fre● , the heart to the poor : and because the first day of the week was it in which now such solemn service to him was done , therefore also the apostle commanded , that upon the same day also , as on a day most fit , this duty of collecting for the poor should be done : for the lord loves a cheerful giver , cor. . , . wherefore the apostle by this , takes the churches as it were at the advantage , and as we say , while the iron is hot , to the intent he might , what in him lay , make their gollections , not sparing nor of a grudging mind , but to flow from cheerfulness . and the first day of the week , though its institution was set aside , doth most naturally tend to this ; because it is the day , the onely day , in which we received such blessings from god , acts . . this is the day on which , at first , it rained manna all day long from heaven upon the new testament-church , and so continues to do this day . oh! the resurrection of christ , which was on this day , and the riches that we receive thereby : though it should be , and is , i hope , thought on every day ; yet when the first of the week is fully come ! then to day ! this day ! this is the day to be warmed ; this day he was begotten from the dead . the thought of this , will do much with an honest mind : this is the day , i say , that the first saints did find , and that after-saints do find the blessings of god come down upon them ; and therefore this is the day here commanded to be set apart for holy duties . and although what i have said may be but little set by of some ; yet , for a closing word as to this , i do think , could but half so much be produced from the day christ rose from the dead quite down , for the sanction of a seventh-day-sabbath , in the churches of the gentiles , it would much sway with me . but the truth is , neither doth the apostle paul , nor any of his fellows , so much as once speak one word to the churches that shews the least regard , as to conscience to god , of a seventh-day-sabbath more . no , the first day , the first day , the first day , is now all the cry in the churches by the apostles , for the performing church-worship in to god. christ began it on that day : then the holy ghost seconded it on that day : then the churches practised it on that day . and to conclude , the apostle by the command now under consideration , continues the sanction of that day to the churches to the end of the world . but as to the old seventh-day-sabbath , as hath been said afore in this treatise , paul , who is the apostle of the gentiles , has so taken away that whole ministration in the bowels of which it is ; yea , and has so stript it of its old testament-grandeur , both by terms and arguments , that it is strange to me it should by any be still kept up in the churches ; specially , since the same apostle , and that at the same time , has put a better ministration in its place , cor. . but when the consciences of good men are captivated with an errour , none can stop them from a prosecution thereof , as if it were it self of the best of truths . obj. but paul preached frequently on the old sabbath , and that after the resurrection of christ. answ. to the unbelieving jews and their proselytes , i grant he did . but we read not that he did it to any new testament-church on that day : nor did he celebrate the instituted worship of christ in the churches on that day . for paul , who had before cast out the ministration of death ; as that which had no glory , would not now take thereof any part for new testament instituted worship ; for he knew that that would veil the heart , and blind the mind from that , which yet instituted worship was ordained to discover . he preached then on the seventh-day-sabbath , of a divine and crafty love to the salvation of the unbelieving jews . i say , he preached now on that day to them and their proselytes , because that day was theirs by their estimation : he did it , i say , of great love to their souls , that if possible , he might save some of them . wherefore , it you observe , you shall still find , that where 't is said that he preached on that day , it was to that people , not to the churches of christ. see acts . . ch . . , , . ch . . . ch . . , , . ch . . . thus , though he had put away ●e sanction of that day as to himself , and had left the christians that were weak to their liberty as to conscience to it , yet he takes occasion upon it to preach to the jews that still were wedded to it , the faith , that they might be saved by grace . paul did also many other things that were jewish and ceremonial , for which he had , as then , no conscience at all , as to any sanction that he believed was in them . as his circumcising of timothy . his shaving of his head. his submitting to jewish purifications . his acknowledging of himself a pharisee . his implicite owning of ananias for high priest after christ was risen from the dead , acts . , , . chap. . . chap. . , , . chap. . . chap. . , , , , . he tells us also , that to the jew he became as a jew , that he might save the jew . and without law , to them that were without law , that also he might gain them : yea , he became , as he saith , all things to all men , that he might gain the more , as it is , cor. . , , , , . but these things , as i said , he did not of conscience to the things ; for he knew that their sanction was gone : nor would he suffer them to be imposed upon the churches directly or indirectly ; no , not by peter himself , gal. . were i in turkie with a church of jesus christ , i would keep the first day of the week to god , and for the edification of his people : and would also preach the word to the infidels on their sabbath day , which is our friday ; and be glad too , if i might have such opportunity to try to perswade them to a love of their own salvation . obj. but if the seventh-day-sabbath is , as you say , to be laid aside by the churches of the gentiles , why doth christ say to his , pray that your flight be not in the winter , nor on the sabbath day ? for , say some , by this saying it appears , that the old seventh-day-sabbath , as you have-called it , will as to the sanction of it , abide in force after christ is ascended into heaven . answ. i say first , these words was spoken to the jewish christians , not to the gentile-churches : and the reason of this first hint , you will see clearer afterwards . the jews had several sabbaths ; as their seventh-day-sabbath , their monthly sabbaths , their sabbath of years , and their jubile , ( levit. . ) now if he means their ordinary sabbaths , or that called the seventh-day-sabbath , why doth he joyn the winter thereto ? for in that he joyneth the winter with that sabbath that he exhorteth them to pray their flight might not be in , it should seem that the meaneth rather their sabbath of years , or their jubile , which did better answer one to another than one day and a winter could . and i say again , that christ should suppose that their flight should , or might last some considerable part of a winter , and yet that then they should have their rest on those seventh-day-sabbaths , is a little besides my reason , if it be considered again , that the gentiles before whom they were then to fly , were enemies to their sabbath , and consequently would take opportunity at their sabbaths to afflict them so much the more . wherefore , i would that they who plead for a continuation of the seventh-day-sabbath from this text , would both better consider lt , and the incoherence that seems to be betwixt such a sabbath and a winter . but again , were it granted that it is the seventh-day-sabbath that christ here intendeth ; yet , since , as we have proved , the sanction before this was taken away ; i mean , before this flight should be , he did not press them to pray thus because by any law of heaven they should then be commanded to keep it holy ; but because some would , thorough their weakness , have conscience of it till then . and such would , if their flight should happen thereon , be as much grieved and perplexed , as if it yet stood obligatory to them by a law. this seems to have some truth in it , because among the jews that believed , there continued a long time many that were wedded yet to the law , to the ceremonial part thereof , and was not so clearly evangelized as the churches of the gentiles was . thou seest brother , said james to paul , how many thousands of the jews there are that believe , and they are all zealous of the law , acts . . ch . . . of these , and such weak unbelieving jews , perhaps christ speaks , when he gives this exhortation to them to pray thus ; whose consciences he knew would be weak , and being so , would bind when they were entangled with an errour , as fast as if it bound by a law indeed . again , though the seventh-day-sabbath and ceremonies lost their sanction at the resurrection of christ , yet they retained some kind of being in the church of the jews , until the desolation spoken of by daniel should be . hence it is said , that then the oblation and sacrifices shall cease , dan. . . and hence it is , that jerusalem and the temple are still called the holy place , even until this flight should be , matth. . . now if jerusalem and the temple are still called holy , even after the body and substance , of which they were shadows , was come ; then no marvel though some to that day that believed were entangled therewith , &c. for it may very well be supposed that all conscience of them would not be quite taken away , until all reason for that conscience should be taken away also . but when jerusalem , and the temple , and the jews worship , by the gentiles was quite extinct by ruines , then in reason that conscience did cease . and it seems by some texts , that all conscience to them was not taken away till then . quest. but what kind of being had the seventh-day-sabbath , and other jewish rites and ceremonies , that by christs resurrection was taken away ? answ. these things had a vertual and a nominal being : as to their vertual being , that died that day christ did rise from the dead , they being crucified with him on the cross , coloss. . but now , when the vertual being was gone , they still with the weak retained their name , ( among many of the jews that believed ) until the abomination that maketh desolate stood in the holy place : for in paul's time they were , as to that , but ready to vanish away . now , i say , they still retaining their nominal grandeur , though not by vertue of a law , they could not , till time and dispensation came , be swept out of the way . we will make what hath been said , as to this , out by a familiar similitude . there is a lord or great man dies ; now being dead , he has lost his vertual life . he has now no relation to a wife , to children , vertually ; yet his name still abides , and that in that family , to which otherwise he is dead . wherefore they embalm him , and also keep him above ground for many days . yea , he is still reverenced by those of the family , and that in several respects . nor doth any thing but time and dispensation wear this name away . thus then the old testament-signs and shadows went off the stage in the church of christ among the jews . they lost their vertue and signification when christ nailed them to his cross , coloss. . but as to their name , and the grandeur that attended that , it continued with many that were weak , and vanished not , but when the abomination that made them desolate came . the sum then and conclusion of the matter is this ; the seventh-day-sabbath lost its glory when that ministration in which it was , lost its : but yet the name thereof might abide a long time with the jowish legal christians , and so might become obligatory still , though not by the law , to their conscience , even as circumcision and other ceremonies did : and to them it would be as grievous to fly on that day , as if by law it was still in force . for , i say , to a weak conscience , that law which has lost its life , may yet thorough their ignorance , be as binding as if it stood still upon the authority of god. things then become obligatory these two ways . . by an institution of god. . by the over-ruling power of a mans misinformed conscience . and although by vertue of an institution divine worship is acceptable to god by christ , yet conscience will make that a man shall have but little ease if such rules and dictates as it imposes be not observed by him . this is my answer , upon a supposition that the seventh-day-sabbath is in this text intended : and the answer , i think , stands firm and good . also , there remains , notwithstanding this objection , no divine sanction in , or upon the old seventh-day-sabbath . some indeed will urge , that christ here meant the first day of the week , which here he puts under the term of sabbath . but this is forein to me , so i wave it till i receive more satisfaction in the thing . quest. but if indeed the first day of the week be the new christian sabbath , why is there no more spoken of its iustitution in the testament of christ ? answ. no more ! what need is there of more than enough ! yea , there is a great deal found in the testament of the lord jesus to prove its authority divine . . for we have shewed from sundry scriptures , that from the very day our lord did rise from the dead , the church at jerusalem , in which the twelve apostles were , did meet together on that day , and had the lord himself for their preacher , while they were auditors ; and thus the day began . . we have shewed that the holy ghost , the third person in the trinity , did second this of christ , in coming down from heaven upon this day to manage the apostles in their preaching ; and in that very day so managed them in that work , that by his help they then did bring three thousand souls to god. . we have shewed also , that after this the gentile-churches did solemnize this day for holy worship , and that they had from paul both countenance and order so to do . and now i will adde , that more need not be spoken : for the practice of the first church , with their lord in the head of them to manage them in that practice , is as good as many commands . what then shall we say , when we see a first practice turned into holy custom ? i say moreover , that though a seventh-day-sabbath is not natural to man as man , yet our christian holy day is natural to us as saints , if our consciences are not clogged before with some old fables , or jewish customs . but if an old religion shall get footing and rooting in us , though the grounds thereof be vanished away , yet the man concerned will be hard put to it , should he be saved , to get clear of his clouds , and devote himself to that service of god which is of his own prescribing . luther himself , though he saw many things were without ground which he had received for truth , had yet work hard enough , as himself intimates , to get his conscience clear from all those roots and strings of inbred errour . but , i say , to an untainted and well-bred christian , we have good measure , shaken together , and running over , for our christian lords day . and i say again , that the first day of the week , and the spirit of such a christian , sute one another , as nature suteth nature ; for there is as it were a natural instinct in christians , as such , when they understand what in a first day was brought forth , to fall in therewith to keep it holy to their lord. . the first day of the week why it was the day of our life . after two days he will revive us , and in the third day we shall live in his sight . after two days , there is the jews preparation , and seventh-day-sabbath , quite passed over ; and in the third day , that 's the first day of the week , which is the day our lord did rise from the dead , we began to live by him in the sight of god , hos. . . joh. . . cor. . . . the first day of the week ! that 's the day in which , as i hinted before , our lord was wont to preach to his disciples after he rose from the dead ; in which also he did use to shew them his hands and his feet , ( luk. . , . joh. . . ) to the end they might be confirmed in the truth of his victory over death and the grave for them . the day in which he made himself known to them in breaking bread : the day in which he so plentifully poured out the holy ghost upon them : the day in which the church both at jerusalem , and those of the gentiles , did use to perform to god divine worship : all which has before been sufficiently proved . and shall we not imitate our lord , nor the church that was immediately acted by him in this , and the churches their fellows ? shall , i say , the lord jesus do all this in his church , and they together with him ! shall the churches of the gentiles also fall in with their lord and with their mother at jerusalem herein ! and again , shall all this be so punctually committed to sacred story , with the day in which these things were done , under denomination , over and over , saying , these things were done on the first day , on the first day , on the first day of the week , while all other days are , as to name , buried , in everlasting oblivion ! and shall we not take that notice thereof as to follow the lord jesus and the churches herein ? oh stupidity ! . this day of the week ! they that make but observation of what the lord did of old , to a many siuners , & with his churches on this day , must needs conclude , that in this day the treasures of heaven were broken up , and the richest things therein communicated to his church . shall the children of this world be , as to this also , wiser in their generations than the children of light , and former saints , upon whose shoulders we pretend to stand , go beyond us here also . jacob could by observation gather that the place where he lay down to sleep was no other but the house of god , and the very gate of heaven , ( gen. . . ) laban could gather by observation , that the lord blessed him for jacob's sake , ( gen. . . ) david could gather by what he met with upon mount moriah , that that was the place where god would have the temple builded , therefore he sacrificed there ( chro. . , , . ch . . , . chr. . . ruth was to mark the place where baaz lay down to sleep , and shall not christians also mark the day in which our lord rose from the dead , ruth . . i say , shall we not mark it , when so many memorable things was done on it for , and lo , and in the churches of god! let saints be ashamed to think that such a day should be looked over , or counted common ( when tempted to it by satan ) when kept to religious service of old , and when beautifled with so many divine characters of sanctity as we have proved , by christ , his church , the holy ghost , and the command of apostolical authority it was . but why , i say , is this day , on which our lord rose from the dead , nominated as it is ? why was it not sufficient to say he rose again ; or , be rose again the third day ? without a specification of the very name of the day ▪ for , as was said afore . christ appeared to his disciples ▪ after his resurrection , on other days also ; yea ▪ and thereon did miracles too : why then did not these days live ? why was their name , for all that , blotted out , and this day onely kept alive in the churches ? the day on which christ was born of a virgin ; the day of his circumcision , the day of his baptism , and transfiguration , are not by their names committed by the holy ghost to holy writ to be kept alive in the world ▪ nor yet such days in which he did many great and wonderful thing : but this day ▪ this day is still nominated , the first day of the week is the day . i say , why are things thus left with us ? but because we , as saints of old , should gather , and separate , what is of divine authority from the rest . for in that this day is so often nominated while all other days lie dead in their graves , 't is as much as if god should say , remember the first day of the week to keep it holy to the lord your god. and set this aside , and i know not what reason can be rendred , or what prophecy should be fulfilled by the bare naming of the day . when god , of old , did sanctifie for the use of his church a day , as he did many , he always called them either by the name of the day of the month , or of the week , or by some other signal by which they might be certainly known . why should it not then be concluded , that for this very reason the first day of the week is thus often nominated by the holy ghost in the testament of christ ? moreover , he that takes away the first day , as to this service , leaves us now no day , as sanctified of god , for his solemn worship to be by his churches performed in . as for the seventh-day-sabbath , that as we see , is gone to its grave with the signs and shadows of the old testament . yea , and has such a dash left upon it by apostolical authority , that 't is enough to make a christian fly from it for ever , ( cor. . ) ▪ now , i say ; since that is removed by god : if we should suffer the first day also to be taken away by man , what day that has a divine stamp upon it , would be left for us to worship god in ? alass ! the first day of the week is the christians market-day , that which they so solemnly trade in for sole provision for all the week following . this is the day that they gather manna in . to be sure the seventh-day-sabbath is not that : for of old the people of god could never find manna on that day . on the seventh day , said moses , which is the sabbath , in it there shall be none , exod. . . any day of the week manna could be found , but on that day it was not to be found upon the face of the ground . but now our first day is the manna-day ; the onely day that the churches of the new testament , even of old , did gather manna in . but more of this anon . nor will it out of my mind but that it is a very high piece of ingratitude , and of uncomly behaviour , to deny the son of god his day , the lords day , the day that he has made : and as we have shewed already , this first day of the week is it ; yea , and a great piece of unmannerliness is it too , for any , notwithstanding the old seventh day is so degraded as it is , to attempt to impose it on the son of god. to impose a day upon him which yet paul denies to be a branch of the ministration of the spirit , and of righteousness . yea , to impose a part of that ministration which he says plamly , was to be done away ; for that a better ministration stript it of its glory , is a high attempt indeed , cor. . yet again , the apostle finites the teachers of the law upon the mouth , saying , they understand neither what they say , nor whereof they affirm , ( tim. . . ) the seventh-day-sabbath was indeed gods rest from the works of creation ; but yet the rest that he found in what the first day of the week did produce ▪ for christ was born from the dead in it , more pleased him than did all the seventh days that ever the world brought forth ; wherefore , as i said before , it cannot be but that the well-bred christian must set apart this day for solemn worship to god , and to sanctifie his name therein . must the church of old be bound to remember that might in which they did come out of egypt ! must jeptha's daughter have four days for the virgins of israel yearly to lament her hard case in ! yea , must two days be kept by the church of old , yearly , for their being delivered from hamon's fury ! and must not one to the worlds end be kept by the saints for the son of god their redeemer , for all he has delivered them from a worse than pharaob or haman , even from the devil , and death , and sin , and hell ! oh stupidity ! exod. . . judg. . , . esth. . . — . a day ! say some , god forbid but he should have a day . but what day ? oh ! the old day comprized within the bounds and bowels of the ministration of death . and is this the love that thou hast to thy redeemer , to keep that day to him for all the service that hath done for thee , which has a natural tendancy in it to draw thee off from the consideration of the works of thy redemption , to the creation of the world ! oh stupidity ! but why must he be imposed upon ? has he chosen that day ? did he finish his work thereon ? is there in all the new testament of our lord , from the day he rose from the dead , to the end of his holy book , one syllable that signifies in the least the tenth part of such a thing ? where is the scripture that saith that this lord of the sabbath commanded his church , from that time , to do any part of church-service thereon ? where do we find the churches to gather together thereon ? but why the seventh day ? what is it ? take but the shadow thereof away : or what shadow now is left in it since its institution as to divine service is taken long since from it ? is there any thing in the works that was done in that day , more than shadow , or that in the least tends otherwise to put us in mind of christ ; and he being come , what need have we of that shadow ? and i say again , since that day was to be observed by a ceremonial method , and no way else , as we find ; and since ceremonies are ceased , what way by divine appointment is there left to keep that old sabbath by christians in ? if they say , ceremonies are ceased . by the same argument , so is the sanction of the day in which they were to be performed . i would gradly see the place , if it is to be found , where 't is said , that day retains its sanction , which yet has lost that method of service which was of god appointed for the performance of worship to him thereon . when canaan-worship fell , the sanction of canaan fell . when temple-worship , and altar-worship , and the sacrifices of the levitical priesthood fell , down also came the things themselves ! likewise so , when the service or shadow and ceremonies of the seventh-day-sabbath fell , the seventh-day-sabbath fell likewise . on the seventh-day-sabbath , as i told you , manna was not to be found . but why for that that day was of moses and of the ministration of death . but manna was was not of him : moses , saith christ , gave you not that bread from heaven , joh. . , . moses , as was said , ▪ gave that sabbath in tables of stone , and god gave that manna from heaven . christ , nor his father , gives grace by the law , no not by that law in which is contained the old seventh-day-sabbath it self . the law is not of faith , why then should grace be by christians expected by observation of the law ? the law , even the law written and engraven in stones enjoyns perfect obedience thereto on pain of the curse of god. nor can that part of it now under consideration , according as is required , be fulfilled by any man , was the ceremony thereto belonging , allowed to be laid aside , isai. . . never man yet did keep it perfectly , except he whose name is jesus christ : in him therefore we have kept it , and by him are set free from that law , and brought under the ministration of the spirit . but why should we be bound to seek manna on that day , on which god saies , none shall be found . perhaps , it will said , that the sanction of that day would not admit that manna should be gathered on it . but that was not all , for ▪ on that day there was none to be found . and might i chuse . , i had rather sanctific that day to . god on which i might gather this bread , of god all day long , than set my mind at all upon that in which no such bread was to be had . the lords day , as was said , is to the christians the principal manna-day . on this day , even on it manna in the morning very early gathered was by the disciples of our lord , as newly springing out of the ground . the true bread of god : the sheaf of first-fruits , which is christ from the dead , was ordained to be waved before the lord on the morrow after the sabbath , the day on which our lord ceased from his own own work as god did from his , levit. . now ▪ therefore the disciples found their green ears of corn indeed ! now they read life , both in and out of the sepulchre in which the lord was laid . now they could not come together nor speak one to another , but either their lord was with them , or they had heart-enflaming tidings from him . now cries one and says , the lord is risen : and then another and says , he hath appeared to such and such . now comes tidings to the eleven that their women was early at the sepulchre , where they had a vision of angels that told them their lord was risen : then comes another and says , the lord is risen indeed . two also comes from emmaus , and cries , we have seen the lord : and by and by , while they yet were speaking , their lord shews himself in the midst of them . now he calls to their mind some of the eminent passages of his life , and eats and drinks in their presence , and opens the scriptures to them : yea , and opens their understanding too , that their hearing might not be unprofitable to them ; all which continued from early in the morning till late at night : oh! what a manna-day was this to the church . and more than all this you will find , if you read but the four evangelists upon this subject . thus began the day after the sabbath , and thus it has continued thorough all ages to this very day . never did the seventh-day-sabbath yield manna to christians . a new world was now begun with the poor church of god ; for so said the lord of the sabbath , behold , i make all things new . a new covenant , and why not then a new resting-day to the church ? or why must the old sabbath be joyned to this new ministration ? let him that can shew a reason for it . christians , if i have not been so large upon things as some might expect ; know , that my brevity on this subject is , from consideration that much needs not be spoken thereto , and because i may have occalion to write a second part. christians , beware of being entangled with old testament - miniserations , left ' by ' one you be brought into many inconveniencies . i have observed , that though the jewish rites have lost their sanction , yet some that are weak in judgement , do bring themselves into bondage by them . yea , so high have some been carried as to a pretended conscience to these , that they have at last proceeded to circumcision , to many wives ; and the observation of many bad things besides . yea , i have talked with some pretending to christianity , who have said , and affirmed , as well as they could , that the jewish sacrifices must up again . but do you give no heed to these jewish fables that turn from the truth ( tit. . . ) do you , i say , that love the lord jesus , keep close to his testament , his word , his gospel , and observe his holy-day . and this caution in conclusion i would give , to put stop to this jewish ceremony , to wit , that a seventh-day-sabbath pursued according to its imposition by law , ( and i know not that it is imposed by the apostles . ) leads to bloud and stoning to death those that do but gather sticks thereon ( numb . . , , , , . ) a thing which no way becomes the gospel , that ministration of the spirit and of righteousness ( cor. . ) nor yet the professors thereof ( luke . , , . ) nor can it with fairness be said , that that sabbath day remains , though the law thereof is repealed . for consident i am , that there is no more ground to make such a conclusion , than there is to say , that circumcision is still of force , though the law for cutting of the uncircumcised is by the gospel made null and void . i told you also in the epistle , that if the fifth commandment was the first that was with promise ; then it follows , that the fourth , or that seventh-day-sabbath , had no promise intailed to it . whence it follows , that where you read in the prophet of a promise annexed to a sabbath , it is best to understand it of our gospel-sabbath , isai. . now if it be asked , what promise is intailed to our first-day-sabbath ? i answer , the bigest of promises . for first , the resurrection of christ was tyed by promise to this day , and to none other . he rose the third day after his death , and that was the first day of the week , according to what was fore-promised in the scriptures , hos. . , . cor. . , , , . second , that we should live before god by him , is a promise to be fulfilled on this day ; after two days he will revive us , and in the third day we shall live in his sight , hos. . . see also isai. . . and compare them again with cor. . . third , the great promise of the new testament , to wit , the pouring out of the spirit , fixeth upon these days ; and so he began in the most wonderful effusion of it upon pentecost , which was the first day of the week , that the scriptures might be fulfilled , acts . , , , . nor could these three promises be fulfilled upon any other days , for that the scripture had fixed them to the first day of the week . i am of opinion that these things , though but briefly touched upon , cannot be fairly objected against , however they may be disrelished by some . nor can i believe , that any part of our religion , as we are christians , stands in not kindling of fires , and not seething of victuals , or in binding of men not to stir out of those places on the seventh day , in which at the dawning thereof they were found : and yet these are ordinances belonging to that seventh-day-sabbath , exod. . , . certainly it must needs be an errour to impose these things by divine authority upon new testament-believers , our worship standing now in things more weighty , spiritual , and heavenly . nor can it be proved , as i have hinted before , that this day was , or is to be imposed without those ordinances , with others in other places mentioned and adjoyned , for the sanction of that day , they being made necessary parts of that worship that was to be performed thereon . i have charity for those that abuse themselves and their lord , by their preposterous zeal and affection for the continuing of this day in the churches . for i conclude , that if they did either believe , or think of the incoherence that this day with its rites and ceremonies has with the ministration of the spirit our new testament-ministration , they would not so stand in their own light as they do , nor so stifly plead for a place for it in the churches of the gentiles . but as paul insinuates in other cases , there is an aptness in men to be under the law because they do not hear it , gal. . nor will it out of my mind , but if the seventh-day-sabbath was by divine authority , and to be kept holy by the churches of the gentiles , it should not have so remained among the jews , christs deadliest enemies , and a been kept so much hid from the believers , his best friends . for who has retained the pretended sanction of that day from christs time quite down , in the world , but the jews ; and a few jewish gentiles ( i will except some . ) but , i say , since a sabbath is that without which the great worship of god under the gospel cannot be well performed : how can it be thought , that it should , as to the knowledge of it , be confined to so blasphemous a generation of the jews , with whom that worship it not ? i will rather conclude , that those gentile-professors that adhere thereto , are jewifi'd , legaliz'd , and so far gone back from the authority of god , who from such bondages has set his churches free . i do at this time but hint upon things , reserving a fuller argument upon them for a time and place more fit ; where , and when , i may perhaps also shew , some other wild notions of those that so stifly cleave to this . mean time , i entreat those who are captivated with this opinion , not to take it ill at my hand that i thus freely speak my mind . i entreat them also to peruse my book without prejudice to my person . the truth is , one thing that has moved me to this work , is the shame that has covered the face of my soul , when i have thought of the fictions and fancies that are growing among professors : and while i see each fiction turn it self to a faction , to the loss of that good spirit of love , and that oneness that formerly was with good men . i doubt not but some unto whom this book may come , have had seal from god , that the first day of the week is to be sanctified by the church to jesus christ : not onely from his testimony , which is , and should be , the ground of our practice ; but also , for that the first conviction that the holy ghost made upon their consciences , to make them know that they were sinners , began with them for breaking this sabbath day ; which day , by that same spirit , was told them , was that now called the first day , and not the day before , ( and the holy ghost doth not use to begin this work with a lye ) which first conviction the spirit has followed so close , with other things tending to compleat the same work , that the soul from so good a beginning could not res● until it found rest in christ. 〈◊〉 this then to such be a second token that the lords day is by them to be kept in commemoration of their lord and his resurrection , and o● what he did on this day for their salvation . amen . finis . a discourse of the sabbath and the lords day wherein the difference both in their institution and their due observation is briefly handled. by christopher dow, b.d. dow, christopher, b.d. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a discourse of the sabbath and the lords day wherein the difference both in their institution and their due observation is briefly handled. by christopher dow, b.d. dow, christopher, b.d. [ ], , [ ] p. printed by m. flesher for john clark, and are to be sold at his shop under s. peters church in cornhill, london : m dc xxxvi. [ ] variant: title page has "intsitution". reproduction of the original in the union theological seminary (new york, n.y.). library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng sabbath -- early works to . sunday -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - elspeth healey sampled and proofread - elspeth healey text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a discovrse of the sabbath and the lords day . wherein the difference both in their intsitution and their due observation is briefly handled . by christopher dow , b. d. london , printed by m. flesher for john clark , and are to be sold at his shop under s. peters church in cornhill . mdc xxxvi . to the reader . the substance of this discourse , being at first , the materialls of some letters written for the satisfaction of a private friend , was afterwards drawne together into the forme in which it now appeares , and found the favour , from some unto whom it was communicated , to bee desired to the presse ; for which end it hath lyen in the licensers hand , now above a yeare expecting the cōduct of that reverend prelate who upon speciall occasion then offered , ( as it appeares ) by command , undertook this argument : which having performed , like himselfe , with such variety of learning and profoundnesse of judgement , this pamphlet of mine may now justly seeme as unnecessary to follow , as heretofore it was unable and unworthy to leade the way : yet considering that the brevity of it might make it passe and finde acceptance with some ; and that , being of a mean straine , it might better meete with common capacities , then larger and more elaborate tractates ; i was willing it should see the light , and that in its owne garbe without any polishing or alteration . and so i commend thee and it to gods blessing . perlegi hunc tractatum theologicum , cuititulus est [ a discourse of the sabbath , and of the lords day , &c. ] in quo nihil reperio sanae doctrinae , aut bonis moribus contrarium , quominus cum utilitate publicâ imprimi possit , ita tamen , ut si non intra tres menses proximè sequentes typis mandetur , haec licentia sit omnino irrita . ex aedibus lambethanis novemb. . . guil . bray. r. p. d. arch. cant. capel . domesticus . a discovrse of the sabbath and lords day . that men may not bee deceived with shewes , and mistake iudaisine for christianity ; or that they , who so mistaking , use to disrellish all things which suit not with the principles of their catechismes , may not thinke they have ingrossed all religion and piety to themselves , and they thereby incouraged to proceed in their hard censures of those that concurre not with them : and that the piety and religious care , which is eminent in the governours of our church and state , may appeare in their true lustre , and outshine those mists , wherewith some seeke to obscure them : and that it may appeare also that they whose chiefest care , next to their duty to god , is to yeeld all ready and cheerefull obedience to gods vicegerent , and to those reverend fathers which under god , and his sacred . majesty have the oversight of this church , are not hood-winkt in their obedience , or blindly led to yeeld to their commands without respect to religion or conscience , as if they had rather obey them then god ; i have adventured upon that obloquie , which hath beene the lot of such as ( though upon never so good grounds ) dissent from these men in opinion . and this i the rather doe in this subject , for as much as in it i have not onely the authoritie of the sacred scriptures , ( which are the rule of things to be beleeved and done ) but , the consent also of the whole church of christ ; neither the ancient fathers nor the reformed churches ( to omit the church of rome , whose doctrine though in this case not to be condemned , is of little credit with those whom i dissent from ) ever teaching other doctrine then that which i shall endeavour the defence of . for whereas in other things which they dislike among us , they have for patrons the principall authors of the reformation abroad , and the prime doctors among them , whose learning and piety , much admired by them , may seeme to pleade for their over-earnest , and heedlesse embracing of their principles : in these sabbatarian paradoxes , they are singular and left alone , without the patronage of those whom otherwise they so much admire , and without the example of any church in christendome . and i beleeve further ( being ledd thereunto by their doctrine , delivered in their writings extant , and by the generall and constant relation , of all that have knowne their practise and compared it with ours ) that there is not a state in christendome who have made better provision for the due observance of the lords day , and the decent performance of the sacred acts of gods worship , then are to bee found in the ecclesiasticall and temporall lawes of this realme , nor where such lawes are more duely executed by those in authority , or more generally observed or practised by all , then they are at this day among us . these considerations have animated mee to this worke , hoping thereby to settle the mindes of such as are contrary minded rather for want of due consideration , then out of wilsulnesse and contempt of authority . hee that goes about to vindicate the just liberty of christians in the use of lawfull recreations on the sunday , shall finde himselfe upon a double disadvantage . . in regard of the preconceived opinion among weake people , of their pietie and religious zeale which hold the contrary . and . in that the strict observance of that day , is by some made a prime character of a good christian , to distinguish him from a carnall worldling , and so the question in hand accounted as an infallible marke to know the state of religion ; which stands or falls according , as it is either way determined . it behoves mee therefore to walke with a wary and sure foot , and following the truth to strike an equall course betweene an over nice strictnesse , and a profane licence : and so to speake in this cause , as that the soberly religious shall have no just cause to complaine ; nor the profane be incouraged to go on in licentiousnesse . either of which wayes as it is easie to offend , so in whether of the two a man offends most , is as uneasie to determine ; the one letting loose , the other ensnaring mens consciences ; the one shutting up the kingdome of heaven , and making the way thither more narrow then it is ; the other making it broader , and enlarging the mouth of hell. my aime and endeavour shall bee to avoid both . among those things which have occasioned the generall prevailing of the opinion , that the sunday or lords day ought to bee observed with such strictnesse as will admit no works which may be called ours , that is , ( as they call them ) workes of our particular callings , and much lesse recreations : it is none of the least that now of a long time among us ( contrary to the use of the primitive church , yea and of our owne in the memory of our fathers ) it hath lost its christen name , and entertained the iewish , being vulgarly knowen and called by the name of the sabbath . whence it comes to passe that men ( prone more to respect names then things ) never heeding the difference betweene the old sabbath and our sunday , or thinking it to bee little or none at all , take those places of scripture , which so severely prohibit all work upon the sabbath , as if they did no lesse belong to us now , then heretofore to the iewes : and by this meanes , those precepts , threatnings , and promises which concerned the observation of the sabbath , are pressed upon us point blanck . whereas indeed they concerne us onely indirectly , and cannot without fetching a compasse , be alledged at all for our sunday . now the scripture being so expresse ( as it is apprehended ) for the strict observance of our sunday under the name of the sabbath , no marvell if men have made it a prime case of conscience , and that so many scruples are dayly raised , and so many traditions broached about the beginning and ending of the sabbath ; about the works of a mans particular calling , what they are , and how farre lawfull on that day : what are the proper duties of the day , and the like ? for the cleare resolution therefore of this question ; whether the use of recreations may stand with the due observation of the lords day , it is convenient that i have some recourse to the sabbath . where because i love not cramben saepiùs coctam apponere , or to stuffe my discourse with a tedious explanation of those things which are commonly known ; and every where to be found , i will with as much brevity as the cause will suffer , inquire into these . particulars . . whether , and how farre forth the fourth commandement concerning the sabbath is moral , and perpetuall , and so belonging to christians . . when and by whom the lords day was instituted . . what workes the lews might doe on their sabbath . . whether , and what liberty christians now have on the sunday more then they had , and how farre that liberty is to be extended ? to begin with the first . the law which god gave unto his people the iewes ( according to the three-fold variety of the object , or things prescribed ) is three-fold , morall , ceremoniall , and iudiciall . the morall is that which concernes the manners of men , and belongs to them as men : and this commands those things which are in themselves acceptable , and well-pleasing to god , and those which hee will have all men every where , and at all times to observe , as the perpetuall , and unchangeable rule of living , being the expresse image of the minde of god , according to which , hee ( who is the law-giver ) judges it meete and right , that the reasonable creatures should order their lives . the ceremoniall belongs to men , as joyned together in that society which is called the church , and this containes those precepts which concerne the externall worship of god , and were given by him to the iewish church , in accommodation to the times , in which the church was under age , and under the promise , and therefore instituted for the signifying , prefiguring , and sealing of the truth of the promises made to them , to be fulfilled in the exhibition of our saviour : and withall for the preservation of order , and decencie in their ecclesiasticall meetings , and performances . the judiciall belongs to men as joyned in a civill society or cōmon-wealth , contayning the forme of civill government , to be used by them , tending to their good , as they were a society , and to the preservation , and exacting of the eutward worship of god , and the discipline thereof , as it was commanded in the morall and ceremoniall lawes . so that the ceremoniall law determined the morall in order to god ; the politicall or judiciall in order to men in a civill society ; and both in accommodation to that state of the church : and these though they have in them something which is juris moralis , and so farre forth are contained under the morall precepts , yet being fitted to serve that state of the church , which was to be held in expectation of the messias ; when the time came that he was actually exhibited , and so the promise fulfilled , the shadowes were then of no longer use , the body being come : and therefore at the time of the death of christ , they were abrogated de jure , so that they became unnecessary , and unprofitable , and had their power of obligation taken away : and afterward when by the apostles doctrine christians came to understand that christ was the end of the law , and when the temple ( the seate of their religion , and the place destined to the use of those ceremonies ) was destroyed , they were de facto actually and fully taken away : and those things , which before the death of christ were commanded , and in that interim , betweene his death and the destruction of the temple ( which was the space allotted for the solemne funeralls of the iewish synagogue ) were tolerable , though already dead , became from that time forward deadly and intolerable . so that , onely the morall law remaines now in force , for the practise of christians ; the ceremoniall and judiciall ( excepting in that wherein they are reducible to this ) are antiquated , and out of date . now the precepts of the morall law are summarily comprehended in the decalogue or ten commandements : which had this prerogative peculiar to them , that they were delivered ( not by moses , but ) by god himselfe , and by him written in tables of stone , and preserved in the arke ; to shew their dignity above others , and to note out the perpetuity of observance , which was due unto them . where , before wee apply these things to our present purpose , two things are to be noted . first , that howsoever all the precepts of the morall law belong to the law of nature ( as being agreeable to reason , which is the rule of humane actions ) and are in that respect of perpetuall observance ; yet all of them are not of the same ranke , nor belong in the same degree and manner to the law of nature . there are some things which by the instinct of nature , and naturall light of the understanding , wee presently see to be good or bad , and which are so plaine , that without any great consideration , they may by the first principles , or common notions implanted in us , be either approved , or rejected , and these are absolutely of the law of nature . others there are that require more consideration of circumstances , and the use of discourse to apprehend , and judge of them : and these are so of the law of nature , that notwithstanding they require the helpe of discipline , by which those which are ignorant , and not able by diligent consideration or discourse , to attaine to the knowledge of them , may be instructed by the wise and learned . and lastly , there are some , to the knowledge whereof humane reason stands in neede of divine instruction . and these two latter sorts , especially the last , though they in some sort belong to the law of nature ( and were haply at our first creation , written in the tables of mans heart , in more plaine characters , and more easie to be read then now since the fall , they are ) may , in respect of the other , be termed morall ( non ratione naturae , sed disciplinae ) not in regard of nature dictating , but in regard of discipline informing nature . secondly , that the fourth commandement ( as it enjoynes the externall observation of the seaventh day ) is not morall either of these wayes . whence s. augustine a saith , that among all those ten commandements , that onely of the sabbath is figuratively to be observed ; whereas ( as hee after saith ) wee observe the other commandements there properly as they are cōmanded without any figurative signification . and generally the ancients ( as calvin hath truly observed ) called this precept b a shadow , which ( as he there saith ) was truly , but not fully said of them . and therefore they do better , and more fully expresse the nature of this cōmandement , which say it is c partly morall , and partly ceremoniall . so peter martyr , and generally all divines both reformed and others , use now to speake . now if any shall therefore thinke it unworthy a place in the decalogue , and to be rankt with those precepts which are morall , and of perpetuall observance ; d aquinas may seeme to give them full satisfaction , who saith , . that the precept concerning the sanctification of the sabbath , is put among the precepts of the decalogue for that which is moral in it . . that this precept as ceremoniall , ought rather to have a place in the decalogue then any other : the other ceremonies being signes of some particular effects of god ; but this of the sabbath was a signe of a generall benefit , viz. the creation of the vniverse : so that that which amesius will have a most certaine rule , and received among all the best divines ( as he calls them ) that all , and onely the morall precepts were delivered by the voyce of god himselfe , and by him written in the tables of stone , is not true , unlesse saint augustine , calvin , martyr , &c. be in his esteeme none of the best divines . yet perhaps wee may admit that rule so farre as to say , that all the morall precepts are contayned in the decalogue , and that every precept there contayned is morall , though all of every precept be not so , but may have something that is ceremoniall annexed to it : which haply god thought good to place among the morall precepts , to intimate the perpetuall necessity of having some ceremonies in the church ; though that ceremonie be not necessarily perpetuall , but ( with the rest of that nature ) to expire at the death of christ : which though wee admit , yet cannot any justly charge us , that wee diminish any of the tenne words ; or that wee expunge one commandement out of the decalogue ; in as much as wee affirme , that onely which was ceremoniall in this commandement to bee expired and out of date , and that there is in it a morality still remaining , which retaines its full power of obligation , and exacts the same obedience , under the same penalty , which it did at its first promulgation or inscription in the heart of adam . in which respect , the church hath good cause still to use her accustomed antiphona at the repeating of this commandement , as well as at any of the rest , and to pray lord have mercy upon us , and encline our hearts to keepe this law . and here , because some who love to have this commandement termed morall ( though thereby they intend no more then what hath beene already granted ) use so to argue , as if they did not acknowledge it at all to be ceremoniall ; it will not be amisse , before wee proceed any further , to answere some of the principall arguments that are brought to this purpose . and i wil begin with that of our saviour , math. . . thinke not that i came to destroy the law or the prophets ; i came not to destroy , but to fulfill . which words ( in their opinion ) make strongly for the morality and perpetuall obligation of the fourth commandement : for from hence they argue to this purpose . that which our saviour did not destroy , but fulfill , is still in force ; but hee did not destroy the law contayned in the decalogue : therefore it is still in force . for answere hereunto , i say , that in this argument two things are by them supposed . first , they suppose , that by the law in this place , is meant only the law contained in the decalogue or ten commandements . secondly , that our saviours fulfilling , and not destroying this law , was the ratifying and perpetuating of the observation of it under the gospel . if wee grant them both these , wee shall condemne the christian church for altering the day from the seventh to the eight or first day of the week , which cannot stand with this exposition of our saviours speech , who , in the words following , saith expresly , that not one jot or title shall passe from the law. but both these are beside the meaning and intent of our saviour , as will easily appeare to any that ( with indifferency ) doth consider his words . for , first , the law which our saviour here speakes of , is of larger extent and latitude , and comprehends not onely the decalogue or law morall , but the ceremoniall and judiciall also : as being indeed put for the pentateuch or five bookes of moses : and so , the law and the prophets , as much as , moses and the prophets : which formes of speech , are used as a periphrasis of the old testament , of which these two are the maine essentiall parts : the bookes of moses , so containing and describing the law , that they reserre whatsoever else they containe unto that , receive their denomination from it , as from the principall subject of them . the prophets , that is , their bookes , comprehend all the rest of the old testament , which the hebrewes divide into the former and latter prophets , and the hagiographa : all which ( though they be not prophesies ) being written by divine inspiration , and by holy men as they were moved by the spirit of god , may justly be termed , the word of prophecy , and passe under the name of the prophets . that the law is taken in this sense , is manifest by the use of the same phrase else where : where , not only the duties commanded in the decalogue , but christ and faith in him , is said to be taught and witnessed by the law : to which purpose the apostle s. paul useth the same phrase , acts . . rom. . . now , what word in all the decalogue gives witnesse to christ , or perswades the faith , which is required in him ? certainly , ( however some have found not onely the faith in christ , but the sacraments also of the new testament commanded in the decalogue yet , ) there is no one word there which imports any such thing . yea , the very context evinces thus much : for our saviour , having thus prefaced his exposition of the law , keeps not himselfe within the bounds of the moral law ; as appeares verse . and therefore interpreters generally upon this place , shew how our saviour did not destroy but fulfill the ceremoniall law also , as well as the morall , which were altogether needlesse , if by the law , that onely were understood . now , the law being ( as it must needs be ) thus largely taken , any man may easily perceive that the not destroying but fulfilling of it , is not the ratifying and the perpetuating of the observation of it under the gospel : for who sees not , that upon this ground they might conclude for circumcision , and the legall passeover and sacrifices , with all their typicall rites and ceremonies , as well as for the sabbath ? the truth is ; our saviour as hee was to fulfill not onely the morall but the ceremoniall and iudiciall law also : so he speakes of all , and did indeed , not destroy but , fulfill them all , though in a different manner . . he fulfilled the whole law , by his actuall and personall obedience to it , and by supplying the defects of it , that it , being unable to justifie us in it selfe , might , by the helpe of his grace and accession of faith in him , bee able to performe that which otherwise it could not . . he fulfilled the ceremoniall law , and so the iudiciall too , so farr as it was typicall ; besides his subjection to them , by a reall exhibition of that whereof they were shadowes . and though by this meanes , their observation ( according to the letter of the law ) ceased , yet did hee not hereby destroy , but perfect them ; according to that of the apostle , speaking of circumcision , which was a legall ceremony . doe we then ( saith he ) make voide the law through faith ? god forbid : yea , we establish the law. this place then , expounded according to the truest meaning and intent of our saviour , makes nothing for the totall morality of the fourth commandement , nor is in the least , contradictory to what i have delivered concerning it . secondly , they argue from the institution of the sabbath , which was ( say they ) in the beginning of the world , in the time of mans innocencie , when there was no need of ceremony ; and therefore it was morall and perpetuall . to this i answere , . that it is not universally true , that whatsoever precept was given to adam in innocency , was therefore morall and perpetuall ; for then the symbolicall precept of not eating of the forbidden fruit , must be such ; which no man , ( i suppose ) will affirme . . if it be true ( which willet hath affirmed , and that by ten reasons which he there alledgeth ) that adam fell the same day that he was created , then did he fall before the giving of the precept for the observation of the sabbath , and had it not in the state of innocencie . but the truth is , this is a meere conjecture disputable any way , so as a man may better oppose whatsoever is affirmed , then solidly conclude any thing . . if it bee not false that the sabbath was then instituted , yet it hath and may , not without good reason be doubted of . that place which is brought for it , gen. . . doth not convincingly prove it . and if the reasons , which are alledged for the prolepsis in that place , bee , without prejudice , considered , their opinion who so expound it will not seeme improbable , as . that there is no mention any where made of it , to have beene observed by the patriarchs . . where it is first spoken of , exod. . it is spoken of as a new thing not knowne to have beene observed before . . in that it is called a signe betweene god and the israelites , that he was their sanctifier and deliverer out of egypt , which it could not bee if it were given to all nations in adam . but lastly , granting the whole argument . i would faine know how that day , that was then instituted and sanctified , could cease , and another be substituted . how could it bee morall and perpetuall , and yet determine with the iewish church ? the words which are brought as the institution , say ; god rested the seventh ( n. b. ) and for that cause , god blessed the seventh day , and sanctified it , viz. that seventh day on which hee rested . the text doth not say , god rested the seventh day , and therefore he would have one of the seven to be sanctified ; that is but the exposition or glosse , not the text ; the word of man , not of god. but some may haply say , that the particular day was alterable , and upon good ground was altered . this i grant , but say withall , that he which holds the sabbath to be instituted before the fall , and for that cause morall and perpetuall , cannot so say , but either hee must wave his owne principles , or cry up the jewish sabbath postliminiò . secondly , they argue from that of our saviour ( matth. . . ) who foreshewing the destruction of jerusalem to his disciples , adviseth them to pray , that their slight bee not in the winter , neither on the sabbath day . if ( say they ) this precept had beene ceremoniall , then had it beene all one to fly on the sabbath day , as on any other day : because all ceremonies were before that time ( which was not till forty yeares after christs ascension ) to bee abrogated . but in that christ doth allow this feare of flying on the sabbath day more then on any other day of the weeke , hee shewes plainely that the force of the sabbath was not abrogated by his resurrection , and therefore no ceremony . thus they argue . to which it were answere sufficient to shew that hereby they still rush upon the same rocke , and while they labour to establish a needlesse morality of the lords day , they unawares bring in iudaisme . for the sabbath day there , cannot with any shew of reason bee taken ( though now a dayes it is too common so to take it ) for the lords day : and if our saviour did intend by bidding his disciples pray that their flight might not happen on the sabbath day , to intimate the necessity of the observation of that day by christians : then did s. paul crosse our saviours intent in numbring that among the shadowes which vanished at christs death ; and then hath also the church of christ ever since erred in so accounting it , and condemning the observation of it , with an anathema to those that in this point shall be found to iudaize . s. chrysostome is so farre from thinking that the sabbath which our sauiour there speaks of , did belong to christians , that upon that ground hee expounds that speech of our saviour as spoken not to his apostles but to the iewes . thou seest ( saith he ) that he speakes to the iewes — for the apostles were not to keepe the sabbath , &c. but grant that it were spoken to the disciples ; yet can no such thing bee thence collected as they would have . for our saviour had good ground so to advise his disciples , notwithstanding god at that time required no keeping of the sabbath . for though the ceremonies of the law ( and this among the rest ) were dead with christ , yet were they not buried ( as i have shewed ) nor the practise of them deadly till the temple was destroyed : till which time , even the apostles themselves were zealous of the law , and retentive of their old ceremonies : to which weaknesse of theirs , our saviour there accommodates his speech , willing rather that their owne experience in the destruction of the temple should teach them that harsh lesson of the abolishing of the legall ceremonies , then by a praemature urging it , to startle such as were yet weake in faith , or hinder others of that nation from beleeving in him. besides ; be it that christians did hold themselves freed from the observance of the sabbath , yet being among those who still made conscience of it , even to superstition , ( as did the unconverted jewes ) it could not but prove very incommodious to their speedy and farre flight ( which the greatnesse and suddennesse of the danger required ) in as much as thereby they should expose themselves to the fury of those who were no lesse zealous in compelling others , then superstitious in observing it themselves . in these respects our saviour might well admonish his disciples to pray that their flight might not bee on the sabbath day , and yet not teach them to observe the sabbath after his death , or that while the observation of it lasted , they should thinke themselves so tied in conscience of it , that they might not on that day flie farre to save their lives : and much lesse to establish the morality of the lords day , which neither he , nor his apostles , nor the following ages of the church , ( till within these few yeares ) ever designed by the name of the sabbath , without some difference added to distinguish it from that of the jewes . for though we finde it sometimes called our sabbath , or the sabbath of christians , in regard that in the maine end of it , it succeeded that , yet generally the sabbath simply put , and without addition , notes the iewish sabbath , or the day on which it was celebrated , which is our saturday ; and the day before that which we keepe , which is therefore called by the evangelists and s. paul , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , one , or the first day from the sabbath , and by s. iohn in the revelation , the lords day : by which name , or that which the same day had among the gentiles , ( viz. the sunday ) it hath ever since been knowne in the christian world . but i will leave these , and now returne thither whence ( for the answering of these objections ) i have digressed . and having seene the nature and severall degrees of morall precepts ; and in generall , that the fourth commandement hath in it somewhat not moral , that i may apply these things to our present purpose , and manifest the truth thereof : i will more particularly inquire into the nature of that commandement , and in it distinctly consider these . things . first , a day , or time set apart for gods service . secondly , the seventh day , or one in the revolution of seven . thirdly , the particular seventh there mentioned , namely the seventh from the creation . fourthly , the strict surcease or rest from ordinary labours on that day . for the first of these . it cannot be denied , but that the very law of nature it selfe ( to use the words of a worthy of our church ) requireth no lesse the sanctification of times , then of places , persons , and things . for which cause it hath pleased god heretofore as of the rest , so of times likewise , to exact some parts by way of perpetuall homage . and that ( as aquinas ) it is morall , that man should depute some time of his life for the service of god. for there is in man a kind of naturall inclination , that to every thing necessary there bee a time assigned : as to our bodily refection , sleepe and the like : whence also to the spiritnall refection of the soule , whereby the soule is refreshed in god , by the dictate of naturall reason , a man deputes some time . and so to have some times for holy offices comes under the morall law , and is absolutely of the law of nature written in the heart of every man , being involved in that principle which even depraved nature hath ever acknowledged ; viz. that god is to be worshipped . and therefore amesius hath well observed that thus farre the time of gods worship falls under that precept which exacts the worship it selfe : and as god when he created the world , is said to have concreated time with it : so when he ordained religious actions , he appointed also to the same , a time for them , as a necessary circumstance , without which they could not be performed . and as the time in which such actions are done , so that some day , or dayes should be destinated and set apart for the more solemne performance of those actions , may seeme to be a dictate of the same law of nature : in as much as the heathens who had no other guide but the law of nature , had their solemne feasts and set dayes in all ages consecrated to the worship of their gods ; whereby they manifested ( though not the knowledge of the true god , yet ) their acknowledgement of that principle , that god is to be worshipped , and the conveniencie of assigning some dayes peculiarly to that end . for the second : that one day in the revolution of seaven should be thus set a part : this cannot be said to be absolutely of the law of nature : nature being ignorant of this , without the instruction of the written law , in which god hath revealed his pleasure , concerning the quota pars , or how much of our time hee requires to be consecrated to him : and this will easily appeare to any that doth without prejudice consider it . for it is an easie thing to give an estimate of what principles are naturall and written in the hearts of all men ; and what are gotten by instruction , discipline , and information : now men may by the light of nature from the creature , climbe up to the knowledge of the creator , and from the nature of god conclude his worship , and from the nature of his worship , conclude a time ( as to all other things ) to be due to it . but to goe further , and to determine what part of our time , wee cannot . for it will not follow that because some time is due , therefore the seaventh day , more then the eighth of every moneth , which was observed by the graecians in honour of neptune , or any other day , above , or under that number . and for this cause it is ( saith saint chrysostome ) that in the giving of this commandement concerning the sabbath ( which hee calls a precept not made knowne to us by our conscience ) god added a reason , as because ged rested the seventh day from all his worke ; and againe ; because thou wast a servant in egypt , &c. whereas in those precepts that are purely morall , as when he saith , thou shalt doe no murther , hee onely gives the precept , without giving any reason at all . why so ? ( saith that father , ) because our conscience had taught us this before ; so that god speakes , as to those that knew and understood reason sufficient for the prohibition . neither doth eusebius ( though alledged by some to that purpose ) any way contradict this , when he saith , that not onely the hebrewes , but all almost , both philosophers and poets acknowledged the seaventh day to be sacred : for here it is not questioned , whether the gentiles which wanted the law of god to informe them , did hold the seaventh day as hallowed , but whether they were induced by the instinct of nature so to account it ; or that so accounting it , they held themselves bound to consecrate that , more then any other to the worship of god : the gentiles ( as eusebius at large declares ) came to the knowledge of it from the iewes , and did in that , as in other things , become their imitators , and receive it into their manners . or upon some other ground or superstition they might account the number of seaven to be sacred ; as because by that number the planets ( which they honoured as their chiefest deities ) were terminated : for which cause ( we know ) by their names they intituled their dayes . but what ever were the motive , as it is without all question , that the gentiles , as well as the iewes , held the number of seaven in great veneration , accounting it the number of perfection , and full of mysteries ; so it is as unquestionable , that by the light of nature they knew not that that part of our time was to be separated to gods service . and therefore zanchius speakes more inconsiderately then beseemes his learning , when hee saith , that nature teacheth all men to consecrate one day of seaven to the externall worship of god : which , others ( and among them amesius ) better considering acknowledge to be onely of positive right , and morall , not in regard of nature , but of discipline , as comming under that ranke of morall precepts , which neede instruction to helpe naturall reason to know , and judge of them . now , albeit calvine ( who in this as in other things , wants not his followers ) thinks the seaventh day , not to be so stood on , as that he would tye the christian world precisely to that : yet there are many grave and judicious divines , both ancient and moderne , that judge the institution of one day in seaven to be so farre morall , as that it doth binde the church perpetually and immutably . thus among the ancients saint chrysostome upon those words , and god blessed the seaventh day and hallowed it , genes . . . here , saith hee , from the beginning god intimates to us this doctrine , instructing us to separate and lay aside one day in the compasse of every weeke for spirituall exercises . and among our moderne writers that admired hooker , saith . that wee are bound to account the sanctificatiō of one day in seven , a duty which gods immutable law doth exact for ever . thus hee , with many others , whose judgements i honour , yet dare not herein wholly subscribe to them neither : for the law exacting the observation of one day in seaven , being onely positive ( as must needs be granted ) cannot containe in it selfe any perpetuall obligation . for all lawes of that nature ( though made by god himselfe ) admit mutation ( at least ) when the matter concerning which , or the condition of the persons , to whom they were given , is changed : now the day , concerning which this precept was given , together with the state of the church , to which it was given , being changed , i see no reason , why the proportion of one in seaven , should be simply and in it selfe immutable ; yet thus much , i willingly grant them , that ( some time to be set apart for gods worship , being absolutely of the law of nature ) that proportion of time , which god himselfe made choyce of for his owne people , is the fittest that can be imagined : and nature informed by god , cannot but acknowledge his wisedome and goodnesse in this choyce , in that hee hath so attempered it , that neither the long space betweene can make us forget our duty to him , nor the quicke returne of it hinder our providing for the necessities of nature . and hereupon the church of christ , hath taken it as an obligation belonging to them , and that ( as it is in our church homily ) gods will and commandement was to have a solemne time , and standing day in the weeke , wherein the people should come together , and have in remembrance his wonderfull benefits , and render him thanks for them as appertaineth to loving , kinde , and obedient people . thus farre then , this commandement extends to us christians , as well as to the jewes , in as much as to consecrate some part of our time to god , is morall , and a seaventh part , though not morall , yet fitly chosen , and appointed by god , and observed by the church of christ ( not as simply immutable , yet ) as most worthy to be retayned . for the third particular . the particular seventh day there mentioned , that is , the seaventh day from the creation ; this cannot be said to be morall any way , but is ceremoniall and temporary , and expired with the dissolution of the iewish church . and this is generally confessed by all , whom the heresie of iudaisme hath not infected : and the mutation of the day approved by the practise of the christian world ever since the apostles times , is a sufficient disclaime to the morality of it . for one of these three must needs hence be inferred . eyther that that which is morall may bee changed ; or that the church of christ hath now for this sixteen hundred years erred in the change of it ; orlastly , that the particular day prescribed to the jews was ceremoniall , and not perpetuall . the first , no man will say that vnderstands the nature of morall precepts , and their dependance upon the law of nature , which is one and the same with all men every where , and in all ages , and in that regard immutable . and he deserves not the name of a christian that dares affirme the second . it remaines therefore that we pitch upon the third , & confesse that herein that commandement was ceremoniall & not perpetuall . but besides the practice of the church we have the warrant of the apostle s. paul. who ranks the sabbath among the shadows of things to come whereof the body is christ . now the body had ( they are the words of the late learned bishop of winchester ) the shadowes vanish : that which was to come , when it is come to what end any figure of it ? it ceaseth too . so that to hold the shadow of the sabbath is to continue , is to hold that christ the body is not yet come . neyther can the force of this place be avoyded by saying that the iewes had other sabbaths that were there meant , as the sabbaths of weekes , and the first and last dayes of their great feasts which were called sabbaths . for the apostle speakes indefinitely of the sabbath dayes , & hath not there left any ground to rayse any distinction upon , or to shew that he aymed onely at them more then this . that he speakes there in the plurall number will not helpe this shift , but rather crosse it : it helpes it not , because we know it is usuall in the new testament to use that number when the sabbath in question is spoken of : it crosseth it rather in that being in the plurall number it may rather seeme to comprehend all their sabbaths whatsoever they were : and so to be far from excluding this . the place then is cleare , and alone sufficient to prove the point in hand : to which i will onely adde ; that the reason drawn from the example of god , who rested upon the sabbath day , namely , when the creation was finished , endured onely till the time of the new creation in which al things were made new by christ ; at which time it ceased , or at least , a second reason taken from that new creation comming in place , the former both reason & day ( become now old ) are passed away , and behold all things are become new . for this worke of redemption or new creation being the greater may deservedly take place of the other . and as the prophet ieremy speaking of the deliverance that god would vouchsafe his people from the babilonish captivity , saith : behold the dayes shall come ( saith the lord ) that it shall no more be said ; the lord liveth that brought up the children of israel out of egypt : but the lord liveth which brought up the children of israel from the land of the north , &c. so may wee say of the day appointed for his worship ; that the day wherein he finished the worke of creation shall no more be observed , but the day wherein our lord iesus christ by his resurrection from the dead finished the worke of our redemption , and begun a new life to be finished in all his members , who ( as s. peter tels us ) are by his resurrection begotten vnto a lively hope of an eternall inheritance . the fourth and last thing in this commandement and that which denominated the day is the resting from ordinary labours . and this in regard of the divers ends it had admits a diverse consideration . . this rest may be considered as a means without which the dutyes of gods worship cannot be performed . for seeing the generall & publique dutyes of piety and devotion , and our owne private businesses cannot both bee followed at once , there must be such a cessation from ordinary labours on that day , wherein men are to performe those dutyes , as that thereby they be not hindered in the performance thereof : in which regardthose workes that in themselves , and at other times are not prohibited , are on that day vnlawfull , so farre as they hinder a man from applying himself to divine dutyes : and therein are contrary to the observance of that precept , which requires the performance of them . and therefore when god commands a day to be dedicated to him , he doth likewise in the same command such a rest as a meanes necessary to that end . so that , thus farre it is connected with , & participates of the morality of that precept that enjoynes the dutyes for which it was appointed ; & in this consideration we are no lesse bound at this day , to rest from our labours on the dayes devoted to gods solemne worship , then were the iewes , and ( as uenerable hooker sayth ) the voluntary scandalous contempt of that rest from labour wherewith god is publikely served , we cannot too severely correct and bridle . another end of this rest is mentioned . deut. . . viz : that there might be a time of rest allowed to servants and labourers for their refreshment . and this no lesse concernes us , then it did them ; for necessity of nature requires some time of remission from labour : and religion teacheth us , to be mercifull even to our beasts , and much more to our servants who are our brethren . but this is not so connected with the observance of the day of gods publique worship , but that it may at other times be supplyed , yet is then so far requisite , as it makes for the solemne performances of the duties of the day , that all , as well servants , as others , may joyne together in the service of god : which while they doe , they at once enjoy the refreshment of their bodyes , and freedome to refresh their soules , with holy and religious exercises . but this rest , as it was prescribed to the iews , had yet a further end , in regard of which , it was exacted so strictly , and beyond that which eyther the solemne service of god , or the necessary refreshment of labouring persons did require . and that was figurative for the signifying of things past , present , and future . . things past ; and so it was a memoriall of gods resting from his worke of creation : and as the day which they observed , so the strict rest upon that day served as a sign of the cōmon benefit of creation which they thereby acknowledged to bee gods work , when they celebrated that day wherein god rested from creating , & sanctified it by an holy and totall surcease from their owne workes . and this end is assigned by god himselfe , and annexed to the commandement as a principal reason of the institution of it . secondly ; it was a memoriall likewise of their deliverance out of egypt , so expressely said to bee deut. . . where , in the repetition of the law , this reason , is added instead of the former , & god is therefore sayd to command them to keepe the sabbath , that they might remember their servitude in egypt , and their deliverance from thence . againe ; the sabbath was a signe also of their present condition , and a note to distinguish them from all other people , they being then the onely peculiar people of god , whom hee had separated , and sanctified to himselfe : for a signe of which peculiar sanctification they were commanded to observe the sabbath , as we read exod. . . & ezech. . . . lastly ; the rest of the sabbath was a type whereby was prefigured that rest which remained for the people of god , to be purchased for them by christ . into which rest they which believe do enter , and shall have the full possession thereof in the kingdome of glory , when , after all their works finished , they shall rest from their labours . and this rest the apostle designing by the name of a sabbatisme , intimates the prefiguring of it by that sabbath which the people of god under the law were to observe . so that , as the place of this celestiall , and eternall rest , was shadowed out by the promised land , so the rest it selfe for the nature , & condition of it was no lesse presignified by their usuall sabbaths . now in relation to these good things which were thus vailed under the outward observation of this rest , it was very requisite that the rest whereby they were represented , should be , as strict as might be ; for the more exact the figure is , the better it signifies ; and the more strictly the rest was observed , the more lively was the representation of those things , which it aymed at . to this if we add the condition of those , to whom it was enjoyned , we shall have the compleate reason , why it was with that strictnesse commanded and exacted , & the violation of it with such severity punished . for first , the iewes though the people of god , & heire & lord of all , yet being , as the apostle saith , a child , differed not from a servant , and as servants were to be held in bondage under the strict yoke of outward observances , & of this among the rest , till the fulnesse of time came , when god sent forth his sonne made of a woman , made under the law , to redeem them that were vnder the law , that wee might receive the adoption of sonnes . secondly , the iews by reason of their long abode in a place of continuall servile toyle , could not suddainely be weaned and drawne unto contrary offices , without some impression of terror ; whence the severity with which this duty , was enjoyned , and the violation thereof punished , was to them most necessary . and besides , we know , that there is nothing more needfull , then to punish with extremity the first transgressors of those lawes that require a more exact observation for many ages to come . these considerations then being peculiar unto them , that strict rest which was thereupon exacted , being but accidentally annexed to the principall sanctification of the sabbath , cannot belong unto us by vertue of that command by which it was enjoyned them . and this is confessed even by those that stand most for the observation of the sabbath : who grant that the strictnesse of the rest on the sabbath was ceremoniall , and did belong to the iewes onely and is abrogated by the death of christ . so elton . and amesius . it may be granted , that there was somewhat a more strict observation of the sabbath commanded in those times , as fitted to the pedagogy and time of servitade , which obteynes not in all ages . so he , and generally the most of those which propugne the doctrine of the sabbath . to give a briefe and full resolution to the first question propounded . viz. whether , and how farre forth the fourth commandement concerning the sabbath is morall , and perpetuall , and so belonging to us christians to the former part , i say the fourth commandement is partly morall , and partly ceremoniall . to the latter i say . first , it is morall , and perpetuall that some time be dedicated to the solemne , publique worship and service of god. secondly , that one day in the revolution of seaven , be consecrated to this end , is not morall ; yet very convenient and fitly observed , and retayned by the church of christ . thirdly ; that the particular seaventh day , which the iewes observed , is neither morall , nor sit to bee observed , being altogether abrogated and out of date , ever since the death of christ . lastly ; the resting from ordinary labours , as it is connected with the dutyes of gods worship , and a means without which , they cannot be performed , is no lesse necessary on the dayes consecrated to that end now , then heretofore ; but as it concerned the iewish sabbath , it is together with the sabbath abrogated . so that christians are not bound either to rest on that day , which the iewes did , or to rest on their owne sabbaths or dayes consecrated to gods service , with the same strictnesse , which was enjoyned the iewes on theirs . thus much shall serve to have spoken of the first generall question . having explained the nature of the fourth commandement touching the iewish sabbath : i come now to speake of the lords day ; in which , that which was morall in that commandement , is and ever hath beene observed by christians . the institution of which , when and by whom it was , being the second generall part of our inquirie . and here all divines are not of one opinion . some ground this no lesse then the iewish sabbath upon the fourth commandement , which ( say they ) includes both the sabbath of the iewes , and of the christians : because the lord doth not say , remember that thou keepe holy the seventh day , but remember that thou keepe holy the sabbath day ; that is , the day of rest : which , before the comming of christ , was the seventh from the creation ; but afterward , the first day of the weeke , or lords day . but these men while they over greedily seeke after a divine foundation for the lords day , doe not consider that they stretch the precept beyond the intent of the lawgiver . for though it bee granted that the lord doth not say , remember to keepe holy the seventh day , but the day of ceasing indeterminately , yet seeing in the following explication , which god added , it is determined unto that particular seventh , which was the seventh from the creation , to which it expresly is referred , as to the speciall reason of the institution : the sabbath there cannot without forcing , and manifest absurdity , bee said to bee as the genus to the iewish , and christian sabbath , and to include both . for is it not manifestly absurd , and unbeseeming a rationall man , and much more the wisdome of the supreame law-giver , to say ; god in sixe dayes made heaven and earth , and rested the seventh , and for that cause sanctified the seventh day ; ergo , hee will have men in imitation of him to rest sometime ( viz. before the comming of christ ) on that day whereon hee rested , and sometime ( viz. after christs comming ) to rest on the day in which hee began to worke . neither can this absurdity bee salved ( as some have endeavoured to doe ) by saying , there is alwayes more meant in the precepts and prohibitions , then in words are expressed : for those things which are so meant without particular expression , must either be necessarily connected with , or some way subordinat to that which is expressed , that so it may be included in it . sure i am , it ought no way to be excluded , as ( we see ) this is by gods owne exposition of himselfe , and the reason which hee alledgeth , which can no way agree both to the jewish sabbath , and the lords day . again , others urge the institution of the lords day , as founded upon gods sanctification of the seventh day at the creation , which being before all ceremonies , must ( say they ) needes binde christians , as well as the jewes . but this labours of the same weaknesse , and absurdity , which the other did . for what day did god sanctifie there ? surely not the first day of the weeke , but the seventh from the creation , which they must with the jewes cry up againe , if they will have their argument hold good . but besides this , the weaknesse of this foundation appeares in that ( as hath beene shewed ) they cannot prove that god instituted the sabbath , and commanded it to bee observed from that time forward ; but onely that moses there , relating the story of the creation , intimates the reason of gods after commanding his people to rest upon that day . and lastly , granting that to be the institution ( which cannot be proved ) and that not the seaventh day from the creation ( as the words expresly say ) but a seaventh , or one in seaven , were thereby intended to be perpetuall , & to belong to us christians : if all this be granted , here will yet be but a partiall foundatiō , and no compleat institution of that particular day which we observe : for , all this notwithstanding , why might not the second , third , fourth , or any other have beene observed , and yet that institution of one in seaven no way violated ? others therefore ( no doubt espying the weaknesse of it ) forsake this hold , and seeke for authority to prove it , to be of divine institution , out of the new testament . and among these amesius will have it to bee done by christ himselfe : laying this for a ground worke , that he alone could change the day of the sabbath , that was lord of it , that is , christ . so that according to him , christ was the author of this change , and that either mediately by his apostles , whom he assisted by his spirit in the institution of it , no lesse then he did in the doctrine which they taught : or else , ( as hee holds to bee most probable ) immediately , and in his owne person ; and the probability of this he labours to prove by divers arguments ; wherein hee doth ( as one hath well observed in the like case ) as if one should demand a legacy , by force and vertue of some written testament wherein there being no such thing specified , he pleades , that there it must needs be , and bringeth arguments from the love and good will , which alwayes the testator bore him ; imagining that these or the like proofes will evince a testament , to have that in it which other men by reading , can no where finde . certainely it is a bold and a strange course , for men to adventure to argue , that god must needs have done the thing , which they imagine was to bee done : whereas in matters that concerne the actions of god , the most dutifull , and safe way on our part , is to search what god hath done , and with meekeresse to admire that , rather , then to dispute what he , in congruity of reason , ought to doe . hee might therefore have spared all the reasons he brings , and in stead thereof , to have alledged one place out of the new testament , which doth command the change of the day , especially seeing he denies it , ( and that for many reasons by him there urged ) to bee an unwritten tradition : which seeing hee doth not , nor indeede can doe , what doth he else by all his arguments , but endeavour to lay an aspersion of imperfection upon the scriptures , and of neglect in christ himselfe of that office , which as the great prophet of his church belonged to him ? as if unlesse hee had beene as carefull to appoint the observation of this day , as moses was to appoint the old sabbath , hee could not ( absit verbo blasphemia ) be as faithfull in the house of god , as moses was . but farre be such blasphemous thoughts from us , farre be it from us to measure the faithfulnesse of our blessed saviour by our phansies : or to judge him unfaithfull , because he did omit that which our shallow conceits judge necessary and fit for him to doe . wee know that the high priest of our profession , christ iesus , was faithfull to him that appointed him , as also moses was faithfull in all his house . and this faithfulnesse of his was by him sufficiently demonstrated , in that hee fully declared the will of his father to the world , in all things to be beleeved and done , and shewed how , and what worship christians must give unto god , though the circumstances of that worship as time and place ( in as much as concerned the particular designing of either ) hee left to be determined by the church , whom he promised to be with to the end of the world . and as he cannot be said to be lesse faithfull in the house of god , then moses or salomon ( who provided the one a tabernacle , the other a temple ) because he did not appoint set places for gods worship ; so neither can hee be justly taxed for not appointing the set times for the same ; these two circumstances of time and place , being of equall necessity and use , and joyned together by god himselfe , lev. . . yee shall keepe my sabbaths , and reverence my sanctuarie . i am the lord. neither is the difference of places more taken away now under the gospel , then of times . but as the true worshippers of god are not tyed to worship either in ierusalem , or any other peculiar place , but may worship him in spirit and truth in all places , lifting up pure hands : so neither are they tyed to any speciall time or day , but may pray continually , and at all times . and therefore they who are so indifferent for the place , that they can be content to account a wood , a parlor , or a barne , place good enough for christians to meete in for the performance of gods publick worship , have no reason to complaine for want of a set day , or time , for the same purpose . the truth is , that that peculiar blessing which god once bestowed upon the sabbath of the temple , & thereby differenced them from all others , is enlarged to all times & places ; and any day and place may , by the church , be dedicated and set apart for gods worship ; and being so dedicated , & set apart , they inherit that holinesse which was once peculiar unto the , in relation to the duties then & there performed to god , who in regard of the abundance of grace vouchsafed now in the time of the gospell , may be said to be more present at such times , and in such places , then heretofore in those of his own assigning . but it was not necessary that christ himself , or his apostles from him , should by expresse precept particularly designe , either of these : if any think such precept to be necessary , let them shew the place of scripture , where such precept is to be found , or else confesse the scripture to be deficient in things necessary , and so forsake their colours of reformation , and passe over into the campe of the romanists . if they be ashamed of this , let them learne and confesse : that , however it be necessary that some time be dedicated to gods service , yet the determination to this or that particular day , is not necessary to be defined by scripture : which they may perhaps the more easily be brought to see , if they consider , that in this it is no otherwise , then it is with other things of equall necessity with this in the generall ( as the sacraments , fasting , and prayer it selfe ) which yet for the particular , when , and how often they are to be used , is not any where in scripture defined , nor necessary so to be . but some who will have the lords day so called , because christ himselfe instituted it , say , that , the apostles , by the authority of that spirit , that alway assisted them in their ministeriall office , did alter the day , and themselves kept , and ordained it to be kept in all churches , as may appeare . cor. . . where he saith , every first day of the weeke , when yee meete together , &c. but certainly , it is most evident , even to a vulgar consideration , that no such thing doth appeare out of that place . for , what doth saint paul say there ? that hee would have christians meete every first day of the weeke , to serve god ? no surely , there is not a word of meeting in the text , but what is foysted in , to deceive the credulous reader . that which s. paul saith , is , that on that day hee would have every one lay by him in store , as god hath prospered him . this implies neither the meeting together of the church on that day , nor the performance of any religious duty ; but onely a repositing or laying up , and that not in a common banke , but every man ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) by himselfe . * againe , grant that s. paul ( as he did not ) had enjoyned christians to meete on that day : and at their meeting to make a collection for the poore ; yet could not this serve for a sufficient institution of that day to succeede the jewes sabbath : unlesse such collections did involve in them all the service of god , on that day to be done , or were so connected with them , that they could not bee separated : which no man , i suppose , will affirme . to leave these therefore , who out of an over-weening conceit of the day , are willing to catch at any shadow that may seeme to countenance it , and gaine to it the reputation of divine institution ; let us pitch upon that which is certaine , which though it rise not so high , as an immediately-divine authority , yet is sufficient to ground our practise upon , and to exact the due observation of the day . first , then it is most certaine , that our blessed saviour did honour this day with his most glorious a resurrection , and by his often b apparitions upon it to his disciples : and thereby ( as it were ) pointed out this day to his disciples , as worthy to be made choice of to be celebrated in honour of him : who on that day began his glorious exaltation , after his triumph over principalities and powers , upon his crosse whom he there spoyled , having nayled to it , and thereby cancelled , the hand-writing of ordinances that was against us ; that is , the obligation to observe the jewish rites and ceremonies , and among these their sabbath : which from that time forward , the apostle would have no man to judge christians in : who as they were freed from it by the death of christ , so by his resurrection they had ground sufficient ministred to direct them to the observation of a new festivall . whence s. augustine saith , the lords day was declared — to christians by the resurrection of our lord , and from that time began to be celebrated . so that for ought that appeares , our saviour did not command the first day of the weeke to be observed . hee did ( to use the words of the same father ) vouchsafe to demonstrate , and consecrate it ; or ( as he else-where speakes ) the raising againe of our lord , promised us an everlasting day , and consecrated for us the lords day . secondly , it is no lesse certaine that the apostles ( upon this ground no doubt ) did observe this day , and had thereon their holy assemblies , as acts . . and that for the same cause the apostle designed it for the storing up of their almes , that the memory of the benefits which on that day they obtained , might make them more readily contribute to the necessities of their brethren , as s. chrysostome hath observed upon . cor. . . and lastly , that in the time of the apostles it obtained the name of the lords day , as appeares revel . . thirdly , that the ages of the church immediately after the apostles ( whether by constitution , or onely in imitation of them , is not knowne , nor much materiall ) did observe this day , as the christians festivall ; stiling it the lords day , and conveighed the same practise by continuall succession even to this day : as the late learned bishop of winchester shewes , avowing it on his credit , that there is not an ecclesiasticall writer in whom it is not to be found . wee finde thus much then without contradiction . that it hath been the practise of the christian church , to observe the sunday or lords day , and that ever since , yea in the very apostles times : a practise warranted by the example of the apostles , and the honour vouchsafed to that day by our blessed saviour himselfe . whence we may conclude with a late learned divine , that the christian church did not erre , when in stead of the sabbath it appointed the lords day to bee observed ; of which , there is mention made in the scripture , though there be no precept for the observation of it . in which words of his , i will observe three things . first , that he saith , [ the church ] not the apostles , or apostolicall men : ( for though that be most probable , and hath for it the authority of s. augustine , and for that it hath beene ever observed by the church , it may justly be ascribed to them , yet ) because if they did it , they did it not as therein reporting the immediate a precept of christ , nor by any power that was properly apostolicall , but by vertue of their pastorall power and office , which was common to them with their successours , it may be termed an ordinance of the church , and it little concernes us to know whether it were delivered by the apostles themselves , or their next after-commers . secondly . the b church appointed this day , but whether at the first by expresse constitution it were commanded , or by custome onely observed , it appeares not . aquinas attributes it to both : and how ever , thus much is out of question , that this custome or constitution was afterward by many c canons of the church , and constitutions of christian d emperours ratified and approved , and many things ordained tending to the right & due observance of it . thirdly , that the christian church did not herein erre , as having sufficient to warrant it out of scripture , though there be no precept for it . yea , and if the scripture did yeeld no example of this practise , or other ground for it in particular , yet had not the church erred in ordaining it . for things pertaining to order & decencie in the church ( such as is among others , the particular determination of the set times of gods worship ) being undetermined in the word of god , are in the power of the church to be ordered ; so as they be done according to the generall lawes of nature , and without contradiction to any positive law in scripture . neither is it derogatorie to the word of god , or any whit detracting from the perfection of it , to affirme that ( though it sufficiently and abundantly containe in it all things necessary to salvation , yet ) it hath left a number of other things , free to be ordered at the discretion of the church . and as to take from the scripture , the sufficient determination of things necessary to salvation , were an injurie , and an impairing of that honour which god challengeth to his word ; and the church of god hath ever deservedly yeelded to it ; so it were no lesse injurie to the church of christ , to abridge it of the power of determining of this and such like things , which being not of absolute necessity , are yet convenient and profitable . for this prerogative & power , the church of god hath ever obtained and enjoyed , ( even when it was most obliged to hold to the letter of the law , prescribing the ceremonies belonging to the service of god ) that it might without imputation of adding to , or altering the law of god , from time to time appoint sundry rites and observances , not any where prescribed in the law. such were the appointment of the houres , for the dayly sacrifices ; the building of synagogues throughout the land , to heare the word of god , and to pray in , when they came not up to ierusaleme the feast of the dedication which was solemnised even by our saviour , and yet never spoken of in the law : and many more which the church , without any particular command , onely following the light of reason , in her discretion judged meete . and certainly , the church of christ hath not now lesse power , or priviledge then the jewish church then had , to which it is no way inferiour , but farre superiour in regard of the measure of grace , and the presence of the spirit of christ , by which it is assisted , as in other things , so in ordaining lawes for the edification of the church . now least any should thinke it a matter of indifferencie to obey , or disobey the orders of the church , which are thus constituted without the expresse command of god in scripture , and that the transgressions of such constitutions are no sinnes ; i will close this point with that which worthy hooker ( from whom i have borrowed the greatest part of this last discourse ) hath judiciously and fully delivered to this purpose . vnto lawes thus made ( saith he ) and received by a whole church , they which live within the bosome of that church , must not thinke it a matter indifferent either to yeeld , or not to yeeld obedience . is it a small offence to despise the church of god ? my sonne keepe thy fathers commandement , ( saith salomon ) and forget not thy mothers instruction , binde them both alwayes about thine heart ! it doth not stand with the duty which wee owe to our heavenly father , that to the ordinance of our mother the church , we should shew ourselves disobedient . let us not say we keepe the commandements of the one , when wee breake the law of the other : for unlesse we observe both , wee obey neither — yea that which is more , the lawes thus made god himselfe doth in such sort authorize , that to despise them , is to despise in them him. thus hee with much more to the same purpose . which i therefore thought good to adde , that no man might think that while i ascribe it to its true originall , i goe about to impaire the authority of it , or to withdraw any thing from the due observance of it . and thus i have done with this second question , viz. when and by whom the sunday or lords day was instituted . these things thus discussed and cleared , it may now seeme superfluous to enquire into the liberty that wee christians have , how farre it may justly be extended in regard of ordinary labours upon the sunday . for if it be granted that the strict rest on the sabbath was ceremoniall , and abrogated with the day ; and that the day which we keepe is not by vertue of the fourth commandement , but by the custome or constitution of the church : it wil not be hard for any to conclude , that christians are not bound to rest on that day from all works , further then the duties of the day , and they who enjoyned it require . yet for more full satisfaction , i will adde some-what more particularly , concerning those two questions that remaine : to enquire then first , what works the lewes might doe or their sabbath . this wil easily be dispatcht , in as much as herein the scripture is very plaine , and little or no difference of opinion among divines : yet will it not be altogether needlesse , in regard that the liberty we now have under the gospell , when it is compared with theirs under the law , will the better appeare . now these workes are fitly reduced under three heads . the first of which are workes of necessity , such as could not well be deferred or prevented . of which sort are reckoned divers , which how ever pharisaicall superstition had prevailed with the people to scruple at , yet were never , in the intention of the law-giver , prohibited them , as may appeare by the doctrine & practise of our saviour ; who was both wayes the best expositor of the law , and who both wayes came , not to destroy , but to fulfill it . and among those thus allowed by our saviour we finde , the providing of foode in the case of hunger ; the watering ( and by the like reason the foddering ) of cattell , the saving them from imminent danger . whence by analogie and congruity of reason , wee may conclude the lawfulnesse of many more things of the like nature : as that of mattathias and his company , resolving to fight upon the sabbath to save their lives . so the quenching of an house on fire , the saving of corne , and other necessary substance from perishing , and the like . to which wee may adde workes communis honestatis , as the decent attiring of our selves , and all other workes which necessity of nature hath imposed upon men , and thereby allowed as fit to be done . the second sort of workes permitted them ; were workes of mercie and charity : as to visite the sicke , heale the diseased , and the like : which wee finde approved by our saviours often practise ; and together with those before-mentioned , justified by that axiome of his : the sabbath was made for man , and not man for the sabbath : that is , ( according to erasmus's glosse ) it is fit that the observation of the sabbath should give place to mans benefit , and not that man should perish for the sabbath : as also by that of the prophet by him cited : god will have mercy and not sacrifice : that is , rather have the miseries of men relceved , then the letter of the law observed . the third and last sort of works , were workes of piety , belonging to the service of god , as to reade the law , to teach the people , to circumcise children , to offer sacrifice , with their attendants , as to make fires for them , to slay and prepare the beasts : for these workes though servile in themselves , being directed to the service of god were sacred , and no way violating the sabbaths rest . so our saviour testifies that notwithstanding these workes , done by the priests in the temple , yet the priests were blamelesse , and not transgressours of the law : and the jewes had it among their traditions , that in the temple there was no sabbath . intimating that the sabbaths rest must give place to those things which were to be done by the priest in the temple for the service of god. having seene what might be done on the sabbath ; let us now see , whether , and what liberty christians now have on the sunday , and how farre that liberty is to be extended , which is the last part of our inquirie . and here though some few ( transported with a heedlesse zeale of maintayning the dignity of this day ) have not strucke to affirme that the iewes had as much liberty as we have , & that we are as much restrained , as they were : yet the most , even of the strictest , and most precise exactors of the sundayes rest , doe grant a liberty which christians now have , more then the iewes had . but what liberty this is , wherein it consists , & how far to be extended , is not on all hands agreed upon . some there are who when they come to define this liberty , they pin it up within so narow a room , that it proves either none at all or to no purpose . amesius saith ; there is nothing can be brought out of scripture cōcerning the strist observatiō of the sabath , which was commanded to the iewes , which doth not in the same manner belong to all christians , except the kindling of fires , and the dressing of ordinary dyet . and these , he thinkes it probable too , that the iewes might ordinarily doe on their sabbath , though upon speciall occasions , they were forbidden them : so that he seemes to retract that liberty which before he granted them . but others doe freely grant these , and some few like them , as making of beds , carrying of burthens ( to wit , on speciall , and urgent occasions ) and these they allow by this name of workes of christian liberty . egregiam vero libertatem ! a great liberty ( no doubt ) and worthy that precious blood by which it was purchased ! but two things may here be demanded . first , how it will appeare that christians have this liberty ? and here ( for ought i can see ) we must be contented to take their own authority : for scripture they alledge none to purpose . those two places which are cited by elton on this occasion speak no such thing ; & besides , that which is there sayd ( whatever it be ) proves no peculiar liberty belonging to christians , which the iewes had not . for in them our saviour justifies his disciples from transgressing the sabbath which was then in force , but doth not shew what might be done afterward , when by his death the sabbath should be abrogated . if they alledge that our saviour bad the sicke man on the sabbath to take up his bed , ( which may seeme to have some reference to making of beds , or carrying of burthens ) it may be answered , that our saviour doth not there shew what might ordinarily be done ; but by his authority gives a speciall dispensation to the sicke man to take up his bed &c. without which dispensation , the man could not have beene excused from breaking the sabbath . so that here is no certainty ( according to their principles ) for any thing to be done , which the jewes might not doe , but that men must ( for all their pretended liberty ) either iudaize , or else adventure for this small liberty with a doubting conscience . secondly , it may also be demanded . how wee shall know that onely this liberty is allowed christians ? this also we must take upon ▪ their credit . for reason or scripture they alledge none at all . and if they , without either reason or scripture shall take upon them to give lawes to the church of god , and prescribe bounds to christian liberty ; i see no cause , why wee may not upon solid grounds of scripture and reason , assert that liberty which of right belongs to us , as purchased by the all precious blood of our deare , and blessed saviour . and this will appeare if we consider what rest or cessation from labours is on this day required : first then , for that it is a day of gods publique , and solemne worship to bee performed by the whole church , which cannot ( as hath beene shewed ) be performed , unlesse there bee a vacation from ordinary and common worked , a vacation therefore and resting from these , as they are impediments to gods service , is on that day required , as necessary . yet not so necessary , no not in the times of publique assemblyes , but that the workes which necessity imposeth upon men , and rarer occasions in mens particular affaires , subject to manifest detriment unlesse they be presently followed , may , with very good conscience draw men aside sometime frō the ordinary rule ; considering the favourable dispensation , which our saviour grounds upon this axiome . the sabbbath was made for man , and not man for the sabbath . which rule , if it held for the iews on their sabbath , is certainely no lesse in force at this day for christians . in the use of which notwithstanding , some cautions must bee observed , as first that men pretend not necessity or charity , when it is covetousnesse or a carelesse neglect or contempt of gods publique worship ; upon which ground no doubt , it was that the emperor leo repealed that liberty which by constantine was granted to husbandmen : and the counsell of matiscon forbids men to frame a necessary to themselves of yoking their oxen ; therein allowing both a just dispensation in necessity , & forbidding the unjust pretence of necessity where none is . secondly , men must take heed that they do not by their negligence , or improvidence and forgetfulness draw a necessity upon themselves : in which regard the word ( remember ) which god prefixed to the fourth commandement is yet in force , to exact our care and mindfulnesse so to provide before hand , that the dutyes to which this day is consecrated , bee not by our default omitted , or hindered . thirdly , that being necessarily hindered or forced to omit the solemne & publique dutyes of the day , we do ( as much as may be ) by private devotions & meditations make supply of that defect . againe , such is the reverence that is due to the solemne & publique dutyes of devotion , that they require not onely a surcease from other workes & thoughts for the time of their performance , but also a decent preparation before-hand ; that wee looke to our feete , when we enter into the house of god , & put off our shooes before we stand upon holy ground : that so our thoughts and affections , which are naturally bent upon the world , and not easily withdrawne from it , may be raysed to a disposition befitting so sacred an employment . in which respect it is convenient , if not necessary , that til the publike service of god be ended , men intangle not themselves with unnecessary businesses , or give themselves to sportings or recreations , whereby their mindes should be hindered from the right preparing of themselves , or due performance of those holydutyes . lastly it is good and commendable to spend the rest of that day in holy meditations , private prayer , reading and calling to minde what wee have read , or heard ; these workes , as they are at all times profitable and beseeming christians ; so on that day they are most seasonable and suitable to those publique actions of devotion which are the proper worke of the day . thus s. augustine exhorteth his auditors on this day to sequester themselves from worldly businesses , that they may be employed in these works ; and the councill of matiscon , yea and our owne church canons prescribe the spending of this day ( and other holy-dayes devoted to gods service ) in these and the like religious imployments . and therefore they who thus spend the lords day ( if it be done without superstition or judging other mens liberty ) cannot therefore justly be condemned . now by this it is easie to judge of our liberty . first then , here is a liberty in case of necessity , though thereby the solemne dutyes of gods worship bee hindered . secondly , a liberty in things not absolutely necessary , so as thereby the service of god , & the due preparation thereto be not hindered : under which the use of honest and seemly recreations , after the publike dutyes of the day are finished , may be comprehended . for though it cannot be denied that a man may commendably spend the whole day in workes of piety and devotion , yet that cannot prescribe to all christians , or infringe their liberty . for it is one thinge to exhorte to a thing as commendable , another to urge it as necessary ; one thing to say , this or that is a good worke , and is wel done at this or that time , another , to enjoyn it by way of precept , so as at such time it may not be omitted , nor other worke permitted . and the reason is , because gods affirmative precepts , though they warrant , and commend the workes that they enjoyne , and make them good and commendable , whensoever they are performed ; yet they bind not precisely to any determinate time for their performāce : for example we are commanded to pray and that continually , so that he that is most frequent in prayer , observes this precept best , and deserves the praise of a devout and religious man : & yet he that prayes not at this or at that time , when haply , another doth , cannot therefore be sayd to sin , and much lesse bee counted irreligious or profane . david prayed & gave thanks unto god at midnight , & so did s. paul and silas , and surely those godly soules were blessedly employed : but shall wee therefore condemne him who doth not the like ? s. paul also being to depart from troas , continued his sermon till midnight on the sunday , and no doubt , but he did well ; yet no man will therefore prescribe the like length to every sunday sermon . the case is the same in this businesse we have in hand : for we doe not presently affixe these duties to the day , which wee say may be commendably on that day performed ; nor on the other side , doe we disallow the spending of the whole sunday in holy and religious actions ; because we dare not rigidly tye all men so to do , or lay it upon them by way of precept , as if god had expresly commanded that time to be no otherwise spent . there is a good and a safe use of that distinction of precepts and counsells ; ( though the romanists abuse it to the patronising of their imaginary workes of super erogation ) and things in themselves good without relation to any determinate time , we may wish , exhort , and counsell men to performe at any time , when wee cannot by precept impose them upon all . wee know our saviour commended some things to his disciples with a let him that is able to receive it , recieve it advising and exciting all to that , which nowing the infirmity of many , hee would not exact by his authority as necessary to be performed by all . and in this case wee may doe well to imitate him considering that it is no where enjoyned in scripture , and that such is the condition of many , that they are not capable of such an injunction , as namely those who by reason of their mean education or naturall parts are not fitted for long meditation requisite for the spending of the vacant time of the day , and to whom in regard of their hard labour in the weeke dayes , it is a mercy to permit some bodily recreation on this day ; which certainely cannot be displeasing to him who hath said , i will have mercy & not sacrifice . and if they , who use to judge the use of all recreation on this day sinfull , had known what that meaneth , they would not have condemned the guiltlesse . if any thinke that god hath so commanded : let him produce the place of scripture , and i will quickly recant . the places which are usually alledged for that purpose , and wherewith men are so frighted and thundred against out of the pulpet , being intended for the iewes , and that in regard of that speciall positive precept , given for the strict rest upon their sabbath , cannot with any shew of reason , bee extended to christians , when both day and precept , are out of date . but haply some may yet further contend , that though the day bee changed , yet the equity of it still remaines , and that they may argue thence ( à pari , or ( as some thinke ) à minori ) as from the lesse to the greater . that if the iewes upon their sabbath which was instituted in memory of the creation , and of their deliverance out of egypt , ought to doe no worke , nor so much as to speake their owne words , and that for the whole day : then by the like reason , nay much rather ought christians so to doe on their sabbath , or sunday which is consecrated to the memory of a farre more glorious worke , the worke of our redemption , accomplished in the resurrection of our saviour . here , in this kinde of reasoning there is some truth , but ( as it is too common ) it is over-strayned , and so is but a meere colour to countenance that , for which it is brought , and not any solid foundation whereon to build it . the truth is , christians have as much ( if not more ) cause to celebrate the redemption of mankind by a solemne weekely commemoration , as ever the iewes had to celebrate the creation of the world , or their deliverance out of egypt : and this may serve as a good ground to justifie the institution of the lords day , and the churches practise in observing it : but this truth is overstrained being applied to the manner of celebration , which was peculiar to the jewes , and accommodated to the then-state of the church , which was ( as hath beene shewed ) to be held under the yoke of a strict outward rest , in expectation , and for the prefiguring of that eternall rest , which now christ hath actually purchased ; and therefore injuriously laid upon christians , who are freed from that yoke , under which they groaned : and they may as well upon the same ground conclude against making of fires , and dressing of meate upon the sunday , and make the gathering of a few sticks upon that day to deserve no lesse now , then hee suffered for doing the like upon the sabbath . so that wee may say to those who thus argue ( as hee in saint augustine , upon farre better ground then he did ) either let us be christians and keepe the lords day , or let us bee iewes , and observe the sabbath . but is it not reason that god should have one whole day in seven , given unto him now , as well as heretofore ? yes certainely ; but yet with such difference , as suites with the different condition of the church that now is , from that which then was , that being guided by the spirit of feare , this of love , that in a state of bondage , under the unsupportable burthen of legall ceremonies , this in a state of liberty , and under christs easie yoake : in a word , they iewes , and we christians : and this being considered , we may be said to give god a day , no lesse now , then they then , though in that day wee doe not so strictly observe the outward ceremoniall rest , as they were bound to doe secondly , i say , that our church is so farre from abridging god of one day in seven , that it gives more , as having appointed and consecrated divers holy dayes to the same solemne and publike worship of god , which is enjoyned to bee performed upon the lords day . for these ( though they may admit some difference in regard of their accidentall dignity , in as much as those benefits commemorated in them are greater or lesser yet ) in regard of their essentials they are equall , as being all of them dedicated to the honour of the same god , in memory of some great and speciall benefits vouchsafed to the church , and therefore doe goe pari passu in our canons , and in our ancient statutes , which require the same observance of both under the same penalty . and therefore those who stand so much for a whole day of seven to be consecrated to god , if the worship of god were all they affected , might see that there is a compensation made for the defect which they so much complaine of in our observation on the lords day ; and they themselves might doe well to take advantage , by a religious observation of these dayes , to make up their failings on the lords day : but this they are so farre from , that they account the observation of these dayes a breach of the fourth commandement , and thinke it a sin to make more holy dayes then one in seven . in which regard , it cannot be judged altogether impertinent , if i here take occasion to vindicate the practise of our church , from their unjust censures . and in the first place , i may returne their own argument upon them , and say ; is it not reason that god should , now under the gospel , have more set dayes to commemorate his benefits then one in seven , as well as under the law ? vnder the law , we know , they had , beside their weekly sabbaths , the passeover , pentecost , and the feast of tabernacles ; and not onely those which had gods expresse command for their institution , but the feast of purim , and of the dedication , which ( as i have before shewed ) were ordained by the church , without any expresse command of god , and observed by our saviour himselfe , whose example alone ( if any thing ) is sufficient to exempt us from scrupling at the like now in the time of the gospel . secondly , if they will not runne cleane counter to their owne principles , and deny the morality of the fourth commandement altogether , they must acknowledge thus much ( at least ) to bee moral : that there ought to be a certaine part of our time given to god , and some dayes set apart for his publique worship : now these ( being left undetermined in the word of god ) if it bee not in the power of the church to determine them , i wonder how that precept should be observed : and if the churchupon this ground , have reason and power to appoint any one day , why not more ? seeing her power is not limited or restrained within any other bounds but those generalls , of decency and order : which i presume no man will say are transgressed in the ordination of those holy dayes which are observed among us . thirdly , to this that such times are in the generall commanded by god ; wee may adde two things more , which being well considered will abundantly discharge the observation of such dayes from superstition : and those are , first , that the duties therein required are no other then such , as according to the word of god , ought to bee performed by all christians : for what else is required on those dayes but the solemne prayers and prayses of god in the church , joyned with the hearing of his word , and a speciall commemoration of his benefits , which as on those dayes were received ? and which of all these is not required in the word of god ? and if it bee lawfull , yea commanded , that wee should performe those duties at all times and upon all occasions , they cannot at any time whensoever they are performed , justly bee termed superstitious , or ( which must follow by consequence ) unlawfull . . the other thing to bee considered is , that the grounds and occasions of the churches determination of these duties unto those speciall dayes which wee observe , are such as deserve no lesse . as being reall , great , and generall benefits vouchsafed by god unto his church . first , they are true and reall , not imaginary fictions founded upon the fained actions , or falle martyrdomes of titular saints , such as are many in the romish church . secondly , they are great , not ordinary or common benefits , and therefore require a more then ordinary acknowledgement . thirdly , they are generall ; the good whereof redounds , not to a few , but to the whole body of the church ; and so , if our acknowledgement bee answerable , it must be publike and solemne , performed joyntly by all those that are partakers of the benefits . now , if wee shall runne thorough the whole kalender , take an impartiall view of all our holy dayes , wee shall not find so much as one among them all , of which thus much may not truely bee affirmed . for they may almost bee ranked under two heads . first , such memorable steps in the story of our blessed saviour , as by which the great worke of our redemption advanced unto its happy accomplishment . secondly , the memorialls of that goodnesse and glory which he afterwards manifested to the world by his holy apostles , evangelists and martyrs , whom he honoured so much as to make them founders of that kingdome which cost him his dearest blood , & to count them worthy to suffer death for his sake . concerning the former , i suppose there is none but will say in the words of the psalmist ( as our vulgar translation reades them ) the mercifull and gratious lord hath so done his marvellous workes , that they ought to be had in remembrance . and what better meanes can be devised then the appointing of set solemne dayes for their commemoration , i cannot see : and this was the churches aime in appointing these dayes : so s. austine , we ( saith he ) dedicate and consecrate to god the memory of his benefits in solemne feasts and set dayes , least in the revolution of times ingratefull forgetfulnesse should creepe upon us . the like may be said of the latter : for if our saviour appeared so glorious in them , and by them conveighed so great and generall blessings to his church , what reason can bee alleadged why the church may not retaine an annuall honourable memoriall of them to the glory of him whose instruments they were ? the psalmist tells us that the righteous shall bee had in everlasting remembrance . and the wiseman , that the memory of the just shall be blessed . and therefore , to have some dayes in which the memories of those , who were in their generations most famous for righteousnesse , may , with blessing , be perpetuated , is but their due and agreeable to his will who hath granted them that honour : so that we may justly solemnize the dayes wherein those barning and shining lights first appeared to the world ; or the dayes of their departure hence , which were the dayes of their happy inauguration into the kingdome of glory , when they , both left to the church militant the glorious example of their christian fortitude , and became an occasion of new joy to the church triumphant , by the accession of new citizens to that heavenly society . either of which , afford matter sufficient of solemne joy and rejoycing to the church , and consequently of praise and thanksgiving unto god. lastly , to convince them yet farther out of their owne principles : they allow the church power , in the times of great calamities , either feared or felt , to appoint solemne dayes of fasting and humiliation ; and those dayes they will have held as sabbaths extraordinary , and that therein men are bound to abstein from their bodily labours , according to the same streitnesse that they are bound to observe the sabbath ; i would gladly then know some reason why the church should want power to ordeine the like dayes for the celebration of speciall benefits , to be observed ( not as sabbaths which are now antiquated and no presidents for us christians , but ) with such a cessation from labours , as is necessary for the performance of the publike worship of god , and fit to accompany such solemnities of publike joy and rejoycing , to which rest is more naturally requisite , then to the times of sorow and humiliation . but it is not the having of such dayes that some scruple at , or the duties required in them , for they much desire to have some dayes besides the lords day to meet together for the hearing of the word , and for the words sake can be contented to endure the liturgie of the church . but the things which they dislike are ; first the obligation that we put upon men for the observance of them ; for they would have the appointment and observation of them to bee held a thing indifferent and no duty binding conscience . secondly , they dislike the names that we give them , in that we style them the dayes of such or such a saint , which to them seemes to favour of idolatry ; neither would they have them called holy dayes , or accounted more holy then others ; forasmuch as such difference of dayes belonged to the iewes , and is now under the gospell taken away . to these i answer , first , for the obligation of the churches commands , and that it is not a thing indifferent to obey or disobey them , i have already spoken so much as may satisfie those that are not studious of contention , i onely adde now upon this occasion ; that it seemes to me very ridiculous , to grant the church a power of ordeining such times , and yet to require that the observation of them so ordeined be held a thing indifferent . for if their ordinance lay no tye upon men , but leave things notwithstanding still indifferent , their power surely , is to no purpose and nothing worth . touching the names that we give them . i say , first that the festivalls of the saints are dedicated , not to them by whose names they are called , but to god. to him , and not them , our prayers are directed ; to him our praises , though for them , and with reference to those blessings , which by them are vouchsafed unto us ; wee honour him as the author of all that good which either they , or we , by them , are partakers of : we honour them only as his instruments , and as those who having beene imitators of our blessed saviour , are worthy patternes of our imitation . to this purpose wee finde the church of smyrna answering the like calumny raised against them by the iewes , upon occasion of their affection which they expressed toward that glorious martyr polycarpus . these men ( say they ) are ignorant that we cannot ever leave christ who suffered for the salvation of the whole world nor can we worship any other . for him we adore as the son of god ; as for the martyrs , we worthily love them as disciples and imitators of him their lord , for their insuperable affection toward their king and master , whose partners also we desire to be , and to become their disciples . and thus much they might easily answer themselves out of our church liturgy , where there is no one word in any office appointed for any saints day , that gives the least ground or colour to this scruple . the other imputation of iudaisme which they taxe us with , because we style our christian festivalls , holy dayes , hath as weake a foundation as the former . for i willingly grant them what they alleadge for the countenancing of this objection , that now under the gospell the difference of times and dayes is no lesse taken away then of meates ; that is , as we have now no meats that are uncleane either in themselves , or by reason of any positive precept given to the iewes , but that they may bee eaten with thanksgiving ; so neither is there any day or time which in it selfe , or by reason of any such iudaicall precept , is now to be accounted more holy then others ; all this is evident from the places which they alleadge for this purpose : whereupon wee conclude , that none of the iewish festivalls ( not the sabbath it selfe ) ought to be observed by christians , nor ( which is more ) any christian festivall to be observed , after the iewish maner , or with their rites and ceremonies . and this may justly taxe them who stand either for the iewish sabbath , or which turne the lords day into a sabbath , exacting the same strictnesse of observance in regard of the outward ceremoniall rest . but it can no way prejudice the church , in consecrating dayes to the service of god , or in accounting them ( though in themselves , and setting aside the ordinance of the church , they are all alike yet ) in relation to the duties to be performed in them , more holy then others . and this they must grant , unlesse they will affirme one of these three things . first , that the workes of god now under the gospel are not so great , so glorious , and consequently , so worthy of set times for their solemne remembrance , as heretofore under the law. or that the christian church hath now lesse power in appointing dayes for the solemne worship of god , in relation to those glorious works of his , then the iewish synagogue once had . or lastly , that the worship which wee christians now performe to god is not so holy , as that in the time of the iewish synagogue , and so lesse able to sanctifie the dayes in which they are performed . but every one of these being most absurd ; i conclude , that to consecrate certaine dayes , besides the lords day , to the solemne worship of god , in memory of his speciall blessings vouchsafed to the church on such dayes , and to account such dayes , so consecrated , more holy then others , is lawfull and free from all superstition and judaisme . and however , that they who would faine affixe so extraordinary holinesse to the lords day , should of all men have abstained from this last imputation , till they had better proved the immediately divine institution of the lords day . but i have too long digressed ; yet not without cause , in as much as they , who seeme so zealous for the giving to god his due time , refuse notwithstanding to give him that , which the regular piety of the ancient and our owne mother church hath ever , upon so sound reason , consecrated to him . i returne now to answere another objection which they frame against the extending of our christian liberty , to the use of recreations on the lords day . the liberty of christians ( say they ) ought to be spirituall , and not in carnall and common things ; and therefore cannot bee extended to patronize recreations , or ordinary labours on the sunday , but that they are as unlawfull on that day as ever they were on the sabbath . to this i answere , that christian liberty , as it respects the things from which we are freed , is not meerely spirituall , but extends it selfe , to carnall and common things also ; for thereby wee are freed not onely from the guilt , and condemnation of sinne , and the raigning power of it , which are things spivituall ; but also from the servitude of the ceremoniall law , which among other respects which it had , was as a schoole-master , or tutour , whereby the church in her nonage or infancie , was to bee kept under the elements of the world , ( as the apostle calls them ) that is , tyed to the observation of dayes , and moneths , and yeares and meates and drinks ; which being in themselves indifferent , were yet forbidden the church of those times , that their bondage under these might nourish in them the hope and expectation of the promised messias , in whom they were to have deliverance , and so lead , or rather drive them to beleeve in him. now when the fulnesse of time was come , and that christ was exhibited , the church being then no longer under age , is not subject to those observances , but for any tye of that law of moses now upon it , enjoyes the free use and exercise of these things as indifferent . as then there were many things , which , in themselves , and to us , now are indifferent , prohibited to the jewes ; so as they might not eate of all meates , though otherwise wholsome , they might not weare all kinde of garments , though usefull and profitable , &c. so there were some workes in themselves not sinfull , nor at other times unlawfull , prohibited to be done at some speciall times , in regard of the peculiar observance then due to those times , which now , when those times cease to be observed , can by no meanes bee accounted sinfull , or unlawfull . granting therefore that ordinary labours , and all bodily recreations were on the sabbath unlawfull , yet being in themselves not sinfull , and so under the gospell indifferent , they cannot be so upon our sunday . i answere further , that i know no reason why honest recreations , moderate feasting , and such like expressions of rejoycing , may not fitly be counted a part of the externall observance and sanctification of this day ; in as much as it is solemnized in memory of the resurrection of our blessed saviour , and so our redemption fully wrought , to which we may ( with s. augustine ) apply that of the psalmist , this is the day which the lord hath made , wee will rejoyce , and be glad in it . and as on the day of his passion , and other dayes appointed for solemne humiliation , we expresse the sorrow of our hearts by our mourning and neglected attire , by fasting , and abridging our selves of those delights , which use to refresh our natures ; at which times the voyce of the vyoll , and of the harpe , the voyce of the bridegroome , and the voyce of the bride are unseasonable ; so on the day of his resurrection to expresse our joy , and rejoycing by our arraying our selves in our best attire , by feasting , and other acts of cheerefulnesse , is most agreeable to the solemnity of that day , of which we may say in the words of nehemiah and ezra , this day is holy unto the lord your god , mourne not nor weepe — but — eate of the fat , and drinke of the sweet , and send portions to them for whom nothing is prepared , for this day is holy unto the lord. and however some men will have every fasting day a sabbath , and every lords day a fasting day ( not allowing either the dressing , or liberall use of gods creatures , and therefore judging it inconvenient to celebrate marriages on that day ) yet the church of god in better times condemned fasting on the lords day as unlawfull , and most incongruous and disagreeable to the use of that day , which was ordained as a festivall , and day of mirth and rejoycing : for which end also the church in her most ancient times , had on that day their agapae or love-feasts , as for the refreshing of the poore , and for the nourishing of mutuall love and amity , so also for the unanimous expression of joy in all sober mirth , and in the free ( though temperate ) use of gods creatures . upon which ground ( doubtlesse ) wee may conclude the lawfulnesse of the use of such recreations , feastings , and other testifications of rejoycing upon the lords day , as are in themselves honest , and are so used as they prove no hinderances to the service of god , which is the proper worke of the day . besides , even the iewes themselves ( though out of superstition , they did for the most part overdoe this precept of the sabbath , abstaining from those things , which they might have done , without any violation of gods commandement , yet ) accounted their sabbath a feast , not a fast ; a day of rejoycing , and not of sorrow , or humiliation ; and judged it not unlawfull to make feasts upon that day , as is evident by that feast made upon the sabbath , by a chiefe pharisee ( one of their strictest sabbatarians ) whereat our saviour himselfe ( who was no sabbath-breaker ) vouchsafed his presence among many others that were invited . and paulus burgensis ( himselfe a iew ) reports , that the iewes held themselves bound to eate three meales that day , which on other dayes they used not . and syranus ( another of the same nation ) saith , that the hebrew doctors held that the word remember was prefixed to this commandement , that if they had any pretious garment , or any other thing of price , they should remember to keepe it till the sabbath , to give it at first a sabbath-dayes wearing . i am not of their minde , but thinke that word prefixed for higher , and more important reasons : yet i verily beleeve that their conceit did speak their usuall custome of apparelling themselves in their most costly and best garments , as best befitting the joy of that high festivall , which ( as one hath well observed ) hath this singular priviledge to be a day of rest and holinesse ; of delight , and feasting unto the world ; and therefore ( saith hee ) this day is not described by evening and morning , as were the other six which consisted of light and darknesse : but this is all day , or light , figuring out our perpetuall joyes . and , no question , but , that day which was the memoriall of gods resting from his worke , when he rejoyced in the works of his hands , ( so the chaldee paraphrast expounds gods resting on the seaventh day ) and of the deliverance from the aegyptian bondage was celebrated with mirth , and rejoyoing : so that i can hardly be induced to thinke , that on their sabbath day , they were bound to abstaine from all kinde of recreations , but that they did , or , at least , might use such expressions of joy & mirth , as at their other festivalls were usuall among them ; as feasting , singing , dancing , and the like : which , i conceive , were no way forbidden in the commandement , which onely seemes to ayme at workes of toyle or such as are servile , or undertaken for profit or gaine , or at least that might hinder them in the service of god : and not to exclude all recreations , which ( though they may , haply , in a large sense be termed workes , yet ) being such as doe refresh , not weary nature , and being so used , as that the worship of god might notwithstanding be duly and solemnly performed , cannot be said to crosse the intent of the law , which was the decent and solemne service of god , and the testification of their freedome from egyptian servitude . but let this passe as a private conceit , yet sure i am , that tostatus ( whom doctor willet approves ) saith , they were not bound to attend all the day upon gods service . and the same doctor willet expounding these words : abide yee every man in his place ; let no man goe out of his place on the seaventh day , saith , they were not to goe forth , that is , with intent to gather manna , which lay round about the hoast , or to doe any other businesse : they were not forbidden all kinde of walking , and going out for their solace and recreation . certainly then christians cannot justly be blamed , if on the lords day god be solemnly and decently served at fit times , and no other worke entertained to the hinderance of this , though every moment of that day be not spent in performance of the acts of gods worship , nor the vacant space observed with a superstitious rest , which shall exclude all other works , and all , even lawfull recreations , which to exact at the hands of christians , what is it but to surpasse the jewes in superstition about the sabbath , and having only changed the day , in dishonour and contempt of the jewes , to require notwithstanding the same ceremoniality of observance ? which what fruits it hath had , or can have , i cannot see , save the engendring of endlesse scruples , and inextricable doubts , and the needlesse wounding of the consciences of many well-meaning people , when they have no sure guide to direct their practise , and when that which is required is beyond the ability of mortalls to performe . for i will appeale to the consciences of these rigid task-masters , whether ever they , or any other did yet , or could possibly keepe the lords day , in that strict manner as they urge it ? but , haply this little moves them , who being taught that it is impossible to keepe gods commandements , will therefore the rather be induced to thinke , it is commanded , because they are unable to keepe it . yet sure our saviour would never have stiled his yoke easie , and his burthen light , had this strict observance of the lords day beene a part of it , and gods commandements , so as hee now under the gospel requires them to bee done , and with the assistance of his grace , wherewith he seconds them ( whatever men rashly say of them ) are not grievous , much lesse impossible to be done . to set downe briefly and plainely , that which in more words hath beene hitherto driven at : and it is but this . there are three things considerable in the sunday , or lords day . . a day . . that day . . the manner of celebrating it . the first is gods immediate precept . the other two not so , but mediate and by the power he hath given to his church . first god commanded some time wherein men setting aside all worldly businesse and thoughts , should apply themselves to the duties of his solemne and publique worship , and this is the substance , or that which is morall , in the fourth commandement . secondly , the custome or constitution of the church , warranted by the apostles practise , and the honour vouchsafed unto it by our saviour himselfe , determined that time or day to the sunday , or first day of the week ; & secondly , prescribed how and when , for the decent time and manner of performing those duties . by these our liberty is limited , which must not be ( without necessity ) extended to the violation of either of them : hence then , . hee sinnes that doth not separate some time for god , &c. as violating the immediate precept of god in the fourth commandement . . he sinnes no lesse , that for this end observes not the sunday , and that in that decent manner , which the nature of the duties , and the authority of the church hath enioyned ; and this hee doth in two respects . first , because hee violates gods mediate command , who hath authorized the church in his right , and by his power to ordaine such things ; so that , to neglect the church , in this case is , to neglect god. secondly , because the immediate precept of god is wrapt up in the precept of the church : by which , that which by him was left indefinite , is defined , and determined . but that liberty either for ordinary labours , or honest recreations , which may stand with the observation of these precepts , no man can justly account sinfull , unlesse hee can produce ( not the phansies of some zelotes , or the opinion of this or that man , though accounted never so good or learned , but ) some other precept given by god , or those whom god hath commanded us to obey : for it is an undoubted maxime , which the apostle delivers ; where no law is , there is no transgression . the prohibition of the law only is that , whereby things are exempted from our power and liberty , which otherwise ( except in case of scandall ) remaines intire . and this alone is sufficient to terminate this dispute , upon which wee will joyne issue with those that are contrary minded , being not more confident that they can shew no binding precept for the restraining of our christian liberty in this case , then willing to retract what hath beene said , if they shall prove themselves able to doe it . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e what the morall law is . what the ceremoniall law is . what the judiciall law is . aquin. . . qu. . col. . . aq. . . q. . moral precepts not all equally belonging to the law of nature . aq. ibid. a inter emnia illa . praecepta solum ibi quod de sabbato positum est sigurate observandum praecipitur . aug. ep cap. . caetera ibi praecepta propriè sicut praecepta sunt sine ulla figura a significatione observamus . idem ibid. b inst . l. . & §. . vinbratile veteres nuncupare solent . dinudia tantum exparte rem attingunt . id. ibid. c sabbati praeceptum est partim morale , partim ceremoniale , unde into contine●…er aliquid aternum , et aliquid temporarium . mart. thes . in exod. . d aquin. . . q. . art . ad primum & secundum . vidaeundem . . q. a. . ad secundum . medul . theol l. . c ● . . deut. . . luk. . . mal●onat . in mat. . . fra●… . iu●●●… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . . pet. . rom. . , rom. . . dr. willet on gen. . . exo. . deut. . . ezck. . . gen. . dr. williams p. . dod. p. . elton . p. . colos . . concil . lacdic . can . . in mat. hom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . act. . . non fuerunt tanquam diabolica gentiunt sacrilegia fugienda , etiam cum ipsa gratia iam coeperat revelari quae umbris talibus fuerat praenunciata , sed permittenda paulū eis , maximè qui ex illo populo cui data sūt , venerant . postea vero tanquam cū honere sepulta sunt a christiaūs omnibus irreparabiliter deserenda . aug. ep . and a little before in the same chapter , — ●um venisset fides que priùs ictis obs●●…vatiambus praenun●iata , post mortem & resurrectionē domini revelata est , amiserunt tanquam vitam officii 〈◊〉 . verum tamen sicut defuncta corpora necessariorum officiis deducenda ●●…ant quodammodo ad sepultueam . — non autem deserenda continuo vel inimicorum mersibus pro. j●ienda ●●oind● 〈◊〉 quisquis christianorum quamvis ex iudaeis similiter ea celebrare voluerit , tanquam sopitos cineres 〈◊〉 , non erit pius deductor vel , bajulus corporis , sed impius sepu●tu●ae uiolat●● . matt. . . mar. . . iohn . . . cor. revel . . some time to be consecrated to god , moral hook p. morale est quantum ad hoc , quod homo deputat aliquod tempus vitae suae ad vacan 〈◊〉 di . vinis , &c. aqui●i . . q. . medul . t●eol . l. . c. . ● . plutarch in v●● thesci . s. chrysostom . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ●om . . p. . edit . savill . deut. . . & . . de praeparatione evangel . c. . s. aug. de civit lib. . c. . hieron . in amo● . . zanch. in quartum praecep . med. theo. l. . . . n. . instit l. . c. . d. calvins opinion of one in seaven . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. eccl. pol. p. . hom. of the place and time of prayer . part. col. . . . speach against trash . p. elten . p ●●…lliams p. . ames loco supra cu. cor. . . ier. . . pet. . . aq. . . q. . . p. . prov. . . ex. . . heb. . vid. aqum . in loc . ver . . rev. . figurae debet esse exactae , alioqui non bene significant . bellarm. t. . l. . c. gal. . . v. . elton . p. . potest qui dem concedi actionem aliquam observatienem sabbati illis temporibus suisse imperatam , paeelagoglae & scivitutis tempori accommodatam , quae omnibus seculis non obtinet . med. theol. l. . c. . n. . v. perkins cases . l. . c. . § . see doctor williams of the church . p. . cleaver declar. of christian sabbath . pag. . esion p. . dod p. . amesius medul . theol l. c. n . heb . . ioh. . i tim. . . i thes . . . difference of times and places how taken away under the gospell . ames . loco supracit . n . dod p. . * see saint chrysostome upon that place , who saith , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. and a little after , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. a mat. . mar. . . ioh. . . b ioh. . . . col. . . . ver. . ad januar. epist . . c. . dies dominica christians resurrectione domini declaratus est , et ex illo habere caepit festivitatein suam . demonstrare & consecrare dignatus est . ibid. c . domini resuscitatio promisit nobis aeternum diem & cōsecravit nobis dominicum diem . id. de verbis apostoli . serm. . speech against traske . p. . * pet. mart. thes . in exod . . non erravit christiana ecclesia , cū loco sabbati flatuit observandum diem dominicum , cujus iasacris sitteris men tio habetur , quamvis de ejus observatione praeceptum non ●x●●● . serm. de temp. . quod universa tenet ecclesia , nec conci●●●t institutū , sed ●emper retentum est , non nisi autoritate apostolica traditum rectissime creditur . — id. de bap. contra don. l. . c. . & l. . c. . a field of the church p. . b observantiae diei dominicae in novâ lege , succedit observantia sabbati , non ex ui praeceptiet legis , sed ex constitutione ecclesiae , & consuetudine populi christiani . aquin. . . q. . ● . . c concil . nican can . . la●d . con. . auresion . . can. . matise . can. . d eusch . de vitâ constan . jl. ● . ● . . s. august . epist . ad ●●●…lan . see hooker p. . p. . & p. . ioh. . . eccl. poll. . § p. . cor. . . pro. . . see d willet on exod . . math. . math. luk. . luk. . macc. . . luk. . iohn . . mar. . . aequum est ut sabbati observatio cedat hominum utilitati , et non homo sabbati causā percat ●●●…m parap● . in locum . hosea . . . acts . math. . . hinc definitio est jadaicarum traditionū : in templo nunesse sabbatū . f● . lu ca●●●…oc . true church . p . med. theel. l. . c. . n. . praeter accensionem ignis , et cibi communis apparatum . elton . p. . perkins cases . c. . mat. . . . . mark. . see fran lucas brugen● . upon the place . ho●ker . p. . concil . matisc . . can . . eccl. . . exod. . . serm. de . temp. . concil . matisc . . can . . can. . . thes . . psal . . . acts . . acts . . mat. . mat. . . esay . exod. . . num. . aut simus christiani , & dominicum colamus , aut simus iudaei , & sabbatū observemus . s. aug. ep . . tim. . ● can. . act for vniformity of common prayer , &c. ames . med . theol. lib. cap. . . cor. . . . thes . . , . psal . . eissc . dco ) benesiciorum ejus solemmtatilus sestis et diebus ●…a . tuus dicamus sacramusque memoriam ne volumine temporum ingrata subreparobli●io aug. de civ . l. . c. . psa . . . prov. . . . dies illi habendi videntur quasipro sabbatis extraordinarūs ames . med . theol . l. . c. . reade m. mason of christian humiliation . p. . edit . . possunt autem dies qual scunque pie converti in occasiones cultum dei promovendi ames . ●b . elton p. . idem ibid. pag. . — ignorantes not nec christe unquam relinquere qui pro totius servandorū mundi salute passus est nec alium quenquam colere posse . nam hunc quīdem tanquam filū dei adoramus ; martyres vero tanquā discipulos & imitatores domini digne propter insuperabilē inregē ipsorū & praeceptorem benevolentiā disigimus , quorū & nos consortes & discipulos fieri optamus . euseb . eccles . hist . l. . c. . rom. . gal . . col. . see p. . gal. . . gal. . . nehem. . . . die dominico jejunare nesas ducimus , tertull. de cor. mil. c. cōcil . gangr . can. . cartiag . . can. . iustellus in cod . ca●onū . not . in can. . luk. . . addit . . in exod. . ainsworth in gen. . . esay rev. . psa . . gen. . . tostatus qu. . in exod. exo. . mat. . . ioh. . . . rom. . a brief answer to a late treatise of the sabbath day digested dialogue-wise between two divines, a. and b. burton, henry, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc . estc s ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a brief answer to a late treatise of the sabbath day digested dialogue-wise between two divines, a. and b. burton, henry, - . p. j.f. stam, [amsterdam : ?] caption title. attributed to burton by stc ( nd ed.). dated at end: octob. . . imprint suggested by stc ( nd ed.). signatures: a-d⁴. reproduction of original in the peterborough cathedral. library. includes bibliographical references. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng white, francis, ?- . -- treatise of the sabbath-day. sabbath -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a brief answer to a late treatise of the sabbath day . digested dialogue-wise between two divines , a. and b. a. brother ▪ you are happily mett ? b. and you brother also . a. i would i might spend an houre or two with you in private conference , in a point wherein i have of late been not a little perplexed . b. why , what is the matter , brother ? a. have you not seene a late treatise of the sabbath day , pubished by an eminent antistes in this church ? b. yes : i have both seene , and perused it . a. i pray you what thinke you of it ? b. i thinke it is a very dangerous booke . a. what meane you by that ? b. i 〈…〉 to the author , if it were well examined before 〈…〉 . a. how so , i pray you ? b. because it overthrowes the doctrine of the church of england in the point of the sabbath . a. pardon mee ; that seemes to mee impossible . b. vvhy ? a. because hee sayth expresly in the very title page of his booke , that it contayneth a defence of the orthodox all doctrine of the church of england , against sabbatarian novelty . and therefore i am confident , hee will looke to make that good . b. but be not too confident , you know the proverbe , fronti rara fides . the fowlest causes may have the fairest pretences . a. that is true you say . but yet i cannot be perswaded , that so great a personage , would so farre overshoot , as to give that advantage to those , whom hee makes his adversaries . nay you know his booke is dedicated to the archbishop of canterbury ; by whose direction , and that according to his sacred majesties command , hee was set upon this worke , both for the preventing of mischief , ( as himself sayth in his epistle dedicatory to the sayd archbishop ) and to settle the kings good subjects , who have long time been distracted about sabbatarian questions . now if hee mayntaine not , but ( as you say ) overthrow the doctrine of the church of england , hee will have small thanks from his sacred majestie for his paines , who is the defender of the faith of the church of england , and hath often solemnely protested , and that in his publike * declarations in print , that hee will never suffer therein the least innovation . and what thanks then can hee expect from the archbishop , trow you ? and in stead of preventing , hee will pull on greater mischiefs ; and in stead of setling the kings good subjects , hee will fill their minds with greater distractions . and therefore , brother , in so saying , you lay a heavy charge upon him . it s dangerous so to charge a person of that dignity , and esteeme in the world . take heed therefore what you say . you know also that hee is a great scholar , deeply learned , a reverend father of the church so as his judgment is taken almost for an oracle . and you know also what is sayd in a late booke , allowed by authority , that the holy fathers in god the bishops , are to be guides in divinity unto the whole clergy of inferior order , so as all priests are to submit unto their godly iudgements in all matters pertayning unto religion . and the reason is given , because the fathers of the church now and alwayes , doe in the great mystery of godlinesse comprehend many things , which the common people doe not , yea also some things , which ministers of the inferior order doe not apprehend . so as it is expected of those holy prelates , that wee must lay our hand on our mouth , when they speake , and be altogether regulated by their profound dictates . b. i remember well the booke . and i cannot but wonder , that those passages were not expunged , with many others , when the booke was called in , and then the second time published . you know wee live in a learned age , and wee deny the popes infallibility , or that it can convey it self , as from the head , and so confine it self within the veines of the bodie of the prelacy ; or that a rotchet can conferre this grace ex opere operato . and beleeve mee , brother , when wee see such a papall spirit begin to perke up in this our church , is it not high time , trow you , to looke about us ? shall wee stumble at noone day , and in this meridian of the gospell close up our eyes , and become the sworne vasalls of blind obedience ? no , no. in this case therefore were goliah himself the champion , i would , by gods grace try a fall with him . a. brother , such a resolution had need have a good ground to stand upon . and being a matter of such moment , it requires our best zeale and strength , especially to vindicate the doctrine of our reverend mother the church of england , which wee have sucked from her purer breasts . nor onely so , but to vindicate her name from reproach . for if it be so , as you have sayd , that the doctrine of our church is by that booke overthrowne : then consequently ( as i conceive ) shee must deeply suffer , and be wounded through the sides of those , whom hee so often in his booke brandeth with the odious name of novell sabbatarians . b. brother , you conceite a right . for in truth , all those calumnious and odious termes , which hee gives to those , whose opinions ( except brabournes onely ) hee impugneth in his treatise ; as , venimous serpents , noysome tares , pestilent weeds , and uncleane beasts ( termes to be abhorred of all true christians ) and in a word , novell sabbatarians : they all result upon our deare mother , the church of england . for who are the most of those , or rather all , whom hee thus stigmatizeth ? are they not , or were they not in their time , the true bred children of the church of england , all unanimously professing and maintayning her orthodox doctrines ? can therefore the mother be free , when her pious sonnes are so traduced and reproached , and that for defending those very doctrines , which by her meanes they sucked from the breasts of both the testaments ? a. that must needs follow , i confesse . now then i pray you , satisfy my earnest desire in this , by declaring how hee overthrowes the doctrine of the church of england in this point of the sabbath . b. i will make it most cleare unto you . now the doctrine of the church of england concerning the sabbath , is most clearely and fully set forth in the booke of homilies ; which booke the article ( to which all wee ministers doe subscribe ) doth commend , as contayning a godly and whole some doctrine , and necessary for these times ; and therefore judged to be read in churches by the ministers diligently , and distinctly , that they may be understanded of the people . now the homilie of the time and place of prayer , part . . sheweth , that our lords day is grounded upon the fourth commandement in the decalogue ; in these words : whatsoever is found in the commandement , appertaining to the law of nature , as a thing most godly , most just , and needfull for the setting forth of gods glory , it ought to be retained and kept of all good christian people . and therefore by this commandement , wee ought to have a time , as one day in the weeke , wherein wee ought to rest , yea from our lawfull and needfull workes . for like as it appeareth by this commandement , that no man in the six dayes ought to be slothfull or idle , but diligently to labour in that state , wherein god hath set him : even so god hath given expresse charge to all men , that upon the sabbath day , which is now our sunday , they should cease from all weekly and worke day labour , to the intent , that like as god himself wrought six dayes , and rested the seventh , and blessed and sanctified it , and consecrated it to quietnes , and rest from labour : even so gods obedient people should use the sunday holily , and rest from their common and dayly businesse , and also give themselves wholly to heavenly exercises of gods true religion and service . so that god doth not onely command the observation of this holy day , but also by his owne example doth stirre and provoke us to the diligent keeping of the same . good naturall children will not onely become obedient to the commandement of their parents , but also have a diligent eye to their doeings , and gladlie follow the same . so if wee will be the children of our heavenly father , wee must be carefull to keep the christian sabbath day , which is the sunday , not onely for that it is gods expresse commandement , but also to declare our selves to be loving children , in following the example of our gratious lord and father . so the homily . and againe , as followeth : thus it may plainlie appeare , that gods will and commandement was to have a solemne time , and standing day in the weeke , wherein the people should come together , and have in remembrance his wonderfull benefits , and to render him thanks for them , as appertaineth to loving , kind , and obedient people . this example and commandement of god , the godly christian people began to follow immediately after the ascension of our lord christ , &c. so the homily , and much more . vvhence wee plainely observe these conclusions : . that all christians ought and are bound in conscience of the fourth commandement to keep the lords day holily . . that by the force of the fourth commandement , one day in . is perpetually to be kept holy . . that the keeping of the lords day is grounded upon , and commanded in the fourth commandement , and so is not of humane institution . . that the lords day is and may be called our christian sabbath day , therefore it is not iewish to call it so . . that this day is wholly to be spent in holy rest , and dueties of sanctification , and therefore no part of it to be spent in vaine pleasures , and profane pastimes . now the author of the treatise doth overthrow all these conclusions , as is to be seene throughout his booke . a. i pray you shew some instances hereof . b. pag. . his words are , this position ( to wit , that the fourth commandement is properly and perpetually morall , and is for quality and obligation , equall to the other nine commandements , ) ( which for many yeares hath raigned in pamphlets , pulpits , and conventicles , and is entertained as an oracle by all such as either openly professe , or doe leane towards the disciplinarian faction ) is destitute of truth . these are his words . vvhich comparing with the words of the homily of our church already cited , are found quite contrary . for the homily sayth , that the fourth commandement is a law of nature , and ought to be retained and kept of all good christians ; in as much as it commands one day of the weeke for rest ; and god hath given an expresse charge to all men , that the sabbath day , which is our sunday , should be spent wholly in heavenly exercises of gods true religion and service . so as this man doth most unjustly condemne all those godly preachers , that have for so many yeares maintayned the expresse doctrine of our church in their writings and sermons ; and so hee flatly condemneth our church , and her doctrine of the sabbath ; wherein shee is more cleare and sound , then any churches in the world . and long may this doctrine still florish amongst us , maugre all the malicious opposers thereof , who are so bold as to affirme , that it is destitute of truth . a. i assure you , i begin now to suspect the man ; that hee hath not dealt uprightly in the cause . b. nay it is past all suspition ; for his words are so expresse , that they can admit of no favorable interpretation , but that they condemne the cleare doctrine of our church , touching the perpetuall morality of the fourth commandement , for one day in the weeke , and so our lords day , or sunday , the first day of the weeke , our christian sabbath day , which god hath given expresse charge to all men to keep holy . a. i confesse the words of the homily are most cleare , without all ambiguity , or obscurity . but yet the author seemes to acknowledge some morality naturall to be in the fourth commandement . for pag. . hee sayth , our resting from labour in respect of the generall , is grounded upon the law of nature , or the equity of the fourth commandement . b. this is nothing to the purpose , to acquit him from being an adversary to the expresse doctrine of our church . dolosus versatur in universalibus ( it was the speech of king iames. ) the naturall morality of the fourth commandement , is not in generall , to imply some individuum vagum , some certaine uncertaine indefinite time for gods worship : for the commandement is expresse for a certaine day in the weeke , for the sabbath day ; remember the sabbath day to sanctify it . it sayth not , remember to set apart and allow some time for the service of god ; but it determines the time , and day ; least otherwise being left undetermined , man should forget god and himself , and allow no time or day at all for gods service ; or if hee did , god should be beholden to him for it . but it is a law of nature , that every lord and master should have the power in himself , to appoint , not onely the kind of service , but the time when it should be performed of his servants . as alexander d'ales sayth , upon the fourth commandement , the time of this rest it is not in mans power to determine , but gods. againe , the adversary acknowledgeth an equity in the fourth commandement . vvhat equity , if as it bound the ancient people of god to one day in the weeke , it doe not also bind the christian people to keep one day in the wee●●nd if it be the equity of the fourth commandement , to prescribe one day in seaven : then they are very unjust , that deny the keeping of the lords day to be grounded upon the equity of the fourth commandement . it were well , if they would stand to equity . but this doth our adversary fly from : for hee sayth in the next words , the particular forme , and circumstances of resting , are prescribed unto us by the precepts of the church . our spirituall actions , according to that which is maine and substantiall in them , are taught by the euangelicall law. their modification and limitation , in respect of rituall and externall forme ; and in regard of place , duration , gesture , habit ; and other externall circumstances , are prescribed by the law of the church . so hee . thus you see , how hee limits the prescription of circumstances , ( which comprehend time , place , persons ) and namely , duration , when , and how long god shall be served , unto the prescription of the law of the church : which hee expresseth more fully , pag. . saying , it was in the free election of the church , to appoint what day , or dayes , or times , shee thought good , or found convenient for religious dueties ; for the euangelicall law hath not determined any certaine day , or time ; and those actions or circumstances , which are not determined by divine precept , are permitted to the liberty and authority of the church , to be determined and appointed . so hee . but cleare it is , that the church of england disclameth all such power , but ascribes all authority of prescribing a time and day of holy rest unto the lord of the sabbath , who hath expressed his will and pleasure herein in his law of the fourth commandement ; as our homily sayth . a. but the homily seemes to favour his opinion , saying , that godly christian people began to chuse them a standing day of the weeke , &c. and therefore it seemes to be at the churches choyce . b. our choyce doth not necessarily imply a power of institution . wee are sayd to chuse life , and truth , before death and errour : are wee therefore the authors of them ? againe , our choyce herein is according to gods commandement . thirdly , the homily sayth expresly , that those godly christian people , did in their choyce follow the example and commandement of god. now what example had they , but christs rising and resting on that day , after the example of gods resting the seventh day ? and for commandement , they had both the fourth commandement , and an apostolicall precept , . cor. . and that place in the revelation , appropriating this day as holy to the lord , and so ratified by god himself . and who were they which taught those godly christian people , to keepe this day ? viz. the apostles . and therefore wee must put a vast difference betweene the unerring apostles , and the succeeding churches , so as the homily is cleare against him . a. but see , this seemes to me the maine knott of the whole controversy , namely about the designation of the particular and speciall time , consecrated to gods worship , whither it be comprehended and prescribed in the fourth commandement , or depends upon the determination of the church . the adversary confesseth a naturall equity in the fourth commandement , that some time is to be set apart for the service of god , but indeputate , and left at large to the liberty of the church to determine and limit the speciall time , when , and how long ; what portion and proportion is to be allowed . now although you have a little touched upon this point already : yet considering it is the maine hindge of the whole matter in question , and the maine ground , whereon the whole waight of the controversy relyeth : i pray you a little more fully to elucidate this point , and the rather ( not onely for the settling of my judgement ) but for the clearing of our homily from all false interpretations , which the adversary might make for the eluding of those things , which you have observed out of it . b. your motion is very opportune , and no lesse important . for the adversary doth the more easily play fast and loose in the myst of his generalities , while , though hee cannot , or dare not for shame utterly deny the morality of the fourth commandement , ( which all divines doe hold ) yet hee denies any particular , speciall , determinate time to be commanded or limited therein ; but will have that wholly put and placed in the power of the church . it will be requisite therefore to stoppe this hole , that hee may not have the least evasion , but by the cords of strong reasons , be bound and forced to confesse , that either the fourth commandement doth prescribe and determine a sett , certain , fixed proportion of time . consecrated by god himself unto his solemne and sacred worship : or els , that it commaunds to us christians no certain time or day at all , and so the morality of it ( if ever it had any ) is quite abolished , and no other law or commandement now binds us , but the precept or practise of the church . this is the very summe and upshot of the matter . a. sir , i conceive and apprehend it to be so . b. now i shall proove , and make it evident , that the fourth commandement either prescribes a certain proportion of time , and a fixed day consecrate to god , and in that very respect is perpetually morall , binding us christians to the same proportion : or els , if it determine no sett proportion of time , but leaves it at large to the church to proportionate , whither longer , or shorter ; then there remaines no such obligatory equity in the fourth commandement , as to bind the church to appoint and allow such or such a proportion of time ; but that if this time , which the church appointeth , be either one day in , or , or , or one day in the yeare , or so , or but one peece of a day in such a revolution of time , and not one whole or intyre day , much lesse one whole day in every seven ; the church in this sinneth not , as being not guilty of the breach of the fourth commandement , which bindeth us christians to no certain proportion of time , as the adversary himself would have it , but in this respect is now abrogated . his words are : * the fourth commandement , in respect of any one definite and speciall day of every weeke , was not simplie and perpetuallie morall , but positive and temporary onely . which assertion of his , as it is directly , and in terminis , contrary to the doctrine of our homily fore-alledged , which sayth : by this commandement ( the fourth ) wee ought to have a time , as one day in the weeke , &c. and this appartaineth to the law of nature , as a thing most godly , most just and needfull for the setting forth of gods glorie , and therefore ought to be retained and kept of all good christian people . so the homily . no , sayth d. whi● one day in the weeke was but positive and temporary onely ; and therefore not appartaining to the law of nature , as a thing most godly , most just , and needfull for the setting forth of gods glory , and so ought not in that respect to be retained and kept of all good christian people . but wee will not presse him downe with the bare authority of our church , without showing the grounds and reasons , whereupon it is grounded . now first observe wee the words of the commandement , remember the sabbath day , to keep it holy : which words ( sayth the learnest zanchie ) are the very morall substance of the fourth commandement . the lord sayth not , remember to sanctify some convenient , and sufficient time , as the church shall thinke fit . the commandement prescribeth a certain and sett time , yea a day , the sabbath day , one day in the weeke , which is the sabbath day . againe it teacheth us what day in the weeke the sabbath day is , to wit , the sabbath day of the lord thy god : that day in the weeke , wherein the lord our god resteth , must be our sabbath day . so that as the commandement prescribes unto us a weekely sabbath day to be sanctified : so gods precedent and example points out unto us , what or which day in the weeke wee must rest on , to sanctify it . and this is not onely the naturall equity ( which the adversary in generall confesseth ) but the very naturall law and substance of the fourth commandement , to prescribe a set solemne day in the weeke to be sanctified , and not to leave it in the power of man , or of the church to appoint what time they please . the reasons are these : . because the commandement expresly limiteth one set day in the weeke , being the sabbath day of the lord our god , as hath bene sayd . now the commandement prescribing a set and fixed day in the weeke : what humain power shall dare to alter it into an indefinite time ( call it what you will , convenient , or sufficient ) to be appointed at the pleasure of man ? this is with the papists to commit high sacriledge , in altering the property of gods commandements . for upon this ground , of a generall equity , they have bene bold to suppresse the second commandement , saying , it is comprised in the first . as they have robd the people of the cup in the sacrament , saying , the blood is contained in the body , under the formes of bread . so our adversary , imagining a generall ( i wot not what ) equity in the fourth commandement , of some certain uncertain time for gods publicke worship , doth thereby destroy the very property of the commandement , which expresly prescribeth the sabbath day in every weeke . a second reason , why it is not left in the power of the church to prescribe what time men please , is , because as it is gods prerogative , as a maister , to appoint his owne worship and service , so the time , wherein hee will be served . this god himself commandeth in the fourth commandement . now as the king will not take it well , that any meddle with his prerogative , and arrogate that to himself , which is the kings right : so god is justly offended , when men presume to assume to themselves that power , which is proper and peculiar to god alone . if any will take upon him to coyne money , by counterfeting the kings stampe and name : his act is treason : how then shall they escape , if presume to coyne what time they please for gods solemne worship , though they set the counterfeit stampe of god upon it . now the sabbath day is of the lords owne making and stamping , and therefore called the lords day . a third reason , why it is not left in mans power to institute the solemne day of gods worship , his sabbath day , or to appoint him what proportion of time they please , is , because an indefinite time must either bind to all moments of time , as a debt , when the day of payment is not expresly dated , is liable to payment every moment ; or els it binds to no time at all . for if the law of god bind us not to an expresse determinate time , or day , consecrate to his service : then the not allowing of him a set time , or day , is no sinne at all . for what gods law commaunds not , therein man is not bound . and where no law is of a set time or day , there is no transgression , if a set time , or day be not observed . so as , by this reason , if the law of the fourth commandement prescribe no set sacred time , or day for rest and sanctification , it is a meere nullity . for , to say there is a naturall equity in it for some sufficient and convenient time , and yet no man can define what this sufficient and convenient time is , nay all the wits and heads in the world put together , are not able to determine it : is , as to say , there is a world in the moone , consisting of land and sea , and inhabitants , because there are some black spots in it ; which yet is not a more lunaticke opinion , then that is presumptuous and absurd . hath not the profane world found by wofull experience , & that of late dayes , within these two yeares last past , wherein men have taken a liberty to profane and pollute , but a part of the lords day : that this is a most horrible sinne ? and a sinne it cannot be , but as a breach of one of gods holy commandements . for where there is no law , there is no transgression . the profanation ( i say ) of the lords day is clearely shewed to be an horrible presumptuous sinne , and in speciall a bold breach of the fourth commandement , by those many markable judgements of god , which have fearefully fallen upon fearelesse sabbath breakers , and that ( i say ) within these two yeares last past , the like whereof cannot be paralleld in all the histories of all the centuries since the apostles times . which alone ( if men were not altogether possessed with the spirit of stupidity , and of a croced conscience ) were sufficient to teach their dull wits , that the fourth commandement is still in force , commaunding the sabbath day to be sanctified , the profanation whereof wee see so terribly punished by divine revenge . a point also , which our homily hath noted , which were sufficient to admonish the adversary of his presumptuous oppositions thereunto . a. sir , you have abundantly satisfied me in this point , and i suppose every rationall man , and true bred-sonne of the church of england . and surely i wonder so learned a man should commit so fowle an errour , as not to search better into the doctrine of our church , so clearely expressed in the homily . b. you need not wonder at it ; wee have all knowne him to doe as great a matter as that . for was not his hand to the approbation of a booke in print ( though afterwards called in by soveraigne authority ) which contaynes and maintayns many sundry tenents , both pelagian and popish , flatt against the cleare doctrines of our church ; and whereby hee hath as yet made no publike recantation , to remoove the scandall from the church of england , and to satisfy so high an offence given ? yea in stead of recantation , i my self have heard him in open court speake against both iustification ; that a man might be justified to day , and damned to morrow ; and against election of some to eternall life ; and against the sanctification of the sabbath , saying , i say , there is no sanctification of the sabbath , but rest , rest onely . and therefore cease to wonder , that this man should be so feareles , either privily to undermine , or apertly to oppugne the expresse doctrines of our church . a. yet i cannot but wonder , how hee dare be so bold , and upon what grounds hee should thus impune beare himself . b. the grounds i examine not , as pertayning to those that are more judicious , and in highest place over the church , but the fact cannot be dissembled . a. but perhaps hee will say , this is your private interpretation of the homily ; and of a sort of factions sabbatarian novellists . but what instances can you bring of any , that were eminent in this church for learning and parts , and not any way inclined to the disciplinarian faction , that concurre with you in the same judgement and understanding of the doctrine of our church , layd downe in the homily ? b. first , the words of the homily ( as you have heard , and as every one may plainely see ) are so expresse , cleare , and full , that they cannot possibly admit of the least ambiguity . and for instances , i could give many . i will content my self with two witnesses , enough to establish the matter . vvhat say you to the learned hooker , and to the learned dr. andrewes ? were these any way inclined unto the disciplinarian faction ? or were they novell sabbatarians ? a. no surely ; i thinke d. vvh . himself will not say so of them , but will admit them for very competent witnesses in this cause , as without all exception . b. first then for mr. hooker : hee in his fift booke of ecclesiasticall policy , sect. . hath these words : if it be demanded , whether wee observe these times ( to wit , holy dayes ) as being thereunto bound by force of divine law , or els by the onely positive ordinances of the church : i answer to this , that the very law of nature it self , which all men confesse to be gods law , requireth in generall no lesse the sanctification of times , then of places , persons , and things unto gods honor . for which cause it hath pleased him heretofore as of the rest , so of time likewise to exact some parts by way of perpetuall homage , never to be dispensed withall , nor remitted ; againe , to require some other parts of time , with as strict exaction , but for lesse continuance , and of the rest which were left arbitrary , to accept what the church shall in due consideration consecrate voluntarily unto like religious uses . of the first kind amongst the iewes , was the sabbath day : of the second , those feasts which are appointed to the law of moses ; the feast of dedication invented by the church , standeth in the number of the last kind . the morall law requiring therefore a seventh part throughout the age of the whole world to be that way imployed , although with us the day be changed , in regard of a new revolution begun by our saviour christ , yet the same proportion of time continueth , which was before , because in reference to the benefit of creation , and now much more , of renovation thereunto added by him , which was prince of the world to come , wee are bound to account the sanctification of one day in seven , a duety which gods immutable law doth exact for ever . so hee there . vvhere you see , how in terminis hee agreeth and jumpeth with the expresse doctrine of our church in the homily , touching the perpetuall morality of the fourth commandement , wee are bound ( sayth hee ) to account the sanctification of one day in seven ( which before hee sayth is now the lords day ) a duety which gods immutable law doth exact for ever . the second instance is the late reverend and learned b. of vvinkc . who in his speech in the starre-chamber , ( which with other of his workes hath been by the great diligence and care of the now archbishop of cant. published in print ) confuting trasks opinion about the iewes sabbath , hath these words : it hath ever been the churches doctrine , that christ made an end of all sabbaths , by his sabbath in the grave . that sabbath , was the last of them . and that the lords day presently came in place of it : dominicus , &c. the lords day was , by the resurrection of christ , declared to be the christians day ; and from that very time ( of christs resurrection ) it began to be celebrated , as the christian mans festivall . for the sabbath had reference to the old creation ; but in christ , wee are a new creature , a new creation by him , and to have a new sabbath . and a little after : the apostles , they kept their meetings on that day . on that day they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( that is ) held their synaxes , their solemne assemblies : to preach , to pray , to break bread , or celebrate the lords supper , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the lords supper on the lords day : for , these two onely ( the day and the supper ) have the epithet of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , dominicum , in the scriptures ; to shew dominicum is alike to be taken in both . this , for the practise then : if you will have it in precept ; the * apostle gives it ( and in the same word still ) that against 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( the first day of the weeke ) the day of their assembly , every one should lay apart , what god should moove him to offer to the collection for the saincts , and then offer it ; which was soever in use . that , the day of oblations . so have you it in practise and in precept , both , &c. and after : a thing so notorious , so well knowne , even to the heathen themselves , as it was ( in the acts of the martyrs ) ever an usuall question of theirs ( even of course ) in their examining , what ? dominicum servasti ? hold you the sunday ? and their answer knowne ; they all averre it , christianus sum , intermittere non possum . i am a christian , i cannot intermit it . and besides others hee cites athanasius , who shewes the abolishing of the iewes day , and the succeeding of the lords day , in place of it , and that so full , as no man can wish more . last of all , hee both quotes , and commends the councell of laodicea , for that canon . that christen men may not iudaize , or grow iewes ; that is , not make the sabbath or saturday , their day of rest ; but that they are to worke on that day , giving their honour of celebration to the lords day . so hee . i will adde onely a brief note of the same author in one of his sermons ; on those words : this is the day , which the lord hath made : the day of christs resurrection , made by god , dies dominicus ; and to it , doe all the fathers apply this verse . so hee . i might here also adde what is sayd in that booke , which is intituled , a patterne of catecheticall doctrine , and printed at london . which though it have not dr. andrewes name prefixt unto it ; yet it is well knowne , it was his worke , ( even ex ungne leonem ) being his catecheticall exercise in cambridge , as i have been credibly informed , and whereof i have the manuscript by mee , which i keep as an antiquity . i know the booke will not very well relish with our adversaries palate . for there ( pag. . ) are these passages . quest. but is not the sabbath a ceremony , and so abrogated by christ ? answ. doe as christ did in the cause of divorce ; looke whither it were so from the beginning ; now the beginning of the sabbath was in paradise before there was any sinne , and so before there needed any saviour , and so before there was any ceremony , or figure of a saviour . object . and if they say it prefigured the rest that wee shall have from our sinnes in christ. answ. wee grant it ( as comming in afterwards deuter. . . as it is in my manuscript ) and therefore the day is changed , but yet no ceremony prooved . . from the law. . by the distinction between the law and a ceremony , deut. . . . the law came immediatly from god : the ceremonies were instituted by moses . . it were not wise to set a ceremony in the midst of morall precepts ‡ . . this is a principle , that the decalogue is the law of nature revived , and the law of nature is the image of god ; now in god there can be no ceremony , but all must be eternall : and so in this image , which is the law of nature , and so in the decalogue . secondly from the gospell , eph. . . all ceremonies were ended in christ ; but so was not the sabbath ; for mat. . . christ biddeth them pray , that their visitation be not on the sabbath day : so that there must needs be a sabbath after christs death . . those which were ceremonies were abrogated , and not changed : but those which were not ceremonies were changed : as the ministry from the levites , to be chosen throughout the world : the seats changed : so here the day changed from the day of iewes , to the lords day . rev. . . so there . and my manuscript addeth , and yet a sabbath , act. . . so that this lasteth as long , as the church militant . so there . now from the premisses in this instance , wee observe , what was the judgement of that learned prelate , and how consonant to the doctrine of our church in the homily , touching the sabbath . hee shewes plainely , that the lords day comming in place of the old sabbath day , and so becomming our sabbath day , is by necessary consequence grounded upon the fourth commandement , the law whereof is perpetually , because naturally morall . so as hence i might frame this argument : that day , which comes in place of the old sabbath day , is commanded in the fourth commandement : but the lords day is come in place of the old sabbath : therefore it is commanded in the fourth commandement . the minor is cleare in d. andr. and so from all the fathers universally . the major is no lesse true ; for if the fourth commandement command the sabbath day to be kept perpetually in all ages ( as sayth our homily ) and that sabbath day of the iewes is now abolished , and an other day , the lords day is now come in place of the old , and is the christians sabbath day : then of necessity , doth the fourth commandement command us christians to keep the lords day , as our new sabbath day . for instance : one is made a present heire , yea and lord of such an inheritance : hee enjoyeth it for his life ; but when hee dyes , his next heire succeeds him in the full title . so here . if they object , but quo jure , by what right doth the lords day take the place of the sabbath day ? i answer with d. andrewes , and all the fathers , out of the psalme , god made it so : and christs resurrection declared it to be so : and the apostles observed it so ; yea and commanded it so too . a. i remember the treatiser confesseth , that the apostles themselves at sometimes observed this day ; as act. . . . cor. . . b. at sometimes onely ? what ? no oftener , then hee finds expresly mentioned ? this is like him in oxford , who in his sermon sayd , that the iewes kept the sabbath , but once in yeares , during their abode in the wildernesse . this hee gathered , because hee found it but once mentioned . but hee might have found it twice , if hee had looked well . so as this is a most beggerly kind of reasoning . and how injurious an imputation is it to the apostles , to say , that they kept the lords day sometimes , when as they taught and commanded others to observe it weekly ; as hath been noted ; did christian people immediately after christs ascension observe this weekely day : and did not the apostles themselves ? this is too grosly repugnant both to good reason , to our homily , and to the witnesses produced . a. these two witnesses and instances i perceive come full home to the homily . onely one thing i observe , that d. andrewes calls the lords day our new sabbath . this is a very rare thing , and that which the adversary in his booke doth much except against , not enduring that the lords day should be called the sabbath day . and i remember one passage in it , wherein hee quarrells h. b. for saying , that the ancient fathers did ever usually call it the sabbath day . wherein hee sayth hee hath wronged and wrested s. augustine in those places by him alledged . b. concerning that , i have spoken with h. b. and hee sayth , hee will answer , and make good what hee hath sayd against his adversary . and hee told me , that howsoever indeed those words , ever usually , might give advantage to the adversary to carpe , yet being rightly understood , they may passe currant enough . for by , ever usually , hee meant , that all the ancient fathers , although they alwayes distinguish between the lords day , and the iewes sabbath day , yet they ever tooke and observed the lords day in stead of the old sabbath day ; and ever used it for the rest-day or sabbath day of christians ; rest-day , and sabbath-day being all one . and h. b. told me , that if d. wh. tooke advantage of that , hee could as easily take advantage of that speech of his , where hee saith , this name ( sabbath ) is not given it ( the lords day ) in holy scripture , or by any of the godly fathers of the church . now ( saith h. b. ) was not s. augustine a godly father ? and hee , not onely in those places , quarrelled by d. w. and which h. b. will more fully cleare from his cavills , but more plainely , and without all ambiguity , in his . sermon de tempore , speaking of the lords day , hee hath these very words : ac ideo &c. * and therefore the holy doctours of the church have decreed to transferre all the glory of the iudaicall sabbath , or sabbatisme , unto the lords day , that what they observed in a figure , wee might celebrate in truth . let us therefore brethren observe the lords day , and sanctify it , like as it was commanded them of old , concerning the sabbath , the lawgiver saying , from evening to evening yee shall celebrate your sabbaths . let us take heed that our rest be not vaine , but from the evening of the saturday unto the evening of the lords day , being sequestred from rurall worke , and from all businesse , we may be vacant onely for the worship of god. thus also we duely sanctify the sabbath of the lord , as the lord saith , yee shall doe no worke therein . so hee . and a little before in the same sermon : dominicum ergo diem , &c. therefore the apostles , and apostolicall men , established the lords day to be therefore observed with a religious solemnity , because in it our redeemer arose from the dead . and which is therefore called the lords day , that in it wee abstaining from terrene works , or the allurements of the world , might onely attend to gods worship , &c. so augustine . and you see he speakes this , not as his owne particular opinion , but as it was the tenet of the whole catholike church . so as the whole ancient catholike church did not onely observe , but call the lords day the sabbath of the lord , which they kept in place of the old sabbath day . thus did h. b. informe me . and i remember hilary calls it so , saying ; though in the seventh day of the weeke , both the name and observance of the sabbath be established : yet wee on the eigth day , which also is the first , doe injoy the festivity of the perfect sabbath . lo here this father also calls the lords day the day of our perfect sabbath . but this suffice . a. it is a very pregnant place for his purpose , and sufficient to answer fully all the cavills , which are brought to the contrary ; so as if h. b. doe but alledge this one place , it will cleare all the other . but sir , here is a huge clamour , especially of late dayes , raised against the name of sabbath applyed to the lords day . i pray you , may it not be called the sabbath day ? and what doth our church hold concerning this ? b. that the lords day may be called the sabbath day , i make no question . and that for many reasons : . because it is our rest-day : . the apostle calls our rest a sabbatisme . . the very name of lords day imports so much , as being the lords holy day , as esa. . . and that day whereon the lord rested from his worke of redemption ; and so sanctified by him , and to him . a. d. wh. denies , that christ upon the day of his resurrection rested from the worke of redemption . b. i conferred with h. b. about this , because it much concernes him to quitt this question , seeing on christs resting on that day , hee grounds the sabbatisme of it , as agreeable to the fourth commandement . and in my judgement , if hee can evince and cleare it , it will proove unanswerable . and hee tells me , that hee hath in two severall treatises in latin against theo. brab . fully cleared it , and remooved all objections and cavillations , that either th. br. or f. vvh . have or can bring to the contrary . and hee purposeth to doe the like to d. vvh . and hee made it very cleare to me , that christs rest from the worke of redemption from sinne on the crosse , and from death in the grave ( which was a branch of that worke ) began not , till his resurrection . as for his ascension , that was into the place of rest ; but his resurrection was into the state of rest . as for d. vvh . his objection , with th. brab . that christ laboured on that day : h. b. shewes it to be absurd and ridiculous , seeing christ arose with a body glorifyed and impassible , so as his actions that day could not be called a labour , that thereby the new sabbath should be broken . but you aske me , what our church holdeth concerning this , that the lords day is called the sabbath day . in brief , i have observed , that in the homilies it is no lesse then ten severall times called expresly the sabbath day ; . times in the homily fore-cited , and twice in the third homily of rebellion . also canon . in the articles of the two last trienniall visitations of london . in k. iames his proclamation may . twice . in an exhortation at a generall fast set forth by him in the first yeare of his raigne . in archbishop bancrofts visitation articles for canterbury , art. . . i might compile a whole volume of instances in this kind . yea there seldome comes forth a brief , but it calls it the sabbath day . but least neither the church of england in her publike doctrine , nor the pious workes of her grave and learned sons , may perhaps satisfy the adversaries importunity : yet i hope the writings of his more pious , and no lesse learned brother d. iohn vvhite , ( and those also both republished , and vindicated by fr. vvhite , from the iesuites calumnies , white dyed black &c. ) will a little qualify him . how d. iohn vvhite doth not onely call the lords day the sabbath day , as once sect. . . and twice sect. . digress . . . but hee also condemnes all profane sports and recreations on that day , and among the rest dauncing for one . and for this hee alledgeth the example of the papists , as the most notorious sabbath-breakers in this kind . a. doth hee so , sir ; this seemes strange to me , that so great a clerke , as fr. vvhite , should so farre forget himself , as not to remember what his brother hath write . surely if it be so , it will be a cooling card , and no small disgrace to his lo ; when so worthy and reverend a brother shall be brought as a witnesse against him . but i pray you for my better satisfaction , relate to me the very passages and words of d. iohn vvhite . b. i will. in digress . . the title whereofis , naming certain points of the popish religion , which directly tend to the maintenance of open sinne , and liberty of life . now among many fowle and profane practises ( as hee calls them ) this hee notes for one , namely the profanation of the sabbath , in these words : that they hold it lawfull on the sabbath day , to follow suits , travell , hunt , dance , keep faires , and such like . this is it that hath made papists the most notorious sabbath-breakers that live . so hee . and sect. . n. . hee sayth : let it be observed , if all disorders be not most in those parts among us , where the people is most pope-holy , &c. and for mine owne part , having spent much of my time among them , this i have found , that in all excesse of sinne , papists have bene the ringleaders , in riotous companies , in drunken meetings , in seditious assemblies and practises , in profaning the sabbath in quarrells and brawles , in stage-playes , greenes , ales , and all heathenish customes , &c. thus this reverend divine , candore notabilis ipso , whom all the iesuiticall smoke out of the bottomlesse pit cannot besweere or besumdge , or dye blacke with all their black-mouthed obloquies . a. surely these are very pregnant passages . and it makes me tremble to thinke , and amazeth me , how one white is so contrary to another ; as also , how the libertinisme dispensed now a dayes on the sabbath , tendeth to bring us protestants to be like to the papists in their profane times , in taking up their heathenish savage , and barbarous maners and customes . b. wee have all of us cause to lament what wee see , and to feare yet more sinfull mischiefs to follow , if they be not prevented . a. i begin to blame my owne negligence , i did not thinke that our church , and the archbishops and bishops themselves , and k. iames and others had so familiarly used to call the lords day the sabbath day . and it seemeth , that d. wh. hath not well read over out owne church records , how skillfull soever he professe himself to be in antiquity , tanquam in aliena republica , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; or as the lamiae , who abroad carryed their eyes in their heads , but at home closed them up in a box . otherwise , i suppose he would not so frequently brand all those for novell sabbatarians , who call the lords day the sabbath day . b. vvhat is his reason , i know not . let him looke to it . me thinks the very reading of the fourth commandement every lords day , might stop his mouth ; saving that hee hath found out many inventions to elude the nature and property of this commandement , as pag. . . &c. which i hope h. b. will meet withall . a. i shall be glad to see it . and yet i somewhat correct my former conceit of d. vvh . for i find , hee hath read the homily and injunction , as pag. . b. indeed i thanke you for minding me of it . i remember he quotes the homily in one place of his booke ( and that is all as farre as i have observed ) where hee hath picked out one little peece , to maintayne his christian libertinisme in point of labour on the lords day . but it is altogether perverted by him for works of great necessity , as scathfire , invasion of enemyes , &c. god allowes on the sabbath . and the injunction of queene eliz. . hee there also no lesse perverteth , while hee confounds the lords day with other holy dayes , which the injunction doth clearely distinguish for that liberty , which it dispenseth with , touching worke in harvest time is not spoken of the lords day , or holy day , as it is there called , and set alone by it self , but of holy and festivall dayes onely , of humain institution . a. and i thanke you for this observation . and falling here upon worke on the lords day , i am occasiotied to aske your judgement of those passages of his , touching recreations on that day , in which argument hee hath spent many leaves . b. but without any good fruit . and as his discourses hereupon are large , so they require a large confutation , which i hope h. b. will performe . for the present , a little to satisfy your request , thus much : hee distinguisheth recreations into two sorts : . honest and lawfull . . vitious and unlawfull . for his definitions , or descriptions of them , i passe them by , as requiring a larger answer . in summe , i note his pitifull enterfeerings by equivocations , contradictions , and the artifice of his purest naturall wit , in spinning a curious web of so fine a thred , as wherewith though he may thinke to cover himself , yet it is pervious and penetrable to every eye . hee sayth , all kinds of recreation , which are of evill quality , in respect of their object ; or which are attended with evill and vicious circumstances , are unlawfull , and to be refrayned upon all dayes , and at all seasons . but if they be used upon the lords day , or on other festivall dayes , they are sacrilegious , because they rob god of his honour , to whose worship and service the holy day is devoted : and they defile the soules of men , for the cleansing and edifying whereof the holy day is deputed . and pag. . hee relates out of ancient imperiall edicts , that all obscene , lascivious , and voluptuous pastime ▪ are prohibited , &c. and yet pag. . hee hath these words : this seemeth to me to have been a prime motive to our religious governors , of allowing the people of the land some recreations ( not prohibited by our lawes ) upon the holy dayes . for if they should ( upon puritan principles ) restrain them wholly from all repast ▪ the holy-day would be more unwelcome to them , then the plough-day : and besides , it might ingender in peoples mindes a distast of their present religion , and manner of serving god. so hee . vvhere i note sundry poore and pitifull shifts and shu●●lings . for first , pag. . hee sayth , also our most gracious and religious soveraigne is the lords vicegerent , to restraine the abuse , and scandalous profanation of the lords day : and hee is a noble successor of those glorious princes , which in ancient times , by their royall and imperiall edicts and constitutions , prohibited on this day , all obscene , lascivious , and voluptuous pastimes , &c. if then i might be so bold , i would aske him , what hee thinkes of promiscuous meetings of wanton youth in their may-games , setting up of may-poles , dancing about them , dancing the morice , and leading the ringdance , and the like : unto which d. vvh . in the former passage , . doth not obscurely point as it were with the finger . are not these obscene , or lascivious and voluptuous pastimes ? and if so , are they not prohibited by royall and imperiall edicts and constitutions of those glorious ancient princes , whereof our most gratious and religious soveraigne , the lords vicegerent , for restraining the abuse and scandalous profanation of the lords day , is a noble successor ? lo then , what a monstrous contradiction is here . a. but doe ancient emperours in their imperiall edicts prohibite such recreations on the lords day ? b. i will give you one instance , in stead of many . carolus m. placuit , it is our pleasure , that all the faithfull doe reverently observe the lords day , in which the lord rose againe . for if pagans , for the memory and reverence of their gods , doe celebrate certain dayes , and the iewes doe carnally observe the sabbath : how much more ought this day to be honorably celebrated of christians , that on this holy-day they attend not upon vaine fables , or idle chat , or songs , or dances , or scoffings , standing in the crosse-wayes , or streets , as they usually doe ; but that they have recourse to the priests , or some wise , and good man , that they may profit by their preaching and good discourses , such as concerne the soule . in like sort also les shepheards , or keepers of cattell , by going and returning into the feilds , and home againe , doe so , that all may know such to be true , and devout christians . so hee . and his sonne , ludovicus pius , in his additionalls , repeating the selfsame constitution of his father verbatim , doth add these words : proinde , &c. therefore it is necessary , that first preists , kings and princes , and all the faithfull , doe most devoutly give all due observance , and reverence to this day . so hee . a. a most noble instance , and home . for i perceive this imperiall decree condemnes all dauncing , especially on the lords day . but let me not interrupt you . b. to proceed then upon the former passages : secondly , i note how poorely hee playes the divine , or doctor , by giving indulgence of more liberty to such as have queasy stomaks , and cannot digest those wholesome meates , which gods word , and all sound divines and doctours doe prescribe . this is just , as if a sick patient should refuse some bitter pills or potions , which are for his health , complayning hee cannot indure the bitternesse of them : and then forsooth his palate must be pleased with some delicious thing , which corrupts the stomacke , and feedeth the disease . or as if a wanton boy must be permitted so many houres play every day , because hee hath learned one lesson , and complaynes the taske is too hard to learne more . or as if a servant , being set about his maisters businesse , though it be otherwise easie and tolerable , yet complaynes it is too hard a taske , and therefore hee must have liberty to take his pleasure one part of the day . and surely this followes by good reason , from the greater to the lesse , from gods day to mans day , and from gods service to mans service . give man a power thus to dispense with a part of the lords day , which is an incrochment upon the fourth commandement , according to the doctrine of our church : and why may not man assume to himself a power ( as the pope doth ) to dispense with servants , or children , by allowing them sometime , wherein they shall be free from the controll of their maisters and parents ? thirdly , i note what a great blemish hee fastens upon our religion , as if it were either too rigorous , or too licentious . too rigorous , by laying no other burthen upon them , but that of christ , which though in its owne nature it be light and easy , yet to the sonnes of belial it seemes insupportable , and intolerable . as if sanctitie , and purity of life were an over rigid precisenesse , and a puritan principle . or too licentious , by giving indulgence , and dispensation to loose libertines , and teaching men to become more filthy still , and to be as the uncleane beasts , that chew not the cudde , or as the sow that is washed , to returne to their wallowing in their profuse and profane sports and pastimes , when no sooner they are out of the church , but they runne to their excesse of riot . and here i cannot but record an excellent passage in nazianzen , to shame the impudency of these times . this godly father , reprooving the loose carriage of christians in his time , especially on the dayes of solemne and sacred assemblyes , as on the lords dayes , sayth : postquam , &c. after they are gone out of the church , casting aside all that instruction , they had there learned , they fashion themselves to the vulgar , with whom they converse ; or rather laying aside the false and counterfait vizard of gravity , they are discovered to be such , as they were not knowne to be before : and having seemed to give some reverence to gods word , while it was preached , they leave it : and out of the church , they fall to delight and sport themselves in an impious maner , and with love songs , with the noise of minstrells , as piping , clapping the hands , being full of strong drinke , and defiled with all kind of muddy and dorty pleasures . and whilst they chant it over and over , they who celebrated the honour of immortality , by and by fall to a most wicked recantation ; let us eate and drinke , for to morrow wee shall dye . and these are not dead to morrow , but indeed are now dead unto god ; burying the dead , that is , themselves , in the grave of death . so hee . which liberty even the papists themselves , and bellarmine abundantly , doe with open voyce declame against , and are ashamed of , so farre will they be from being willing to be drawn to such a religion , by the motives of such liberty . and herein doth our treatiser miserably abuse the scripture , and so turne the grace of god into wantonnes . for pag. . hee sayth , the law of christ is sweet and easie , mat. . . and , his commandements are not grievous , . ioh. . . and what then ? is christs law so sweet and easie , as that it gives indulgence to profane libertinisme ? this is to make the gospell a sweet fable , as that atheisticall pontifician sayd . or as an other in his sermon , upon those words of christ , the sonne of man is lord even of the sabbath day : thence inferred , that christ had given us liberty to play on the sabbath . and this the treatiser calleth * christian liberty , and on the contrary , the holy and religious keeping of the lords day , a superstitious iudaicall fancy , and * rigid ordinances of our sunday-sabbatarians . whereas the ancient godly * fathers called the loose profaning of the lords day by dancing and revelling , a iewish sabbatising . a point well to be observed . fourthly i observe a very improper , and so untrue speech ; where hee sayth ▪ if they should ( upon paritan principles ) restraine them wholly from all repast . who ( i pray you ) doe restraine the people from all repast on the lords day ? or is profane sport a repast , to feed the humour of the rude vulgar ? it seemeth so . and liberty to youth is as their meat and drinke . fiftly pag. . hee sayth : some recreations ( not prohibited by our lawes ) our religious governors allow upon holy-dayes . and pag. . civil recreation , not prohibited in termes , neither yet by any necessary consequence from the law , cannot be simply unlawfull . and pag . no just law , divine , ecclesiasticall , or civil , doth totally prohibite the same . to this i reply , that those sports fore-specified , are prohibited by law , both divine , ecclesiasticall , and civil . . by divine law : as * rom. . . * gal. . . . pet. . . in the fourth commandement for as bucer sayth : writing to k. edw. . his diebus . on these , to wit , holy-dayes , the works of the flesh are not to be allowed , nor profane businesses , nor licentious sports , nor unseemly drinkings , and other vitious pleasures . indeed the people are to be allowed honest recreations at fit seasons : but seeing god hath so severely forbidden works profitable for the body , to be done on dayes sanctified to his name : how much more greivously is hee offended , when th●se dayes are profaned with wanton , and for the most part wicked works ? six dayes ( sayth hee ) thou shalt doe all thy worke ; to wit , such as concerneth the sustentation , or els the recreation of this present life : but the seventh day is the lords sabbath , on it thou shalt not doe any worke : not any , which the lord himself hath not commanded to be done on that day : but those which hee hath commanded , they are all most religiously to be observed on the holy-dayes . and of so weake and slippery faith are we all , as the dayly renewing and confirming of the same is very necessary for us . whereas most men more greivously offend and provoke gods majestie on these dayes , then on other dayes . by all meanes therefore it is the office of your sacred majestie against this so great dishonor of god , and lawles profanation of his holy-dayes , to revive the authority , of gods law , and therein also to follow the examples of pious princes , &c. so he . secondly : those foresayd sports are prohibited by ecclesiasticall lawes , for all councels doe universally condemne them . to instance one or two . the councel of millan . nefasesse , &c. it is impious , that sacred dayes instituted for the commemoration of the greatest benefits of god , and to render our best prayses unto him , should be transferred to those things , which most of all abhorre from that service : as leapings , sports , daunces , enterludes or shewes , which being inticements to filthy pleasures , do much delight the devill , the enemy of mans salvation . and another of millan : that no sports , or vaine sights , dancings , leaping , be used at all in cities , suburbs , towne , or any where eis on the holy-dayes . and yet another councel at millan : quoniam , &c. because it is found by too much experience in this province , that in these corrupted times and manners , that people for the most part never meet at dauncing , merriments , leapings , and the like , without many , and those most greivous offenses of god , and that both by reason of filthy thoughts and obscene speeches , dishonest actions , corruption of manners , and most pernicious bates to all the lusts of the flesh , perpetually coupled with them , and also of murders , brawles , dissentions , whoredomes , adulteries , and many other evils , the most frequent consequences thereof , wherefore on holy-dayes we prohibit leapings , sports , dancings , &c. now these councels were kept in italy . yea a councel at rome , but more ancient : of feastings not to be made upon holy-dayes ; and , on holy-dayes dancing not to be used : there be some , and specially women , which on holy-dayes by their balling , singing filthy songs , holding and leading dances , so imitating the guise of pagans , doe bring it among christians , such , if they come to the church , with lesser sins , they returne from it with greater . and if upon admonition they desisted not , leo . denounceth excommunication against them . lo here , this councel at rome sayth , that dancing on holy-dayes is a heathen guise , brought in among christians . shall i add one more . the councel of colen : deinde impingunt . againe , they offend against this precept , who on holy-dayes are intent upon sports , pastimes , dice , leaping , dancing the ring , who are vacant for revellings , drinkings , superfluous pompe , who defile the holy-dayes with wicked talke , and filthy songs : such doth the councel of carthage , and of toledo , decree to be excommunicate . for holy solemnities and feasts are not therefore instituted , to serve our filthy lusts , or that we should collect together our sins , but that we should altogether abandon them , and not to celebrate them with corporall refection or recreation , but spirituall rejoycing . and how is it possible , that in dances the sanctification of the sabbath should be kept , where modesty it self is not secure from snares . so the councel . but what need we goe further , then our owne homily forecited , which sayth , that in pride , in excesse , like rats in brawling , fighting , quarrelling , wantonnes , toy●sh talking , and filthy fleshlines , god is more dishonoured , and the devill better served on the sunday , or sabbath day , then upon all the dayes of the weeke besides . now though moris dances and may-games , and the like , be not here condemned in terminis , yet by consequence they be : sith they are the inseparable companions , and most pernicious occasions of inflaming the lusts , and of manifold mischeifs ; as hath been noted . therefore by just ecclesiasticall lawes such sports are prohibited . thirdly , they are prohibited by just civil lawes . besides those instances fore-alleged of the edicts of charolus mag. and ludovicus pius his sonne : we may to the honor of our nation , and the eternall fame of our religious king charles , produce the first act of parlament in i. caroli , the prime gemme in his royall diadem ; and which deserves to be writen in golden characters . forasmuch as there is nothing more acceptable to god , then the true and sincere worship and service of him , according to his holy will , and that the holy keeping of the lords day is a principall part of the true service of god , which in very many places of this realme hath been , and now is profaned and neglected by a disorderly sort of people , in exercising and frequenting beare-baiting , bull-baiting , enterludes , common playes , and other unlawfull exercises and pastimes upon the lords day , &c. that from henceforth , &c. there shall be no bear-baiting , bull-baiting , enterludes , common playes , or other unlawfull exercises or pastimes within their owne parishes , hence it is plaine , that all manner of sports and pastimes are unlawfull on the lords day ; for beare-baiting and bull-baiting are prohibited , as unlawfull on this day , which els are made lawfull on other dayes . and therefore dancing , maygames , morrices , and the like , how ever men may account them lawfull on other dayes , yet for the very reasons afore-sayd , forasmuch as they are prohibited as unlawfull by imperiall edicts of ancient kings and emperours , of whom our most gratious and religious soveraigne is by the treatiser acknowledged to be the noble , successour , in restraining the abuse , and scandalous profanation of the lords day : on this day at least , they are unlawfull . i will add but one instance more , and that is out of iustinian , where he seth downe this imperiall constitution . die dominico , &c. on the lords day , which of the whole week is the first , all pleasures of sports and pastimes being denyed to the people through all cities , let the whole minds of christians be occupied in the service of god : and if any shall on this day be taken up with the madnes of iewish impiety , or with the errour and franticknes of brutish paganisme , let him know , that there is a difference to be put between the time of prayers , and the time of pleasures . yea so religiously was this day observed , as if the emperours birth-day fell upon it , it must be put of to another day of the weeke ; and sayth the constitution , if the people sh●ll shew lesse reverence towards us then , than they were wont , let no man be offended with it , because men doe give greatest honor to our clemency , when the worlds obedience is entirely yeilded to the vertues and merits of almighty god. so there . in fine , in a * booke set forth by king hen. . and inscribted to his loving and faithfull subiects , which before had been set forth by the * whole clergie of the realme , with the names of . prelates , besides many doctors , prefixed unto it , & approoved by both the houses of parlament : are these passages , * against this commandement generally doe offend all they , which will not cease from their owne carnall wills & pleasures , that doe not give themselves intirely and wholly , without any impediment unto all holy works , and that not onely in the house of god , but also in their owne houses ; but ( as commonly is used ) passe the time either in idlenes , in gluttony , in riot , or other vaine , or idle pastime ; which is not according to the intent and meaning of this commandement , but after the usage and custome of the iews , and doth much offend god , and provoke his indignation & wrath towards us . and it is added in the clergies * booke , for as s. austen sayth of the iewes , they should be better occupied , labouring in their feilds , and to be at the plough , then to be idle at home . and women should better bestow their time in spinning of woll , then upon the sabbath day to lose their time in leaping , & dauncing , and other idle wanton , lose time ▪ so there . now tell me brother , what thinke you of this , that those prelates and clergy of england in the very first duskish dawning of the morning , should be so cleare , orthodox , and zealous in the point of the sabbath , and now in the meridian of the gospell so many , with their eyes closed up , doe with both hands fight against this truth ? a. i confesse it is to me no small matter of wonder . but sir now that you have so fully cleared the poynt about recreation from all the subterfuges of him , that hath so moyled himself to make some thing of nothing , and therein also have vindicated the lawes both divine , ecclesiasticall and civill , from giving any countenance or connivence to such recreations : there remaynes yet one thing to be cleared , and that is , about the judgement of the reformed churches beyond the seas , which the opposite authour pleadeth to be all for him . b. it s true . and i cannot but smile , when i thinke of it . that they , which make no bones even in open court to vilifie the prime pillars of those churches , yea and to nullify the churches themselves , as if they were no true churches , as having no lawfull ministers , because no prelatés to put them in orders : should notwithstanding daigne to grace them so much , as to call them in , and to account them competent witnesses in the cause . but a bad cause is glad of any patron , or advocate to plead for it , though the client have openly stigmatized him for a 〈◊〉 . but what stead will the reformed divines stand him in ? certainly in the point of sports and recreations they will utterly faile him , yea and disclame him too . in the point of the institution of the lords day , indeed , and the obligation of it to christians , a great part is for him , though the better part is for us . this is confessed of us . a. but i pray you , are they against him in the point of sports and recreations ? i have been credibly informed , that the contrary report hath made a strong impression of perswasion in some gentle and generous breasts , whose credulity subtile insinuations can prevaile so with , as to make them beleeve the moone is made of green cheese . i pray you therefore cleare this one point , and i will weary you no longer at this time , the night now drawing on apace . b. in a word then . true it is , that many and most of those churches , for the vulgar generality , come farre short of the due esteeme of the lords day in poynt of practise . but yet , for the ministers of the . provinces reformed , and of the neighbouring churches in germany , even all those ; that were of the councill of dort , did unanimously make some canons and decrees , joyntly to petition the states generall of the united provinces , for the reformation of the manifold profanations of the lords day . for in the . session are these words : ne autem , &c. and least the people on the lords dayes in the afternoone , being taken up with other affayres or exercises , be withdrawne from the afternoon-sermons , the magistrates are to be supplicated , that they by more severe edicts prohibit all servile , or dayly works , and especially sports , drinkings , and other profanations of the sabbath , whereby the afternoone time on the lords dayes , and specially in villages , is usually spent , that so by this meanes also they may be brought to those afternoone sermons , and so may learne to sanctify the whole sabbath day . and d. vvallaeus in his preface before his treatise of the sabbath , hath set downe so much of the synods petition to the states , as was drawne into forme for this purpose , in these words : vt gravissimae illae , &c. that these most grievous and manifold profanations of the sabbath , which are dayly committed by faires , wakes , banquets of societies , watchmen , neighbourhoods , mariages ; by the exercise of armes , by hunting , fishing , fowling , playing at ball , by histrionicall acting of comedies , by dauncings , port-hale of goods , drinkings ; & that many other like things , which in these countryes doe every where abound , to the great scandall & reproach of the reformed religion , and to the great hinderāce of gods worship , may be most strictly prohibited &c. so the synod . thus in one brief view you see the unanimous judgement of the divines of that synod , for the due sanctification of the lords day , or sabbath day , as they often call it : although the streame of a wicked custome in point of practise hath made an universall inundation in those provinces , which ( i feare ) will ( in time ) drowne them up in their profanenesse . and the synods judgement in the poynt of institution by divine authority and that from the fourth commandement , seemes to be no lesse sound and consentient , sith they so often call the lords day the sabbath day , and so zealously plead for the due sanctification thereof . 〈◊〉 enough of this . a. sir , i heartily thanke you for this your sweet conference , which i could be content might last yet a whole summers day , but that ( as i sayd ) the day now bidding us ▪ farewell , leaves us to bid one another good night . b. and so good night to you brother . a. and to you also , good brother . deo gratias . octob. . . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e * declaration about the dissolving of the parliament . and , declaration before the articles . communion booke catech expounded by beve . pag. . alex. d'ales p. . q. . m. ar . ibid. * pag. . in the high commission , at the censure of th. brabourne . b. andrewes speech in starte-chamber against mr. traske . dominicus dies , christi resurrectione declaratus est christianis , & ex illo coepit habere festivitatem suam . aug. p. . c. * thus d. andr. is point blanck against d. wh. who pag. . ( quoted before ) saith , that the euangelicall law hath not determined any certain day or time . yet lo here a certain day determined by the euangelicall law , delivered by the apostle . serm. . of the gunpowder treason , on psa. . . a patterne of catecheticall doctrine . and , the whole decalogue succinctly & judiciously expounded . ‡ so there should be confusion . manuscr . pag. . & . ☜ pag. . * aug. de temp. ser. . de eo quod scriptum est vacate , & videte quoniam ego sum deus . ac ideo sancti doctores ecclesiae decreverunt omnem gloriam iudaici sabbatismi in illam ( dominicam ) transferre , ut quod ipsi in figura , nos celebraremus in veritate & observemus ergo diem dominicam fratres , & sanctificemus illam , sicut antiquis praeceptum est de sabbato , dicente legislatore , a vespere usque ad vesperam celebrabitis sabbata vestra . videamus ●e otium nostrum vanum sit , sed a vespera diei sabbati , usque ad vesperam diei dominici sequestrati à rurali opere , & ab omni negotio , soli divino cultui vacemus . sic quoque sanctificamus ritè sabbatum domini , dicente domino , omne opus non facietis in eo . [ hilar in psalm . explanato prologus ] cum in septimo die sabbati sit & nomen , & observantia constituta : tamen nos in octava die , quae & ipsa prima est , perfecti sabbatum festivitate laetamur . heb. see zanchy de hominis creatione . lib. . cap. . sect. . ☞ the way to the true church . ibid. sect . digress . . n. . ibid sect. . n. . pag. . pag. . caroli m. leges ecclesiast . lib. . cap. . ludovic . pius ibid. additio c. . clem. alex. poedag . lib. c. . nere the end . hee lived about the yeare of christ . * pag. . * pag. . * see aug. de consensu euangelist . l. ▪ c ▪ ● . ☞ * gloss interlin . haec sunt opera tenebrarum . * opera carnis ibi . m. bucer ▪ de regno christi . lib. . ca. . scripta anglicana . concil . mediolan . . concil . mediolan . . concil . mediolan . . conc. rom. anno . conc. pars . bin. can. conc. colon. anno . explic in deoalogum . iustinian . cod. . tit . . * a necessary doctrine for a christen man. * printed . the institution of a christen man. * vpon the fourth commandement . * institution fol. . . sess. . the doctrine of the sabbath· delivered in the act at oxon. anno, . by dr. prideaux his majesties professour for divinity in that vniversity. and now translated into english for the benefit of the common people. prideaux, john, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the doctrine of the sabbath· delivered in the act at oxon. anno, . by dr. prideaux his majesties professour for divinity in that vniversity. and now translated into english for the benefit of the common people. prideaux, john, - . heylyn, peter, - . [ ], , [ ] p. printed by e[lizabeth] p[urslowe] for henry seile, and are to be sold his shop at the signe of the tygers-head. in st. pauls church-yard, london : . translated by peter heylyn. printer's name from stc. the first leaf and the last leaf are blank. printer's device (mck. or ) on t.p. running title reads: of the sabbath. reproduction of the original in the henry e. huntington library and art gallery. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng sabbath -- early works to . sunday -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - rina kor sampled and proofread - rina kor text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the doctrine of the sabbath . delivered in the act at oxon. anno , . by dr. prideavx his majesties professour for divinity in that vniversity . and now translated into english for the benefit of the common people . mark . . . the sabbath was made for man , and not man for the sabbath . london , printed by e. p. for henry seile , and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the tygers-head ▪ in st. pauls church-yard , . the preface of the translator , to the christian reader . of all the controversies which have exercised the church of christ , there is none more ancient than that of the sabbath : so ancient , that it tooke beginning even in the infancy of the church , and grew up with it . for as we read in the acts , there rose up certain of the sect of the pharises , which beleeved , saying , that it was needfull to circumcise the people , and to command them to keepe the law of moses ; whereof the sabbath was a part : which in the generall , as the apostles laboured to suppresse , in the first generall councell holden in ierusalem : so did s. paul , upon occasion of whose ministry this controversie first began , endeavour what he could against this particular . sharply reproving those which hallowed yet the iewish sabbath , and observed dayes , and moneths , and times , as if he had bestowed his labour in vaine upon them . but more particularly in his epistle to the colossians , let no man judge you in respect of an holy day , or of the new moone , or of the sabbath dayes ; which were a shadow of things to come , but the body is of christ. both which expressions of s. paul , are in this following discourse produced to this very purpose . yet notwithstanding all this care , both generally of the apostles , and more especially of s. paul , to suppresse this errour ; it grew up still , and had it's patrons and abettours . ebion and cerinthus , two of the wretchedst hereticks of the primitiue times , and after them apollinaris , are said to countenance and defend it ; which , doubtlesse made the ancient fathers declare themselves more fully in it , as a dangerous point ; which seemed to confirme the iewes in their incredulity , and might occasion others to make question of our saviours comming in the flesh . hence was it , that irenaeus , iustin martyr , tertullian and eusebius , men of renowne for learning in the primitive times ( three of the which are cited in the text of this following discourse , and the fourth quoted in the margin ) affirme for certaine , that never any of the patriarks before moses law , did observe the sabbath : which questionlesse they must have done , had that law beene morall , and dictated by nature , as now some teach us . afterwards by the opposition made by epiphanius , in his confutation of the heresies of the ebionites ; and by the resolutions of theodoret , on the . of ezekiel , procopius gazeus , on the second of genesis , by damascen , and our venerable bede ( which two last are here also cited , sect. the . ) concurring with the former fathers ; all talke and observation of the iewish sabbath vanished utterly ; and the lords day , which had from the apostles times beene instituted by the church , in the place thereof , was hallowed , without any rivall . nor doe i finde , but that all superstitious fancies about that day , were as wholly abrogated , as the day it selfe . save that saint gregory tells us , how some in rome were so superstitious in this kinde , that they would neither worke upon the saturday , no , nor so much as wash upon the sunday , but after , in the darker times , as it is thought by some , peter de bruis the founder of the petrobusians ( he was burnt for heresie anno . ) began to draw too deepe on these lees of iudaisme ; which here our doctor intimates in the . sect. where he joynes the petrobusian with the ebionites , who indeed were iewish in this point . and possibly , from the remainders of this doctrine , fulco a french priest , and a notable hypocrite , as our king richard counted him , lighted upon a new sabbatarian speculation , which afterwards eustachius one of his associates dispersed in england : i call it new , as well i may . for whereas moses gave commandement to the iewes , that they should sanctifie one day onely of the weeke , viz. that seventh whereon god rested : they taught the people that the christian sabbath was to begin on saturday at three of the clock , and to continue till sun-rising on the munday morning : during which latitude of time , it was not lawfull to doe any kinde of worke what ever , no not so much as to bake bread on saturday for the sundayes eating ; to wash or dry linnen for the morrowes wearing . yea , they had miracles in store ▪ pretended to be wrought on such as had not yeelded to their doctrine ; thereby to countenance the superstitious , and confound the weake . and which was more than this , for the authoritie of their device , they had to shew a letter sent from god himselfe , and left prodigiously over the altar in saint simeons church in golgatha : wherein this sabbatarian dreame was imposed forsooth upon all the world , on paine of diverse plagues and terrible comminations , if it were not punctually observed . the letter is at large repeated by roger de hoveden ; and out of him , as i suppose , by matth. paris : who doe withall repeat the miracles , whereby this doctrine was confirmed . i adde no more but this , that could i either beleeve those miracles , which are there related : or saw i any now , like those , to countenance the reviving of this strange opinion ( for now it is revived and published : ) i might perhaps perswade my selfe to entertaine it . but to proceed . immediately upon the reformation of religion in these westerne parts , the controversie brake out afresh ; though in another manner than before it did . for there were some of whom calvin speakes , who would have had all daies alike , all equally to bee regarded ; ( hee meanes the anabaptists , as i take it ) and reckoned that the lords day as the church continued it , was a iewish ceremonie . affirming it to crosse the doctrine of saint paul , who in the texts before remembred , and in the . to the rom. did seeme to them , to crie downe all such difference of dayes and times , as the church retained . to meete which vaine and peccant humor , calvin was faine to bend his forces ; declaring how the church might lawfully retaine set times for gods solemne service , without infringing any of s. pauls commandements . but on the other side , as commonly the excesse is more exorbitant than the defect , there wanted not some others , who thought they could not honour the lords day sufficiently , unlesse they did affixe as great a sanctitie unto it , as the iewes did unto their sabbath . so that the change seemed to be onely of the day ; the superstition still remayning no lesse iewish , than before it was . these taught , as now some doe , moralem esse unius diei observationem in hebdomada , the keeping holy to the lord one day in seven , to be the morall part of the fourth commandement : which doctrine , what else is it , ( so hee proceedes , and here the doctor so repeates it in his third section ) than in contempt of the iewes to change the day , and to affixe a greater sanctitie unto the day , than those ever did ? as for himselfe , so farre was hee from favouring any such wayward fancie , that as john barclay makes report , hee had a consultation once , de transferenda solennitate dominica in feriam quintam , to alter the lords day from sunday unto thursday . how true this is i cannot say . but sure it is , that calvin tooke the lords day to be an ecclesiasticall and humane constitution onely , quem veteres in locum sabbati subrogarunt , appointed by our ancestors to supply the place of the iewish sabbath : and ( as our doctor tells us from him in his seventh section ) as alterable by the church at this present time , as first it was , when from the saturday they translated it unto the sunday . so that we see , that calvin here resolves upon three conclusions : first , that the keeping holy of one day in seven , is not the morall part of the fourth commandement : secondly , that the day was changed from the last day of the weeke unto the first , by the authoritie of the church , and not by any divine ordinance : and thirdly , that the day is yet alterable by the church , as at first it was . neither was hee the onely one that hath so determined . for , for the first , that to keepe holy one day of seven , is not the morall part of the fourth commandement , our doctor hath delivered in the third section , that not tostatus onely , but even aquinas , and with him all the schoolemen , have agreed upon it . nor was there any that opposed it in the schooles of rome , that i have met with , till catharinus tooke up armes against tostatus : affirming , but with ill successe , that the commandement of the sabbath was imposed on adam in the first cradle of the world ; there where the lord is said to blesse the seventh day and sanctifie it . which fancie , by our author is rejected , and the opinion of tostatus justified against him , though he name him not . as for the protestant schooles , besides what is affirmed by calvin , and seconded by the doctor in this following discourse ; this seemes to be the judgement of the divines of the low-countries . francisc. gomarus , one knowne sufficiently for his undertakings against arminius , published anno . a little treatise about the originall of the sabbath , and therein principally canvassed these two questions : first , whether the sabbath were ordained by god , immediately on the creation of the world : the second , whether all christians are obliged by the fourth commandement , alwayes to set apart one day in seven , to gods holy worship : both which hee determines negatively . and doctor ryvet , one of the foure professors in leiden , although he differs in the first , yet in the second , which doth most concerne us christians , they agree together : affirming also jointly , that the appointing of the lords day for gods publike service , was neither done by god himselfe , nor by his apostles , but by authoritie of the church . for seconds , gomarus brings in vatablus , and wolfgangus musculus ; and ryvet voucheth the authoritie of our doctor here . for so gomarus , in the assertion and defence of the first opinion against this ryvet ; de quibus etiam cl. & doct. d. prideaux in oratione de sabbato consensionem extare , eodem judicio [ by ryvets information ] libenter intelleximus . i will adde one thing onely , which is briefely this . the hollanders , when they discovered fretum le maire , anno . though they observed a most exact account of their time at sea ; yet at their comming home , they found , comparing their account with theirs in holland , that they had lost a day ; that which was sunday to the one , being munday to the other . which of necessitie must happen , as it is calculated by geographers , to those that compasse the world from west to east : as contrarie , they had got a day , had they sayled in eastward . and now what should these people doe when they were return'd ? if they must sanctifie precisely one day in seven , they must have sanctified a day apart from their other countrymen , and had a sabbath by themselves ; or to comply with others , must have broken the morall law , which must for no respects be violated . see more hereof at large in carpenters geogr. p. . &c. next , for the second thesis , that the alteration of the day is onely an humane and ecclesiasticall constitution , the doctor sheweth in the fifth section , the generall consent of all sorts of papists , iesuits , canonists , and schoolemen ; of some great lutherans by name ; and generally , of the remonstrant or arminian divines in their confession : whose tendries in this point , wee may conceive with reason not to be different from the doctrine of the belgick churches ; in that the foure professors of leiden , in their examination or review of that confession , have passed them over without note or opposition . to these besides , are added diverse of our owne ; & e nostris non pauci , as hee speakes it in the generall ; i. e. as i conceive his meaning , such as are neither of the lutheran nor arminian partie . of which , since hee hath instanced in none particularly , i will make bold to borrow two or three testimonies out of the tractate of gomarus , before remembred . and first he brings in bullinger , who in his comment on the first of the revelation calls it ecclesiae consuetudinem , an ecclesiasticall ordinance ; and after addes , sponte ecclesiae receperunt illam diem , &c. the church did of its owne accord agree upon that day , for wee reade not any where that it was commanded . next vrsinus , telling us that god had abrogated the iewish sabbath ; addes presently , that he left it free unto the church , alios dies eligere , to make choice of any other day to be selected for his service ; and that the church made choice of this , in honour of our saviours resurrection . zanchius affirmes the same . nullibi legimus apostolos , &c. we reade not any where ( saith he ) that the apostles did command this day to be observed in the church of god ; onely we finde what the apostles and others of the faithfull used to doe upon it , liberum ergo reliquerunt : which is an argument , that they left it wholly unto the disposition of the church . aretius , simler , dav. paraeus , and bucerus , which are all there alledged , might bee here produced , were not these sufficient ; adde hereunto the generall consent of our english prelates , the architects of our reformation in the time of king edward the sixth ; who in the act of parliament about keeping holy dayes , have determined thus , together with the rest of that grand assembly ; viz. neither is it to be thought that there is any certaine time , or definite number of dayes , prescribed in holy scripture , but that the appointment both of the time and also of the number of the dayes , is left by the authority of gods word , to the authority of christs church , to bee determined and assigned orderly in every country by the discretion of the rulers and ministers thereof , as they shall judge most expedient to the true setting forth of gods glory , and edification of the people . which preamble is not to bee understood of holy dayes , or of saints dayes onely ( whose being left the authority of the church was never questioned ) but of the lords day also : as by the body of the act doth at full appeare . last of all for the third and last conclusion , that still the church hath power to change the day , our doctor , in the seventh section , brings in bullinger , bucer , brentius , vrsinus , and chemnitius , aliisque nostris , with diverse others not named particularly , as they are ; which thinke no otherwise thereof than calvin did , and shewes by what distinction suarez , though otherwise no friend unto the men , doth defend their doctrine : now as the doctrine was , such also is the practise of those men and churches , devoyd of any the least superstitious rigour ; esteeming it to be as a day left arbitrary , and therefore open to all honest exercises and lawfull recreations ; by which the minde may be refreshed , and the spirits quickned . even in geneva it selfe , according as it is related in the inlargement of boterus by robert iohnson , all honest exercises , shooting in peeces , long-bowes , crosse-bowes , &c. are used on the sabbath day , and that both in the morning , before and after the sermon ; neither doe the ministers finde fault therewith , so that they hinder not from hearing of the word at the time appointed . dancing indeed they doe not suffer ; but this not in relation to the sunday , but the sport it selfe , which is held unlawfull , and generally forbidden in the french churches . which strictnesse , as some note , considering how the french doe delight in dancing , hath beene a great hinderance to the growth of the reformed religion in that kingdome . which being so , the judgement and the practise of so many men , and of such severall perswasions in the controverted points of the christian faith , concurring so unanimously together : the miracle is the greater , that wee in england should take up a contrary opinion , and thereby separate our selves from all that are called christian . yet so it is , i skill not how it comes to passe , but so it is , that some amongst us have revivd againe the iewish sabbath , though not the day it selfe , yet the name and thing . teaching that the commandement of sanctifying every seventh day , as in the mosaicall decalogue , is naturall , morall , and perpetuall ; that whereas all things else in the iewish church were so changed that they were cleane taken away ; this day ( meaning the sabbath ) was so changed , that it still remaineth : and lastly , that the sabbath was not any of those ceremonies which were justly abrogated at christs comming . all which positions are condemned for contrary to the articles of the church of england : as in a comment on those articles , perused and by the lawfull authority of the church allowed to bee publike , is most cleere and manifest . which doctrinals though dangerous in themselves , and different from the judgement of the ancient fathers , and of the greatest clerks of the latter times , are not yet halfe so desperate , as that which followeth thereupon , in point of practise . for these positions granted , and entertained as orthodox , what can we else expect ; but such strange paradoxes , as in consideration of the premises , have beene delivered from some pulpits in this kingdome ; as viz. that to doe any servile worke or businesse on the lords day , is as great a sinne , as to kill a man , or commit adultery ; that to throw a bowle , to make a feast , or dresse a wedding dinner on the lords day , is as great a sinne , as for a man to take a knife and cuts his childes throat ; that to ring more bells than one on the lords day , is as great a sinne as to commit murder . the author which reports them all , was present when the broacher of the last position was convented for it . and i beleeve him in the rest . the rather , since i have heard it preached in london , that the law of moses , whereby death temporall was appointed for the sabbath-breaker , was yet in force ; and that who ever did the workes of his ordinary calling on the sabbath day , was to dye therefore . and i know also , that in a towne of my acquaintance , the preachers there had brought the people to that passe , that neither baked nor rost-meat , was to bee found in all the parish for a sundayes dinner throughout the yeere . these are the ordinary fruits of such dangerous doctrines ; and against these and such as these , our author in this following treatise doth addresse himselfe , accusing them that entertaine the former doctrinalls , everywhere , of no lesse than iudaisme , and pressing them with that of austin , that they who literally understand the fourth commandement , doe not yet savour of the spirit , section the third . this when i had considered , when i had seriously observed how much these fancies were repugnant both to the tendries of this church , and judgements of all kinde of writers , and how unsafe to be admitted ; i thought i could not goe about a better worke , than to exhibite to the view of my deare countrymen this following treatise ; delivered first , and after published by the author in another language . the rather , since of late the clamour is encreased , and that there is not any thing now more frequent in some zelots mouthes , ( to use the doctors words ) than that the lords day is with us licentiously , yea sacrilegiously prophaned , section the first . to satisfie whose scruples , and give content unto their mindes , i doubt not but this following discourse will be sufficient : which for that cause i have translated faithfully , and with as good proprietie as i could : not swerving any where from the sence ; and as little as i could , from the phrase and letter . gratum opus agricolis : a worke , as i conceive it , not unsutable to the present times : wherein , besides those peccant fancies before remembred , some have so farre proceeded , as not alone to make the lords day subject to the iewish rigours ; but to bring in againe the iewish sabbath , and abrogate the lords day altogether . i will no longer detaine the reader from the benefit hee shall reape hereby : onely i will crave leave , for his greater benefit , to repeat the summe thereof ; which is briefely this : first , that the sabbath was not instituted in the first creation of the world , nor ever kept by any of the ancient patriarkes , who lived before the law of moses : therefore no morall and perpetuall precept , as the others are , sect. . secondly , that the sanctifying of one day in seven , is ceremoniall onely , and obliged the iewes ; not morall , to oblige us christians to the like observance , sect. . & . thirdly , that the lords day is founded onely on the authoritie of the church , guided therein by the practice of the apostles ; not on the fourth commandement , ( which he calls a scandalous doctrine , sect. . ) nor any other expresse authoritie in holy scripture , sect. . & . then fourthly , that the church hath still authoritie to change the day , though such authoritie be not fit to be put in practise , sect. . fifthly , that in the celebration of it , there is no such cessation from the workes of labour required from us , as was exacted of the iewes ; but that we lawfully may dresse meat , proportionable unto every mans estate , and doe such other things as be no hinderance to the publike service appointed for the day , sect. . sixtly , that on the lords day all recreations whatsoever are to be allowed , which honestly may refresh the spirits , and encrease mutuall love and neighbourhood amongst us ; and that the names whereby the iewes did use to call their festivals ( whereof the sabbath was the chiefe ) were borrowed from an hebrew word , which signifieth to dance , and to be merry , or make glad the countenance . if so : if all such recreations as encrease good neighbourhood ; then wakes , and feasts , and other meetings of that nature . if such as honestly may refresh the spirits ; then dancing , shooting , wrastling , and all other pastimes , not by law prohibited , which either exercise the body , or revive the minds . and lastly , that it appertaines to the christian magistrate to order and appoint , what pastimes are to be permitted , and what are not , ( obedience unto whose commands , is better farre than sacrifice to any of the idols of our owne inventions : ) not unto every private person , ( or as the doctors owne words are ) not unto every mans rash zeale , who out of a schismaticall stoicisme ( debarring men from lawfull pastimes ) doth incline to iudaisme , sect. . adde , for the close of all , how doubtingly our author speakes of the name of sabbath , which now is growne so rife amongst us , sect. . concerning which , take here that notable dilemma of iohn barklay , the better to incounter those who stil retaine the name , and impose the rigour : cur perro illum diem plerique sectariorum sabbatum appellaetis , &c. what is the cause ( saith hee ) that many of our sectaries call this day the sabbath ? if they observe it as a sabbath , they must observe it , because god rested on that day : and then they ought to keepe that day whereon god rested ; and not the first , as now they doe , whereon the lord began his labours . if they observe it as the day of our saviours resurrection , why doe they call it still the sabbath ; seeing especially that christ did not altogether rest that day , but valiantly overcame the powers of death ? this is the summe of all : and this is all i have to say unto thee ( good christian reader ) in this present businesse . god give thee a right understanding in all things , and a good will to doe thereafter . the doctrine of the sabbath . or , a speech , delivered in the act at oxon . at the proceeding doctors , of christ . greene . io. tolson . tho. iackson . tho. binson . io. harris . in the yeere of christ , . touching the sabbath . levit . . . yee shall keepe my sabbath , and reverence my sanctuarie : i am the lord. of the sabbath . sect . i. my annuall taske ( learned and courteous auditors ) is ( as you see ) returned againe : whereto being bound ( as i may say ) like titius unto caucasus , i must of necessitie expose my selfe to so many vultures . divinitie tossed with so many stormes , and by her owne unworthily handled , hath not ( which was much feared ) as yet miscarried . behold i and the sonnes which god hath given mee . and though shee doe not glory , as before shee hath done , of a numerous issue ; yet shee is comforted with these few , whose modestie doth promise to supply that want , and hide her nakednesse . it is my office ( as you know ) according to the custome of this place , honestly to dismisse them hence , being now furnished and provided ; after all their labours . and being it is the seventh yeere , since i first attained unto this place ; and that there want not some litigious differences about the sabbath , which have of late disturbed the quiet of the church : i hope it will not seeme unseasonable , ( fathers and brethren ) to speake unto you somewhat of this argument ; and therein rather to explode their errors , who either seeme to tend , on the one side to atheisme , or on the other side to iudaisme , than any way to brand their persons . and that our following discourse may issue from the purer fountaine , we will derive it from the . of levit. v. . ( which doubtlesse , for the greater certaintie thereof , is againe repeated , cap. . v. . ) yee shall keepe my sabbaths . now for the first word sabbath , the learned in the hebrew language derive it not from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which being interpreted , is seven , but from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifieth to cease , leave off , or rest from labour : and seemes to have affinitie with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to set downe , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to adore , and praise ; all which doe intimate unto us , as well the use of the sabbath , as the duties also of all those who are bound to keepe it . it is not my intent to lay before you such further etymologies , as either are afforded us from plutarch , and the rest of greece ; who fetch it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to triumph , dance , or make glad the countenance : or from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a sirname of bacchus ; or at the least , some sonne of his , in coelius rhodiginus , ( whence bacchus priests are frequently called sabbi moenades , or saliares , in ancient authors : ) nor from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is the spleene , from the distempers of the which ( as giraldus thinkes ) the iewes , though very much thereunto inclined , were that day released : nor last of all , from any foule disease in the privie parts , by the aegyptians called sabba ; which fl. iosephus worthily derides in his second booke against appion . it is well knowne from what corrupt channell these derivations have beene drawne by the elder iewes ; who by their bacchanalian rites , gave the world just occasion to suspect , that they did consecrate their sabbath unto revels rather , than gods service . as for these sabbaths , they either were the weekely sabbaths , or those which in the scripture are called sabbaths of yeeres : and these againe , either each seventh yeere , in the which the earth lay fallow ; or every fiftieth yeere , called otherwise the yeere of iubile ; wherein each man returned againe to his owne possession , and inheritance , as the law appointed . there were at least five other meanings of this word , in holy scripture ; of which , consult hospinian in his booke de festis iudaeorum . but for the weekely sabbath mentioned in the decalogue , being it is become to many a rocke of offence ; it will not happily be unwelcome to the wavering mind , so to determine of the point , that they may have something whereupon to fasten . there is not any thing now more frequent in some zelots mouthes , than that the lords day is with us licentiously prophaned : the fourth commandement produced , and expounded literally ; as if it did as much oblige us christians , as once the iewes . and to this purpose all such texts of the old testament , which seeme to presse the rigorous keeping of that day , are alledged at once : and thereupon some men most superstitiously perswaded , neither to kindle fire in the winter time , wherewith to warme themselves ; or to dresse meat for sustentation of the poore , or such as these : which trench not more upon the bounds of christian libertie , than they doe breake the bonds of christian charitie . not so much therefore to abate their zeale , but ( if it may be done ) to direct it rather ; i shall in briefe , and as the time will give me leave , handle especially these three things about the sabbath : first , the institution ; secondly , the alteration of it ; and thirdly , the celebration of the same : that these my sonnes ( together with the rest ) may know the better , how carefully they are to walke in this doubtfull point : neyther diverting on the left hand , with the prophaner sort of people ; nor madly wandering on the right , with braine-sicke persons . sect . ii. and first , the institution of the sabbath is generally referred to god , by all who are instructed by the word of god , that hee created all things , and hath since governed the same . but touching the originall of this institution , and promulgation of the same , it is not yet agreed upon amongst the learned . some fetch the originall thereof from the beginning of the world , when god first blessed the seventh day , and sanctified it . whence well this question may be raysed , whether before the publishing of moses law , the sabbath was to be observed by the law of nature ? they which are commonly more apt to say any thing , than able afterwards to prove it ; maintaine affirmatively , that it was . for what say they , is it not all one , to blesse and sanctifie the seventh day , in the beginning of the world , as to impose it then on the posteritie of adam , to be blest and sanctified ? if all the rest of the commandements flow from the principles of nature , how is this excluded ? can wee conceive , that this onely ceremoniall law crept in , wee know not how , amongst the morals ? or that the prophet moses would have used such care in ordering the decalogue , onely to bring the church into greater troubles . adde hereunto , that torniellus thinkes it hardly credible , that enosh should apart himselfe from the sonnes of cain , to call upon the name of the lord , without some certaine and appointed time for that performance . nor were the frequent sacrifices , as calvin thinks , performed by abraham , and the other patriarkes , without relation to this day . tell mee ( say they ) who can , wherefore , before the publication of the law of moses , there fell no mannah on the seventh day ? had not the sabbath , according to gods first example , beene kept continually , from the foundations of the world. these are indeed such arguments , as make a faire flourish , but conclude nothing . tertullian , a most ancient writer , maintaines the contrarie : doceant adam sabbatizasse , aut abel hostiam deo sanctam offerentem , &c. let them ( sayth hee in a particular tract against the iewes ) assure mee , if they can , that adam ever kept the sabbath ; or abel , when hee offered unto god his accepted sacrifice , had regard thereof ; or that noah kept the same , when hee was busied in preparing of the arke , against the deluge ; or finally , that abraham in offering his sonne isaac ; or that melchisedec , in execution of his priesthood , tooke notice of it . so hee . besides , eusebius doth by this argument , maintaine the ancient patriarkes to have beene christians ( as wee are ) in very truth , though not in name ; because that neyther they nor wee observed the sabbath of the iewes , hist. lib. . cap. . and thereupon it is affirmed by iustin martyr , in his dialogue with trypho , and bede in his hexameron , that many of those former times were renowned for sanctitie , which neither kept the sabbath , or were circumcised . which also is expressely held by abulensis . it is true , that torniellus doth collect from these words of iob , where wast thou when i layed the foundations of the earth , when the morning starres sung together , and all the sonnes of god shouted for joy , iob . . , . that in the accomplishment of the creation , the angels did observe the sabbath . but then hee addes , that the observance of it heere upon the earth , was not till many ages after . it is true , that calvin hath affirmed , that it may probably be conjectured , that the sanctification of the sabbath was before the law. but many of our later writers are not therewith satisfied : and therefore it concernes them who maintaine the affirmative , to make it good by texts of scripture . sect . iii. for what weake proofes are they , which before were urged ; god blessed the seventh day , and sanctified it ; therefore hee then commanded it to be kept holy by his people . moses , as abulensis hath it , spake this by way of anticipation ; rather to shew the equitie of the commandement , than the originall . enosh might call upon the lord , and abraham offer sacrifice , without relation to a set and appointed time ; oftner , and seldomer , as they had occasion . and as for the not falling of the mannah on the sabbath day , this rather was a preparation to the commandement , than any promulgation of it . for put the case , that iacob on the sabbath had neglected labans flocks ; and that the israelites under pharaoh , had not made up their tale of bricks ; neyther had hee escaped a chiding , nor they the insolent furie of their task-masters . and now , according to the principles of these sabbatarians , what would you counsaile them to doe ? did they observe the sabbath ? they were sure of punishment from man : did they neglect it ? they were sure of vengeance from the lord. vnto such straits are they reduced , who would impose the sabbath , as a perpetuall law of nature , upon the consciences of their poore brethren . some men ( perhaps ) will say , that as the fathers before moses , had gods word amongst them , although not written ; and that it was committed unto writing , when as their severall families were growne into a nationall , and a setled church : even so the sabbath had a voluntarie observation , from the first benediction of the same , in private houses ; which after , when the church was growne , and released from bondage , was imposed thereon , as a commandement . suppose it so : yet still the observation of it , is founded on the fourth commandement ; which , whether it bee naturall and morall , or else ceremoniall , wee must consider more distinctly : for that a meere and perishing ceremonie should equally be ranked amongst morall duties , which are alwayes binding , seemes ( at the first sight ) not to stand with reason . therefore it is resolved on by the wiser sort , that there is in the fourth commandement something morall , and some things ceremoniall ; the circumstances ceremoniall , but the substance morall . it is , as abulensis hath it , a dictate of the law of nature , that some set time bee put apart for gods holy worship : but it is ceremoniall and legall , that this worship should bee restrained eyther to one day of seven , or the seventh day precisely from the worlds creation . a time of rest , is therefore morall ; but the set time thereof , is ceremoniall : which is confessed by those who have stood most on this commandement , and urged it even unto a probable suspition of iudaisme . aquinas also so resolves it : and ( which is seldome seene in other cases , the schooleman ( of what sect soever ) say the same . whereby wee may perceive , in what respects the fathers have sometimes pronounced it to be a ceremonie , and a shadow , and a figure onely . three things hath calvin noted in it , of perpetuall observation : first , rest from labour at some certaine and appointed time , that god the better may worke in us : secondly , holding of publike meetings and assemblies , for the exercise of religious duties : thirdly , the ease and recreation both of our servants and our cattell , which otherwise would be tyred with continuall labour . and three things also are alledged by abulensis , to prove it an unstable and an alterable ceremonie : first , the determining of the day to bee one of seven , or the seventh day precisely from the worlds creation ; next , the commencement and continuance thereof , from evening unto evening ; and lastly , the precise and rigid keeping of it , in not kindling fires , and such like . which , howsoever they bee true , and distinctly shew , what still pertaines to us in sanctifying the lords day aright , and what is abrogated by christs comming : yet since the word affords them not , they rather seeme to set downe somewhat of their owne , than produce any thing from scripture . for granting all that hath beene said , yet i will looke upon the text apart , and aske precisely , what it commands us . first there presents it selfe in the very front , the sanctifying of the sabbath . what sabbath ? the seventh day . how reckoned ? from the first of the creation . but this falls just upon the day of the iewish sabbath : and so to urge this commandement for keeping of the lords day , is to bring in iudaisme . whence truely said saint avstin , quisquis diem illum observat , sicut litera sonat , carnaliter sapit : hee that observes that day , according to the literall sence , is but carnally wise . they therefore are but idly busied , who would so farre enlarge the sabbath , or seventh day in this commandement , as to include the lords day in it ; or so to order their account , as that the sabbath of the iewes should fall iumpe with ours . as if there were an end of christian congregations , in case they were not borrowed from the iewish synagogue ; or that the institution of the lords day were of no effect , were it not strengthened and supported by the fourth commandement . calvin is very round with the like false-teachers . such men ( sayth hee ) as idly thinke the observation of one day in seven to be the morall part of the fourth commandement ; what doe they else , but change the day , as in dishonour of the iewes , retaining in their mindes the former sanctitie thereof . and thereunto hee addes : and certainely wee see what dangerous effects they have produced from such a doctrine ; those which adhere to their instructions , having exceedingly out-gone the iewes , in their grosse and carnall superstitions about the sabbath . but this , the changing of the sabbath to the lords day ( which is next in order to be handled ) will more clearely manifest . sect . iv. thus have wee found the institution of the iewish sabbath in the fourth commandement , confirmed by the example of god himselfe ; and wee have also noted , what is to bee retained therein , as morall : it now remaineth to see , what there is in it ceremoniall , and how abrogated . for if this bee not made apparant , and by evident proofes ; the conscience would bee wavering , and relapse at last to iudaisme . for who ( almost ) would not thus reason with himselfe ? i see a precept , ranked amongst other morall precepts , which doth command mee to observe the seventh day precisely , from the first creation : and since the others are in force , why is not this ? it neyther fits the church , nor mee , to repeale the law of god , at our discretions ; but rather to obey his pleasure . what then advise wee to bee done ? not as some doe ; who urge the words of this commandement so farre , till they draw blood instead of comfort . our saviour best resolves this doubt , saying ; the sabbath was made for man , and not man for the sabbath : and that the sonne of man was lord of the sabbath ; and therefore had authoritie to change it , for mans greater profit ; as the glosse notes it , out of bede . but heere it is objected , that christ came into the world , not to destroy the law , but to fulfill it . to which , wee say with the apostle : doe wee destroy the law by faith ? god forbid : wee confirme it rather . christ then hath put away the shadow , but retained the light , and spreads it wider than before ; shewing thereby , the excellent harmonie betweene the gospel and the law. saint pavl , rom. . and gal. . doth generally taxe the iewish observation of dayes and times : particularly hee sheweth us , that the sabbath is abrogated , coloss. the second : let no man judge you ( sayth hee ) in meates and drinkes , or in respect of an holy day , or of the sabbath , which were the shadow of things to come , but the body is of christ . let no man judge you ; i. e. let none condemne you , if you keepe them not : because those shadowes altogether vanished , at the rising of the sunne of righteousnesse . as therefore nature requires meates and drinkes ; but for the choyse thereof , wee are left free , to christian libertie : so reason tells us , that there must be some certaine time appointed for gods publike service ; though from the bondage and necessitie of the iewish sabbath , wee are delivered by the gospel . since then wee see the abrogation of the iewish sabbath ; let us consider , by what right the lords day hath succeeded in the place thereof : wherein i must of force passe over many things , which are at large discussed by others . for to what purpose should i fall upon the anabaptist , the familist , and swencfeldian ? who making all dayes equall , and equally to be regarded , instead of christian libertie , would bring into the church an heathenish licentiousnesse : or else exclaime against the sabbatarians of this age , who by their sabbath-speculations would bring all to iudaisme . iosephus tells us of a river in the land of palestine , that is called sabbaticus ; which being drie sixe dayes , doth on the seventh fill up his channell , and runne very swiftly ▪ contrarie , plinie ; that it runnes swiftly all the sixe dayes , and is drie onely on the seventh . baronius takes iosephus part . the rabbins ( who would prove from hence their sabbath ) take part with plinie . plainely baronius was deceived , as casaubon hath truly noted , by a corrupt copie of iosephus . but howsoever , for the rabbins , they are thus silenced by galatinus . si fluvius ille dum erat , &c. in case ( sayth hee ) that river whiles it was in being , was a good argument that the iewish sabbath was to be observed ; now , since there is no such river extant , it is a better argument , that their sabbath is not any where to be regarded . our fanatick and peevish spirits it were best to send , to make enquirie for this river ; while in meane time wee doe unfold , and for as much as in us is , compose the differences , which have beene raysed in this point , amongst wiser heads . sect . v. they then which are perswaded , that the lords day succeedes in place of the iewish sabbath , affirme it eyther as established by the law of god , and of divine authoritie ; or introduced by ecclesiasticall constitution . they which pretend the first , eyther derive their arguments more weakely , from the old testament ; or else more warily , from the new : and from the old testament they produce two arguments ; one , borrowed from the sanctification of the seventh day , in the first creation of the world ; the other , from the institution of the sabbath , in the fourth commandement . of those which build upon the constitution of the church , some doe affirme it absolutely ; as doe the papists and arminians ; as may bee made apparant out of the iesuites , canonists , and schoole-men , and the confession of the remonstrants . to whom adde brentius , on levit. . chemnitius , in his common places ; and of our owne writers , not a few . others so fortifie and corroborate this constitution ecclesiasticall , as if the church did onely publish and continue that , which by the apostles was first ordered . but ( as it seemeth to mee ) these differences are of no great moment : save that the first opinion inclines too much to iudaisme ; and doth too much oppugne ( whether more impudently , or more ignorantly ; that i cannot say ) the received opinion of divines . for who knowes not that common principle of the schoole-men , out of the seventh unto the hebrewes : the priesthood being changed , there is made of necessitie a change also of the law ? whence they conclude , that at this day the morall law bindeth not , as it was published and proclaimed by moses ; but as at first it appertained no lesse unto the gentiles , than the iewes ; and afterwards , was explaned and confirmed by christ , in his holy gospel , zanchius doth strongly prove the same ( amongst other things ) out of this commandement about the sabbath . si decalogus quatenus per mosen traditus fuit israelitis , ad gentes quoque pertineret , &c. if the commandements ( sayth hee ) as they were given by moses unto the israelites , appertained also to the gentiles ; the gentiles had beene bound by this commandement , to sanctifie the sabbath with as much strictnesse , as the iewes . but since it is most evident , that the gentiles never were obliged to keepe that day holy ; it plainely followeth , that they neyther were nor could be bound to keepe the rest of the commandements , as published and proclaimed by moses unto them of israel . nor doe these hot-spurres well observe , how they intangle themselves , by borrowing the authoritie of the lords day from the law of moses . for if they ground themselves upon that commandement ; why keepe they not that day precisely , which the text commandeth ? by what authoritie have they substituted the first day of the weeke , for the seventh day exactly from the worlds creation ? what dispensation have they got , to kindle fire , to dresse and make readie meat , which was prohibited the iewes , by the same commandement . in case they bee ashamed of these and such like beggerly elements , and tell us , that the morall duties of the day are onely now to bee observed ; ( not to say any thing of a distinction so infirme , and which the text affordeth not ) they desert their station ; and will they , nill they , ioyne with them , who letting passe the veile of moses , seeke for the originall of the lords day in the sunne-shine onely of the gospel . sect . vi. for those that make their boast , that they have found the institution of the lords day in the new testament expressely ; let them shew the place . our saviour oftentimes disputed with the pharises , about their superstitious observation of the sabbath day ; and many times explaned the meaning of that commandement : but where is any the least suspition of the abrogation of it ? where any mention , that the lords day was instituted in the place thereof ? well . christ ascended up on high , and left behind him his apostles , to preach the gospel . and what did they ? did they not keepe the iewish sabbath , without noyse , or scruple ? and gladly teach the people , congregated on the sabbath dayes ? nay , more than this : did not the primitive church designe as well the sabbath , as the lords day , unto sacred meetings ? these things are so notorious , that they need no proofe . the papists hereupon inferre , that the lords day is not of any divine institution , but grounded onely on the constitution of the church . a civill ordinance ( sayth brentius ) not a commandement of the gospel . and the remonstrants have declared in their late confession , that by our lord christ iesvs , all difference of dayes was wholly abrogated in the new testament . all which accord exactly with that generall maxime , which in this very argument is layd downe by suarez , and by him borrowed from the schooles : in lege nova non sunt data specialia praecepta divina de accidentalibus observantiis ; that in the new testament there were given no speciall precepts , or directions , touching accidentall duties . yet notwithstanding this , even in the church of rome , anchoranus , panormitan , angelus , and sylvester , have stoutly set themselves against these luke-warme advocates , in affirmation of the divine authoritie of the lords day . for , ( as it rightly is observed by the defenders of the fourth opinion ) it seemed a dangerous thing to the whole fabricke of religion , should humane ordinances limit the necessitie of gods holy worship : or that the church should not assemble , but at the pleasure of the clergie , and they ( perhaps ) not well at one amongst themselves . for what would men busied about their farmes , their yoakes of oxen , and domesticke troubles ! ( as the invited guests in the holy gospel ) would they not easily set at naught an humane ordinance ? would not prophane men easily dispense , with their absenting of themselves from prayers , and preaching , and give themselves free leave of doing or neglecting any thing ; were there not something found in scripture , which more than any humane ordinance , or institution , should binde the conscience ? well therefore , and with good advice , the acts and practice of the apostles hath beene also pressed ; besides , the constant and continuall tradition of the church : that so it may appeare , that in a thing of such great moment , the church did nothing without warrant from those blessed spirits . three texts there are , which are most commonly produced , in full proofe thereof . first , acts . . vpon the first day of the weeke , when the disciples came together , to breake bread , pavl preached unto them readie to depart upon the morning , and continued his speech till midnight . why is it sayd expressely , that the disciples came together , to heare the word preached , and receive the sacraments , rather on this day than another ; rather than on the iewish sabbath ? were it not then a custome , to celebrate on that day their publike meetings ; the sabbath of the iewes beginning ( by degrees ) to vanish . the fathers , and all interpreters ( almost ) doe so conceive it : though i confesse , that from a casuall fact , i see not how a solemne institution may bee justly grounded . nor may wee argue in this manner ; the disciples met that day together ▪ therefore they gave commandement , that on that day the church should alwayes bee assembled for gods publike worship . who markes not heere a great and notable incoherence ? looke therefore next upon the first to the corinthians , cap. . vers . . where wee seeme to have a commandement : let every man ( sayth the apostle ) upon the first day of the weeke lay by him in store : what ? collections for the saints : and why ? because hee had so ordered it , in the churches of galatia . heere then wee have an ordinance set downe by the apostle , to bee observed in the church : but what is that hee ordereth ? not that the first day should bee set apart for the lords service ; but that upon the first day of the weeke they make collections for the saints . the third and last , is revel . . and . i was ( sayth the evangelist ) in the spirit on the lords day : and what day is that ? had hee meant onely the iewish sabbath , doubtlesse hee would have called it so : if any other of the weeke , not eminent above the rest , the title had beene needlesse , and ambiguous ; and rather had obscured , than explaned his meaning . what therefore rests ? but that comparing this place with the former two , interpreters both new and old conclude together , that here the apostle meant the first day of the weeke ; whereupon christ rose , and the disciples came together , for the discharge of holy duties ; and paul commanded , that collections should bee made : as was the custome afterwards , in the primitive church , according unto iustin martyr , who lived verie neere the apostles times . the alteration of the name doth intimate , that the sabbath was also altered ; not in relation to gods worship , but the appointment of the time . sect . vii . what then ? shall wee affirme , that the lords day is founded on divine authoritie ? for my part , ( without prejudice unto any mans opinion ) i assent unto it : however that the arguments like mee not , whereby the opinion is supported . this inference first offends mee , that in the cradle of the world , god blessed the seventh day , and sanctified it ; therefore all men are bound to sanctifie it , by the law of nature : since i both doubt , whether the patriarkes did observe it , before moses time ; and have learnt also , that the law of nature is immutable . next this distasts mee , that they would have the spending of one day in seven , on gods holy worship , to bee perpetuall , and morall . as congruous , or convenient , all men admit it ; but cannot see so easily , that it should bee morall , and perpetuall . nor is it , thirdly , without scandall , that the fourth commandement should bee so commonly produced , to iustifie our keeping of the lords day , by the text thereof . if they required no more , but the analogie , the equitie , or the reason of that commandement , wee would not sticke to yeeld unto it : but whiles they stand too close to the very letter , they may ( perhaps ) bee iustly charged with iudaisme . fourthly , as little like i them , who promise much in proofe hereof , out of the new testament , which the text affordeth not . for where is any expresse institution of the lords day , in any one of the apostles , or evangelists ? yea , or what text is there , whence it may necessarily bee collected , in case wee meete an adversarie , who must bee dealt withall exactly ; and will not easily assent , but to solide arguments ? nor lastly , am i satisfied with the bare ordinance of the church ; which with the same facilitie may bee broke , as it was enacted : which absolutely to affirme of the lords day , were too unadvised . therefore , amongst so doth distinguish with us , of divine authoritie , strictly and largely taken : that so , not that alone which is found in scripture may properly be said to have divine authoritie ; but whatsoever by good consequence may bee drawne from thence , eyther in reference to the institution , or some example of it , or ( at least ) some analogie thereunto . and whereas calvin , bullinger , bucerus , brentius , chemnitius , vrsine , and others of the reformed churches affirme , that still the church hath power to change the lords day to some other : suarez doth thus distinguish in it , that it is absolutely alterable , but not practically : that is ( as i conceive it ) that such a power is absolutely in the church , though not convenient now to bee put in practise . the reasons of it , two : first , because instituted ( as generally the fathers grant ) in memorie of our redemption ; made perfect on that day , by our saviours resurrection : next , because not depending barely upon a civill , or ecclesiasticall ordinance ; but on the practice and expresse tradition of the apostles ; who ( questionlesse ) were ledde into all truth by the holy ghost . which beeing so ; if any waywardly shall oppose us , as if they would compose some sabbaticall idoll out of an equall mixture of law and gospel ; they may bee very fitly likened to the iew of tewksburie , mentioned in our common annals : who on a saturday fell by chance into a privi● , and would not then permit himselfe to bee taken out , because it was the iewish sabbath ; nor could bee suffered to bee taken thence the next day following , because the lords day , celebrated by the christians : and so , betwixt both dayes , hee died most miserably , that understood not rightly the celebration and true use of eyther . of which , the celebration of this day , i am next to speake . sect . viii . prayse waiteth for thee , o lord , in sion , and unto thee shall the vow be performed : o thou that hearest prayer , unto thee shall all flesh come . the life of pietie and religion , is gods publike worship ; the soule of publike worship , is the due performance of the same . they which esteeme not this as they ought to doe , whether prophane , carnall , or schismaticall persons , doe not alone ( as much as in them is ) teare the church in pieces , which is the seamelesse coat of christ ; but doe renounce the heritage , bought for us at so great a price , and offered to us with so great mercie . hee that endevours to pursue the severall by-wayes and dissonant clamours of particular men , in this present argument ; entreth into a most inextricable labyrinth . but generally , those things which others have propounded in some obscuritie , may bee reduced most fitly unto these two heads : first , that wee marke distinctly , in the celebration of this day , what speciall duties are commanded ; and next , what offices are permitted . to the discoverie whereof , these words , our god , our neighbours , and our selves , like a mercuriall finger , will direct our journey , amidst the severall turnings of this present world. these three are principally aymed at in those pious duties , which on this day have beene commended to us , or rather imposed on us , by the acts and practice of the apostles . first , the disciples came together , to breake bread , and heare the word : which , without solemne and preparatorie prayers , were a faint devotion , acts . this is the honour due to god. collections , secondly , are appointed , . corinth . . this is in reference to our neighbour . and last of all , saint iohn was in the spirit on the lords day , revel . . this in relation to our selves : that so our pious contemplations , borne by the wings of the spirit , may ascend on high ; even to those hills , from whence commeth our salvation . therefore upon this day , gods people are to meet in the congregation , to celebrate divine service , and to heare the word ; almes to bee given , and godly meditations to bee cherished with our best endevours . from whence ariseth that , as an accessorie in the gospel , which was a principall in the law of moses , rest from servile workes , and from the ordinarie workes of our vocation . for since there is not extant eyther commandement , or example , in the gospel , which can affixe the rest of the iewish sabbath to the lords day now celebrated ; and that our christian libertie will not away with that severe and ceremoniall kind of rest , which was then in use : wee onely are so farre to abstaine from worke , as it is an impediment to the performance of such duties as are then commanded . saint hierome on the eighteenth of the acts , affirmeth , that saint paul , when hee had none to whom to preach in the congregation ; did on the lords day use the workes of his occupation : and christ did many things ( as of set purpose ) on the sabbath , ( so hath chemnitius rightly noted ) to manifest , that the legall sabbath was expiring ; and to demonstrate the true use of the christian sabbath : if ( at the least ) the name of sabbath may be used amongst us , which some distast . to end in briefe , those things are all commanded , which doe advance gods publike service ; and those permitted , which are no hinderance thereunto . of this sort specially , are the workes of necessitie : as , to dresse meat , to draw the oxe out of the ditch , to leade our cattell unto water , to quench a dangerous fire , and such as these . then workes of charitie : first , in relation to our selves ; and heere wee are permitted recreations ( of what sort soever ) which serve lawfully to refresh our spirits , and nourish mutuall neighbourhood amongst us : next , in relation unto others ; and heere no labour ( how troublesome soever ) is to bee refused , which may accommodate our neighbour , and cannot fitly bee deferred . where wee must alwayes keepe this rule , that this our christian libertie bee void of scandall ; i meane , of scandall justly given , and not vainely caught at : that wee pretend not charitie [ to absent our selves from religious duties ] when eyther covetousnesse , or loathing , or neglect of gods holy ordinances , are under-hand the principall motives . foure properties there are ( as one rightly noteth ) of all solemne festivals ; sanctitie , rest from labour , cheerefulnesse , and liberalitie : which verie things , the ancients ( by those names , whereby they did expresse their festivals ) doe seeme to intimate . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifieth to meete , or to bee assembled : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to rejoyce , to dance : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to restraine from workes that are an hinderance . and so amongst the grecians , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth an assembly ; and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denotes expences : from whence , their solemne festivals were so entituled . and unto all these , whether recreations , or entertainments , feastings , and other indifferent customes ; it onely appertaineth to the religious magistrate to prescribe bounds and limits : not to the rash zeale of every one , which out of a schismaticall stoicisme , not suffering people eyther to use a fanne , or to kill a flea , relapse to iudaisme ; nor on the other side , to every prodigall and debauched companion , who joynes himselfe unto belphegor , and eates the sacrifices of the dead . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e cap. . . gal. . . . cap. . . . sect. . see austin de h●res●b . & epiphanius . sect. . epist. . l. . in rog. hoveden anno. . anno. . institut . l. . cap. . sect. . ib. sect. . paraen , lib. . cap. vlt. institut . l. . cap. . sect. . gen. . sect. . & . goma● . desensio sentent . c. . investig . sabb. cap. . cap. . cap. . . anno . and . of edward . cap. . heylius geogr. in france . roger● on the article● . art. . id. in the preface to the articles . paraen . l. . cap. vlt. notes for div a -e hebr. ● , s●mpos . l. . sub finem . lib. . cap. . de annis & mensibus . levit. ● . cap. . azor. instit. moral . part . . q. . hospin . de fest. ethn. & iud. l. . cap. . annal. sacri ad diem . in exod. ad praecept . . v. damasc fid . o. th . l. . c. . irenaeum , l. . in gen. . q. . ad d●em . sect , . in exod. 〈◊〉 praecept . . in gen. cap. . q. . calv. instit. l. . cap. . zouch . tom. . l. . cap. . in exod. . q. . ● . . q. . art . . institut . lib. . cap. . sect . . vbi supr● , instit. l. . cap. . sect . . marc. . . matth. . de bello iudaic. l. . cap. . natur. hist. l. . cap. . anno . n. . exer● . . sect . . lib. . cap. . bellar. de cult . sanct. l. c. . estius in . sent. d. . sect . . vers. . tom. . l. . c. . exod. . . matth. . mark. . luke . ioh. . acts . . . cap. hosp. de sest . christ. c. . montholon . prompt . in sabbat . de relig. l. . cap. . azor. institut . mor. part . . c. . zanch. tom . . l. . c . foxe & stowe in vita henr. . psal. . in loc . com. perk. in case of consc. l. . c. . rob. lo●u● in ●ffig . sabbat . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the morality of the fourth commandement as still in force to binde christians delivered by way of answer to the translator of doctor prideaux his lecture, concerning the doctrine of the sabbath ... / written by william twisse ... twisse, william, ?- . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) of the morality of the fourth commandement as still in force to binde christians delivered by way of answer to the translator of doctor prideaux his lecture, concerning the doctrine of the sabbath ... / written by william twisse ... twisse, william, ?- . lake, arthur, - . theses de sabbato. [ ], , [ ] p. printed by e.g. for iohn rothwell and are to be sold at his shop ..., london : . published later as: the christian sabbath defended. . errata: p. [ ] at end. reproduction of original in union theological seminary library, new york. "doctor lake, bishop of bath and wells, theses de sabbato": p. 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number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng prideaux, john, - . -- doctrine of the sabbath. ten commandments -- sabbath. sabbath -- early works to . sunday -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion of the morality of the fourth commandement , as still in force to binde christians delivered by way of answer to the translator of doctor prideaux his lecture , concerning the doctrine of the sabbath . divided into two parts . an answer to the prefacer , . a consideration of d. prideaux , his lecture . written by william twisse d. d. and pastor of newbury . exod. . . remember the sabbath day to keepe it holy . mat. . . thinke not that i am come to destroy the law or the prophets i am not come to destroy , but to fulfill . verse for verily i say unto you , till heaven , and earth passe , one jot , or one tittle shall in no wise passe from the law , till all be fulfilled . verse whosoever therefore shall breake one of these least commandements , and shall teach men so , he shall be called the least in the kingdome of heaven . london , printed by e. g. for iohn rothwell and are to be sold at his shop , at the signe of the sunne in pauls-church-yard , . the contents of the chiefe matters handled herein . in the answer to the prefacer . section . . . the ancients are alleadged in vaine to oppose the institution of the sabbath , as from the beginning . section . . the untruth of the praefacers legends concerning peter bruis , fulco , and eustathius and others , discovered . section . . calvin abused by the prefacer , and misconstrued . . what credite barclay deserves , relating a consultation of calvin , about transferring the sabbath to the thursday . . of the force of apostolicall example . section . . the vanity of the prefacers pretence , in saying catarinus opposed tostatus with ill successe , while he maintained the institution of the sabbath from the creation . it is made apparant , that his successe was far beyond that of tostatus . . whether adam fell the first day wherein he was created . . pererius his arguments for the negative . sect. . . doctor willet his arguments for the affirmative . sect. . . pererius his reasons against the institution of the sabbath from the creation , answered . . two digressions in answer to rivetus in two particular . . by way of reply upon his answer to walaeus his arguments , justifying the moraltty of one day in seven . . to his arguments opposing the morality of one day in seven to be consecrated to the lord. section . . a consideration of walaeus his discourse in answer to those , who conceave the institution of the lords day , to have beene ordered by christ himselfe . . an examination of that phrase of some of our davines , affirming the ancients to have changed the iewes sabbath unto the lords day for a probable cause : wherein it is shewed that the cause hereof was more then probable . section . . an examination of chemnitius his discourse , concerning the authority of the lords day . . a reply upon doctor rivets answer to master perkins his arguments standing for the divine authority of the lords day . . that the lords day , and the lords supper are so called in the same notion . . affirmed by doctor andrewes , perkins , thysius . . justified by good reason . section . . . a briefe of the arguments on each side for every point . . as touching the originall institution of the sabbath . . as touching the morality of one day in seven to be consecrated to gods solemne worship . . as touching the authority of the celebration of the lords day , and the immutability thereof . . the prefacer , and m. rogers opposing d. bownde are shewed in every particular to oppose d. andrewes . in the consideration of d. prideaux his lecture . . how far light of nature doth direct , as touching the time which ought to be set apart for gods solemne service . section . . reasons why the creator should prescribe the proportion of time to be consecrated unto himselfe . section . & . . how far light of nature doth direct as touching the particularity of the day under the proportion of one in seven , sect. the same . section . & . . that enosh with his holy company apparting themselves from others , had a set time for divine worship . section . . that it becomes not us to affect liberty to designe the day for the sabbath . section . the danger of leaving it to man to make choyse of the day . section . . . that the clebration of the lords day is of divine institution , and how far justified by the old testament , and particularly by the fourth commandement . section . . that it is nothing strange , the lords day should be called by the name of the sabbath . section . . sensuall pleasures are cleanly caried under the title of recreation . section . the preface . i have now a long time taken notice of much difference and contention about the morality of the fourth commandement , but i never gave my selfe to looke into the bottome of it till now . i ever conceived it for the substance to be morall ; otherwise , what should it make among the ten commandements , which all account the law morall , in distinction both from the law judiciall , and the law ceremoniall given by moses unto the jewes . these ten commandements the lord spake from the top of mount sina , in the hearing of all the people ; and by way of preparation to so notable a service , as to meet with god , and to heare him speake unto them , two dayes were given them to sanctifie themselves and to wash their cloathes ; that they might be ready on the third day : for the third day the lord would come downe on mount sina . and so it came to passe . for when moses brought forth the people out of the campe to meet with god , and they stood at the nether part of the mount : mount sina was altogether on a smoake , because the lord descended upon it in fire : and the smoake thereof ascended as the smoake of a furnace , and the whole mount quaked greatly . and all the people saw the thundrings and the lightnings , and the noise of the trumpet , and the mountaine smoaking : and when the people saw it , they removed and stood a farre off . in such heavenly state was this law delivered , and remember the sabbath day to keep it holy , amongst the rest , without all example of the like , in all the generations that went before . and the lord thought it sit , to mind them hereof by his servant moses : aske now of the dayes that are past , which were before thee , since the day that god created man upon the earth , and aske from the one side of heaven unto the other , whether there hath been any such thing as this great thing is , or hath been heard like it . did ever people heare the voice of god speaking out of the midst of the fire , as thou hast heard , and live . out of heaven he made thee to heare his voice , that he might instruct thee ; and upon the earth he shewed thee his great fire , and thou heardst his words out of the midst of the fire : and because he loved thy fathers , therefore he chose their seed after them . and in his last blessing upon the people , when now he was going out of the world , moses , as a king , putteth them in mind of this , saying : the lord came from sinai , and rose up from seir unto them , he shined forth from mount paran , and he came with ten thousands of saints : from his right hand went a fiery law for them . yea , he loved the people : all his saints are in thy hands , and they sate downe at thy feet ; every one shall receive of thy words . moses commanded a law , even the inheritance of the congregation of jacob. and he was king in jeshurun , when the heads of the people , and the tribes of israel were gathered together . it is true , there is an hole pickt in the fourth commandement , concerning the sanctifying of the sabbath ; as if that among all the rest , were not morall , but ceremoniall . yet this honour it hath from god , that immediatly after the creation , the lord resting on the seventh day from his works , therefore he blessed the seventh day and sanctified it . and therefore doctor andrewes , ere he died bishop of winchester , in his patterne of catecheticall doctrine ( i commonly cite it under his name , because it is commonly received to bee his ) and as i have heard upon divers good grounds , treating upon this commandement ; and having proposed this question ; but is not the sabbath a ceremony , and so abrogated by christ ? makes answer to it in this manner , doe as christ did in the cause of divorce ; look whether it were so from the beginning ; now the beginning of the sabbath was in paradise , before there was any sinne , and so before there needed any saviour , and so before there was any ceremony or figure of a saviour . and if they say , it prefigured the rest that we shall have from our sinnes in christ , we grant it , and therefore the day is changed , but no ceremony proved . and yet we are not ignorant , how papists have practised to raze the second commandement also out of the law given on mount sina , as if that also were out of date , being ( as they conceive ) but of a positive nature at first , so little evidence doe they finde for it by the light of nature ; and now the world is growne so wise , that they know how to worship god by images , without committing any idolatry at all ; though this mystery of religious state is not thought fit to be communicated unto the vulgar . but doe we not all acknowledge the light of nature to be much corrupted since the fall of adam ? how much more our judgement of morall things ; wherein aristotle confesseth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , demonstration is not to be expected , only but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perswasion . and if way be given to mens wanton wils for the gratisying of corrupt affections , more breaches than these are like to be made in the decalogue . i have heard that cardinall cusanus undertooke to justifie the sin of sodome . sure i am , amongst the lacedemonians wives were common : and brennus that ancient invader of other nations made profession , that he knew no other law of nature but this , that the weaker should be in subjection to the stronger ; like as king pyrrhus , in his death-bed , being demanded , who should succeed him in the kingdom , made answer , even he whose sword is the longest . carneades i thinke was the man , who having on a day made a singular speech in commendation of justice ; afterwards discoursed as eloquently to the contrary , shewing that there was no justice at all by the law of nature ; every naturall thing seeking to maintaine it selfe by the destruction of others . so the fire maintaines itselfe by the combustion of each combustible thing whereunto it approacheth ; and the water overflowes all naturally , and beats downe all dammes , it can , to make roome for it selfe . and the greatest beasts maintain themselves by preying on those that have no power to resist them . the more cause have wee to blesse god for giving us the law morall in writing , which grew so miserably defaced in the hearts of men . and that herein the sanctifying of the sabbath is mentioned among the rest , this hath ever satisfied mee , and assured that the substance thereof is morall ; and that accordingly wee ought to inure our selves to the sanctification of the sabbath , though naturally we find in our selves no greater reluctation to any commandement than to this : pardon me if i judge of others by my selfe in this particular . nay , upon this very consideration have we not the more cause to strive against this intestine corruption of ours ? his majesty is much delighted in hunting ; it is a recreation mixt with manly exercise , well becomming a king ; but i he are he never useth to hunt on the lords day . and so much the rather should the lords sabbaths be deare unto us , because the goodnesse and mercy of god appeares no where more , than in giving us his sabbaths ; calling upon us thereby to rest from the world unto him ( and god knowes , a christian soule finds no rest any where but in him ) and to walke with him in holy meditation , as he is pleased to walk in the midst of us , as a the holy one of israel : so to draw us away from worldly cares and pleasures , to the entertaining of heavenly and holy cares , to enrich our selves with the knowledge of god , and to recreate our soules in the lord , as hee solaceth himselfe in us , according to that , hee tooke his solace in the compasse of the earth , and his delight was in the children of men . on the lords day it is , that in speciall sort we christians take hold of that holy cōmunion , which god in great mercy in his son jesus christ vouchsafeth unto us with himselfe , speaking unto us as from heaven in his holy word , and giving us liberty to speak unto him . the lord pitcheth his tabernacle amongst us here on earth , and we are as it were taken up into the mount of god , there to be transfigured before him . when the lord appeared unto jacob in a vision by night , when he fled from his brother esau , and he saw a ladder erected between heaven and earth , and the lord on the top of it , the angels ascending and descending by it ; when he awoke , how dreadfull ( saith he ) is this place ; the lord was here , and i was not a ware ; surely it is no other than the house of god , and the gate of heaven . and are not our temples the houses of god ? are they not the very gates of heaven ? in our solemne assemblies is not aladder erected betweene earth and heaven ? is not the lord on the top of it , and are not we humbled at his feet to heare his word ? the gracious instructions which we receive from him , are they not as so many angels descending unto us ; the gracious motions that arise in our hearts , upon meditation of his word , of thankesgiving to him , of rejoycing in him yea , of sorrowing for our sins , are they not as so many angels ascending to him ? our teares have a double motion , one naturall , downwards , another spiritual , upwards , for the lord puts them into his bottels : the hairs of our head are numbred , how much more the sighes of our heart , and groanes of our spirit ? and have we not great cause to inure our selves betimes thus to sabbatize with god , as he sabbatizeth with us ? that we may be the fitter to keepe our eternall sabbath with him : ( for so is our eternall happinesse represented unto us ) in the enjoying of him for ever , and being filled with his glory ; which austin calls a sabbatum maximum , our greatest sabbath ; and b plenitudo sabbati ; and to that purpose casts his eye upon that sabbatum sabbatorum , sabbath of sabbaths , revel . . for when christ hath put downe all rule , and all authority and power , then shall he deliver up the kingdome to god , even the father , and god shall be all in all . yet i willingly confesse , that in my observation , two things there are , which seeme to be of great moment , in opposition to the morality of the fourth commandement : . the change of the day . . the generall opinion of the fathers pronouncing in an indefinit manner the fourth commandement to be ceremoniall . yet notwithstanding , the registring of it in the decalogue , which is generally accompted the law morall , i say , this consideration hath even prevailed more with mee , to accompt the substance thereof morall . neverthelesse for the honour i owe , and respect i beare to antiquity , i have endevoured to understand the antients aright , and to enquire in what respect they accompted it ceremoniall . for to my understanding , the sanctification of the rest , or the service of the day , especially unto us christians is meerely morall . but as concerning the rest it selfe , it may be , some ceremoniality may be found therein , especially considered in conjunction with the time appointed for the worship and service of god. and herein i thanke god , i have found good satisfaction unto my selfe , at last ; how i shall satisfie others i know not . and when sometimes i had waded thorow the epistle to the romans unto the fourteenth chapter ; there occasion was given me to consider further of this controversie , so farre , as a few dayes would give libertie to provide my next sermon : and therein i made use of hospinian , and of pererius , and no more as i remember ; but in pererius i came acquainted with tostatus his arguments , directed against the ancient institution of the sabbath from the creation , which till then i imagined had been generally received without contradiction ; according to that which the story of genesis at first sight seemes to commend unto us . and by this occasion my mind working hereupon in my meditations , i thought fit , for opening a way , to the better clearing of the truth , to distinguish three things , in subordination , the latter to the former . . the first was a time in generall to be set apart for gods service . . the second was the proportion of this time . . the third , the particularity of the day according to the specified proportion . . the first seemed tome of necessary duty by the very light of nature , to as many as know god , and acknowledge him to be their creator : and this i tooke , and doe take to be the highest degree of morality in this precept , and herein hitherto i have found no opposition . . as touching the second , by light of nature we are somewhat to seeke , as whether one day in a weeke or more ; or one day in a month or more ; or one day in a yeare or more , ought to be set apart for the solemne worship and service of god. so that herein it is fit we should expect direction from god , the lord of the sabbath . . because the service of the day is his , and it seemes fit he should cut out what proportion of time he thinkes convenient . . for the maintenance of uniformitie therein ; and lest otherwise there might be as many divisions hereabouts , as there are churches in the world , and contentions also consequently , each standing for their owne election . for reason of a conjecturall nature is very various , and therein commonly affection beares the greatest sway , and drawes the judgement to comply with it . but when god hath determined a certaine proportion of time , it may be we shall find great congruitie therein , even to naturall reason , and farre more than in any other . d. field , as master broad reports , professeth , that to one who knowes the story of the creation , it is evident by light of nature , that one day in seven is to be consecrated to gods service . and azorius the jesuit in his morall institutions acknowledgeth that it is most agreeable to reason , that after six work dayes , one day should be consecrated to divine worship . the least division of dayes is into a weeke , the next greater division is into a month , the next into a yeare . now by light of nature it seemes farre more reasonable , that one day in seven should be imployed in gods service , than one day in a moneth . and if a seventh part of our time be to be consecrated unto god , better a seventh day , than a seventh part of every day , because the worldly occupations of each of those dayes , must needs cause miserable distraction . thus reason may discourse in probable manner , when god hath gone before us to open a way unto us . certainly , when god hath once determined the proportion of time , it is so farre from being accounted morall , as perpetuall , and still to hold , untill god himselfe shall alter it . . as for the particularity of the day according to the forenamed proportion ; therein we should be farre more to seeke , were wee left unto our selves ; time consisting in a continuall flux and succession , one part afore , and another after . as namely , supposing one day in seven is to be consecrated to gods service ; yet wee shall still be to seeke , which day of the seven is to be set apart for an holy use . and no marvell ; for in it selfe it is nothing materiall . for a proportion of service being required within a certaine compasse , so it be done within that compasse , every master rests satisfied with his servants worke . but as for difference in the proportion , every one accounts that a matter of great moment . god himselfe acknowledgeth this ; therefore to whom he gives but little , at their hands he expects but little ; to whom hee gives much , of them he expects much , as our saviour teacheth . and saint john exhorts christians so to carry themselves in the lords service , that they may receive a full reward . yet both for our assurance that our service shall be acceptable with god ( for of jeroboam the son of nebat who made israel to sin , we reade , that hee offered upon the altar which he had made in bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month , even in the month which he had devised of his owne heart , which latter clause undoubtedly is added by way of exprobration ) as also to prevent divisions by reason of different opinions thereabouts , and as different courses therin ; it is fit that herein we should wait for the lords direction , and designation of the particular day . and even this also was so ordered by god himselfe , and that in great congruitie , as appeares to as many , as are acquainted with the story of the creation . for the lord having dispatched all his workes in six dayes , and resting on the seventh , commanded man to imitate him . for in this respect it was , that at the first the lord blessed the seventh day and sanctified it : and some thousand of yeares after gives this reason , why after six dayes of labour , the seventh being the sabbath of the lord our god , no manner of worke should be done therein : which being once thus ordered by the lord of the sabbath , it must be in force of perpetuall observation , as a requisite determination of the morality of this law ; and not of an alterable nature , save only by the same authority whereby it was ordained . now to my understanding , by the fourth commandement it is cleare : first , that god commanded some time to bee set apart , and sanctified unto his service . secondly , that the proportion of this time he hath defined to be one day in seven . thirdly , that the particular day under this proportion was designed to be the seventh , and that unto the iews in correspondencie to the seventh day from the first creation , where in god commanded them to rest from all their workes , like as on that day the lord rested from his works . and i thinke , there is no question amongst christians , but that all this ought to be religiously observed by the people of god , untill the lord himselfe manifest his pleasure for alteration , and no farther , in any particular , than god shall manifest his pleasure for alteration . as for example . first for the time , then for the rest , lastly , for the service of the day itselfe . first , if god hath not manifested his will for any alteration , of setting apart some time for divine service ; we must still continue to set some time apart for divine service . likewise , if god hath not manifested his pleasure , to have the proportion of time altered , which hath bin originally allotted unto his service ; we must not presume to allow a lesse proportion of time for his service , than hath been formerly prescribed by him . only both gomarus and rivet concur in this , that we may allow more ; and that in reason , it is sit now under the gospell to allow more time for gods service , rather than lesse , in comparison to that which he would have allowed him under the law. and as for the particularity of the day , if god hath manifested his pleasure to have it altered , it must be altered , ( as in case it appeare to have been ceremoniall , in respect of the rest commanded thereon ) and another in the seven substituted in the place thereof ; and that according to gods direction , and not otherwise . secondly , so as touching the rest of the day commanded upon mount sinaunto the jewes ( not so unto adam upon the creation ; but onely wee reade that god blessed the seventh day and sanctified it , which sanctification yet on mans part drawes a rest with it ) if there be found a just distinction betweene a rest morall , ( so far forth as the sanctification of the day requireth ) and a rest ceremonial , of a more rigorous nature , and that prefiguring something in christ ; it will follow herehence that the rest morall still continueth , together with the sanctification of the day , as much as ever , and that the rigorous rest must fall and be abolished . thirdly , so in the last place , as touching the service of the day ; whatsoever was prescribed unto the jewes thereon as ceremoniall , is at end ; as namely the sabbath sacrifice which doubled the daily sacrifice . only the publique ministery of the word and prayer , as morall , still continueth , together with our sacramentall ceremonies which christ hath given unto his church , baptisme and the lords supper ; and therefore the lords day was called by the ancients the day of light , in reference unto baptisme , baptisme being called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , illumination , the first worke of grace , and the day of bread , in reference to the lords supper . now all this i hope to make appeare , before i give over this taske which i have taken in hand . and i was the more confirmed in my meditations , when i heard by one of my auditors , a divine , that in this doctrine of mine concerning the sabbath , as touching the substance of that which was delivered by me , i nothing differed from the opinion of d. prideaux , whose discourse on that argument , at that time i had not been acquainted with . but since i finde that sect. . of that his lecture , he professeth that the jewish rest cannot stand with our christian libertie ; i say so too , and withall endevour to give evidence for the abrogation thereof . further , the same reverend doctor professeth , that we only are so farre to abstaine from worke , as it is an impediment to the performance of such duties as are then commanded . i am not only of his opinion herein , but withall desire no more than this to be granted for the maintenance of the morall rest of the fourth commandement . but i have observed some to deny any thing in the iewish sabbath to have been ceremoniall , yet will not have that fourth commandement morall , but positive rather , as touching both the observation of one day in seven , and as touching the particularity of the day . and therefore they deny it to be morall , because it hath not evidence by light of nature . but was it evident to the jewes by light of nature , that the god of their fathers , abraham , isaac , and jacob , and that brought them out of the land of aegypt , was the true god of the world , and that therefore they ought to have no other gods but him ? is it evident by the light of nature that god is not to be worshipped by an image ? or if naturall evidence hereof faile us in this state of corrupt nature wherein we are , shall these lawes be denied to be the morall law of god ? yet i nothing doubt but the proportion of time allowed for gods service , much more the particularity of the day appointed thereunto , is alterable at the pleasure of god. and ceremonials , i confesse , are in such a sense positive , or rather more than positive ; namely , such as not only may , but must like shadowes fly away when the body of them comes in place . and yet i find that cajetan in this point confounds ceremoniall with positive ; though i think he would not call it ceremoniall , unlesse he conceived , that this which he cals positive , had some ceremoniality in it . but their reason whereupon they deny the ceremoniality of it , in my judgment is not sufficient . . because they ground it upon a supposition very questionable , namely , that the sabbath was instituted before the fall , which some deny , and that with very great probability in my judgment . . their consequence is not good . for though it were no ceremony at the first ; yet others say it might be afterwards , and give instance in the rain-bow , which though in course of nature extant before , yet was not a signe till after the flood : and though i know some who would not admit of this instance , yet the thesis seemes very possible ; and clearely of such a condition was matrimony , ordained without all question before the fall . . what is that which they say is not ceremoniall ? is it the service of the day in the sanctifying of it ? none that i know , maintains that to be necessarily ceremoniall . or is it the rest of the day ? observe well , and you shal find no rest expresly commanded at the first , but only it is signified , that god dedicated it to his service ; which yet , i confesse willingly , draws after it a rest from all works opposite or impedimentall to the sanctification of it . . thus they take little care to satisfie the fathers , who generally concurre in acknowledging the ceremoniality of it . and we are too weak in these dayes , to beare up an opinion in flat contradiction to the ancients , and to keepe our selves blamelesse . yet doctor andrews ( bishop of winchester , ere hee died ) in his pattern of catechetical doctrine professeth against the ceremoniality of it ; but so as acknowledging it to prefigure the rest we shall have from our sins in christ , and that therefore the day is changed , though ( as he thinks ) the ceremony not thereby proved . yet pag. . having proposed such a question , whether we must observe the sabbath as the jewes did , not to kindle a fire , nor to dresse any meat on that day , answereth thus ; we say no ; for this was but ceremoniall , and belonged only unto them . . upon this ground ( to wit , upon the denying of the ceremoniality of the particular day ) they will hardly be able to justifie the abrogation of it . for albeit , they find some ground for observation of the lords day , yet no ground at all for the abrogation of the seventh . and that which is only positive , must still continue , till it be abrogated by as good authority , as whereby it was made . . and wee find the practise of the church for the observation of both some hundreds of yeares continued . . and it seemes congruous to reason in the judgement of those , who oppose both the institution of it forthwith after the creation , and the morality of one day in seven , that wee should consecrate to gods service rather more dayes than fewer . and surely to discover as good ground , for ●●servation of the lords day now , as for observation of the seventh formerly , is the greatest difficulty that i find in this argument , if not insuperable ; whereof yet wee shall find our selves in greater measure eased , if we can shew manifest evidence for the abrogation of the seventh , which was sabbaticall to the jewes . now first , this is clearly performed by acknowledgeing the ceremoniality of it , which yet i doe not affect should be acknowledged without proofe . secondly , thus also the fathers shall fairely be satisfied . thirdly , and the introduction of the lords day in the place therof advanced . fourthly , especially if the ceremoniality be so cleared , as plainly to manifest , that the body thereof was christ , which is a very hard taske to performe of all other ceremonies , yea , of all other sabbaths or any other sabbath save of the weekely sabbath . but of all these , to wit : . of the originall institution of it . . of the morality of one day in seven , as perpetually to be observed . . of the authority of the lords day , introduced into the place of the seventh , by more than ecclesiasticall or humane constitution , we shall speak more by occasion of the severall passages in this discourse , which comes to be examined , so to make way to enquire about the sanctification of the lords day , whether in opposition as much to worldly sports and pastimes ( or more rather ) as to the works of our calling . for to the consideration hereof we are now driven ; it being now held that they who speak or write against such sports and pastimes upon the lords day , our christian sabbath , doe oppose truth . now whether we do oppose truth in standing for the sanctification of the lords day , and maintaining these pastimes specified to be an impediment thereunto ; we desire to commend our selves to the judgement of every christian conscience , upon consideration of our reasons herein represented . our savior commands us to give unto caesar that which is caesars , and unto god the things that are gods ; and wee hold our selves bound to hearken unto his voice , as we hope to be saved by his grace . and because in some cases it may bee doubtfull , what belongs unto caesar , and what belongs unto god , by reason of the darknesse of our understanding , and weaknesse of our judgement ; it behooves us so much the more to labour in the investigation of this difference , and carefully looke unto it , that under colour of giving unto caesar , that which is caesars , we doe not give unto caesar that which is not caesars , and not give unto god that which is gods : and under colour of giving unto god that which is gods , we doe not give unto god that which is not gods , and not give unto caesar that which is caesars . and albeit d. prideaux his lecture was neither delivered ( as i am perswaded ) by word of mouth , nor afterwards set forth in print to strengthen so sharpe proceedings against the ministers of god as now are in course ; yet seeing it hath been of late translated and published in english , with a preface , to the justifying of the same proceedings , even then ( as it seemes ) intended ; and that neither according to any law or canon that we know of ; therefore i am driven , ( who otherwise , i am verily perswaded , should never have set hand unto this worke , but left it unto others , who are better versed in practicall and pastorall divinity than my selfe ) to give my self to the examination , both of the preface , and of the booke it selfe : for we labour , as it were , for life under the burthen of it ; and this is set forth , as it seemes , to promote our condemnation . the doctrine of the sabbath delivered in the act at oxenford , anno . by d. prideaux , his majesties professor in divinity in that universitie . and now translated into english for the benefit of the common people , marke . . the sabbath was made for man , not man for the sabbath . together with an examination thereof . the preface of the translator to the christian reader . of all the controversies which have exercised the church of christ , there is none more ancient than that of the sabbath . so ancient , that it tooke beginning even in the infancie of the church , and grew up with it . for as we reade in the acts , there rose up certaine of the sect of the pharises which beleeved , saying , that it was needfull to circumcise the people , and to command them to keep the law of moses , whereof the sabbath was a part : which in the generall , as the apostles laboured to suppresse in the first generall councell holden in jerusalem : . so did saint paul ( upon occasion of whose ministry this controversie first began ) endevour what he could against this particular ; sharply reproving those , which allowed yet the iewes sabbath , or observed dayes , and months , and times , as if he had bestowed his labour in vaine upon them . but more particularly in his epistle to the colossians , let no man judge you in respect of an holy day , or of the new moone , or of the sabbath dayes , which were a shadow of things to come , but the body was of christ . both which expressions of saint paul are in this following discourse produced to this very purpose . yet notwithstanding all this care , both generally of the apostles , and more especially of saint paul to suppresse this errour , it grew up still and had its patrons and abettors . . ebion and cerinthus , two of the wretchedest heretiques of the primitive times , and after them apollinaris , are said to countenance and defend it , which doubtlesse made the ancient fathers declare themselves fully in it , as a dangerous point : which seemed to confirme the jewes in their incredulity , and might occasion others to make question of our saviours comming in the flesh . . hence was it that irenaeus , iustin martyr , tertullian and eusebius , men of renowne for learning in the primitive times ( three of which are cited in the text of this following discourse , and the fourth quoted in the margin ) affirme for certaine , that never any of the patriarches before moses law did observe the sabbath : which questionlesse they must have done , had that law been moral , and dictated by nature , as now some teach us . . afterwards by the opposition made by epiphanius , in his confutation of the herefies of the ebionites ; and by the resolutions of theodoret on the . of ezech. procopius gazaeus on the . of gen. by damascen , and our venerable bede , ( which two last are here also cited , sect. . ) concurring with the former fathers , all talke and observation of the jewish sabbath vanished utterly ; and the lords day which had from the apostles times been instituted by the church , in the place thereof , was hallowed without any rivall . . nor do i find but that all superstitious fancies about that day , were as wholly abrogated as the day it selfe . save that s. gregory tels us , how some in rome were so superstitious in this kind , that they would neither work upon the saturday , no nor so much as wash upon the sunday . exam. i observe in the title first , that the translator professeth , he hath performed his part , for the benefit of the common people . i doe not envie them that benefit , if it be a benefit : but if it be not so , but prove contrary , i shall grieve rather . no doubt the translator thinks he hath an advantage thereby , so did rabshakeh , when he refused to speak in the aramites language , but chose rather to speake in the jewes tongue in the audience of the people that were on the wall ; that if they did not harken unto him , they might eat their owne dung , and drink their own pisse , with the rest . what will bee the condition of some of them who doe not hearken to this praefacer ; i know not , but according to my poore judgement , my opinion is , that as many as hearken to this praefacer , if christs comming shall bee on his owne day as austin hoped , it would bee ( and what day more likely in all probabilitie ? ) and at his comming on the lords day he should take them in their sports , their owne hearts would misgive them , that their comfort should bee as little as that the orator threatned unto the jewes upon the wall , in case they did not hearken unto him . in a book printed not long ago i hear , there is alleaged a passage of one of the “ fathers , for the free use of scripture by all sorts of the vulgar people ; and it is translated also into english , belike , for the benefit of the common people , but in a second edition the greeke sentence is “ said to be reteined , but the english translation quite omitted . did the author report of gratifying the people thus , and quench his care of providing for their benefit ? this observation is none of mine , but accidentally brought unto my hands by one of some qualitie , by occasion of mutuall communication betweene us . but since , i heare the author hath made amends for that another way . for having in the first edition professed , that popish errours are not damnable in themselves , which with what respect it should bee delivered for the benefit of the common people , amongst protestants , i know not ; in the second edition it is corrected thus , popish errours are not damnable in the issue . but where corrected ? not in the text , ( that continuing the same still , that such errours are not damnable in themselves ) but among the errata at the end of the booke , although the author was warned of the strangenesse of that assertion ( as i heare ) and that in contradiction to the doctrine of the bishop of canterbury in his treatise of councels , professing that the papists withholding the cup from the * people , is a damnable errour . here is brave jugling in the text to comply with some , and in the errata , to provide against afterclaps for himselfe , and to comply with others , and betray deep dissimulation in both , enough to make some man ( when such courses are discovered ) to be abhorred of al. but toproceed , the translator doth not say , he hath performed this taske fot the benefit of himselfe , yet he plainly deales upon an advantagious argument . but if his majestie shall be pleased out of his gracious disposition ( whereof he hath given many remarkable documents ) to vouch safe to receive information concerning the honor of the lords day , in way of a just and necessary apologie , which wee are driven to make , i trust ( through gods goodnesse ( in whose hands are the hearts of kings ) it shall bee neither advantagious to him , nor disadvantagious to us ; and his majestie may perhaps bee found to absolve us in the court of his owne conscience . but what is that benefit of the common people , whereof this translator is so zealous ? i guesse it is in freeing them from superstition ; and that hereafter they may not bee so peevishly foolish , as out of any cabalismes of conscience , to forbeare their may-games ; and usuall dancings on the lords day ; yet some , and they no small ones , as i have heard , do professe them no otherwise to be allowed then as they may be done to the praise and glory of god. which calls to my remembrance what a scotchman sometimes said , as he was going in one of london streets , and spying one of his acquaintance on the other side : for calling him aloud by his name ; o sir , saith he , when shall we meet at a taverne , to give god thanks for our deliverance out of the i le de re ? but how comes that to bee accounted superstitious , which all the bishops of the land , and the whole kingdome accounts the prophanation of the sabbath , not to speake of particular bishops , though as great for learning and place , as bishop andrewes , who in his patterne of catecheticall doctrine , tells us of some , who on the lords day , vacant nugis , spectaoulis , theatris , choreis , and approves the stiling of such a sabbath , sabbatū aurei vit uli , the sabbath of the golden calf ; i make bold to translate it for the benefit of the cōmon people ; and b. downham bestowes the like denomination upon such a sabbath . bishop andrewes over and above cites austin for the like saying , but that is more then any quotation of his doth make good , for ought i find hitherunto . but whatshould i alleage one or two doctors opinions hereupon though never so great , when an whole kingdome stands for the same in my judgement , even the kingdome of england , as may appeare by the act of parliament . caroli , concerning the sabbath . the introduction there unto , manifesteth three grounds whereupon they proceed to make that act. that there is nothing more acceptable to god , then his holy worship and service . that the due sanctification of the lords day , is a great part of gods holy woship and service . that men are very prone to prophane it . now to prevent this prophanation of the sabbath , many things are there prohibited ; and one amongst the rest is this , that none shall come forth out of his own parish about any sports or pastimes ; whence i conclude , that to come out of a mans parish on the lords day , about any sports or pastimes is to prophane the sabbath . for to prevent the prophanation of our christian sabbath and to maintaine the sanctification thereof is this law made . now to come out of a mans owne parish about what businesse soever , no wise man will say that it is to prophane the sabbath ; but according to the nature of the businesse , whereabout hee comes forth of his owne parish , so shall hee bee found , either to prophane the sabbath , or not to prophane it . as for example , for a man to come forth of his owne parish to heare a sermon , no man i thinke , will say , that it is to prophane the sabbath . in like manner , to come forth of his owne parish , into an other parish to fetch a physitian or surgeon in case of necessitie , no man will say that this is to prophane the sabbath , because the businesse about which hee comes is not to prophane the sabbath . but for a man to come out of his own parish to buy or sell , to trade or traffique , no necessitie urging thereunto , this is to prophane the sabbath ; because in such sort to trade on the sabbath day , is to prophane the sabbath . in like sort , for a man to come out of his owne parish about any sports or pastimes , is therefore to prophane the sabbath in the judgement of the parliament , because the keeping and performing of these sports and pastimes , is a manifest profanation of the sabbath in the judgement of the king and his parliament . now if all sports and pastimes on the lords day bee a prophanation of the lords day our christian sabbath ; it followeth that may-games and moricings , and dancings , at such times usuall , are also a manifest profanation of the sabbath . and herein wee speake , as i conceive , in his majesties meaning , assisted with the great councell of his kingdome , the lords spirituall and temporall , and the house of commons : and whosoever shall account it superstition to say so , shall therewithall charge his royall majestie , and all the lords both spirituall and temporall ; and in a word , the whole parliament with superstition . yet if it were onely the benefit of the common people , that this translator did intend , i for my part should bee content to suffer him to enjoy the honour of seeking the benefit of the people ; onely admonishing the people commited to my charge , to consider well whether there bee any such benefit to bee reaped thereby as is pretended . and seeing saint peter exhorts us to give diligence , that wee may bee found of christ in peace , when hee comes in flaming fire to render vengeance on all them that know not god , nor obey not the gospell of christ jesus : let every one examine himselfe , whether hee could bee content to bee taken dancing about a may-pole on the lords day , when the lord , even the lord of the sabbath shall come , and that to be found of him in this condition , were to bee found of him in peace . but seeing this translation , and especially the preface of this author tends to the promoting of the most rigorous censures against many ; it stands us upon to plead our owne cause , and to labour herein as for life : even in examination ofthe of the doctrine here delivered , that wee may finde upon how just ground it proceeds ; otherwise wee may bee justly condemned of all : and in the censures that passo upon us whether of excommunication , or suspension , or deprivation , finde none to plead our cause , or to commiserate us . the second thing i observe in this title , is the passage of scripture here mentioned , as justifying the doctrine here delivered out of mark. . . the sabbath was made for man , not man for the sabbath . now none of us makes question but that the sabbath was made for man : nay wee nothing doubt but that all the dayes of the weeke were made for man , that is , for the good of man , but the sabbath for the best good , not the basest good of man in following his worldly pleasures . the six dayes of the weeke are given us to labour in our ordinary callings , for the maintenance of ourlife temporall : but the seventh is sanctified by god , that is , dedicated to holy exercises in the service of god , and to inure us to recreate our selves and to delight in the lord ; that as his soule takes pleasure in us , so our soules might be accustomed to take pleasure in him ; and to make his sabbaths our delight , to consecrate them as glorious unto the lord. it is true , there is another end of the sabbath , and that was ut vires recolligeret , to recollect his strength which had been spent and wasted in the sixe dayes of labour ; whence it followes evidently , that when a man was hungry as the disciples were , when they plucked the eares of corne , they were not bound by any religion of the sabbath to abstaine from such a course , whereby a mans strength would become more and more weakned and impaired . not that these things were commanded on the sabbath day , but permitted ; as is often signified by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is lawfull ; and for good reason . for the sabbath being ordained to promote a mans bene esse , his well being ; and that in the best things it supposeth libertie to provide for his esse in case of necessitie ; lost otherwise he shall be found uncapable of those things that concerne his bene esse , his well being . for our nature wanting necessarie refreshment doth thereby many times become the more unfit for holy excerises , and to performe that dutie which god requires , and hath deserved at our hands . how were ionathans eyes enlightned upon the tasting of a little honey , sam. . . but this translator desires , as it seemes , from the generalitie of mans good to seale up an opinion in the minde of his readers , that the sabbath was made not onely for the service of god , and for the promoting of a man in the knowledge and feare of god , but for the furthering of his carnall pleasures also . but never was it knowne that our saviour justified any libertie to such courses on the sabbath : neither were any such things , as it seemes in course , in the dayes of the prophet amos , who reprehends them for saying , am. . . when will the sabbath be gone , that they might returne to their worldly courses ? rather they could wish their sun might stand still on that day , as sometimes it did in the dayes of ioshua , if libertie were given to sports , pastimes , and pleasures on that day : and it wvre wondrous strange that libertie should bee debarred them from kindling a fire to set forward the structure of the sanctuarie , made to this very end that the lord might dwell among them : and from so precious a worke as the embalming of the body of christ , the lord of the sabbath , and that at the very end of the day , if at that time they were not restrained from any sensuall course of recreation , according to the common fashion of the world . undoubtedly , howsoever it stands now with us christians ; in the dayes of our saviour , they that rested on their sabbath from embalming the body of christ , and that according to the appointment , which is as much as to say , according to the law of god ; surely they , by the same law of god were much more restrained from worldly pleasures , these standing far more in opposition to the sanctification of the lords sabbath , then the emblming of the body of the sonne of god , who was lord of the sabbath . and therefore this text is most unseasonably and impertinently alleaged by the translator to serve his turh , being farre more fit to crosse his purposes , then any way to promote them . so from the consideration of the title , i come to the preface . if the antiquitie of this controversie concerning the sabbath , were any thing materiall ; this praefacer were foundered at the first : for what if the sabbath bee a part of the law of moses ? was not the law of sanctifying the name of god , the law forbidding images , the law commanding them to have no other gods but him , that brought them out of the land of aegypt : the law commanding to honour parents , to abstaine from murther , adultery , theft , were not all these the law of moses ? is not the law of sanctifying the sabbath one of the tenne commandements delivered by god from mount sinai as well as the other nine ? and was it not kept in the arke as well as the rest ? circumcision was no law of moses , and therefore albeit it be said ioh. . . that moses gave unto them circumcision , yet forth with it is added , not because it is of moses , but of the fathers : so that moses rather confirmed it , then was the first giver of it . so that the law of moses in this place is to bee understood of the ceremoniall law , not of the morall law contained in the decalogue , and among these tenne commandements , that of the sabbath is one , and commended unto them in that state as none so much , remember the sabbath day to sanctifie it ; and not onely before moses , but before abraham and noah also , wee read , that the seventh day god rested from all the workes that hee had made , and that therefore god blessed the seventh day and sanctified it . of any minister or pastor in the church of england that maintaines us christians to be obliged to the observation and sanctification of the jewish sabbath , or of any sabbath that is a shadow of things to come , the body whereof is of christ , i never heard or read . yet for some hundred yeares in the primitive church , not the lords day onely , but the seventh day also was religiously observed , not by ebion and cerinthus onely , but by pious christians also , as baronius writeth and gomarus confesseth , and rivet also , that we are bound in conscience under the gospell , to allow for gods service a better proportion of time , than the jewes did under the law , rather than a worse . and further it is well knowne , that besides the weekely sabbath , there was variety of observation of times amongst the jewes , and divers of them called sabbaths also , as some think , not one whereof was mentioned in the decalogue , or pronounced by the lord from mount sinai , as the fourth commandement was , for the sanctifying of the weekly sabbath . so that this praefacer every way sheweth miserable loosenesse in his discourse . and if ebion and cerinthus , and apollinaris , how wretched heretickes soever did still inforce the sanctification of the jewish sabbath , ( whose wretchednesse yet consisted not so much in inforcing this , as in inforcing all the ceremonies of moses ; the jewish sabbath long after cerinthus continuing to be observed by many pious christians , as baronius observeth & others , and saint paul doth oppose all such doctrine and practise in these passages of his here mentioned : did not this author know that upon these very passages of saint paul , the anabaptists and socinians , as vile heretickes as ebion and cerinthus , and apollinaris , for their blood have gone so farre , as not onely to overthrow the observation of the jewish sabbath , but the sanctifying of the lords day also . the opinion of the law ceremoniall standing still in force ( which indeed was the opinion of the heretickes mentioned ) is i confesse , a dangerous point , and such as not onely seemed ( as this praefacer minceth it , out of what degree of wisdome or providence i know not ) to confirme the jewes in their incredulitie , but indeed justly might confirme them ; nor onely occasion , but justly cause also others , to make question of our saviours comming in the flesh ; not so the observation of the seventh day to sanctifie it , for ought this author hath hitherto manifested , or throughout this preface of his doth manifest ; and the sanctification of this day is apparantly commanded in the moral law spoken from mount sinai . and those christians who a long time kept this seventh day holy as well as the lords day , had no opinion of any danger at all in this their observation . and it stood the ancient fathers upon to oppose the observation of the law ceremoniall . yet what saith austin against these heretickes , to whom this author in the first place referreth us ? all that hee delivers against the cerinthians in reference to this particular is onely this : they say that wee ought to bee circumcised , and that other like precepts of the law are to bee observed . i translate it for the benefit of the common people . of the ebionites thus , they observe the carnall commandements of the law , to wit , circumcision of the flesh and the rest , from whose burthens wee are freed by the new testament . of appollinaris and his sect this way , austin hath just nothing : but danaeus who collects out of other authors also the hereticall opinions of the apollinarists in the last place writes thus of them : after the last resurrection ( say they ) sabbaths , circumcision , iewish difference of meates , and all other legall ceremonies shall have place , yea also there shall bee a temple amongst us . and is not this wilde stuffe , in reference to the sanctification of the lords day , now in question amongst us ? now let the reader judge with what modesty it is avouched , that hence it was that irenaeus , justin martyr , tertullian , and eusebius , doe affirme for certaine , that never any of the patriarches before moses law did observe the sabbath ; d. prideaux saith not that hence it was ; neither hath this author given the least evidence hereof . sure i am , that in those patriarches dayes christ was not as yet come in the flesh , but rather to come long after their dayes ; and consequently though it be a dangerous course in these dayes to lay any ground of suspition that christ is not already come , but as yet to come ; yet this was of no dangerous condition at all in the dayes of the patriarchs , because in their dayes christ was not come , but to come long after . d. prideaux begins with tertullian by this author translated thus , let them ( saith he in a particular tract against the jewes ) assure me if they can , that adam ever kept the sabbath : or abel when he offered unto god his accepted sacrifice , had regard thereof ; or that noah kept the same , when he was busied in preparing the arke against the deluge ; or finally that abraham in offering his sonne isaak ; or that melchisedech in execution of his priest-hood tooke notice of it . now i appeale to every sober mans judgement , whether to put the jewes in those dayes to shew this , be to affirme for certaine , that never any of the patriarches before moses law did observe the sabbath . it is true indeed , we have no particular relation of the observation of the sabbath in that booke of genesis , and this tertullian knew full well ; and againe it is as true that there is no testimony of ought to the contrary . in the booke of iosuah in like sort there is not any mention of the observation thereof ( any more than in the booke of iudges , of ruth , of the two bookes of samuel ) but rather something to the contrary , to wit , in the siege of iericho , and marching round about the walls of iericho seven dayes together . but yet in generall we reade in genesis , that when god had finished all his works in six dayes , and rested the seventh , he therefore blessed the seventh day and sanctified it ; and whether this hath not greater evidence , that even then god ordered , that that day should be sanctified , than that the meaning should be , that therefore god ordered this two thousand and certaine yeares after , i appeale to every christian to judge betweene us . and if god did then order it , which could not be otherwise than by command , how could adam be ignorant hereof ; and if he knew as much , how improbable is it , that he and his , at least abel and enosh , and his pious posterity should not observe it ? and if a time had not been set apart even in adams dayes for divine service , how improbable is it , that cain and abel should concurre at the same time , in bringing their offerings unto the lord ; and if not at the same time , how could cain discern that abels offering was respected and accepted of god , when his was not ? yet for certaine , it was observed before moses law , if by the law we understand the law given on mount sina , as appeares manifestly exod. . and withall it is thereby evident , that from the beginning of the world untill that time , the distinction of the yeare into weekes was observed , otherwise it were impossible to know , which day was the seventh in correspondencie to the seventh from the creation , ( save by particular revelation whereof we reade nothing ) now that being unknowne , the reason of sanctifying the seventh day by an holy rest , drawne from gods rest on the seventh , that is , the last day of the first weeke from the creation had been utterly void , and nothing at all agreeable . and this distinction of time into weekes was observed from all antiquity by the gentiles , as hath been confirmed by wallaeus and rivetus , with the helpe of claudius salmasius , that learned antiquary ; and likewise that the seventh day was a festivall even among the gentiles . and albeit divers others of the ancients are alleaged to the same purpose , as affirming that the patriarches did not observe the sabbath , as namely eusebius , saying , they had no circumcision of the body , nor observation of the sabbath , as we have not . and iustin martyr in his dialogue with trypho the jew , saying , heretofore there were good men that pleased god , though they kept not sabbathes . and irenaeus in like manner , thus , abraham himselfe without circumcision , and observation of the sabbaths , beleeved god , and it was imputed unto him for righteousnesse ; and lastly damascen , when there was no law nor scripture of divine , inspiration , nor sabbath consecrated unto god. for as for bede ( alleaged by pererius to that purpose , in his hexameron ) i find in that place nothing answerable thereunto . now hospinian is of opinion that these passages of the ancients are to be understood of the rigorous observation of the sabbath among the jewes ; i adde , or in reference to the other sabbaths commanded in the law of moses ; or lastly in reference to the manner of solemnizing them among the jewes , who we know had a peculiar sacrifice ordained for the sabbaths ; and this i prove by these reasons . first , they deliver this as a thing well knowne ; for they take no paines to prove it . now consider , what ground could they have for the custome of the patriarchs before the flood , especially considering that the testimony of moses , gen. . . is far better evidence for the keeping of a weekly sabbath , in a morall way only , than any they could bring to the contrary . secondly , then againe , could they have better grounds for the practise of those ancient patriarchs both before , and after the floud than the jewes themselves ? i presume none will be so immodest as to affirme this ; and if they had any such evidence , it stood them upon to produce it , especially in dealing against the jewes . thirdly , they deliver this as a thing undeniable by the jewes themselves , with whom they deale in this particular : but the jewes had no such faith , as to beleeve that the ancient patriarchs never observed the weekly sabbath . for none are of this opinion but such as thinke that passage gen. . . of gods blessing the seventh day and hallowing it , was not delivered of that present time , as if then god ordained it should be sanctified , but only by way of anticipation for the time to come . but this was not the opinion of the jewes , manasseth ben israel a moderne rabbin , in his booke intituled the reconciler , conciliator , according to the argument of that his writing , which is to reconcile places of scripture , in shew disagreeing ; and that upon enquiry into all the rabbins both ancient and later ; in his . question upon exodus , writes thus , as out of the opinion of the ancients ; those words , thou shalt remember that thou wast a servant in egypt , observe how he expounds them ; ac si diceret , cogita in aegypto , ubi serviebas , etiam ipso sabbato per vim te coactum ad labores ; as if he should say , thinke ( with thy selfe ) that in egypt where thou servedst , thou wast by force constrained to labour , on the very sabbath : evidently manifesting not out of his owne particular opinion , but as out of the generall opinion of their ancient rabbins , that the sabbath and the observation thereof was a duty in the very dayes of the patriarchs . and in the end concludes thus : igitur deus benedictus cupiens sabbatum , cujus sanctimoniam tantis document is approbaverat , in aeternum ab omnibus coli , decem praeceptis illud inseruit , quo scientes praecepta aterna esse , etiam hoc inter ea habendum intelligerent . therefore the blessed god ( it is fit i should translate it for the benefit of the common people ) desiring that the sabbath might bee observed for ever of all ( whose sanctity by so many documents he had commended , placed it in the dialogue ( that it made it one of the tenne commandements ) to the end that knowing those precepts to bee everlasting , they should understand that this commandement also was to be accomplished amongst them . and indeed tertullian himselfe professeth that the jewes were of this opinion , as rivetus observes out of his booke against the jewes , thus translated , god from the beginning did sanctifie the seventh day , resting from all the workes that hee had made , and that thereupon moses said unto the people , remember yee the sabbath day to sanctifie it . and therefore when mercer saith concerning the meaning of these words , genes . . . hebraei fere referunt in futurum : the jewes for the most part referre it to the time to come : he is to be understood of the later jewes ; but of this more shall be spoken ere wee part from this section . fourthly , not one of the ancient fathers is alleaged by our adversaries , delivering his opinion upon that passage , genes . . . to shew what hee conceives to bee the true meaning thereof , which yet is the onely ground whereupon our doctrine is built concerning the originall institution of the sabbath ; and seeing it contains a meaning at first sight manifestly contradictious to that which they affirne , as wee interpret it of the weekely sabbath , without reference unto the jewish manner of observing it : therefore in this case it stood them upon to take notice of that place , and by some faire interpretation vindicate themselves from suspition of contradicting the expresse word of god. tertullian himselfe justifies our doctrine , namely , that god from the beginning sanctified the seventh day , as rivetus shewes out of his fourth booke against marcion , cap. . where hee sayth , christum ipsum sabbati diem , benedictione patris à primordio sanctum benefactione sua effic●re sanctiorem , that christ himselfe made that day more holy by his well doing on that day , which by the benediction of the father was made holy from the beginning . so that tertullians meaning in the place alleaged to the contrary , cannot bee , that the ancient patriarchs simply observed not the weekely sabbath , but onely that they observed it not after that manner the jewes did ; and that the like interpretation must bee given of the passages alleaged out of other of the ancients . for further proofe whereof , observe that theodoret , albeit on the . of ezekiel hee saith in like manner that god prescribed unto the jewes the sabbaticall vacations , ut haec civilis administrationis ratio peculiaris à gentium quidem eos distingueret institutis : that this peculiar administration might distinguish them from the customes of the gentiles : yet wallaeus shewes that the same theodoret in his questions upon genesis , doth manifestly declare , that even from the beginning of the creation , god did ordaine this day to rest and sanctification . as who having created the creatures in six dayes , by the rest of the seventh day manifested the creation to be perfected ; like as in seven dayes hee concluded the whole circle of dayes . and that by blessing the seventh day and sanctifying it , he declared , quod non illum diem inutilem putabat ad creandum , sed ad quietem accommodatum statuit . the meaning whereof in effect is this , that hee did not thinke that day unfit to have any thing created therin , but onely it was his pleasure to ordaine it for a day of rest . the same author shewes chrysostome to bee of the same opinion in his . homily on genesis , whose words in latine he rendreth thus , iam hinc ab initio doctrinam hanc nobis insinuat deus , erudiens in circulo hebdomodae diem unum integrum segregandum , & reponendum ad spiritualem operationem . now from the beginning god insinuates this instruction , teaching that in the circle of the weeke one entire day is to bee sequestred and imployed on spirituall actions . these authorities in my judgement should bee of the greater force , for as much as they deliver their opinion by way of interpretation of gods word , and that according to the plaine literall meaning , and that such as whereunto every christians conscience , not fore-stalled with prejudice , is prone enough to yeeld by reason of the native evidence of the words . for they denote an externall action and transient , not an internall and immanent in god , ( all of which kinde are eternall ) which externall action is the dedication of the day to holy uses , which cannot bee imagined to bee done any other way ( as i should thinke ) then by commanding it to bee sanctified . the same author shewes austin to have beene of the same judgement , writing thus , when god sanctified the seventh day , because thereon hee rested from all his workes , hee did not deliver ought concerning the fast or dinner of the sabbath : nor afterwards , when to the hebrew people hee gave commandement for the observation of the day it selfe , did hee mention ought as touching the receiving or not receiving of food : onely commandement is given concerning mens vacation , from their owne or from servile workes , which vacation the former people receiving as a shadow of things to come , in such manner rested from their workes as now wee behold the iewes to rest . hee citeth also theophilus patriarch of antioch a most ancient writer in his second booke to autolychus writing thus , furthermore , as touching the seventh which amongst al people is celebrious , most men are in great ignorance . for this day which is celebrious amongst all is called the sabbath ; if a man interpret in greeke , it is called septimana ; by this name all men call this day , but the cause of this denomination they know not . now what was the cause hereof in his judgement , but the lords resting thereon as the seventh , after hee had finished all his workes in six dayes , and thereupon blessing it and sanctifying it , whereupon it grew to bee a festivall day generally amongst all ? tertullian though alleaged on the other side , yet hath beene already shewed to bee of the same minde , in this particular with chrysostome and austin . adde unto these epiphanius haer . . sabbatum primum est , quod ab initio decretum est ac dictum à domino in mundi creatione quod per circuitum ab eo tempore usque huc juxta septem dies revolvitur . the first sabbath is that which the lord from the beginning ordained and spake in the creation of the world , which by revolution from that time to this , according to the circle of seven dayes returneth . athanasius also upon those words of our saviour , all things are given to mee of my father , distinguisheth betweene the sabbath day , and the lords day ; affirming the sabbath day to have been the end of the first creation , and the lords day the beginning of the second creation . beda in his hexameron professeth , that the rest of the seventh day after sixe dayes working , semper celebrari solebat , was alwayes wont to bee celebrated : if alwayes , then before the children of israels comming out of aegypt , before abraham , before the flood , even from the beginning of the dayes of adam the first of men . adde unto this the received , and most currant opinion of the jewes , by the testimonies of philo and josephus vouched by wallaeus . philo in his second book of moses writing thus , quis sacrum illum diem , per singulas hebdomadas recurrentem non honorat ? who doth not honour that holy day ▪ according to the weekely revolution thereof ? and hee delivers this not of the jewes onely , but of the greekes and barbarians , of inhabitants of mayn-land , and ilands , those of europe , of asia , and of the whole habitable part of the world to the very ends thereof . iosephus l. . against appion , professing that there is no city of grecians or barbarians , nor any nation , to whom the customary observation of the seventh , whereon the jewes rested , had not reached . adde unto this the testimony of two rabbins , mentioned by broughton in his consent of scriptures acknowledging this , and another rabbin alleaged by peter martyr upon genesis , both cited by master richard brfield in his answer to master breerwood . give me leave to adde my mite also of mine owne observation . the . psalme hath this title . a psalme and song for the sabbath . the chalde paraphrase hereupon writes thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a praise and song which adam ( the first of men ) spoke on the sabbath day ; manifestly evidencing that in the received opinion of the jewes in those dayes , adam sanctified the sabbath . rabbi david kimchi testifies the same in his commentary upon that psalme , to be the doctrine delivered in their darash , namely , that adam the first conceived this psalme after hee was created on the sabbath day , and that afterwards he sinned , and so prophaned the sabbath . so that notwithstanding all the bluster which this author makes , this fourth commandement may continue morall neverthelesse . and sure i am , irenaeus puts this difference betweene the words of the decalogue ( so he speaks and consequently expungeth not , but rather includeth the fourth commandement ) and the ceremoniall lawes , that decalogi verba , the words of the decalogue spoken by god himselfe unto all , doe therefore continue in like manner with us , receiving extension and augmentation by the comming of christ in the flesh , but no dissolution . but the precept of bondage ( so he calls the ceremonials ) by themselves hee commanded unto the people by moses , fit for their instruction and discipline . and doctor andrewes i am sure , so great a prelate in our church , denies all ceremonialitie thereunto , save only so farre as may justifie the change of the day , and in reference to the rigorous rest of the jewes . and azorius confesseth ( as before hath beene alleaged ) that after six dayes worke , one day should bee consecrate to divine service is a thing most agreeable to reason . yet i know none that accounteth this a dictate of nature simply , as this author would faine obtrude upon us ; but rather with chrysostom , that god by creation hath taught us as much , and now god hath gone before us herein , wee conceive it to bee most agreeable to reason . and d. field did professe as much upon acknowledgement of the creation , as master brode confesseth . if all talke of observation of the jewish sabbath vanished not till the daies of bede , it was . years first in the account of bellarmine . and of any resolutions made by bede or damascen hereabouts , in d. prideux sect . . i finde no mention . yet i thinke it likely enough , that both they and procopius might easily contrive as many resolutions hereabouts , as either theodoret upon the twentieth of ezekiel , or epiphanius against the ebionites ; for neither of them in the places mentioned , make any resolutions on this point at al. he grants the lords day to have beene instituted by the church from the apostles dayes , which latter clause is an ambiguous phrase . for it may bee applyed to the dayes after the apostles . if in the apostles dayes , then undoubtedly it was instituted by the apostles , what meant hee then to say it was instituted by the church , and not to bee so ingenuous as to confesse that it was instituted by the apostles ? how far off is he from acknowledging it to have beene instituted by the lord ? yet athanasius openly professeth thus much , olim certe priscis hominibus in summo pretio sabbatum fuit , quam quidem solennitatem dominus transtulit in diem dominicum . heretofore with men of old time the sabbath day was in great price : which festivitie truly the lord hath translated unto the lords day . and cyrill in his . book on iohn , chap. . considering the lords appearance a second time on the eight day , thomas then being present , and upon consideration finding it to have beene the first day of the weeke , concludes thus : iure igitur sanctae congregationes die octavo in ecclesiis fiunt . by right therefore holy congregations in the churches are made on the eighth day , meaning thereby the first day of the week , that is the lords day : and as hee concludeth thus , so undoubtedly his opinion was , the apostles themselves did conclude in like manner . now albeit much had beene effected for the abrogation as well of all superstitious fancies about that day , as of the day it selfe ( that is of the jewish sabbath ) by the labours of the fathers fore-mentioned , and particularly of damascen and venerable bede among the rest ; yet there comes in an exception somewhat of the nature of a sixth finger ; and that is , saint gregory tells us notwithstanding how some in rome were so superstitious in this kinde , that they would neither work upon the saturday , no nor so much as wash upon the sunday . so little effectuall were the labours of damascen and venerable bede , that they could not prevent the superstitious fancies of some that lived an hundred yeares before . for gregory by bellarmines account dyed in the yeare of our lord . and damascen lived long after the yeare . and bede was living in the yeare . as bellarmine observes out of his fifth booke of historia anglicana . who would desire an adversary should betray more weakenesse than this author ? but wee see manifestly whither he tends , and no marvell if god smites him with the spirit of giddinesse and confusion . his quotation of gregory seemes to bee the same with that which wee finde in the decrees de consecrat . dist . . cap. pervenit . now whereas this praefacer relates it as of the same persons , it is farre otherwise in gregory , for apparantly the relation in gregory is concerning different persons , for thus it runnes , pervenit ad me , &c. relation is made unto mee , that certaine men of a perverse spirit have sowed amongst you some corrupt doctrine contrary to our holy faith : so as to forbid any worke to be done on the sabbath day : these men we may well call the preachers of antichrist . then he sets downe what shall be the practise of antichrist at his comming , namely to command the sabbath day and the lords day both to be kept free from all works . and why the lords day ? to wit , because he meanes to imitate christ ; and therefore will conforme himselfe to the practise of christians , in celebrating the lords day ; his words are these ; quia enim mori se & resurgere simulat , haberi in veneratione vult diem dominicum ; that is , because he counterfeits himselfe to die and rise againe , therefore he will have the lords day to be had in veneration . where by the way observe two things ; . the practise of christians in gregories dayes , to keep themselves from all worke on the lords day . . that antichrist would imitate christ , as in pretending to dye and rise againe : so in commanding the lords day to be kept holy . a shrewd evidence that both gregory , and the whole church in those dayes , were of opinion that the lords day was of christs institution ; which antichrist perceiving would conforme thereto , the better to promote his owne counsailes . now the reason why he would command the jewes sabbath to be observed also , was quia populum judaiz are compellet , ut exteriorem ritum revocet , & sibi iudaeorum perfidiam subdat ; therefore coli vult sabbatum . he will have the iewes sabbath kept also , compelling the people to iudaize , and restoring the outward ceremonies of the law , that so he may bring the iewes in subjection unto him also . then he makes mention of another relation ; aliud quoque ad me perlatum est ; another report was brought unto mee ; and what was that ? vobis à perversis hominibus esse praedicatum , ut dominico die nullus debeat lavari : that some perverse persons preach among you , that on the lords day none ought to be washed . this is clearly another point , maintained by other persons , different from the former , which yet this prefacer confounds into one . and marke it well , that none ought to be washed lavari , on the lords day ; which this author translates thus , no nor so much as wash upon the sunday . what not so much as wash their hands or their face ? here indeed were strange superstition . i willingly professe i was not a little moved at this his translation , nothing answerable to gregories resolution , which is this ; if any desire to be washed pro luxuria & pro voluptate , that is , out of a luxurious disposition and for pleasure ; we doe not permit this to be done on any day . but if the bodies necessity require it , we doe not forbid this on the lords day . now i doe not find that any man useth to wash hands or face out of any luxurious disposition , neither doe i know in what sense the necessity of the body can require it . for the necessity of the body in this place , seems to me to be spoken in reference to the recovery of a mans health , requiring no time to be neglected . hereupon i am verily perswaded , that by lavari in gregory , is to be understood a mans going into the bath ; which may be done out of a luxurious disposition , and meerely for pleasure . then againe , the necessity of the body may require it , and according to these different cases it is by gregory both permitted on the lords day , to wit , in case of necessity , and denyed on any day , in case it be done only to satisfie a mans lusts : and i find a great difference in the latine phrase , betweene lavare to wash , and lavari to be washed , and that out of varro his eight booke of the latine tongue . for the active is of use , when a part only is washed , as it is rightly said , i wash my hands and my feet . but the passive is in use only when the whole body is washed , as in the bath . quare & in balneis non rectè dicunt lavi , sed lavor . wherefore in the bathes it is not well said , i have washed , but i am washed . and accordingly runnes that in juvenal , sat. . nec pueri credunt nisi qui nondum aere lavantur . the scholiast interprets this of infants , quia pueri non dant balneaticum ; for the quadrant which was the usuall fee to bee paid of them that made use of the bathes , was not exacted of such . hence is that phrase , mercede lavari , to goe into the baths paying a fee ; and dum te quadrante lavatum , in horace , to the same purpose . the second section . but after in the darker times , as it is thought by some , peter de bruis , the founder of the petrobrusians ( he was burnt for heresie . ) began to draw too deep on these lees of judaisme , which here our doctor intimates in the seventh section , where he joynes the petrobrusian with the ebionites , who indeed were jewish in this point . . and possibly from the remainders of this doctrine , fulco a french priest , and a notable hypocrite , as our king richard compted him , lighted upon a new sabbatarian speculation , which afterwards eustachius , one of his associates , dispersed in england . i call it new , as well i may . for whereas moses gave commandement to the jewes , that they should sanctifie one day only in the week , viz. that seventh whereon god rested : they taught the people that the christian sabbath was to begin on saturday at three of the clocke , and to continue till sun-rising upon the munday morning : during which latitude of time , it was not lawfull to doe any kind of worke what ever ; no not so much as bake bread on saturday for the sundayes eating ; to wash or dry linnen for the morrowes wearing . yea , they had miracles in store , pretended to to be wrought on such as had not yeelded to their doctrine , thereby to countenance the superstitious , and confound the weake . and which was more than this , for the authority of their device , they had to shew a letter sent from god himselfe , and left prodigiously over the altar in saint simeons church in golgotha : wherin the sabbatarian dream was imposed forsooth upon all the world , on paine of diverse plagues , and terrible comminations , if it were not punctually observed . the letter is at large reported by roger hoveden ; and out of him , as i suppose , by matthew paris : who doe withall repeat the miracles , wherby this doctrine was confirmed . i adde no more but this , that could i either beleeve those miracles , which are there related : or saw i any now , like those to countenance the reviving of this strange opinion ( for now it is received and published ) i might perhaps perswade my selfe to entertain it . exam. it seemes this author is not of their opinion , who thinke those times wherein peter de bruis lived , about the yeare . to have been darker times than the dayes of gregory ; though some passe such censure on those times , accompting them times of darknesse , hee is more wise than to concurre in opinion with them ; and it is a part of his wisedome ( as it seemes ) to affect , that the world should take notice of so much , namely , that he puts it upon some only to censure those times , as times of darknesse now who are those some ? not papists i presume , but protestants rather ; and what true protestant can he name that thinkes otherwise ? we have cause to feare that too many for their advantage , can be content to veile themselves under the vizard of protestants , when in heart they are papists neither is it possible , ( i should thinke ) that any other but such , should thinke any better of those times , than as of times of darknesse . it is very likely , this author is not of opinion , that the man of sinne is yet revealed , or any such time the apostle prophecyeth of thess . . of giving men over to illusions to beleeve lyes , for not receiving the love of the truth . i much doubt whether he beleeves that rome is the whore of babylon , whereof saint iohn speaketh , revel . . though he professeth of that whore of babylon , that it is that city , which in his dayes did rule over the kings of the earth : yet in that which he accounts light , he can be content to concurre with calvin , in denying the morality of the fourth commandement , as touching one day in seven to be sanctified unto the lord. but whatsoever this peter de bruis was , whom he professeth to have drawne too deepe on the lees of judaisme , hee avoucheth no testimony hereof , but only d. prideaux his joyning the petrobrusians with the ebionites , sect. . now hospinian professeth that which is directly contrary , of the petrobrusians ; as whom he joynes with the anabaptists , maintaining festos dies omnes ad ceremonias iudaeorum pertinere , & propterea nullos esse debere apud christianos , quum ceremoniae veteris testamenti omnes christi adventu sint impletae , & ideo sublatae . quorum etiam sententiae anabaptistae hodie suffragari videntur . that all holidayes belong to the ceremonies of the iewes , and that therefore none such are to be observed by christians , seeing all the ceremonies of the old testament are fulfilled , and abrogated by the comming of christ . and the anabaptists now adayes seeme to be of the same opinion . in the third tome of the councels set forth by binius , and . part , there is an enumeration of his opinions in five particulars , and that , as it seemes by the close , out of petrus cluniacensis ; not one of them is any thing a kin to those sabbatarian fancies , which this prefacer insists upon . petrus cluniacensis , as it seemes , was the man that most opposed this petrus de bruis . against his errors he wrote a book in forme of an epistle on these points . . of the baptisme of children . . of the authority of the booke of the acts of the apostles . . of the authority of the epistles of saint paul. . of the authority of the church . . of the authority of the old testament . . againe , of the baptisme of children . . of temples , churches , and altars . . of the veneration of the holy crosse . . of the sacrifice of the masse , and of the truth of transubstantiation . . of prayers for the deceased . . of praising god by hymnes and musicall instruments . thus bellarmine relates the heads of that discourse of his ; not any of which , for ought i perceive , savoureth of any such sabbatarian fancie , as this author driveth it unto . at length i got into my hands bibliotheca cluniacensis , and therein the writing of petrus cluniacensis against the petrobrusians . upon all which , one andreas puercetanus turonensis , hath written certaine notes , wherein upon these words in the preface contra haereses petri de bruis , hee writes thus ; of this peter of bruis who gave name to the petrobrusian heretiques , no mention is found , neither in the historians , who write the story of those times , nor with them , who then , or a little after , contrived the indices of haeresies and heresiarches . alphonsus à castro ( as i thinke ) was the first , who after this our author , remembred him , lib. . . baptisma . haeres . . and writes that he was a french man of the province of narbon . although bernard the sonne of guido writes that pope calixtus the second , in the yeare . on the eight of the ides of iune held a councell at tolouse with cardinals , archbishops , bishops and abbats of the province of gothia , gascony , spaine , and hither britany . in which councell , amongst other things ordered there , all those haeretiques were damned and driven out of the church , who counterfeiting a shew of religion , did condemne the sacrament of the lords body and blood , the baptisme of children , and all ecclesiasticall orders , and the bands of lawfull marriages . all which heresies as invented by peter bruis , and propagated by henry his successour , our peter in this treatise of his doth pursue . so that this whole story seemes very obscure ; and yet the two latter points mentioned by this andreas , i doe not find to be any of the opinions laid to the charge of peter bruis by those that were contemporary with him . for petrus cluniacensis reduceth all his heresies ( as hee calls them ) but to these five heads . . he denyes that children before they come to the age of understanding can be saved by the sacrament of baptisme , and that anothers faith can profit him , who cannot use his owne ; because by their opinion , not another mans faith but his owne with baptisme saveth him , the lord professing , that whosoever shall beleeve , and bee baptized , hee shall be saved ; but whosoever will not beleeve shall be damned . . that there ought not to be any fabricke of temples or churches , that such as are made , ought to be throwne downe ; that holy places for prayers are not necessary for christians , because as well in a taverne as in the church , as well in the market-place , as in the temple ; before an altar , or before a stable god doth heare being called upon , and heareth them who are worthy . . he commands holy crosses to be broken in peeces and burned , because the representation of such an instrument , whereupon christ was so direfully tortured , and cruelly slaine , is not worthy of any veneration or supplication ; but in revenge of christs torments and death , to be disgraced with all manner of ignominy , and to be hewen in peeces with swords , and burnt with fire . . he doth not only deny the truth of the lords body and blood daily , and continually to be offered in the church by the sacrament ; but determines it to be altogether nothing , and that it ought not to be offered unto god. . he mocks at the sacrifices , prayers , almes , and other good workes , which the faithfull that are living performe for the faithfull that are departed , and maintaines that they are nothing profitable to one that is dead . now in all this i find nothing at all that savoureth of any jewish opinion concerning the observation of the sabbath . and more than that ; when i consider the matter of these articles for the most part , and the course of those times to make worse of their opinions ( who spake or wrote against the superstitions of those times ) then there was just cause , i begin to suspect that this peter of bruis might be an honest man , and more orthodox than they who procured his death . and is it not wonderous strange , that none of the historians of those times should make any mention of him ? and that may be the reason , why we finde no mention at all made of him in the booke of acts and monuments . and philip mornay in his mysterium iniquitatis , makes an apologie for this peter de bruis , as being a pious man , and thereupon hated , and finally martyred by the papists . . of any sabbatarian speculation ( as this prefacer calleth it ) that fulco the french priest lighted on , this author gives no evidence . for as for roger hoveden , i doe not finde , that he attributes any such unto him . he writes much in his commendation , as that the lord magnified him in the sight of kings , and gave him power to give sight to the blind , to cure the lame , the blind , and others of their diseases . that harlots and usurers , were by his preaching taken off from their lewd courses . that hee foretold the kings of france and england , that except they gave over their hostility the sooner , one of them should shortly dye of an evill death . but of any sabbatarian speculation hee was addicted unto i finde no mention . it is true , king richard sometime called him simply hypocrite , not notable hypocrite , as this author expresseth it , affecting rather to speake with a full mouth , than according unto plaine truth . and is it much if kings take liberty to call men as they think good , especially when they are provoked by them , as king richard was by this priest , as appeares by the story which is well worth the relating , to observe both the present wit of that king , and the liberty of priests with princes in telling them their faults in those dayes of yore . for on a day that priest fulco came to king richard , and in very bold manner spake to him thus : i tell thee o king as from almighty god , that thou make speed to bestow in marriage those three wretched daughters , that thou hast , lest some worse thing befall thee . thou hypocrite , quoth the king , thou lyest against thine owne head , for i have no daughter at all . truly i doe not lye , quoth the priest , for as i said , thou hast three wicked daughters , one of them is pride , another covetousnesse , the third luxury . when the king heard this , he called his earles and barons that were about him , and said , heare the admonition of this hypocrite , who saith i have three wicked daughters , and commands me to marry them . therefore i bestow my pride upon the proud templers ; my covetousnesse upon the monkes of the cistercian order ; and my luxury upon the prelates of the churches . who though they professed single life , yet as mr. moulin observes in a like case of popish priests , did not professe continencie , they might be luxurious enough , and that not only in wayes naturall , but in wayes unnaturall also . this was a biting answer of the king , which the historian no way liked , and therefore he cryes out in a poeticall straine , o nimis indignum miseris inferre cachinnum . but throughout no mention at all of any sabbatarian speculation that fulco was possessed with . indeed of eustachius , who was one of his followers , we reade afterwards , fol. . p. . what wonderous workes were wrought by him , and what were the effects of his preaching among them , namely , that in london and divers other places in england , they would no more presume to make the lords dayes their market dayes . and that in every church there should be a lampe , or some light burning continually before the lords body ; and that citizens and others would have an almes vessell upon their table , to lay aside therein some provision for the poore . and that hereupon the devill raised up against him some ministers of iniquity , who said unto him , it is not lawfull for thee to put thy sithe into anothers harvest ; to whom he answered , the harvest is great , but the labourers are few . therefore the foresaid abbat being thus rebuked by the ministers of satan , hee would no longer trouble the prelats of england with his preaching , but returned unto his owne home in normandy from whence hee came . seven leaves after this , we find in the same author , to wit , fol. . p. . that this abbat of flay returned into england , and preaching the word of god from city to citie , forbade all to make the lords dayes their market dayes . for he said that this commandement for observation of the lords day came from heaven . so that this speculation of his was dominicall rather than sabbatarian . and the mandate concerning this , is there set downe at large , pretended to have come from heaven to jerusalem , and to have been found on the altar of saint simeon in golgotha ; which whether it were feigned by him , or by others , and received by him on the faith of others , the author specifies not . but at the end thereof he shewes how that this predicant comming to york , was there honourably entertained by the archbishop , and clergie , and whole people of that citie ; and albeit these things , you will say , were acted in times of darknesse ; yet this prefacer seemes to be of another opinion , though little pleased with eustachius his sabbatarian speculation . here alone is mention made of the bounds he set to the observation of the lords day , namely , that it was to continue from saturday three of the clock in the afternoone , untill the sun-rising on munday , in which time he would have them doe nothing but that which was good , and if they did , to amend their errors by repentance . a very reasonable motion in my judgement ; and if he had extended it to all the dayes of the weeke , yea , and houres too , i see no cause why for this hee should be censured either as an hypocrite , or heretique . but as for the strictnesse of observation here mentioned , as namely , that during the foresaid time , it was not lawfull to doe any kind of work what ever , no not so much as to bake bread for the sundayes eating ; to wash or dry linnen for the morrowes wearing . i finde no such thing prescribed by eustachius , in the relation made by roger hoveden ; and if parisiensis hath any such , surely hee tooke it not out of roger hoveden ; from whom yet this prefacer affirmes he tooke that which he writes hereof . nay it is directly contradictory to the tenet of eustachius , as who determineth the observation of the lords day to begin at three of the clock in the afternoone of the eve preceding , in which time is found space both to bake bread for the sundayes eating , and to wash or dry linnen for the morrowes wearing , if the weather hinder not . and as for the extension of the dominicall observation thus farre , in respect of the bounds thereof ; i find no other doctrine preached by eustachius , than by the lawes of the kings who governed this land , was ordained long before , even before the conquest . for not only king ina commanded , that no man lay or spirituall , free or bond , should labour on the sunday : and edward the elder with gythrum the dane , made a law against all labour , buying and selling upon the sabbath . item , for no execution to be done on the sunday : but amongst king edgars lawes , one was , that the sunday should be kept holy from saturday at noone , till munday in the morning . king canutus also commanded celebration of the sabbath from saturday at noone , till munday morning , forbidding markets , huntings , labours , and court-keeping's during the said space . and it seemes to be the generall practise of christendome to allow ( or command rather ) a preparation for the sanctifying of the lords day ; as appeares by the observation of evening prayers , the day before , warning whereunto is usually given at three of the clocke , by the ringing of a bell , or as in some places especially in the winter season , an houre sooner , and schollars accordingly give up schoole , and present themselves at evening prayer . and we commonly account saturday to be halfe holiday , and warning thereof is usually given at noone by chiming the bells . and whereas we reade exod. . . six dayes shalt thou doe thy worke , and the seventh day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 schindler renders it sabbathum sabbathuli , and interprets it thus ; sabbathum is from evening to evening , sabbathulum is that which of the profane day is added as a little sabbath . and as for the strict abstinence from dressing of meats on saturday , which this author imputes to eustachius as his doctrine , but without all ground that i know : we are so farre from any such sabbatarian speculation , that none of us ( in my knowledge ) doe think it unlawful to dresse meats on the lords day . and wheras the prefacer addes that they had miracles in store pretended to be wrought on such as had not yeelded to their doctrine , thereby to countenance the superstitious and confound the weaks . what one of an hundred in reading this would not imagine , that eustachius wrought these miracles for the countenancing of his former strictnesse : whereas yet on the contrary , neither doth it appeare , that he taught or obtruded upon them any such strictnesse , preaching onely against marketting on the lords day . neither were those strange accidents which here are called miracles , any miracles wrought by him : but the monke , roger of hoveden writes , that the lord iesus christ , whom wee must obey rather than men ; who by his nativity , resurrection , and advent , and sending the holy ghost upon his disciples , did advance this day , which we call the lords day , and dedicated ( as ) most celebrious ; shewed miracles of his power , upon some transgressors of the lords day in this manner . on a certaine saturday after three of clocke , a certaine carpenter of beverlac , as he was making a woodden peg , contrary to the wholesome admonitions of his wife , fell to the ground , taken with a palsie . the like story followeth of a woman , which this author , according to the monks phrase , is content to call miracles . now when we heare of as strange a thing as this to have fallen out not long since in bedfordshire ; as namely , a match at foot-ball , being appointed on the lords day in the afternoone ; while two were in the belfrey , and one of them tolling a bell to call the company together , there was heard a clap of thunder and lightning , seene by some sitting in the church-porch , as it came thorow a darke lane towards the church , and flasht in their faces who sate in the church-porch , and scared them ; thence it went into the church , and turning into the belfery , tript up his heeles who was tolling the bell , and struck him starke dead ; and the other with him blasted in such manner , that shortly after he dyed ; we doe not call this a miracle , though we count it a remarkable judgement of god , and such as deserves to be considered , and seriously laid unto heart by all , to admonish them to take heed , that they be not found in like manner profaners of the lords day . in like sort when upon fresh relation we heare of the like sport at foot-ball on the lords day , at a place called tidworth , after evening prayer in the church-yard , and that therein one had his legge broken , which thereupon gangrened , so that forthwith he died thereof ; we doe not call this a miracle ; only it calls to our mind that of the prophet , the lord hath so done his marvellous works , that they ought to be had in remembrance . and we find that such like judgements have been observed by christian emperours , thereupon moved more strictly to give in charge the observation of the lords day , as ludovicus pius by name , as thus , didicimus quosdam in hoc die opera ruralia exercētes fulmine interemptos , quosdam artuum contractione multatos , quosdam visibili igne absumptos , subito in cinerē resolutos , poenaliter occubuisse . proinde necesse est , ut primum sacerdotes , reges , & principes , cunctique fideles huic diei debitam observationem atque reverentiam devotissimè exhibeant ; we have knowne some busied in workes of husbandry on this day , to have beene slaine with lightning , some punished with the contraction of their limbes , some with visible fire consumed , on a sudden turned into ashes , and so to have perished , as by way of punishment . wherefore it is a necessary duty that in the first place priests , then kings , princes , and all faithfull persons , most devoutly exhibite due observation and reverence unto this day . the other miracles mentioned by the monke are of another nature ; as of a cake bak't on the hearth on saturday after three a clocke in the afternoone , and how that part of it reserved to the morning , and being then broken , blood came out of it , and another of the like nature ; and two more . i say , these are of roger hovedens relation , not of eustachius his preaching ; whom the monke relates to have been in great esteeme of the clergie in those dayes , and to have prevailed much with many of the people , though for the generall he could not bring them off from their marketing on the lords day . yet what are these to be talkt of in comparison to those which are comprised in two bookes of miracles , written by cluniacensis ? and albeit those times may be accounted times of darknesse , in comparison of ages fore-going , yet this prefacer is ready to make answer , that that is but the opinion of some . but whereas hee saith , that this strange opinion is now revived and published ; first i desire to know his meaning . for as for a preparation to the sabbath , and that to begin from about three a clock in the afternoone , the whole kingdome observes it ; as for the strict observation thereof , here mentioned , i have shewed that eustachius speakes of no such thing . if hee did , what is that to those who suffer for standing for the strict observation of the sabbath , against those who would have the lords day , at least in part to be a day of sports and pastimes ? can he shew this to be their opinion ? if he can , why doth he not ? and if from three a clock on saturday in the afternoone , people doe prepare for the lords day , and abstaine from such workes , dispatching both their baking bread , and other works in the morning , what danger or detriment is hereby likely to arise either to our faith or manners ? what danger either to prince , church , or state ? the third section . but to proceed . immediately upon the reformation of religion in these westerne parts , the controversie brake out a fresh ; though in another manner than before it did . for there were some , of whom calvin speakes , who would have had all dayes alike , all equally to be regarded ; ( he means the anabaptists , as i take it ) and reckoned that the lords day , as the church continued it , was a jewish ceremony . affirming it to crosse the doctrine of saint paul , who in the text before remembred , and in the fourteenth to the romans did seeme to them to cry downe all such difference of dayes and times as the church retained . to meet which vaine and peccant humour , calvin was faine to bend his forces , declaring how the church might lawfully retaine set times for gods service , without infringing any of saint pauls commandements . but on the other side , as commonly the excesse is more exorbitant than the defect ; there wanted not some others , who thought they could not honour the lords day sufficiently , unlesse they did affix as great a sanctitie unto it , as the jewes did unto their sabbath . so that the change seemed to be onely of the day ; the superstition still remaining no lesse jewish than before it was . these taught , as now some doe , moralem esse unius diei observationem in hebdomada , the keeping holy to the lord one day in seven , to bee the morall part of the fourth commandement : which doctrine what else is it ( so he proceeds , as here the doctor so repeats it in his third section ) then in contempt of the jews to change the day ; and to affix a greater sanctity to the day , than those ever did . as for himselfe , so farre was he from favouring any such wayward fancie , that as iohn barklay makes report , he had a consultation once , de transferenda solennitate dominica in feriam quintam , to alter the lords day from sunday to thursday . how true this is , i cannot say . but sure it is that calvin tooke the lords day to be an ecclesiasticall and humane constitution only , quem veteres in locum sabbati subrogarunt , appointed by our ancestors to supply the place of the jewish sabbath , and ( as our doctor tells us from him in his seventh section , ) as alterable by the church at this present time , as first it was , when from saturday they translated it unto the sunday . so that we see , that calvin here resolves upon three conclusions . first , that the keeping holy one day in seven , is not the morall part of the fourth commandement . secondly , that the day was changed from the last day of the weeke unto the first by this authority of the church , and not by any divine ordinance : and thirdly , that the day is yet alterable by the church , as at first it was . exam. thus at length this prefacer observes , that look upon what scripture passages some did contend the jewish sabbath to be ceremoniall , and accordingly to be abrogated by the death and resurrection of christ : upon the very same grounds others contended against the observation of all holy dayes , even of the lords day also , as if that were jewish . this is the course of the anabaptists , unto whom wallaeus addes the socinians ; and hospinian the petrobrusians . by what authoritie the lords day was introduced , calvin disputes not . he saith , dominicum diem veteres in locum sabbati substituerunt ; the ancients brought the lords day into the place of the sabbath , and that the day the apostle prescribed to the corinthians , wherein they should lay apart something for the relieving of the saints at ierusalem , was the day quo sacros conventus agebant , whereon they kept their holy meetings . and that which moved the apostles to change the sabbath to the lords day , he shewes both in his institutions thus ; for seeing in the lords resurrection is ( found ) the end and fulfilling of the true rest , which the old sabbath shadowed ; by that very day , which set an end to those shadowes , christians are admonished not to stick to the shadowing ceremony ; and upon the epistle to the corinthians in these words , electus autem potissimum dies dominicus , quod resurrectio domini finem legis umbris attulit ; the lords day was chiefely chosen , because the lords resurrection did set an end to the shadowes of the law. and in the words immediately preceding he expressely professeth that this change was made by the apostles , though not so soone in his opinion , as chrysostome thought ; who interprets that , the first day of the weeke , of the lords day . and cyrill long agoe upon consideration of our saviours apparitions on that day , and then againe the eighth day after , makes bold to conclude , that iure igitur sanctae congregationes die octavo in ecclesiis fiunt , by right therefore holy assemblies on the eighth day are made in the churches . observe by the way this authors spirit , he accompts it more exorbitant to thinke , that the observation of the lords day is prescribed unto us by divine authority , or the religious observation of one day in seven , then to maintaine that none at all is to be set apart to religious worship by divine authority . and to this purpose he premiseth a generall rule , that commonly the excesse is more exorbitant then the defect ; yet i never heard , that prodigality was censured as worse then covetousnesse , in opposition to liberality ; or rashnesse , accompted worse then cowardlinesse , in opposition to fortitude : or superstition worse then prophanenesse , in opposition to true religion . as for the sanctity of the day in calvins phrase , which this author calls sanctity affixed to the day ; shall i say this prefacer understands it not ? it is incredible ; more likely he is to pervert calvins plaine meaning ; not out of excesse in the way of superstition , but out of a lesse exorbitant defect . for the sanctity of the day , in calvins language is , when religione quadam feriando , mysteria olim comcommendata recolere se somniabant , by resting in a religious manner they thought as it were dreaming , that they observed certaine mysteries of old recommended unto them . as appeares in his sect . . of the . chap. of his second booke of institutions ; and such indeed was the sanctity of the day in the jewish observation thereof . this religion , this holinesse calvin will have to be at an end ; and that the apostle gal. . and coloss . . disputed against them who would have that holinesse , that religion to continue still : not against them , who will have one day in the weeke set apart , thereon to rest from manuall workes , as they are avocations from holy studies and meditations . and in the former case , he doth not say , as this author in a mincing manner feynes him to say , to wit , that so the change seemed to be only of the day ; but in plaine termes , that this were no other then to change the day , and that in contumely of the iewes ; siquidem manet nobis etiamnum par mysterii in diebus significatio , quae apud iudaeos locum habebat , if so be there yet remaines with us a mysterious signification equally in the daies , such as had place amongst the iewes . now this caution nothing concernes any of our protestant divines , who mainteine the observation of one day in seven as necessary , in resting from manuall workes , onely as they are impediments to the service of god. nay that one day in seven was observed by the jewes for any mysterious signification conteyned therein , or by the patriarchs either , or by adam himselfe , in whose dayes even from the first , the seventh day was sanctified , that is , set apart for the service of god , in the opinion of calvin , to this day , i never heard or read . this latter clause in calvin , which containes the condition , whereupon this censure of his passeth upon those that so stand for the observation of one day in seven , this prefacer slily concealeth ; though calvins censure be not passed absolutely , but merely upon this condition . thus indeed to stand for the necessary observation of one day in seven , namely , as conteyning some mysterious signification , were to exceede the iewes in a grosse and carnall superstition of a sabbatisme . as touching the observation of some time set a part for gods holy worship , and service , calvin professeth that the same necessity lieth upon us christians , for reliefe whereof the lord appointed the sabbath to the iewes , and that it pleased our most provident and tender father to provide for our necessity , no lesse then for the necessity of the iewes . now it is apparent that god commanded the jewes to set one day in seven apart for the service of god , and doth it not manifestly follow herehence , that the lord would have us also set apart one day of the weeke for his service ? and calvin concludes that section thus , why then doe we not obey that reason , which we see to be imposed upon us by the will of god ? and therefore wallaeus saith that calvin delivered not these words , whereupon this prefacer grateth so much , against his own colleagues or fellowes in the reformation , with whom he never contended in this argument , but against certaine papists & schoolemen , who thought , they had provided sufficiently for themselves , for christian liberty , and for the edification of the church ; by teaching that the taxation of the seventh day as ceremoniall was abolished , & yet that one day in seven , and by name the lords day , was to be observed , after such a manner , and to such an end , as the jewes observed their sabbath : by which doctrine , way was opened to superstition in this dayes observation . his words are plainely directed against such when he saith ; thus vanish the toyes of false prophets , who possessed the people in former times with a iewish opinion . and againe , but that is no other thing then in contempt of the jewes to change the day , and in mind to retaine the same sanctity of the day : if so be there remaines unto us , ( to wit by their opinion ) an equall mysterious signification of dayes , to that which had place among the jewes . now saith wallaeus , this agrees not to be spoken of any of the reformed , but of sophisters and papists , who urge new mysteries , and new significations , and holinesses in their holy daies , as it is well known . bellarmine lib. . cap. . of the veneration of saints writes against our divines , that the feasts of christians are kept , not only in respect of order and policy , but also by reason of a mystery ; and that holydays are truly more holy and sacred then other dayes , and a certaine part of divine worship . this prefacer is content to make use of iohn barclayes report concerning calvin , namely that he had a consultation once de transferenda solennitate dominica in feriam quintam ; of translating the dominicall solemnity unto the thursday . had it beene unto friday , which is the turkes festivall , then it would have wondrously well served raynolds his turne in his calvinoturcismus . for it concerned that author to inquire diligently of all calvins courses , that stood any way in conformity with the courses of the turkes : neither doe i thinke there could be devised any more remarkable then this . how true this is this prefacer cannot say , but whether he doth not licke his lips at it i know not . but it is apparent , he would have the church endued with such authority , as to change the solemnity of the lords day , to any day in the weeke , and consequently even to friday ; and i doe not doubt but pretence of reason might be devised for it by politique heads , as namely , to hold the turkes in better correspondency unto christianity . now if calvin had at any time a consultation hereabouts ( which cannot be understood of calvins single and proper consultation with himselfe ; for then how could the relator be privy to it without revelation ; and we commonly say , that three may keepe counsaile when two be away ) surely there were many that could give testimony hereof , to wit as many , as whose heads he used in this consultation . and who would not expect , that some one of these at least , should be produced to testifie so much either by word or writing ? as for barcley , he hath his name ab ursae ungula , from the claw of a beare ; give we him leave to bee a biter , a tearer . his father was a man of some note and learning , and one that had the opinion to deserve well of kings by his booke contrá monarch machos ; and thereby he endeared himselfe to king iames , being also a scotchman . but king iames might thinke better of him then there was cause , all things considered . for he maintaines , that in two cases kings may cease to be kings , and to this acknowledgement he finds himselfe mastered in part by a rule of the civill law , ( and he was a civilian ) which is this , servus habitus proderelicto may choose a new father . at the first reading i wondered at the doctrine it selfe , being of an harsh accent , and dangerous consequence ; and much more in consideration of the reason given , which by interpretation and accommodation may draw a very long tayle after it . and it may seeme strange , that none have taken any paynes either to refute it , or cleere it , i meane in publique . yet i speake it onely in reference to the compasse of mine owne reading . in private it may be some have dealt upon it , and my selfe in particular , when i dealt in my sermons upon the thirteenth to the romans . i have been often urged to set forth those meditations of mine and to make them publike ; but i have alwayes resisted the motion , they being but homely sermons , accommodated to a countrey auditory , neither doe i finde my selfe that way fitted for a better audience ; i can take some paynes in writing controversies , but i cannot take paynes in making a sermon , and when i have taken most , i finde i have lesse edified my people , though perhaps better pleased my selfe . yet having not long since understood of a court distinction of puritans ; namely that some of them are good men , onely they cannot conforme to the ceremonies of the church ; but other there are , who though they doe conforme , yet are antimonarchicall puritans : this consideration hath taken a deepe impression in me , and brought me to debate with my selfe , whether it were not fit to publish those poore meditations of mine , if for nothing else , yet to vindicate our reputation , who at the pleasures of too many are oppressed in the world ; and to represent to publique view , our countrey faith concerning monarchies . for if we be reputed antimonarchicall , no mervaile if some course be taken sooner or later to roote us out . and this i might make a prodromus to a greater worke , in answer to a booke entitled deus & rex , a pestilent piece of worke , and as it is thought written by one barefoote a jesuite , conteyning a refutation of a certaine book of one of our divines inscribed god and the king written by doctor mockest , a booke so well pleasing to king james , that as we have heard , his majesty thought fit that children should be catechized in it . this being afterwards translated into latine by doctor harris , now warden of the colledge by winchester , hath beene now many yeares agoe , answered by a papist who conceales his name , and that in a very unhappy manner . and a wonder of wonders it may seeme , that so vile a piece hath passed so long unanswered ; especially considering that heretofore great bishops chaplens were wont to bee imployed in answering papists , and this was the ordinary way of their preferment . i confesse there are certaine mysteries therein , which perhaps are as scarre-crowes to deterre men from taking pen in hand to refute it . for the author of this , would beare the world in hand , that hee who wrote the booke intituled god and the king , and was a puritan ; and that none but puritans doe stand for the absolutenesse of kings in such sort as it is there maintained . and that it is merely a plot to ruinate monarches , by advancing their absolutenesse so high ; dealing with them herein , as hercules did with antaeus ; for observing that as often as he threw him to the ground , he rose up with greater strength , for the earth being his mother , as often as he fell into her bosome she inspired new vigour and spirit into him ; therefore he would throw him down no more , but lifting him up from the earth into the aire , there hee held him betweene his armes , untill he had crusht his breath out of his body , and so made an end of him . in like sort , it is there said , that puritans finde it their onely meanes to ruine monarches , by advancing their absolutnesse in so unreasonable a manner : that when the people shall understand it aright , they will bee so provoked hereby , that they will streyne the uttermost of their power to roote out all monarchies . neverthelesse all this is but a squib , making a great noyse but doing no hurt ; yet sufficient to scare any man in these times , considering how funestous a condition it is , to come under the shadow of the very name of puritan . and the papists , and all that are popishly affected rejoyce in this , as in nothing more . forsooth hoc ithacus velit & magno mercentur atreidae . but see my unfortunate condition ; after i had resolved to make it my next worke to labour in this argument : and after i had dispatched my first worke of pleading for the supreame absolutnesse of god in heaven ; in the next place to try my strength what i could say for the secondary absolutenesse of kings and monarches here on earth ; i am sodenly driven to intermit all other businesses formerly in hand , and to travaile in a new argument , and to strengthen my selfe against the lightnings and thunders , that may breake over our heads we know not how soone ; for wee see examples before our eyes of sufferings in this kind , and how soone our owne turne may come to suffer in the same kinde it is uncertaine unto us . therefore to returne to iohn barcley : wee have heard that his father before his death commended him to the patronage of king iames , who accordingly had him attending in his court somewhile with intent to preserre him : untill on a sodaine his minde was changed , having receaved intelligence , that this gentleman playd false with him , living in his court but as an espie and intelligencer , to discover what he could of his majesties affayres unto queene mother of france ; which mooved king iames ever after , and that most justly , to abominate him . now such a one , if he could not proove true and loyall unto his naturall prince , can it bee expected , hee being of a popish spirit , should carry himselfe truely and honestly towards iohn calvin ? but sure it is ( in this prefacers judgement ) that calvin tooke the lords day to be an ecclesiasticall and humane constitution , only appointed by our ancestors to supply the place of the iewish sabbath , and as our doctor tells us alterable by the church at this present time as first it was , when from the saturday they translated it unto the sunday . for proofe here of this prefacer alleageth nothing but that out of calvin , where he saith , veteres subrogarunt diem dominicum in locum sabbati ; the ancients subrogated the lords day in place of the sabbath : but he takes no notice of that which immediately followes in calvin ; as a reason of the former thus ; for whereas in the lords resurrection is found the end , and accomplishment of the true rest , which the ancient sabbath shaddowed , by the very day which set an end to shadowes , christians are admonished not to stick unto the shadowing ceremonie . where observe , first , as touching the persons noted by veteres the ancients , first ; and then by christiani christians . are not these the apostles as much as any other ? and they in the first place , as wee best knew what that was , which did set an end to shadowes ; and accordingly to give notice of the pregnant signification of the day of the lords resurrection ? and therefore , cor. . . hee doth intirely referre this to the apostles , as whom he confesseth , constrayned by the iewish superstition to have abrogated the sabbath , and in the place thereof ordeyned the lords day . secondly observe that the accomplishment of that which was signified by the jewish sabbath he ascribes to the resurrection . and doctor andrewes bishop of winchester in his speech delivered in the starre chamber in the case of traske professeth that , it hath ever beene the churches doctrine that christ made an end of all sabbaths , by his sabbath in the grave . that sabbath ( saith he ) was the last of them . and that christs resurrection brought with it a new creation , and a new creation requires a new sabbath . and hee alleageth austin ep. . saying , the lords day was declared to christians by christ his resurrection , and from thence began to have its festivity . but that at this time calvin should thinke it alterable by the church , no colour of proofe is brought ; and most unreasonable it is , for any to conceave the sabbath to be as alterable now , as in the apostles dayes it was , when from the saturday they translated it unto the sunday . for that alteration depended upon a second creation , as both bishop andrewes observes , and that out of athanasius de sabbato & circumcision● . and bishop lakes was of the same opinion , as his discourse in manuscript yet to be seene doth manifest . so that unlesse this prefacer can devise a third creation , and maintaine withall the rest on the lords day to bee as ceremoniall , as the jewes rest on the seventh day was , there is no colour , why the christian sabbath on the lords day , should bee as alterable now , as the day of the jewish sabbath was . as for the . conclusions which hee saith calvin resolves upon ; the first whereof hee saith to be this , that one day in seven is not the morall part of the fourth commandement , i say , calvin avoucheth no such thing ; and wallaeus shewes , that generally the friends of calvin maintained the contrary ; between whom neverthelesse and calvin it was never known that there was any contention herabouts . and already i have shewed how unshamefastly this prefacer abuseth calvin in alledging one halfe of his sentence , and leaving the other part quite out , so making calvin to deliver that absolutely , which he affirmes onely conditionally . the second resolution which he obtrudes upon calvin , is , that the day was changed from the last day of the weeke to the first , by the authority of the church , and not by any divine ordinance . it is true , calvin sayth not , that the day was changed by divine ordinance , neither doth he say that it was changed by the authority of the church ; but in plaine termes professeth that the apostles changed it in one place ; and that admonition was given for the change of it , by the consideration of the day of christs resurrection in another , to wit institut . lib. . cap. . sect. . now let every sober conscience consider , whether that day which was first ordained by authority divine , the apostles would alter by lesse authority , then authority divine ; especially considering that christs redemption of the world , is the restauration of the world ; which is as a new creation ; and as the lord rested the seventh day from the workes of creation ; so the day of christs resurrection , was the day of his rest from the worke of redemption ; so that still the day of the lords rest is the day of our rest ; not indeed the day of the lord our creators rest , that ceasing as being ceremoniall , as before hath beene shewed out of doctor andrewes ; but the day of the lord our redeemers rest , which brought with it a new creation , is now the day of our rest . and who was nearer or dearer unto calvin then beza ? whose words upon revel . , . are to this effect , he calls that the lords day , which paul calls the first of the sabbaths cor. . . & acts . . on which day it appeares that even then were made the more frequent assemblies by christians , like as the iewes came together in their synagogues on the sabbath day ; wherby it may appeare that the fourth precept of sanctifying the seventh day , as touching the day of the sabbath and legall rites , was ceremoniall ; but as touching the worship of god , is of the morall law , unalterable , and perpetually to continue in this life . and that day of the sabbath continued in force from the creation of the world , to the day of christs resurrection , which being as it were another creation of another spirituall world ( as the prophets speake ) then for the sabbath of the former world or seventh day , was assumed the first day of this new world ; the holy ghost without doubt dictating thus much to the apostles . as for the third & last resolutiō which he pins upon calvins sleeve , namely that the day of rest to be sanctified to the lord , is yet alterable by the church as at first it was ; neither that first alteration is by calvin sayd to be made by the church , but expressely by the apostles ; & they admonished hereof by the day of christs resurrection ; and beza professeth that our christian assemblies on the lords day are of apostolicall and divine tradition . and observe i pray how bishop andrewes pleades for episcopall authority , as by divine right , in his answer to the first epistle of peter moulin . an est apostolicum factum aliquod , jure non apostolico ? apostolico autem , id est , ut ego interpretor , divino . nec enim aliquid ab apostolis factum , non dictante hoe iis spiritu sancto & divino . is there any fact of the apostles , by right not apostolicall ? but by apostolicall , that is ( as i interpret it ) by divine . for neither was there any thing done by the apostles , which the holy and divine spirit did not dictate unto them . shall this be of force for the institution of bishops , and shall it not be of force for the institution of the lords day , as by divine right ? but put the case it were so in every particular of calvin , as this prefacer avoucheth ; how comes it about that our adversaries practise to choake us with the authority of calvin ? shall we beurged to yield to the authority of calvin , who are reproched usually as calvinists and so nicknamed ? in my time of being in the university , we heard by credible relation , how in one of the colleges , questions were set up to be disputed contrà ioannem calvinum ; and that disputations of that nature were sometimes concluded in this manner , relinquamus calvinum in hisce faecibus ; and we commonly say , there is no smoake without some fire . no longer agoe then at the act in oxford , last save one , anno . i heard calvinists reckoned up amongst papists , pelagians , arminians , puritans , as sectaries at least , if not as heretiques , by him that preached the act sermon on the lords day in the afternoone ; and is it fit , that we should be pregravated by the opinion of calvin , a man whose memory seemes to be hated by men of this prefacers spirit , so as few men more ? the fourth section . neither was hee the onely one , that hath so determined . for , for the first , that to keepe holy one day of seven , is not the morall part of the fourth commandement , our doctor hath delivered in the third section , that not tostatus onely , but even aquinas , and with him all the schoolemen have decreed upon it . nor was there any that opposed it in the schooles of rome , that i have met with , till catarinus tooke up armes against tostatus : affirming , but with ill successe , that the commandement of the sabbath was imposed on adam in the first cradle of the world , there where the lord is sayd to blesse the seventh day , and to sanctifie it . as for the protestant schooles , besides what is affirmed by calvin , and seconded by the doctor in this following discourse , this seemes to be the judgement of the divines in the low countries . franciscus gomarus , one knowne sufficiently for his undertakings against arminians published , an. . a little treatise about the originall of the sabbath , and therein principally canvased these two questions . first whether the sabbath were ordained by god immediately upon the creation of the world ? then whether all christians are obliged by the fourth commandement , alwayes to set a part one day in seven to gods holy worship ? both which he determines negatively . and doctor rivet one of the foure professors in leyden , although he differs in the first , yet in the second , which doth most concerne us christians , they agree together : affirming also joyntly that the appointing of the lords day for gods publique service , was neither done by god himselfe , nor by his apostles , but by the authority of the church ? for seconds , gomarus brings in vatablus , and wolfgangus musculus ; and rivet voucheth the authority of our doctor here . for so gomarus , in the assertion and defense of the first opinion against this rivet . de quibus etiam cl . & doctiss . doctor prideaux in oratione de sabbato consensionem extare , eodem judicio ( by rivets information ) libenter intelleximus . i will adde one thing onely , which is briefely this . the hollanders when they discovered fretum le morire an. . though they observed a most exact accompt of their time at sea ; yet at their comming home they found , comparing their accompt with theirs in holland , that they had lost a day ; that which was sunday to the one , being munday to the other . which of necessity must happen as it is calculated by geographers , to those that compasse the world from west to east , as contrary , they had got a day , had they sayled it eastward . and what should these people doe when they were returned ? if they must sanctifie precisely one day in seven , they must have sanctified a day a part from their to her countreymen , and had a sabbath by themselves ; or to comply with with others must have broken the morall law , which must for no respects be violated . see more hereof at large in carpenters geogr. p. . exam. that calvin hath any where so determined this prefacer hath not prooved , but shamefully dismembred him , thereby to make him to deliver something absolutly which he delivers onely conditionally , and that in opposition unto papists , who will have the lords day to be kept not onely for order and policy sake but by reason of some mystery ; and this calvin professeth to be jewish . aquinas his words are these , habere aliquod tempus deputatum ad vacandum divinis , cadit sub praecepto morali : sed in quantum in hoc praecepto determinatur speciale tempus in signum creationis mundi , sic est praeceptum ceremoniale . to have some time deputed ( wherein ) to rest for . things divine , falls under the morall precept . but for as much as in this precept is determined a speciall time in signe of the creation of the world , so it is a praecept ceremoniall . where i doe observe first , that this ceremoniality is apparently ascribed to the seventh day , and that considered as a signe of the creation , and not to one day in seven . and this indeed may well be the concurrent opinion of schole divines . as for abulensis , of what authority is he to preponderate any one of our divines ? nay , i appeale to every humane conscience , whether no more be morall in this precept , then to set some time apart for gods service . for what ? is it nothing materiall , whether we set apart for divine service , one day in a weeke , or one day in a month , or one day in a yeare , or one day in twenty yeares , or one day throughout the whole course of a mans life ? what conscience can be found so cauteriate as to justifie this ? if so , then let him proceed and say , it is nothing materiall whether wee consecrate unto god one houre in a day , or one houre in a weeke , or one houre in a month , or one houre in a yeare , or but one houre throughout the whole course of a mans life . so that i presume every sober man by the very light of nature , will be driven to confesse that not only some time ought to be set apart for gods worship ( as the schoolemen commonly teach ) but that a convenient proportion of time ought to be destinated unto this . now let reason itselfe judge , whether any more convenient proportion of time can be devised for this then the proportion of one day in seven . and herein let us oppose azorius to tostatus ( if tostatus doe oppose the morality of one day in seven , which is more then i finde ) a papist to confront a papist ; who plainly affirmeth , rationi maximè consentaneum esse , that it is most agreeable to reason , that after six workedayes one day should bee consecrated to the service of god ; especially since god hath discovered unto us that this is his good pleasure , namely that one day in seven should be consecrated unto his service . first , that we might not be left at large to our own hearts , to proportion out the time for gods service . secondly , for the maintenance of uniformity herein amongst his people ; who being left unto themselves might , and in all likelyhood would have run different wayes . and that god hath from the beginning manifested as much , wallaeus hath shewed out of chrysostome in his . homily upon genesis . now even from the beginning god insinuates unto us this doctrine , teaching that in the cirole of the neeke , one intire day is to be segregated and set apart for spirituall operation , and to the same purpose are clemens alexandrinus , eusebius , theodoret , and augustine alledged by him . catarinus is in this place brought in quite against the hayre ; seeing it is not herein , that he is so much as pretended to oppose tostatus , but rather as touching the originall institution of the sabbath . yet why he should say that catarinus hath herein had ill successe , i know no reason ( neither doth this author once offer to give any ) especially considering that the very romists doe acknowledge , that the sabbath was instituted immediately from the creation . their words are these ; the apostles and faithfull abrogated the sabbath which was the seventh day and made holy-day : for it the next day following being the eighth day in compt from the creation — not onely otherwise then was by the law observed but plainely otherwise then was prescribed by god himselfe in the * second commandement , yea and otherwise then he ordained in the first creation , when hee sanctified precisely the sabbath day , and not the day following . rivetus cites diverse popish authors affirming the same with catarinus , contrary to the opinion of tostatus , and notwithstanding pererius his concurrence with tostatus ; no lesse then six papists of note , steuehus eugubinus in cosmopaea ad cap. . gen. gilbert genebrard in his chronology at the first yeare of the world. jacobus salianus in his annalls of the old testament at the first yeare of the world , and the seventh day . who expounds also tertullian , who is pretended to be of the contrary opinion . cornelius a lapide on the . cap. of genesis . emanuel sa. and lastly ribera on the epistle to the hebrewes cap. . num. . so that it seemes catarinus did on this point oppose tostatus with very good successe . neither doth the doctor on whom this prefacer relies , shew any sufficient cause of rejecting catarinus , or bring ought sufficient to justify tostatus . it is true , tostatus brings divers reasons for the confirmation of this opinion , and i have no cause to doubt but they were answered by catarinus who opposeth him herein ; neither doe i finde any exception taken against his answer , either by the prefacer or by doctor prideaux himselfe . and therefore i might content my selfe , seeing nothing but tostatus his authority is proposed , to answer authority with authority : yet i am content also to consider his reasons as they are proposed by pererius . the first digression , wherein , i. answer is made to tostatus his arguments proposed by pererius , to proove that the observation of the sabbath was ordeyned by god immediately from the creation . ii. herewithall the question is disputed , whether adam fell the first day wherein he was created . the first agrument of tostatus proposed by pererius is to this effect , the observation of the sabbath had been superfluous to adam and eve , seeing nothing then could have called them away from the service of god , to wit , they being then in the state of innocency . to which i answer , first that herein is supposed somewhat wherabout there is much question , namely that adam fell not before the seventh day . yet pererius professeth that it was an opinion well knowne , and confirmed by the consent of many and those noble and illustrious authors , that adam fell the first day wherein he was oreated . this sayth he , seemes to have been the opinion of irenaeus ; and cyrillus and epiphanius are cited as approovers of it . he addes , that moses baroephas in his booke of paradice both prooves it , and avoucheth it as the opinion of many others , and especially of philopenus in his oration , which he wrote of the tree of life , and of ephrem in his commentaries upon genesis , and of jacobus sabugensis in his oration of christs passion . to whom may bee added , saith pererius , diodorus the bishop of tharsis , as he is cited in the chaine of interpreters upon genesis , upon those words of the third chapter , we do eate of every tree in paradise . tostatus himselfe as this author writes , was sometimes of the same opinion , though afterwards he changed his minde ; and conceaved as more likely , that adam fell on the sabbath day ; which pererius approves not , though that was the opinion of the author of the darash amongst the jewes , as david kimchi writes upon that psalme , whose title is , a psalme for the sabbath ; and that so by sinning he profaned the sabbath . this opinion of tostatus and the jewes , pererius doth not approve : but the reason he gives for his dissenting from them , in my judgement is very weake . for that it runnes , because the lord blessed that sabbath day and sanctified it , resting from all his workes which he had made , therefore it was not agreeable , that on that day , so severe a judgement of the divine vengeance should be exercised . now i say , this reason is very weake . for we commonly say , the better day , the better deed ; and undoubtedly the lord is holy , as in all his workes , so in the execution of condigne vengeance . in this he delights , as in the execution of mercy . and it is usually the lords course , even on the lords day , to recompence the wayes of the wicked upon their own heads , in the profanation of his sabbaths . secondly , it may seeme strange , that pererius should serve himselfe with this reason , namely , of the lords blessing the seventh day and sanctifying it , seeing he professeth himselfe to be of tostatus his opinion , interpreting these words by way of anticipation , and referring them to the giving of the law upon mount sina . others were of opinion , that adam continued is long in paradise , as christ lived here on earth . but this opinion pererius thinkes no way probable . others devised a continuance of adam in paradise for the space of forty dayes , answering to our saviours fasting forty dayes ; but this he sayth hath no shew of probability . his own conjecture is , that adam fell , and was turned out of paradise that day senight after he was created : and the grounds of his conjecture are in my opinion , as frivolous as any . as first , when he saith that eight dayes space was sufficient to have experience of the happinesse of that state . for why not as well some dayes more or some dayes lesse ? nay rather , by continuance in the same state , we grow lesse and lesse sensible of the happinesse thereof . and the happinesse of a state is best known by the contrary , according to that rule , carendo magis quàm fruendo quid quidque sit cognoscimus . as for the agreement herein which he conceites between adam and christ , as who is thought of many to have been conceaved in the virgins wombe on the sixt day of the weeke , and on the same day of the weeke was indeed crucified upon the crosse ; who seeth not that this conveniency had been found as well on that day fortnight , or on that day three weekes , and so in infinitum , as on that day senight ? as ridiculous appeares to be his pretence of complying thus with the antients , whose opinion was , that adam fell the same day wherein he was created , which he would apply to that day senight after . for why not as well to that day three weekes after , or that day a month after , and so in infinitum ? but let us consider pererius reasons whereby he undertakes to shew the unlikelihood of adams falling the first day . the first is drawn from the forme of adams temptation , thus , why doe you not eate of every tree of paradise ? which supposeth as he saith , that they had already eaten of every other tree in paradise ; and eves answer , he saith , seems to confirm this in saying , we eate of the fruit of the trees in the garden . but of the fruit of the tree which is in the mids of the garden , we eate not ; what is the meaning of we eate , but this , we are wont to eate , quoth pererius . yet forthwith he himselfe enervates this interpretation , confessing that the meaning may be this , it is lawfull for us to eate . and i willingly confesse , that no argument appeares to me so plausible as this , namely that they had formerly tasted of every fruit of the garden besides this : for it seems very likly , that not till then they were wel prepared for satans temptation . and it seemes unlikely they would offer to taste of the fruit forbidden untill they had tasted of all the rest ; then indeed and not til then , the commendation of that as of a more excellent fruit then any of the rest , might the better allure them both to touch and taste . but as pererius proposeth it , it hath no force ; for as much as he corrupteth the text , the divells words being not such as these , why doe yee not eate of every tree of paradise ? but running thus ; yea ? hath god sayd yee shall not eate of every tree in the garden ? or as piscator takes it for a conclusion of a larger discourse ; yea in as much as god hath said , ye shall not eate of the fruit of every tree in the garden , so giving a reason to proove what he objected , namely that god envyed their happinesse . as for the reasons which before i have given , they may be answered thus . if the benefit of this fruit had been of the same kinde with the benefit of others , and onely in degree of excellency above them , then were it no way likely they should begin with this . but seeing it was pretended to be of a farre different kinde by satans suggestion , not so much for satisfying the appetite of sense , as for satisfying the spirituall desire of the soule in knowing good and evill , which the very denomination of the tree given by god himselfe did fairely intimate ; and this being cunningly improoved by satan to be a divine condition , in making them like unto god ; this consideration might well allure forthwith without all further stay to have experience of other fruit . secondly why might they not have tasted of the fruites of other trees , without any necessity of nature urging them , and yet without any luxury at all , but only to acquaint themselves with the condition of those good creatures which god had provided for them ? yet again considering that this experience made to no other end , should so sensibly have brought home unto them the goodnesse of god , in that state of holinesse and integrity , that it would have exceedingly confirmed them in their obedience to god , and made the motion of the serpent at first hearing distastfull , and to choose to be like unto god in obedience , and thereby in conformity to his holy will , then in forbidden knowledge . and besides , the tasting of all so soone , can hardly be justified from luxury or wast : therefore i rest in my first answer . pererius his next reason caryeth a great deale of shew , but in substance lesse forcible . certainly the making of the beasts of the earth , and of man , might be done in as short a time as it pleased god to have it ; especially considering the opinion of some antients , that all things were made together , and that in a short space ; so mans placing in paradise , and the beasts brought unto him by god , might be soone dispatched : and surely adams naming of them cost him no study ; and undoubtedly all this was done before the creating of eve ; so that all this might be done before noone , and space enough allowed for the divells conference with eve , and his seducing her , and her seducing adam . the making of them aprons to hide their nakednesse caryeth the greatest shew of requiring longer time ; but he who wanted not wit to name the beasts so congruously to their natures , wanted not understanding to cover themselves with fig-leaves . as for the doctors alleaged by him for his opinion ; i doe not finde that any of them is expresse , or by consequent direct for that , whereunto they are alleaged ; but the inferences made from their wordes are meerely conjecturall . for when hee writes , that ioseph in the first booke of his antiquities ; and basil in his homily of paradise ; and damaseen in his second booke of orthodox faith and . chapter . seeme to be of this opinion ; his ground is only this , because as he saith , they write that the serpent in paradise did often come to our first parents and converse with them very gently and familiarly , and that thereupon the divell tooke hint to inveagle the woman . now this is but a conjecture of theirs ; neither doe they say that he was wont to conferre with them ; yet all that they speake of may very well be fulfilled in a few houres . that which to this purpose he alleageth out of austin de civit . dei lib. : c. . is onely this , the apple on the tree forbidden , we are to believe it to be such , as the rest of other trees , which now they had found to be without hurt ; hence it seemes pererius would inferre , that before the divells temptation they had tasted of them all ; but austins speech is indefinite , and verified , in case they had tasted but of some ; and eve might have tasted of some , adam of other some ; if it be further urged , that austin delivers it as a reason to shew how hereby they were made more pliable to yield to satans temptation : i answer that by tasting some , yea and without tasting any , they might be well assured they might be tasted of without hurt , excepting that which god had forbidden them ; and the tasting of all without hurt was no tolerable reason to perswade that in like manner they might tast of the forbidden fruit without hurt ; the lord having professed unto them , that in the day they did eate thereof , they should die the death . pererius addes that austin in his twentieth booke of the city of god , and . chapter , doth not obscurely give to understand , that albeit he thought adam continued not long in paradise , yet that he continued there longer then one day . but i finde no such thing in the place quoted by him . but i guesse the passage he aimes at , is that wherein hee discourseth of those words of the prophet malachy mal. . and the sacrifice of iudah and ierusalem shall please the lord as in the dayes of old , and in former yeares ; and he inquires , what time that is , which is signified by this phrase , as in the dayes of old , and in the former yeares . and first he saith , that perhaps thereby may be signified , the time wherein our first parents were in paradise . and to this he referres that of esay es . . according to the dayes of the tree of life , shall be the life of my people . and who saith hee , knowes not , what that place was where the lord planted the tree of life ? but then to the contrary he discourseth thus , if a man shall say those dayes of the tree of life to be the dayes of the church of christ which are now current , and that christ himselfe is prophetically called the tree of life — and that these first men lived not any yeares in paradise , from whence they were so soone ejected , that they begate no sonne there , and that therefore that time cannot be understood by this phrase of malachy ( as in the dayes of old and former yeares ) — i passe by this question : to wit , of the meaning of the prophet malachy . now had austin simply sayd that our first parents continued not many yeares in paradise , there had beene some colour , as if he thought , adam had continued some few yeares , or one yeare at least , in paradise . but neither doth austin deliver this as his owne opinion , but as the discourse of others ; and that to proove that the words mentioned in malachy , cannot denote the time of adams being in paradise ; for as much as they speake of many yeares ; but adam continued not yeares in paradise , which is proved by this , that he was driven from thence before he had begotten any sonne ; which if it be referred to the conception of a child , as in reason it seemes to be , who seeth not that one day , or a night might have sufficed for that ? so that all things considered , this place rather makes against pererius then for him . in like sort , that which he alleageth out of gregory is onely this , that man in paradise was accustomed to the words of god , and conversed with the spirit of the blessed angells ; suppose it were so , and with god himselfe , so long as he continued in the state of integrity ( yet i hope they will give way to the temptation of satan ) yet how little or how long that time continued is not specified . consider we now the reasons to the contrary , delivered partly by pererius himselfe , partly by doctor willet upon genesis . who on the third chapter of that booke proposeth them in this order . first , the angells that fell , presently after their creation sinned , as our saviour saith , that the divell did not stand or continue in the truth iob. . . hereunto austin consenteth , factus continuò se à luce veritatis avertit , as soone as he was made , presently he turned aside from the light of the truth : so it is likely that man also — and indeed the inference from angels to men in this particular , seemes to proceede from that which is lesse likely to that which is more likely . if the angells of themselves fell so soone , how much more likely is it , that both satan would set himselfe with the first , to tempt them , and being tempted lesse strange it is that they should fall . but concerning the angells defection , it doth not follow , either by our saviours phrase , or austins phrase that either of them believed they fell so soone . but whensoever that was proposed unto them , which was the triall of their obedience ; had they approoved of it and submitted unto gods will , that had beene or thereupon undoubtedly had followed their confirmation , as it was u●no them that stood ; and their not approoving it , their not submitting unto it was their sinne in part , though according to their spirituall nature , it might be in the highest degree of stomach and pride ; like as their approbation thereof who obeyed was in an high degree of zeale and humility . aquinas professeth it to be more profitable , and more agreeable to the sayings of the saints ; that the divell sinned anon after the first instant of his creation . secondly , doctor willets second argument is this ; our saviour saith that the devill was a murtherer from the beginning , not of the world , but of mans creation , therefore at the very first he set upon them . but that phrase from the beginning doth not tie us to any such exact calculation . thirdly , the subtilty of the divell doth insinuate as much , who would then assault them , when they were least able to resist , before they by experience were confirmed iu their obedience . in this i confesse there are two particulars of very momentous consideration . first , the devills subtilty to set upon them , before they were possessed and taken up with an holy walking with god. secondly , that continuance in an holy walking with god could not but confirme them , and make them more stedfast therein , having as yet no principle of the flesh in them to make resistance , and to suspect every motion that should arise to withdraw them from it . fourthly , and it was fit , saith he , that man sinning should be cast out of paradise before he had fully tasted of the pleasure thereof , lest he afterward might be tormented with the losse , and attemted to returns . this reason my palate doth not relish so well ; the more adam should be tormented with the losse of paradise , the better it should be for him in my judgement , rather then worse . and as for attempting to returne , i cannot conceave how he should be so vaine as to presume to evacuate gods judgements , and then againe of any such paradise after adams banishment therence , wee read nothing . fistly , and it is cleare ( saith doctor willet ) by the serpents first on set , hath god sayd ye shall not eate of every tree ? that they had not yet tastea of any fruit , but at the very first the forbidden fruit was offered , before their appetite had beene served with any other . but first i doe not finde , that the text mentioned hath any such importment ; secondly , this supposeth , that the tast of other fruits would have beene apt to hinder the course of satans temptations ; but how ? in respect of giving so good content and satisfaction , yea but this satisfaction was no other then to the sensuall appetite ; but the tree forbidden in the very name of it ( whence satan tooke advantage to promote his temptation ) seemed to promise satisfaction in a far different kinde , namely to the spirituall appetite of the minde . . adam ( saith he ) had not yet eaten of the tree of life , as it is evident verse . but if they had stayed any time in paradise it is not unlikely , but they should have tasted of the tree of life , it being in the heart of paradise . this at first seemed to me very considerable ; but upon after thoughts not so . for certainly it assured not life , but upon obedience and therefore without obedience the tasting thereof ( if accessible in that case ) would have stood him in small stead . . likewise , saith he , seeing presently after the creation they were bidden to encrease and multiply , it is no other like but the man should have known his wife in paradise , if they had stayed there so long , and so they should have gotten children without sin . this reason is not to be despised ; although to stay a day or two in paradise was not to stay there long . but considering that then they might company together without all sinne so much as in thought , or circumstance of act , ( the want whereof makes even acts naturall in this condition of ours , shamefull unto us ) why should they deferre the propagation of mankinde ; especially considering that the child conceaved in the state of innocency should have beene without sinne . . the eighth reason is in effect the same with that of broughtons ; if adam had not sinned the first day , the lion had eaten grasse ; this in my judgement is a most insipid reason . first , because god had ordained , that all beasts at the first should live by grasse gen. . . secondly , in the arke of noah , lions must have eaten grasse or hay , or else have starved , they had no power to prey upon their fellow passengers . thirdly , if lyons and beares at first had lived by pray , even after adams fall , what had become of the rest of gods creatures , imbelles damae quid nisi praeda sumus ? lastly it is well knowne that in these dayes , in new england , beares doe live by grasse , and their flesh for mans meate is accompted better then venison . never any man on earth , christ only excepted , kept the sabbath without sin : the apostle saith , he that is entred into his rest hath also ceased from his own works , as god did from his , hebr. . it is the rest only of christ , where there shall be a cessation from all the works of sin . but that rest which adam should have kept in paradise was not christs rest : therefore he kept no rest there without sin , he fell then before the sabbath . this argument i confesse seemes to be very ponderous and savoury , as built upon the apostles discourse heb. . but the proposition is not sufficiently proved . for to cease from a mans owne workes ( as they are taken from sinnes ) is evidently competent to none but such as have formerly sinned , which cannot agree to adam in the state of innocency . yet it cannot be denyed , but that adam continued in innocency and without sinne untill his fall . and so long rested from sinne , though not in christ , save that to rest from sinne supposeth the precedency of sinne . but albeit this were granted , it followeth not that he fell before the sabbath ; for he might fall on the very sabbath , which was the opinion of the author of the jewes darash , mentioned by rabbi david kimchi on the . psalme . . that place lastly makes to this purpose , psalme . . adam lodged not one night in honour ; for so are the words if they be properly translated ; the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to lodge or stay all night : and thus diverse of the rabbins doe expound this place of adam ; and be quotes rabbi nathan . r. menachem , and midras tehillim . it cannot be denied but this place is very pregnantly appliable unto adam , as the first and chiefest object on whom this truth is verified ; as being in the chiefest honour that ever man had on earth , lord of all the world , and the father of mankinde , and placed in paradise ; and the verbe properly signifies pernoctare , to continue a night . onely it is of the future tense , which yet to beare the signification of the time past is nothing strange in the hebrew , though it hath not alwayes vau conversivum , the signe of such conversion . and the very word adam is here expressed , and we are very apt usually to accommodate unto adam without all reference to this question , or consideration of the propriety of the hebrew word signifying pernoctare . but let us returne to that from whence we have digressed . be it so that adam continued in his integrity untill the end of the seventh day ; doe we not read expressely , gen. . . that god tooke the man and put him in the garden of eden , that he might dresse it and keepe it ; therefore god had worke for him to doe , even in things of this world as well as hee hath for us . and martin luther professeth as much ; it followes from hence saith he , that if adam had stood in his innocency , yet he should have kept the seventh day holy , that is , on that day he should have taught his children , and childrens children , what was the will of god and wherein his worship did consist , he should have praysed god , given thanks and offered . on other dayes he should have tilled the ground , looked to his cattell . and selneccerus treads in luthers steps , treating upon the commandement of the sabbath . why then should it be thought superfluous to ordaine some dayes for the works of this world , and one day for the service of god ? and is it likely that eve was about the service of god , when the divell assaulted her ? was shee not too neare the forbidden fruit ? it was within her sight , and the fruit within her reach . ● they urge that vacation from service workes was then in vaine , seeing nothing could then be laborious and troublesome unto him . i answer ; though it were no paine to him to keepe the garden and dresse it ; yet this must needs take up his thoughts while hee was about it , and many a gentleman in these dayes finds lesse imployment then adam had ; will it therefore follow that the observation of the sabbath is superfluous ? . the third reason is , that if this commandement were then given , it should oblige all men ; but it is plaine that the gentiles never observed it , neither doe we reade the patriarchs did . i answer , there is no soundnesse in all this . for touching the gentiles , we have no history before the flood , nor till a long time after ; in which space of time , this doctrine of the institution of the sabbath being carried onely by tradition , might easily bee obliterated . the scriptures divine are the most ancient records in the world ; but it followes not , that because the scriptures doe not record how the patriarches did observe the sabbath , therefore they observed it not ; but much rather , because , the scriptures record , that the lord blessed the seventh day , and sanctified it , therefore the patriarches did observe it . and the truth is , untill the comming of the israelites out of egypt , wee reade not of the church of god any where but in single families . neither doe wee reade of the patriarches before the flood or a long time after that they kept any day consecrate to gods service ; will it therefore follow , that those holy patriarchs did set no time at all apart for gods ervice ? yet is it generally acknowledged as by the light of nature , that some time ought to be set apart for divine service . and formerly i have shewed out of manasses ben israel , that whereas the lord enjoyning to the israelites the observation of the sabbath , bids them remember that they were servants in egypt ; this the antient wise men among the jewes doe aply in this manner , cogita in egypto ubi serviebas , etiam ipso sabbato per vim te coactum ad labores ; thinke with thy selfe , how that in egypt where thou servedst , that by force thou wast constrained to worke , even on the sabbath . so that the observation of the sabbath was a duty even in those dayes . observe farther that in the fourth commandement , the jewes are charged to looke unto it , not onely that their children and their servants did observe the sabbath , but also , the stranger that was within their gates . now these kinde of strangers commonly called strangers of the gate , and thereby distinguished from strangers of the covenant ; were such as were not circumcised , though accompted proselytes in the first degree . and on them was usually imposed no other burthen , besides the observation of the seven precepts of noah , as schindler observes upon the roote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . which seven precepts of noah are also reckoned up by the same schindler in the roote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; and albeit the observation of the sabbath were none of them expresse ; yet in as much as the lord gives expresse charge that the strangers within their gates should observe the sabbath , it seemes it was comprehended under one of them ; and therefore some thinke it was comprehended under that which was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 benedictio dei ; that is , the worship of no other god , but the creator of heaven and earth ; and by name , my worthy friend master joseph mede ; as i have seene in a manuscript of his touching the interpretation of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the acts ; and hereof he gives this reason ; namely that the observation of the seventh day was the badge of this , namely of worshioping the creator of heaven and earth , according to that , the sabbath is a signe between me and you , that i jehovah am your god because in six dayes the lord made heaven and earth , the sea and all that in them is , and rested the seventh . now if the observation of the sabbath were comprehended under the seven precepts of noah , undoubtedly it was in force , and practise amongest the patriarchs , and that not only after , but before the flood ; for undoubtedly they all worshipped the lord god creator of heaven , and earth . . we have notable evidence for the observation of the sabbath day , even among the gentiles . and first , the distinction of the whole course of time into weekes , for the antiquity thereof is remarkable , and now lately justified by rivetus against gomarus with great variety of learned observation , and that especially by claudius salmasius that renowned scholar and antiquary , one of them who with great instance urged rivetus not to suffer gomarus to passe unansweared in this point . it is true , as rivetus observes , that causabon writing upon suetonius l. . . and upon these words , diogenes the grammarian was wont to dispute at rhod●s on the sabbath , professeth his opinion , that the observation of weekes now a dayes generally receaved , was not commonly receaved before the dayes of theodosius , though he confesseth , that long before it was in use among the grecians , especially those of asia . yet rivet makes it good , and that out of tertullian , that long before it was in use among the latines . ioannes philoponus in his commentary upon the history of the creation , a book commended by photius in his bibliotheca lib. . cap. and lately set forth at vienna in austria , writes thus ; all men doe agree in this , that there are seven dayes only , which by revolution in themselves doe complete whole time , whereof what reason can wee give , but that which moses gave ? to wit , that in six dayes the lord made the world , and rested the seventh . and clemens alexandrinus and eusebius prove the same out of homer , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the seventh day was that , wherein all things were finished ; and out of callimachus , and out of linus in diverse passages to the same purse , as rivetus hath shewed in his answer to gomarus . and further , that in the french kings library , there is a chronology of george syncellus , from adam to dioclesian ; wherein salmasius observes , that the computation of times by weekes was before the computation of times by moneths and yeares was found out by astrologers ; and that the ancient fathers distinguished the spaces of times only by weekes : and that the caldean astrologers having observed the course of the sunne , moone , and other planets were the first that bestowed on the seven dayes of the weeke the names of the planets ; and that by the testimony of an antient author manuscript . zoroastres and hystaspis were the authors of these demonstrations . but that this circuit of seven dayes was in use before zoroastres and the first authors of astrology . but the jewes kept themselves as to the distinction of times by weekes , so to call the dayes by their order , the first , the second ; and that the pythagoreans did the like — and called the first day of the weeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like as the hellenists called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . in the yeare , . there was set forth a book at venice ( as the same doctor rivet writes ) intitled thesaurus praeceptorum isaaci atiae iudaei ; in the first part whereof and . praecept touching the sabbath , he writes to this effect , that the holinesse of that sacred day is so well known , that it were superfluous to use many words in the explication thereof ; seeing it is found to have impression in the very hearts of the heathens themselves ; becaase there is none that knoweth not , that when his highnesse to whom none can approch , built this wonderfull frame , he rested on the seventh day . . and thus ere i am aware , i am fallen upon the holinesse of the day , acknowledged generally by the heathens themselves as this jewish writer conceaved . theophilus antiochenus an antient father in his second booke written to autolycus , acknowledgeth the celebrity of this day amongst all men , though the reason thereof was not so well known to most ; to wit as drawn from gods rest on that day after he had created the world. tertullian also acknowledged the heathens to solemnize the seventh much after the same manner that the jewes did ; confirmed by the learned observation of iacobus godefridus , notwithstanding some exceptions made against it . and that this was the practise of the romans he proves farther out of tibullus and ovid , namely that they did feriari rest on the saturday as the jewes did . and manasses ben israel in his . question upon exodus writes thus , ne agareni quidem , veneris diem religiosissimè colentes quem algama vocant , sabbato nomen , suum eripuerunt : hauddubiè ita providente deo , ut omnium animis aeternitas ejus imprimeretur . the very agarenes , most religiously observing the friday , which they call algama , have taken from the sabbath its name : doubtlesse god so providing , that the eternity thereof should be imprinted in the minds of all men ; belike as a testimony of gods rest from his workes in the creation , therewithall to maintaine an acknowledgement of god the creator . more then this , salmasius acquainted rivetus with some collections made by the forementioned georgius symellus out of certaine apocryphall bookes , one whereof is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the litle generation , the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the life of adam , in which the author observes through many weeks , that the seventh day was a day of rest ; and that he conceaved the author of that booke to have been a iew , translated by some hellenist , who makes mention of the lords day : and doctor willet alleageth philo calling the seventh day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a festivall of all nations . so little neede have wee to sticke upon that in hesiod , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the seventh is an holy day ; which some observe to have beene spoken , not of the seventh day of the weeke , but of the seventh day of the moneth rather , wherein apollo was borne ( which yet is alleaged by clement and eusebius as for the seventh day of the weeke ) what is wanting herein , being so plentifully supplyed other wayes . ) and whereas gomarus being convicted of the evidence of this truth , betakes himselfe to a new course , as to say that this practise of heathens was taken from the jewes , and not from the ancient patriarchs ; doctor rivetus brings a manifest place out of iosephus to refute that conceite of his ; as who professeth that this custome of the gentiles had beene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 long agoe . and how unlikely is it , that either the egyptians , or the nations bordering upon the jewes should take this from the jewes , when we consider solitum inter accolas odium , as tacitus observes , the accustomed hatred between borderers ; especially between the seed of the woman , and the seed of the serpent * ; and how distastfull the things of god are unto naturall men , even folishnesse unto them , neither can they know them , because they are spiritually discerned . and homer , and linus , and callimachus , fetch the seventh day from the very creation , as whereon the making of all things was finished . i come at length to the fourth argument . if the patriarches had observed the sabbath , moses would have mentioned the religious observation thereof by their ancestors , to encourage them . i answer . it is not likely they were ignorant of the practise of their ancestors . the chaldee paraphrase upon the psal . . supposeth adam to have beene the author of the psalm that is intitled for the sabbath . . if for gods sake who delivered them out of egypt , they would not observe it , neither would they observe it for their ancestors sake . . moses makes no mention of their ancestors practise in setting apart any time for the service of god ; shall we therefore deny that by the suggestion of light naturall some time is to be set apart for this ? the fathers professe that no other positive precept was given to adam then to abstein from the fruit of a certaine tree . i answer , chrysostome professeth expressely , that from the beginning god hath shewed that one day in the circle of the weeke is to bee set apart for spirituall operation ; likewise the testimonies of athanasius and epiphanius are expresse for the acknowledgment of the institution of the sabbath immediately from the creation , as before hath beene shewed . indeede both as touching the setting apart of sometime in generall for gods service , and the proportion of one day in seven in speciall , is more then positive . divines teach that before christs comming the gentiles might obtaine salvation by observing the morall law , and the law of nature , with some light of divine faith , and supernaturall assistance of god. i answer . . of what reputation those divines hee speaks of , deserve to bee with us , let every protestant judge . . yet wee know that the gentiles might have evidence enough of the holinesse of the seventh day ; and that god left not himselfe without witnesse in this , even to heathens is so notorious , that we may justly wonder , to observe how the monuments of the dignity of the seventh day were so strangely preserved among them . . yet where testimony sufficient was wanting not onely for the particularity of the day , but for the proportion of time ; wee doe not hold these to be morall so absolutely , and in such a degree , as to say that failing in this alone in such a case should prejudice any mans salvation ; though we say with chrysostome that god by the story of the creation hath sufficiently manifested that one day in the weeke ought to be set apart for gods service ; and with azorius the jesuite , that it is most agreeable to reason , that after six worke dayes one day intire and whole should bee consecrated to divine worship . . from papists this prefacer proceedes to protestants , and tells us that this seemes to be the judgement of the divines in the low-countries ; for proofe whereof he produceth none but gomarus and rivetus ; both which are well knowne to be opposite in the point of the originall institution of the sabbath . and as touching the morality of one day in seven , both wallaeus and thysius two professors of divinity in the university of leyden , are well known to differ from them both ; and hyperius a low countreyman too . as for calvin , i have already shewed how he makes nothing for this prefacer ; and that they catch advantage from him most unreasonably by dismembring him . wallaeus shewes the same to be the judgement of martin luther , namely , that one day in the weeke at least ought to bee consecrated to divine service ; and out of melancthon , that all the ceremoniality in the fourth commandement is restrained to the observation of a certaine day , that which remaines besides therein commanded continuing morall . * beza likewise affirmes that the sanctifying of every seventh day as touching the service of god , is of morall obligation and unremoveable . the like wallaeus shewes to have beene the judgement of bucer , peter martyr , zanchy , iunius , viretus calvins colleague , danaeus , antonius fayns , matthias martinius , and in a manner all that have written upon their belgick catechisme . by this , the reader may consider the modesty of this prefacer , when hee professeth that it seemes to bee the judgement of the divines in the low-countries , that one day in seven to be set apart for gods solemn worship is not of the morality of the fourth commandement . but wallaeus proceeds and shewes the same to have been the judgement of ursinus , and paraeus of the palatinate ; of alstedius professor at herborne ; together with lansbergius and festus hommius , all maintaining the morality of one day in seven , to bee consecrated to divine service . and in the close professeth , hee could adde the testimonies of many english and scottish divines , who ever have beene accompted orthodox , concurring in judgement with the former on this point . last of all consider , what is gomarus his owne opinion ; to wit , that we are not so precisely bound to this proportion of time , but that wee may allow a better . the condition of divine worship ( saith he ) commanded in the fourth commandement requires that not only certaine dayes ( for order and for gods better service sake ) be observed , but also that sufficient dayes be observed ; it cannot be inferred from this that god hath not defined a certaine day to us , that it is indifferent whether we make choyce of one in fifty , or in an hundred , or one in a thousand . then proceeding to define what are sufficient , hee acknowledgeth that the dayes set apart for this must bee either as frequent or more frequent , then one day in seven . and in this answer of gomarus to an argument of wallaeus made for the morality of one day in seven doth rivetus rest ; namely that to us who are eased of the burthen of iewish ceremonies , the dayes consecrated to divine service may be more , they may not be fewer . and addes of his own , that we cannot in charity require of our servants the labour of so many dayes ( to wit of six ) without some rest . as for the seconds which this prefacer saith gomarus brings , to wit vatablus , and wolfgangus musculus , this is nothing to the present purpose . for these are not brought in by him in the point of the morality of one day in seven , but onely in the point of the originall institution of the sabbath ; but this is his jugling course to mendicate some shew of authority to serve his turne where substance faileth him . . as for the hollanders who in travailing about the world westward had lost a day , that is , came to observe our christian sabbath one day too late ; when this prefacer askes hereupon , what should those people doe when they were returned ; i will not answer by advising them to travaile the world over againe eastward , that they may finde the day which they had lost , by travailing round the world westward ; much lesse that they should renew their travailes the same way till they had lost six dayes more , that so their sabbath might concurre with the sabbath of their countreymen at home : but according to the particulars proposed by him ; namely to concurre now with their countrymen a day before their time , that so they might make amends for that time which they had lost , if any neede of amends , and not rather for uniformities sake . for when in the dayes of joshuah the sunne standing still one day was as long as two dayes , yet this was nothing materiall to the altering of their sabbath , much lesse when the sunne went backe , . degrees in the diall of ahaz , while king hezechiah reigned . no sober man i thinke will say , the morall law was broken by this , though one weeke in josuahs dayes contained more time by . houres , then any former weeke , and another weeke in king hezechiahs dayes was found to bee many houres longer then his fellowes . the second digression consisting of two parts . i. in making good doctor wallaeus his arguments for the morality of one day in seven , against the answer of doctor rivetus . ii. in answering of doctor rivetus his arguments directed against the morality of one day in seven . now whereas doctor rivetus about the observation of one day in seven as necessary , differeth in opinion from his two collegues doctor thysius , and doctor walaeus , and not so onely , but directs himselfe ( after gomarus ) to take into consideration the arguments proposed by doctor walaeus for the morality of one day in seven , and to accommodate an answer thereunto : i thinke it fit , not to omit the discussion of that answer of his ; and that in such sort that i may carry my selfe correspondently to his ingenuous behaviour herein . the first argument of walaeus is this , if by the force and analogy ( of the fourth commandement ) it be not rightly collected that one day of seven is to be consecrated to divine worship , then no certaine number or circle of dayes can be limited ( to the foresaid purpose ) by any divine precept , seeing in no other precept is found mention of any other number ; and therefore it shall be lawfull to choose either a thirtieth day , or a fiftieth day without transgression of any divine precept . but this is absurd . this argument is of great force ; considering the difference betweene proportion of time allowed unto divine service ; and the difference of the day , keeping still the same proportion . for every master , from the greatest prince to the meanest housholder expects that his servant should be profitable unto him , and accordingly hee expects a certaine proportion of service to bee performed by him ; as namely a good dayes worke for every day ; a good weeks worke for every weeke . and in every trade it is well known by them that are seene therein , wherein consists a good dayes worke , whereof whosoever failes , he is accompted but an idle and unprofitable servant ; but so the worke of the day be done , whether he laboureth more in one houre , then in another , he regardeth not . such in like manner is every ones consideration of a weekes worke . so likewise as touching the service of god , it is nothing materiall as touching the substance of gods service what day of the weeke is set apart for that . for whether we consider the advantagious nature of it for setting forth the glory of god who is our maker ; and as we came from him so we must be for him , rom. . & heb. . the supreame efficient being ever of duty the supreame end ; or whether we consider the profitable nature of it to our owne soules in comming acquainted with him , both touching his nature , touching his counsaile concerning us , and touching his will. for when we despise him , we despise him against our selves ; and when wee provoke him , wee provoke him to the confusion of our owne faces ; himselfe being nothing profited by our service , but our owne soules rather , though he be pleased to accompt himselfe glorified thereby : it being his glory to doe us good . this advancement of his glory and our good is no more promoted by setting one day in a weeke apart for this then another . but betweene the proportion of one day in a weeke , or one day in a moneth , or one day in a yeare , there is a vast and momentous difference . for we come to the knowledge of god , and of the mysteries of godlinesse by small degrees ; and in the wayes of holinesse we clamber as it were up an high and steepe hill ; and our life is a wayfare , our condition is the condition of travellours ; nay our life is a warfare , and the divell and his angells of darknesse goe about continually like so many roaring lyons , and hungry beares , seeking whom they may devoure ; so that we travell to heaven as it were by dennes of lyons , and over mountaines of libbards . and will any wise man say that it matters not much in this case , whether we acquaint our selves with the armour of god one day in a weeke , or one day in a moneth , or one day in a yeare to arme our selves against such ghostly and watchfull enemies ? secondly , considering that it was never knowne that any master from the highest to the lowest , was so foolish to leave it to his servant to cut out what proportion of service he thinkes fit , wherewith to satisfie his master for his keeping , and for the wages which he expecteth at his hands . these things considered ; i say this first argument of doctor wallaeus is of great evidence and force , and therefore it is to be well weighed and considered what answer either doctor rivetus or any other doth make unto it , and what satisfaction it gives . now the answer that hee makes unto it proceeds not in his owne name , but in the name of another , to wit , in the name of gomarus , and such as concurre with him . to this they answer ( saith he ) that it is no inconvenience that there is no certaine number or circle of dayes defined for gods service by any precept . it is enough that the nature of publique worship , in generall comprehended in the fourth commandement , doth require that not only certaine dayes be observed , but that the number of them be sufficient also , nor fewer then the right institution of the church , the salvation of men , and glory of god doe require , and that god by not defining it , hath not left unto us a wild licentiousnes but a prudent liberty . and therefore that it cannot be differred to one day in twenty , or thirty , much lesse to one of a thousand . . over and above they note ( saith he ) that from the morall reason of precept it is gathered what number of dayes is sufficient for divine service ; namely that seeing we are eased of the burden of ceremonies , whereof the iewes were not , and yet god required one day in seven to be kept holy by them , we may be more frequent in divine offices , but ought not to be lesse : but yet that god hath not precisely tied christians to any , that is ( as i take it ) to any day in the weeke , whereas it should be to any proportion of time , otherwise it is nothing to the present purpose . . doctor rivetus addes this of his owne , that whereas this also is morall that some rest be granted to servants and labourers , in charity the labour for so many dayes cannot be exacted of them without some rest . to this i reply . here we have acknowledged , that not only some time , but also a sufficient proportion of time is to be set apart for gods publique service , and that by the very light of nature ; for that i conceave to be his meaning , and not with reference to the precise commandement commanding it but with reference unto it as it is morall , and so acknowledged by light of nature . for it is apparent that the commandement in requiring a seventh doth therein require one day in seven , and not leave it at randome , what proportion of time , but defines it . . i appeale to every mans conscience , and that as guided by the very light of nature so farre as it may be justly thought to be incorrupt , whether it be not more fit the lord himselfe should set downe what proportion of time he thinkes sufficient , then that the definition hereof should be left to the servant , and that for these considerations . . if it be left unto man , how improbable is it that all the nations of the world ( as christians are or may be found in all ) will concurre in judgement , and if they doe not , who seeth not what a way is hereby opened to miserable distraction and confusion , consider what socrates hath written of different rites in keeping lent , and in observing holydayes . . if it be left to man , it is very likely that little enough will be thought sufficient , so burthensome unto flesh and bloud is gods service ; and the major part in most nations ( if not in all ) even of the best ( as is to be feared ) is not truly regenerate . foras our saviour tells us though many be called yet but few are chosen . . upon this he concludes it may not be differred to the twentieth day ; yet it is well knowne that brentius hath professed it may be differred to the fourteenth upon leviticus . . . as doctor bownde alleageth him . now if so great a writer hath beene of opinion that from the seventh it may be put off to the th . why may not another rise up and maintaine that from the fourteenth it may bee put off to the twentieth , so dangerous it is to forsake that light which god hath given us in his word ; and by way of divination , hunt after a new light of evidence in the counsailes of our owne hearts . in the light of my conscience it seemes most absurd , that it should be left to the servant to cut out what proportion of service he thinkes good unto his master . . it is well that both he and gomarus thinke we are bound to cut out a better proportion of gods service then was prescribed to the iewes rather then a worse : yet brentius as great a writer as any of these , thinkes otherwise , as wee have heard . . doth only our freedome from the yoke of ceremonies requires this ? and not much more . . the love of god revealed unto us in christ in the dayes of the gospell . . the encombrance of gods truth with errors , and heresies , and those very dangerous ones . . and in a word the strong opposition that in these daies of the gospell is made , and will be made more and more as the end of all things doth approach , both unto faith and holinesse . it is noted to be the sinne of christendom not to receave the love of the truth . thess . . and of these latter times paul hath prophesied , that men should be lovers of pleasures more then lovers of god. . as for this opinion of gomarus and rivetus ; i am glad they are so farre convicted of truth in this argument as to professe , that we ought to keepe holy rather more dayes then fewer ; but why then doe not the states of holland under whom they live ( if they be of the same opinion ) make it good by practise ? and the french-churches also ; but they want example in antiquity for this . who seeth not that this is delivered onely to serve turne , and helpe at a dead lift , when no other way is open to shift off the argument ? . and lastly whereas he grants ( with calvin ) that after so many dayes ( to wit after six , for no other number was specifyed ) rest must bee granted to servants on the seventh ; doth not this evidently convince that that day must bee our christian sabbath ? for what ? shall the masters keepe one , and the servants another ? or shall the servants not give themselves to the service of god on the day of their rest , but rather on the day of their labour in the workes of their proper callings ? observe i pray how at every turne the light of gods direction doth meete with us , to keepe us in the good wayes of the lord , if we will not wilfully shut our eyes against it . now let that seventh day which is our christian sabbath be well observed , first ; and then let the states take what order they shall see good , for the observation of another day also . yet we finde by experience , that hardly are men able to maintaine a poore living by labouring hardly six whole dayes in the weeke . i come to the second which rivetus recapitulates in briefe thus . . it is drawn from the number of six dayes allowed for worke , which number cannot consist , unlesse it be terminated in rest , and in cessation on the seventh . to this rivetus answereth , that the six dayes of labour are in reference to the seventh of rest ; the determination of which seventh day being now taken away a man may worke on any day , so long as some day be chosen ( whether by divine constitution or humane , and reasonable disposition ) for divine service , which may be in such sort , that fewer dayes shall be left for worke . but consider . what more reasonable disposition humane , then that which is conformable to constitution divine ? now it is apparent that god required of the jewes one day in seven ; neither was it ever knowen to bee abrogated ; the particularity of the day is abrogated , not the proportion of time ; ground we have for the one by the ceremoniality of it , no colour of ground for the other ; nor did ever i thinke any man set his wits on worke to devise a ceremonialitie of one day in seven . . but what ? shall the morality of rest granted to servants , be altered also under the gospell ? did calvin any where teach this ? may not masters exact as many dayes worke of their servants under the gospell as under the law ? hath not christ deserved at the hands of servants to be as serviceable to their masters as ever ? lastly are those dayes of the world such as wherein a labouring man may maintaine himselfe , by the labour of five dayes in a weeke as well as by the labour of six ? a long time i have found it observed by traffiquers in the world , that nothing is more cheape then mens labours ; a notable evidence how unprofitable servants wee have beene unto god , and therefore hee makes the labour of our hands and sweate of our browes to afford very unprofitable service unto us . can these divines make the world more favourable to crafts-men , and bring their commodities in better request then they are ; if they could , let them then change the morality of fervants rest , and for one in seven allow them one in three , or foure , or five ; their masters will bee the more easily brought to entreat their consciences to condescend . or if kings had power to make the commodities of their owne country more worth , and the commodities of other countries lesse worth ( which upon due consideration will bee found as needfull equally ) then place might bee made for this . till then let us bee content with calvines morality of the fourth commandement in reference to servants rest , namely one day after six ; and therewithall consider whether our christian sabbath must not bee confined to that day as the onely day of rest for servants ; and i hope wee shall not thinke it fit to allow one sabbath for the masters , and another for the servents . . the third is drawne from the examples of the apostles and the apostolicall church , who in place of the ( iewes ) sabbath , observed the first day of the weeke without variation : therefore by force of the precept , one day in seven is to be observed still . never any hath beene found to change this ; therefore that which hath beene kept from the beginning of the vvorld , and shall continue to the end , is to bee taken for such as by the analogy of gods commandement binds all men . to this rivetus answereth , that the consequence is not firme ; for as much as christians observed the lords day not of necessity by reason of any binding praecept , but of free choise . yet was it wisely done of them , lest by a greater change they might offend the iewes . and that it might be a free monument of their maintaining the weekly remembrance of christs resurrection . hee sayeth they did it freely ; but of things freely done without any conscience of duty obliging , it was never knowne that so universall a concurrence was found as the observation of the lords day . nay philosophers observe that things freely done as often come to passe to the contrary . againe then it was free for them to observe one day in fourteene as well as one in seven , as breatius professeth , and consequently as well one in twenty , which rivetus denies . nay it stood them upon to change the observation , lest men by universall and perpetuall practise might bee confirmed in an opinion of the necessity of that which is not necessary . it is apparent that as the lords day under the law was one day in seven ; so the lords day in the gospell was and still is one day in seven . and both himselfe and gomarus are driven to professe , that we may not allow a lesse proportion then one in seven to divine worship . and i appeale to every conscience , to judge by the very light of nature ; whether the lord requiring of the jewes one day in seven to bee consecrated unto him , it doth not manifestly follow that wee christians can allow no lesse then one in seven ; and whether it bee not fit that the lords day should bee our holy day ; and as for the allowance of more in a weeke then one , let them persuade their owne churches thereunto first , and then it will bee time enough for us to hearken unto them . and what should move them to illustrate the memory of christs resurrection weekly ? whereas they contented themselves with a yearely memoriall ( if at all they observed any such ) of his nativity , passion and ascension , and sending downe of the holy ghost . why doth hee not consider that the day of the weeke onely whereon christ rose is called the lords day in scripture , whereon iohn the beloved disciple received from his loving lord , and master , that divine revelation of his concerning things to come . . if the number of seven , ( that is , the observation of one day in seven ) in this commandement be changeable ; then as ceremoniall , or as politicall : not as ceremoniall ; for then the church ought not to observe it . nor as politicall ; for in the morall law precepts politicall are not given . and to this rivetus answereth , that the observation of the seventh day is ceremoniall : and that the primitive church kept it not , neither did the primitive church keepe it , nor doe we keepe it as ceremoniall ; but another seventh day , for ecclesiasticall policy sake , not civill . when hee saith we keepe another seventh day ; he implieth that by the seventh formerly mentioned hee meant that particular day of the weeke which the iewes kept ; and that wee indeed acknowledge to bee ceremoniall ; but in this interpretation of wallaeus , hee manifestly corrupts his adversaries argument , which is plainly directed against the ceremoniality of one day in seven indefinitly considered , and not against the ceremoniality of the iewes seventh . yet when he saith the primitive church did , and we doe keepe a seventh , but not as ceremoniall ; hee speaks to the point ; but his words following have no coherence herewith : so that hee may seeme to shuffle miserably in this , affecting to decline that which he is not able to answer . but take wee him at the best , he must say that the observation of one day in seven was ceremoniall , if hee speakes to the purpose . now let him shew us if he can , the ceremoniality of one day in seven , and how christ was the body of it ; nothing more common then to affirme that the iewes sabbath was ceremoniall hand over head , without any distinction of the sanctification of the day , and the rest ; much lesse distinguishing betweene the rest of one day in seven , and the rest of the seventh . at length i found a faire way opened for the explication of the ceremoniality found in the rest on the seventh day . but as for any ceremoniality in the rest of one day in seven ; never ( i thinke ) any man set his wits on worke to devise that . lastly , after such a ceremoniality is devised , wee will conferre whether in reason such a thing ought to bee still observed as was ceremoniall unto the iewes ; and why may wee not as well observe circumcision with the ethiopians , who observe it only in conformity to christ , who was circumcised ? now because rivetus brings arguments also to the contrary , to prove that the observation of one day in seven , under the gospell is not necessary , but free : it is fit we should consider them also to prove what force is in them . if by force of the commandement a seventh day is to be kept , then that day is to be kept which the commandement hath defined , which is the sabbath of the iewes . to this i answer by denying the consequence , and not contenting my selfe with a bare deniall , i prove it to bee inconsequent . for whereas god in commanding the seventh hath therewithall commanded one in seven , and withall specified which of the seven shall bee rested on and sanctified unto his service : if it may bee made appeare that the particularity of rest on the seventh day be abrogated ; and no colour can be brought for the abrogation of the proportion of time ; to wit , of keeping one day in seven ; it will evidently appeare herewithall , that this consequence of doctor rivetus is unsound . now this wee prove to bee most true ; forasmuch as the jewes rest on the seventh day was ceremoniall profiguring christs rest on that day in his grave ; as both the fathers of old and moderne divines both papists , and protestants , both lutheranes , and calvinists have acknowledged ; but never any man was found to devise a ceremoniality of resting one day in seven ; they may as well give themselves to devise a ceremonality in the setting apart of some time in generall for gods holy worship and service . . now this puts me in minde of another way clearely to demonstrate the inconsequence of rivetus his argument thus . if it will follow that in case wee are bound to such a proportion of time by vertue of this commandement , therefore wee are bound also to keepe the seventh day : then it will follow as well , that because wee are bound to set apart some time for the service of god by vertue of this commandement ( as all confesse ) therefore we are bound also to keepe such a proportion of time as is here specified , and the seventh day also which is here particulated ; for like as god doth not command such a proportion of time in speciall , but by commanding the observation of the seventh day ; in like sort neither doth god command a time in generall to bee set apart for his service , but by commanding of such a proportion of time in speciall , and such a day in particular . . his second argument runnes thus : if the observation of every seventh day bee morall it must bee knowne by light of nature , but so it is not . therefore it is not morall ; and seeing it is not politicall , it must bee ceremoniall ; and therefore doth nor oblige by force of law morall . to this i answer first . let but doctor rivetus stretch his wits to describe unto us what ceremoniality can possibly bee devised in the obsertion of one day in seven ; and when hee hath devised it , i dare appeale to his owne judgement and conscience for the appobation of it . for i doe not thinke it possible for the wit of man with any colour of reason , to devise a ceremoniality to be constituted in the observation of one day in seven , speaking of it indefinitly as wee doe , the body whereof can bee found in christ ; for of such ceremonies wee speake , that as shadowes are to flee away when the body comes in place . . neither doth it follow that because it is not morall nor politicall , therefore it is ceremoniall ; for some will say that it is positive as touching the defining of some particular necessarily required to the performance of a morall duty . as for example , not to go further then the matter in hand for instance ; it is generally confessed , to be a morall duty by naturall instinct , that some time is to bee set apart for gods service ; but of our selves wee are to seeke of the proportion of time ; it is fit for none so much as for god himselfe our creator , and consequently our great lord and master to define what proportion of time shall be allowed for his service ; now this they call positively morall , as belonging to the execution of a morall duty . yet indeed not so much a circumstance thereof in proper speech as the specification of the generall concerning the circumstance of time . . yet to draw nearer to the morality of it ; what ? shall nothing bee morall that is not knowne to bee so , by light of nature , for what i pray ? is not our nature now corrupt ? nay hath not aristotle professed that matter of morality is not capable of demonstration , but onely of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perswasion ? nay how is it knowne by the light of nature , that some time is to bee set apart to the worship of god that made us ; but upon presupposition that god is knowne to bee our creatour ? and is this knowne by the light of nature ? how came aristotle then the greatest philosopher that ever was , and his whole schoole , how i say came they to be ignorant of it ? but upon presupposition of the history of the creation knowne unto us , doctor feild spares not to professe as master broad reportes him , that by light of nature it is known that one day in seven ought to bee consecrated to divine service ? yet i am not forward to say so much , but rather with chrysostome , that now from the creation god hath manifested that one day in a weeke is to bee appōrtioned for his service ; and with azorius that it is most agreeable to reason , after six dayes of worke , to set apart one to his service . and seeing god did require such a portion of time to bee consecrated unto him under the law. undoubtedly and by the very light of nature it is cleare and evident , that no lesse proportion of time can wee in conscience allow unto him under the gospell . . i come to his third argument which is this , the necessity of one day in seven cannot consist with that liberty which the apostle intimates , col. . . let no man judge you in meate and drinke , or in the part of a day , or of sabbaths , which are shadowes of things to come . which they explicate by a similitude . as nature requires meates and drinke , but christian liberty is not tied to choise of meates according to moses his lawes : so reason dictates that some time is to be set apart for gods publique worship , but the gospell freeth us from the necessity of the iewish sabbath . to this i answer . . by granting the conclusion ; for the iewish sabbath christians observe not . . but one day in seven they alwayes have observed , a manifest evidence that they never conceaved this to be any impeachment to their christian liberty . and no marvell ; for they manifestly perceaved that god required this proportion of time under the law , and from the beginning of the world ; how much more should we be carefull to performe no lesse under the gospell ? and indeed rest on the seventh day did pregnantly represent before hand christs rest that day , and that day alone full and whole in the grave . but as for any ceremoniality to be found in the speciall proportion of time , to wit , as one day in seven , never any man devised any ceremoniality therein more then in the time in generall , which all confesse by the very light of nature is to be consecrated unto god. so that we have no need of doctor rivetus , his answer to helpe us in the solution of this his argument . and whereas he conceaves our christian liberty to be impeached if any proportion of time be observed of necessity by force of precept , and of free choise . . this is as much as to say that our liberty is impeached , if we suffer our lord and master , to prescribe unto us his servants what proportion of service we shall performe unto him , and not rather have him leave it to the servant to cut out unto him as little , or as much as he thinkes good , yet we do not deny but he may allow unto him more ; all that we stand for is that we ought not to allow him lesse under the gospell , then he required under the law ; and then he required from the beginning of the world. . i marvell that doctor rivetus doth not observe how herein he contradicts himselfe ; for hath he not formerly rested in this answer of gomarus , that by vertue of the fourth commandement , we must allow unto him dayes sufficient for his service ; and that these dayes must be rather frequentiores then rariores , more rather then fewer ; and if it be no prejudice to our christian liberty to be tyed , and that by vertue of the fourth commandement , to allow unto him a better proportion of time , for his service , then that of one day in seven , how can it bee prejudiciall to our christian liberty to allow unto him this , and that by vertue of the fourth commandement . now whether doctor rivetus his answers to the arguments of wallaeus , or his owne arguments to the contrary bee of any force to hold him to that opinion which he conceaves to bee calvirs in opposition to the doctrine delivered by wallaeus , i am consent the indifferent may judge ; as also whether the two causes mentioned by him for the observation of the sabbath contained in the commandement , doth not infer the third also which rivetus opposeth , namely the proportion of one day in seven . and that this is as free from all colour of ceremoniality as any of the other two . the first was that some time is to be set apart for gods service ; now this generall is not commanded there but as contained in the speciall , to wit , the proportion of one day in seven . both of them being equally contained in the particularity of the seventh day in that commandement expressed . and as for the morality of rest to bee allowed to servants after six dayes of labour ; this doth clearely draw with it the confinement of the time appointed for gods service to the proportion of one day in seven ; unlesse the day of rest for servants shal not be the day consecrated to the exercises of piety . and i much wonder that doctor rivetus a man of such judgement , and perspicacity doth not observe this . the only way to helpe this anomaly is in plaine termes to professe that some rest is to be allowed to servants by their masters , but in what proportion , that is not defined , but left at large to the pleasure of their masters . and as for ceremoniality in the proportion of one day in seven , never any man devised any such thing more then in the setting apart of some time in generall for gods service , all confessing this to be a duty known by the very light of nature . but i doe not finde that calvin hath any other meaning then that we are not so tied to one day in seven , but that more time then this may be consecrated to divine service ; which as i have disputed before , so now i am the more confirmed herein , doctor rivetus manifesting this to be his opinion also , as well as it was the opinion of gomarus ; for in this he rests , as may appeare by his answer to the first argument of doctor wallaeus . neither is it true that calvin did censure them who simply maintained , that the observation of one day in the weeke doth still remaine as morall ; but that so maintained it as in reference to some mysterious signification ; as doctor wallaeus hath manifested , and the words immediatly following in calvin doe evince , which are these ; but this is no other thing then in contumely of the jewes to change the day , and in heart to retaine the same holinesse of the day . here commonly the alleagers of calvin to the same intent that doctor rivetus doth , use to make a period ; as if calvin delivered this absolutely ; whereas calvin proposeth it onely conditionally , as appeares by the other halfe of the sentence thus . if so bee there remaine yet unto us a signification in the dayes equally mysterious , to that which had place among the iewes . and though i marvell not at others who dealing in this argument dismember calvins sentence , so to make him to deliver that absolutely which hee delivers onely conditionally ; yet i cannot sufficiently marvell that rivetus of rough improvidence should do so too , especially considering the good paines that doctor walaeus hath taken to cleare calvins meaning in this point . neither is master robert low , in his effigiation of the true sabbatisme , of any such authority as to counterpoise the concurrent testimonies of so many of our english divines to the contrary ; not to speake of the multitude of outlandish divines whom doctor walaeus mustereth up , concurring in the same opinion , and whereas hee saith as doctor rivetus reports him , that some great men , who vehemently contend , that the perpetuall sanctity of manners doth require , that one day in seven should be celebrated , have more authority then reason ; i may bee bold to say that they who with him have hitherto opposed the doctrine we maintaine , what authority they have i know not , but as for their reasons , they are of so hungry a nature ; that hereby they manifest that nothing but affection and their private ends they have , to beare them out in this . and whereas i doubt not but rivetus hath brought on the stage the best reasons hee could picke both out of master robert low , and out of gomarus ; let every indifferent person judge of them as they deserve ; though i verily thinke that nothing but his affection to calvin , to hold up his credite , and reputation hath carried him all along ; and yet either my selfe , and walaeus mystake calvin , or rivetus miserably mystaketh him . but as for our reason , we call all the world to judge of it ; god did require one day in seven to be set apart for his publique service under the law ; how much more doth he require as good a proportion of time under the gospell ? nay from the beginning of the world he hath required it , and to this day both iewes , and christian gentiles have observed the same proportion . againe god in his morall law hath required this , and that not as ceremoniall , never any man hitherunto having set his wits on worke to devise any ceremoniality herein ; neyther was it ever knowne that god abrogated this proportion of time to be allowed unto him for his service ; therefore it continueth still as a morall law to bind us , and shall continue untill god himselfe set an end unto it : now let master lowes reasons be compared with these in every indifferent conscience , and let them have that authority which they deserve , because being well conceited of the strength of his reasons , hee sensibly complaines of his want of authority . it seemes pope alexander the third was a man of more authority then reason . for hee maintaines in cap. licet . de feriis , as doctor rivetus relates it , that both the old and new testament have in speciall manner appointed the seventh day for man to rest thereon , and hee takes it out of suarez . de relig . l. . c. . but rivetus cannot assent unto him , if he delivers this of any morall institution ; yet that it was so appointed by the fourth commandement unto the iewes it cannot bee denied ; and that not as ceremoniall ; for we have seene how odly rivetus hath carried himselfe in comming to speake of the ceremoniality . for to make this good hee flyes to the particularity of the seventh day ; and if the ceremoniality thereof , bee enough to inferre the ceremoniality of such a speciall proportion of time as of one day in seven ; it may suffice as well to constitute a ceremoniality in the generall , namely in this that some time is to be set apart for gods service , which yet all account to bee morall by the very light of nature . if zanchy hath no better argument to prove that the decalogue as given by moses to the israelites doth not pertaine to us but onely so farre forth as it agrees with the law of nature ; then by instancing in the sabbath , which the gentiles were not bound to sanctifie : it stands rivetus upon to oppose him as much as any , who maintaines that the law concerning the sanctifying of the sabbath was given to adam , and who brings diverse authorities to prove the observation of it generally by the gentiles ; this i speake upon consideration of his reply to gomarus taking exception against somewhat in this argument delivered by him in his explication of the decalogue . but i hope the morall law shall be sufficient to binde us christians if no other way , yet by this argument of proportion . if god required of the iewes under the law that one day in seven should bee set apart to his service : how much more doth it become us christians to allow as good a proportion of time for his service under the gospell ? this i say shall suffice untill rivetus answeareth it , which never will be , for he as good as confesseth that we are bound to allow god for his service , rather a better proportion of time then a worse . and as for doctor prideaux , i nothing doubt but he will cleare us from judaisme in arguing thus ; as who sect. . professeth that if they ( against whom he disputes ) required no more , but the analogy , the equity or the reason of that commandement , we would not sticke to yeeld unto it . and whereas rivetus addes that the argument which hee annexeth seemes to him of great weight , namely that hee who stickes to the commandement must exactly observe it : and that therefore into the place of the seventh from the creation , no day is to bee substituted . but this argument i have answered before , all for the most part grant some ceremoniality in that commandement ; now if rest on the seventh be found to bee ceremoniall , but not the rest of one day in seven in an indefinite consideracion ; it will follow herehence , that the seventh must not be observed as accomplished in christ ; and that the proportion of time is still to continue , as indeed by experience wee finde it verified in each . for the observation of the seventh is ceased as prefiguring christs rest in his grave , but the observation of one day in seven still continueth unto this day . next for the second thesis , that the alteration of the day is onely an humane and ecclesiasticall constitution , the doctor sheweth in the first section , the generall consent of all sorts of papists , jesuites , canonists , and schoolemen ; of some great lutheranes by names , and generally of the remonstrant or arminian divines in their confession , whose tendries in this point , wee may conceave with reason , not to bee different from the doctrine of the belgicke churches , in that foure professors of leyden , in their examination or review of that confession , have passed them over without note or opposition . to these besides are added diverse of our own , et è nostris non pauci , as hee speakes it in the generall , that is , as i conceave his meaning such as are neither of the lutheran , nor of the arminian party : of which since he hath instanced in none particularly , i will make bold to borrow two or three testimonies , out of the tractate of gomarus before remembred . and first hee brings in bullenger , who in his comment on the first of the revelation , calls it ecclesiae consuetudinem , an ecclesiasticall ordinance , and after addes , sponte ecclesiae receperunt illum diem . the church did of its owne accord agree upon that day ; for wee reade not any where that it was commanded . next ursinus telling us , that god had abrogated the iewish sabbath , addes presently , that hee left it free unto the church , alios dies eligere , to make choise of any other day to be selected for his service : and that the church made choyse of this in honour of our saviours resurrection . zanchius affirmes the same ; nullibi legimus apostolos , &c. we reade not any where , saith hee that the apostles did command this day to bee observed in the church of god ; onely wee finde what the apostles , and others of the faithfull used to doe upon it , liberum ergo reliquerunt , which is an argument that they left it holy to the disposition of the church . arotius , simler , david paraeus , and bucerus , which are all there alleaged , might bee here produced , were not these sufficient . adde hereunto the generall consent of our english prelats , the architects of our reformation in the time of king edward the sixt , who in the act of parlament about keeping holy dayes have determined thus , together with the rest of that grand assembly , viz. neither is it to bee thought , that there is any certaine time or definite number of dayes prescribed in holy scriptures , but that the appointment both of the time , and also of the number of the dayes is left by the authority of gods word , to the authority of christs church , to bee determined and assigned orderly in every country , by the discretion of the rulers and ministers thereof , as they shall judge most expedient to the true setting forth of gods glory , and edification of gods people . which preamble is not to be understood of holy dayes or of saints dayes onely , ( whose being left to the authority of the church was never questioned ) but of the lords day also : as by the body of the act doth at full appeare . exam. in this section , the prefacer makes a greater bluster by farre then in the former . for to except against the proportion of time , as of one day in seven to be set apart for the service of god in these dayes of the gospell , is so unreasonable a course , and that not onely in the judgement of a christian conscience , but even in the judgement of a naturall man , that i cannot easily devise any thing more unreasonable . for whereas all confesse that by the very light of nature some time ought to bee set apart for the service of god ; and not so onely , but that a fit , and competent proportion of time is to bee consecrated to holy uses , as gomarus acknowledgeth , though one of the most eager opposers of the morality of the sabbath , that hitherto have beene knowne . albeit this convenient proportion of time cannot bee so convincingly concluded upon by the light of nature , as to draw all to an unanimous consent thereunto ; yet after god himselfe hath gone before us herein by blessing the seventh day and sanctifying it ; and that upon the ground mentioned both gen. . and in the fourth commandement ; henceforth as chrysostome observeth , god hath manifested , that one day in seven is to be set apart ; i may say consequently , that one day in seven is that fit proportiō of time which is to be sanctified to gods holy worship and service , and that god hath now manifested as much ever since the creation . and ( herupon as i imagin ) azorius the jesuite in his institutions is bold to conclude , that this course is most agreeable unto reason . now if the lord under the law did require such a proportion of time to be sequestred from profan use to divine , at the hands of the iewes ; can it enter into the heart of a sober man , that god should require lesse of us christians under the gospell , then he did require of the jewes under the law ? or that god hath now left it to the liberty of the church , whether they will set apart the proportion of one day in seven or lesse , to bee spent in gods worship ? if wee consider the service of the day , as whereby god is honoured , undoubtedly god hath deserved more service at our hands under the gospell , then hee did at the hands of the jewes under the law ; for as much as the love of god to mankinde was never so revealed in former times , as in these latter times ; so god loved the world that he gave his only begotten sonne , &c. and hereupon undoubtedly it is that our saviour professeth , that from the time of iohn the baptist , the kingdome of heaven suffereth violence , and the violent take it by force . to such an height of devotion hath the love of god manifested in his sonne inflamed his true servants ; according to that of iohn , we love him because he loved us first . againe if wee consider the service of that day , as such wherby our soules are profited and promoted in faith and holinesse , never was there more need then in these dayes of sanctifying a better proportion of time unto god service , rather then a worse ; and that in each respect . for the truth of god was never so encombred with oppositions before the comming of our saviour in the flesh as it hath beene since . no heretiques ( to speake of ) were knowne to trouble the peace of the church , in those former times in comparison to the multitude of heresies that have beene broached since , and began to bee set on foote in the very dayes of the apostles ; saint paul professing that even then the mystery of iniquity did worke . and whereas saint peter tells us that false teachers should come privily bringing in damnable heresies even denying the lord that bought them ; saint iude tells them to whom hee writes , that such were already crept in turning the grace of god into wantonnesse , and denying god the onely lord , and our lord jesus christ . and saint iohn after the same manner , little children ( saith hee ) it is the last time , and as you have heard that antichrist shall come , even now there are many antichrists . and no marvaile ; for as much as the mysteries of godlinesse concerning the trinity of persons and incarnation of the sonne of god ( whereat carnall wits are so apt to stumble ) were never so punctually and distinctly expressed in the books of the old testament , as now they are particularly delivered in the writings of the apostles and evangelists . so that had wee in these dayes two sabbaths in a weeke insteed of one , all were little enough to instruct our people , and strengthen them against the oppositions made by men of carnall mindes , and thereby to keepe them in the right way of gods saving truth . and no lesse necessitie is there for the keeping of them in the wayes of holinesse , such is the degenerate condition of the world ; long agoe it is that the severe judgement of god , had its course in giving men over to illusions to beleeve lies , and all for not receiving the love of the truth , as much as to say for the profanenesse of the christian world , in not making it their care to walke worthy of their calling , worthy of the gospell ; whereunto the apostle so often exhorts christians . so that if at any time it were requisite to set one day in seven apart for the service of god , surely by the very dictate of common reason , it is most requisite in these latter dayes of the gospell . especially considering the rage , and fury of satan in opposing the kingdome of christ more now than ever , because he knoweth hee hath but a short time . as for the alteration of the day ( the same proportion of time still continuing ) from the seventh to the first day of the weeke , that i confesse willingly seemes not at first sight to have the like evidence . but whereas this prefacer contends for the alteration of the day , as onely by an humane and ecclesiasticall constitution ; observe that not one of the ancient fathers are mentioned by him for the justifying of this , though divers are referred unto by him , as against the institution of the sabbath from the creation . but wee have divers of the ancients bearing witnesse to the divine institution of the lords day , to come in place of the seventh . as first athanasius homil de semente . olim certe priscis hominibus in summo pretio sabbatum fuit , quam quidem solemnitatem dominus in diem dominicum transtulit . heretofore truly the sabbath was in great price , with men of old time , which solemnity the lord hath translated unto the lords day , austine hath divers other passages to the same purpose de civitate dei . lib. . cap. ult . dominicus dies velut octavus aeternus , qui christi resurrectione sacratus est , aeternam non solum spiritus , verumetiam corporis requiem praefigurans . the lords day as the eighth eternall which was sacred by christs resurrection , prefiguring an eternall rest , not of the spirit only , but of the body also ; and in his ep. . ad ianuarium , the lords day is declared not to the iewes , but to christians by the lords resurrection , and from thence began to have its festivity ; and de verbis apostoli sermo . . the lords resurrection promised unto us an eternall day , and hath consecrated to us the lords day , which is called the lords , because the lord rose on that day , and de temp. serm. . the apostles and apostolicall men , have therefore ordained the lords day to be kept with a religious solemnity , because on that day our redeemer rose from the dead . cyril . in joan. lib. . cap. . from christ presenting himself unto his apostles on the eighth day , which hee interpreteth of the first day of the weeke , concludes therehence that by right therefore holy congregations are kept in the churches on that day . and as walaeus observes , the celebrity of this day eusebius referres to christ himselfe in these words , who ever prescribed to all the inhabitants of the world either by sea or land , that meeting together one day in the weeke , they should celebrate the dominicall festivity . adde to this that of gregory mentioned section the . nay athanasius goes further , and shewes the equity of it in proportion to the new creation compared with the old ; the end of the first creation was the sabbath ; but the beginning of the second creature is the lords day , wherein hee renewed and repayred the old man. like as therefore in former times he would have the sabbath day to be kept , so we keepe holy the lords day as a monument of the beginning of the second creation . and this proportion is apprehended by beza also , on the revelation the first chap. and . verse . that sabbath day ( saith hee ) continued from the creation of the world to the lords resurrection , which seeing it is as it were an other creation of another spirituall world ( as the prophets speake ) then for the sabbath of the former world , or seventh day was assumed ( and that undoubtedly by the holy ghost suggesting this to the apostles ) the first day of this new world , in which not the corporall or corruptible light , in the first day of the first world was created : but that heavenly and eternall light did spring unto us . in all which beza doth exactly treade in the steps of that ancient father athanasius , and concludes that the assemblies of the lords day ( which iustine expresly makes mention of in his second apologetium ) are of tradition apostolicall and truly divine . and after him doctor andrewes late bishop of winchester , whom doctor hall now bishop of exceter some where calls the oracle of these times upon the same ground , maintaines the equity of bringing our lords day into the place of the jewish sabbath . the sabbath ( saith hee ) had reference to the old creation , but in christ we are a new creature , a new creation , and so to have a new sabbath . and againe , it hath ever beene the churches doctrine that christ made an end of all sabbaths by his sabbath in the grave . that sabbath was the last of them . — and that the lords day presently came in place of it . and for the confirmation hereof brings in that of austin ep. ad ianuarium : the lords day by christs resurrection hath beene declared unto christians , and from that time began to have its festivity . doctor lakes bishop of wells maintaines the same doctrine after the same manner in his theses de sabbato , thes . . man having sinned , and so by sinne abolished the first creation de jure , though not de facto ; god was pleased by christ to make a new instauration of the world. . he ( as the scripture speakes of christs redemptions ) made a new heaven and a new earth . old things passed then away , and so all things were made new . . yea every man in christ is a new creature , . as god then when he ended the first creation , made a day of rest , and sanctified it : . so did christ when he ended his worke , made a day of rest , and sanctified it . . not altering the proportion of time which is eternall , but taking the first day of seven for his portion , because sin had made the seventh alterable . but a man may easily perceive whither this prefacer tends , and such as are of his spirit . the rhemists upon the first of the revel . and . verse doe observe that the apostles , and the faithfull abrogated the sabbath which was the seventh day , and made holy day for it , the next day following , being the eighth day in compt from the creation , and that without all scriptures , and commandements of christ that we read of : yea ( which is more ) not only otherwise then was by the law observed , but plainly otherwise than was prescribed by god himselfe in the second commandement , yea otherwise than he ordained in the first creation when he sanctified precisely the sabbath day , and not the day following . such great power did christ leave to his church , and for such causes gave he the holy ghost to be resident in it , to guide it into all truthes , even such as in the scripture are not expressed . and if the church had authority and inspiration from god , to make sunday ( being a working day before ) an everlasting holy day , and the saturday that before was holy day , now a common work-day , why may not the same church prescribe and appoint the other feasts of easter , whitsontide , christmas , and the rest ? for the same warrant she hath for the one , as she hath for the other . now to this doctor fulk makes answer after this manner . the apostles did not abrogate the jewish sabbath , but christ himselfe by his death , as he did all other ceremonies of the law , that were figures and shadowes of things to come , whereof he was the body , and they were fulfulled and accomplished in him , and by him . and this the apostles knew both by the scriptures , and by the word of christ , and his holy spirit . by the scriptures also they knew that one day of seven was appointed to be observed for ever during the world , as consecrated and hallowed to the publike exercise of the religion of god ; although the ceremoniall rest , and prescript day according to the law were abrogated by the death of christ . now for the prescription of this day before any other of seven , they had without doubt either the expresse commandement of christ before his ascension when he gave them precepts concerning the kingdome of god , and the order and government of the church , acts . . or else the certaine direction of his spirit , that it was his will and pleasure it should be so , and that also according to the scriptures . and observe how in the words following he falls in upon the same reason of the change of the day which of old was mentioned by athanasius ( formerly rehearsed ) herein by beza , doctor andrews , d. lake , as i have already shewed . seeing there is the same reason of sanctifying the day in which our saviour christ accomplished our redemption , and the restitution of the world by his resurrection from death , that was of sanctifying the day in which the lordrested from the creation of the world . and after many lines nothing necessary to be recited , he comes to the comparison made betweene the lords day and other festivalls , saying : although the church in dayes or times which are indifferent , may take order for some other dayes or times to be solemnized for the exercises of religion ; or the remembrance of christs nativity , resurrection ; ascension , or the comming of the holy ghost , may be celebrated either on the lords day , or any other time : yet there is great difference between the authority of the church in this case , and the prescription of the lords day by the apostles for the speciall memory of those things are indifferent of their nature , either to be kept on certaine daies , or left to the discretion of the governours of the church . but to change the lords day , or to keepe it on munday , tuesday , or any other day , the church hath no authority . for it is not a matter of indifferency , but a necessary prescription of christ himselfe , delivered to us by his apostles . and againe , in the next place : the cause of this change , it was not our estimation , that either we have , or ought to have of our redemption before our creation , but the ordinance of god , who , as first he sanctified the rest from creation for the glory of that weeke : so now also he sanctifieth the day of the restitution of the world for his glory of the accomplishment of our redemption . thus wee have not onely authority humane , but authority divine for the alteration of the day , and that by the testimony of more bishops antient and late , than this prefacer makes shew of amongst farre meaner names . yet he doth immodestly abuse doctor prideaux in putting it upon him , that in the fifth section , he maintaines the alteration of the day to be onely an humane and ecclesiasticall institution . for , in that section , he onely opposeth them , who would derive the divine authority ( which they stand for ) of the alteration of the day from the old testament : but as for those who derive the divine authority thereof from the new , they , hee confesseth , doe carry themselves herein more warily , the other more weakly , and them alone he disputes against in that section . in the sixth section , he comes to the deriving thereof from the new testament ; and first he challengeth them , who boast that they have found the institution of the lords day in the new testament expressely , to shew the place . then in the often disputations of our saviour with the pharisees about their superstitious observation of the sabbath day , he demands where is the least suspicion of the abrogation of it ; or any mention that the lords day was instituted in the place thereof ? and indeed , the time hereof was not yet come ; onely the death of christ setting an end to ceremonies . then he demands whether the apostles did not keepe the jewish sabbath ? now , i doe not find they did , although they tooke occasions of their meetings on that day to dispute with them , and to instruct them in the faith of christ . then he demands , whether the primitive church did not designe as well the sabbath as the lords day to sacred meetings ? i find in baronius , that orthodoxi orientales did , and the occasion also , to wit , in detestation of the marcionites ; yet without any such respect , it had been nothing strange , considering , that even now adayes saturday is counted halfe holy day ; and that the jewes had a preparation for the sabbath , in such sort , that on their behalfe , augustus made a rescript , that no jewes should be compelled to make good their suretiships ( as much to say , they should not be arrested ) either on the sabbath dayes , or after three a clocke of the day going before . hereupon ( which is yet a very weake ground in my judgement ) he saith , that papists inferre , that the lords day is not of divine institution ; he doth not make any such inference himselfe . yet notwithstanding ( he confesseth that ) even in the church of rome , anchoranus , panormitane , angelus and sylvester ( all which this prefacer conceals very judiciously for his owne advantage ) have stoutly set themselves against these luke-warme advocates , in affirmation of the divine authority of the lords day . and i find , that azorius in his institutions , makes mention of them to the same purpose , and addes , that sylvester professeth , hanc esse opinionem communem , that this is the common opinion . and after this , doctor prideaux in that section , disputes for the divine institution thereof , rather than against it . after this he takes notice of pauls fact , acts . . and disputes therehence for a custome to celebrate on the first day of the weeke their publike meetings ; and confesseth , that the fathers , and all interpreters almost , doe so conceive it : though withall he professeth hee sees not how from a casuall fact ( so he calleth it , upon what ground i know not ) a solemne institution may be justly grounded ; yet that which went before , in some opposition whereunto this is delivered , pleaded not for a solemne institution , but for a custome onely ; although upon due consideration , it may be found , that such a custome ( if that be granted ) could not otherwise proceed originally than from a solemne institution : it is enough if they ordained that on that day the churches should be assembled for publique worship ; which austin expressely professeth , as formerly i have shewed , neither doth it appeare in reason how it could be otherwise , such assemblies being universall and so continuing to this day : is it credible such universall agreement should come to passe casually ? if it did , yet their continuance of it without dislike , doth manifest their joynt apostolicall approbation , who we know were guided by the spirit of god : and even in their time was the first day of the weeke , called the lords day . so that in all this i find no incoherence , much lesse notable . indeed , in the first of the corinth . chap. . . he doth not order that the first day should be set apart for gods service , but rather supposeth it , and that not onely at corinth , but in the churches of galatia : how improbable is it that this uniformity should be among them , unlesse it proceeded from some authority superiour to the churches themselves : then comming to consider the denomination of the lords day , and concluding it to be the first day of the weeke , and therewithall concluding that sixth section : the seventh section he begins thus ; what then ? shall we affirme that the lords day is founded in divine authority ? and answers the question thus : for my part ( without prejudice to any mans opinion ) i assent unto it , however the arguments like me not , whereby the opinion is supported , and so he proceeds in prosecuting of that which was affirmed by him , in the last place , concerning his private dislike of some particular courses taken to justifie it . he opposeth , i grant , expresse institution ; but if by just consequence it may be deduced , it serveth our turne , both in the generall and in particular at this time and in this place , to discover the immodest and unreasonable carriage of this prefacer , who would obtrude the contrary opinion upon doctor prideaux , as it were , in despite of him ; and indeed , it is thought that hee owed him a spight , and to pay that hee owed him , hee came to this translation . but herein the doctors honour is easily preserved in the despight of this prefacer ; yet see a greater degree of impudency in this prefacer . for he puts upon the doctor , as if hee had shewed the alteration of the day to be onely an humane and ecclesiasticall institution , by the generall consent of all sorts of papists , jesuits , canonists and schoole-men of some great lutherans by name , whereas it is plaine , that he mentioneth more papists maintaining the lords day to be of divine institution , then opposing it . and amongst them that maintaine it , one , to wit , sylvester , professeth it to be opinionem communem , not one avouched as affirming the contrary . and as for the great lutherans this author speaketh of , loving to speake with a full mouth , they are but one , and that brentius , who is said to affirme it to be a civill ordinance , and not a commandement of the gospel ; a very strange phrase ( in my opinion ) to call it a civill ordinance ; the ordinance being in force many hundred yeeres before the church of god had any civill government of their own , and being in the apostles dayes how could it be lesse than apostolicall ? undoubtedly , not so much civill as ecclesiasticall . wee grant willingly we have no expresse precept for it , yet austin is bold to say ( as wee have heard ) that apostoli sanxerunt , yet gomarus allegeth no passage out of brentius to this purpose . but melancthon ever ( as i take it ) accounted of better authoritie than brentius , professeth , as walaeus reports him , that consentaneum est apostolos hanc ipsam ob causam mutasse diem , in plaine termes ascribing the change of the day to the apostles : as for the remonstrants , what authority have they deserved to have with us , who are so neere a kinne to the socinians , who uttterly professe against all observation of the lords day . but the foure professors of leiden , have passed over this of theirs without note or opposition . and was not walaeus one of the foure ? yet what his opinion is himselfe hath manifested to the world ; yea , and his collegue , thysius also , yet no cause had they to oppose in this , when the other professed it to be a laudable and good custome , according to the patterne of the primitive church ; and can the primitive church exclude the apostles , and not rather include them ? and is it probable , that the primitive church prescribed it to the apostles , and not rather the apostles to the church ? tilenus calls it ecclesiae consuetudinem , not denying it to be instituted by the apostles , nay , elsewhere hee affirmes this , or rather that it was instituted by christ himselfe . so little cause had these professors to quarrell with this phrase of the remonstrants , having weightier matters in hand wherein to oppose them . what if bullenger call it ecclesiae consuettudinem ; so doth tilenus de praecept . . thes . . yet thes . . he professed it to be not onely observed by the apostles , but that it may seeme also to be instituted by christ himselfe : bullenger saith , sponte receperunt , to wit , in opposition to an expresse precept , as appeares by that which immediately followeth ; non legimus eam ullibi praeceptam , we doe not reade it any where commanded . ursine alleged in the next place clearely professeth in the very place quoted by gomarus , that god it is who hath abrogated the observation of the seventh day , but he addes , that he left it free to the church to choose other daies , which ( church ) upon a probable cause , chose the first day , which was the day of christs resurrection . now what church was it but apostolica ecclesia , as paraeus upon ursinus catechisme observes , p. . pro libertate sibi à christo donatâ pro septima die elegit diem primum propter probabilem causam out of the liberty which christ hath given them , insteed of the seventh day chose the first day of the weeke , by reason of a probable cause , to wit , because on that day christ rose , by whose resurrection , the spirituall and eternall rest is inchoated in us , and p. . apostoli ipsi mutarunt sabbatum septimi diei . the apostles themselves changed the sabbath of the seventh day . by the way touch we a little upon this , that , first , this was done in reference to christs resurrection : so calvin acknowledgeth in reference whereunto this day had some prerogative above the rest , to wit in the way of fitnesse , for holy use , because of the worke of god on that day . whence it is evidently concluded , that the apostles did not thinke it indifferent , therefore though it were left to their liberty , in as much as no commandement was given to them thereabout for ought wee reade , yet by the spirit of god , they were directed to make choyse of this day , and that in reference to such a worke on that day , as the like on no other . not that the sanctifying of a rest on this day would make us more holy , then the sanctifying of a rest on any other day : but onely in reference to some speciall worke of god on that day : upon which consideration the ancient fathers doe generally insist ; and bishop andrewes , and bishop lake after them doe joyntly rely , and not beza onely . secondly , that both ursine and paraeus call this a probable reason onely : now give me leave to insist upon this , and try whether i cannot shew that this reason is more then probable . and that first à posteriori . for let us soberly consider how came it to passe that not onely the day whereon christ rose , but answerably hereunto the day of the weeke , to wit , the first day of the weeke was accompted by the apostles , and so commonly called the lords day ; and generally knowne to christians by that name : otherwise s. iohn had not beene so well understood in his revelation chap. . vers . . is it not apparent that christs rising did ever after give the denomination of the lords day , to the first day of the weeke ? againe the day of christs paspassion upon the crosse , is not called the lords day ; and why the day of the resurrection rather ? surely because s. paul saith that christ was declared mightily to be the sonne of god by the spirit of sanctification in his resurrection from the dead . hereby then was he manifested to be the sonne of god , the very lord of glory ; and is not this reason more then probable , why it should bee called the lords day ? secondly consider , that day of the moneth or that day of the yeare whereon the lord rose , wee no where finde that it was usually called the lords day , but onely that day of the weeke ; not the day of the weeke wherein hee ascended into heaven , but the day of the weeke wherein hee rose . now the jewes sabbath was called the lords sabbath , the lords holy day , es . . . if thou shalt turne away thy foote from my sabbath from doing thy will on my holy day . hath the lord a day under the gospell , but no sabbath , no holy day ? what an unreasonable conceite were this ? that hee should have an holy day , one in every weeke under the law ; and none under the gospell ? now if the lord hath a day that is peculiarly called his under the gospell , and that day is in the scripture styled the lords day ; i appeale to every christian conscience , whether the sanctifying of this day as holy to the lord , ought not by more then probable , yea even by necessary reason , come in place of the sanctifying of the seventh day as an holy rest to the lord in the dayes of old . otherwise we should have two different dayes in the weeke , the one called the lords day , the other the lords holy day ; or no holy day at all though wee have the lords day . lastly consider the very definition of a thing probable , which aristotle makes to be such as seemes so in the judgement of most , or in the judgement of most of the wisest , or of some few provided they are wiser then the rest ; but the sanctifying of the first day of the weeke to the lord , that is , the lords day to the lord , hath seemed fit not to some of the wisest onely in the church of god , but to all , even to all the apostles , yea and evangelists and pastors , and teachers in their dayes and to the whole church , for . yeares since ; and shall wee call the reason moving them hereunto onely probable ? . yet all this is but a posteriori , which yet for the evidence of it , i presume most sufficient for the convicting of every sober & christian conscience of that truth , to the demonstration whereof it tends ; i come to give a reason hereof à priori . the first creation in the wisedome of god ( who proceeds not merely according unto probable reason ) drew after it a sabbath day , the seventh day where on god rested . but if god vouchsafeth us a new creation in the same congruity , may wee not justly expect a new sabbath ? now , the apostle tells us plainly , that old things are passed away , and that all things are become new , cor. . . and this he brings in upon shewing what christ hath deserved at our hands , in as much as he died for us , and rose againe , vers . . the end whereof was this , that he might be lord both of quicke and dead , rom. . . and concludes , that whosoever is in christ , is a new creature , cor. . . and how are we in christ , but by faith ? gal. . . and what is the object of this our faith ? let the same apostle answer us , if thou confesse with the mouth the lord iesus , and believe in thine heart that god raised him from the dead , thou shalt be saved : so that this faith in christs resurrection , is to us the beginning of a new creature . and christs resurrection sedulius calls nascentis mundi primordium . and athanasius saith , that as the sabbath was the end of the first creation ; so the lords day is the beginning of the second creature . and this is it that bishop andrewes and bishop lake doe worke upon for the celebration of the lords day as by divine institution . but i am not a little sensible of some appearance of incongruity rising hereupon . almighty god did not thinke it fit , that the first day of creation should be our sabbath , but the seventh from the creation , as whereon himselfe rested ; but in the second creation , the first day is made our sabbath . to this i answer two things ; the first is this : if man should not rest unto god till the second creation is finished , hee should not rest at all in this world . and the sixe dayes being the dayes of gods worke ; the seventh was the first of mans worke , which god would have to be an holy worke most convenient whereby to take livery and seasin of the world . for , albeit god commanded adam to dresse the garden and keepe it , when he placed him in it ; yet it is nothing probable it had need of dressing so soone as it was made ; and no mention of rest commanded at the first ; onely it is said , that because god rested that day from all his works , therefore he blessed the seventh day and sanctified it . this i deliver to save the expression of athanasius . . but in my judgement , there is an exact congruity betweene rest and rest in each creation . for , as god rested the seventh day from the worke of creation ; so christ rested the first day of the weeke from his worke of redemption , which was the meritorious cause of the new creation . for christs dying , and continuing under the power of death , for a certaine time , i may justly reckon as one worke of redemption ; in which time hee suffered ignominy , not onely from the reproach of the world , but from the weaknesse of his servants faith , whose voyce was , wee thought it had been he , who should have redeemed israel . as for zanohy , in the place cited by gomarus ; hee confesseth , hunc diem ex traditione apostolica esse , & optimo jure ab ecclesia retentum . that the lords day is ( to be observed ) by apostolicall tradition , and by the best right retained by the church — this the prefacer in his wisedome omitted ; indeed hee saith , we no where reade that the apostles commanded it : but left it free ; but take with you the rest , ita liberum , ut omnino ipse dies sanctificandus sit , nisi charitas aliud postulat . in such a manner free , that omnino , undoubtedly the day it selfe ought to be sanctified , unlesse charity require otherwise . i conceive his meaning is , and the meaning of all that use this language , that wee are to keepe it by no other obligation ( not of speciall commandement ) than the reason of the day doth minister unto us , it being the day that the lord hath made , joyfull to gods church by the resurrection of christ from the dead ; and in this sense they say it doth not bind mens consciences , to wit , as a precept doth , whether we know the equity of it or no. and it were very strange , that christians in keeping any holy day in the weeke , should not make choice of the lords day for that , without any expresse commandement . anetius saith no more than that christians changed the sabbath unto the lords day ; and can any man doubt , but that the apostles were meant hereby ? for which is most likely , that the practice and judgement of others was a leading cause to the apostles , or rather that the judgement and practise of the apostles was a leading cause unto all others ? simler hath no more but this , that he calls it the custome of the church , so doth tilenus , yet he proposeth it as likely to have had its institution from christ . paraeus in the very place cited by gomarus , ascribeth the change of the day to the apostolicall church , and expressely saith , that the apostle commanded the corinthians to meet together the first day of the weeke , and make their collections . i wonder the prefacer omits cuohlinus , was it because that which others call consuetudinem ecclesiae , hee calls consuetudinem apostolicam ? in the last place , bucer is named by the prefacer , but gomarus is well content to omit what is delivered by him . but to the contrary , i will not forbeare to set downe what i find in his booke de regno christi , lib. . cap. . for having formerly described what are the true workes of holy rests , added upon the backe of it ; eapropter , for this cause the lords day was consecrated by the apostles themselves to these kind of actions . which ordinance of theirs ( institutum he calls it ) the antient churches observed most religiously . then he shews the cause why they changed the day : . the first reason given is , to testifie that christians are not obliged to the pedagogie of moses law : . the second is , to celebrate the memory of christs resurrection , which was performed on the first day of the weeke . so that not one of the authors mentioned by him makes any thing for him . and if the passages of the sixe mentioned by him , and related by gomarus did make any thing for him ; we have no lesse of the ancient fathers to the contrary , as namely , athanasius , cyril , eusebius , austin lately mentioned , to whom adde sedulius operis paschalis , lib. . cap. . the glory of the eternall king illustrating ( the first day of the weeke ) with the trophy of his resurrection , primatum cum religione concessum dierum censuit retinere cunctorum ; thought good it should have the primacy of all dayes granted unto it with religion : that is , with an holy celebration thereof . adde unto him gregory , mentioned in the first section , affirming that antichrist affecting to imitate christ , shall command the lords day to be kept holy . adde to these the universall consent of christendome in antient times ; for when the question was proposed unto them , as usually it was thus ; dominicum servasti ? hast thou kept the sabbath ? their answer was this , christianus sum , intermittere non possum : for brentius alleged by him to little purpose , let mee represent what gerard the lutherane writes of our christian sabbath in his common places , tom . . pag. . est sabbatum christianum , quo juxta apostolorum constitutionem dies hebdomadae primus publicis ecclesiae congressibus d●stinatus est . our christian sabbath is that whereby the first day of the weeke is destinated to the publique assemblies of the church , by the constitution of the apostles . see how plainly hee referres the celebration of this day to apostolicall constitution : and pag. . he sheweth the analogie between the jewes sabbath and our christian sabbath , consisting in two or three particulars : . as on the seventh day god rested from the six dayes worke of creation , in remembrance of which benefit , the sabbath was instituted in the old testament : so in the first day of the weeke , after christ by his death and passion had accomplished the mysterie of our redemption , he returned gloriously as a conqueror from the dead , in remembrance of which benefit , the first day of the weeke is celebrated in the new testament . . as in the old testament the sabbath was instituted , that it might be a memoriall of their deliverance out of egypt , deut. . . so in the new testament , the lords day is a memoriall of our spirituall deliverance out of the kingdome and captivity of satan , procured unto us by the resurrection of christ , a type whereof was that deliverance of the children of israel out of egypt . . by christs death and resurrection , were abrogated leviticall ceremonies and legall shadowes , amongst which the sabbath is reckoned , col. . . therefore the change of the sabbath into the lords dav , is a publique testimony that christians are freed from legall shadowes , and that difference of dayes , which in ancient time was ordained adde to him melanchthon , alleged by walaeus , pag. . affirming , that the apostles for this cause changed the day , that in this particular they might give an example of the abrogation of the ceremoniall lawes of mosaicall policy . as for our popish divines for which he referres us to doctor prideaux , it is apparent that more of them are alleaged for the jus d vinum , of the celebration of the lords day , then for the contrary ; & one of them , silvester by name , professeth expresly that his opinion , was the common opinion which was for the divine institution of it . and azorius the jesuite , as hee professeth it a thing most agreeable to reason that after six worke dayes one intire day should bee consecrated to divine worship ; so withall saith that it is most agreeable to reason that the lords day should be that day . adde unto these sixtus senensis , but that which they object ( saith hee ) concerning the lords day not as yet instituted in the time of iohn , is most false , the consent of the whole church disclaiming it , which doth beleeve the solemnity of the lords day was appointed by the appostles themselves in memory of the lords resurrection : concerning the institution whereof by the apostles austin ser. . de temp . testifyeth in these words : therefore the apostles themselves , & apostolicall men , appointed that the lords day should for that reason bee religiously solemnized , because on it our redeemer rose from the dead . in the last place come wee to our divines . now bucer i have already shewed to stand for us rather then for him . . and calvin expresly acknowledgeth that the apostles did change the day . . beza upon re. . v. . hath an excellent passage to the same purpose . for hee considers christs resurrection to bee as it were a second creation of a world spirituall , and thereupon doubts not but that the spirit of god did suggest unto them the change of the seventh day into the lords day , as to bee consecrated to divine service . . iunius on gen. . writes that the cause of the change of the day was the resurrection of christ , and the benefit of instauration of the church in christ . the commemoration of which benefit succeeded to the commemoration of the creation , not by humane tradition , but by the observation of christ himselfe , and his institution . . piscator on exod. . . it is to bee observed that the circumstance of the seventh day , in celebrating the sabbath is abolished by christ ; as who for that day ordained the first day of the weeke , which wee call the lords day , and that in remembrance of the lords resurrection performed on that day . and upon luk. . v. . he makes this observation , by occasion of this story , it is fit to consider what was the religion of the sabbath in the new testament , and what place it hath at this day among us christians , and how it is to be observed . and first we must hold that the sabbath is abrogated , by christs comming as touching the seventh or last day in the week , and that in the place thereof is ordained the first day , which we call the lords day , because on that day the lord rose from the dead , and shewed himselfe alive to his disciples , and divers times speaking with them of the kingdom of god : aod so by his own example consecrating that day to church assemblies , and for the performance of the outward service of god. the reason of the abrogation is , because that ceremoniall rest observed in the law , was a type of that rest , which the lord made in his grave , as is perceived by the words of paul col. . . . now of the apparitions of the lord , s. john testifies chap. . where he shewes how first he appeared to them gathered together on that very day whereon he rose . and againe eight dayes after . now that in these dayes he spake unto them of the kingdom of god luke shewes , acts . . whence it was undoubtedly that the apostles observed that day by the lords ordinance , to keep their ecclesiasticall assemblies thereon — as it appeares they did acts . . & cor. . . and hence it was without doubt , on the lords day john was in the spirit and receaved the revelation . to the same purpose is that which doctor walaeus alleageth out of piscators aphoris . . it may be doubted concerning the lords day , whether it be appointed by god for his service in the new testament . my opinion hereof is this ; although we read no expresse commandement concerning it , yet that such an institution may be gathered from the example of christ and his disciples . for on that day whereon the lord rose from the dead ( therefore called the lords day ) he shewed himselfe alive to his disciples , and spake to them of the kingdom of god. and paul on that day in an assembly of the faithfull met together to celebrate the lords supper , preached to them on that day , acts . . and that the christians at corinth were wont to meet on that day for publique prayer , appeares cor. . . now it cannot be doubted but paul ordained that day amongst them , as also the manner of celebrating the lords supper , and that according to the commandement of christ , math. . the last , teach them ( to wit , as many as receave the gospell ) to keep all those things which i have commanded unto you . on the lords day also john was in the spirit , and in the spirit saw and heard the revelation concerning the state of the church that was to come , apoc. . . whence we may gather , that even then he rested to holy meditations , such as became the lords day . there is not a passage in all this but of great weight , and very considerable . . as for doctor fulk upon the re. . . i have represented him formerly at large ; that for the prescription of this day before any other of the seven , they had without doubt ether the expresse commandement of christ before his ascension when he gave them precepts concerning the kingdom of god , and the ordering and government of the church acts . . or else the certaine direction of his spirit , that it was his will , and pleasure that it should so be , and that also according to the scriptures . and observe how hee falls upon the same reason that athanasius , and the ancient fathers insist upon ; seeing there is the same reason of sanctifying that day , in which our saviour christ accomplished our redemption , and the restitution of the world by his resurrection from death ; that was of sanctifying the day , in which the lord rested from the creation of the world. . doctor andrewes in like manner bishop of winchester . in his starre chamber speech in the case of traske ; hee not onely professeth , that the sabbath had reference to the old creation , but in christ we are a new creature , a new creation , and so to have a new sabbath ; and that this new sabbath is the lords day declared unto us by the resurrection of christ , for which he alleageth austin ep. . ad ianuarium . but also for the confirmation of it saith it is deduced plainly by practise ; adding that these two onely the day ( of the weeke whereon christ rose ) and the supper , are called the lords , to shew that the word dominicum is taken alike in both . nay hee goes farther , as namely to alleage not onely practise but precept also for it ; from the first of the epistle to the corin. cap. . . for albeit the apostle there doth expressely constitute onely an order for collections for the poore on the day of their meeting , yet as piscator observes , it cannot bee denied but that undoubtedly as touching the time of their meeting they were therein ordered also by s. paul , as they were about the manner of celebrating the lords supper . and accordingly , paraeus in the very passage alleaged by gomarus , doth take that place of cor. . . to notifie , that the very time of their meeting there specified , was by the ordinance of s. paul. doctor lake bishop of bath and wells , in his theses de sabbato , thes . . the apostles directed by christs not only example , but spirit also , observed the same ; witnesse in the acts , s. paul , s. john in the revelation . . and from the apostles the catholique church uniformly receaved it , witnesse all ecclesiasticall writers . . and the church hath receaved it not to be liberae observationis , as if men might at their pleasure accept or refuse it , . but to be perpetually observed to the worlds end . for as god only hath power to apportion his time : so hath he power to set out the day that he will take for his portion . for he is lord of the sabbath . . master fox upon the rev. . v. . professeth , that the observation of the lords day doth niti authoritate institutionis apostolicae , depend upon the authority of apostolicall institution . . walaeus dissert . de sab. p. . we conclude ( saith hee ) this first day of the weeke , was by the apostles put in the place of the sabbath , and commended to the church , not only by a power ordinary , competent to all pastors for the ordering of indifferent rites in their churches ; but by a singular power also ; as who had the oversight of the whole churches ; and who as extraordinary ministers of christ , were by the holy ghost , put in trust , that they might be faithfull , not only for the delivering of certaine precepts concerning faith , and manners , but also as touching upright ordering of the church : that so it might be made known to all christians every where what day in the weeke was to be kept , by vertue and analogy of the fourth commandement , least dissension there abouts and ( consequently ) confusion might arise in the church of god : and to this purpose hee alleageth beza before mentioned ; and gallesius , calvins collegue , on exod. . this ordinance , to wit , that the lords day should be substituted in the place of the sabbath , we have receaved ( saith hee ) not from men , but from the apostles , that is , from the spirit of god , whereby they were governed : and after he had proved this out of three places of scripture , acts , . cor. . . re. . . in the end hee , addes , for although we are not tied to the observation of dayes yet this necessary order must be observed , least confusion should be bred in the church . . fayus calvins successor alleaged also by walaeus disput . . in . q. praecept . iustly therefore may we say , that the apostles by the leading of the holy ghost for the seventh day of the law , substituted the first day of the week , which was the first in the creation of the first world. . hyperius in . . cor. . . the first day of the weeke in memory of the lords resurrection was called the lords day , the observation of the sabbath being translated thereunto through the command of the holy ghost by the apostles . . adde unto these master perkins maintaining the same . that which he delivers of the parliament in the dayes of king edward the sixt , in that preamble of theirs concerning holy dayes , as left by the authority of gods word to the authority of christs church , by the discretion of the rulers , and ministers therof , as they shall judge most expedient to the true setting forth of gods glory , and edification of the people ; i say that this should bee understood not of holy dayes onely , but of the lords day also , is a thing most incredible ; neither doth hee offer to cite any parcell thereof to justifie this so bold an affirmation ; onely hee sayth , that by the body of the act it doth appeare ; but what that is in the body of that act whereby this doth appeare , hee very judiciously conceales . how improbable is it t , hat bishop andrewes would have opposed this doctrine in the starre chamber , if a parliament of prelates , and that in the dayes of king edward the sixt , had maintained it . for hee professeth , that these two onely , the lords day , and the lords supper are called the lords , to shew that dominicum is alike to bee taken in both — and takes upon him to shew that in the very scripture , there is found a precept for observation of the lords day ; and bishop lake in like manner professeth that it is not liberae observationis , but necessarily to be observed . doctor fulks answer to the rhemish testament was set forth in the dayes of queene elizabeth , and dedicated to her majesty , therein on re. . v. . hath hee delivered , that to change the lords day , and to keepe it on munday , tuesday or any other day , the church hath none authority . for it is not a matter of indifferency , but a necessary prescription of christ himselfe delivered to us by his apostles . was hee ever questioned for this ? or was it ever knowne that the state of this land excepted against it , for crossing the doctrine of the church manifested in a preamble to one of the acts of parliament , which i presume was never yet repealed ; but leave we him to live on his own juice , and to please himselfe in his holinesse . a third digression containing a conference with d. walaeus about the divine authority of the lords day . i come to consider somewhat in walaeus , whose dissertation of the sabbath , from the first hath liked mee so well , and the spirit which it breathes throughout ; that i doe not affect to differ from him ; but rather heartily desire there may bee little or no difference betweene us , and i hope in the end there will be found little or no difference of importance betweene us , especially in this point of the institution of the lord day whether it be divine or humane , and as for the originall institution of the sabbath , namely as from the beginning of the world , and as touching the morality of one day in seven ; therein i concurre with him really and affectionately . and as touching the quality of the institution ; i approve his learned paines in vindicating those three places of the new testament , acts . . cor. . . and re. . . from the interpretation that some give of them , to quash the evidence which they import for the observation of the first day of the weeke , commonly called the lords day , even in those primitive and apostolicall dayes of the christian church . and i joyne with him , pag. . in admiring , that after so many accurate prejudices of the reformed churches , concurring in the same translation & interpretation of those places which we embrace ; yet some should be found to take so unhappy paines , as to quash the evidence of them which they seem to us plainly to import . a manifest argument in my judgement , that the observation of that day , as in place of the jewes sabbath , in the very days of the apostles , doth even convince their consciences , that it can savour of nothing lesse than apostolicall institution ; which , because they doe impugne , therefore they desire to impugne the use thereof as nothing so antient as to be received of the apostles themselves . for consider , i pray , how should the converted jewes come to change their sabbath , if not by order from the apostles themselves , whose doctrine it was that christ came to set an end to all ceremonies ? and as for the substitution of a day in the place of it , that all did joyntly concurre herein without any dependance of some upon the judgement of others ; what strange strength of convicting evidence must there needs be in the resurrection of christ , to draw them hereunto farre beyond almighty gods resting on the seventh day from his worke of creation ? what could be devised to inferre greater morality by the very light of nature than this , which should be so forcible to move all to concurre herein , and that with the first . but if they received it , some from others , how improbable it is , that the apostles should receive it from the churches , and not rather the churches from the apostles ? then consider , we no where reade of any difference here-abouts among the apostles , counting paul amongst them , who received from the lord after his ascension into heaven what he delivered unto others . how then came it to passe , that they all so throughly , and at the first , agreed herein ? if , as having received it from the lord , then the case is cleare , that it is of most divine institution : but if onely as drawne hereunto by the consideration of christs resurrection on that day , being guided by the spirit of god infallibly to order as other things , so the time of divine service , to prevent the danger of division and confusion upon just ground ; even this is enough to manifest the strength of evidence which the lords resurrection carrieth with it , as to convince them , so to appoint , and to convince others of the reasonablenesse thereof , seeing all churches did so universally and so earely yeeld thereunto , and since that time so constantly persevered therein . the resurrection therefore of christ , is nothing inferiour to the lords rest on the seventh to draw us to the sanctifying thereof : and the apostles ordering it in this manner especially as his extraordinary ministers , is answerable to the lords commandement for the sanctifying of the seventh , especially that very commandement by just analogie having force also in this : and albeit walaeus saith no more , pag. . of those three places , acts . . cor. . . apoc. . . than that the whole church reformed hath constantly gathered therehence diet dominicae usum , the use of the lords day : yet both pag. . he doth manifestly imply the apostles to have instituted it , where he saith , that quae ab ipsis apostolis instituta non sunt , such things as have not beene ordained by the apostles , were never in that manner observed in all christian churches throughout the world , as the observation of the lords day . and before , pag. . he concludes , that the first day of the weeke was by the apostles substituted in the place of the seventh , and commended to the church , and that potestate singulari , by singular power ; and as they were extraordinary ministers of christ , put in trust by his spirit , to be faithfull in giving precepts ( marke this well ) not onely touching faith and manners , but also de ecclesiae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . & recto ordine , for the well ordering of the church , and that in this particular , what day of the weeke is to be observed by force and analogie of the fourth commandement , to prevent dissention and confusion among the churches . and i am verily perswaded , that as many as stand for the divine institution of the lords day would rest fully satisfied with this . austin , i am sure , who is alleged by walaeus in the first place , as maintaining it to be of christs institution , writes thus of it , serm. de temp . . dominicum ergodiem apostoli & apostolici viri ideo religiosa solennitate habendum sanxerunt , quia in eadom redemptor noster à mortuis resurrexit : this being premised , let us come to the consideration of that which he delivers about the justification hereof , from pag. . where he acknowledgeth that among the ancient writers and doctors of the reformed church , there have beene some who have referred the celebritie of this day to the fact and institution of christ . at the first , by christs fact in this place i understood christ apparitions to the apostles , as they were assembled together on this day . but upon better consideration and ponderation of the passages alleged by him out of austine and cyril , i thinke rather that by christs fact he means christ resurrection , or perhaps , btoh the one and the other . for the sentence taken out of austine hath reference to the one , and that out of cyril , to the other . and doctor lake bishop of bath and wells in his thes . . de sabbato , referres unto both ; this first day christ sanctified not onely by his resurrection , but by sundrie apparitions before his ascention , by sending them the holy ghost . but the latter seem to depend on the former . and therefore , that learned bishop in his defence of that thesis . writes thus : i say not , that the apostles imprinted any holinesse upon the first day of the weeke , it was christs resurrection that honoured that day , which i say the apostles were to respect , not arbitrarily , but necessarily , you may perceive the reason in my thesis ; you cannot observe from the beginning of the world any other inducement to the institution of feasts but gods worke done on the day . now , neither austin nor cyril speake of any institution made by christ . eusebius , i confesse , doth intimate such an institution , and gregory the great , and so doth athanasius seeme to expresse as much , and sodulius after him ; but i am apt to conceive that they meant no other thing hereby , than that the consideration of christs resurrection by the suggestion of christs spirit , should move the apostles to ordaine and establish the celebration of this day unto the christian world . junius , in my judgement , seemes to have no other meaning , when he professeth the cause of the change of the day to be the resurrection of christ , and the benefit of instauration of the church in christ ; it is true , he saith afterwards that the lords day succeeded the seventh , ( christi observatione atque instituto , by christ observation and ordinance ; but i understand thereby no other ordinance than is bespoken by christs resurrection on the day and observation of the day . for anon he tells us , that the lords day was observed , christi facto , exemplo , institutoque apostolorum , & vereris ecclesiae observatione constantissimâ ; by christs fact , example , and by the ordinance of the apostles ; unlesse instituto there , be to be referred to that which goes before , and ought to be distinguished from apostolorum which comes after by a comma , though it be not . but let this be the opinion of iunius and piscator , which , perhaps , we may meet with some more evidence for than hitherto : neither doe i see any necessity of expressing concerning every thing they taught , that they received it of the lord ; neither doe i thinke fit to conclude , that whatsoever they ordered , they ordered by gods commandement . but consider , there is a great difference between things ordered by them : some were concerning particulars , others for the church universall . some ordered by them for a certaine time , other things to continue to the worlds end . the ordinance of the lords day concerned the whole church ; and to this day no church throughout the world hath thought fit to alter it , a notable evidence that the church generally hath conceived it , as an ordinance of the apostles intended to continue to the worlds end . the ingenuity of master perkins is to be commended , confessing ingenuously , that hee proposeth his arguments not as necessary , but as probable , onely to inferre the institution of the first day of the weeke to be observed by christians in place of the seventh , i would those that oppose him would carry themselves with the like ingenuity : nothing inferiour is the ingenuity of doctor walaeus , pag. . professing that this opinion touching christs institution of the lords day , seeing it hath so great divines as favourers thereof , is neither to be accused of novelty , nor easily to be despised as false , provided , that they themselves doe not propose it as necessary , but as probable , nor inveigh against such as are of another opinion or condemne them . now , let us see upon what grounds he preferres the second opinion , making the institution of the lords day to depend upon apostolicall authoritie before it . therefore , first he urgeth , that the apostles have given no expresse commandement as being charged thereto by christ , nor christ himselfe . in briefe , thus neither christ hath any where in scripture commanded it , nor doe the apostles any where signify that hee did : i answer , the apostles doe not use to signify that what they deliver in particular was given them in charge by christ ; sometimes they doe , but this extends not to the hundreth part of that they doe deliver . and it may bee by s. iohns calling it the lords day , compared with that which our saviour delivers in the gospell , pray that your flight bee not in the winter , nor upon the sabbath day ; and with the denomination of the jewes sabbath called in the old testament the lords holy day , wee shall finde sufficient intimation of christs institution . especially considering that the question is but of the circumstance of a particular day , not of the proportion of time ; and withall the analogy of the day of christs resurrection to the day of the lords rest from creation . and whereas the doctor further sayth , that it seemes not likely that christ should not command it , if he meant to binde us to the observation of any day , as a part of his worship and service : now i wonder what the worthy doctor meanes to thrust in the circumstance , as a part of gods worship . if the apostles might command it as he thinkes they did , yet not as a part of gods worship ; why might not christ command the observation of that day , yet not as a part of his worship ? i am not perswaded , that when god at the first sanctifyed the seventh day , hee made the observation of that day a part of his worship . and it is strange that the circumstance of time should bee an homogeneall part of gods worship . first , it is true , the rest on that day commanded afterwards might bee , and was as a ceremony preaching something unto them . all that is to bee considered in time pertaining to gods worship is the proportion of it ; as whether one day in a weeke bee most fit , or one day in a moneth bee sufficient ; and this is of momentous consideration , whether wee consider the advancing gods glory thereby , or our owne good , in a greater or lesser proportion , but the particularity of the day in seven whether first or last or middlemost , this consideration in my judgement is of no moment . only for the avoyding of dissention , & confusion we have neede of authoritative specification , and that god did not define at the first without congruous reason , to still all motion tending to alteration ; and if we have as fayre evidence under the gospell for our sabbath , as the jewes had for theirs ; wee are by gods goodnesse as much freed from dissension and confusion as they , and nothing the more ingaged in superstition , as making the observation of the day a part of divine worship ; which never was but in the way of prefiguration of somewhat in christ , which kind of pedagogy is now quite out of date , neither is there any place for it in the observation of the lords day . doctor walaeus his second argument is , because those places of scripture , rom. . gal. . & coloss . . in which the apostle takes away all difference of dayes can hardly bee reconciled with this opinion , or if christ himselfe not by example onely , but by an ordinance commanded unto his disciples the observation of this day , it cannot bee imagined as it seemes , that any liberty should now remaine in the observation of this day ; for that which christ hath determined is not left under christian liberty any more then the observation of the seventh day from the creation was left free to the jewes ; when god not onely by his example , but also by precept separated it from all other dayes to his service . to this i answer , . i finde no liberty at all left to the church to change the day , by the doctors owne grounds , for hee holds it to bee invariable p. . secondly , hee professeth the change of the day cannot bee attempted without the greatest scandall of the church , p. . now what sober christian would affect liberty to bee scandalous ? . others who acknowledge the observation of the day by apostolicall institution , and withall to bee changeable and left to the liberty of the church , doe withall maintaine that the apostles did not command it as extraordinary ministers of christ : but doctor waleus p. . acknowledgeth the institution of it made by the apostles as ministers extraordinary . . the doctor professeth that the apostles were entrusted by the holy ghost to give precepts concerning the good government of the church , and that in this particular case , to make knowne to all christians every where what day in the weeke ought to be kept holy , and that by vertue and analogy of the fourth commandement , and withall to prevent dissension and confusion amongst the churches thereabouts . . and lastly hee joynes the precepts concerning this with precepts concerning faith , and manners ; and this hee doth without specifying any the least difference ; nay , the word precepts is once proposed as subservient indifferently as to faith , and manners , so also to the well ordering of the church , and that in this particular , of notifying unto all what day of the weeke is it to bee sanctified to gods service . as for the places rom. . gal. . & coloss . . i answer , that if wee made the observation of the day as it denotes a circumstance of time , any part of gods service , or for some mysterious signification contained therein , then indeed wee should carry our selves in contradiction to the places mentioned : but seeing we observe times onely out of respect to order and policy , which is necessary for the edification of the church ; and god having always required one day in seven to be set apart for this , even when there was not so great need , nor had god manifested his love to mankinde in such sort as in these latter dayes ; and of our selves wee are to seeke , of the particularity of the day under a fit proportion of time from the beginning of the world rquired , and hereupon were we left to our owne judgements , a way would bee opened to miserable dissension and confusion ; what cause have wee to blesse the lord for marking out a day to us with such notable characters to make it our sabbath , and to honour it by his appearance amongst his apostles when they were assembled together both that day , and that day senight after ; as also by his apostles to commend it , and establish it in such sort , that for . yeares the observation thereof hath continued unto this day ? which order of the apostles doth carry pregnant presumption that it proceeded originally from the institution of christ . the necessity of the church christian requiring the specification of the day for the preventing of dissension , and confusion as much as ever the necessity of the jewish church required the like ; and over and above by reason of the fourth commandement wee have now better evidence to conclude therehence the observation of the lords day , by the congruity that christs resurrection hath to the lords rest from creation ; better means i say to conclude ours , then they without a commandement to inferre the observation of their seventh : forstill the day of the lords rest is made the day of our rest . thirdly , that which is alleadged in the third place , that both ancient and late writers doe maintaine that wee celebrate the lords day , not as any part of divine worship , nor as absolutely necessary . for the first of these wee willingly grant ; for as much as wee conceave the observation of the th . by the jewes was no otherwise a part of divine worship , then as it was a ceremony and shadow , the body whereof was christ prefigured thereby : and it is well knowne that no christians observe it in any such notion . but the observation thereof wee hold to bee absolutely necessary , and so doth doctor walaeus in holding it to bee invariable , and that it cannot bee altered without the greatest scandall . and doctor lake bishop of bath , and wells professeth it to bee not , liberae observationis , but necessariae . and if it were free , then not to use this freedome at all doth manifestly give way to superstition in taking that for a thing necessary which is not , though not as touching the substance of gods worship and service , yet as touching a circumstance thereof , such as is the circumstance of time . as for expresse precept , if hee meanes a precept expressely written , no man ( i trow ) ever stood for that , but if hee meanes a precept given by christs expresse charge to his apostles , no man that i have met with , saith more hereupon , then doctor walaeus seemes to affirme himselfe ; in saying that they were entrusted by the holy ghost as extraordinary ministers , that they should bee faithfull ad tradenda praecepta , to give praecepts of faith and manners , and of the good government of the church , and right order , and particularly in this that might be known to all what day in the weeke was to be set apart for gods service ; both by vertue and analogy of the fourth commandement , and to praevent dissension , and confusion among the churches ; neither doe we acknowledge any other celebrity of the day then this ; and therefore doe no more affront hierome then doctor walaeus himselfe . as for festivall dayes in socrates , and nicephorus , i see no cause why as touching that they speake thereof , the lords day should bee comprehended under them : and as for apostolicall precept , concerning this doctor vvalaeus is as expresse as any . and it is not credible to mee , that the apostles should make such an invariable ordinance to the church , and not bee verily perswaded that it was the will of god the father , and of god the sonne it should bee so : whether manifested by christs particular charge unto them ; or by comparing christs resurrection with the lords rest from the workes of creation . otherwise in my judgement they had never called that day the lords day . fourthly , he excepts against the argument drawne from christs resurrection ; denying that therehence it followes that that day was to bee consecrated to god. but herein hee opposeth all the ancients ; neither doe i thinke hee can alleage any one that doth not hereon build the observation of the lords day ; which nuiversall concurrence doth manifestly argue to be more then probable : austin as waleus alleadgeth him professeth not as his peculiar opinion , but as he took it generally received without contradiction : that dies dominicus christianis resurrectione domini declaratus est ; and that resuscitatio domini consecravit nobis diem dominicum . and athanasius plainly takes notice of the analogy it hath to the fourth commandement ; ( and analogy doctor walaeus grants , and i wonder hee takes no notice of it here ) by comparing the second creation with the first creation ; and so doctor andrewes bishop of winchester professeth that the new creation requires a new sabbath , especially seeing the old must bee abrogated as ceremoniall . but the analogy i confesse may be differently shaped ; athanasius shapes it thus , that the jewes sabbath was the end of the first creation ; and that the lords day is a beginning of the second creature ; to wit , as the day of christs resurrection ; in reference whereunto the apostle saith , old things are passed , behold , all things are become new . and i conceive reason to justifie athanasius , in making the beginning of the new creature to be our sabbath , answerable to the end of the first creation , to wit , because the second creation hath no end in this world : againe , adam and eve were made but the immediate day before the seventh , and the seventh he was to spend in rejoycing in gods works ; so christs death was the worlds redemption ; and immediately after , to wit , with christs rising , it was as fit we should sabbatize with god for joy of our redemption . otherwise the analogie ( which doctor walaeus grants , but doth not explicate ) may be conceived thus . the seventh day of the weeke was the lords rest from the worke of creation , the first day of the weeke was the lords rest from the work of redemption , in the morning thereof rising from his grave ; and in respect of christs resurrection on this day , what colour hath any other day of the weeke comparable hereunto , to make it fit to stand in competition with this . yes , saith d. walaeus , the thursday may , and that in consideration of christs ascension on that day ; yet doctor walaeus well knowes , that that day of the week was never thereupon called the lords day , either by the apostles , or by the church , as the day of our saviors resurrection was . againe , consider christs resurrection and ascension are to be computed but as one compleate motion ; save that he was to stay some time by the way here on earth for the confirming of his disciples faith , and giving them commission for preaching the gospel , and order to wait at jerusalem untill they were endued with power from on high to carry the glad tidings of salvation all the world over . so christs dying and continuing under the power of death , is but one worke of redemption . he confesseth , that christs resurrection afforded an argument to the church apostolicall , to prefer this day before all others ( very well , even before the day of his ascention ) for religious assemblies , as al the ancients testifie . but it followeth not therefore , that christ by this his fact did institute the same day to the same end . now , this is a very strange phrase , by his fact on the day to institute the day to such an end . t is well knowne facts doe not institute otherwise than as therefrom may be concluded that such a day is to be kept ; and in this sense he doth as good as confesse , that christ by his fact , did institute ; for the apostolicall church did hereupon preferre this day , as he confesseth all the ancients doe testifie . and did they not inferre this there-hence also , as most agreeable to the will of god ? doctor walaeus proceedeth thus : so god in the creation of the world rested the seventh day ; but unlesse god had proposed this rest of his as an example , and confirmed it by precept , never had the church of the old testament beene bound as from heaven to the weekly observation thereof . to this i answer , that the like may be said of the observation of one in seven ; yet seeing god did cōmand this proportion to the jews , without any new commandement , we can inferre that surely god requires as good a proportion of us christians . in like manner , seeing god commanded unto them the day of his rest from creation , we without any the like commandement , may better inferre that christs resting day from the worke of redemption ought to be our rest , than they could , that the seventh day ought to betheir rest . . man could not possibly have knowne how many dayes god was creating the world , so to know what day he rested , that they might conforme unto him in their rest ; unlesse god had revealed it unto them ; but supposing god had revealed it , and withall had called it his holy day , and it were knowne unto them that one day in the weeke must be set apart as gods holy day , in this case i appeal to every christian conscience whether this were not sufficient to conclude that surely the day of the lords rest , being his holy day , ought to be the day of our rest , and our holy day . now , thus the case stands with us christians ; we know what day our saviour rose , having finished the worke of mans redemption ; we know the jewes sabbath is abrogated ; we know the proportion of one day in seven remaines still to be consecrated as an holy day to the lord ; we know the lord prescribed to the jewes for their sabbath his resting day from the creation ; which is called his holy day : and in like manner we know , that under the gospel , the first day of the weeke being the day of our saviours resurrection , is called by saint iohn the lords day ; as for easter and pentecost , the case is nothing like ; those festivalls being not of single dayes , but of whole weeks , once in a yeere , yet this proportion we find betweene them and the weekely sabbath . there are in a yeere seven times seven weeks , and a fraction lesse than halfe a seven ; so that the memory of the creation was seven times in a yeere celebrated more than the memory either of their deliverance out of egypt , or , of their reaping the fruits of the land of canaan , the one farre surmounting the other , yet their easter began the day of the yeere whereon they came out of egypt . and doctor lake , bishop of bath and wells , thes . . de sabbat . professeth , that god sets out the day by the worke he doth on the day , the worke i say done , doth difference a day from a day : and thes . . now then , when god doth any remarkable worke , then will he be honoured with a commemoration day for that worke . if the worke concerne the whole , by the whole church ; and by a part , if it concerne a part : and thes . . and his will is understood often by his precept ; but when we have not that , the practice doth guide the church , . this is a catholique rule , observed in the institution of all sacred feasts , both divine and humane , . the worke of the day is the ground of hallowing the day , whether it be weekely , monethly , or yeerely , as particulars evince in scripture and history . the very light of nature doth give testimony unto this , as appeareth by the common practice of the heathens ; as to give some instance hereof , what is the originall of the observation of the fryday , as a festivall day amongst mahumetanes ? surely this ; on that day mahumet fled from mecha to jethrib , and so that day is accounted the first day of his kingdom , and from thenceforth it was ordained to be the first day of their yeere and of their weeke . so then the will of god , in the judgement of this reverend divine , is manifested not onely by precept , but by his worke. and yet i know none speakes more of precept in this particular , than doctor walaeus , as i have often alleged him , pag. . fifthly , i grant iunius went too farre , in affirming that christ did observe the same every weeke betweene his resurrection and ascention ; but neither doth the contrary appeare by scripture ; undoubtedly the two first he did , and it is not manifest that the three following he did not ; and though cyril inferres here-hence the reasonablenesse of our christian assemblies on this day , yet wee doe not ; but as doctor walaeus concludes that which hee concludes not from any one place , but from many places together , that do we ; neither is it any thing to the purpose that doctor walaeus observes of christs appearing on other dayes , as ioh. . . once , which was at a fish meeting . and as little materiall is it , that at such other times of his meetings he spake of the kingdome of god. sixthly , on like sort christ sending down the spirit on his apostles on the day of pentecost , hath not so much force considered alone , but onely in a conjunct consideration with christs resurrection on that day : and like as after his death he arose on that day manifesting himselfe mightily thereby to be the sonne of god , so after his ascension into heaven , he came downe by his spirit on that day , the seventh , first day of the weeke after his resurrection , manifesting thereby as peter signifieth that he had obtained the dispensation of the spirit . we doe not say the spirit was on the day of pentecost sent downe , because it was the lords day ; but being sent down on that day , as the law is confessed to have beene delivered on that day , this tends to the marking out of that day more and more , for manifestation of the power of christ . that day they receiving power from on high by the descending of the holy ghost upon them , whereby they were inabled to preach the gospel . and that day of the weeke which is set apart for divine service as our christian sabbath ; as that day whereon the holy ghost doth ordinarily come downe upon his servants in the ministerie of his word , and celebration of the sacraments , and putting up of our joynt prayers unto him for the sanctifying and edifying christ body which is the church : and even in this respect that day hath a farre better congruitie to the day that is to be set apart for divine service , than any other day in the week besides . the day of his ascension he departed from them as touching his presence corporall , but on the day of pentecost he came downe upon them as touching his presence spirituall ; and so he doth still in our sabbath exercises on the lords day , though not in so extraordinary a manner , yet no lesse effectually to that edification and sanctification of our soules . seventhly , and whereas some urged that if christ himselfe had not instituted this day after his resurrection , the most primitive church should have beene left destitute of a certaine day of gods worship , to wit , from the time of christs resurrection to the first consecrating of the lords day , which they take to be absurd , and i confesse , it seems unlikely that the apostles tooke upon them to order ought untill they received the spirit on the day of pentecost , that being the day they were to receive power from on high , to execute the commission given them , mat. . . to teach all nations ; till which time they gathered no churches . for the strengthning the former reason , it is added ; that the jewes sabbath was now abolished by christs death and resurrection . this i doe not deny , but the apostles might very well be ignorant hereof as yet , as not having received the spirit as yet ; yea , & after the receiving it , we find they challenged peter for going to the gentiles to preach the gospel , acts . to this argument some answer , as walaeus saith , that the daies between christs ascension and the comming downe of the holy ghost upon them , were spent in continuall meetings of the apostles and other disciples . but from the day of pentecost , the lords day thenceforth observed . this answer reacheth not unto the daies interceding betweene christs resurrection and his ascention . and when i consider bishop lake his discourse , grounded , as he professeth , upon universall observation ( and which i find no reason to resist ) namely , that the worke of the day commends the day : if ever any day deserved to be festivall to any , surely the day of our saviours resurrection deserved to be festivall unto them , to rejoyce in the lord thereon , according to that of the psalmist , this is the day which the lord hath made , let us be glad and rejoyce therein ; the ancient fathers accommodating the place thereunto . the two verses immediatly preceding , carrying in the forehead of them a manifest relation unto christ as the proprietary of their meaning . . the stone which the builders refused , is become the head of the corner . . this is the lords doing , and it is marvellous in our eyes . now when was this manifested , namely , that the stone which the builders refused became the head of the corner , but by christs resurrection from the dead , being thereby mightily declared to bee the sonne of god. rom. . and was there ever worke more marvellous in the eyes of gods servants , then the resurrection of christ , especially considering the disconsolate condition of his disciples ? luke . . we trusted it had beene he , that should have delivered israel . the women departed from the sepulcher , though with feare , by reason of the consternation receaved from angelicall presence , their countenance being like lightning , yet with great joy by reason of the newes they heard from them of christs resurrection ; upon the noise whereof ( for they were commanded to carry word of it to his disciples , ) the apostles as it seemes were gathered together ; and in the evening after hee had shewed himselfe to his disciples going to emaus , christ presented himselfe in the midst of them . eight dayes after they were met together , and thomas with them who being absent the time before , gave out speeches of peremptory incredulity concerning his resurrection ; therefore then and not till then also the dores being shut , christ came before them , and calls unto thomas to see his hand , and to put his finger into his side . these apparitions of our saviour twice on the first day of the weeke might well adde somewhat to the confirmation of them in the festivity of this day ; and howsoever betweene his ascension , and the day of pentecost they had their meetings , yet how improbable is it they should put no difference ; betweene such a festivall and other dayes of the weeke . a second answer walaeus gives , namely that others say , that from the day of pentecost it was not necessary that the lords day should bee observed : but that at the first the apostles together with the jewes observed their sabbath not as a ceremony of the old testament , but as a free circumstance of divine worship , as for a while they reteyned circumcision and difference of meats ; which they gave over , after the jewes were found obstinately to refuse the gospell . so that in these mens judgements the lords day was no festivall to the apostles , till by occasion of the jewes obstinatenesse , a proper occasion for the institution of a new festivall . and give mee leave to differ from them in yoking circumcision and difference of meats with the jewes sabbath , neither of them prefiguring christ as to come , like as the jewes sabbath did , prefiguring his rest that day in the grave ; as the ancients have conceived it , without any contradiction that i know . had they permitted sacrifices for a time , their comparison had beene more congruous . i see no reason to withhold me from concurring with austin , and in him with all the ancients , for ought i know to the contrary , that dies dominicus resurrectione domini declaratus est christianis , & ex illo coepit habere festivitatem suam , yea with the very words of scripture psal . . . the stone which the builders refused is become the head of the corner . this is the lords doing , and it is marvellous in our eyes . . this is the day which the lord hath made we will rejoyce and be glad in it . neither is it credible to mee that the apostles were ignorant of it or of its application , to the day of christs resurrection , from the very day thereof . heresbachius upon these words , haec dies quam fecit dominus . they are ( saith hee ) the words of the people exulting in the kingdome of david , most of all of the glorious resurrection of christ , which of all others was most glorious to mankinde : as whereon christ redeemed us in a triumphant manner , from the tyarnny of satan , and from everlasting death , and restored unto us everlasting righteousnesse . arnobius interprets it of the lords day . eightly , the last argument , and which hee acknowledgeth of greatest moment is that , which is taken out of apoc. . . where the first day of the weeke is called the lords day , whence they conclude , that it is of the lords institution . and indeed doctor andrewes bishop of winchester in his starre camber speech professeth , that this denomination is given onely to the first day of the weeke , as called in scripture the lords day , and to the sacrament of the body and bloud of christ , as called the lords supper , and that to shew that the word dominicum ( the lords ) is to bee taken alike in both . in the same sense wee call the prayer which our saviour taught his disciples the lords prayer . but let us heare walaeus his answer , that we may consider it . this consequence ( saith hee ) is not necessary , for it may bee called the lords , not onely that which is of his institution , but even that which is made to the remembrance , or in the honour of him , or for his worship , as the ancients speake , as the altar of the lord , and feast of the lord are often so called . and that in this sence it was taken of the ancients it appeares by this , that the ancient fathers both greeke and latine , called temples by the name of dominica , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . that which wee urge is the language of the holy ghost , now throughout the holy scripture , it is not the language of the holy ghost , to call either altars the lords altars , or feasts the lords feasts , but such as are of the lords institution . neither doe the fathers ( in my observation ) call the first day of the weeke the lordsday otherwise then in reference to christs resurrection , as the cause of the festivall nature thereof . temples indeed they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as consecrated to the lord ; but the denomination is not to distinguish it from other temples ; as the lords day hath its denomination to distinguish it from other dayes . but the day of christs resurrection being called the lords day not as such a day in the yeare , but as such a day in the weeke , this to my understanding doth manifestly inferre the succession of it into the place of the lords day of the weeke amongst the jewes . both ancient and moderne divines doe hold it lawfull to consecrate other dayes to the service of of god , such as wee usually call holy dayes . but never any man ( i thinke ) was found that durst call any of them diem dominicum the lords day . adde to this , wherefore doth our saviour say , that the sonne of man is lord of the sabbath , but plainely to conclude herence , that hee can dispense with it , hee can abrogate it , and bring another into the place of it ? and none hath power for this but hee who is lord of the sabbath . lastly , when he saith , pray that your flight be not in the winter nor on the sabbath day , what is the reason hereof , but religio sabbati ? as all confesse the religious observation of the sabbath ; and did they understand any other religion of the sabbath but as from divine institution ? now the time concerning which our saviour delivers this , now about the destruction of the temple by titus , after that no other sabbath but of the lords day , was generally established in the churches . last of all , for the third , and last conclusion , that still the church hath power to change the day our doctor in the . section , bringeth in bullinger , bucer , brentius , ursinus , and chemnitius , aliisque nostris with divers others not named particularly , as they are which thinke no otherwise thereof then calvin did , and shewes by what distinction suarez , though otherwise no friend unto the men , doth defend their doctrine . now as the doctrine was , such also is the practise of those men and churches , devoid of any the least superstitious rigour , esteeming it to bee a day left arbitrary , and therefore open to all honest exercises and lawfull recreations ; by which the mind may bee refreshed , and the spirits quickened . even in geneva it selfe according as it is related in the enlargement of boterus by robert johnson , all honest exercises , shooting in pieces , long bowes , crossebowes , &c. are used on the sabbath day , and that both in the morning , before and after sermon ; neither doe the ministers finde fault therewithall , so that they hinder not from hearing of the word at the time appointed . dancing indeed they doe not suffer ; but this is not in relation to the sunday , but the sport it selfe , which is held unlawfull , and generally forbidden in the french churches : which strictnesse as some note , considering how the french doe delight in dancing , hath beene a great hinderance to the growth of the reformed religion in that kingdome . exam. the doctor indeed saith , that calvin , bullenger , bucerus , brentius , chemnitius , ursine and others of the reformed churches affirme , that still the church hath power to change the lords day to some other ; but hee neither cites their words , nor quotes any place out of their writings . and as for calvin , whom this prefacer proposeth as chiefe , and the rest as thinking no otherwise thereof , then hee did ; i make no doubt but the passage in calvin is instit . . cap. . sect . . where thus he writeth , neque sic tamen septenarium numerum moror , ut ejus servituti ecclesiam astringerem , i doe not so regard the number of seven ; as to tie the church to the servitude thereof ; which considered in it selfe , might intimate that in his opinion , it is indifferent whether wee keepe holy one day in seven , or one day in foureteene ; but the words immediately following doe manifest his meaning to be farre otherwise , as namely , that we are not so tied to a seventh , but that we may solemnize other dayes also , by our holy assemblies . for thus it followes , neque enim damnavero qui alios conventibus suis solennes dies habeant . i condemne not them that keep other dayes holy : will any man suppose that some there were , well knowne to calvin , who kept other dayes solemn , and not the lords day ; and that these men calvin would not condemne ? and gomarus , who is most opposite to us in this argument , professeth , that seeing not onely a time , but a sufficient proportion of time is to be set apart for divine service , therefore we must now under the gospel , allow rather a better proportion of time for divine service than a worse . and in this also rivetus rests , in his answer to the first argument of walaeus , contending for one day in seven , as necessarily to be allowed to the worship of god. for bullinger , i know not where to seeke that which the doctor aimes at . as for bucer , i have shewed before out of him , that the lords day was by the apostles themselves consecrated to divine actions ; which ordinance the antient churches observed most religiously , and that one of the chief causes hereof was , that they might celebrate the memory of christs resurrection , which fell out on the first day of the weeke ; of power to abrogate this day left unto the church he saith nothing , but to the contrary rather , that all they who desire the restoring of christs kingdome , ought to labour , that the religion of the lords day may be soundly called backe and be of force . yet ( saith he ) it is agreeable to our piety to sanctifie other festivalls also , to the commemoration of the lords chiefe workes , whereby he perfected our redemption as the day of his incarnation , nativity , the epiphany , the passion , the resurrection , ascension and pentecast . and the place which doctor rivet explic . decal . pag. . col . . allegeth out of bucer in mat. . to prove that he maintained the day to be alterable , is nothing to the purpose , and as little doe they make for it which hee allegeth out of musculus . to find out what chemnitius saith hereupon , i turne to his examen of the counsell of trent , concerning festivalls ; there pag. . col . . he saith , that christ , to show that he kept the jewes sabbath freely , and not of necessitie ; - against the opinion of necessity , touching the abrogation of the mosaicall sabbath , hee taught both by word and deed . by word , in saying , that the sonne of man is lord of the sabbath ; and by his deeds , as in healing on the sabbath day , and defending his disciples in plucking the eares of corne . now , hereby i take it to be manifest , and acknowledged by chemnitius that none hath power to abrogate the sabbath , but he that is lord of the sabbath . and seeing even christians were to have their sabbath , as appeareth by those words of our saviour , pray that your flight be not in the winter , nor on the sabbath day , which is delivered of the time about the destruction of the temple by titus ; at what time paul had suffered martyrdome divers yeeres before , by whose writings it doth appeare that the lords day was kept in place of the jewes sabbath , both by the practice of the apostles , and the churches of galatia and achaia , as chemnitius acknowledgeth from the force of those places , acts . . cor. . . and apoc. . . in the next columne it followeth , that the lords day was the christian sabbath , and so to this day continueth , and consequently , that none hath power to alter it , but hee that is lord of the sabbath , which is christ himselfe , it being accordingly called the lords day . therefore if any pretend that christ hath delegated this power of his unto the church , it stands upon them to make it good . but chemnitius proceeds , pag. . col . . and shewes how the apostles at the first tolerated their weak faith , who without superstition observed dayes mosaicall , rom. . and that such as were stronger in faith , after the abrogation of the old testament , judged all dayes to be equall in themselves , and none more holy then another . we willingly grant as much , and adde the reason hereof ; to wit , because the holinesse of the day preferred before his fellowes consisted in some mysterious signification which had reference unto christ as to come ; all which kind of shadowes , the body being come , are now vanished away . hee proceeds , saying . the apostles also manifested by their example that in the new testament it was free to come together , either every day , or what day soever they thought good , to handle the word and sacraments , and to the publique or common exercises of piety . so the sabbath day , and other festivall dayes they taught . all this wee willingly grant , but here-hence it followeth not , that one day of the weeke was not of more necessary observation for the exercises of piety than another . farther ( saith he ) that they might manifest that the exercises of ecclesiasticall assemblies were not tied to certaine dayes : they daily persevered in the doctrine of the apostles , and in breaking bread , act. . and . and cor. . now we willingly acknowledge that we christians are not so bound to one day in the weeke , as namely , to the lords day , as that we may not have our holy assemblies more often than once , but onely so , that we may not keep them lesse often , nor omit the celebration of the lords day : like as the jews might not omit the celebration of their weekely sabbath , though sometimes many dayes together besides were kept holy by them . so we christians also having our sabbath as our saviour signified we should have when he said , pray that your flight be not in the winter , nor on the sabbath day ; which sabbath of ours , wee keepe on the lords day ; though we may keep other days holy , yet we may not omit this ; and if any shall take upon them to alter this sabbath , we may be bold to demand of them quo warranto , by what warrant from the lord of sabbath ? but chemnitius proceeds thus : now , whereas afterwards the false apostles did so urge those free observations of the mosaicall sabbath , and other feasts , as by law , and with opinion of necessity , as to condemne their consciences who observed them not . paul forbad the observation of them . all which we willingly acknowledge , but that hereupon they began first to ordaine another day in the weeke for their ecclesiasticall assemblies and exercises of piety , which yet chemnitius proves not , i leave it to the indifferent to judge ; by comparing his opinion with that of austins , who professeth , as chemnitius well knew , that the lords day was declared unto christians by the lords resurrection , and from thence began to have its festivity , alleged by chemnitius himselfe , p. . especially considering the reason moving thē hereunto , which chemnitius confesseth to have been on that day the lord rose from the dead . and seeing all festivals , as bishop lake observes , have beene observed in regard of some great worke done on such a day for the good of man ; whether ever any day brought forth a more wonderfull or more comfortable worke to mankind than the first day of the weeke , which was the day of our saviours resurrection from the dead , let the christian world judge . this day chemnitius saith , seems to be called by saint iohn the lords day , which appellation all antiquity did afterwards retaine and use : yet notwithstanding ( saith he ) we doe not read that the apostles did impose upon mens consciences in the new testament the observation of that day by any law or precept , but the observation was free , for order sake . let us duly weigh and consider this , together with the reasons following : calvine distinguisheth the observation of a day for order sake , and the observation of a day for some mysterious signification sake : had chemnitius thus distinguished , we would have subscribed thereunto , and confessed , that now adayes wee observe no day for any mysterious signification sake , but onely for order sake . and thus under the gospel wee are freed from observation of daies for mysteries sake , not free from observation of one certaine day in the weeke for order sake . as for his phrase of imposing the observation of the lords day upon mens consciences ; this phrase is most improper and unseasonable , in this case ; it is onely proper and seasonable in case the thing imposed be of a burthensome nature , like unto that saint peter speakes of , acts . . saying , now therefore , why tempt yee god to lay a yoke on the disciples neckes which neither our fathers nor we were able to beare ? such indeed was the yoke of circumcision ; which provoked zippora ( according to common opinion ) driven to circumcise her sonne to save her husbands life , to throw the fore-skin at her husbands feet calling him a bloody husband for urging her thereunto . but what burthen is it ( save unto the flesh ) to rejoyce in the lord , to sabbatize with him , to walke with him in holy meditation ? was it no burthen to the godly jewes to consecrate one day in seaven to the exercises of piety under the law ; and shall it bee a burthen to us in the time of the gospell ? or can it bee conceaved to bee a greater burthen unto us to keepe our christian sabbath on the lords day , then on any other day of the weeke ? was there ever any day of the weeke markt out unto us with a more honourable or more wonderfull worke to draw us to rejoyce in the lord thereon , then the first day of the weeke whereon our saviour rose , by his resurrection to bring life and immortality to light ? yet we confesse we reade of no law nor precept for this in the new testament , but , we reade that ever under the gospell wee must have a sabbath to observe , math. . . and wee know , and chemnitius knew full well , that it belongs to the lord of the sabbath to change it , and consequently to ordaine it , and that it was changed , and the lords day observed generally in the apostles dayes , none that i know makes question of ; and how could this bee , but by the apostles ordinance ; and is it likely they would take upon them this authority without a calling ? and why should that day of the weeke ( and not that day of the yeare ) bee called the lords day , if not for the same use under the gospell that the lords day , was of under the law , especially that day under the law ( which was the jewes sabbath ) being now abrogated ? and lastly wee finde it manifestly spoken of the day of christs resurrection , psal . . . this is the day that the lord hath made , let us rejoyce and be glad in it : yet lastly wheras chemnitius will have it free , and hee hath already manifested that hee speakes of it in this sense , as not to be so tied to this day , but that we may observe other dayes ; wee willingly grant that in this sense it is free . now let us consider his reason following . for saith hee , if we are freed from the elements , which by god himselfe in the old testament were ordained , and commanded , how should we be tyed by the decrees of men ? but alas this reason of his hath no proportion : the elements hee speakes of were but shaddowes the body whereof is christ , and now christ is revealed , they were wont to bee called not onely mortua but mortifera . yet the observation of one day in seven still continues to bee the commandement of god delivered not to moses , as ceremonies were , but by word of mouth proclaimed on mount sina ; and naturall reason suggests unto us that wee must allow unto gods service as good a proportion of time under the gospell , as hee required of the jewes under the law. now if one day in seven must bee set apart in common reason , what day is to bee preferred for this before the lords day , the day of christs rest from the worke of redemption in suffering the sorrows of death ; as the day of the lords rest from the creation was appointed to the jewes for their sabbath ; and this resurrection of christ bringing with it a new creation ; shall wee preferre the saturday the jewes festivall before it , shall wee preferre the friday the day of the turkes festivall before it ? shall wee affect power and liberty to make any other day in the weeke the lords holy day , rather then that the word of god commends unto us for the lords day in the time of the gospell ? this i suppose may suffice for answering the rest also , whensoever their suffrages shall bee brought to light , for i presume none of them hath sayd more then chemnitius hath done . azorius the jesuite professeth of two things in this argument , that they are most agreeable to reason . first , that after six worke dayes one entire day should bee consecrated to god , . that the lords day should bee it . doctor fulke in answer to the remish testament professeth that to change the lords day and keepe it on munday , tuesday , or any other day , the church hath no authority . for it is not a matter of indifferency , but a necessary prescription of christ himselfe delivered to us by his apostles . this was printed in the dayes of queen elizabeth and dedicated unto her majesty ; what bishop as gouernour in this church of england hath ever beene known to take exception against this ? doctor andrewes ( bishop of winchester ) in his starre chamber speech in the case of traske professeth that the sabbath ( to wit of the iewes ) had reference to the old creation , but in christ we are new creatures , ( as the apostle s. paul speakes ) a new creation , and so to have a new sabbath . and this he saith is deduced plainly . . by practise , . by precept , that these two onely , the first day of the weeke , and the sacrament of the supper are called the lords , to shew that dominicum ( the lords ) is alike to be taken in both : so that give power to the church to alter the one , and you may as well give power to the church to alter the other . he shewes also , it was an usuall question put to christians , dominicum servasti ? hast thou kept the lords day ? and their answer was this , christianus sum , intermittere non possum . i am a christian , and i cannot intermit it . lastly , he allegeth the synod of laodicea , can. . acknowledged in that of chalcedon , . that christian men may not judaize , not make the saturday their day of rest , but that they are to worke on that day , giving their honour of celebration to the lords day . doctor lake , bishop of bath and wells in his thesis of the sabbath — . the church hath received it ( the lords day ) not to be liberae observationis ( of free observation ) as if men might at pleasure , accept or refuse it , . but to be perpetually observed to the worlds end : for , as god onely hath power to apportion his time : so hath he power to set out the day that he will take for his portion . for he is lord of the sabbath , . the worke of the day is the ground of hallowing the day , whether it be weekely , monethly or yeerely , as particulars evince in scripture and history . . no man can translate the works , therefore no man can translate the day . this is an undoubted rule in theologie . adde unto these iunius and piscator , who maintaine the subrogation of the lords day into the place of the jewish sabbath , to have beene made by the ordinance of christ ; and beza acknowledgeth it to be traditionis apostolicae & verè divinae . doctor brownde in his treatise of the sabbath , lib. . pag. . having recited the opinion of iunius , referring the institution of the lords day to christs ordinance , as who rose from the dead on that day ; addeth hereunto after this manner . like unto the which , because nothing can ever fall out in the world comparable unto it in glory and power ; therefore this day must continue in his first honour of sanctification unto the end of all things , and no day be set up like to it , or it changed into any other day , lest the wonderfull glory of that thing be darkned , and the infinite power of it weakned , i meane , the glorious and mighty worke of our redemption which by the sanctification of this sabbath is commended unto us , and we by keeping that holy still , doe commend it to our posterity . and this is it that is alleged as a reason of the observation of this day in the apostles constitutions : it is called the lords day , because it declares unto us christ crucified and raised up againe , and it is worthily commended to be kept as the lords day , that wee might give thankes unto thee , o lord christ , for all these benefits : for , say they , there is that grace bestowed upon us by thee ; qua sua magnitudine omnia beneficia obscurat , which by the greatnesse , and , as it were , by the brightnesse of it doth obscure and darken all other . so that though the day was once changed upon these considerations , nay , they being such as they be , it could , not but be changed : yet forsomuch as the like cause can never be offered unto men to move them to enter into this consideration , therefore the day must not onely not be changed any more , but it must not so much as enter in mens thoughts to goe about to change it . and therefore i doe so much the more marvell at him , who saith , that the keeping holy of the lords day is not commanded by the authority of the gospel , but rather received into use by the publique consent of the church : and a little after ; the observation of the lords day is profitable , and not to be rejected ; but yet it is not to be accounted for a commandement of the gospel , but rather for a civill ordination . and that the church might have appointed but one day in ten , or foureteene for the publique rest and gods service . lastly , master perkins maintaines the same ( not to mention doctor willet , ) and that by divers reasons , in his cases of conscience , which , because they are modestly answered by doctor rivet , in his commentary upon the decalogue , i thinke good in this place to take them into consideration . a fovrth digression making good m r. perkins his arguments for the divine institution of the lords day , against the answer made unto them by doctor rivetvs . their first argument saith he , is taken from the appellation of the lords day ; i suppose , faith master perkins , it is called the lords day , as the last supper of christ is called the lords supper for two causes . first , as god rested the seventh day after the creation , so christ having finished the worke of the new creation , rested on this day from the work of redemption . secondly , as christ did substitute the last supper in roome of the passeover , so hee substituted the first day of the weeke in roome of the jewes sabbath to be a day set apart to his owne worship . to this doctor rivet answereth after this manner . first , hee denies that there is the same reason of the lords supper & the lords day , and that for two reasons ; first because we have a manifest institution thereof , and christs precept for the observing of it . not so of the lords day . secondly , if there were a precept for keeping the lords day , yet were it ecclesiasticall and so mutable . for men may choose daies for the worship of god , as touching the particularity of this day or that . but the institution of the sacraments is of divine authority by the consent of all . to this i replie that doctor rivetus corrupts master perkins his answer in the proposing of it ; for he sayth not the same is the reason of the lords supper , and of the day which wee call the lords day ; but supposeth , and that most modestly , that either of them being called the lords , they are called so in the same notion . that like as the lords supper is so called because he instituted it ; so the first day of the weeke is called the lords day , because hee instituted the observation of it . and this doctor thysius collegue to doctor rivetus maintaines as well as master perkins , and doctor andrewes bishop of winchester in his speech against traske ; saying that both these , to wit the first day of the weeke , and christ last supper are called the lords , to shew that dominicum ( the lords ) is alike to bee taken in both . for what reason can bee given why the day of christs resurrection , not according to the day of the yeare wherein hee arose , but according to the day of the weeke wherein hee arose , should bee called the lords day , but to signifie , first , that it was to succeed in the place of the lords dayunder the law , which was the jewish sabbath . . and that it was the good pleasure of god and not of man , onely that it should bee consecrate to his service . for consider , wee have many other dayes consecrated by the church unto divine service , which yet were never called the lords dayes ; and the lords day and the lords feasts in the old testament , and in the language of the holy ghost are no other then such that are of the lords institution . secondly , doctor rivetus omits the maine force of master perkins his argument , or at least slightly passeth it over , which is this . as god rested the seventh day after the creation , so christ having ended the worke of the new creation rested on this day from his worke of redemption . athanasius of old considers a first and a second creation ; and so accordingly a first and a second sabbath : our saviour himselfe speakes of a christian sabbath , math. . . and what should that bee but the lords day under the gospell ? and beza and iunius and bishop andrewes worke upon the same . and i wonder that men should thinke the sabbath should bee altered , and another brought into the place of it by any other authority then of him who is lord of the sabbath . and as bishop lake observes in all feasts both divine and humane that wee reade of in scripture , the worke of the day was the ground of hallowing the day . and never was known to the world a more wonderfull worke in the way of grace , and mercy , then christs resurrection from the dead , manifesting thereby the redemption of the world as then wrought by him how doth christ take upon him to alter the sacraments but as lord of the sacraments ? and apparently he shewes that upon the same ground hee takes upon him power to dispense or change the sabbath , as hee is lord of the sabbath . but what is his ground to deny the parity of reason here ? meerely his owne prejudicate conceit that the obligation of the lords day , is not so great as the observation of the sabbath . the contrary whereunto ( saith he ) omnes refugimus we all avoyd . but who and how many are those all ? what one of the ancients can hee produce to have thought as hee thinks ? hee may as well say according to the current of his private opinion , that wee under the gospell are not as much bound to the observation of one day in seaven as the jewes were under the law. it is true , that rigorous rest enjoyned to the jewes wee utterly disclaime as well as hee ; againe the circumstance of the day wee make no part of gods worship nor to have any mysterious signification , as the sabbath had to the jewes . wee acknowledge no other use of this day then for order and policy sake ; in which case wee judge it farre better the lord should prescribe it , then wee unto our selves , least if there were twenty dayes in the weeke , there would bee twenty differences amongst christians about the setting apart of one day in the weeke for divine service . . master perkins his second argument is this , the church of corinth every first day of the weeke made a collection for the poore , cor. . . and this collection for the poore in the primitive church followed the preaching of the word , prayer and the sacraments as a fruite thereof , acts . . and paul commands the corinths to doe this as he had ordained in the churches of galatia : whereby he makes it to be an apostolicall , and therefore a divine ordinance . yea that very text doth in some part manifest thus much , that it is an ordinance and institution of christ that the first day of the weeke should be the lords day . for paul commandes nothing but what he receaved from christ . to this doctor rivetus alledgeth the answer of doctor prideaux , demanding how that we contend for his inferred herehence ? we answer , the generall practise of the church in the apostles dayes argues it manifestly , that this order was established by the joynt consent of the apostles ; otherwise it is incredible it should have beene so universally receaved , and persevered in as it hath beene to this day . secondly , wheras the jewes sabbath was by divine authority , the abrogation thereof and substituting another day in the place thereof could bee done by no lesse authority then divine ; which also wee conceave to bee fairely represented by the denomination of our christian sabbath , s. iohn calling it the lords day . secondly , he sheweth what gomarus answereth hereunto ; but this answer himselfe taketh off in this very place in part , and much more in his reply to gomarus . but these places being granted to denote the first day of the weeke in the apostles dayes set apart to divine service ; hee sayth it followes not herehence that it is called the lords day , as destinated to gods service , much lesse that so it was by divine ordination . yet walaeus thinkes it his safest course to say t is called the lords day as destinated to gods service , as before wee have heard , so to avoyd ( as hee thinkes ) the implication of divine ordination . but to him i have answered before . and doctor rivetus in my opinion doth not wel consider that not the day of the yeare , but the day of the weeke , whereon christ rose , is called the lords day by s. iohn . like as the sabbath in the old testament is called the lords day : which which if he had , and withall considered how strange it were for us to set any day in the weeke apart for the exercises of piety rather then the lords day ; i am perswaded hee would not have contented himselfe with this answer . for certainly many other holy dayes have beene and are set apart for divine service , yet never were called any one of them the lords day . he talkes of a bare custome of the church , for it ; a thing incredible that both jewes and gentiles throughout all nations should so universally concurre without the guidance of some authorative constitution or some generally convincing evidence by the very light of common christian evidence or both . and as for liberty left to the church hereabout , it seemeth so unreasonable unto my poore judgement , that if it were , it should become us by earnest and hearty prayer to seeke unto god to take that liberty from us and bee pleased himselfe to guide us by some manifest ordinance , to prevent dissension and confusion ; yet well fare doctor rivetus ; hee will not have this liberty extend any further then provided that some reason and necessity should urge the changing of the day ; for in the next columne hee professeth that a sufficient cause of the change and abrogation of the day cannot bee given . — the observation of other dayes and particularly of the sabbath as well as the lords day by some in the primitive church , is no evidence at all , that it was indifferent unto them , whether they would observe the lords day or no. the third argument rivetus omits : the fourth is this . that which was prefigured , in that it was prefigured was prescribed : but the lords day was prefigured in the eighth day , wherin the children of the iewes were circumcised — therefore it was prescribed to be kept the eighth day . this the ancient fathers , by name cyprian and austin have reasoned and taught . to this doctor rivetus answers by denying the assumption and saying , that no probable reason can be brought to prove that day was prefigured by the eighth day wherein children were circumcised . and indeed that day being the eighth day after birth doth not so conveniently denote the first day of the weeke . but master perkins his argument hath another part farre more principall drawne from psal . . . . . which doctor rivetus relates after this menner . the day of the resurrection was prefigured by that day , wherein the stone which the builders refused was made the head of the corner . but that day was the sabbath day , therefore by the sabbath was prefigured the lords day . to this he answers , by denying that the sabbath day was the day wherein the builders refused that stone ; for the scribes , pharises and rulers of the people did alwayes reject christ , and not the sabbath day onely . and if austin and cyprian before him apprehended any such figure , that was by way of accommodation onely , not that herein they acknowledged any proper figure . for answer whereunto i say first ; that master perkins delivers not this simply of the sabbath day , but of the sabbath of the new testament , as much as to say , the first day of the weeke whereon christ rose ; for this was the day wherein the stone which the builders refused , was made the head of the corner ; and of this day the prophet speakes , when he saith , this is the day which the lord hath made , let us be glad and rejoyce in it . that like as the jewes had cause to make that day festivall and to rejoyce therein , wherein god advanced david to the kingdome , who was as a stone , refused before by the builders : in like sort , christians had as great cause , nay , farre greater , to keepe that day festivall , and to rejoyce therein , when god raised christ from the dead , and gave all power unto him , and making him the head of his church , as being now manifested to be the sonne of god , who was before as a stone despised and refused of the builders , but as on this day was made the head of the corner . and not cyprian and austin onely , but ambrose upon the psalmes so understands it , and arnobius also upon the psalmes , as heresh bachius observeth . and doctor rivetus is too blame in construing perkins in such manner , as if he should confine the builders rejection of christ to the sabbath day , whereof there is no colour in master perkins , but that which he insists upon is this , that the day wherein christ ( formerly rejected by the builders ) was made head of the corner , was the day of christs resurrection , and of this day it is said by the psalmist , this is the day which the lord hath made , let us rejoyce and be glad in it ; which is most remarkable for the justification of our celebration of the lords day , as by ▪ divine authority . especially considering what bishop lake , that learned and pious , and most rationall divine hath observed , that alwayes the worke of the day is the ground of hallowing the day , and for proofe hereof , hee appeales to the due consideration of all festivalls in the observation thereof , whether divine or humane . master perkins his words are these ( but i know not how doctor rivetus might be deceived by a mis-translation of them ) the day of christs resurrection was prefigured by that day wherein the stone which the builders refused was made the head of the corner , psal . . . and in that it was prefigured , it was appointed by god. for then it appeared to be true which peter said of christ , that god had made him both lord and christ , act. . . and whereas he saith the fathers doe so construe the place by way of accommodation , that hath place onely when the text it selfe doth not so accommodate it . but the text it selfe in this place doth manifestly evince , that this is spoken in reference to the day of christs resurrection . the last reason of master perkins is this : god is lord of times and seasons , and therefore in all equity , the altering and disposing thereof is in his hands , and belongs to him alone , act. . . times and seasons the father hath kept in his own hands . againe , christ is called the lord of the sabbath . and antiochus epiphanes is condemned by the holy ghost , because hee tooke upon him to alter times : besides that , daniel saith , it is god alone that changeth times and seasons , dan. . . now , if it be proper unto god as to create , so to determine and dispose of times , then he hath not left the same to the power of any creature ; and therefore , as the knowledge thereof , so the appointment and alteration of the same either in generall or particular , belongs not to the church , but is reserved to him . the church then neither may nor can alter the sabbath day . to this d. rivetus answereth , that the words of daniel touching the change of times and opportunities , are delivered in reference to the periods and changing of kingdomes and monarchies , as appeares by the argument of the prophecy . and no more doth d. rivetus deliver in excepting against his annotations : for as he acknowledgeth m. perkins scriptorem modestissimum , a most modest writer ; so he carryeth himselfe most modestly towards him . but i hope without any breach of modesty , i may professe , that i find no accuratenesse in each of his allegations , save one , namely , that wherein christ professeth himself lord of the sabbath ; and it is enough for the present , that god reserves to himself power of ordering times for his service ; yet it cannot be denied , but god hath left power to his church , upon good occasion , to set some time apart for exercise of piety . but whereas it is apparant , that god himselfe tooke upon him the ordering of the time for the sabbath , and accordingly christ calls himselfe the lord of the sabbath ; as he constituted it , so none but he can abrogate it , and ordaine another in the place of it . now , whereas d. rivetus saith , that hee hath left this power unto his church ; it stands him upon to prove it . we find our saviour supposeth us christians to have a sabbath after his resurrection , matth. . . as well as the jewes had before : wee find that in the apostles dayes , the first day of the weeke was set apart for this ; which could not be , but by the joynt consent of the apostles , we find that the day of the weeke ( not the day of the yeere ) wherein christ rose , by saint iohn himselfe called the lords day , an evident argument , that in his time it was so generally received . we find that never any worke of god did give better cause to professe , that the day thereof was the day that the lord had made , let us be glad and rejoyce therein ; then the day wherein christ rose from the dead , and thereby was declared to be the sonne of god , even that stone which the builders refused to be made the head of the corner . and how strange is it , that the church for . yeeres space should no where offer to alter it ; if in no other respect , yet in this , to manifest that the church is indued with such liberty and power , and to prevent the superstitious observation of the day as a thing necessary , if it be not necessary . lastly , if this liberty be still in the church ; in case they should exercise this liberty , what inconvenience would follow upon the exercising of a lawfull liberty ? but infinit inconvenience would follow hereupon : for seeing this liberty is equally communicated to each particular church , it will follow , that it is lawfull for our english church to institute the munday , the french church the tuesday , the hollanders the wednesday , the germans thursday , the danes friday , the swedes the saturday , and the polonians the sunday ; what an intolerable scandall were this amongst christians ? thus our liberty opens way to revive the jewes sabbath , or to concurre with the turks , who make friday their holy day , nay , what scandall also to all the heathens throughout the world ? for , suppose that as the jewes keepe the saturday , and the turks their fryday ; so other heathenish nations according to their severall religions should divide the other daies of the weeke to be hallowed between them ; each religion keeping to their own day most exactly : when they should find no agreement amongst christians , what an intolerable scandall were this unto them , to harden them against the profession of the gospel , when they see so little agreement among the professors of it ? and what should move us to affect liberty in this which opens a way to such dissention and confusion ; and not rather rejoyce in this , that to prevent such miserable inconveniences , god himselfe hath marked out unto us the first day of the weeke to be the lords day , in place of the jewish sabbath , which was the lords holy day unto them , by the most wonderful and comfortable work that ever was wrought , even the resurrection of our lord and saviour from the dead , thereby manifesting him to be the sonne of god , and fulfilling that prophecie of old concerning the stone which the builders refused , and making him the head of the corner on that day ; all power being given unto him both in heaven and in earth . matth. . thus drawing us in the prophets language to professe and say first , this is the lords doing , and it is marvellous in our eyes : and secondly , to conclude there-hence in the words immediately following ; this is the day which the lord hath made , let us be glad and rejoyce in it ; this undoubtedly is our christian festivall ; this day of the weeke , and not this day of the yeere , ( which is remarkable ) being called by saint iohn , the lords day , the day wherein christ appeared unto him , and gave unto him the booke of revelation , concerning the secrets of his providence to be fulfilled upon the world for the time to come , even till his second comming to destroy the world with fire , and to blesse us with new heavens , and a new earth , wherein dwelleth righteousnesse ; the metropolis of which new world , shall be new jerusalem . and albeit doctor rivetus according to his pious ingenuity which crownes his learning and cathedrall sufficiencies , professeth , that what hitherto hath beene spoken by him of the choyce and possible change of that day ; he hath not to any such end ventilated , as to favour their profanesse who on holy dayes and chiefely on that day , which by so universall a consent even from the beginning of christianity hath beene consecrated to such use , neglecting gods service , not onely refuse to omit one day in prosecuting workes tending to the use of life temporall : but also by unnecessary actions , as by pleasant sports , stage playes , by intemperance also and riot profane the day , not without reason dedicated to the lord. yet what just occasion hereby may bee in all places and like enough is taken in most places by this doctrine of his who seeth not ? for albeit publike authority in some places hath by lawes countenanced the solemnization of the lords day ; for which wee of this land have cause to blesse god so as i thinke no nation more ; in consideration of many lawes one after another and by degrees made to restraine abuses on that day , as tending to the manifest profanation thereof ; and by none more then by that act of parliament in the first of king charles , wherein all men are forbidden to come out of their parishes upon that day about any sports and pastime , evidently manifesting hereby ( as formerly hath beene proved ) that all sports and pastimes are prophanations of our christian sabbath observed on that day , and that in the judgement of the whole parliament consisting of the kings majesty the head thereof , with his lords spirituall ( all the bishops of the kingdome ) and temporal , together with the house of commons ; yet if once it shall be receaved according to d. rivets doctrine of the sabbath , that it is in the power of each church to set apart what proportion of time they thinke fit for divine service , and what day they thinke fit , who perceives not that they may if they will , order it in such a manner , as that twise a day they shall come to church , and the rest of the day spend as they thinke good , either in the works of their calling , or upon their pleasures : and whence all this zeale ( so opposite to holinesse in the issue ) proceeds , i know not , save onely to uphold the credit of calvin ; who professeth that he doth not so regard the number of seaven , as that he would tie any to the servitude thereof ; and yet i have endeavored to shew that neither this nor other passages taken out of his institutions , makes any thing for them . and withall it is a wonder to behold how this of calvin is taken up , and obtruded upon us , by them who otherwise hate both the name and memory of calvin . and as for doctor rivets honest and pious instructions as concerning the duties and our demeanors to bee performed on this day , we may easily perceive how little worth they are and how easily they vanish into smoake , after that hee hath in the doctrinall part of the sabbath layd so unhappy a foundation , and that by so poore reasons and meane cariage of himselfe , that as i verily thinke , throughout all his writings there is not to bee found the like . for consider whether hee had any hope to set so much as a face and outward shew of probability upon his discourse , unlesse first he had manifestly corrupted the adversaries tenet , as appeares by his proposing it , p. . col. . by these ( saith he ) and other arguments drawn from christian liberty , it is sufficiently deduced that they who maintaine the sabbath day not so much to be taken away as to be translated unto the lords day , and so changed , and doe indeed thinke it more holy ( then another day ) and that not onely in regard of ordination , and use , but in respect of signification and effect doe crosse some without christian liberty , which is most certaine of the papists . and indeed walaeus makes it appeare that calvin writes herein against the superstitious papists . and did rivetus opposethem onely it were well ; but it is apparant that hee disputes not so much against papists in this argument as against protestants , even such as himselfe . but can hee shew of any of them , that they account the lords day more holy then any other in respect of any mysterious signification ( for so calvin speaks in this place ) of effect ? undoubtedly he cannot . we observe a day in the weeke only for order and policy sake ecclesiasticall : mysterious significations in dayes were peculiar only to the jewes . only we thinke it fit , that to prevent dissension and confusion , god should marke out that day unto us to be observed , and not leave it unto us , and so hee hath ; the scripture calling the first day of the weeke the lords day ; and that upon such a ground as a greater was never knowne to ground a festivity thereupon consecrated to the exercises of piety , even the day wherein the stone that was refused by the builders was made the head of the corner ; this was the lords doing , and it is and ever shall be marvellous in our eyes , and gives us cause to say with the psalmist thereupon : this is the day which the lord hath made , we will reioyce and be glad in it . so that all the passages in the apostles writings against difference of dayes are no more against us then against doctor rivetus himselfe . now it is time to returne to our prefacer . i doe not finde that suarez undertakes to defend the doctrine of calvin and chemnitius ( such as here is pretended to bee their doctrine ) but rather opposeth it . if such were their doctrine as this prefacer would faine obtrude upon us , from the authority of the d. discourse which hee translateth . for suarez professeth , celebritatem dominicae diei haberi ex communi usu & sensu ecclesiae & in ipsa scriptura novi testamenti commendari : that the celebrity of the day is had by the universall use and sense of the church , and is commended unto us in the very scripture of the new testament ; i have endeavoured to justifie it out of the old testament also ; and in expresse tearmes , that it is to bee unchangeable practicè & moraliter , practically and morally ; as doctor prideaux acknowledgeth , and withall expoundeth after his understanding of it ; and doctor rivetus also affirming this kinde of unchangeablenesse to arise from hence that no sufficient cause can be given of the change and abrogation of it . this prefacer and such as are of his spirit may doe well to deale plainly , and to professe that it is in the power of the church to make the lords day to cease to be the lords day . from their doctrine pretended by him hee proceedes to their practise , professing it to bee devoyd of any the least superstitious rigour ; esteeming it to be a day left arbitrary , and therefore open to all lawfull and honest recreations by which the minde may be refreshed , and the spirit quickened ; as in geneva all honest exercises , shooting in pieces , long bowes , crosse bowes are used in the sabbath day , and that both in the morning before and after the sermon ; and truly i doe not finde my selfe prone to censure them for any superstition in this . but this author takes liberty to censure them for superstitious , who thinke these courses unlawfull on the sabbath day . i make bold to call the lords day our sabbath ; because our saviour plainly gives us to understand that wee christians should have one day in the weeke for our sabbath , ma. . . as wel as the jewes had ; and secondly because the booke of homilies professeth that sunday is our sabbath . nobis non licet esse tam disertis . we may not be so elegant as to censure them for prosaning the lords day by these and such like courses . yet the act of parlament , . caroli forbids any man to come out of his parish on the lords day , about any sports and pastimes ; which restraint tending to this end , namely to preserve the sabbath from profanation , doth manifestly give us to understand that to come out of a mans parish on that day about any sports or pastimes is to profane the sabbath : and seeing as before i have shewed , that to come out of a mans parish on that day about such a worke as doth not profane the sabbath , is not to profane the sabbath , as to heare a sermon , or to fetch a surgeon or physitian to a sick person in case of necessity ; but onely to come out of a mans owne parish about such a worke as doth profane the sabbath , such a comming out of a mans own parish on that day , and such alone doth profane the sabbath ; hence it followeth evidently that all manner of sports and pastimes on that day , are so many profanatious of the sabbath in the judgement of all the prelates of this kingdome , and of the whole parliament . now let every sober reader judge whether my selfe as an english man have not better ground from an act of parliament to censure them of geneva for prophaners of the sabbath in the case here pretended then this praefacer from the practise of geneva by the relation of robert iohnson , to consure us that doe mislike them herein ( if this bee their practise ) for superstitious observers of the sabbath ; especially considering that hee cannot fasten this censure upon such as my selfe , but withall hee must passe the same , upon all prelates of the kingdome , together with the lords temporall , and the whole house of commons . and as for the exercises here mentioned , i finde them to fall wondrously short , of that which the author avoucheth , as namely , that they esteeme the sabbath to lie open to all honest exercises and lawfull recreations ; for i make no question but in this praefacer his opinion there are farre more exercises , and lawfull recreations then that of shooting which alone is here mentioned ; and whereas such things are permitted in the very morning of the sabbath , and aswell afore as after sermon , i finde no thing answerable hereunto in the practise of our church . neither doe i finde that the exercises here mentioned are so much accommodated to the refreshing of the minde and quickning of the spirit ; as to make their bodies active and expedite in some functions which may be for the service of the common wealth . and lately upon enquiry hereabout i have receaved information , that at geneva , after evening prayer , onely the youth doth practise shooting in guns to make them more ready , and expert for the defence of the city , which is never out of danger . they have also at foure a clocke on the morning both service and a sermon for their servants , and . more in every church ; the one in the fore-noone , the other in the after-noon , beside catechizing the youth on the sabbath day : and bishop lake wished that such a course were generall , as is in his majesties court , to have a sermon in the morning for the servants on the sabbath day . and i see no cause to dissent from gerardus in specifying . particulars whereby the sabbath is not violated . parva , necessarium , respublica , cum pietaete . undoubtedly hunting is as commendable as , ( and more generous exercise ) then any of these , and the kings majesty though much delighted herein , yet never useth to hunt on the sabbath day morning or evening . and i have cause to come but slowly to the believing hereof , because it is calvins doctrine concerning the sabbath , that albeit under the gospell we are not bound to so rigorous a rest as the jewes were , yet that still wee are obliged to abstaine from all other works , as they are avocamenta à sacris studiis & meditationibus , avocations from holy studies and meditations ; and their ministers , i should thinke doe not well if they faile to minde them hereof , unlesse both they and the people are fallen from calvins doctrine in this point , in which case i see no just cause why any should choake us therewith , but give us as much liberty to dissent from him in the doctrine of the sabbath as they of geneva take unto themselves . againe beza is well knowne to have professed upon , revel . . . that the observation of the lords day is , traditionis apostolicae & vere divinae , and consequently that the day is not left arbitrary ; neither hath this author proved that the presbytery and states of geneva , both ecclesiasticall , and politicall have committed any revolt or apostacy thereto from beza in this point . it is well hee acknowledgeth some recreation not suffered there , as namely dancing ; but this hee sayth they hold unlawfull , which simply delivered as by this author it is , is incredible unto mee , neither hath this authors word any sufficient authority to deliver mee from this incredulity : yet some manner of dancing may perhaps bee generally forbidden in the french protestant churches . this strictnesse - ( the prefacer saith ) is noted by some to have beene a great hinderer to the growth of the reformed religion ; which belike is advantaged so much the more with us in as much as it is not hindred ; but he quotes no author for that . as for the author he quotes , i have not hitherto found that hee hath arrived to any great authority or credit in the world for the truth of his relations . neither hath the wisdome of our church or state taken any contrary course hitherto either by statute or canon to promote reformation amongst us ; what they may doe hereafter i know not ; when such spirits as this prefacer may bee so fortunate as to sit neare the sterne . whether the french churches have found it so as this geographer is sayd to report i know not ; but for their judgment herein i must expect untill i heare more therof . sect. . which being so , the judgement and practice of so many men , and of such severall perswasions in the controverted point of the christian faith , concurring unanimously together ; the miracle is the greater , that we in england should take up a contrary opinion , and thereby separate our selves from all that are called christian ; yet so it is , i skill not how it comes to passe , but so it is , that some among us have revived againe the jewish sabbath , though not the day it selfe , yet the name and thing . teaching that the commandement of sanctifying every seventh day , as in the mosaicall decalogue , is naturall , morall and perpetuall ; that whereas all things else in the jewish church were so changed , that they were cleane taken away , this day ( meaning the sabbath ) was so changed , that it still remaineth ; and lastly , that the sabbath was not any of those ceremonies which were justly abrogated at christs comming . all which positions are condemned for contrary to the articles of the church of england ; as in a comment on those articles perused , and by the lawfull authority of the church allowed to be publique , is most cleare and manifest ; which doctrinalls , though dangerous in themselves , and different from the judgement of the ancient fathers , and of the greatest clerks of the later times , are not yet halfe so desperate as that which followeth thereupon in point of practice : for these positions granted and entertained as orthodox , what can we else expect , but such strange paradoxes , as in the consideration of the premisses have beene delivered from some pulpits in this kingdome , as viz. that to doe any servile worke or businesse on the lords day , is as great a sinne as to kill a man , or to commit adultery ; that to throw a bowle , to make a feast , or dresse a wedding dinner on the lords day , is as great a sinne , as for a man to take a knife and cut his childs throat ; that to ring more bells than one on the lords day , is as great a sinne , as to commit murther . the author which reports them all , was present when the broacher of the last position was convented for it . and i believe him in the rest ; the rather , since i have heard it preached in london , that the law of moses whereby death temporall was appointed for the sabbath-breaker was yet in force , and that who ever did the works of his calling on the sabbath day , was to die therefore . and i know also , that in a towne of mine acquaintance , the preachers there had brought the people to that passe , that neither baked nor rost meat was to be found in all the parish for a sundayes dinner throughout the yeere . these are the ordinary fruits of such dangerous doctrines ; and against these , and such as these , our author in this following treatise doth addresse himselfe , accusing them that entertaine the formall doctrinalls every where , of no lesse than judaisme , and pressing them with that of austin , that they who literally understand the fourth commandement , doe not yet savour the spirit : section the third . exam. austin somewhere saith , that he who lookes for miracles in these dayes for confirmation of the truth , magnum ipse prodigium est , himselfe may goe for a monster ; he doth not say ; it is a miracle that men so should doe . men may be sottish , even to admiration , and such if this prefacer proves ; we will not say it is a miracle : mira , wonderful things may be wrought not only by the practice of satan , but in the very courses of men , but god is he alone that worketh miracles . he talkes of unanimous concurrence of men of severall perswasions otherwise in the controverted points of christian faith , and that both in judgement and practice with him in his way ; he loves to speake with a full mouth , and to make a great noise , as the hogs in aelian did , when their owner shore them ; which gave him occasion to say , that there was a great deale of cry , but a little wooll . and let the indifferent judge whether the wooll be answerable to the noise this prefacer makes . now , the men of severall perswasions whom hee avoucheth are papists , and protestants , and amongst the protestants , both lutherans and calvinists . and hitherto he hath spoken of foure particulars ; i desire the reader would take notice of the modesty of this author in each of them compared with the noise here hee makes concerning them ; as if he were as much crackt in his braine , as hee who standing upon the key at athens , with a note booke in his hands , set downe every ship that entred into the road as his , when he was not owner of any one of them . so i shall make it appeare , that this prefacer hath title to none of the sides he boasts of for the countenancing of his way in any one of the particulars mentioned . the first particular is about the originall institution of the sabbath ; as whether god commanded it immediatly upon the creation . this author denies the institution of it before the promulgation of the law upon mount sina ; and what strength of suffrages doth he bring for this amongst the protestants , whether lutherans or calvinists ? surely not one lutherane that i know ; but of others all that he avoucheth by himselfe are but doctor prideaux and gomarus , and by his assistance , vatablus and musculus ; on the contrary are alleged by walaeus : . luther himselfe : . zuinglius : . calvin : . beza : . peter martyr : . bullinger : . zanchius : . ursinus : . gualterus : . aretius : . bertramus : . mercerus : . antonius fayus : . iunius : . zepperus : . martinius : . alstedius . the same is justified by rivetus , who voucheth no lesse than thirty writers of note to concurre in this ; now let the indifferent judge on whose side is the miracle this prefacer speakes of , in his rhetoricall amplifications , on his side , or on ours . yet not one english divine is mentioned , either by walaeus or rivetus amongst this number . . then as for papists : tostatus indeed disputes against this opinion of ours , but his reasons i have answered ; and catarinus a popish prelate , as well as abulensis , is acknowledged by this author to oppose tostatus in this ; neither hath he or doctor prideaux undertaken to answer him . onely this prefacer , after his bold fashion , saith , that catarinus tooke up armes against tostatus with ill successe , it hath beene manifest that for ought doth appeare , catarinus hath had better successe than tostatus ; for pererius takes tostatus his part , yet all the rhemists on apoc. . . doe manifest themselves to take part with catarinus , and gomarus acknowledgeth as much of marius . and rivetus also allegeth augustinus steuchus , genebrard , iacobus solianus , cornelius de lapide , emmanuel sa , and ribera , all concurring against tostatus and all papists , yea , many of them jesuites . hereby let the reader judge of the modesty of this author ; and on whose side the feigned miracle is , on his side , or on ours . for it is manifest hitherto , that the men he speakes of , of seveverall perswasions otherwise , are by farre , more for us than for him . but it may be in this particular , his glory is , that the fathers are rather for his opinion than for us . but upon what ground ? is it from any evidence of scripture ? nothing lesse , not one of them building hereupon ; and as for evidences , they bring none , save that the scripture doth not particulate , that the patriarches of old observed the sabbath . yet it was not to be held a generall rule , that argumentum non valet ab authoritate negativè ; the argument drawne from authority doth not hold negatively in matter of fact . secondly , not onely our divines , as hospinian and walaeus , that the meaning of the fathers is onely this , that the patriarches did not observe it after a jewish manner , but iacobus salianus a papist affirmes the same particularly of tertullian ; as rivetus voucheth him in his answer to gomarus , pag. . and it may be made apparant from tertullian himselfe , otherwise hee cannot be freed from contradiction , as who plainly manifesteth his opinion in our side , as rivetus citeth him ; pag. . so that the fathers alleged by our adversaries , being rightly understood , make nothing for them ; yet we want not variety of fathers making expressely for us , and against them ; and that grounding themselves upon expresse scripture , gen. . . therefore the lord blessed the seventh day and hallowed it , which our adversaries have no other meanes to avoid , than by saying that it is spoken by anticipation ; according whereunto the meaning of moses must be thus ; because the lord rested the seventh day from creation , therefore he blessed the seventh day and sanctified it , but would you know when ? to wit , . and . or . yeeres after . and lastly , the dividing of times into weekes , proved to be the most ancient division of times in the world , received by all nations , and made a festivall day thereupon ; as many have most learnedly proved it , doe justifie the sanctification of the sabbath to have had its beginning and course from the very creation . so that in this particular wee have on our side both scripture and reason , and fathers , and the opinion of men of severall professions , as this author presseth it , both papists and protestants , both lutheranes and calvinists ; and this prefacer can lay no just title to any one of them in this particular . the second point he hath insisted upon , is about the morality of one day in seven . for this he pretends , onely papists in the first place , and not a father throughout , ( and as chrysostome to the contrary hath professed , that god from the beginning hath manifested , that on that day in the circle of the week must be consecrated unto his service ) much lesse scripture . and it is apparant that god commanded that the proportion of one day in seven should bee allotted to his service ; and it was never to bee abrogated , nor ever did any man devise any ceremoniality therein . and to this day it hath continued in the church of god. to tostatus wee have opposed azorius the jesuite ; professing that it is most agreeable to reason after six worke dayes to consecrate one to gods service . adde to him stella upon luke , jacobus de valentia , & dominicus bannes . — as for aquinas , that which hee accounts ceremoniall in the fourth commandement was expressed by him to bee not one day in seven , but the particulating of the seaventh day : but whereas he goes no farther in illustrating the morality of this commandement then in saying that some time must be set apart for gods service , i appeale to every mans conscience , whether the very light of nature doth not suggest that not onely some time but a convenient proportion of time ought to be consecrated unto god ; and when god hath manifested this to bee one day in seaven under the law ; doth not the very light of nature suggest , that wee should sin against god if wee should not allow unto him as good a proportion of time under the gospell ? and further if the lords day , be of divine institution amongst us christians , is it not still the law of god even unto us , to allow unto him one day in seven ? now doctor prideaux himselfe alleageth more papists for this opinion than for the contrary , and one of them , to wit , silvester professeth it is the common opinion , as azorius voucheth him . and as for protestants to side with him herein , hee alleageth none but gomarius and rivet ; it may seeme by his carriage , that vatablus ●nd musculus also are for him in this , but that is untrue , they are alleaged by gomarus on the first point onely as touching the originall institution of the sabbath . now rivet is opposed herein by his two collegues , walaeus and thysius ; and whereas he takes upon him to answer walaeus his reasons to the contrary , and represent his owne reasons for his opinion herein ; i have taken into consideration both the one and the other ; and i trust have represented the weaknesse of his discourse throughout , though otherwise a very learned and worthy divine . now waleus hath not onely alleadged amongst the fathers chrysostome , clemens alexandrinus , eusebius , augustine , theodoret , but a multitude of protestant writers , maintaining the morality of one day in seaven as luther , melancthon , calvin , beza , bucer , peter martyr , zanchius , junius , viretus , danaeus , fayus , martinius , ursinus , alstedius , lornsegius , festus hommius , besides english and scottish writers , whom he might have produced more then enough : yea of bishops in this kingdome ; as bishop babington , bishop andrewes , bishop lake , yea and master hooker in his ecclesiasticall policy . now let the readers judge by this of the modesty of this prefacer in this particular also , and whether the miracle ( as he phraseth it ) be on our side in dissenting from others unreasonably , or on his rather . the third particular is touching the celebration of the lords day , as whether it bee by authority humane or divine rather : wee say it is of divine ; hee will have it to be left arbitrary : yet was it never knowne , that any earthly master did leave the proportion of service , to bee performed unto him , to the pleasure of his servant ; neither did god leave it thus from the beginning of the world-untill christ , as hath beene proved . yet this prefacer will have it thus left unto us in these latter dayes ; of which the apostle hath prophecied , that men should be lovers of pleasure more then lovers of god. for this , he boasts of all sorts of papists , this he begins withall ; which was not wont to bee the course of english divines ; yet hee belies doctor prideaux in this ; who alleageth more papists standing for the divine right hereof , then for the contrary ; and one of them ( as formerly i sayd ) professeth that it is the common opinion . and azorius the jesuite professeth that it is most agreeable to reason , that as after six dayes worke one should bee consecrate unto the lord , so the lords day should be it . that many of our protestants divines call the observation of the lords day , ecclesiae consuetudinem , and that it was left free unto the church to choose another , after the iewes sabbath was abrogated , i have shewed how little all this makes for him , answering to every passage punctually , as they are alleaged by him . for it is confessed that the church they spake of was the apostolicall church ; and the cause moving them to choose this day was the resurrection of christ , and whereas some two of them call this causam probabilem ; i have discussed that , and prooved it to be more then probable . i have shewed withall how the ancient fathers have acknowledged it , some expressely divine , some equivalently , and expressely apostolicall constitution or sanction , as athanasius ( whose reason drawne from the congruity betweene the first creation and the second creation by vertue of christs death is remarkeable , and followed by many both english and outlandish divines . austin , sedulius , gregory , and others ; and with them the concurrence of our protestant divines , bucer , calvin , beza , junius , piscator , wolsius , fulke against the remish , doctor andrewes bishop of winchester , doctor lake bishop of bath and wells , in expessing it to be observationis not liberae , but necessariae , master fox , walaeus , fayus , hyperius , perkins , brownde . by this let the reader judge of the modesty of the praefacer in this particular also ; and whether the miracle bee on our side in dissenting from others in an unreasonable manner , and not on his rather . the fourth and last particular is the mutability of the day which this prefacer stands for , we on the contrary professing it to be unchangeable . now the resolution of this followeth upon the resolution of the former ; for this , onely names are produced both by the prefacer and doctor prideaux . yet i have endeavored to finde out chemnitius his discourse thereon , and enter upon a discussion thereof . bucer i am sure , alleaged by rivet , is nothing for this purpose . doctor fulke directly opposeth it , doctor andrewes , doctor lake above mentioned , doctor brownde , doctor willet , master perkins . the christian church anciently being demanded whether they had kept the lords day , were wont to answer ; i am a christian , i cannot intermit it . besides i have shewed in reason the unreasonablenesse both of changing theday , and the intollerable scandall that would follow upon it , and the unreasonablenesse of not changing it , if it be not of divine institution ; considering how prone wee are through the continuall observation thereof to conceave that to be a necessary duty , and so to be plunged into superstition , ere we are aware , if it prove to be no necessary duty . in the next place hee tells us how that some amongst us have revived againe the iewish sabbath , though not the day it selfe , yet the name and thing . teaching that the commandement of sanctifying every seaventh day as in the mosaicall decalogue is naturall , morall and perpetuall ; that whereas all things else in the ieuish were so changed , that they were cleane to be done away , this day ( meaning the sabbath ) was so changed ; that it still remaineth : and lastly , that the sabbath was not any of those ceremonies which were only abrogated at christs comming . all which positions are condemned for contrary to the articles of the church of england : as in a comment on those articles perused and by the lawfull authority of the church allowed to be publique , is most cleare and manifest . here wee have a distinction of a jewish sabbath brought in , yet not the day ; a distinction contrived with such wisedome and perspicacity as it seemes to exceed all humane discretion . for i verily thinke that from the beginning of the primitive church there was never heard of a jewish sabbath to be kept , any other then upon their day . the materialls are , first that the name sabbath is retained ; and well may it be in my judgement ( though some entertaine sublime reaches to the contrary ) if our saviour have any authority with us ; who adviseth his disciples to pray that their flight be not in the winter , nor on the sabbath day ; which is spoken by him in reference to the time about the destruction of ierusalem , at what time the lords day was come in place of the jewes sabbath among the christian congregations , and that by apostolicall substitution . and in the very booke of our homilies it is expressely sayd that the sunday is now our sabbath . and his majesties briefes for collection so stile it . and in the conference at hampton court it was so stiled by doctor raynolds , and the motion he made thereabout generally yeelded unto ; so that the state hitherto seemes to be censured by this bold prefacer . the next aspersion is , that the thing also is revived . but what thing ? the jewes had peculiar sacrifice both morning and evening which doubled the dayly sacrifice ; this surely is not revived . there were besides two things in the jewish sabbath ; the one was a rest , the other was the sanctifying of that rest ; as for the rest , if that were not , it were no sabbath . yet our saviour calls it a sabbath , our church calls it a sabbath , our state calls it a sabbath . and austin calls us to such a rest on the lords day , as that therein we must tantum deo vacare , tantum cultibus divinis vacare , onely rest to god , onely rest for divine worship . and calvin , who is taken to be no friend of ours in this case , professeth , that we must rest from all our works , so farre forth as they are avocamenta à sacris studiis , & meditationibus , avocations from holy studies and meditations , but not for any mysterious signification sake , and that herein consists the difference betweene the jewish rest and our christians rest ; and i am exactly of his opinion for this : as for the sanctification of this rest , i trust wee are as much bound to the performance hereof , and that in as great measure , and with as great devotion under the gospel , as ever the jewes were under the law ; and at the hearing of this commandement as well as of any other , our church hath taught us to pray , lord have mercy upon us , and incline our hearts to keepe this law. and i find it wondrous strange , to heare , that some should not spare to professe , that this was shuffled in they know not how ; at length wee come to the particular charges : the first is , that some should teach , that the commandement of sanctifying every seventh day , as in the mosaicall decalogue , is naturall , morall , and perpetuall : and master rogers is quoted for this on the article , art. . hee quotes master doctor bownde , pag. . now truely , it cannot be denied , but that when the fourth commandement is read unto us in our congregations , wee are taught to pray unto god , to shew such mercy unto us , as to incline our hearts to the keeping of this law . and both master rogers and this prefacer are to be presumed to have subscribed as well as others , and by their subscription acknowledged that this is nothing contrary to gods word ; that we are as much bound to the observation of this commandement as of any other , and consequently to keepe the sabbath , and doe no manner of worke thereon that may hinder the sanctifying thereof . now master doctor bownds words , ( after hee had cited chrysostome speaking thus , i am hic ab initio &c. here now even from the beginning god hath insinuated this doctrine unto us , teaching us in circulo hebdomadis diem unum , that in the compasse of a weeke , one whole day is to be put apart for a spirituall rest unto god , are these : unto all which may be added , that for profe oth at this commandement is naturall , morall , and perpetuall ; that i say may be added which was practised among the gentiles , and all the heathen . and now do. bowndes purpose unto the p. . is to be proved only this , that a sabbath was from the beginning ▪ and still is to be kept , and that in the proportion of one day in seven ; and after that proceeds to prove what day the sabbath should be kept ; his words are these p. . now , as we have hitherto seene that there ought to be a sabbath day , so it remaineth that we should heare upon what day this sabbath should be kept ; and here he sheweth that this is not left unto the church , but prescribed by god himselfe , as who prescribed one day unto the jewes , and another day unto us christians ; but still one in seven : the same was the opinion both of bellarmine and master hooker in his ecclesiasticall policy . whereas both master rogers and the prefacer so carry the matter , as if by doctor bowndes opinion we christians were bound to keepe our sabbath on the same day whereon the jewes were bound to keepe theirs , which is most untrue , though the fourth commandement may be indifferently accommodated to our christian sabbath as it was unto the jewish sabbath , save onely as touching the reason given , which hath expresse reference to the creation ; but our christian sabbath stands in reference to the worke of redemption . each is the rest on a seventh day after six dayes of labour , and as they were bound to sanctifie their seventh , so are we bound to sanctifie ours ; and as that was rested on , and sanctified in remembrance of gods rest from the worke of creation , so is ours rested on in remembrance of christs rest from the worke of redemption , so that our day of rest is but translated from the day of the lord our creators rest , to the day of the lord our redeemers rest . and on this ground might the church justly teach us to pray at the hearing of this fourth commandement ; lord have mercy upon us , and incline our hearts to keepe this law . but like enough , both master rogers and this prefacer might be of brentius his opinion ; that it is left indifferent to the church at this day , to content themselves with observing of one day in foureteene , if it pleaseth them . but this was not the opinion of pope alexand. the third , who professeth , that tam veteris quàm novi testamenti pagina septimam diem ad humanam quietē specialitèr deputavit . both the old and new testament hath appointed the seventh day for the rest of man , which suarez thus interpreteth , that is , each testament hath approved the custome of assigning every seventh day of the weeke for rest , which is formally to appoint a seventh day , though the same day materially be not alwayes appointed ; and thus it is true , that that seventh day in the old law was the sabbath day ; but in the new , it is the lords day : now when we say the observation of one day in seven is naturall , our meaning is not , neither was it d. bowndes meaning , that this proportion of time is knowne by the light of nature , to be that which of duty should be consecrated unto god : herein rather it becomes us to wait upon god , and he having defined it ; now we say nothing can be devised by man more agreeable to reason than this ; azorius the jesuit , professing it to be most agreeable to reason ; and doctor field , as master broade voucheth him , spared not to say , that to him who knowes the story of the creation , it doth appeare in reason , that one day in seven is to be consecrated unto god ; onely let us not looke for reason demonstrative in matter of morality : aristotle long agoe hath professed , that not demonstration , but perswasion alone hath place in ethicks ; yet we may justly call that naturall , which from the originall was common to all nations ; and that such was the observation of the seventh day , the learned have sufficiently proved . secondly , if it be not morall , what shall it be ? is it judiciall , or ceremoniall ? never any man hitherto devised any ceremoniality in the proportion of one day in seven ; well it may be positive ; yet so , as to this day , from the beginning of the world , this proportion was never altered ; and if i should live till the day be altered by any sober christian congregation , i thinke i should live till the comming of christ ; which the christians in austins time conceived that it would be on the lords day . i come to the second charge which is this , whereas all things else in the iewish church were so changed , that they were cleane taken away ; this day ( meaning the sabbath ) was so changed , that it still remaineth ; and for this master rogers quotes doct. bownde , p. . onely master rogers saith , not that all things were changed , as the prefacer doth , but onely that all iewish things were changed , now judge whether master rogers might not have opposed doctor andrews as well as doctor bownde . for in his catechet . doctrine , pag. . having proposed this question . but is not the sabbath a ceremony , and so abrogated by christ ? he answers it in this manner : doe as christ did in the cause of divorce , looke whether it were so from the beginning ; now the beginning of the sabbath was in paradise before there was any sinne , and so before there needed any saviour ; and so before there was any ceremony or figure of a saviour . and if they say it prefigured the rest that we shall have from our sinnes in christ , we grant it , and therefore the day is not changed , but yet no ceremony proved . hee proceeds to prove that it was no ceremony : first from the law ; secondly from the gospel , eph. . . thus : all ceremonies were ended in christ , but so was not the sabbath ; for , matth. . . christ bids them pray , that their visitation be not on the sabbath day : so that there must needs be a sabbath after christs death . now , what doth doctor bownde affirme forty yeeres agoe , which doctor andrewes did not in his patterne of catecheticall doctrine ? i come to the third and last : that the sabbath was not any of those ceremonies which were justly abrogated at christs comming . this very point doctor andrewes maintaines by divers arguments , as well as d. bownde , which yet is rightly to be understood , to wit , not of the observation of the seventh day from the creation ; but of the observation of one day in seven . so that in m. rogers his brentian judgement in this particular , doctor andrewes , who afterwards became bishop of winchester , might be accounted a sabbatarian as well as d. bownde . all these positions the prefacer saith , are condemned for contrary to the articles of the church of england ; but by whom condemned ●● by none but by m. rogers ; and by the same reason he might say that the doctrine of doctor andrewes was condemned also for contrary to the doctrine of the church of england , to wit , by m. rogers . and consider his absurd inference from the seventh article of the church of england ; the article saith that christians are not bound at all to the observation of iudaicall ceremonies ; hence he inferres , that they whom he calls , our home sabbatarians are adversaries to this truth in part , namely , in as much as they deny the sabbath to be a ceremony : but doth our church affirme the sabbath to be a ceremony ? nothing lesse ; this m. rogers , of his owne head , layes downe for a principle , namely , that the sabbath was a ceremony , to obtrude upon us , as if himselfe had as much authority as a whole convocation . and d. andrewes takes upon him to disprove this very point ( which rogers supposeth as a principle ) and that by various arguments : belike d. andrewes deserved not to be numbred amongst the greatest clerks of these later times , nor d. lake neither ; nor bishop babington ; and as for the judgement of the ancient fathers , it appeares what skil the prefacer hath in them , and what respect he beares unto them , by the learning he hath bewrayed in this preface . had he found in them , how much the forbidding of dancing in their dayes , did hinder the growth of christian religion , we should have heard of it undoubtedly , as well as how it hath hindred the growth of the reformed religion in france out of heylins geography : yet their doctrinalls ( which i have shewed to be the doctrinalls of doctor andrewes as well as of doctor bownde , yea , and could shew it to be the doctrine of divers other late bishops in this church ) though dangerous in themselves , not half so desperate as that which followeth thereupon in practice . divers particulars whereof he reciteth out of the same master rogers his preface , to his comment upon the articles of the church of england . and indeed , this master rogers glorieth there , pyrgopolynices-like , that he hath beene the man and the meanes that these sabbatarian errours and impieties were brought into light and knowledge of the state ; so he speakes ; and that this is a comfort to his soule , and would be to his dying day . and in very deed , the particulars mentioned by him , are very foule ; for hee saith , it was preached in a market towne in oxfordshire , that to doe any servile worke or businesse on the lords day , is as great a sinne as to kill a man , or commit adultery . secondly , it was preached in summersetshire , that to throw a bowle on the sabbath day , is as great a sinne as to kill a man ; that it was preached in norfolke , that to make a feast or wedding-dinner on the lords day , is as great a sinne as for a father to take a knife and cut his childs throat . i wonder the prefacer doth not call them miracles ; sommersetshire is a pretty large county ; and there be many market townes in oxfordshire ; and i doe not doubt but there are many parishes in norfolke ; but no particular is here set downe , either of person or of place ; and wee have no better authority for the proofe of these imputations than this mans word , which yet undoubtedly was not present at these sermons : for then he would have beene very carefull to expresse that , as in the next story hee doth the like . so that in the issue , the strength of all comes but to this , that he hath heard it thus reported . now , i have heard it preached , and that at saint maries in oxford , that a man in bunbury , or thereabouts , having broken a bone , his sonne refused to goe for a bone-setter , because it was the lords day , and this sermon , afterwards comming into print , the party finding himselfe agrieved by this scandalous report cast forth of him , repaired to the quarter sessions holden at oxford , and complained to the justices of the wrong that was done unto him ; the preacher of that sermon being by , and the whole matter being opened , and the contrary justified ; the preacher professed , that he delivered no more than he had heard , but promised the next time that he printed that sermon , hee would leave that story out . doctor hoskins of our house was present at the hearing of this businesse , and brought us word of it . but whether that sermon ever came to be printed a second time , i know not . in like sort , i have heard it reported of master bolton , that when one fell into the river on the sabbath day , he would not suffer those that were with him , being neere to runne to helpe him out : i professed at the hearing of it , i knew master bolton so well , that it seemed uncredible to me , but the reporter professed to deliver it upon knowledge . but if it were so , many there be that can beare witnesse thereunto in the place where he lived . lately , it hath beene brought unto mee , that one hath beene heard to lay to my charge behind my backe , that i should say , david sinned more in dancing about the arke , than either in deflouring bathshebath , or killing uriah ; though it is such a comparison that never entered into my thoughts , how much lesse to passe so prodigious a judgement upon the comparison ? in the last place , he saith , it was preached in suffolke , ( and that he could name the man , and was present when he was convented before his ordinary for preaching the same ) that to ring more bels than one upon the lords day to call the people unto church , is as great a sinne , as to commit murther ; this is more particular than the rest ; and had hee added one thing more , the evidence had been compleat , namely , that as he saith , he was convented for it before his ordinary , so he was found convicted of it ; which if it were so , i wonder he should conceale it ; if it were not so , of what credit is this his relation ? he addes , that many things to this effect he had read before in the sabbath doctrine , printed at london for i. porter and tho. man , what this booke was i could not devise , but lately have gotten into my hands d. bowndes booke of the sabbath . i finde by comparing it well , that this is the booke he girds at . now i finde nothing in him to this effect , though i have gone over most of the first booke , and in the index doe not finde any thing that can give me probability in the second booke , tending to any such effect : and i wonder he spared to quote the place where such doctrines are to be found , nothing being more convenient to justifie his criminations ( than to quote for it something that is to be seene in print ) and thereby to cleare himselfe from the suspicion of a malignant . but this prefacer very judiciously believes him throughout , because the relator was present when the broacher of the last position was convented for it , yet doth he not say he was convicted of it . and upon what ground he proceeds so judiciously in believing it is remarkeable , to wit , because himselfe hath heard it preached in london , that the law of moses , whereby death temporall was appointed for the sabbath-breaker , was yet in force ; and that whoever did the workes of his ordinary calling on the sabbath day , was to die therefore . now , i professe he seemes to me a great deale more politique herein than at the first i was ware of : for , had hee not believed master rogers his report this way , others might have taken as great liberty to believe but their part concerning this . therefore it stood him upon , first , to manifest his ingenuous facility in believing another , that this might be a shooing-horne to draw on others by way of the like ingenuous facility to believe him also ; yet such things may be ; for as long as the world lasts , we shall be exercised with wilde wits , and so no doubt we shall with tale-tellers too , and so much the more in all likelihood the neerer the world approacheth to an end : it hath beene so amongst philosophers in cicero his observation ; it hath been so amongst schoole-divines ; it is so amongst socinians and arminians . but let the saddle be set upon the right horse , and let every man beare his owne burthen . now i have made it manifest , that the doctrines which he picks out of d. bownde , and stiles sabbatarian doctrines , are the doctrines of d. andrewes , afterwards bishop of winchester ; i could shew them to be the doctrines of many other worthy prelates that have been of this kingdome ; and it may be that if the votes of the bishops of this kingdom were taken , the major part would concurre with us , as touching the doctrine of the sabbath , rather than against us . the same master rogers sacrificeth to his net , and burnes incense to his yarne , and magnifies the good successe of his labours . for this good , he saith , hath ensued thereupon ; namely , that the said bookes of the sabbath , comprehending the above mentioned , and many more such fearefull and hereticall assertions , have beene both called in , and forbidden to be printed any more and to be made common , and that archbishop whitgift , by his letters and officers at synods and visitations , anno . did the one , and sir john popham , lord chiefe iustice of e●gland at bury saint edmunds in suffolke , anno . did the other . for all this we have nothing but his word ; and as for the bookes he talkes of , hee had formerly mentioned , but one printed . at london for i. porter and tho. man , of the doctrine of the sabbath , which appeares to be d. bowndes ; now , was this ever called in ? sure i am , d. willet upon genesis came forth the yeere after this m. rogers his analysis of the articles of the church of england . this hee dedicated to king iames , and over and above hath a second dedication in latine to archbishop bancroft and to the bishop of london then being ; wherein hee signifieth that the one of them was author , the other hortator unto him to perfect this worke of his ; and therefore undoubtedly came forth with as good approbation as the analysis of master rogers upon the second chapter of gen. he observes that as the sabbath kept then upon the seventh day in remembrance of the creation was of the lords institution , so the lords day , is now observed by the same authority , in remembrance of the resurrection of christ , and redemption by the same . and this hee delivers in opposition to the rhemists ; who count the observation of the lords day but a tradition of the church , and ecclesiasticall institution , and having spent a whole page in folio upon this argument in the next page thus hee writeth — i doe wonder then this doctrine of the sabbath , and day of rest now called the lords day having such evident demonstration out of the scriptures and being confirmed by the constant and continuall practise of the church , in all ages : that any professing the gospell , specially being exercised in the study of the scriptures , should gainsay , and impugne these positions following as erroneous . . that the commandement of sanctifying the sabbath is naturall morall and perpetuall : for if it be not so then all the commandements contained in the decalogue are not morall , so should we have . . and not . . commandements ; and then christ should come to destroy the law , and not to fulfill is contrary to our saviours own words , math. . . . that all other things in the law were so changed that they were cleane taken away , as the priesthood , sacrifices and sacraments : this day ( namely the sabbath ) was so changed , that it yet remaines , for it is evident by the apostles practise , acts . . cor. . . apo. . . that the day of rest ( called the sabbath ) was changed from the seventh day to the first day of the weeke : and so was observed and kept holy under the name of the lords day . . that it is not lawfull to use the seventh day to any other end , but to the holy and sanctified end , for which in the beginning it was created . . as the sabbath came in with the first man , so must it not goe out , but with the last . . that we are restrained upon the sabbath from works as the jewes were , though not in such strict particular manner as they were , yet in generall we are forbidden all kind of worke upon the lords day , as they were , which may hinder the service of god. now the author that hee intimates as opposing these positions hee describes by the title , of his booke in the margent , which is this . the catholique doctrine of the church of england printed at cambridge p. . and the author of his booke i have heard to be master rogers , and it seemes likely enough , especially by the . first positions . doctor willet concludes in this manner , after hee had made use of divers allegations for the confirmation of his doctrine in opposition to the fore-mentioned author , but these allegations are here superfluous seeing there is a learned treatise of the sabbath already published of this argument which containeth a most sound doctrine of the sabbath , as it is said in the former positions , which shall be able to abide the triall of the word of god , and stand warranted thereby , when other humane fantasies shall vanish : howsoever some in their heate and intemperance are not afraid to call them sabbatariorum errores , yea hereticall assertions , a new iubilee ; s. sabbath , more then either iewish or popish institution ; god grant it be not layd to their charge that so speake or write , and god give them a better minde . about two yeares before this , were set forth master perkins his cases of conscience : wherein hee manifesteth his concurrence with doctor bownde in the doctrine of the sabbath . neither doth doctor andrewes , in any materiall thing differ from doctor bownde , master perkins , doctor willet . in the next relation of his which is of a familiar nature , undoubtedly the prefacer deserves to be believed . that in a towne of his acquaintance the preachers there had brought the people to that passe , that neither baked nor roste meate was to be found in all the parish for a sunday dinner throughout the yeare , and hee concludes it with such an epiphonema . these are the fruites of such dangerous doctrines ; as if the fortunes of the church or state were hazarded for want of bak't meate or rost meate on the sundayes . and to confesse a truth , though i never was , nor never am like to be so precise ; yet considering my meane condition , i have divers times thought thus with my selfe : why should my provision hinder any of my servants from sermons on the sabbath day ; so little did i feare any dangerous consequence of this practise : but since i am better informed by the suggestions of this judicious prefacer ; i will take heede how i cherish such thoughts in my brest henceforth ; and if hee come at any time to take paines amongst us , seeing i finde hee respects bak't meate and rost meate so well ; it shall goe hard but wee will have a tith pig for his entertainement . and so much the rather , that i may cleare my selfe from judaisme , for iack of newbery my countreyman being a great clothier in his dayes ; and then strangers came from farre to buy cloath at his house , and amongst the rest a company of jewes were sometime entertained by him being a very hospitallous man and an excellent house-keeper , his house being accounted the best inne in the towne , to make himselfe merry , caused the table to bee furnished with all variety of hogges flesh ; which they perceaving tooke it for a flout ; but after they had grumbled a while upon it , hee made shew as if but then hee had remembred himselfe of his errour , and not till then considered that they were jewes ; and forthwith hee commanded all the dishes to be remooved , and other dishes already prepared to be set on the board , wherewith his table was as well furnished as it was with guests . but to returne , it is an easy matter now a dayes to accuse of any thing , as doctor prideaux hee saith , accuseth us of judaisme , but si accusare sufficiat , quis innocens erit ; when hee or doctor prideaux shall prove their accusations , then let us be condemned ; and if wee be not condemned , till then wee care not . yet it is untrue which hee pins upon doctor prideaux his sleeve ; as if hee should alleage austin saying , that they who literally understand the fourth commandement , doe not yet savour of the spirit , neither s. austin speakes this of the fourth commandement , nor is hee so alleaged by doctor prideaux , but of the seventh day ; quisquis diem illum observat ficut litera sonat , carnaliter sapit . as much as to say , whosoever keeps that day which the jew keepes , savoureth carnally . neither did i know any of my brethren to stand for the sanctifying of the seventh day in correspondency to the seventh day , from the creation but onely of one day in seaven ; which day must also be prescribed by god as the seventh day of the weeke was to the jewes , which is the next thing imputed unto us , but the lords day is the first day of the weeke to us christians . sect. . this when i had considered , when i had seriously observed , how much these fancies were repugnant both to the tendries of this , church and judgments of all kinde of writers and how unsafe to be admitted ; i thought i could not goe about a better worke then to exhibite to the view of my deare countreymen this following treatise delivered first , and afterwards published by the author in another language . the rather since of late the clamour is encreased , and that there is not any thing now more frequent in some zelotes mouthes ( to use the doctors words ) then that the lords day is with us licentiously yea sacrilegiously profaned , section first . to satisfie whose scruples and give content unto their mindes , i doubt not but this following discourse will be sufficient : which for that cause i have translated faithfully , and with as good propriety as i could ; not swerving any where from the sense , and as little as i could from the phrase and letter . gratum opus agricolis : a worke as i conceave it , not unsuitable unto the present times , wherein besides these peccant fancies before remembred , some have so farre proceeded , as not alone to make the lords day subject to the jewish rigour ; but to bring in against the jewish sabbath , and abrogate the lords day altogether . i will no longer detaine the reader from the benefit hee shall reape thereby . onely i will crave leave for his greater benefit , to repeat the summe thereof which is briefely this : first that the sabbath was not instituted in the first creation of the world , nor ever kept by any of the ancient patriarchs who lived before the law of moses : therefore no morall and perpetuall precept as the other are , sect. . secondly that the sanctifying of one day in seven is ceremoniall onely and obliged the jewes , not morall to oblige us christians to the like observance . sect. . and . thirdly , that the lords day is founded onely on the authority of the church , guided therein by the practice of the apostles ; not on the fourth commandement ( which hee calls a scandalous doctrine , sect. . ) nor any other expresse authority in holy scripture , sect. . and . then fourthly , that the church hath still authority to change the day , though such authority be not fit to be put in practice , sect. . fifthly , that in the celebration of it , there is no such cessation from works of labour required from us , as was exacted of the jewes , but that we may lawfully dresse meat proportionable to every mans estate , and doe such other things as are no hindrance to the publique service appointed for the day , sect. . sixthly , that on the lords day all recreations whatsoever are to be allowed , which honestly may refresh the spirits , and increase mutuall love and neighbour-hood amongst us , and that the names whereby the jewes were wont to call their festivalls ( whereof the sabbath was the chiefe ) were borrowed from an hebrew word , which signifieth to dance , and to be merry , or make glad the countenance . if so , if all such ceremonies as do increase good neighbor-hood , then wakes and feasts , and other meetings of that nature . if such as honestly may refresh the spirits , then dancing , wrestling , shooting , and all other pastimes , not by law prohibited , which either exercise the body , or revive the mind . and lastly , that it appertaines to the christian magistrate , to order and appoint what pastimes are to be permitted , and what are not ( obedience unto whose commands is better farre than sacrifice to the idols of our owne inventions ) not unto every private person ( or as the doctors owne words are ) not unto every mans rash zeale , who , out of a schismaticall , stoicisme ( debarring men from lawfull pastimes ) doth incline to judaisme , sect. . adde for the close of all , how doubtingly our author speakes of the name of sabbath , which now is growne so rife amongst us , sect. . concerning which , take here that notable dilemma of iohn barkley , the better to encounter those who still retaine the name , and impose the rigor . cur porrò illum diem plerique sectariorum sabbatum appellatis ? what is the cause ( saith he ) that many of our sectaries call this day the sabbath ? if they observe it as a sabbath , they must observe it because god rested on the day , and then they ought to keepe that day whereon god rested , and not the first , as now they doe , whereon the lord began his labours . if they observe it as the day of our saviours resurrection , why doe they call it still the sabbath , seeing especially that christ did not altogether rest the day , but valiantly overcame the powers of death ? this is the summe of all ; and this is all that i have to say unto thee ( good christian reader ) in this present businesse . god give thee a right understanding in all things , and a good will to doe thereafter . exam. this prefacer accounts the opinions opposite to his , to be fancies ; d. willet on the contrary , as wee have heard , accounts this prefacers opinion , maintained by m. rogers , no better than fantasies , which shall vanish , however now for a time they flourish ; sure wee are , every plant that our heavenly father hath not planted shall be rooted out . this prefacer professeth , those whom hee opposeth be opposite to the tendries of our church ; and indeed , the author whom d. willet intimateth , intitled his booke audaciously enough , the catholique doctrine of the church of england ; but d. willet on the other side , wondred , that any professing the gospel , should gain-say and impugne the positions maintained by d. bownde . and sure i am , bishop babington , bishop andrewes , bishop lake agreed with them : and it is well knowne to some , what the former archbishop of canterbury professed to the face of m. broade , when he came to move for the printing of a second book concerning the sabbath : what bishop can our opposites name of this church , whose praise is among the writers of these times , that hath manifested his opinion in opposition to these ? as for the judgements of all kinde of writers which he boasts of , i thinke never came a divine to take pen in hand to vaunt so much , and performe so little . as for the unsafe condition of our tenets which he suggests , excepting those monstrous and wild tenets mentioned by m. rogers , for which i know no better evidence than his word , and that in very odde manner delivered , i know nothing unsafe , nothing dangerous in any tenet of ours , who now seeme to walke as upon the pinacles of the temple , and indeed in this respect they are like to prove very dangerous to us ; yet i would it were not more dangerous to the church of god , to be bereaved of so many faithfull pastors : for , certainly it shall be honourable unto them , they cannot suffer in a more honorable cause than this , in standing for the sanctifying of the lords day in memory of his resurrection , who that day , being formerly a stone refused of the builders , was made the head of the corner . for what danger is it to maintaine , that from the creation the lord blessed the seventh day and sanctified it ; and what a shamefull course is it so to expound it as in reference to a time . and . or . yeeres after , and that in spight of the ancient fathers : and manifest reason , as appeares by division of time into weekes , even from the creation , and so continuing to the time of the law delivered on the mount sinai , as appeares by the story of falling of manna , and the jewes gathering of it on sixe dayes ; none fallingnow , being gathered on the seventh , as the day on the week whereon god rested after he had made the world in six . what danger in maintaining , that god required from the beginning , and afterwards specified so much in the law , that one day in seven is to be consecrated unto gods service ; and hence to inferre , that if god required so much of the jews under the law , it were most unreasonable and unconscionable we should not afford unto him and his service as good a proportion of time under the gospel ? thirdly , what danger is there in affirming , that the lords day is of divine institution ? is it not scripture that calls it the lords day ? and what day was called the lords day before , but the day of the jewes sabbath ? and hath not our saviour manifestly given us to understand , that even christians were to have their sabbath , as the jewes had theirs , as bishop andrewes accommodates the place ? matth. . . and was the resurrection of christ any thing inferiour to the creation , to give a day unto us christians ; like as gods rest from creation , commended that day to the jewes : especially considering , that a new creation requires a new sabbath ; as athanasius delivered it of old ; and d. andrewes of late yeeres treading in the steps of that ancient father , or rather of all the ancient fathers : and what danger in maintaining that the lords day is entire , and whole to be consecrated to divine service ; did austin speake dangerously , when he professeth , that thereon we must tantum deo vacare , tantū cultibus divinis vacare ; would this prefacer be content to be found dancing about a maypole , or in a morrice-dance that day that christ should come in flaming fire , to render vengeance to all them that know not god , nor obey the gospel of christ jesus ? nay , would hee not feare to rue the danger of his doctrine , when it will be too late to correct it , and all the profanenesse that hee hath promoted by this preface of his should rise up in judgement against him ; yet now he thinkes he could not goe about a better worke than by this preface & translation to harden them in their profane and impure courses ; all his care at this time , is to prevent superstition , a wonder it is to see how zealous men of his spirit are to avoyd and shun superstition . belike all these must be censured for zelotes that complaine that the lords day is with us licentiously , yea , sacrilegiously profaned ; yet these are the times whereof s. paul prophecied , that men should be lovers of pleasure more than lovers of god ; yet doctor prideaux could take liberty to professe of the jewes , that by their bacchanalian rites , they gave the world just occasion to suspect that they did consecrate their sabbaths unto devils rather than unto gods service ; yet now adayes , they that oppose revels on the sabbath day , are censured and condemned of judaisme : neither is d. prideaux censured by way of scorne for a zelote in this ; but unlesse wee concurre with this prefacer , in thinking that the forbidding of dancing in the french churches hath hindred the growth of the reformed religion there , and that upon the bare credit of heylins geography , wee must in scorne be termed zelotes . belike bishop babington by this bold prefacer , would be censured for a zelote , considering that on exodus . pag. . hve writes in this manner : may not a good soule thus reason with himselfe ; this people of his might not gather manna , and may i safely goe to markets , dancings , drinkings , to wakes and wantons , to beare-baitings and bul-baitings , and such like wicked profanations on the lords day ? is this to keepe the holy day ? can i answer this to my god ? that gives mee six dayes for my selfe , and takes but one to himselfe , of which i rob him also ? and bishop austin too deserves to be censured a zelote for that which hee writes in his . tract . upon iohn . observe the sabbath day , it is rather commanded unto us , because it is commanded to be observed in a spirituall manner . for the jewes observe the sabbath day servilely unto luxury , unto drunkennesse . how much better were it for their women to spinne wooll then to dance on that day in their new moones , and in his . tract . the jewes rest unto toyes , and whereas god commanded the sabbath to be observed , they spend the sabbath in such things which the lord forbids . our rest is from evill works , their rest is from good works . for it is better to goe to plow then to dance : but albeit hee be censured as a zelote , yet surely there is no colour why hee should be thought to judaize in this . and let bishop nazianzene passe under the same censure with them ; who as dialericus upon the . dominicall after trinitie sunday alleageth him , professeth that the sanctification of the sabbath consists not in the hilarity of our bodies , nor in the variety of glorious garments , nor in eatings , the fruite wherof we know to be wantonnesse , nor in strewing of flowers in the wayes , which we know to be the manner of the gentiles ; but rather in the purity of the soule , and chearefulnesse of the mind , and pious meditations , as when we use holy hymnes in stead of tabers , and psalmes in stead of , wicked songs and dancings . the same dialericus alleageth pope gregory out of his . booke of his epistles and . epistle affirming , that therefore on the lords day we ought to rest from all earthly worke , and by all meanes insist on prayer , that if ought hath been committed by us negligently on the six dayes on the day of the lords resurrection it might be cleared by prayers . and which is yet more , out of chrysostome . homily on mathew hee shewes , how in that bishops judgement we should be exercised on the lords day , in our private families , thus , when we depart from the ecclesiasticall assembly , we ought not in any case intangle our selves in businesses of a contrary nature , but as soone as we come home , turne over the holy scriptures , and call thy wife , and thy children to conferre about those things which have been delivered ; and after they have been deepely rooted in our minds , then to proceed to provide for such things as are necessary for this life . so anciently is the pious exercise of repeating sermons commended unto us by this holy bishop , which in these dayes i have heard to bee cryed downe , by profane persons , as a cause of increase of brownisme . and i willingly confesse that when i first came to this place , there were no lesse then tenne that partly had withdrawne themselves , partly were upon the point of withdrawing themselves from our common prayers ; but within a short time there was not one such to be found amongst us , and so wee have continued to this day . but to returne , ephrem syrus may goe for a zelote in like manner , who as hee is alleged by rivetus treating of the sabbath , exhorts to honour the lords festivities celebrating them not panegyrically , but heavenly ; not secularly , but spiritually ; not like heathens , but like christians ; and he shewes wherein this consists in the words following , quare non portarum frontes coronemus , let us not hang garlands upon the frontispice of our gates , non choreas ducamus , let us not leade a dance , non chorum adornemus , let us not by our presence beautifie any such company ; non tibiis auditum effaminemus , let us not effeminate our eares with their musick or with their fidles — nay as doctor prideaux complaines of the jewes corrupting themselves to the profaning of their sabbaths , so polidor virgil complaines of the like corruptions among christians on their festivalls , lib. . cap. . not imploying their time in prayer and in the exercise of gods word ; for which cause such festivalls were instituted , but in all manner of evill courses tending to the corrupting of mens manners ; and that herein they imitate heathens , though of ancient times tertullian ( as hee sayth ) reprehended heathens for such courses , as in his apologeticum , speaking of the holy solemnity of their emperours . therefore ( saith hee ) christians are compted enemies to the state , because they doe not dedicate vaine , lying and rash honors to their prince . forsooth it is a great good office , to make bonfiers and dances in publique , and to feast in every parish , to transforme the city into the habite of a taverne ; vino lutum cogere , which junius sayth was a fruit of their desperate luxury , and a signe of their madnesse and fury : he proceedes ; to strive who shall exceed one another in running about , to doe injuries , to commit impudencies , to provoke unto lust . and is the publike joy after such a manner exprest ( to wit ) by publique shame ? o how deservedly are we christians to be condemned ( he speakes it ironically ) who by carrying our selves soberly , chastly , honestly , doe oppose the vowes made and the joyes expressed for the emperors , to wit , when for their sober and chast and vertuous carriage on such dayes , not concurring with others to the same excesse of riot , were censured as enemies untotheir princes . yet even in those primitive times the manners of christians became degenerate , as baldwin observes in his cases of conscience , p. . and that out of tertullian , as whom hee observes to have complained of it ; namely that christans imitated the manners of the heathen in this , yea and grew worse then they , in his booke de idol . c. . o melior fides nationum in suam sectam , quae nullam christianorum solennitatem sibi vendicat , non dominicam , non pentecostem ; etiam si nossent nobiscum non communicassent , ne christiani viderentur ; nos ne ethnici pronuntiemur , non veremur . o the fayth of the nations better then ours towards their own sect , as who chalenge not to themselves any christian solemnity , not that of the lords day , nor that of whitsuntide . had they known it , they would not communicate with us , lest they should seem christians ; we christians feare not to be accompted heathens . o what a zelote did tertullian shew himselfe in this ! nay what thinke wee of leo and anthemius emperours ; were not they zelotes too in that decree of theirs ( alleaged by the former baldwin ) ? diesfestos majestati altissimi dedicatos nullis volumus voluptatibus occupari : undoubtedly they meane hereby worldly pleasures ; such they would have no place on holy festivities ; and why ? but because they accounted those holy festivalls profaned thereby . and may not king iames also be censured for a zelote in making that proclamation of his for the reformation of abuses in profaning the lords day , at his first comming into the land , to receave this kingdome as his rightfull inheritance ? in the conference before his majesty at hampton court , i finde mention made of it by d. reynolds in this manner : to the former doctor reynolds did adde the profanation of the sabbath day , and contempt of his majesties proclamation made for the reforming of that abuse , of which he earnestly desired a streighter course for reformation thereof , and unto this he found a generall and unanimous assent . all these be like were zelotes . so was his majesty also that now is , together with all the lords both spirituall and temporall , and the house of commons in that act made in the first yeare of king charles to preserve the lords day from profanation , wherein are forbidden expressely and by name , bearebaiting , bulbaiting , enterludes , common playes , and in generall all other unlawfull exercises and pastimes ; and over and above all meetings and assemblies or concourse of people out of their owne parishes for any sports or pastimes whatsoever ; and consequently no man ought on the lords day , goe forth of his owne parish to any may-game , or to see a morrice-dance , or dancing about may-poles ; and seeing the apostle professeth that it is good to be zealous alwayes in a good thing gal. . . and christ hath died for us to redeeme us from all iniquity , and to purge us a peculiar people unto himselfe , zealous of good workes , tii . . . let them in the name of god be such zelots still ; this zeale being a zeale of gods glory ; and it becomes us to be zealous of his glory , considering how zealous hee is for our good , esay . . & esay . . of the sufficiency of the following discourse , we shall by gods helpe consider in due time . but i confesse it may be very sutable to these times whereof the apostle prophecied , men should be lovers of pleasures more then lovers of god , and undoubtedly it will suit well with their affections like a sweete morsell to the epicure which hee roules under his tongue , but all the praise is in parting ; and i would they would but thinke of that of the prophet , what will be the end thereof ; when wee shall give god cause to say of our sabbath , as hee sayd of the jewish , i have hated your sabbaths . and if there be any such practises of satan on foote , as to bring in the jewish sabbath , let it be considered in the feare of god , what doctrine doth more promote therein ; whether that which makes the celebration of the lords day divine , or rather that which makes it merely of humane institution ; and who seeth not that if it be left to the liberty of the church , they may bring in the jewish sabbath if it pleaseth them . though it be notoriously untrue , ( as may be made to appeare both by scripture , evident reason and authority humane , both ancient and moderne , both papists and protestants ) that the sabbath was not ordained immediately upon the creation ; yet were that negative granted ; since god hath manifested in his law , that he requires one day in seven to be set apart for his service , it evidently followes , even by the very light of nature , that it were most unreasonable wee should allow him a worse proportion of time for his service under the gospell ; that consequently the observation of one day in seven is to be kept holy unto the lord , is now become morall and perpetuall unto the very end of the world ; neither was it ever heard , that any man did set his wits on worke in devising a ceremoniality in the proportion of one day in seven . a prefiguration of ghrist in some respect hath beene found in the jewish rest on the seventh day of the weeke ; but of any prefiguration of ought in christ , by an indefinite proportion of one day in seven the world dreamed not of till now ; neither doth any man offer to devise what possibly this might prefigure in christ : as for the third , it cannot be denied , but that christ manifested before his death , that his christian churches should observe a sabbath as well as the jewes did ; this appeares , matth. . . pray , that your flight be not in the winter , nor on the sabbath day ; and thus bishop andrewes accommodates that place in his patterne of catecheticall doctrine . it is as manifest , that the day of christs resurrection is called in the cripture the lords day ; as manifest that not the day of the yeere , but the day of the week , whereon christ rose , is called the lords day , which few take notice of . likewise in the old testament is manifest that the jews sabbath is called the lords holy day . then the congruity in reference to the reason of the originall institution is most exact . for first , christ by his resurrection , brought with him a new creation ; and this new creation , as d. andrewes expresseth it , treading herein in the steps of the ancients , requireth a new sabbath ; and as the lord rested on the seventh day from the worke of creation , so our saviour on the first day of the weeke from the worke of redemption : and lastly , the day of christs resurrection , was the day whereon christ the stone formerly refused by the builders , was made the head of the corner , and of this day the prophet professeth of old , saying , this is the day which the lord hath mad , let us be glad and rejoyce in it ; which can have no other congruous meaning but this ; this is the day which the lord hath made festivall , especially considering the doctrine of bishop lake , which is this ; that the worke of the day is the ground of hallowing the day , as is to be seene in the institution of all festivalls , both humane and divine . and i have already shewed how absurd it is , that wee should expect it should be left unto the church her liberty to appoint it , considering the great danger of dissention thereabouts , and extreme confusion thereupon ; and it cannot be denyed , but this day was established by the apostles , and that as of authority divine , as appeares generally by the ancients . athanasius professing , that dominus consecravit hunc diem ; austin , that apostoli sanxerunt ; and gregory , that antichrist , when hee comes into an humour of imitating christ , should command the observation of the lords day ; and eusebius hath as pregnant a testimony to the same purpose as any ; and sedulius ; and that not one of the ancients , as i know , alleged to the contrary . so that to ascribe the institution of it to humane authority , that every way were a scandalous doctrine , and so would the practice be also according thereunto . and consequently the church hath no authority to change the day , as doctor fulke professeth against the rhemists : and to say the contrary , is to say that the church hath authority to concurre with the jewes in keeping with them the saturday , with the turks , in keeping with them the friday ; yea , that they have authority to divide the dayes of the weeke , one nation taken one day to observe , and another another , which is as much as to say , that the church hath authority to be notoriously scandalous . in the fifth he delivers more truth than in all his preface besides : we make no question , but that workes of necessity and workes of charity may be done on this day , though the proper workes of the day are the workes of holinesse . i know none that thinkes it unlawfull to dresse meat proportionable to a mans estate on this day : some are of opinion , that this was not forbidden unto the jewes ; and that albeit to go abroad on that day to gather manna was forbidden , yet not the preparing or dressing of it ; though the most common opinion of our divines is to the contrary : some thinke a greater strictnesse was enjoyned them in the wildernesse than afterward observed by them . as in the story of nehemiah it is said , there was prepared for his table daily an oxe , and five chosen sheepe ; and our saviours entertainment by some on the sabbath day , doth seeme to them to intimate as much ; howsoever in after times it came to passe that they grew superstitious this way ; as austin observes of them in his dayes , that iudaei neque occidunt , neque coquunt . others who think it was both enjoyned to them , and practised by them with greater strictnesse , conceive that this was by reason of the mysterious signification , to wit , of some exact rest in christ ; this was their ceremoniall rest ; we acknowledge no rest but morall , which we understand in that sense which here is expressed in part , and but in part , after a halting manner ; for hee professeth , that on the lords day we are to abstaine from such workes as are an hinderance to gods service , but he delivers this onely of the publique service ; as if to spend an houre and an halfe in the morning , and an houre and an halfe in the afternoone in gods service , were enough for the sanctifying of the day ; yet gerardus the lutherane observes , that god commands the day to be sanctified , not a part of the day . and let the law of this nation or of any nation of the world be judge between us , whether in case one man owe another a dayes service ; i say , let the world judge , whether in common equity this be to be interpreted of an houre and an halfe in the morning , and an houre and an halfe in the evening , or onely of a part of the day , and not rather the whole day . and what vile courses are these , that men should carry themselves so basely in dispensing unto god the proportion of his service . in the sixth and last place , we have that wherunto all the former discourse is consecrated , namely , to make way for such profane sports and pastimes , which here are glosed with the cleanely stiles of recreations to refresh the spirits , and for the increase of mutuall love and neighbourhood amongst us , as if he were ashamed to speake our , that all this tends to the countenance of may-games and morricing , and dancing about may-poles on the lords day . d andrewes , sometimes bishop of winchester , spared not to professe , that vacare choreis , to be at leisure on that day , for dancing , is the sabbath of the golden calfe , and hee allegeth austin for it , though hee cannot justifie his quotation . doctor downeham , bishop of derry , calls such like courses profane sports and pastimes , which more distract , and more hinder our workes than honest labours ; and he censures also such a sabbath , calling it , the sabbath of the calfe , exod. . . . . bishop babington , on exod. . puts a christian soule upon this meditation , good lord , what doe i upon the sabbath day ? this people of his might not gather manna , and may i safely gad to faires and markets , to dancings and drinkings , to wakes and wantons , to bearcbaitings and bulbaitings , with such like wicked profanations of the lords day ? are these workes for the sabbath ? is this to keepe the holy day ? can i answer this to my god , that gives mee six dayes for my selfe , and takes but one to himselfe , of which i rob him also ? no , no , assuredly i shall not be able to indure his wrath for these things one day , and therefore i will leave them , and regard his holy day hereafter better than i have done . and in his exposition of the commandements by way of question and answer , p. . reproves expressely summer-games on the lords day ; and in his examen of conscience annexed to the fourth commandement , he speakes against going to church-ales and summer-games ; nay , is it not apparent , that by the very act of parliament , ● caroli , that to goe out of a mans owne parish about any sports or pastimes on the sabbath day , is to profane the sabbath ? for to prevent the profanation of the sabbath , is that statute made : now , unlesse the sports themselves be profanations of the sabbath , it is as evident , that to goe forth of a mans parish unto such sports , is no profanation , any more , than to goe out of a mans parish walking , or to conferre in pious manner with a friend , or to fetch a physitian or surgeon , if need be , or to heare a sermon . and it is very strange , that wee of the reformed churches , shall justifie such liberty on the lords day , which papists condemne on their holy dayes ; who usually complaine of dancing upon such dayes ; as polydor virgil upon luke , and parisiensis de legibus cap. . and of old such courses have beene forbidden by the decrees of leo , and anthemius emperours ; it is condemned also in the synod of toledo can. . as baldwin the lutheran shewes , who also writes devoutly against such courses on the lords day , and gives this reason . for if the labours of our calling are forbidden in the holy day , how much more such recreations ? and p. . he shewed how the sabbath was profaned by unchast dancings and any manner of wantonnesse ; what need i here to make mention of austin ; who professeth , and that against the jewes , that it is better to goe to plow then to dance ; and that it were better for their women to spin wooll , then immodestly to dance , as they did ; yet now a dayes such as oppose the same courses , as austin did , are censured for judaizing ; thus the world seemes to be turned upside downe . is it not high time christ should come to set an end to it ? dielericus the lutherane complaines of the like profanations of the sabbath too much in course amongst them , in his analysis of the gospells for the lords day . p. . and let every christian conscience be judge , whether to follow may-poles , may-games and morrice dancing be to sanctifie the sabbath as god commands ? if any man shall say , that the fourth commandement concerned the jewes , and not us christians , hee must therewithall renounce the booke of homilies . for it professeth that this commandement binds us to the observation of our sabbath , which is sunday ; the words are these . so if we will be the children of our heavenly father , we must be carefull to keep the christian sabbath day , which is the sunday , not only for that it is gods commandement , but also to declare our selves to be loving children in following the example of our gracious lord and father . then complaining how the sabbath is profaned ; some use all dayes alike — the other sort worse : for although they will not travaile , nor labour on the sunday , yet they will not rest in holinesse , as god commandeth ; but they rest in ungodlinesse and filthinesse , prancing in their pride , pranking and pricking , poynting & painting themselves to be gorgeous and gay . they rest in excesse & superflutty , in gluttony and drunkennesse like rats and swin : they rest in brawling and railing , in quarrelling and fighting : they rest in want onnesse , in toyish talking , in filthy fleshlinesse ; and concludes after this manner , so that it doth too evidently appeare that god is more dishonored , and the divell better served on sunday , then upon all the dayes of the weeke beside . and that distinction which calvin makes of the jewish observation of the sabbath , and our christian observation of a sabbath is , for ought i know , generally receaved of all ; and the distinction is this ; that the jewes observed their sabbath so strictly in the point of rest , for a mysterious signification ; but wee observe it in resting from other works so farre forth as they are avocamenta à sacris studiis & meditationibus , avocations from holy studies , and meditations ; now it is apparant that sports and pleasures are as strong avocations from holy studies and meditations , as worldly cares ; and both equally are noted out to be such as choake the word , luk. . . and therefore this day is altogether appointed to this end , even to recreate our selves in the lord ; for seeing god purposeth one day to keepe an everlasting sabbath with us , when god shall be all in all ; to make us the more fit for this even the more meete partakers , of the inheritance of saints in light , therefore hee hath given us his sabbaths to walke with him , and to inure our selves to take delight in his company , who takes delight to speake unto us as from heaven in his holy word , and to give us liberty to speake unto him in our prayers , confessions , thanksgivings and supplications ; on other dayes wee care for the things of this world , on this day our care should be spirituall and heavenly in caring for the things of another world ; so our pleasures should be spirituall on this day ; if thou shalt call the sabbath a delight , to consecrate it as glorious unto the lord. now have we not as much cause to performe this duty under the gospell as ever the jewes had under the law ? and indeed there is no colour of reason against this ; but by affirming that now the setting of a day apart for gods service is left at large to the liberty of the church ; and albeit the church hath set apart the lords day for this ; yet their meaning herein is no more then this , that they shal come to church twise a day , and afterwards give themselves to what sports soever are not forbidden them by the lawes of the land : so that now a dayes wee are free from the obligation to the fourth commandement , and yet we are taught by the church aswell at the hearing of this commandement as atany other to say , lord have mercy upon us and incline our hearts to keepe this law ; and the booke of homilies urgeth us to the sanctifying of our christian sabbath ( which is sunday , saith the booke expressely ) and that by vertue of gods expresse commandement . and therefore i cannot but wonder at the indiscretion of this prefacer , who catcheth after such a superficiall advantage as the denomination of a feast amongst the jewes , not considering how little sutable it is to the grounds of his tenet ; for by his tenet , after evening prayer the sabbath is at end , the churches meaning being not any further to oblige them to the sanctifying of the lords day , but to give them liberty to use any sports or pastimes not forbidden them by the lawes of the land. but so was not the feast of the jewes ended when they danced ; this being but an expression of that joy whereunto the present solemnity called them ; and they sinned no more herein then david , did when hee danced before the arke ; as wee see ier. . . therefore they shall come and sing in the height of sion , and shall flow together to the goodnesse of the lord for wheat , and for wine , and for oile , and for the young of the flock , and of the heard , and their soule shall be as a well watered garden , and they shall not sorrow any more at all . : then shall the virgin rejoyce in the dance , both yong men , and old together ; for i will turne their mourning into joy , and will comfort them & make them rejoyce for their sorrow . . and i will satiate the soule of the priest with fatnesse , and my people shall be satisfyed with my goodnesse saith the lord. and the like wee reade esay . . ye shall have a song as in the night , when an holy solemnity is kept , and gladnesse of heart , as when one goeth with a pipe to come into the mountaine of the lord to the mighty one of israel ; so that if morricing and may-games and dancing about may-poles were a sanctifying of the sabbath day in part ( as the lord commands the day to be sanctifyed ) then indeed these sports were as lawfull on the lords day , as the jewes piping and dancing were lawfull on their feasts . but that any such piping and dancing were used and allowed in those ancient times among the jewes on their sabbaths , there is not the least colour of evidence . and it is evident that such sports put them to lesse rest for their bodies , then the workes of their calling ; neither is there any better evidence that any such piping and dancing were in use amongst the jewes while they continued the people of god on every day of their solemne feasts ; for two dayes in each of them , to wit , the first day , and the last , they are commanded to keepe as sabbaths , whereon they were to have an holy convocation ; and thereon they are expressely commanded to rest from all servile workes ; and i should thinke , the following of naturall pleasures are to be presumed as servile workes , as the workes of a mans calling . lastly , all recreations are to this end , even to fit us to the workes of our calling ; either for the workes of our particular callings , or the workes of our generall callings , as we are christians ; such sports , if they fit us for the service of god , were more seasonable in the morning then in the evening . if for the workes of our particular calling ; then are they inferiour to the workes of our calling , the furthering whereof is their end ; and the meanes are alwayes inferiour in dignity unto the end . now if the more noble workes are forbidden on that day , how much more such as are inferior are forbidden ? but it may be sayd , that mens minds being burthened , and oppressed with the former service of the day , therefore some relaxatiō is to be granted for the refreshing of our spirits ; as much as to say , a part of the lords day is to be allowed for profane sports and pastimes , to refresh us after wee have beene tired out with serving god ; can this be savoury in the eares of a christian ? should not wee rather complaine of these corruptions , and bewaile it before god , then give our selves to such courses as are apt to strengthen it ? it is true ; such is our naturall corruption , that nothing is more tedious unto us as wee are in our selves , then to converse with god ; but should not the consideration hereof provoke us so much the more to strive against it , then give way to the nourishing and confirming of it ? and hath not our saviour told us , that not the cares of this world onely , but voluptuous living also , is it that choaks the good seede of gods word , and causeth it to become unfruitfull in us ? as for the refreshing of our spirits and quickning them , and thereby making us the fitter for gods service ; as in any modest exercise of the body in private , according to every mans particular disposition , to prevent drowsinesse and dulnesse in attending to gods word , in praying in singing of psalmes , i know none that takes any exception against it . and as for the authority of the magistrate to appoint pastimes , sure i am , the high court of parliament with us , and that in the dayes of king chanles , hath forbidden every man to come out of his parish , about any sports and pastimes ; a manifest evidence that in their judgement the publique prosecuting of such sports , and pastimes , is a plaine profanation of the sabbath ; and so by this authors profound judgement , they deserve to be censured as inclining to judaisme . indeed the use of the very name of sabbath is now a dayes carped at ; and why ? but because it is a sore offence unto them in their way ; for if a rest from any thing ( otherwise lawfull in it selfe ) be required on the lords day , it seemes most reasonable that a rest is required from sports and pastimes : undoubtedly they have neither reason nor authority to except against this ; for our saviour useth the word even of christian times , mat. . . pray that your flight be not in the winter , nor on the sabbath day . doctor andrewes , one of the greatest prelates of this kingdome , accommodates this place to the same purpose . all ceremonies ( saith hee ) were ended in christ ; but so was not the sabbath . for mat. . . christs bids them pray that their visitation be not on the sabbath day : so that there must needs be a sabbath after christs death ; and by this name hee commonly calls this day wee keepe weekely as holy unto the lord. the booke of homilies plainly tells us , that the sunday is our sabbath . in the conference at hampton court it is so called , without any dislike shewed by any one there present . and the onely reason why the ancients put a difference in this , not calling it the sabbath day , but the lords day , was this , because dies sabbati in latine signifieth the saturday , which was the jewes sabbath . but they generally call us to a rest on this day , and that most exact , as wherein wee must tantum deo vacare , tantum cultibus divinis vacare , as austin by name , not sparing to confesse that arare melius est quam saltare ; but barklay it seemes , is of more authority with this prefacer then doctor andrewes , and the church , yea , and of our saviour too : yet wee calling it by that name , understand no other thing then our christian sabbath , and had rather it were generally called the lords day ; and doctor bownde also standeth for this denomination , and urgeth it : yet is hee accounted a sabbatarian by master rogers , though wee all concurre in this , that thereon wee ought to keepe , and sanctifie our christian sabbath , and iacobus de valentia , who was no sectary in the opinion of barklay , to distinguish the jewish sabbath from ours , calls it sabbatum legale , and conclus . . hee saith that christiana religio celebrat verum sabbatum morale in die dominica . christian religion keepeth a true morall sabbath on the lords day ; yet i willingly confesse , this is the usuall course of papists now a dayes , not to call the lords day , so much as by the name of our sabbath . as for barklays discourse ; hee is much fitter to write somthing answerable to don quixot then to reason ; we doe observe the lords day , as a sabbath , not because god rested that day from the creation ; for our doctor andrewes ( of somewhat more credit with us , and that not onely for his place , but for his sufficiency , then barklay ) hath delivered it in the starre chamber , that it hath ever been the churches doctrine , that christ made an end of all sabbaths by his sabbath in the grave . that sabbath was the last of them . and that the lords day presently came in place of it . and againe . that the sabbath had reference to the old creation , but in christ we are a new creature , a new creation , and so to have a new sabbath . and this hee sayth , is deduced plainly : first by practise , then by precept . and this new sabbath on the lords day , wee observe , because on that day christ rested from the worke of redemption , which was wrought by his death . so that though the lord began his labours in the worke of creation on the first day of the weeke , yet the lord christ set an end to his labors in the worke of redemption on the same day of the weeke . as for christs vanquishing the powers of death on that day , to wit , the first day of the weeke ; the women that came to the sepulchre at sun rising , found that he was risen . and what powers are these powers of death , hee rhetoricates of ? is there any positive nature in death that our saviour had neede to take such paines to overcome them ; the lord himselfe when hee rested , he rested onely from creation ; he that was best acquainted with his courses hath told us saying , pater usque hodie peratur , my father to this day , works still , and i worke with him ; yet hee proceeds no farther in the worke of creation , nor christ being once risen , in the worke of redemption : s. iude exhorts us to contend the more earnestly for the faith , because some there were craftily crept in , who otherwise were like to bereave them of it : in like sort wee had never more neede then now to contend for the maintainance of the lords day , as our christian sabbath , because too many there are whose practise it is to bereave us of the comfort of it . the doctrine of the sabbath considered . first , i come to the doctrine of the sabbath translated by the prefacer ; i nothing doubt but the author thereof will take in good part my paines in the discussion of it , considering the present occasion urging mee hereunto ; out of the variety of his reading , hee observes many wild derivations of the name sabbath , and out of his judgment doth pronounce that the jewes by their bacchanalian rites gave the world just occasion to suspect , that they did consecrate the sabbath unto revells rather then gods service . as for the rigorous keeping of the day in such sort ; as neither to kindle fire in the winter-time wherewith to warme themselves : or to dresse meat for the sustentation of themselves ; i am so farre from justifying it , that i willingly professe i am utterly ignorant , where any such christians live , that presse any such rigorous observation of it . the jewes were bound to observe the rest on that day for a mysterious signification sake , and thereupon depended their rigorous observing of a rest , as many thinke , and not lyra alone . we must know ( saith hee ) that rest from manuall works is not ( now ) so rigorously observed as in the old law , because meate may be dressed , and other things done on the lords day , which were not lawfull on the sabbath : because that rest was in part figurative , as was the whole state under the law , cor. . all things befell them in figure ; now in that which is figurative , if you take away never so little ; ( that is , if that which is figurative bee not exactly observed ) the whole and intire signification faileth , like as if you take away but one letter from the name of lapis , the whole and intire signification is destroyed . to deale plainely , my opinion is , that all sports , and pastimes on the lords day , are a breaking of the rest belonging to it , and a profanation of that day which ought to be sanctified ; and i trust , herein i differ not one jot from the whole parliament , o. caroli ; wherein was expressely prohibited , that any man should goe out of his owne parish to any sports , and pastimes on the sabbath day ; and this is done to prevent the profanation of it , as appeares clearely by the reasons of that act ; which parliament was held certaine yeares after this lecture , concerning the doctrine of the sabbath was read in the university . and i nothing doubt but the censure of a zelote will passe upon mee for this , though wee shew no more zeale in saying , that the lords day is by some licentiously profaned , then others doe in professing that the lord day is by us superstitiously observed ; nay who are the greatest zelotes in their cause , let the christian world judge by the effects ; this is all i have to note concerning the first section . i come unto the second . secondly , and here in the first place concerning the institution of it ; let mee take leave to professe , that the question it selfe is not indifferenly stated , when it is stated thus , whether before the publishing of moses law , the sabbath was to be observed by the law of nature . for i am verily perswaded , that the doctor himselfe will not affirme , that after the publishing of moses law , it was to be observed by the law of nature ; understanding by the law of nature ( as i presume he doth ) such a law as is knowne by the very light of nature . aristotle hath taught us in generall , that morall duties are rather wrought upon a sober conscience by perswasion , than doe carry with them any convincing evidence of demonstration . yet it is confessed , that by the light of nature , some time ought to be set apart , even for the publike service and worship of god , and not onely so , but also it is nothing lesse cleare , that a sufficient proportion of time must be alloted to the professed service of our creator . but wherein this sufficient proportion of time doth consist , we are to seek , being left unto our selves , and in my judgement , considering what we are , it is very fit we should be to seeke in this ; that so our eyes may wait upon the direction of our maker . for , is it fit that servants should cut out a proportion of service to their master at their owne pleasure , and not rather be guided herein by their masters pleasure , especially by such a master , to whom wee owe not onely all that wee doe enjoy , but our selves also ; who holdeth our soules in life , and in whose hands is the breath of all man-kinde . the question thus untowardly proposed , it is subjoyned that , they commonly which are more apt to say any thing , than able afterward to prove it , maintaine affirmatively that it was . doctor rivet having proposed this , addeth , that if it be spoken of the law of nature , properly so called , scarce any one will be found to maintaine any such thing . and indeed , the question in hand , is of the institution of the sabbath : now , no wise man useth to inquire of the institution of that which is written in our hearts , and knowne unto us by the very common light of nature . it is true , some fetch the originall thereof from the beginning of the world , when god first blessed the seventh day and sanctified it : and what other sense this can have , than that god commanded it to be set apart for holy uses , wee cannot devise ; for seeing gods blessing and sanctifying of it doth undoubtedly denote some act of god , this must be either an immanent act , or an act transient ; not an act immanent , for all such are eternall , but this was temporall , following upon gods rest on the seventh : for therefore ( it is said ) god blessed the seventh day , and sanctified it ; and being an act transient and temporall , it must declare his will to have it sanctified , that is ( by the generall notion of the word ) set apart , that is , from profane and secular , to holy uses ; and how could this will of god be manifested but by commandement , seeing it is a will of god not so much concerning what shall be done , as concerning what shall be mans duty to doe ? and this hath both walaeus , and after him rivetus justified , and this latter against gomarus , once and againe , and that by divers arguments . and thus , as we have expresse scripture for it , so we have as evident reason to justifie it : for , no other ground can be devised for the dividing of the whole course of time into weeks , each consisting of seven dayes , than as it stands in congruity to gods making the world in six dayes , and resting on the seventh . which division of time was undoubtedly observed by the israelites , and received by them from their forefathers , yea , and from the patriarches of old , who lived before the flood , and that continued without alteration even from the creation of the world ; for otherwise they could not have discerned what days had been answerable to the first six of the creation , and what day to the seventh , wherein god rested , having finished the creation . but this was well known unto them , as appears by their gathering manna , and promulgation of the th commandement , together with the rest on mount sinai ; nay , this division of time into weeks , was generally observed among the heathens , as hath been shewed by great variety of reading , and that this hath beene the most ancient division of time , those other divisions into moneths and into yeeres , comming in place long after , according as the motion of the moone and of the sunne were found out by astrologers , not till then , like as the denomination of the seven dayes of the weeke by the severall names of the planets , was not brought in , untill the severall motions of all the planets , come to be discovered . as for the second reason proposed thus on our part ; if all the rest of the commandements flow from the principles of nature , how is this excluded ? it is not fit that any man should take upon him the shaping of his adversaries arguments ; that this commandement should be taken for a part of the morall law , i wonder that any man should be so unreasonable as to deny ; but that this commandement should flow from the principles of nature ; and that delivered without distinction , i know no man that affirmes . but let us distinguish , and i make no doubt , but there will be found no difference of moment betweene doctor prideaux and us : for , i find no man to deny , but that some time in generall is to be set a part , as well for gods publique worship and service , as for private , and that this is acknowledged by the very light of nature ; only as touching the proportion of time that is to be set apart for gods service , herein we are to seeke ; yet herein also the light of nature doth advantage us , and that sufficiently in two particulars : for the truth whereof , i dare appeale to the judgement of doctor prideaux himselfe . . the first is this , that not onely some time , but a sufficient proportion of time is to be consecrated to the exercises of piety , both publique and private . gomarus and rivetus are driven to acknowledge this , in answer to walaeus about the proportion of one day in seven . and whereas we may be to seeke of agreement about what is sufficient : . therefore in the next place , the very light of nature doth suggest unto us ; that it is farre more fit that the master should prescribe unto the servant , what proportion of service he expects from his hands , than that the servant at his pleasure should cut out what proportion of service he thinks good unto his master ; how much more fit that the creator should prescribe unto his creature , then that the creature should prescribe unto his creator ; considering , . how the dominion of god over his creature is incomparably greater than that which any other master hath over his servant . . that man may become unreasonable in his demands and commands , god cannot . . god can give strength to his creature to performe what he commands , man cannot . . the more cleare and expresse the commandement is , the more comfortable to the creature , being hereby assured , the service hee performes is in the way of obedience , not unto his owne will , but to the will of his master . . may i not adde a third ? namely , that by the very equity of a naturall conscience , it is more fit to apportion unto gods service one day in a weeke , rather than one day in a moneth ; especially considering that originally time hath beene divided into weekes , and not into moneths , untill a long time after . in all which , i am content to appeale to the judgement of doctor prideaux himselfe . yet we have not done in this argument ; for in the fourth commandement , there is enjoyned , not onely the setting apart of some time in generall for gods service ; and the proportion of one day in seven in speciall , but also the particulating of a certaine day under this proportion ; and who seeth not , that so many different things ( though one in subordination to another ) being duly considered , it is no way fit to confound them , and to speake hand over head of the fourth commandement without distinctions ? now , as touching the particularity of the day , herein i confesse , wee are more to seeke by the light of nature , than for the speciall proportion of time due unto god ; yet consider , whether herein also we are not assisted in good measure by the light of nature , and that in certaine particulars . . as first the decent proportion of time being observed , it is nothing materiall in it selfe , as touching the advancement of the substance of gods service ; what day of the weeke it be performed under the duly specified proportion . for wee find by experience , that all masters stand for a proportion of service , which they expect from the hands of their servants ; the quantity of service being a very considerable matter in the judgement of all ; but whether a man worke the first houre of the day , and rest the second , or five houres in the morning , and rest the sixth ; or in what other difference soever , so the quantity and proportion of service for that day be performed , all masters rest satisfied . so for the service of the weeke , if it be sufficient to performe thus much service , as namely , a dayes service in a weeke , it matters not what day it be done , so the work be performed ; i say , it matters not , as touching the substance of the worke it selfe to be performed . . but though it matters not in this respect , on what day the service is performed ; yet it may matter much in another respect : for whereas we are all gods creatures , and consequently his servants ; and the service wee speake of concernes us all in generall , and that equally , and all wee are reasonable creatures , . first it seemes fit in reason , that there should be an uniformity : for , like as we converse together by commerce and trade in the workes of our calling on other dayes of the weeke ; so it seemes most fit we should walke together with god in the performance of his service , otherwise there would be a manifest breach of society . for suppose there be in such a towne as ours , seven times foure hundred persons ( for wee have almost . communicants ; one of the three parishes in reading hath as many ) if one . should keepe the first day of the weeke for their sabbath , another . the second day of the weeke , and so to divide the dayes of the weeke betweene them , here were a manifest breach of society both in thinges humane , and in things divine ; for every day in the weeke . would be excluded , from conversing with their brethren , in businesses temporall ; and all the rest from them whose day it is to rest unto god , in exercises spirituall , which all i presume by the very light of nature , would judge intolerable . and this order would have place not onely in particular townes among themselves , but with other also ; confidering that six dayes in the weeke wee have converse by commerce and trade , not with our neighbours onely , but with other townes also , farre and neere . againe , another inconvenience would arise , and that a miserable one , more dangerous than the former ; for hereupon a window will be opened unto dissention , each standing for his owne way , as the manner of man is ; and what could be expected but wretched confusion should follow hereupon ? lastly consider , should not the service of man prove more comfortable unto him , if god , as hee hath appointed him the proportion of time , so he would be pleased not to leave him to seeke of the particularity of the day under the forementioned proportion . . therefore , as it is fit there should be an uniformity , for the reasons given ; so for the maintenance of uniformity , no meanes sufficient , but gods owne prescribing of it , hereupon all just occasion of dissention will be cut off , confusion will be prevented , and the service of god , as every way , even in the very circumstance of time , according to his will , shall be the more cheerefully and comfortably performed . . thirdly , consider what d. lake writes in his theses de sabbato . thes . . gods will is understood often by his precept , but when we have not that , the practice doth guide the church : . this is a catholique rule , observeable in the institution of all sacred feasts , both divine and humane : . the worke of the day is the ground of hallowing the day , whether it be weekly , monethly , or yeerely , as particulars evidence in scripture and history : . no man can translate the workes , therefore no man can translate the day . this is an undoubted rule in theologie . now , suppose god had not commanded the observation of any one day in the weeke , but left it unto man to choose ; if withall hee should observe one day preferred before another in some notable worke ; what reason is there , why man should choose any other day rather than that ? . this discourse proceeds upon supposition of one day in seven , to be set apart for gods service ; and accordingly wee being upon the election of the day . now , consider the case of adam ; god having revealed unto him how many dayes he had spent in the creating of all things , and in what order hee created them , the last day of the six being the day wherein he created the beasts of the field , then man , and after placing him in paradise , and after experience of his wisedome appearing in the naming of the beasts brought before him , not finding an help meet for him , casting him in a sleepe , and taking a rib out of his side , thereof made a woman to be a help meet for him . the next day , which was the seventh , god resting from his worke , what day should man have preferred for gods service before this ; considering the proportion betweene gods rest from his works , and mans rest from his ; and that as this day was the first of gods rest , so it was the first of mans worke ; and the very heathens have counted it reasonable , à iove principium , to begin with god , especially there being no better meanes to take livery and seisin of the world made by god for the service of man , than by the service of god , man being made to this end , and accordingly after gods image , indued with an understanding heart to know him , and with rationall affections to feare and serve him . and that with the first , as caietan observeth , and that out of the judgement of reason , par est ut post accepta beneficia agnoscamus benefactorem quandoque uno statim : it is fit after benefits received , wee should acknowledge our creator sometimes , yea , forthwith : as wee reade the angels did ; as the booke of iob informes us , where wast thou when i laid the foundations of the earth ? declare , if thou hast understanding , who hath laid the measures thereof , if thou knowest ? or who hath stretched the line upon it . whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened ? or who laid the corner stone thereof . when the morning starres sang together , and all the sonnes of god shouted for joy . the summe of all is this : . it is generally confessed , and that by the very light of nature , that sometime , and that in a sufficient proportion , is to be set apart for gods service . . god being our great lord and master , it is most fit , by the very suggestion of nature , that god himselfe should set forth unto us his servants , both the proportion of time , according to which , and the particularity of the day wherein he will be served by us . . we judge that proportion which god hath designed , and the day also which he hath marked out to us in his word , to be most agreeable unto reason in the consideration of his works . and in all this i am very willing to remit my selfe to the judgement of doctor prideaux . the next reason here mentioned followeth ; can we conceive that this onely ceremoniall law crept in , we know not how , amongst the morall ? or that the prophet moses would have used such care in ordering the decalogue , onely to bring the church into greater troubles ? i answer , that some time should be set apart for gods service , was never accounted ceremoniall ; as touching the proportion of one day in seven dayes to be consecrated unto god , i never found any divine ancient or moderne busie his wits about devising any ceremoniality therein ; neither did i observe any ancient produced to acknowledge any ceremoniality therein ; but as it is fit wee should wait upon god for designing the proportion of time , ( in which respect divers count that positive ) so god having designed unto us the proportion of time , we are bold to say with azorius , that rationi maxime comsent aneum est , it is most agreeable to reason after six worke dayes to consecrate one unto god. as touching the particularity of the day , under the proportion of one in seven , there is to be considered , both rest and sanctification ; as for sanctification , i never read nor heard any man that constituted any ceremoniality in the sanctification of the day , but onely in the rest of the day ; yet all these are shuffled together , and usually men talke of the ceremoniality of the fourth commandement hand over-head without all distinction : now , it is true , the ancient fathers generally conceived a ceremoniality in the rest of the seventh day ; but what was signified by this ceremony , i no where find expressely , neither in master broad , nor in this discourse . other divines of these dayes , had rather call it positive ; but how ? surely in reference onely to the particular day , not to the rest of it , there being a morall rest necessarily required to the sanctification of it , namely , so farre forth in resting from our works , as they are avocamenta à sacris studiis & meditationibus , avocations from sacred studies and meditations , as calvin expresseth it , and i know none that differ from him herein . aquinas is of the same judgement ; but withall he confesseth , that the jewes observed the rest of this day for a mysterious signification sake , which is as much as to say , ceremonially ; in which respect it ought to be abrogated , when the body came that was signified thereby . so that this nothing hinders the morality of one day in seven , no nor the observation of any one particular day that gods word shall commend unto us for our sabbath , and that unalterable , save by that authority whereby it was introduced ; neither had moses any hand , that i know , in ordering the decalogue , it being first pronounced by the mouth of god , and afterwards written in tables by the finger of god. nor did the designing of a day expose the church to any trouble , much lesse the designing the proportion of time ; it being most requisite , the law-maker should designe each of these for the preventing of trouble ; and each being thus designed , we find the designation of them to be most agreeable unto reason . if torniellus thought it hardly credible that enosh should appart himselfe from the sonnes of cain to call upon the name of the lord , without some certaine and appointed time for that performance . i doe not thinke that doctor prideaux conceaves it credible , that any wise man would thinke if fit that the servant , and not rather the master should apportion out that service which is due unto his lord and master ; or that it is more fit the servant should have the designation of the particular time rather then the master , the former reasons duly considered . or is there any reason why calvin should have so little authority , when hee discourseth in reason for the originall institution of the sabbath , as from the creation ; and so great authority when hee speakes upon his bare word against the morality of one day in seven ( as some thinke ) septenarium numerum non ita moror , ut ejus servituti quicquam astringerem . it is an easy matter to say they conclude nothing ; though i may justly wonder any reasonable man should say so of the argument drawne from those words gen. . . therefore god blessed the seventh day , and sanctifyed it ; the author alleadging no other exception against it , but the interpretation of tostatus , namely , that it is delivered by way of anticipation . for this is as good as to confesse , that to blesse and sanctify the seventh day , is all one as if hee had said that god commanded it to be sanctified . onely they will not have it understood of that time , when the lord rested from the works of creation . so that the meaning of moses must be this , in the seventh day god ended the works which he had made , and the seventh day god rested from all the workes which he had made , and because god rested on that seventh day from all the works that he had made , therefore he commanded , not then that , that day from thence forward ; but . yeares after , that men should consecrate that day to divine service . now in disputing against the unreasonablenesse of this interpretation given by tostatus , i am very willing to make doctor prideaux my judge , and ( as it were ) under his moderation to proceed in this . and here i purpose not to revive the disputations of walaeus , and rivetus against tostatus his anticipation ; but onely to content my selfe with the ground layd by doctor lake bishop of bath and wells , in his thesis of the sabbath , thes . . the worke of the day is the ground of hallowing the day , whether it be weekly , monthly or yearely , as particulars evince in scripture and history . i make bold to lay this for my ground in this place , because it is apparant that god made his worke on the seventh day , the ground of hallowing that day , namely , because it was the day of gods rest , therfore to make it the day of mens rest , for the sanctifying of it unto the lord. now i pray consider is it reasonable , that because such or such a worke hath beene done in such a day , provoking us to keepe it a festivall day unto the lord , therefore it becomes us accordingly to sanctify it , but when ? not that day nor the same day senight , nor throughout the . weekes of that yeare , nor any of the . weekes the next yeare ; no nor for the space of a yeares , or two thousand : but after the expiration of yeares and more , then and not till then to sanctify that day , because on that day of the weeke the lord rested from the worke of creation , yeares before ? why might not the wisdome of our parliament have imitated god , and in memory of our deliverance from the gunpowder treason , on the . of november , ordeined that day , should bee kept festivall , so far forth as in the publique congregation to make a solemne , and thankfull commemoration of that wonderfull deliverance , to begin forsooth a thousand or two thousand yeares after . so the jewes observed yearely the feast of purim , in remembrance of gods mercifull deliverance of them , from the conspiracy of haman , but when did they ordaine this feast to begin ? not till a thousand yeares after , had they done so , who would not have said , that their wisdome herein had exceeded all humane discretion ? or to avoid the like unreasonablenesse on their side , well they say that the case is not alike ; for as much as the fresh remembrance of the creation , and of gods resting on the seventh day was sufficient unto them , both for the maintaining of the division of time into weekes or seven dayes ; and of sanctifying each seventh unto the lord ; but when the memory hereof began to be obliterated , to wit , about some yeares after the flood , then it was fit the lord should revive the observation of this day , by a particular commandement ? but herby they shall make the fourth commandement not only morall , but also more naturall then they are aware . though i willingly confesse they might well conceave that after some or yeares , men might grow weary of observing the seventh day , the day of gods rest from the worke of creation , because by experience we finde that after some or yeares , christians seem to grow weary of keeping holy the lords day , the day whereon the lord christ rose from the grave , & so rested from his worke of redemption . but as not long after yeares the flood came to set an end to the world by water ; so it may be after yeares of the gospell , there are but as few yeares to the comming of christ , to set an end unto this world by fire : certainely , as often as some festivall day , is grounded upon some singular worke of god done , on that day ( which doctor lake proposeth as a generall and undoubted rule , alwayes to hold concerning festivalls ) no time more fit for the observation of such a day , then when the memory of the worke is fresh ; then is a man like to be more devout , more chearefull in gods service , more thankefull unto him for his great goodnesse , like as the angells immediatly upon their creation praised god iob. . . when the starres of the morning praised me , and all the children of god rejoyced , which in cornelius his language was to observe the sabbath . now give mee leave to enlarge this by proportion . as there are sabbaths of rejoycing , so there are sabbaths of mourning . and the expiatiō day commanded unto the jewes , was an annuall feast , to inure them to this holy exercise , not onely once a yeare , but oftner , as god should minister occasion : now this day is called by the lord also a sabbath , levit. . . and doctor andrewes in his paterne of catecheticall doctrine , handles the duties of such a day , in his doctrine of the sabbath . and it is well knowne that dayes of wrath have their course , and shall have their course , as long as this world lasteth as well as dayes of mercy : and wee have cause to blesse god that hee hath inclined his majesties heart to take notice of such dayes of wrath ; and accordingly by proclamation , to command a generall humiliation throughout the land , divers and sundry times . so wee reade that the jewes observed a fast on the first moneth , ( besides the fast of the seventh which god commanded ) as wee reade zach. . . . and it was observed on the tenth day of that moneth ; that being the day whereon nebuchadnezzar burnt the house of the lord , as wee reade , ier. . , . now thus far had they observed the yeares of their captivity zach. . . they did not put off the observation of it till a thousand yeares after ; it being most fit , then especially to mourne , when god calleth us thereunto , and not to put it off when hee calleth us thereunto ; the lord sore complayning of such courses , and pronouncing an heavy judgement upon offenders in this kinde , esay . , , . now like as it becomes us to mourne , when first god calleth us thereunto , so it becommeth us to rejoyce in keeping a festivall unto him , when hee calleth us thereunto ; lest otherwise it prove out of season , when it is begun a long time after , and utterly neglected upon the fresh memory thereof . wee reade that when the ilienses , inhabitants of ilium called anciently by the name of troy , sent an embassage to tiberius , to condole the death of his father augustus ; hee considering the unseasonablenesse thereof , it being a long time after his death ; requited them accordingly saying , that hee was sorry for their heavinesse also , having lost so renowned a knight as hector was , to wit , above a thousand years before , in the warres of troy. surely when in the fourth commandement , and in the reason given it is sayd ; for in six dayes the lord made heaven and earth , the sea and all that in them is , and rested the seventh day ; therefore the lord blessed the seventh day , and sanctified it , it stands with far better reason to conceave the meaning hereof , in reference to time past , thus ; therefore the lord commanded the sanctification of it yeares before ; then to understand moses words , gen. . . therefore the lord blessed the seventh day , and sanctified it in reference to the time to come thus , therefore the lord commanded that seventh day to be sanctified yeares after . and observe i pray the forme of words in the fourth commandement , when it is sayd , therefore the lord blessed the sabbath day , and sanctified it , not of the time present that hee now doth blesse it , and sanctify it , but of the time past , therefore hee did blesse it , and sanctifie it ; and when i pray but immediately from the creation , that very day whereon hee first rested , and consequently that very day , he commanded the seventh day to be sanctified ; for to sanctifie the day is to command the sanctification of it , as is confessed ; otherwise there were no place to plead anticipation . and that the phrase of speech must signifie gods command for the sanctification of it , i have already proved . as for the fathers affirming that the ancient patriarches did not observe the sabbath , albeit their authority is of no force to countervaile so manifest evidence both of scripture it selfe ; and of the reason drawne from the division of time into weekes , even from the creation , and so continued unto the jewes in the very dayes of moses . yet i may be bold to say , we have better authority from the ancients for justifying of our cause than our adversaries have for theirs . walaeus hath represented chrysostome , theophilus , antiochenus , austin , theodor . maintaining that the justification of the sabbath hath beene from the creation : to these rivetus addes tertullian as of the same mind , howsoever alleged on the adversaries part . and he also acknowledgeth the jewes to be of the same opinion : beda is alleged indeed by perenius as on the part of tostatus , but no such thing appeares in his hexameron , but rather expressely the contrary ( his words being these of the sabbath , semper celebrari solebat ) as i have shewed in my answer to the preface ; sect. . where also are represented the testimonies of athanasius and epiphanius , as maintaining the institution of the sabbath to have beene from the creation ; which also hath beene shewed to have beene the opinion of philo and iosephus , and divers of the jewish rabbins , and of the author of the chaldee-paraphrase upon the psalms , and of divers others . againe , concerning the passages alleged out of some fathers to the contrary ; not onely hospinian answereth , that those proceed of the rigorous observation of the sabbath ; but iacobus salianus a papist , in particular thus interpreteth tentullian ; and tertullian must be in some such sense understood , as namely , either of observation of other sabbaths in use among the jewes , or of the rigorous observation of the jewish sabbath , or of the jewish manner in observing it by particular sacrifices appointed for that day ; for as much as he clearely professeth , that the sabbath day was à primordio sanctus , as rivetus sheweth , and that the other fathers ( which are but foure ) truly alleged , are to be interpreted by some such manner , i have endeavoured to evince by divers reasons in my answer to the preface . and though some are willing to admit that of torniellus , that in the accomplishment of the creation , the angels did observe the sabbath , provided he recompence them in this particular now in question , and adde that the observance of it here upon the earth was not till many ages after . yet this naked authority being little worth , his reason is so weake in the former , that we have cause to suspect it will not prove any thing stronger in the latter ; though i should have beene content to afford it due consideration had it been proposed : as for the angels singing and shouting for joy , this was performed , as torritallus acknowledgeth , the day wherein the foundation of the earth was laid , which undoubtedly could not be after the first day of the creation . for if the foundation of the earth was not laid then , when the lord said , that it was without forme and voyd , and the waters covered it , i cannot devise when it should be ; it is granted that it may be probably conjectured , that the sanctification of the sabbath was before the law , as concurring herein with calvin , but that calvin saith that no more , is not proved , neither is that passage exhibited wherein calvin should deliver his mind so coldly thereof ; but calvin in his harmony upon the foure bookes of moses , and on the fourth precept , is expresse , that diem septimū sibi sumpsit deus ac consecravit completa mundi creatione , that god assumed and consecrated the seventh day unto himselfe upon the finishing of the worlds creation . and it is enough for us , that then it was instituted ; and hereupon let every sober reader judge , whether it be not more then probable , that the holy patriarches at least observed it . neither doe we affect that any man should rest satisfied with our conjectures ; but let our reasons be considered , and the plaine text of scripture professing that because god rested the seventh day , therefore hee blessed the seventh day and sanctified it ; and let them yeeld thereunto no more in this particular , then whereof it doth convince a man in conscience . yet who those late writers be who are so unsatisfied in this point , i know not well , i verily thinke they are very few protestants . gomarus ( as i remember ) allegeth but two , vatablus and musculus , whereas walaus and rivetus between them , have alleged no lesse than thirty maintaining the contrary . as for the papists , we shall take notice of them in the next section . it is confessed that this proofe is good , god blessed the seventh day , and sanctified it ; therefore he commanded it to be kept holy by his people . the sanctifying of the day in the true notion thereof being nothing but gods commanding man to sanctifie it , which yet if any man deny , i appeale to my former argument , delivered in the former section , for the justifying thereof . onely it is said that therence it followeth not that then or at that time , to wit , the very day whereon god rested , he commanded it to be kept holy by his people . now this exception also i have remooved in the former . section . and it is very strange we should be to seeke of the time in reference whereunto this is delivered ; most of all , if spoken onely in reference to yeares after , and not the least intimation of so strange an anticipation beyond all example , as walaeus and rivetus have proved . when abulensis saith that moses spake this by anticipation rather to shew the equity of the commandement then the originall ; if the booke of genesis were written before the commandement was given on mount sina , this interpretation must suppose that the lord had already revealed to moses what hee would doe on mount sina ; and what ground is produced for the building of so much as any conjecture hereof thereupon ? and what wise man would expect that any man should be satisfied herewith ? doth it not concerne them who maintaine this affirmative to make it good by texts of scripture ? if after the commandements were delivered on mount sina ; what neede of representing the equity thereof , seeing the equity , and that in this very way , is expressed in the commandement it selfe , and that in such manner as to manifest evidently that god did not now begin to command this , but that hee commanded it of old , even from the creation , as already i have disputed and proved . and though abulensis were of this opinion , yet catarinus was not ; and though pererius the jesuite tooke part with tostatus , yet rivetus hath shewed that cornelius de lapide , emmanuel sa. ribera , all jesuites do not , but with catarinus rather , or that steuchus , eugubinus , genebrard , and iacobus salianus concurre with them , against the opinion of tostatus , gomarus acknowledgeth marius also to be of the same minde , all papists ; and let mee adde unto these all the remists , as appeares in their notes upon apoc. . . enosh might call upon the lord , and abraham offer sacrifice , without relation to a set , and appointed time , oftner and seldomer as they had occasion . it was in the former section signified to be torniellus his reason which here is answered ; now torniellus was of a contrary opinion to us in this particular , yet hee confesseth that it seemed hardly credible ; neither doth the doctor deny it , onely hee saith that enosh might so doe ; hee doth not say hee did ; yet undoubtedly many things are done that are hardly credible should be done , much more might bee done , though indeed they are not ; yet this is none of our arguments ; but such as it is , let us not extenuate it , but take it aright as it deserves to be taken . torniellus supposeth that enosh did apart himselfe from the sonnes of cain ; now enosh was not alone in this , for the text saith , then began men to call upon the name of the lord , not enosh alone . now in separation , they that separate from the same company in an holy manner have reason to congregate themselves ; the same holinesse is as powerfully effectuall to the one as to the other ; and they are called the sonnes of god , in distinction from the sonnes , and daughtes of men , gen. . . though then the very sonnes of god began to degenerate . and that these meetings of many should be without a set , and appointed time , i cannot devise any colour of probability . . for that they could not all meete in one congregation . . that meeting in diverse , the children of god should desire that at one time their meeting might be , the prayers of many concurring in the same faith , and joyning together doe besiege gods eares , and worke an holy violence upon him . . otherwise , there would be a breach of society and mutuall commerce , that being an holy day in one place or countrey which was not in another . . being divided farre off it would be most difficult to make new appointments . . little likelihood of agreement herein if left unto themselves , without some divine direction and appointment . but to returne , the next portion of the discourse is this . and as for the not falling of the manna on the sabbath day , this rather was a preparation to the commandement , then any promulgation of it . but suppose it had beene a promulgation of it , what could that hinder the discourse of iacobs not neglecting labans flocke upon conscience of the sabbath , which was long before the children of israells going downe into egypt ; whereas manna fell not untill their departing out of egypt , and comming into the wildernesse , which was diverse hundreds of yeeres after . but yet the ordering of the manna in the falling of it six dayes , and not the seventh ; doth evidently argue that this seventh standing in just correspondency to the seventh day from the creation , ( as appeares by the story following ) the dividing of time into weekes , and septenaries from the creation , was exactly observed from the creation all along untill that time : and no lesse evidently doth it manifest , that the sabbath day was observed before the law given on mount sinai ; and consequently either by light of nature directing them to the day of the weeke whereon god rested ; or by commandement , and commandement wee finde none before that on mount sinai , unlesse that in gen. . . goe for a commandement from the beginning . the first mention wee reade of the sabbath is that exod. . . where moses saith , this is that which the lord hath sayd , to morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the lord ; and let every one judge whether there bee any forme of a commandement in this , and whether hee doth not speake unto them of a sabbath as of a thing formerly well knowne unto them , and v. . to day is the sabbath unto the lord ; to day yee shall not find it in the feild . this is not spoken as if the condition of a sabbath were any new thing unto them . but let us see whether there be any great strength in that which followeth . put the case that iacob on the sabbath had neglected labans flook , and that the israelites under pharaoh had not made up their tale of brickes , neither had he escaped a chiding , nor they the insolent fury of their taskmasters . and now according to the principles of these sabbatarians , what would you counsaile them to doe ? did they observe the sabbath ? they were sure of punishment from man , did they neglect it , they were sure of vengeance from the lord , unto such streights are they reduced , who would impose the sabbath as a perpetuall law of nature . as for the first of these , wee cannot be ignorant , that both flockes of sheepe , and heads of greater cattell were looked unto in the time of the most rigorous observation of the sabbath . our saviour observes the jewes practise ( notwithstanding all their rigour this way ) was to unloose their oxe , and leade him to watering : neither was laban so rigorous a lord to iacob being from the first his unckle , and afterwards his father in law , and one that had as good meanes to know the story of the creation as jacob , and how that the lord from the beginning blessedthe seaventh day , and sanctified it ; afterwards iacobs posterity met with taske-masters in egypt . and if the aegyptians had made conscience of setting some time apart for the service of god , according to the suggestion of that light which is confessed to extend so farre by nature , how improbable is it they would deny this unto their servants ? the kings of persia did not use them so hard , but promoted their sacrifices that they might pray for the king , and the kings children ; traian made a law that the jewes should not be molested on their sabbath . the turkes at this day give liberty unto christians for the free exercise of their religion . and why should wee thinke the aegyptians more rigorous to the israelites then the babylonians were to the iewes ? or if alike ; why may not a man conclude as well of the iewes in babylon , as of the israelites in egypt that if they did observe the sabbath they were sure of punishment from man , if they did neglect it , they were sure of vengeance from god. the canon of laodicea enjoyning the celebration of the lords day hath this caution , si possint ; which is thought to be spoken in reference to servants under the tyranny of heathen masters . and if the observation of the sabbath may give way to the exercise of charity towards others , and of mercy towards beasts , may it not much more to the exercise of mercy towards our owne bodies ? yet what if all this were granted ? who seeth not that if there be any strength in this argument they may by as good reason dispute against the profession of christianity under persecuting tyrants . for if they doe professe christianity under such ; they are sure of punishment from man ; if not , they are sure of vengeance from god. so that to no such straights are wee put as is devised , like as the state of the question obtruded upon us is devised also , but that i have formerly cleered , and shewed that wee are to distinguish . . of time in generall to be set apart for gods service . . of the proportion of time in speciall . . of the day under that proportion of time in particular . and how farre the light of nature doth — direct us in all these . that the sanctification of the seventh day as commanded from the beginning unto man , i have already proved in the former section , and also that reason justifieth this drawne from the division of time into weekes , as which had its course from the beginning of the world ; and how authority both ancient , and moderne doth countenance this way of ours farre more then the contrary . and manasses ben israel one of the ancient wise doctors of the jewes observes , that when the jewes are bid to remember that they were servants in egypt , this is as if it had beene sayd , remember how that in egypt , where thou servedst , thou wast constrayned to worke even upon the sabbath day . in exod. quaest . . upon the lords blessing the seventh day and sanctifying it from the beginning of the world , and upon the fourth commandement is founded our observation of the sabbath ; as chrysostome hath professed ; that god hath manifested from the beginning that one day in the circle of the weeke ought to be set apart for a spirituall rest . all confesse that there is a difference betweene . . time in generall to be set apart for gods service . . and the proportion of that time . . and the particularity of the day in that proportion . the first is generally receaved to be morall , the other two some had rather call positive , then ceremoniall , because they conceave it to have beene instituted in paradise before the fall , when there was no neede of any ceremony . they who do most judiciously discourse of ceremony in the fourth commandement , doe not call it ceremoniall hand over head , but with reference to the rest of the day . and herein the ceremoniality they apply to the rest on the seventh day . as for the ceremoniality to be found in the proportion of time indefinitely considered , as in one day of seaven , i never read nor heard , till now . yet wherein this ceremoniality doth consist , i meane the thing signified thereby is not explicated at all , neither in respect of the proportion of time , as of one day in seven , nor in reference to the particular day . yet the jewes rest on the seventh day , is generally conceaved to prefigure christs rest in the grave that day full and whole , and onely that day . and as doctor andrewes bishop of winchester in his starre chamber speech professeth , that it hath ever been the churches doctrine that christ made an end of all sabbaths by his sabbath in the grave . that sabbath was the last of them . so austin de gen. ad lit . l. . c. . beda in hexameron on genesis , aquin. . . q. . art . . piscat . on luc. . and albeit the rest from workes may have a ceremoniall signification of a rest from sinne in the way of grace , as , ezech. . . and a rest both from sin , and sorrow ; ( which is also a speciall worke of ours through sin , ier. . . hast thou not procured this unto thy selfe because thou hast forsaken the lord. ) and that in the way of glory , hebr. . yet this is no such ceremony as to be abolished upon the fulfilling of the thing signified ; for even the jewes under the law had their rest from sinne ( in the way of grace ) as wee christians under the gospell , yet neverthelesse observed the sabbath , and that glorious rest which shall not be accomplished till the end of the world , is commonly called an eternall sabbath . and undoubtedly that is to be accompted as a rest morall whereunto the sanctification of the day calleth us , namely to rest from all workes , as they are avocations from sacred studies , and meditations . but doth abulensis accompt the rest of one day in seven ceremoniall , and not morall ? doctor willet relates him as of an other opinion , and distinguishing thus . there are some things which are simply morall , and some things simply ceremoniall ; and some things of a mixt kinde , as being partly morall , partly ceremoniall . simply morall are those things which are grounded on the judgement of naturall reason , as when naturall reason doth dictate that some time is to be set apart for gods service ; but precisely to appoint the seventh day more then any day of the weeke , is simply ceremoniall , quia non habet fundamentum à ratione , sed à voluntate condentis legem ; because it is not groundedon reason , but on the will of the law-maker . but to appoint one day of seven , and that day wholy for the space of . houres to consecrate to gods service , as therein to abstaine from all kinds of worke , these things are not purely or simply ceremoniall , but partly morall as grounded on the judgement of reason , though not totally and wholy . for the first , if above one day in the weeke should be kept perpetually holy , gravamen esset laborantibus toties vacare ; it were a grievance to labourers to rest from worke so oft ( his meaning is in this case , they could not sufficiently provide for themselves , and their families , as touching the maintenance of this life temporall ) and if but one day in a fortnight or a month should be appointed , oblivisceremur dei per desuetudinem cultus ipsius . we should forget god through not accustoming our selves sufficiently to his service . therefore it stands with reason that one day in seven should be celebrated to the lord. this surely is not to deny the proportion of one day in seven to be consecrated unto the lord , to be morall ; but to confirme it rather . neither doe i finde that aquinas resolves it so , as here it is pretended ; that which hee sayth to be ceremoniall , is applied by him onely to the particular day of the weeke . indeed hee doth say that the proportion of one day in seven to be consecrated to the lord , is morall , neither doth hee deny it ; onely hee sayth , it is morall that some time should be set apart for gods service . and it may be under this he comprehends the proportion of one day in seven , as zanchy doth . for albeit hee treads in aquinas steps when hee sayth , morale est quatenus natura docet & pietas postulat , ut aliquis dies destinetur quieti , ab operibus servilibus , quo divino cultui vacare possit ecclesiá ; ceremoniale est quatenus septimus dies fuit praescriptus , & non alius . it is morall to have a day destinate to rest from servile workes so to be free for gods service . it is ceremoniall , that the seventh day , and no other is prescribed for this : yet a little before hee manifesteth that by one day to be set apart , for this he meanes one day in seven , when he thus sayth . morale est mandatum , quatenus praecipit ut è septem diebus unum consecremus cultui divino — & proinde quatenus tale mandatum est nunquam fuit abrogatum nec abrogari potest . the commandement is morall as it commands us to consecrate one day in seven unto divine service . and so doth dominicus bannes . q. . art . . & bellarmine de cultu sanctorum lib. . cap. . and if no other be the opinion of aquinas , if the schoolmen of what sect soever say the same ; it followeth that they differ no more from us then aquinas did ; it may be they will be found to agree with us . for i doe not thinke any schooleman , being put to it will deny but that by the very light of nature , not onely sometime , but a sufficient proportion of time must be set apart for gods service . and albeit had we beene left unto our selves without any indication of this proportion from god , wee might well have beene to seeke in the setting forth of this convenient proportion . yet considering how god hath gone before us making the world in six daies , and resting the seventh , and considering thereupon the division of time into septenaries of dayes , reason i should thinke with tostatus , doth dictate that the proportion of one day in seven was more convenient then any other . or if this were not sufficient for our direction herein ; yet when god hath manifested unto us both after the creation , and in the fourth commandement what proportion of time hee likes best for this ( as it is in reason fit that the master , especially such a master should prescribe what proportion of time shall be set apart for his service ) then with chrysostome wee have cause by the very light of nature undoubtedly to conclude ; that if in the beginning , and under the law god required one day in seven to be consecrated to his service ; wee surely cannot allow unto him a worse proportion under the gospell . and iacobus de valentia advers . judae . q. . praeceptum de sabbato celebrando est partim morale propter primam conditionem . this first condition in respect whereof he sayth it is morall , hee professeth to be two fold . in regard of the rest . . in regard of the sanctification of it , then hee proves it saying , probatur , nam primo sabbatum fuit praeceptum ad requiem hominis , & sanctificationem dei , ut homo cessaret ab omni negotio mundano , ut facilius posset deo servire & latriam exhibere . then comming to specifie the proportion of time to be allowed hereunto , oportet ( saith hee ) ut aliqua dies in septimana ad hujusmodi sanctificationem & latriam sit deo dedicata . et ut sic hoc praeceptum est stabile & aeternum , ut patebit . one day in the weeke must be dedicated unto god for this sanctification and worship , and thus the precept is stable and everlasting as it shall appeare . in like manner stella upon luke . in the sanctification of the sabbath there was something morall , and something ceremoniall . it is morall to observe one day in the weeke ; but that it should be this day or that day , this is ceremoniall . adde to these bellarmine de cultu sanctorum lib. . cap. . ius divinum requirebat , ut unus dies hebdomadae dioaretur cultui divino . thus we see these are directly for us ; aquinas and the schoolemen are not directly against us , ( as hitherto it hath appeared , ) no more then zanchy , who yet is directly for us , as hath beene shewed . by the way , it doth not follow from any evidence , that either these or tostatus have given , that the assigning of one day above another was ceremoniall , taking this word ( ceremoniall ) in proper speech : for . it may be accompted positive . . what have wee to doe with ceremonialls ( in proper speech ) now under the gospell , who yet doe still observe one day in seven . . nay why may not that also justly be accompted morall , if god hath marked out that day wee celebrate by some notable worke , to be consecrated to the lord , above others ? especially according to bishop lake his grounds , namely that the worke of the day is the ground of hallowing the day : for proofe whereof hee appeales to the institution of all feasts both humane and divine . in this case , i should thinke there is no colour for suspition of any judaisme ; who those fathers are , who have pronounced ( as here it is said ) the fourth commandement to be a ceremony , a shadow , and a figure only , here it is not mentioned , but delivered at large , but i finde that isychrius rejects from the decalogue this precept for the observation of the sabbath , esteeming it to be only ceremoniall , opposed here in by dominicus bannes ; sed profecto fallitur quoth bannes : for the precept is morall as touching the substance of the praecept , to wit , that there be a certaine time wherein a man ought to rest unto god , although the determination of such a time be not designed : but heretofore the seventh day was designed by a divine praecept positive ; in the law of grace , the day of the lords resurrection ; so that amongst the people of god , one day in the weeke hath been determined for divine service . as for our divines , the most generall opinion amongst them is , that the observation of one day in seven is of perpetuall observation . for albeit brentius upon leviticus affirmes , that the church may in these dayes observe but one day in . if they will. yet not onely gomarus , and rivet professe that under the gospell wee must allow a better proportion of time for gods service , rather then a worse , in reference to that which was allowed under the law : but luther tom . . fol. . professeth that ad minimum unus dies aliquis per hebdomadam , is to be chosen for gods worship , and baldwin in his cases of conscience . . c. . cas . . touching feasts . it is morall ( saith hee ) to sanctifie one day in seven . master hooker confesseth as much in his ecclesiasticall policy . and if calvin hath a way by himselfe in this ; there is no reason hee should be introduced to affront the most generall current of our owne divines , mustered up by walaeus as a cloud of witnesses , standing for the morality of one day in seven . yet walaeus hath cleared also calvin in this point , and that in reference to more pregnant passages then are produced here ; where nothing is delivered in opposition thereunto ; the last tends to the confirmation of it . for if it be reasonable that one day in seven should be allowed for the ease , and recreation of servants ; what day shall be their sabbath , if not the day of rest ? and if this be most reasonable , i hope in the second place it will be judged most unreasonable that there should be one sabbath for the master , and another for the servants : undoubtedly , now god hath gone before us in allotting this proportion of time for his service ; wee may be bold to say with azorius ( and that incorrespondency to tostatus his discourse ) that rationi maximè consentaneum est after six worke dayes to consecrate one unto divine service . and seeing god hath required such a proportion of time for his service under the law : by the very light of nature it appeares to be most unreasonable wee should allow him a worse proportion under the gospell , and calvin professeth that nobis cum veteri populo quoad hanc partem communis est sabbati necessitas . we have as much neede of a sabbath as ever the jewes had . as touching the three particulars wherein tostatus is vouched to affirme the fourth commandement to bee an unstable , and alterable ceremony . first i have not hitherto found , that tostatus confoundeth the proportion of one day in seven , with the particular day under this proportion ; as if these were equally ceremoniall . the rest on the seventh day in the judgement of the ancients prefigured the rest of christ ( that day ) in his grave , and in that respect was accompted by them ceremoniall . but as for the proportion of one day in seven , never yet did i meete with any who set his wits on worke to devise any thing in christ to be prefigured thereby , that so it also might be accompted ceremoniall . yet i nothing doubt but this proportion is alterable by that power whereby it was prescribed , but not by any inferiour power ; and so it is accompted by jacobus de valentia , stabile & aeternum , stable and everlasting ; and most unreasonable that wee should not be bound to allow as good a proportion of service unto god under the gospell , as the jewes were bound to allow him under the law. the rest of the seventh day being ceremoniall , wee hold not onely with tostatus that it is alterable , but with stella that it must be altered ; and i hope the word it selfe affords evidence enough for this . it is true , the fourth commandement in the very front commands the sanctifying the sabbath not the seventh day , but the sabbath : and in like maner it ends with professing that the lord blessed the sabbath day ( not the seventh ) & sanctified it . but when the question is made what sabbath ? i should rather answer a rest from all servile works , then as here it is answered , the seventh day . for undoubtedly god doth not therein command us to rest the seventh day in correspondency to the seventh day from the creation , there is commanded one day in seven , and a seventh after six dayes of worke . but wee must leave it unto god as to prescribe unto us , the master to his servants , the proportion of time to be set apart for his service , so the particularity of the day also under the specified proportion ; least otherwise there might be as many different opinions hereabouts , and courses according thereunto amongst the people of god , as there be dayes in the weeke . now god did appoint the seventh day of the weeke unto the jewes for their sabbath ; but the first day of the weeke , hee hath appointed unto us for our sabbath ; still observing six dayes worke before , and a seventh of rest unto god , after . and thus zanchy a learned and judicious divine interpreteth the fourth commandement in . praecept . p. . col. . stat sententia non sine causa factum esse , ut in substantia praecepti dictum non sit , memento ut diem septimum , sed ut diem sabbati . i. quietis sanctifices . hac enim ratione nos quoque praeceptum hoc servamus , dum sanctificamus diem dominicum , quia hic quietis dies nobis est , sicut judaeis fuit septimus . i am still of opinion , that not without cause it is so ordered , that in the substance of the precept it is not sayd , remember the seventh day , but remember the sabbath day , that is , the day of rest to sanctifie it . for by this meanes , wee also keepe this precept in sanctifying the lords day . so that this is not the opinion of doctor bownde onely , and of master perkins , but of zanchy also , and iacobus de valentia advers . iudaeos qu. . conclus . . christian religion celebrates a true morall sabbath on the lords day , as touching the time , in as much as it celebrates it on the day , whereon it ought to be celebrated , and concludes , so the precept of the sabbath as it is morall remaines in the new time celebrated on the lords day . so dominicus bannes formerly alleaged distinguisheth the substance of the praecept , from the particular determination of the day ; and addes , that by a positive precept the seventh day was designed unto the iewes ; but afterwards under the law of grace was designed the day of the lords resurrection , so that alwayes to gods faithfull people was designed one day in the weeke , for divine service . whereas other festivities ( sayth hee ) are in course by the institution of the church . and doctor andreues also sheweth out of math. . . that there must needs be a sabbath after christs death , and addes , that those which were ceremonies were abrogated : but those which were not ceremonies were changed ; as the ministery from the levites to be chosen throughout the world. so here the day changed from the day of the jewes to the lords day , revel . . . and accordingly interpreteth the fourth commandement as belonging unto us christians as bound to observe the sabbath . in our judgment by a reverend esteeming of it , not as a day appointed by man. . in our use set downe , esay . . not following our owne will , nor doing our owne workes . hereupon a question is proposed thus . but is not the sabbath a ceremony , and so abrogated by christ ? and the answer is this , do as christ did in the case of divorce , looke whether it were so from the beginning ; now the beginning of the sabbath was in paradise before there was any sin , and so before there needed any saviour , and if they say it prefigured the rest we shall have from our sins in christ , we grant it , and therefore the day is changed , but no ceremony proved . the practise of piety is a booke dedicated unto his majesty that now is , when hee was prince carles in the yeere . which is now . yeeres agoe , came forth the th edition of it ; wee have heard it highly commended by king iames , and that it commended the author of the dedication to a bishoprick . the author of this treatise , is large upon the sabbath , and concurres with us in every particular wherein wee are by the prefacer to this translation opposed . amongst other particulars this is one , that hee interpreteth the fourth commandement as zanchy doth , saying , the commandement doth not say . remember to keepe holy the seventh day next following the sixt day of the creation or this or that seventh day : but indefinitely , remember that thou keepe holy a sabbath day , and that our lord iesus having authority as lord over the sabbath , had likewise far greater reason to translate the sabbath day , from the iewish seventh unto the seventh day whereon christians doe keepe their sabbath ; which also hee proves by diverse reasons . and the booke of homilies whereunto all our ministers are required to subscribe , professeth that wee christians are still bound to the observation of the sabbath , and that the sunday is now our sabbath . so then as the jewes were tied to the observation of the sabbath on the day prescribed too them , so are wee christians tied to the observation of the sabbath too , but on the day prescribed unto us ; should wee observe the same day with the jewes , wee should fall justly under austins censure , that every such one carnaliter sapit . and the same austin professeth that doctores ecclesiae decreverunt omnem gloriam iudaici sabbati in illam transferre . the doctors of the church have decreed to transferre all the glory of the jewes sabbath unto the lords day . so that the censure following in these words . they therefore are but idly busied , who would so farre enlarge the sabbath or seventh day in this commandement , as to include the lords day in it , must light not upon us onely , but upon other greater divines , yea and upon the church of england also ; but our comfort is , that wee finde it very weakly grounded . as for the institution of the lords day , i never reade nor heard any that grounded it upon the fourth commandement otherwise , then by proportion . that commandement containes two things . the sanctification of the sabbath . . a designing of the time when ; both as touching the proportion of time , to wit of one day in seven ; and as touching the particularity of the day under the forementioned proportion . for in commanding a seventh , it commands one day in seven , the former inferring the latter , as well as it doth inferre the setting of some time in generall a part for gods service , which not one ( that i know ) denies to bee the substance of this commandement . now as the lord designed , what should bee their sabbath day unto the jewes ; so hath hee designed what shall bee the sabbath day to us christians . this designation made to us we do not derive from the fourth commandement ; but this day being by the word of god designed unto us , still holding up the same proportion of time : the rest of this day and the sanctification thereof , this and this alone doe we derive from the fourth commandement , and also , that undoubtedly we christians ought not to allow unto god a worse proportion of time for his service , then did the jewes : and the proportion is apparant betweene the lord the creators rest , and the lord the redeemers rest . and our rest on the day of our lord the creators rest , being abolished as a type of christs rest in the grave ; what is more convenient to come in the place thereof then our rest on that day , which is the lord our redeemers rest . as touching the passage here alleaged out of calvin , i am sorry to observe the common errour of others committed here also ; by dismembring calvins sentence , leaving out one halfe of it , making him to deliver that absolutely , which hee utters onely conditionally . and the other halfe of the first sentence here mentioned doth manifest as much , namely that calvin speakes only against them , who think themselves obliged to the observation of one day in . for some mysterious significations sake ; and accordingly wallaeus sheweth that he opposeth none but papists , whose course is to observe festivall dayes for some mystery sake , whereof hee gives good evidence by a passage which he allegeth out of bellarmine , all which i have formerly represented more at large , in my answer to the preface sect. . i come to the fourth section of the author ; that some doe urge the words of this commandement , so farre till they draw blood insteed of comfort , are but words : nothing of this kind hath beene hitherto made good so much as in the least colour of probabilitie : and who upon due observing of the fourth commandement may not well be brought to admire the wisedome of god , that as hee hath placed it in the morall law , which concerneth all times and persons ; so he hath ordered it after such a manner ; that howsoever the day should be altered , yet the proportion of time still to be kept ; and a sabbath still to bee of force , whether on the seventh day which was the sabbath day unto the jewes , or the lords day which should be our christian sabbath ; thereon to rest unto god and to sanctifie that day unto his service ; we make no doubt but the sonne of man is lord of the sabbath , and so hath power to change it , and none hath power to change it , but hee that is lord of it . it is true , this was one argument amongst many , which the author of the practice of pietie useth to prove that the fourth commandement stands still in force ; because our saviour professeth that , he came not to destroy the law , but to fulfill it : and that the least of them , should not be abrogated in his kingdome of the new testament . in so much that whosoever breaketh one of the least of these tenne commandments and teacheth men so , hee should be called the least in the kingdome of heaven , that is ( saith the author ) he should have no place in his church . to the first of these here the doctor answereth thus , to which we say with the apostle : doe we destroy the law by faith ? god forbid : we confirme it rather . christ then hath put away the shadow , but retained the light , and spreads it wider then before : shewing thereby the excellent harmony , betweene the gospell and the law. as touching the first part of this present answer ; that is too aliene from our present purpose ; the question betweene us , being not whether the law be destroyed , by preaching justification by faith ; we know that as touching the ceremoniall law , whatsoever was prefigured thereby is fulfilled by christ ; and as touching the morall law , christ hath fulfilled that also partly in himselfe by perfect obedience thereunto , and making satisfaction for our disobedience ; and partly in us , by giving us more power to performe obedience thereunto through faith in him , then ever we had before since the fall of adam . but our saviour , matth. . treats of destroying the law by abrogating it or any part thereof , which how they can avoid , who teach that christ by his death , hath freed us from the yoke of the fourth commandement , i cannot comprehend ; suppose it be but one of the least commandements , yet let them looke to it , who discourse of abrogating it , and teach men that they are not obliged by it , hand over head ; least they be accompted by the lord of sabbath the least in the kingdome of heaven : therefore it stands them upon to confirme it rather as they professe , but how they doe performe that which they pretend , i am utterly to seeke . . i come therefore to the consideration of the second part of the answer consisting of two parts , . that christ hath put away the shadow , . that he hath retained the light & spreads it further . as for the first wee have heard the proportion of one day in seven allowed unto gods service , to be called a ceremony , and consequently a shadow ; but what this prefigured is not explaned at all , nor ever hath beene that ever i read or heard . neither is this put away , but continueth still in the observation of the lords day all the christian world over ; and i doubt not but it will continue to the end of the world . the restraint of the worship to the seventh day hath beene also called a ceremony , but too too crudely and without all explication of what it figured : yet we willingly grant a faire prefiguration of somewhat concerning christ is found in the seventh day acknowledged by the ancients and by moderne writers , both papists and protestants , both lutherans and calvinists ; but that is not in reference to the worship restrained to that day , but in reference to the rest , fairely representing christs rest that day in his grave ; and thereupon grounding the rigorous condition of the jewish rest , which is the practise both of papists & of protestants so that the sabbath is not taken away neither as touching some time , in generall to be sanctified unto god , nor as touching the proportion of time in speciall , as of one day in seven ; but only as touching the particular day which is changed into the lords day : our saviour professing that a sabbath still was to bee kept of christians , as doctor andrewes proveth out of matth. . . as for the second , to wit , the light that is said to be retained and spread wider then before ; this is meere darknesse unto me , for i cannot by any meanes comprehend the meaning of it : neither is here any course taken to expound it , and bring us acquainted with the interpretation of it . suppose by the light is meant the thing prefigured , and that is devised to bee a spirituall rest from sinne . but this i hope the prophets and holy servants of god under the law were partakers of , together with the rest of the sabbath and the sanctification of it , as well as we under the gospell ; and if the sanctification of the sabbath ( i speak of our christian sabbath , according to our saviours language , matth. . . ) be taken from us , i doubt wee shall enjoy that spirituall rest from sinne , in farre lesse measure under the gospell , then the jewes did under the law . yet neither they nor we shall enjoy it intirely , till we are brought to our rest in glory . certainely the conscionable observation of the sabbath ever was , and is a principall meanes to draw us to that spirituall rest from sin , and eternall rest in glory . if saint paul by taxing the jewish observation of dayes & times , doth therewithall tax the observation of the lords day in place of the jewish : then let us turne anabaptists , and socinians , and utterly renounce the observation of the lords day , as well as of the jewish sabbath . the same apostle col. . speakes not of the sabbath , but of sabbaths ; and there were dayes enough so called amongst the jewes , and that by the lord both of dayes and yeares , besides the weekely sabbath ; yet we are content the rest of the seventh may be ranged amongst other sabbaths , as prefiguring christs rest that day in the grave . but to speake of the sabbath hand-over-head without distinction we love not ; nor see i any cause , why men should be in love therewith unlesse withall they love confusion : and to fish in troubled waters , is many times an advantage to serve turnes . let the rest of the seventh be in gods name crucified with christ upon the crosse , or at least be buryed with him in his grave , and so as never to rise with him ; but let our christian sabbath ( our saviour speakes of matth. . . ) take life together with our saviours resurrection that brought with it a new creation , a new world , and there withall a new sabbath , as doctor andrewes bishop of winchester delivers it in his starre chamber speech in the case of trask . as reason tells us that there must be some certaine appointed time for gods publique service ; so as good reason tells us , wee christians cannot without sinne , allow unto god for his publique service a worse proportion of time under the gospell , then the jewes were bound to allow unto him under the law. god himselfe never having deserved so much at the hands of man as under the gospell ; and there never being greater necessitie of observing a sabbath , then under the gospell , the way of truth and holinesse being so beset , and with such encombrances as the like were never knowne to the world before ; yet still from the bondage and necessitie of the iewish sabbath , we are delivered by the gospell ; for neither doe we keepe their day , then called the lords holy day ; but the first day of the weeke , the day of christs resurrection in the new testament , called the lords day , revel . . . and so willingly we come to the consideration of the right , whereby the lords day hath succeeded in the place thereof ; let it be the shame of the anabaptist , familist and swenk feldian , to make all dayes equall and equally to be regarded , so insteed of christian libertie to bring into the church , an heathenish licentiousnesse , yet surely the heathens ever had their festivalls even weekely , and that on the seventh day , which was sometimes called in this respect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and at this day the turkes festivall is their friday , the first day of mahumets kingdome , when hee fled from maecha to iethrib , and thenceforth constituted both the first day of their weeke and of their yeare . let as many as by their sabbatarian speculations , bring all to iudaisme bee censured as they deserve ; but as for them that desire to have all the glory of the iewes sabbath transferred to the lords day , take heed how you censure them , least you censure austin also , and the doctors of the church mentioned by him , who have decreed this . as for the river called sabbaticus , let such lettice serves their lips that like them . censures of fanatick and peevish spirits , are as liberally bestowed by some ; as the baiocchi and bagalini , which the pope scatters at the day of his coronation ; but who they be that deserve them , god will one day judge . but i perceive whither this tends ; if some conceive the lords day to be prophaned by maygames and morice dances , they are censured for men fanatick & of peevish spirits ; but they little think that all the prelates of the kingdome may as well come under their lash , and the whole parliament in the first of king charles . but that thred which here is begun , is drawne out somewhat longer in the next section following . in this fifth section things are so carryed , that it is an hard matter to discerne the doctors meaning , especially in relating the different opinions , concealing the authors of them and the place where they are to be found , and their arguments which here are only said to be derived from the sanctification of the seventh day in the first creation of the world , and from the institution of the sabbath in the fourth commandement : for herence it is said , that they who stand for the translation of the sabbath from the seventh day of the week , to the lords day , as by divine authority , doe draw their arguments for the justifying of their tenet ; which i willingly professe , doth seeme a prodigy unto me ; namely that any man should dispute thus . in the beginning of the world , the lord commanded the seventh day to be sanctified , therefore now under the gospell , the sabbath is to be translated from the seventh day to the first day of the weeke . or thus , the lord in the fourth commandement gave in charge to sanctifie the sabbath , and tells them , that the seventh day ( of the weeke ) was their sabbath , therefore the translation of the sabbath from the seventh day of the weeke to the lords day is of divine institution : as touching the first of these deductions , that which comes nearest thereunto , is the discourse of doctor andrewes bishop of winchester , in the starre chamber . the sabbath had reference to the old creation , but in christ we are a new creature , a new creation , and so to have a new sabbath . and athanasius his discourse long agone upon that of matth. . . all things are given to me of my father , finis prioris creationis sabbatum , the end of the first creation , was the sabbath day , but the beginning of the second creation is the lords day : and of this hee discourseth there more at large . and we find manifestly this notable congruitie betweene the sabbath day and the lords day , that like as god on the seventh day rested from the worke of creation ; so christ our saviour rising on the first day of the weeke from the dead , made that the first day of his resting from the worke of redemption . but when i consider the doctors sharp censures of weaknesse , of impudency , of ignorance ; it is not credible he should closely let flee at such as athanaesius and doctor andrewes bishop of winchester ; neither doe i find thoroughout this whole discourse any notice taken of this ground , whereupon their discourse runnes . it is more likely by farre that some meaner persons , and poore snakes are herein set up as markes to shoot at , and as signes to be spoken against . it is true , many doe prove herence the morality of the fourth commandement ; the author of the practice of pietie which goes under a bishops name , takes this course of his tenne arguments to prove the commandements of the sabbath to be morall ; this is the second ; because it was commanded of god to adam in his innocency . bishop andrewes in his patterne of catecheticall doctrine taketh the like course , as formerly hath beene mentioned and which is more , professeth this to be a principle : that the decalogue is the law of nature revived , and the law of nature is the image of god : now in god ( saith he ) there can be no ceremony , but all must be eternall : and so in this image which is the law of nature ; and so in the decalogue , whereas a ceremony is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and accordingly that one day in seven is to bee observed , and consecrated unto gods service , as chrysostome long agoe hath inferred herence ; but it is nothing usuall to inferre herence the celebration of the lords day . in like manner not one that i know , ancient or late , doe conclude from the fourth commandement , either the celebration of the lords day , or the translation of the sabbath from the seventh day to the first day of the weeke . but herence indeed they inferre ( and most justly in my judgement ) that if one day in the weeke were to be consecrated unto the lord , by vertue of the morall law , in the dayes of the old testament , much more doth it become us ( by the very light of nature ) to consecrate as good a proportion of time to gods service under the gospell ; and accordingly to rest from all workes , that hinder the sanctification of that day in the exercises of pietie , and so farre forth as they are found to hinder it , not for any mysterious significations sake , in which respect a very rigorous rest is most commonly conceived to bee enjoyned to the jewes . i doe wonder the canonists are reckoned amongst those , who doe build the celebration of the lords day , upon the constitution of the church and affirme this absolutely ; when in the next section many canonists are alleaged out of azorius , as maintaining the divine authority of the lords dayes : and one of them , sylvester by name , professing it to be opinionem communem . and as for schoole-men , it is apparant , that dominicus bannes , puts a manifest difference betweene the lords day and other festivities , which are ex institutione ecclesiae . and whereas bellarmine is alleaged as the mouth of the schoolemen , to affirme absolutely , that the celebration of the lords day , is by the constitution of the church , and that in distinction from them who say it was ordered by the apostles : i find no such matter in the place quoted , but rather the contrary , both confirming , that one day in a weeke is to be consecrated to the lord by law divine , and whereas it was not fit , that now the saturday should be it ; therefore the sabbath was turned into the lords day by the apostles ; his words are these , ius divinū requirebat ut vnus dies hebdomadae dicaretur cultui divino : non autem conveniebat ut servaretur sabbatum . itaque sabbatum ab apostolis in diem dominicum versum est ; likewise sixtus senensis saith , that the institution of the lords day is of the apostles . as i have shewed in my answer to the preface s. . it is true that which is here reported of brentius , as who professeth it to be left indifferent to the church to ordain one day in seven , or on day in fourteene to be consecrated ; which whether it be not an unreasonable conceit , i am willing to appeale to the judgement of doctor prideaux , yet gemardus the lutheran will not follow brentius in this ( as i have shewed in my answer to the preface and . section ) for hee acknowledgeth the celebration of the lords day , to be juxta apostolorum constitutionem , and as for chemnitius what he writes hereof , is not expressed , but for the divine authority of the celebration of the lords day , i have represented the joynt consent of some . or . of our moderne divines in the place before mentioned ; besides the concurrence of the ancient fathers , not one of them being so much as pleaded for the opposite tenet ; and lastly the generall answer of christians in the times of persecution , when they were demanded in this manner dominicum servasti , hast thou kept the lords day ; for usually it was this , christianus sum , intermittere non possum : i cannot omit it , for i am a christian . the first opinion ( to wit of those who maintained the divine authoritie , of the celebritie of the lords day by the old testament ) is here censured for inclining much to judaisine , but it is not expressed wherein . and it is apparant , they doe not maintaine the observation of the seventh day . certainely this is delivered in reference to somewhat , that is not thought fit to be expressed ; yet the prefacer did expresse it , imputing unto them whom he opposeth , that they doe observe the jewish sabbath , not in respect of the jewish day , but of the jewish manner observing it , to wit , in the way of a rigorous rest . but i know none that maintaines any other rest from works , then as they are avocations from sacred studies and meditations : whereas the jewes observed it for some mysterious signification sake , and thereupon were tyed to a more rigorous rest . but let them speake plainly , and say we are too rigorous in thinking sports and pastimes unlawfull on the lords day . and herein i appeale to every christian conscience ; whether these be not as great avocations from sacred studies and meditations , as the workes of our ordinary callings . then againe which of us comes nearest to judaisme herein ? is it not against the jewes , that austin professeth ? melius est orare quam saltare , better to goe to plough then to dances ; and foeminae vcstrae melius lanam facerent quam saltarent . better it were your women should spin wooll then dance : as their course was in their festivalls . againe , why should their opinion be jewish , by maintaining it out of the old testament ; rather then out of the new ? then , who are they that maintaine it onely by the old testament ? and lastly , not one that i know ( neither doe i thinke it can be justly obtruded on any ) doe maintaine the succession of the lords day , in the place of the jewish sabbath , either by the originall institution of it , as from the creation , or by the fourth commandement ; yet upon these nullities is founded the imputation of both impudency and ignorance , in oppugning the received opinion of divines : that confidently taken up for a received opinion among divines , which is in no tolerable sort proved ; not one ancient alleaged for it , and but two papists quoted ; the one of which i have shewed to be of a plaine contrary opinion . and of protestant divines , i have represented no lesse then eleven , maintaining the apostolicall and divine constitution of the lords day , besides gerardus the lutheran , to affront brentius ; nay , doctor prideaux himselfe sect. . maintaines that it is of divine authority ; and as i remember , in the vespers at the last act unalterable by the church ; that the priesthood being changed , there is made also a change of the law we beleeve , because the apostle saith it heb. . . & it is well if the schoolemen make the word of god their principles ; but of what law ? of the morall law , or of the tenne commandements ; or any one of them ? ( yet we willingly confesse a change of one particular in one of them ) & not rather of the law of sacrifices ; & such a change as to set an end to them . that herence the schoolemen conclude that at this day , the morall law bindeth not , as it was published and proclaimed by moses ; but as at first it appertained no lesse to the gentiles then to the iewes ; this i say is a mystery : and to confesse a truth , when i met with this , in a certaine manuscript of one brewers , it seemed to me a very wilde discourse , from this place of the apostle to inferre so much ; but now i meet with it in a lecture , of so judicious and learned divine as doctor prideaux , i will suspend my judgement , and waite untill i heare what those schoolemen are , and where it is that they make such inferences ; that being made acquainted with them , i may judge of them according to my capacity , as they deserve . certainely zanchy in the place quoted , makes no such inference from that place , heb. . . yet the doctrine which he delivers is good and sound , though the instance he makes of the sabbath , too weake to prove it , as appeares to all that acknowledge the commandement of sanctifying the sabbath to be given to adam , immediatly after his creation ; who deserve to be accompted more hot spurres then they , in whom the desire of prey doth over-runne the sent ? now what one of our divines can be alleaged to derive the authority of the lords day from the law of moses ? i am verily perswaded , not one : the sanctifying of the lords sabbath they derive from thence , and the sanctifying of one day in seven , but not the authority of the lords day : but if it may appeare otherwise , that the lords day by good authority is substituted in the place of the seventh to become our christian sabbath , such as our saviour fore-prophecied of matth. . . then from the fourth commandement , they may make bold to conclude , that it ought to be sanctified . and this zanchy himselfe justifies in the place quoted chap. , as before hath beene shewed . and our booke of homilies expresly tell us , that now sunday is become our sabbath . but we keepe not the seventh day , the rest on that day being ceremoniall , and prefiguring the rest of christ that day in his grave . and as for the authority whereby wee have substituted the lords day in the place of the seventh , we answer , that we are not they that have substituted , but the apostles have substituted it unto our hands ; god having marked out that day unto them by a worke nothing inferior to the worke of creation ; to wit , the worke of christs resurrection , such a worke as brings with it a new creation , and therewithall a new sabbath , as doctor andrewes observes out of the ancients , and delivered as much in the starre chamber . and whereas under the law the jewish sabbath was called the lords day ; now under the gospell the first day of the weeke is called the lords day in the language of the holy ghost in the new testament . and whereas our saviour gives us plainly to understand , that wee are to have a sabbath under the gospell math. . . as the aforementioned doctor andrewes doth observe in his patterne of catecheticall doctrine , in common reason , and in the conscience of a christian what day ought to be this our sabbath rather then the lords day , so called in the language of the holy ghost ; especially considering that not that day of the yeere , but that day of the weeke is called the lords day , as by most generall acknowledgement of all the ancients hath beene supposed . and to urge one place more out of the old testament , then here is in a violent manner obtruded upon us , psal . . . this is the day which the lord hath made , let us rejoyce , and be glad in it , is evidently spoken of that day wherein the stone which the builders refused was made the head of the corner . now by that stone the holy ghost chiefely understands the lord christ , mat. . . marc. . . luc. . . acts . . pet . . and when was hee made the head of the corner , but in the day of his resurrection ; the apostle professing , that he was declared mightily to be the sonne of god touching the spirit of sanctification by the resurrection from the dead . and under what stile did they reject him , and condemne him as a blasphemer but for making himselfe the son of god ? as for the rigorous observation of the rest prescribed unto the jewes ; as from kindling of fire , and dressing of meate ; some qualifie that rigour , conceaving that kindling of fire was forbidden onely for the works to be done about making the tabernacle . this being delivered as a preface , exod. . . when the free will offerings were now to be receaved for the promoting of the workemanship of that which formerly was commanded . and that dressing of meate was not forbidden them , no not in the gathering of manna , as some thinke ; if then , yet not as a generall course to be observed for ever ; and as touching the table that nehemiah kept , thus we reade . moreover there were at my table , an . of the iewes and rulers which came unto us from among the heathen that are about us . and there was prepared daily an oxe , and six chosen sheepe , and birds were prepared for me — and hee was so farre from consciousnesse of profaning the lords sabbath herein , that hee concludes thus , remember me o my god in goodnesse , according to all that i have done for this people . but suppose they were tied so strictly to such a rest , as from workes not servile , onely in seeking againe , ( as zanchy instanceth the condition of a worke servile ) but even from such as tended to the refreshing of their natures ; yet the reason hereof depended upon the mysterious signification of this rest , as formerly i have represented out of lyra , from which ceremoniality wee are absolved , and consequently freed from that rigorous rest depending thereupon , and rest onely from works so farre forth as they are avocations from sacred studies and meditations , as calvin expresseth it ; and this wee accompt a morall rest , distinguished from ceremoniall . and whereas the doctor tells us that such a like distinction is infirme , being content to say nothing to confirme it , save that the text ( as hee saith ) affords it not : i had thought the very light of nature had beene sufficient to embolden us to conclude , that where the sanctification of the day is commanded , therewithall is commanded abstinence from all such things as would hinder the sanctification of it , and as for the text it selfe , it is apparent that neither the kindling of the fire , nor dressing of meate is particularly forbidden in the fourth commandement . neither doth hee so much as obtrude upon his adversaries that they derive the sanctification of their christian sabbath from ought in the old testament , save from gen. . . and from the fourth commandement . in neither of which doth he deale fairely ; but is content to confound things that differ , as if in this particular he affected to fish in troubled waters ; and we have better evidence ( and indeed it is our only evidence therence ) out of the old testament , for the festivity of the lords day , then he is willing to take notice of , namely out of the psal . . . neither is it possible he should be ignorant thereof , howsoever hee doth dissemble his knowledge of it . yet i hope it is enough for us to finde evidence for it in the sunshine of the gospell ; and indeed here alone we have the originall observation of it , though that it should be observed , is as evidently prophecied in the old testament , as that christ is the stone which was first refused of the builders , and after made the head of the corner , adding only this unto it , that the day wherein the lord did this , and made so glorious a worke , marvellous in the eyes of men , was the day of the resurrection , which i suppose no intelligent christian will deny , i come unto the . section . who they be that make their boast , that they have found the institution of the lords day in the new testament expressely , j willingly professe i know not , neither doe i thinke the doctor knowes . it is true our saviour oftentimes disputed with the pharisees about their superstitious observation of the sabbath day , which at length degenerated into voluptuous living on that day ; in so much , that austin tells the jewes plainly it is better to goe to plough then to dance : but if hereupon you aske , where is any the least suspicion of the abrogating of it ? i answer every one knowes , the time was not yet come for the abrogating of it . nay , he discourseth so as if . yeares after his death , the observation of the sabbath should continue , as when he exhorts them at such a time , to pray that their flight be not in the winter , nor on the sabbath day matth. . . what will you conclude herence ? therefore the observation of the jewish sabbath was still to continue among christians ? if you doe , who shall more deservedly be obnoxious to the censure of judaisme , you or wee ? yet when he tells them , that the sonne of man is lord of the sabbath , how few interpreters writing hereupon , doe not take notice of his power to abrogat it ? but is it not enough that paul cryeth downe the ceremonies of the jewes , and in speciall their holy dayes , and particularly sabbaths ; to wit , so far forth , as they are found to be shadowes , the body whereof was christ , such was the rest on the seventh day , as prefiguring christs rest in the grave . but no sober man ( i trow ) will herence conclude that herewithall hee cryeth downe the setting apart of any time for gods service , that having no colour of ceremony , or rest from such workes , as hinder us in the service of god , this being as little ceremoniall as the former . i make bold to goe one step farther , and conclude by the same reason , that neither doth he cry downe the proportion of time , to wit , of one day in seven , to be set a part for the exercises of piety , because in this particular , there is no more ceremonialitie to be found , then in any one of the former . but to proceed , what indifferent man would once expect , that in our saviours disputations with the pharisees about the sabbath , mention should bee made of the lords day instituted in the place thereof ? it is enough , wee find it instituted after our saviours resurrection ; and sufficient i trowe it is to prove that it was instituted , and that in the best manner , namely by establishing it de facto in practise amongst the churches ; i say , this is sufficiently proved by the observation of it ; which undoubtedly , neither was nor could be by chance . a sowe musling in the earth , may make something like the letter a. but not ennius his andromacha saith cicero . in like sort the concurrence of the churches , in the observation hereof from the apostles , and continuance therein unto this day , could not be by chance , but by order , and that from the apostles . when you aske , did not the apostles keepe the iewish sabbath ? i answer , i doe not finde they did , yet i finde revelations were made unto them of what was to be done by degrees . peter was challenged acts . by the rest of the apostles , for preaching the gospell unto the gentiles . they tooke indeed advantage of the jewes sabbath , to preach the gospell unto them congregated together act. . so did they to the same end take the oppotunity of the feast of pentecost , acts . . i grant the sabbath day was observed together with the lords day by some christians ; baronius imputes it to the orientales , and gives the reason why formerly represented . if any man inferre herehence that the celebration of the lords day , is grounded upon the constitution of the church onely , let him make it good ; for there is no reason that words should carry it , much lesse the voyce of one papist who here is quoted . i am sure dominicus bannes and sixtus senensis , are of another opinion , formerly produced ; and hereafter follow many canonists that maintaine the contrary , by the relation of azorius , and one of them , sylvester by name , professeth that it is communis opinio , that it is of divine authoritie . if brentius thinkes otherwise , yet gerardus refuseth to tread in his steps , though both are lutherans . and if the remonstrants concurre with brentius , it is nothing strange , they are so neer a kin to the socinians and anabaptists , who renounce altogether the observation of the lords day . i have formerly reckoned up and produced no lesse then eleven of our protestant divines maintaining the ordinance thereof to be divine and apostolicall . besides the ancients who are many , and they expresse for the same , and not one that i know avouched to the contrary . precept indeed we have not for this in the new testament , but that w ch is better then a precept . for had the apostles commanded it , and the churches not practised it , their commandement had beene obnoxious to various interpretations ; but they tooke order to establish it as appeares , de facto . and d. lake tels us , that where divine precept is wanting , practise guides the church ; and that the worke of the day is the ground of hallowing the day ; and the worke of redemption is nothing inferiour to the worke of creation ; and i appeale to every christian conscience , whether upon suspition that we christians must have a sabbath to observe , as the jewes had , for which we have the expresse words of our saviour , matth. . . d. andrewes concurring with us in this ; and that this sabbath must be some one day in the weeke ; which from the ordinance of god immediately from the creation , that god himselfe hath declared unto us , as chrysostome observeth , and reason concludeth as much for this , and that from consideration of the proportion of time which the lord required of the jewes under the law , for undoubtedly we should sinne if we should allow god a worse proportion under the gospell ; and it is evident that no ceremoniality can be found in the sanctification of one day in seven , or in the rest of one day in seven . i say let every one judge whether in christian reason any day in the weeke be to be preferred for this before the lords day ; that being the day of christs resurrection , the day wherein the stone which the builders refused was made the head of the corner ; and this day not of the yeere , but of the weeke being in scripture-phrase called the lords day ; like as the jewish sabbath was formerly called the lords holy day , es . . adde unto this that d. prideaux here justifieth their observation who maintaine the celebration of the lords day to be by authority divine consisting in these particulars . . that it seemed a dangerous thing to the whole fabricke of religion , should humane ordinances limit the necessity of gods worship . or that the church should not assemble but at the pleasure of the clergie , and they perhaps not well at one among themselves . for what would men busied about their farms , their yokes of oxen and domesticke troubles ( as the invited guests in the holy gospell ) would they not easily set at naught an humane ordinance , would not prophane men easily dispense with their absenting themselves from prayers and preaching , and give themselves free leave of doing or neglecting any thing , were there not something found in scripture which more then any humane ordinance or institution should binde the conscience ? yet it is easie to conjecture what would be answered to all this , for excommunication upon disobedience to the church may be a bond strong enough to oblige them hereunto ; or if men be not so sensible hereof , yet the lawes of the land and penall statutes , may provide for such restraints by such punishments ; as whereof every naturall man will be sensible enough ; we have other considerations to propose , as . touching the proportion of time , to be allowed to gods service , which concerneth the quantity of the service it selfe . . this is a thing very considerable and of moment . . we have no example , that the quantity of service to be performed to the master , was left unto the conscience , or pleasure of the servant : but rather is to be prescribed by the master , especially by such a master as god is . . who hath made us ? . who will infinitely reward us ? . to serve whom is our most perfect freedome and happinesse . . and who is able to give us strength to performe it ? . and who is tenderly sensible of our weaknesses , as he is most privy to them . . and after god hath discovered this unto us , and required the proportion of one day in seven to be consecrated to him , and that under the law ; surely reason doth suggest , that we cannot performe lesse unto him under the gospell . . as touching the particularity of the day under this proportion . . we read that there is one , that is lord of the sabbath ; now in reason , who shall appoint this day , but he that is lord of it ? especially considering that it is his holy day es . . and such festivalls were said to be of his making psalme . . this is the day which the lord hath made , not of mans making : secondly , but it may be said , he may leave unto man the appointing of it , if it please him ; i answer , that in this case it stands them upon , to shew their charter for this . thirdly , for my part , i see no cause , we should desire any such liberty , but rather pray unto god to blesse us from it , . for as i am flesh , i shall bee sure to put it off to the end of the weeke ; and i may be gone out of the world ere that day comes ; and when that day comes , i shall be as loath to come to the service that day requires as ever , and assoone weary of it , and say , when will the sabbath be gone , that i may returne to my former courses , secondly , as i am spirit , i have cause to make choyce of the first day ; for à iove principium ; and adam and eve , being after the beasts of the field , made on the sixt day , and planted in paradise , the seventh day , was the first entire day to him . doctor lake bishop of bath and wells , observes that festivalls dayes have ever beene commended unto us , by some notable worke done on that day . now what worke , like unto the resurrection of christ , on the first day of the weeke ? . bishop andrewes observes in his starre chamber speech , that this resurrection brings with it a new creation , and calls for a new sabbath ; and i find this , to have beene the observation of athanasius , about . yeeres agoe . . if we were left at liberty in the choyce of the day , it is to be feared , that if there were twenty dayes in the weeke , there would be twenty differences betweene us thereabouts , . lastly , if left at libertie ; i find no reason why we should keepe our selves , to the observation of the same day ; this is so apt and prone to breed in us an opinion of the necessitie thereof , and so plunge us into superstition ere we are aware , and thereby make our whole service of god , on that day distastfull unto him . to proceed , the practise of the apostles is in scripture , represented unto us in three severall places ; the first whereof is act. . . upon the first day of the weeke , when the disciples came together to breake bread , paul preached unto them . the practise is improved thus , why is it said expressely , that the disciples came together to heare the word preached , and receive the sacraments , rather on this day then any other ; rather then on the iewish sabbath , were it not then a custome , to celebrate on that day their publique meetings , the sabbath of the iewes , beginning by degrees to vanish ? it is farther confessed , that the fathers and all interpreters ( almost ) doe so conceive it . observe , not a father is found , to take it in any other sense , only the magdeburgenses , and calvin , are said to stick at the phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as if it might signifie some one day of the weeke ; and yet in scripture phrase , it is apparant that , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , marc. . . is all one with , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , joh. . . and it is salmasius his observation , that the pythagoreans called the first day of the weeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , insteed of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . but the doctor professeth , that from a casuall fact he seeth not , how a solemne institution may be justly grounded ; but it is not proved , that this fact was casuall ; nay the text carryeth in the face of it manifest evidence against casualitie . for it is said that they came together to eat bread ; all then convening to a sacred action , how could this be done , if they had not agreed hereupon before ; especially it being a businesse whereabout they came , that required solemne and sacred preparation ? all which affront casualitie . take the circumstances aright , the disciples from divers parts came together that day about solemne and sacred action ; therefore it was ordered before , to meet together on that day ; now this concludes only concerning them ; and therefore wallaeus professeth , that the force of these three texts , taken apart doe not conclude , but joyntly ; now by the next place , . cor. . . it appeareth , that the same day was the ordinary day of meeting for the corinths ; and for the churches of galatia also : now how came it to passe , the same day was the day of meeting about holy exercises , in the church of ephesus , the church of corinth , and in the churches of galatia ? could this ordinary course ( for so much is signified , . cor. . . ) of so many churches concurring herein , come to passe by chance , or could their consent herein , so many churches so farre distant one from another , be wrought by chance , and not rather in all reason , was wrought by authority apostolicall ? and as for the second place , cor. . . whereas the exception is , that there it is said the apostles ordered collections on that day , but not their meetings ; yet doctor andrewes in his starre chamber speech alleageth it , as the apostles precept , for their meetings on that day ; and so doth paraeus ; for though it be not expressed , yet so much is implyed , as by the reason formerly mentioned hath beene argued : especially considering the last place , revel . . . where the first day of the weeke is called the lords day , a notable evidence of the divine authority ; the scripture phrase no where calling any the lords day , or the lords altars , or the lords feasts , but such as are of the lords institution ; and in this particular , bishop andrewes compares the lords day with the lords supper , professing the notion to be a like in both . and hereupon it is most ingenuously acknowledged , that the alteration of the name doth intimate , that the sabbath was also altered , in relation to gods worship , but the appointment of the tim , &c. wherein endeth this section . and the next begins with this question , what then ? shall we affirme that the lords day is founded on divine authority ? and the answer is , for my part ( without prejudice to any mans opinion ) i assent unto it ; how ever the arguments like me not , whereby it is supported ; well therefore , let us lovingly and candidly , as it becomes the gates of the muses , conferre about these arguments . first , this inference offends me ; that in the cradle of the world , god blessed the seventh day and sanctified it ; therefore all men are bound to sanctifie it by the law of nature : since i both doubt , whether the patriarches did observe it before moses time , and have learnt also that the law of nature is immutable ; doctor andrewes in his patterne of catecheticall doctrine writes saying , this is a principle , that the decalogue is the law of nature revived , and the law of nature is the image of god. but let us consider the argument . it is one thing to except against the antecedent , another to except against the inference made herence : as touching the antecedent , it is one thing , what god hath ordained , and may be another thing , what the patriarches observed ; we say god ordained it in as much as hee commanded it in these words , therefore god blessed the seventh day and hallowed it , that is , commanded man to sanctifie it as hath beene proved : and is also confessed ; only to helpe themselves , as it were at a dead lift ; they say , those words in genesis , are uttered by way of anticipation ; as much as to say ; because god rested on that day , therefore god commanded man to rest on the same day , and sanctifie it , but when ? . yeeres after ; for the unreasonablenesse of which interpretation , and the incongruitie thereof unto the same words , repeated in the fourth commandement ; i appeale to that which i have formerly discoursed he reupon : now if god from the beginning ordained the seventh day to be kept holy ; wee leave it to every sober conscience to judge , whether it be not most likely , that both adam and the holy patriarches observed it ; for we insist not in this argument upon humane observation , but meerely upon divine institution . and though god did from the beginning command it , yet it followeth not , that all men are bound to sanctifie that day , unlesse they have some evidence of gods command , wherewith we are made acquainted by the scriptures . if the law of nature be meant a light of nature convincing us , we doe not infer herence or at all maintaine ( nor any that i know ) that in this sense , all or any are bound to keep the seventh , or a seventh day holy ; but onely by vertue of gods command . yet this wee professe , that seeing it is generally confessed that by the very light of nature some time is to be set apart for gods service . wee cannot devise in reason any better course , then to set one day in seaven apart for this ; considering the first division of dayes is into weekes , and if a seventh part of our time be in reason to be consecrated unto god , wee thinke it more convenient to set one intire day in seven apart for this , then the seventh part of every day , because the other businesses of every day are apt to cause distraction from the lords service . and as i have but erst discoursed ; it is more fit the master should appoint unto the servant what proportion of service hee shall performe unto him ; then that this should be left to the discretion or liberty of the servant . . both the honour of the master requiring this . . and the good of the servant ; for hereby hee shall be assured of the better acceptance at the hands of his master . and so for the particular day , it is fit the master should marke out that also unto him by some prerogative set upon the day , as hee did the seventh day , by finishing the worke of creation , and by his rest thereon from his workes to call man to an holy rest from his , so to be more free for the service of his creator . in which cases , both touching the proportion of the time , and particularity of the day , the law being made , it shall continue immutable and unalterable by the will of the creature ; but mutable , and alterable according to the will of the creator : so that things being well distinguished , and rightly considered and stated , i see no bug-beare of inconvenience in all this . neyther doe i see any reason why the spending of one day in gods holy worship as a morall and perpetuall duty , should seeme distastfull to any . since it is apparant that god commanded it unto his people of the jewes ; and for yeares it hath beene continually observed by christian churches unto this day ; and i make no doubt , but it shall hold till christs comming ; though from the beginning of the world it was never found to be so hotly opposed as at this day . and why should any man stick in acknowledging it to be morall ; when never any man busied himselfe to finde out any ceremoniality in reference to the proportion of one day in seven ? neither doe i thinke ever any man called it judiciall , but azorius professeth it to be rationi maximè consontaneum most agreeable to reason : and no man that i know hath at any time set himselfe to devise a proportion of time to be spent in gods service , more agreeable to reason then this . and as for the third offence taken ( for i know not any that give it ) the fourth commandement is brought by none that i know to prove that the lords day is now become our christian sabbath ; but supposing it to be our sabbath , as the booke of homilies sayth it is ; and our saviour signified that christians should have their sabbath , as well as the jewes had theirs , math. . . wee produce the fourth commandement to prove , that wee ought to sanctifie it , and that we may the better sanctifie it , to rest from all workes that hinder the sanctification thereof ; and indeed the commandedement is so drawen , as to command one day in seaven to be observed , and whatsoever is that seventh prescribed by lawfull authority , to sanctifie it , and abstaine from all works whereby the hallowing of it is disturbed ; and all this we take to be morall , namely the worshipping of god in a certaine proportion of time prescribed by him , and to that purpose to rest from workes , not for any mysterious signification sake , as did the jewes ; wee thinke the practise of the church in the apostles dayes is sufficient to inferre the apostolicall , and divine institution thereof ; from hence athanasius , cyrill , austin , and the fathers generally , ( for i know not one alleaged to the contrary ) so take it . and the lords day hath no other notion in scripture language , then a day of the lords institution ; and this is confirmed in that it comes in the place of the jewes sabbath , which is called in scripture , the lords holy day esay . and psal . . . of the day wherein christ was made the head of the corner , having beene formerly refused of the builders , it is expresly said , that it is the day that the lord hath made ; and thereupon wee are called to rejoyce and be glad in it . and it hath this congruity in the cause of its institution to the first sabbath ; that as on the seventh day the lord rested from his worke of creation , so on the first day of the weeke the lord christ rising from the dead , then rested from his worke of redemption . and lastly christ bringing with him a new creation is it strange that he should bring with him a new sabbath ? and no day so fit for this , as the day of his resurrection . and lastly whosoever doth not rest satisfied with the bare ordinance of the church ; must hee not be driven to acknowledge an ordination more then humane , requirable thereunto ? of the necessity of my consequences , and evidence of expresse scripture formerly mentioned , i leave it to the indifferent to judge ; and to none sooner then to doctor prideaux himselfe , none being more able to judge of consequences then hee , being so versed therein , and i am well persuaded of the indifferency of his affections , and had those writings in the canvassing of this point beene extant before this lecture of his which hath since come to the light of the presse ; i am apt to conceave that either hee would have given way to that which seemes in my judgement to be the truth , or represented good reason of his dissenting from it . the apostles example , nor so onely , but drawing the churches generally to the same practise , doth argue a constitution ; yet more is brought for the confirmation of the authority of the lords day then example . that of searching into the veyles and shadowes of the old testament to finde this institution is a mystery unto mee , and so farre am i from that course , that i know none guilty of it ; the ancient fathers sometimes doe expatiate this way , for the setting forth of the honorable condition of the lords day ; but they build not doctrines thereupon ; which if they had done in some particular case advantageous to our adversaries , it had beene enough to have cryed us downe . as for judaisme , i have often shewed , how little colour there is for any such imputation to be cast upon us , but rather upon our adversaries : i see no cause to range the petrobusian with the ebionite , but were they yoake-fellowes , whereof i finde not the least evidence ; yet should not wee draw with them under the same yoake ; chemnitius his discourse i have formerly examined somewhat at large ; the voluntary consecration of it by christians no man hath cause to embrace , who professeth himselfe not satisfied with the bare ordinance of the church , as but erst the doctor did . of brentius i have spoken enough ; yet well fare him that professeth the authority of the day to be so farre divine , that he who shall neglect it , or rashly breake it , doth forthwith become worse then the jew or infidell . as for the arminians , what respect soever they pretend to the patterne of the primitive church , like enough they could be very well content with the socinians , to make all dayes equall in use , as well as they are in nature , or in respect of any mysterious signification ; i leave azorius to refresh himselfe with the juyce of his owne distinction ; it is well that suarez comes so farre as to professe that practically it is not alterable by the church . as for calvin , bucer , chemnitius , and the rest , who are onely sayd to affirme that still the church hath power to change the lords day to some other , i finde no such thing in calvin , and bucer : as for what chemnitius delivers hereupon , in my judgement hee sayth no more then calvin : though some particulars in him i have found to be weake enough , upon discussion in the section , of my answer to the preface : having there met with the same names , named to the same purpose . it is not credible to mee they should give power to the church to bring us backe to the jewish sabbath : in that case who should savour most of judaisme ? or preferre us to the turkes festivall day which is the friday . to be instituted in memory of our redemption , admits an ambiguous signification ; that bringing with it a new creation , and so requiring a new sabbath ; as bishop andrewes discourseth and athanasius yeares before him ; no day had a better marke for this to be preferred into the place of the jewes sabbath then the day of christs resurrection ; yet considering that not that day of the yeare ; but that day of the weeke is called in scripture the lords day , this maketh it evidently to savour of divine institution , yet it is well that here it is acknowledged to be expresly of traditions apostolicall . beza addeth , & vere divinae , on revel . . . i trust we shall ever give due respect , both to law , and gospell ; and the better concurrence wee finde of them for the maintenance of any doctrine of ours , the more cause wee shall have to rejoyce therein without feare of censure for the mixing of them , or framing any sabbaticall idoll out of them . it is not the first time i have read of some such aspersion in rogers his preface to his analysis of the articles of the church of england ; and the next yeere was printed d. willet upon genesis dedicated to king iames , where on the. . ch . . v. he concludes his discourse on this argument after this manner ; but these allegations are here superfluous , seeing there is a learned treatise of the sabbath already published of this argument ( meaning d. bownds discourse thereon ) which containeth a most sound doctrine of the sabbath , as is layd downe in the former positions , which shal be able to abide the triall of the word of god , and stand warranted thereby , when other humane fantasies shall vanish : howsoever some in their heate and intemperance , are not afraid to call them sabbatarian errors , yea hereticall assertions , a new iubily , saint sabbath , more then either iewish or popish institution ; much lesse doe wee feare the story of the jew of teukesbury ; solomon hath taught us that the righteous spareth his beast , and in our saviours dayes the jewes themselves though very superstitious in the observation of their sabbath , yet shewed mercy towards their beasts in leading to them to water , and helping them out of the ditch on their sabbath day . but god can give men over into a minde voyd of all judgement , as to the destruction of their soules , so to the temporall destruction of their bodies also , and that as in the way of profanenes , wherof we have manifold experience , so in the way of superstition . now such stories are pretty flourishes , and pleasing to the judicious , provided they are to purpose , and sound argument hath not beene wanting to justifie the doctrine they maintaine : but when they are out of season , or supply the want of better argument , they want their grace , and are pleasing only to the ignorant or partialist . at length i am come unto the last section . for the one halfe of this section , there is little or nothing controverted betweene us . but here we have a faire distinction as good as confessed , betweene a ceremoniall rest , and another rest , which is described by a rest from workes , as it is an impediment to the performance of such duties , as are then commanded : this i can a rest morall , the rather that the distinction may not flye with one wing : that of saint hierome is a quick passage on act. . affirming that saint paul when hee had none to whom to preach in the congregation , did on the lords day use the workes of his occupation . i will not answer , as the outlandish priests fashion was , as sir thomas more reports the story , domine novi locum , verum respondeo , sumitur dupliciter ; so gratifying his adversaries argument with one member of his distinction ; and his owne , in providing for escape out of the briers by the other : least i might be served as sir thomas more served the priest , pretending to quote such a chapter of saint matthew , or marke , when there were not so many in the whole gospell , or such a verse in a certaine chapter , when there were not so many verses at all . therefore i desire to consult hierome , but hierome hath not at all written upon the acts ; and where else to seeke it i know not . yet i deny not , but that dietericus the lutheran upon the . dominicall after trinity sunday , hath such a passage , hieronymus ex act. . v. . & . colligit , quod die etiam dominica , quando quibus in publico concionaretur , paulus non habebat , manibus suis laboravit . but where it is that hierome doth collect this he doth not specifie : our saviour was borne under the law , and knew full well , it became him to fulfill all righteousnesse , and therefore undoubtedly he never did transgresse the fourth commandement : indeed some there are , who distaste the name of sabbath now a dayes ; and truly the ancients doe usually speake of the lords day , in distinction from the sabbath , because that denomination doth denote the saturday ; but i doubt , that in these dayes it is distasted in another respect , even for the rest of it ; which i no where finde distasted amongst the ancients , nor any libertie given by them for sports and pastimes on the lords day : but our booke of homilies speakes plainly in saying , the sunday is our sabbath day , and proclamations that come forth in his majesties name usually call the lords day by the name of sabbath . and in the conference at hampton court , doctor raynolds made a motion , for preserving the sabbath day from prophanation , according to the kings proclamation , neither have we heard of any prelate of this kingdome , that then interposed to alter that phrase ; and which is more , our saviour calls it the sabbath , speaking of the times of the gospell , when the jewish sabbath was to bee buried with christ , to wit , matth. . . and doctor andrewes in his patterne of catecheticall doctrine , justifieth this interpretation of that place , and that to this end , so to maintaine the continuance of a sabbath amongst us christians . i doe highly approve the distinction following of things commanded , and things permitted on the lords day , and the explication of each member ; the object of the one , all actions advancing gods service , the object of the other , such things as are no hinderance thereunto ; as in the first place workes of necessitie ; then workes of charitie ; yet the permitting of these , is rightly to be understood ; not so as if the workes of necessity here mentioned , were in such sort permitted as left to a mans liberty , whether he will performe them or no. for undoubtedly we are bound as much as lyes in our power , to quench a dangerous fire kindled in a towne , on the sabbath day , it being a worke of mercy , necessarily required . for if to returne a pledge ere the poore pawner of it went to his bed , in case it were his covering , were a worke of mercy , how much more to save a mans house from burning , how much more to save a whole towne from being consumed , whereby many might bee driven to lye without doores , void of all comfort to the body ? so to draw the ox out of the ditch , and to lead cattells to watering , i take it to bee a worke of mercy , as tending to the preservation of life in a dum creature . in like sort the dressing of meat for the health of mans body , i take to bee a worke of mercy . so that the performing of these in reference to the end whereto they tend , i take to be of necessary duty ( as here they are called workes of necessitie ) and consequently not permitted only , but commanded also in the generall , though not in this commandement ; but in the second commandement of the second table only they are said to be permitted on the lords day to signifie , that the fourth commandement doth not enjoyne them nor forbid them , in commanding rest from workes on that day , and the sanctifying of that rest . i doe not doubt but that charitie begins from it selfe , and the scripture commands us to love our neighbour as our selves . and can wee performe better love to our selves in advancing our owne good , then by making the sabbath our delight , to consecrate it as glorious to the lord ? as for the recreations , which are here said to serve lawfully to the refreshing of our spirits ; this appellation is very ambiguous , neither doe i know any difference betweene the recreating of our spirits , and the refreshing of our spirits : yet here the refreshing of our spirits is made the end of recreation . againe it were good to distinguish betweene recreation of the body , and recreation of the mind . i thinke the refreshing of spirits pertaines to the recreation of the body ; mens spirits are naturall and materiall things , and they are apt to bee wasted first naturally : for as life consists in calido , in an hot matter , so heate is apt to spend and waste the matter wherein it is ; and spirits thus wasted are recreated , that is , repaired by eating and drinking . and thus provisions of victuall are commonly called recreats . . secondly they are wasted also by labour voluntarily undertaken , and these are repaired , as by the former way , so by rest also . and each way we are allowed to recreate our spirits on the lords day ; and as to allow such rest to our servants as a work of mercy , so to our own bodies also . but now a dayes many courses are called recreations , wherein there is found little rest ; and the naturall spirits of man are rather wasted , and his nature tyred ; farre more then the one is repaired , or the other eased . and when all comes to all , i doubt the issue will be , to stile the pleasures of our senses by the cleanly name of recreations . now the jewes were expressely forbidden to find their owne pleasure on the lords holy day es . . . yet were they not forbidden all pleasure , that belonged only to such a sabbath as was a fast ; and therein indeed hypocrites are taxed for finding pleasure on that day es . . . but the weekely sabbath , was for pleasure and delight , but not for mans owne pleasure , nor for the doing of their owne wayes . but to delight in the lord , which is spirituall pleasure , and the recreating of our souls in the lord : this is a blessed rest , thus to rest unto him ; and the word of god is the best food of the soule ; no recreates like unto gods holy ordinances . of wisedome it is said , that her wayes are the wayes of pleasantnesse . i willingly confesse , that to the naturall man , as the things of god are foolishnesse , so the word of god is a reproach unto him , hee hath no delight in it . hee delights rather in carnall pleasures ; and is it fit to humour him in such courses , and that on the lords day ? our saviour expresly tells us , that the pleasures of life choake the word , and make it become unfruitfull : therefore it no way fits a man to gods service ; and if way be opened to such courses , though not till after evening prayer ; as many as are taken with them , will have their minds running upon them , so as to say , when will the sabbath be gone , and the time of divine service be over ? that so they may come to their sports , as well as covetous persons longed after the like , that they may returne to their trading . a naturall man , before his calling is discribed unto us in scripture , to bee such a one as served lusts and diverse pleasures , and the wicked are said to spend their dayes in pleasure ; and such are they , whom the prophet describeth after this manner , heare now thou that art given to pleasure . as for the children of god , as they are renewed in their affections generally , so the matter of their delight is much altered ; his delight is in the law of the lord ; as christ sayeth , i delight to do thy will , and psal . . . i delight my selfe in thy statutes , & v. . thy testimonies are my delight , and . i will delight my selfe in the commandement , and psalme . . thy comforts delight my soule : on the other side , the character of the foole is this , he hath no delight in understanding . as for the reformation of such fooles , let every wise & sober christian consider , whether it be a fit course to let the reynes loose upon their neck , and give them liberty to take their courses , and not rather to endevour to weane them therefrom by representing the vanity of them , witnessed by the experience of king solomon , who was acquainted with the delights of the sonnes of men as much as any , and tells us what fruit and profit hee reaped by them , saying , vanitie of vanities , all is but vanitie ; and that the end of all that discourse of his , is to promote this exhortation , feare god , and keepe his commandements , for this is whole man ; then on the other side , the blessed , the comfortable and only profitable condition of delighting in the lord , in the judgement of david , the father of king solomon , delight thou in the lord , and he shall give thee thy hearts desire ; to meete with the contrary iudgement of carnall men , who say , it profitteth not a man , that he should delight himselfe with god. if it be said that such sports are tolerated , to fit a man for his calling the day following ; it is very strange , that workes of our calling should not be permitted on any part of the sabbath day , and sports and pastimes should ; and shall not the spending of our time in gods service , not publique only , but private also , farre better fit us to serve god in the workes of our calling , and make us more capable of his blessing upon our labours , then the exercising of our selves in sports and pastimes ? as for the maintaining of good neighbourhood , i appeale to every mans conscience , whether christian neighbourhood be not better maintained , in meeting together in the repeating of a sermon , the word in the originall being only consortium , or in edifying one another in holy communication ; then in meeting together at beare-baiting , or at a play , or at a may game , or to look upon a morice dance . . whether on the lords day which is our christian sabbath it is not fit to maintaine neighbourhood , and communion in things spirituall ; as at other times to maintaine neighbourhood in things civill , and temporall . to conclude this , there are . things that in this discourse give little satisfaction . . that under recreations are comprehended not only such courses as recreate , and refresh the spirits , wherby men are made more fit for labour both of body , and minde , but also , ( and that more principally intended as it semees ) the pleasing of the senses , and especially the eye and the eare , and thus mens pleasures carnall pleasures are cleanely carryed under the stile of recreations , and refreshments of the spirit , when they deserve rather to be called the tickling of the flesh . . here is no mention made of the end whereunto recreations tend which ought to be only to fit us either for the labours of our speciall vocations , or for the works of our generall calling , as sause is for meats . . lastly under recreations lawfull there seemes to be no intention to acknowledge our conversing with god in any recreation ; yet aristotle could take notice of a pleasure taken in this that a man knowes by curious demonstration , that a triangle containes three angles equall to two right : such like thing was that which archimedes rejoyced in , when he cried out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and pythagoras as i remember , sacrificed a great sacrifice upon the finding out the equality of the square of the subtendent line in a rectangle triangle , to the squares of the two sides . so a scholar takes delight in finding out by curious demonstration the squaring of a circle , a thing confessed by aristotle to be knowable , but the demonstration of it hath not beene found untill about fifty yeares agoe , as salmuth writes upon pancirolla . should any pleasure taken in any other worldly thing , be comparable to that which ought to be taken in the enjoying of friends , and their mutuall communication ? i have heard it accompted the best musick ; how much lesse should be all other pleasure in comparison to that pleasure which is taken in god , who hath rivers of pleasures in his house , wherewith to entertaine us ? not to speake of that fulnesse of joy which is in his presence , and at his right hand pleasures for evermore , gods soule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 takes pleasure in us : why should not we take delight in him ? is not all other rejoycing in comparison to our rejoycing in him a rejoycing in a a thing of nought ? certainly he that loveth any pleasure or pastime in comparison to this , will in the end prove to be a very poore creature . but to proceed ; after this a rule is given , that this our christian liberty be voyd of scandall , to wit , of scandall justly given , and not vainely caught at ; but in what cases it falls out to be justly given , and in what not ; in what case it is vainly caught at , and in what not , here we find no explication ; which yet i presume will seeme necessary in every wise mans judgement ; especially to me it must needs seeme so , being as i am , in extreame despaire of devising these different cases of mine owne head . of christian liberty from the yoke of jewish ceremonies i have read , but of christian liberty unto sports , and pastimes , under the gentile notion of recreations , and that on the lords day , i never read till now . the jewes to this day continue their ceremonies , but not any abstinence from al sports , and pastimes on their sabbath ; for if they did , why should austin tell them , it were better for them to goe to plough then to dance ? in the very festivalls of the jewes which were yearely , a difference there was in the dayes of each ; the first , and last were sabbaths appointed for holy convocations , and thereon abstinence commanded from all servile works ; i no where finde any piping and dancing on those dayes , saving their temple musick ; how much more undecent is it to clap the weekely sabbath , together with other festivalls , as if there were no difference : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to be moved round , and consequently it signifies , as sometimes to dance , as sam. . so sometimes also to stagger like a drunken man , psal . . . and dancing was used sometimes in the festivalls of the jewes , whereby they testified their rejoycing in the lord , ier. . and with a pipe they came to the mount of the lord , es . . and miriam moses sister , and other women also with timbrells , and dances expressed their joy in the lord for their deliverance from the hands of the egyptians , and for their safe passage through the red sea , wherein the enemies were drowned . but of any such course used on the first , and last day of their yearely feasts , which were set apart for holy convocations , we find no example amongst them ; much lesse as approved , while they continued the church , and people of god , least of all on the weekely sabbath . as for love feasts on the sabbath untill abuse crept in , they continued without exception in great sobriety , only to quicken one another , and provoke unto love , and gracious communication for the edification of their souls . i never heard of any schismatique how rashly zealous or stoicall soever , that tooke upon him the authority of the civill magistrate : all for ought i know , concurre in this , that it belongs onely to the magistrate out of coercitive power to command , and compell , but to the minister of what sect soever , only to persuade , and worke upon mens consciences : so that the members of this comparison are most indecently yoaked feigning men to be of what spirit soever it pleaseth to shape them , and to doe whatsoever they thinke good , though never so unreasonably , and without all example . of the jewes i have read , that they count it unlawfull to kill a flea on the sabbath ; and such things must be pinned upon the sleeve of opposites to grace their cause , for want of better arguments to strengthen it . infine we have a buffe givē to debauched companions in words , when under the cleanly terme of recreations on the lords day , the course here taken is to sacrifice unto them indeed , and in effect . finis . doctor lake bishop of bath , and wells , theses de sabbato . . god at first made us not only men , but also children of god. . therefore wee had a double being , or were fitted for a double societie . civill . . ecclesiasticall . . these states are inwrapped the one in the other ; for the ecclesiasticall presuposeth the civill , he that is a child of god is a man , and hee must be of the civill that is of the ecclesiasticall society . . and the civill state must be seasoned with , and moderated by the ecclesiasticall ; for a man in his civill state must live as a child of god , and member of the church . . notwithstanding god would that each of these states should during this world , have successively their principall imployments . . and for these imployments hee appointed certaine times . . the proportion of time allowed , the principall imployment of the civill state was six dayes ; and that which was allowed the principall imployment of ecclesiasticall state was one day . . what times himselfe tooke for to work in or rest after the creation , the same did hee assigne to men , and made his patterne a perpetuall law ? . so then of our time god reserved a seventh part for his service . . but in this apportioning as he reserved a seventh part of time ; so was that seventh the seventh day of the weeke . . whereof the ground was his rest from labour . . for that he would have to be the day of mans rest , because he sanctified it . . and though , no meane both jewes , and christians doubt of the beginning of this observance by man , yet i thinke it began with adam . . god had a church and a service of his owne prescript from the beginning ; and why should we doubt whether hee cloathed then his service with due circumstances of time. place . . did he sanctifie it for his owne use ? that were absurd to thinke the word sanctifying doth refute it ; for whom then ? surely for man. . and the place exod. . together with the preface to the fourth commandement [ remember ] weigh more with me then all the weake presumptions that are brought to the contrary . . i conclude then , that the fourth commandement is not an introduction , but a declaratory law. but moreover i adde , that when it was delivered to the jewes there was superadded , a distinguishing reference to that church . . for it was prescribed as a signe of gods sanctifying residence amongst them ; and a memoriall of their freedome from egyptian bondage . . but these accessories derogate not from the first institution . . no more doth the forme of liturgy which was occasioned by the fall , or their freedome . . these things shew rather to what speciall use they did apply the time , then touch the apportionment thereof . . the apportionment of time ( of which i take these questions moved ) hath two remarkable things . . . that god reserveth a seventh part of time , . that hee designeth which of the seven days shall be his . . the reserving of the seventh part i hold to be by gods ordinance who is not variable in his choice , as everlasting as the world , because appointed before the fall . . and so should the hallowing of the seventh ayfm the creation have beene as lasting , had it not beene for sin , for what could have altered it but a new creation ? . but man having sinned , and so by sin abolished the first creation de jure , though not de facto , god was pleased to make by christan instauration of the world. . hee ( as the scripture speakes of christs redemption ) made a new heaven , and a new earth ; old things passed then away , and so all things were made new . yea every man in christ is a new creature . as god then when he ended the first creation , made a day of rest , and sanctified it . so did christ , when he ended his worke , make a day of rest and sanctified it . . not altering the proportion of time which is eternall , but taking the first day of seven for his portion , because sin had made the seventh alterable , therefore . . this first day succeeded the seventh , and by that was this memoriall abolished . . and although the apostles were indulgent to the jewes in keeping the seventh as well as the first , when they conversed with them ; untill the destruction of the temple . yet would they not endure , that the gentiles should be tied to the observation thereof . . this first day christ sanctified not only by his resurrection , but also by sundry apparitions before his ascension , and after his ascension by sending thereon the holy ghost ; this is cleare in the gospell and actes . the apostles directed by christs not onely example , but spirits also , observéd the same ; witnesse in the acts s. paul ; s. iohn in the revelation . and from the apostles the catholike church uniformly received it ; witnesse all ecclesiasticall writers . and the church hath received it not to be liberae observationis , as if men might at their pleasure , accept or refuse it . but to be perpetually observed to the worlds end ; for as god only hath power to apportion his time : so hath he power to set out the day that hee will take for his portion , for hee is lord of the sabbath . and he doth it by the worke which hee doth on the day ; the worke i say doth difference a day from a day . whereas otherwise all dayes are equall , and the same in themselves ; as the sonne of syrach teacheth . now then when god doth any remarkeable worke , then will hee be honoured with a commemoration day for that worke ; if the worke concerne the whole by the whole church ; and by a part if it concerne a part . and his will is understood often by his precept , but when we have not that , the practise doth guide the church . this is a catholick rule observeable in the institution of all sacred feasts both divine and humane . the worke of the day is the ground of hallowing the day , whether it be weekly monethly or yearly , as particulars evince in scripture and history . no man can translate the worke , therefore can no man translate the day ; this is an undoubted rule in theology . and no man can in reason deny due respect unto the worke , therefore hee cannot deny the hallowing of the day ; a true rule in morality . now then seeing the lords day hath not altered the proportion of time , but onely changed the day , though not properly , yet by analogy ; though not with the accessories , yet according to the originall sabbath , it may well agree with the tenor of the fourth commandement , and the observance thereof be commanded therein . according to these theses which i hold true , untill any of them he confuted , i will point out what i mislike in the questions or the answers : not every particular , but some principall points . figure the section of the answers in your booke , and you shall the better fit my theses to them . question . vvhat doe you mean when you pray after the fourth commandement , lord have mercy upon us , &c. the theses answereth , that we meane not the jewish sabbath , but that which analogically to the originall sabbath we observe , the lords day . question . sect. . the observation of the sabbath some say is morall , and perpetuall . ] by sabbath you must understand the lords day , otherwise none but hereticks hold this opinion . then i thinke the proportion of time is perpetuall thesi ; though if you looke to the assiguation of the day , it is not perpetuall ; sin hath altered it occasionally , and god causally ; absque hoc it was intended that it should be perpetuall , thesi . but whether is the observation of the lords day morall ? certainly this is a morall rule ; to hallow the day wherein god doth some remarkable worke . thes . . & . but christ did rise for the restauration of the world this day , therefore the observance thereof morall . were it an absolute assignation of time , the appointing of the lords day , it might be doubted : but take this circumstance as it cloatheth the worke , then i hold it cleare , that though time be but a circumstance , yet the observance of time so understood is morall . but there is a mutability in the observance of such times as cloath gods works , because the works themselves are subject to mutability , and so the seventh day was changed for the first , because the first creation needed an instauration ; and he that caused the instauration might make the alteration . thesi . question . section . the text is cleare colos . . that the observation of the sabbath was ceremoniall ] as a shadow ? meane you this of the originall sabbath or the declaratory cloathed with the accessories . thes . , , &c. it is certaine the originall could be no shaddow , for it is precedent to the fall . the declaration may ; true ; as considered with his accessories , but the author of the questions ( i thinke ) mistaketh the text of s. paul. for the words referre to the controversie betweene the jewes and gentiles , both believers ; but the beleeving jew would have put upon the believing gentile the ceremonies , which s. paul indureth not , either here or in the galat. as for the place to the rom : that tempereth the presumption , of the gentile , who out of the conceipt of christian liberty forgot to beare with the weake jew . all this is nothing to the originall sabbath , whereunto ( i say ▪ ) the lords day succeedeth , and is by analogy in the fourth commandement , which hath no mixture of those accessories , for ought i can see in the words . question . section . it cannot be proved , that the apostles commanded to sanctifie the lords day in memory of christs resurrection . ] no can ? what author ancient is there that doth not hold it to have had his originall from the apostles ? he should doe well to alleage them . it is something discrepant from the doctrine of our church . ] you alleage the words of the homily , but streighten the tense of them ; for the christian people that chose the first day , were those that lived in the dayes of the apostles , all of them and their posterity successively to us . doth it therefore follow that wee may not keepe the seventh day in memory of the worlds creation ? it doth ; for the lords day succeedeth in stead of that , ut thes . . therefore they cannot consist with the purpose of the alteration , which is to note a new creation . ib. constantine commanded the sixt day should be kept in memory of christs death ] kept as a fasting day , not as a festivall day ; and so the church keepeth it still . ibid. sabbato & postridie sabbati conveniunt . ] so doth the church now ; but saturday is parasceve to the lords day ; and least they should seeme to judaize , they did and do begin the eve after noon , to note it is but a preparation to sunday . ibid. saint austin termeth the sabbath in the fourth commandement , sacramentum umbratile . ] true , as the jewes did observe it ; so himselfe there expoundeth himselfe . question . . section . the observance of the sabbath day by christ compared to jewish sacrifice . ] this speaketh not of the assignation of dayes , but how strictly the day must be kept , and it is as true of the lords day . section . hebrewes . mention is made of three rests . ] or one rest rather , which is gods rest , and the participation thereof wayes typically . spiritually . the typicall is the entrance into canaan , which carried with it a cessation from labours of the jewish servitude , and pilgrimage . from this typicall many ( saith the apostle ) were excluded through infidelity , and by fayth some did partake it . but there was another participation , a spirituall , which came by jesus , whereunto iosuah could not bring , which is a ceasing not from corporall , but spirituall toyles and sinnes immediatly : but mediately it will bring unto a spirituall blessed rest both of body and soule in heaven . this spirituall immediate rest or participation of gods rest is called sabbatismus populi dei. if this be ( as i conceave it is ) the meaning of the place ; what is this to dayes ? ib. section . some will have a weekely sabbath a shaddow in regard of the strictnesse of the rest . ] i thinke the strictnesse was not it , at least not principally : but the accession ; of which in the theses . but you are out of your argument , for s. paul speakes of shadow whereof the body is christ , now before the fall the sabbath was a kinde of shadow of our eternall rest ; but not of that whereof christ is the body . and to us the lords day is a foretast of that eternall rest , and i hold this shadow to be as lasting as the world. ib. new moone et caetera shadowes in their substance not their accessories , ergo the sabbath . a weake collection ; for other feasts were instituted after the fall under the pedagogy of the law , the sabbath before ; therefore this might be made a shadow by accessorie , these not so . ibid. shall i demand of them , when this sabbath began to be a shadow . ] when after the fall it received accessions , it became such a shadow , as saint paul speaketh of col. . otherwise it was a kinde of shadow of eternall rest in the foundation , and the lords day continueth so now . ib. the apostle hebrew speaketh of the seventh as rested upon , not sanctified . ] reade the mistake of this place before . ib. section . the sabbath more ceremoniall then the other commandements : you prove it out of s. austin . ] and it is plaine hee speaketh of the sabbath as the jewes observed it , and had it given in charge with his accessories , but i still call you to the originall sabbath . gen. . res . respons . ad quaestion . . section . our words and meaning must not agree in our prayer , lord have mercy upon us , &c. a strange answer ; i thinke they must and doe agree ; for by analogy is the lords day contained in the commandement , and the church directeth us so to understand . the apportionment of time is everlasting , only the translation of the day is by all that have any understanding to catechize taught to be grounded upon a new creation succeeding the old . the personall defects i cannot reply to , but leave them to be reformed . though the imperfections of the ignorant should not be presented , when the question is made so difficult that the learned can hardly assoile it . as the author of the questions thinketh . question . how shall the fourth commandement bind us considering the forme of words to keep any day but only the seventh ? ] i suppose in my theses i have given a probable answer . seeing the apportionment of time is eternall , which i thinke cannot justly be denyed , i hold the translation of of the feast from the seventh to the first day is grounded upon analogy . for seeing god was pleased that the day of the creation should be commemorated ( as appeareth by the letter of the commandement ) and the first creation being by sin dissolved jure , & restored againe by christ upon the first day ; where we find the rest after the new creation , there we must fix the feast ; and this is perswaded by the drift of the law. except we lay this for a ground ; god will have the day of creation observed . observed after the rule of the first creation it cannot be , for then we doe not acknowledge the dissolution thereof , i meane still merito . in testimony of that , and christs restitution , we keepe the day of the new creation , and we are guided to it by the fourth commandement . question . how shall it appeare to be the law of nature to sanctifie one day every weeke ? surely here the author of the questions makes a strange answer . for he looseth himselfe in his distinction of the morall law and the law of nature which he seemeth not to understand well . he would have the law of nature to prescribe circumstances to actions , and not the morall law , whereas the morality stands in observing the circumstance of actions , as the ethicks will teach , and this in the phrase medium rationis . secondly , hee thinketh that all the lawes morall are as he calleth them of nature , doe represent the image of god , and are unalterable even by god himselfe . not considering that there is a morality that concerneth man as he is animal rationale , and reason moderateth the sensuall part , which commeth not within the compasse of the image of god. and in many particulars is mutable , and dispensable in cases of necessity ; as it is held against the law of nature that brothers and sisters should marry , but god dispensed with it , but i should wade into a large argument if i should rippe up these two errors . i rather note , that hee understandeth not the ground of a festivall day , that maketh no other ground of it than omnia siant ordine & decenter . the lords day had a higher ground , which i opened in the theses , and that is christs resurrection , and thereby a new instauration of the world. which wee are bound to observe upon the grounds set downe in the theses . and in a word ; hee that doth not let gods word be the guide directing to sanctifie a festivall day , i thinke hee squareth not his opinion according to truth , neither hath he any president from gods word . finis . defensio thesium de sabbato . i take notice of tertull , iustin martyr : ] true ; but they alter not my judgement : and why ? i finde in them onely a bare assertion , and that of a thing so remote from their times , that they could not know it otherwise then by relation . from the scripture they had none ; happily they had it from some jewes . galatinus alleadgeth some . but i oppose jewes to jewes . philo iudaeus de opificio mundi not onely is of a contrary opinion , but holdeth also that it was a feast common to all nations , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and peradventure some such thing is meant by hesiod his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and it is not unlikely that god made the observation of the day a memoriall of the creation . but i will not enlarge that discourse . it shall suffice that philo iudaeus , and aben ezra also and others thinke otherwise , whose judgement our orthodox divines doe , if not all , yet for the most part follow . read them upon the second of genesis . what the patriarks did in point of religion , i thinke they did it by divine direction . yee know that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did never please god ; wherefore the mosaicall lawes ( other then those that had reference to the church as nationall , and delivered out of the egyptian bondage ) are to be thought not introductory , but declaratory . out of question those that concerned the substance of the service which stood in sacrifices , and i thinke concerning the circumstance of time , and place . the place ; for there where god appeared , there did they erect their altars : yea , and in the story of rebecca it is plaine that shee went to a set place to consult the lord. and why shall not the time come under the same condition ? the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must receive an answer from that which is added in confirmation of the thesis . it is but an ungrounded conjecture . where had rhenanus that opinion ? his varying from those whom i answered on the thesis sheweth that hee was not of iustin martyr or tertullian his opinion , and yet giveth no reason that may move to credit him , or countervaile what i have alleadged for my opinion . yes , there is more , if you compare deut. c. . with exodus c. . but i meant not onely that , but other passages which make the sabbath a signe of gods residence sanctifying the jewes , &c. which i expressed in the next thesis . bedes conceipt may passe for an allegory built upon a witty accommodation of the literall sense which other fathers observed before him . but that cannot be the literall sense of the commandement . you will not deny it , if you grant that the sabbath was instituted before the fall , which i thinke more then probable , though the broughtonists hasten the fall before the sabbath . and i cannot without good reason yield that the patriarchs had no set time for divine service , i meane a weekely time . true it is , that christ did rest from suffering upon the seventh ; but the last enemy death was not apparently overthrowne untill the reunion of his soule , and body , till he rose againe for our justification , &c. therefore did the apostles make that the consummation of redemption in christs person . you cannot finde in all the . to the romans that the apostle is positive in the doctrine of dayes , he expresseth a mutuall indulgence untill men had attained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerning the liberty from moses law. neither doth he beare out the gentiles against the jewes , but qualifie rather the destempered zeale of the gentiles that were too hot against the jewes ; sensus dictorum sumendus est ex causis dicendorum , it is plaine that there was a questiō , whether the christian gentile should be pressed to observe the ceremonies whereunto the christian jewes were pertinaciously addicted ? but never was there ( for ought i read ) a question whether the jewes should keepe the lords day ? for i think they never refused it . had there been such a quarrell , i would enlarge the sense of that chapter , as you doe , to our question , but seeing there was not , i see not how it should be reasonably done . i say not that the apostles imprinted any holinesse upon the first day of the weeke ; it was christs resurrection that honoured that day , which ( i say ) the apostles were to respect , not arbitrarily , but necessarily . you may perceive the reason in my theses . you cannot observe from the beginning of the world any other inducement to the institution of feasts , but gods worke done on the day ; if it were not a continued worke , as the dwelling in tabernacles . but you thinke the apostles did not prescribe the observation of that day ; no ? you confesse they made choice of it , and were moved so to doe by the reason which i alleage , and were they not scattered over all the world ? & where they came did they not all give the same order for the sacred assemblies ? and shall we thinke that this could be done without an apostolicall prescript ? . & . i conjoyne them , because one answer will cleare both ; let us then first agree , what it is for a thing to be liberae observationis . the questionist in his interpretation , which commonly is received , leaveth a possibility for an alteration by humane auctority , if any reason shall perswade a conveniency so to doe ; though so long as publike auctority commandeth it , he will have it dutifully observed . whereupon will follow a consectary or two . first , that this law doth not immediately bind the conscience , because merè humani iuris positivi . secondly , that extra scandalum , a man may transgresse it . for example , a tradesman may worke in his chamber , if no body bee privy to it . if this be the commentary upon libera observatio ( and if it be well inquired into , you will finde that i doe not mistake the meaning ) then i professe i cannot like of such a libera observatio . for i am perswaded that if all christendome should meete , and have never so plausible a ground , they cannot alter the day de jure , though de facto they may ; but it is worse then p●evishnesse so to doe . and why ? they cannot alter the first ground , christs rising upon that day . secondly , they cannot alter the uniforme order that upon that undenyable ground was set down by the apostles themselves , which were infallibly guided by the holy ghost . and out of these grounds i deduce , that the law doth immediately bind their conscience . and that it is to be observed , even where it may be transgressed without any scandall . christ and the apostles were not absolutely bound to lay such a foundation of the lords day , and so it was liberae institutionis ; but they having layd it , i deny that it is now liberae observationis ; so that under god i know no power that can alter it . the fathers speake of the jewish sabbath , and allegorize that as it was carnally used by the jewes . but we shall wrong the fathers , if we thinke they held that there was no morality in the letter of the commandement . for though there were a mystery figured in it , yet they doe not deny that there was a morall proportioning of time for divine service prescribed therein , which is the seventh part of the weeke . it is one thing to say that all our life time we must be religious in our conversation , and keepe a spirituall sabbath ; anotherthing to affirme that we must not have a solemne weekely day , wherein to intend onely divine worship . this last point the fathers doe not say , the former they doe , and to argue from their omission , is to extend their words beyond their meaning ; at least , their meaning is not adaequate to the sense of the commandement . no nor to their practise ; for they did constantly observe a seventh part of the weeke , which i say is the first principle contained in the fourth commandement . though i deny not but there is moreover a limitation to the seventh day from the creation exprest , which christ and his apostles altered ; but this alteration cannot overthrow the first principle ; they may both well goe together . to the particular allegations out of the fathers i will answer no more then , that what they say is true , but doth not contradict what i hold . for the mysticall sense doth not overthrow the literall of the commandement . and they understand the seventh day precisely from the creation , which we confesse altered , and speake not of the divine ordinance , for the apportioning of time , but the carnall observation of the jewes . and your answer to the first question grounded on the fathers words may passe for good ; but there is more in the commandement then so . your answer to the second i cannot so well approve , because it is exclusive . as for your third answer , that the fourth commandement is not the law of nature , but a positive law ; take the law of nature for morall reason , then i think there is more then meere positivenesse in it . for morall reason teacheth to honour the day whereon the work is done ; and that morall reason which gave this in charge was apostolicall , and so of a commanding power in both . and then you see that it is neither meerely positive , nor meerely naturall , but mixt , and so binding accordingly , ut supra ad thesin . . & . you adde two questions . whether seeing the lords day succeeds the jewish sabbath , wee are to keepe it in the same manner , and with the same strictnesse ? first i hold in my theses , that our lords day doth properly succeed the sabbath instituted at the creation . whereupon i separate all the accessories from moses law. secondly , the jewes did misconsture the stricknesse of their sabbath , as appeareth by the many corrections of our saviour in the gospell , and his generall rule : the sabbath was made for man , not man for the sabbath . thirdly , they held that they might not so much as kindle a fire , or dresse meat upon that day , grounding their conceipt upon the texts that are ex. . & cap. . but both texts seeme to be wrested ; for that exod. . about kindling a fire , must be limited by the verse going before , and is not to be understood of any other kindling of fire , then for following of their trades or servile workes , as they are called . and so munster , vatable , and others upon that place censure their mistake . and that it is a mistake against the meaning of the commandment , i gather from hence : for the jewes that will not put their owne hands to kindle a fire , will hire christians to doe it for them ; as if the commandment did not reach servants and strangers within their gates ; and they offend as much in doing it by others , as if they did it by themselves . but so doe they use to abuse the scripture , and confute their glosses by their owne practice . as for the . chapter of exod. which seemeth to forbid the dressing of meat , i hold that mistaken also . read the chapter and mark whether you can finde that upon the sixth day they were to dresse any more then served for that day , and to lay up the rest undressed untill the sabbath ; at what time ( i hope ) they were to dresse it before they did eat it . and indeed only the providing of manna is there forbidden , and a promise ( whereof they had experience ) that it would not putrifie upon the sabbath , though they kept it till then , whereas upon other dayes it would . and in this sense doe i understand the severe punishment of him that gathered sticks upon the seventh day , it was because he then made his provision , and did it , it should seeme , with an high hand . numb . cap. . as for recreations i can say nothing , but that seeing the lords day is to be the exercise of that life which is spirituall , and as a foretast of that which is eternall , it were to be wisht that wee did intend those things as farre as our frailty will reach . but vivitur non cum perfect is hominibus , and wee must be content to have men as good as we may , when it is not to be hoped they will be as good as they should . yet we must take heed that we doe not solemnize our feast vainly as either the iewes or gentiles did . against whom nazianzene is very tart , & tertul. in his apolog. in the civill law we finde a dispensation for husbandmen in case of necessity , contrary to the jewish policy , exod. . which is followed by our law. edward . the . wee may in apparrell and diet , be more liberall and costly on feasts then on other dayes . a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were corporall feasts joyned to the eucharist , wherein the rich did feed the poore . which afterward for inconvenience was removed out of the church . i meane the corporall feast ( although in saint austins confessions you shall find , that in saint ambrose days there were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the toombs of martyrs which saint ambrose tooke away . but though the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were taken out of the church , yet upon those dayes the rich relieved their poore brethren . which they little thinke of , that for feare of breaking the sabbath have taken away hospitality . some men are over-nice in this point , more nice then christ himselfe , luc. . who on the sabbath went to a feast , and that was to a wedding feast . and why not ? seeing the sabbath is symbolum aeternae , not only quietis , but laetitiae ; therefore resembled to a feast without the toyle of acquisition . so that the sabbath is not violated by feasts , if wee exceed not necessitatem personae , though natura wee doe . now necessitas personae requireth that more be imployed in providing feasts ; as a kings diet then a subjects , a noble then a common mans , a colledge then a single person : but we must take care ne quid nimis in victu , joy &c. alogia which s. austin reproves epist. . ad casulanum must not be used . and we must keepe the apostles rule ; whether wee eat or drinke , we must doe all to the glory of god. and it were to bee wished , that the old practice , whereof there is a patterne in the kings house , & some cathedrall churches , were every where in use . that at six a clock in the morning prayers , were every where appointed for servants and such as were to prepare dinner , to goe then to church , at whose returne the masters might goe with the rest of their familie . as for other recreations , if they be not opposite or prejudiciall to piety , they may well stand with the solemnizing of the sabbath and other feasts . too much austerity doth rather hurt then good ; especially in those dayes , wherein indulgence , where of we have patternes in gods synchoreticall lawes , is extorted from those that are in authoritie , by the generall corruption of the time . wherefore i would distinguish in such cases betweene the precept and permission . the precept sheweth whereunto men should tend and be exhorted ; and it were to be wished they would follow , and keepe the lords day , as they are directed by the canon and injunction . the permission sheweth what must be tollerated for the hardnesse of mens hearts . vacation from bodily labour is required both perse ; for it is a figure of our freedome from those animall toyles in the church triumphant , and also propter aliud , that we may the better intend our spirituall life . to conclude all , seeing all agree that it must be observed , and differ onely upon what ground and how farre ; seeing to fetch the authority from god , and to keepe it with all reasonable strictnesse maketh most for piety , in a doubtfull case , i incline thither , though i condemne not them that are otherwise minded , wishing that sobriety of judgement to all in such disputes , which saint paul commendeth rom. c. . finis . an errata . in the preface p. . li. . . it is so far to be accompted morall , in the treatise , p. . l. . report , read repent . p. . l. . to seale , reade to steale , p. . l. . a new father , r. a new master , p. . l. . mockel . p. . l. . blot out and p. . l. . wee , r. who r. l. . would read could , p. . l. . ●●loponus , p. . l. . rather then p. . l. . unto . p. . l. . from sins , read for sins , p. l. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . l. . purse , read purpose . p. . l. . toh read both p. . l. . and by sending the holy ghost , p. . l. . read rom : . p. . l. the last , now read was , p. . l. . read because on that day , p. . l. . qua , read quae , page . l. . his read is , p. . l. . some without , read shins with our p. . l . yet read yea p. . l. . walaeus , that , read walaeus say that p. . l. . & made read & the seventh made , line last , that on that day read , that one day . p. . l. . is to be proved , read is , to prove only . p. . l. . read banbury , p. . l. . rogers upon . read rogers . vpon , l. . is contrary read it contrary p. . l. the last , dele which the jewes keepe , read as the letter soundeth , p. . against , read againe , p. . l. . be , read to be , l. . l. . dele now being , read to be , p. . l. . though he read though i. p. . l. . that , read and that , p. . l. . peratur read● operatur , p. . l. . uno read imo , p. . l. . well , rea● 〈◊〉 p. . l. . observed the , read observed it in the p. . . saith that no more , read saith no more , p. . l. . as read was p. . l. . he doth say , read he doth not say , p. . l. ●● . gerardus , p. . li. i. read supposition l. . that god , dele that , & read god p. . l. . of ephesus , read of troas p. . l. . i can , read i call . thes . de sabbat . thes . . the seventh day from . christ an . . spirit . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e pa. . pa. . notes for div a -e exod. . . . . . exod. . . deut. . . . . deut. . , , , . gen. . . eth. . c. . a hos . . . prov. . . gen. . , . deut. . . es . . . a de civit . dei. lib. . c. . b quaest . supra exo. quaest . . cor. . . . part. . lib. . cap. . iohn . . notes for div a -e preface . sect. . gal. . , . see august . de haeres . & epiph. sermon . de tem . serm . . “ theodoret. “ and by inquiry i find it true * people . ▪ pet. . " math. . . . mar . . luk. . . exod. . luke . . ●ast . luk , . . gen. . , . eccles . hist . lib. . cap. . lib. . cap. . fid. orthod . lib. . cap. . dissert . de . praecep . p. . august . epist . . ad casulanum . matth. . . iren. l. . cap. . preface . anno . pag. , . fol. . pag. . act. & mon. fol. . col . . & fol. . col . . & . preface . instit . lib. . sect . . ibid. sect . . instit . lib. . c. . sect . . calvin . in . ad corin. cap. . lib. . c. . sect . . in . ad . cor. ca. . cyrill . in ioan. li. . this is to bee understood of one day in seven indefinitly considered . for as for the rest of the seventh precisely that is acknowledged to have beene mysterious . sect. . comment in . ep . ad cor . cap. . preface . inistitut . part . . l. . cap. . wallae , dissert . de sabbato . in apoc. . . * they meane the third , but indeed it is the fourth . ier. . . sum pt. . q. ● . art . . in . corpor . iob. . . tom . in gen. c. . v. . * . cor. . . hist . lib. . . . . * in apoc. . ▪ ●nvestig . ● ab . cap. . sect . . sect. . explicat . de calog p. ● . . resp . . respon . . resp . respon . rivet . . respon . rivet . . resp . . . institut . par . . l. . f. c. . respon . rivet explicat . dec . p. ● . col . . preface . athan. on that of mat. . . all things are given to me of my father . in his speech in the starre chamber , against traske . these theses of his were written as it seemes in opposition to broade . baron . tom . . pag. . baron . tom . . pag. . azorius institut . part . . l. . c. . rom. . . rom. . . acts . biblioth . lib. . p. . col. ● . psalm . . . pref. de reg . chr. lib. . cap. . const . apost . l. . c. . perkins . rivet . answ . repl. perkins . rivets ans . reply . perk. rivet . answ . reply . perk. rivet . answ . reply . perkins . dan. . . rivet . answ . reply . pref. tim. . . pref. paren . l. . c. ult . neb. . . patterne of catech. p. , . on the con. esay . . notes for div a -e in psalm . . sect. . ezr. . . zan. in . praecep . p. . ibi. l. p. . con. . conclus . ad . & . . q. . art . . harm . in . lib. mosis in praecep . . bannes . . art . . august . de . tem. ser. . . q. . art . . rom. . . nehem. . . . girded at by mr. rogers . pro. . . cor. . . ier. . . luc. . . tit. . . iob. . . es . . . psal . . . psal . . : psal . . . eccles . . . ps . . . job . . psal . . . psal . . . amos . . prov. . . notes for div a -e gen. . notes for div a -e thes . . in decalog . . geu . . thes . . the new-covenant of the gospel distingnished [sic] from the old covenant of the law and the rest or sabbath of believers, from the rest or sabbath of the jews, which differ as much from each other, as the sign and shadow doth from the thing signified and shadowed out : in answer to some queries of w. salters, tending to enforce upon christians the observation of the jewish sabbath ... whereto are added some considerations propounded to the jews, tending towards their conversion to that which is the life and spirit of the law / by isaac penington ... penington, isaac, - . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing p ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing p estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the new-covenant of the gospel distingnished [sic] from the old covenant of the law and the rest or sabbath of believers, from the rest or sabbath of the jews, which differ as much from each other, as the sign and shadow doth from the thing signified and shadowed out : in answer to some queries of w. salters, tending to enforce upon christians the observation of the jewish sabbath ... whereto are added some considerations propounded to the jews, tending towards their conversion to that which is the life and spirit of the law / by isaac penington ... penington, isaac, - . penington, isaac, - . some considerations propounded to the jewes. [ ], , [ ], p. printed for robert vvilson, and are to be sold at his shop ..., london : . reproduction of original in the harvard university library. eng salters, w. covenant theology. sabbath -- biblical teaching. a r (wing p ). civilwar no the new-covenant of the gospel distingnished [sic] from the old covenant of the law· and the rest or sabbath of believers, from the rest or penington, isaac c the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the c category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the new-covenant of the gospel distinguished from the old covenant of the law . and the rest or sabbath of believers , from the rest or sabbath of the jews ; which differ as much from each other , as the sign and shadow doth from the thing signified and shadowed out . in answer to some queries of w. salters , tending to enforce upon christians the observation of the jewish sabbath , which was given under the law to the jews for a sign . as also to some other queries sent in writing upon an occasion of an epistle directed to all such as observe the seventh day of the week for a sabbath now under the gospel . as likewise to some letters to the same purpose . with a brief explication of the mysterie of the six dayes labour , and seventh days sabbath . whereto are added some considerations propounded to the jews , tending towards their co●●ersion to that which is the life and spirit of the law . by isaac penington the younger . vve which have believed , do enter into rest , heb. . . let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink , or in respect of an holy day , or of the new moon , or sabbaths , which are a shadow of things to come ; but the body is christ , col. . , . london , printed for robert vvilson , and are to be sold at his shop at the black spredd-eagle and vvindmill in martins l' grand● ▪ the preface . the apostle paul saith , that god had made them able ministers of the new-testament , not of the letter , but of the spirit , cor . . after the dispensation of the law , which was a shadow of good things to come ; and after the dispensation of the prophets , who foretold of better days , and of a better state to come , then the days and state under the law was ; it pleased god first to send the fore-runner john the baptist , in the spirit and power of elias , to prepare the way for the king and his kingdom ; and then to send the king himself in the fulness of his spirit , to gather disciples to him , and to furnish them with a competent measure of the same spirit , to raise up a spiritual seed to him , in whom he would set up his kingdom , dwelling , walking , and reigning there , causing his light to shine from thence round about the earth , as from his holy city , founded upon his holy hill of sion . now those disciples or ministers whom he chose to raise up this holy seed unto him , he made fit and able to minister his new covenant , by which it was to be raised : yea he furnished them with such a power of his spirit , that they were able through him to minister , not in the letter ( as the old covenant was ministred , which left the people still dead : nay , because of the transgressing nature , made the offence abound , and so encreased death upon them ) but in the quickning spirit , which raiseth from death , and bringeth into the light of the living , to walk with the living god towards the land of eternal rest and peace . so that that which they ministred was spirit , and that which they ministred to , was spiritual . by the power of the spirit , in preaching the living word of faith , they reached through the vail to that which lay in death , they stirred up a living principle , and ministred life to it through the spirit , gal. . . and such as were born of this living principle , they taught to live in the spirit , to walk in the spirit , to be made perfect by the spirit , and not to run back to the ministration of the letter ( as was proper for the jews in their day ) after the manner of the former dispensation , but to keep in the living principle , to grow up in the seed , into the eternal life and immortality of the gospel . mark well , ( o ye christians , who desire eternal life ) the different way of ministration between the law and gospel . the law was a ministration of the letter , in which they were to wait for assistance from the spirit , by which they might be kept in the faith of , and be made obedient to the law , nehem. . . the gospel is a ministration of the spirit , wherein they are to begin with the spirit , and to go on with the spirit ; not to gather outward rules out of the letter , from what is written or spoken , but to keep to the living principle , and feel refreshment to that , in reading or hearing what is written or spoken by the spirit . and thus the scriptures being read , or any one speaking from god being heard , it is mingled with faith , and becomes profitable , feeding and refreshing the young tender plant , the living principle , and causing it to grow up into god : whereas whatever is understood , or received , or held out of this , feeds but the earthly , and doth but thicken the vail over the living seed , to which the kingdom belongs , and to which the gospel is sent to be preached to raise it , that it might live , and thrive , and grow up into its stature , that so it might inherit . the kingdom of heaven is at hand , said john the baptist ; mat. . . it is come unto you , said christ , mat. . . that power of life which was made manifest in him , was it : and this kingdom is also within you , saith christ to the pharisees , luk. . . the pharisees demanded of him when the kingdom of god should come ? it cometh not , saith he , with outward shew or observation , it cometh not that way you look for it , to wit , by the manifestation of an outward glorious king , to reign outwardly in the common-wealth of the outward israel : but the kingdom is within you . how was it within them ? christ explains to them in another place , it was in them like a grain of mustard-seed ; it was the least of all the seeds in their hearts . there were many great seeds of darkness there , but yet there was also one little seed of light . it was there , as well as the rest ( though less then them all ) and did sometimes cast some glimmerings of light , and of its shining in the darkness , though the darkness could not comprehend it . this seed was also likened to leaven , which being received by faith into the lump , would leaven the whole lump , and bring it into the savor and dominion of the kingdom . now the ministry of the apostles was to turn men from satan's kingdom to this kingdom , from his large compass of dominion in the heart , to this narrow seed ; from his great territories of darkness , to this little principle of light ; from his great power of death , to this little weak thing of god , wherein the eternal power and god-head is made manifest , as this comes to be opened and encreased by the spirit . here light is sown for the righteous , and joy for the upright in heart ; where it is to grow up , and from whence it is to be reaped after its growth to perfection . oh how long have christians ( so called ) wanted the spirit ! how have they wearyed themselves , in running to and fro about the letter , to find out the mind of god , and are still unsatisfied concerning it , and even drowned in fleshly imaginations and contentions about it ! they seek to have that satisfied , which is not to be satisfied : they seek to have that know , which is not to know : they offer to god the service , faith , and obedience of that , which he will not accept ; & keep that from him which he calls for . they seek for the spirit in the letter , according to the manner of the law ; but wait not to feel it in the seed , quickening the seed , raising up the seed , and dwelling in the seed , whither christ and his apostles directed to wait for it . they looke for that knowledge , that faith , that life , that spirit from words written , which the apostle preached was to be waited for from the word in the heart . and by this means they raise up several buildings , and get various kinds of knowledge , each according to his understanding and apprehensions of the letter , every sort being very confident concerning their own apprehensions that they are the right : and thus they wander from the city of the living god , and from the living knowledge , building up images , some outwardly , some in their minds ; some more gross , some more refined ; but all more or less who are not acquainted with the living knowledge and truths of god , but have gathered apprehensions with the wrong tool from the letter , have set up somewhat else instead of the true life and power . ( the knowledge of the true god , which is life eternal ) the knowledge of the true christ ( whom no man can indeed call lord , but by the spirit ) the knowledge of the everlasting gospel ( which alone is read in the spirit ) the knowledge of the spirit ( which alone is read in the seed ) these are strange things to the several generations of the christians of this age , who commonly know no more of them , then according to the apprehensions they have taken in concerning them , even from that wisdom and understanding which hath not a capacity in it to receive them , but must be destroyed before these things can be understood aright , cor. . . o that ye could read in the eternal light of life ! o christians , christians , o that ye could see how your understandings , and knowledge from the letter stand as much in your way , as ever the jews did in theirs , and must be broken down as flat as ever theirs was , before the foundation of the kingdom can be laid , and the building of eternal life reared up in your hearts . be not offended at my zeal for the lord my god , and for your souls . it hath cost me very dear , what i testifie to you in the simplicity and integrity of my heart ; and this i know to be most certainly true , that that spirit of man which without the leadings of the eternal light , hath nestled it self in the letter ▪ got a seat of wisdom and knowledge there , raised up a building from thence , either of inward or outward worship , will be dissetled & driven thence , even by that very spirit which gave forth the letter . and when this is done , and god's spirit again openeth the letter , o how sweet , how profitable , how clear , how refreshing will it be , being read in the light of the spirit , & in the faith which is in christ jesus , which is begotten in the heart by the word of faith , which is nigh there ▪ from that light , from that spring ( as the lord pleased to open , enlarge and fill the vessel ) all the words of the holy men of god came ; and in that alone they have their sweetness , freshness , vertue and fulness : but how to read the words outwardly written , keeping to that , and understanding them in that ( and how to keep out the natural man with his natural understanding , which knoweth not the things of the spirit , nor can know or receive them , cor. . . ) is a mystery to them who have not been turned inwards to this word , nor have known or heard his voice . the lord is recovering the mysterie of life : and as that appears , the mysterie of death under all its paint ( under all its painted faith , painted love , painted knowledge , painted obedience , painted duties , ordinances , and worship ) will be made manifest . happy is he , whose inward building will stand , whose gold will abide the fire and everlasting burnings of the jealous god , whose eye-salve was bought of the true spirit , whose raiment is right spun : but exceeding hard wil it go with that man , whom the lord ( when he cometh to search him ) shall not find a right inward jew , as he took himself to be , nor truly circumcised by the lords eternal spirit with the light thereof ; but onely by such a circumcising knife as he himself had formed out of the letter of the scriptures . this is the great misery of christians , the vail lies over their hearts , even the same vail which covered the letter of moses from the jews ; and they are groping after the mind of god in the letter , but the life is hid from them , even as it was from the jews : & because they also say they see , & that they have the life & the spirit , therefore the vail remains , & the caul of iniquity surrounds them , so that they cannot see into that which makes free from it , but remain yet in captivity and bondage to the enemy . some queries of w , salters , tending to inforce upon christians the observation of the jewish sabbath , answered . query . whether the fourth commandement , exprest , exod. . be not morall and perpetuall , as well as the other nine be , yea or no ? answer . that covenant , which god made with the jews at mount horeb , when they came out of the land of egypt , was not to be perpetuall , but to make way for that covenant , priesthood , law-giver and law which was to be perpetuall . that law , so given forth , made nothing perfect , but was a continuall hand-writing of ordinances against the jews , and the very salvation of the jews was by another covenant and by the laws thereof , deut. . by which covenant and by which law they might be made perfect , and come to the better hope . which other covenant is the covenant of grace , or the law of the spirit of life in christ jesus , or the word which is nigh in the mouth and in the heart , and speaks life to them that can hear and believe the joyfull sound of it . now that this former covenant was not to abide , but to give place to the other , see heb. . which treateth of the new covenant . for god's speaking of a new covenant , importeth that he himself hath made the first old , ver. . it had had a long continuance among that people of the jews ; but now against the coming of christ , who was to be mediator of a better covenant , v. . even of a new covenant , v. . as it had been long decaying and waxing old , so now it was ready to vanish away , as v. . and indeed it was necessary it should pass away , for it was not faultless . how not faultless ? was there any sin in the holy law & ministration of god by moses ? can there any just blame be found in any thing that proceeded from the lord ? nay surely , the ministration of moses was holy and without blame : but it was weak through the flesh , ( rom. . . ) and therefore god would lay that aside , so far as it was weak , and suited to the weakness of a fleshly people , and bring instead thereof a ministration of the law in the spirit , which should be lively , and powerfull , and effectuall in the spirits of his people . that which god aimed at in a covenant , was to keep him and his people together : now this covenant was weak on the peoples part , they continued not in it , and so , according to that covenant , god dis-regarded them , v. . now god finding this covenant not able to effect his purpose of love towards his people , he finds fault with it , bringing forth another or second , which this gives place to , v. . and this other covenant , or new covenant is not according to that . how not according to that ? why thus : it was not written outwardly , as that was : not according to that which i made with their fathers , when i took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of egypt , ver. . for i will put my laws in their mind , and write them in their hearts , ver. . and here they shall learn the knowledge of god every one from the least to the greatest , v. . so that all the children of this covenant shall be taught of the lord , and learn the law from his mouth ; not as it was given at mount sinai ( which ministration was to the children of the old covenant ) but as it goes forth out of sion , and from the jerusalem which is above , which is the mother of all the children of this covenant , and nourisheth them not with the law of moses , but with the milk of her own breasts . now if any think to restrain this to the types and shadows of the law , they therein err : for the main covenant was the law of commandements , which they still broke , worshipping other gods , making images and likenesses , taking his name in vain , prophaning his sabbaths , and so of the rest . it is true , the first covenant had a worldly sanctuary , a tabernacle wherein was the candlestick , &c. but the chief matter of the covenant was the ten words , therefore the tables wherein it was written were called the tables of the covenant , or the tables wherein the covenant was contained , heb. . . yea the ten words are expresly called the covenant it self , deut. . . observe therefore diligently these few things following in the fear of the lord . first , the ten commandements , given by moses from mount horeb , was the covenant which god made with the jevvs , when he took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of egypt . secondly , that covenant god found fault vvith , because it was not able ( through the weakness of the flesh in their parts ) to keep them to god . thirdly , against christ's coming god provideth a new covenant , a better covenant for him to be mediator of , which covenant was not outvvard like the former , but invvard , put in the mind , vvrit in the heart . as the people was invvard , the sanctury inward , the ark invvard , the tables of the covenant invvard , so the covenant it self and the writing of it was invvard also . and this covenant , as it is onely written in the spirit , and in that which is spirituall ; so it cannot be read in the letter . fourthly , that where-ever this new covenant cometh , the other waxeth old , whether to a person or people . where ever the lavv of the spirit of life is made manifest , the law of the letter is svvallovved up in it , and is knovvn no more , but as it is comprehended , appeareth and is brought forth in it . and he that is in the spirit , and hath received the law of life from the spirit , knovveth not christ after the flesh , hovv much less moses ? but taking the vvhole ministration of moses in the spirit , not onely the ten commandements , but all the sacrifices and other types also , here they are ovvned and received , even in christ the substance : but the ten commandements , so far as they vvere a shadovv , pass avvay before the son of righteousness , as vvell as the other types and shadovvs of the lavv . obj. but was there any thing of the ten words a shadow ? do they not all command abiding things ? ans. moses his whole ministration ( as it stood in the letter without ) was but a shadow of the fulness and perfection of that ministry of the spirit , which was to come , and to be set up by the son in his house , hebr. . , . moses his people but a shadow of the spiritual people , moses his priests and sacrifices , but a shadow of the spiritual priests and sacrifices . moses his law in the letter ministred from mount sinai , but a shadow of christs law in the spirit to be ministred from mount sion , ( cor. . , . ) the law it self which was given by him , but a shadow of the grace and truth which came by jesus christ , joh. . . of whose fulness every believer receives a portion of the same grace , even grace for grace , v. . which grace is to be his teacher , both of what he should deny and turn from , and how he should live and carry himself both towards god and man , tit. . , . look particularly on the commandments , and see if there will not appear something of a shadow in them . the first commandment to that people , that they should have none other gods ( like the heathen ) but him onely whose powerful arm had brought them out of aegypt , this is a shadow of the subjection of the spiritual israel singly in spirit , to the lord of spirits , who by his mighty arm redeemeth them out of spiritual aegypt . now must they bow to other lords no more , ( isa. . . ) as they did bow in the land of aegypt , ( oh , who can read this ! ) but bow alone at the name of jesus , and be subject to the arm of his power in their spirits alone for ever . the second commandment , that they should not make any images or likenesses of things in heaven or earth , or bow down to them , is a shadow of what god requires of spiritual israel in the inward , where all likenesses , inventions , imitations , resemblances of what they have seen in the spirit above , or beneath in the earthly nature , they must not make themselves , nor bow to such as any others make . and they must not take the name ( of the lord their redeemer ) in vain , pretending to the living power , when it manifests not it self in them , pretending to meet in the living name , and to worship in the spirit , when they are gone a whoring from it , and become strangers to it . what should i mention any more ? it is easie to observe , how the other commandments were shadows of the inward innocency and purity , which the believer receives inwardly into his heart , from the powerful operation of the law of the spirit of life in him . obj. but may any of these laws be broken ? if they may not be broken , then they are perpetual . ans. the reason why they may not be broken , is not because that the dispensation of them is still in force , but because the dispensation of the law of the spirit , comprehends all the righteousness of moses his law : and the end of christs dissolving that covenant , was not that any man might have liberty to do any thing which is there manifested to be unrighteous ; but that the righteousness of it might be fulfilled in them who receive his law in the spirit , which never could be fulfilled by receiving of moses his law in the letter , rom . . and mark this diligently , ye that have been exercised in spirit towards god , the law of sin is nearer to us , then any law of the letter can come ; the covenant of death and hell ( with the laws thereof ) are written within by the finger of satan ; and that which blots them out must be as near , even an inward covenant , an inward writing from the eternal word in the heart , by the law of his eternal spirit of life . this then is my answer ; moses his law in substance remains , as it is taken in by christ and administred by him in spirit ; but not as it was given in the letter to the jews ; for so it was a shadow , making nothing perfect , but making way for the better hope , for the covenant established upon better promises , for the inward law of the spirit of life in christ jesus ; which effects that in the spirits of his people , which moses his law could by no means do . quest . but what is the substance of the law which abides ? ans. the substance of the law is love : to love god above all ( above all without , above all within ) and to love one's neighbor as ones self . to receive this love from god , and to bring it forth in his spirit ; this is the substance of the law , this is the thing which the law drove at in a shadow . the law is fulfilled in this one word love : but that love must be received from god which fulfils the law . a man may strive to love abundantly , and strive to obey in love , and yet fall short of the covenant ; but the lord must circumcise the heart afore that love can spring up , which fulfils the law , deuter. . obj. but doth not the apostle paul say , that by the law is the knowledge of sin , and that he had not known lust , except the law had said , thou shalt not covet ; plainly referring to the tenth commandment , which saith , thou shalt not covet ? ans. by the law outwardly was the knowledge of sin outwardly to the people of the jews ; by the law inwardly is the knowledge of sin inwardly to the spirits of disciples . now a little consider and wait on the lord to know , what administration of the law it was that paul knew sin by : whether it was by moses his administration of the law in the letter , or by christ's ministration of his law to him in the spirit ? it is rendred in our last translation , thou shalt not covet : but it might more properly be rendred , thou shalt not lust : for if {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} be properly rendered lust , then {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} may as properly be rendred , thou shalt not lust . and he that hath received the administration of the law in the spirit , knoweth it thus to issue forth from the word of life , into his spirit . it discovers the lusts and affections of the flesh , which draw from the yoke and subjection to the spirit ; and then by a command from the living spirit , it hedgeth up the way after the other lovers , saying , thou shalt not lust . and as the law of the flesh ariseth , kindling desires after vanity , and after fleshly ease and delight : so the law of the spirit arises in the inner man , forbidding , pricking , stopping , and limiting that which would be at liberty out of the life and purity of the holy law . and here begin the bitter fights , and terrible battels and conflicts between the two seeds , wherein all the powers of heaven , earth and hell are engaged . now because this interpretation of paul's words may seem strange and uncouth , to persons who have drunk in another apprehension , and have taken it for granted that paul there refers to the tenth commandment ; consider the place yet further , and perhaps the lord may please to open it to you from the very letter , even as he hath opened it to others immediately by his spirit , by causing them to feel the thing which paul felt , and to receive the law as he received it . paul in that seventh of the romans speakes of three states vvhich he had known . first , a state of life before the law ; i was alive without the law once , v. . secondly , a state of death after the commandment came ; then sin revived and he dyed . when the word of life came with its living commandment , to set upon sin indeed , then sinne would dally no longer , it would no longer lye as dead , and let paul live in his zeal and worship as he had done before ; but it slew him , it shewed its power in him , sometimes deceiving him , and sometimes forcing him from that which was holy , spiritual , just and good , and to that which was unholy , insomuch as he did do what he hated , and could not do what he loved ; and found himself a wretched man , and in miserable captivity , because of the body of death , and the law of sin in his members , v. , . dly . a state of life , after the commandment had done its work in throughly slaying of him . when that was removed which the law came against then , then he was marryed to another husband , then he could bring forth fruit unto god , rom. . . then he could walk freely with god , not after the flesh , but after the spirit , ch. . . and rejoice in the life , and the peace , instead of roaring out because of the death , which came from the carnal mind , v. . now when was the time when paul was alive without the law ? was it not when he was righteous , when he was whole ? then he had no need of the phisician , then he had not received the wound , even the terrible wound which christ then gives the soul when he calleth to it by his spirit , and giveth forth the commandment , thou shalt not lust . when he had confidence in the flesh , being circumcised the eighth day , of the stock of israel , of the tribe of benjamin , an hebrew of the hebrews , as touching the law a pharisee , concerning zeal persecuting the church ; touching the righteousness which is in the law blameless , phil. . , , . here was a living man : and his exact receiving the ministration of the law in the letter , was part of his life : yea but he had not received the commandment yet that slew him . paul was alive yet , and could flourish in the freshness of his life , zeal , and abundant knowledge under this administration of the law . but when god , who caused the light to shine out of darkness , shined in his heart , when god begun the work of the new creation in him by his living light , when the commandment came fresh from the spirit ( the commandment which was ordained to life , rom. . . which the ministration of the law in the letter was not , no not to the jews , but another , deut. . , . ) then paul began to feel the sting of death , and the power of sin , which now arose up in its strength to retain one of its subjects , and to keep the stronger man then he , from dispossessing him , if he could . and now , how was poor paul rent and torn , and harrased by the enemy , and made to see and feel his miserable captivity , until he had passed through the death , and was redeemed from under sin , and consequently from under this bitter ministration of the spirit , by his holy , pure , and severe law against sin ! for the man being dead , the law hath no force against the seed , nor against that which is one with , and lives in the seed : and this is it he speaks to the romans concerning , who also were acquainted with this ministration of the law , as v. . of this seventh chap. now is it not very manifest , that paul knew not sin spiritually by the ministration of the law in the letter , but was alive without it , until he felt the ministry of it from christ in the spirit ? and that soon struck at his life , and by degrees slew it , killing the body of sin in him , with its members , and so preparing him for the marriage to another husband . object . but by this then , a man is not only freed from the law of the letter , but also from the law of the spirit : for if this law be ministred to him til death pass upon him , & til he be married to christ ; then after death is passed upon him , and he is baptized into death and risen with christ , and married to him , then this law passeth away likewise . answ. there is a double ministration of the law of the spirit : a sharp ministration against sin , and a sweet ministration in the renewed spirit . the ministration against sin passeth away , as the sin is wrought out : but then the sweet spirituall current and law of its holy and pure life in the renewed spirit , is more vigorous and full . so that the law of the spirit remaineth for ever , but its convictions , its reproofs , its chastisements towards the worldly part , diminish and pass away , as the worldly part is wasted : and its sweet comforting presence , pure peace , fresh joy and life increase , as the new man grows and flourishes . quer. whether the scope and drif● of that fourth precept , be not to perswade us to lay by the works of our calling one day in seven , that we may on that day wholly give up our selves to wait on the lord , in the performance of duties of piety and mercy , for our attaining of , and growing in sanctificaion and holiness ? answ. the scope and drift of the fourth commandement was to injoin the jews to keep the sabbath strictly as a sign , by forbearing all works , and sanctifying it as a day of rest to the lord , according to the law , ezek. . . but the substance being come ( christ , who is the body , col. . . ) the day and rest of the spirit being known , the sign is at an end , and the thing signifyed taketh place . so that the rest is now in christ , through the faith , by his spirit , where the worship is . and this in the gospel comprehends the time of worship , the place of worship , and the worship it self ( which are spiritual ) where in substance all is known , injoyed and solemnized , which was figured out in shadows under the law . the sanctification being come , the rest being come , the lord of the sabbath being come , shall not the sign of the sanctification , the sign of the rest , ( which rest the lord of the sabbath was to give , & lead the spirits of his people into ) pass away ? ex . quer. . whether the fourth precept , do not as strictly bind us to keep holy the seventh day , of or from the creation , as it bindeth us to the observation of a seventh day ? answ , the fourth commandement did not require the observation of a seventh day in general , but of the seventh day in particular , of those of whom it required it : for what the law required , it required of those who were under the law , and not of others , rom. . . quer. . if the seventh days sabbath , be not morall and perpetuall , then how comes it to pass that it was instituted , or appointed from the first creation , when man by guilt stood in no need of a saviour , nor yet of such a ceremony , gen. . . answ. that it was instituted or appointed from the first creation , or that god intended to require of man the observation of it had he abided in innocency , is not manifest in the scriptures : but that god did then bless and sanctifie it ( in relation to the service he had for it ) that is expressed in scripture ; gen. . , . and that this was one end for which he did sanctifie it , namely that it might be for a sign unto that people of the jews ( which was the people he chose to set up his signs and figures of the invisible things among ) the scripture also testifies , exod. . but what further meaning there is in it , and what relation it hath to all the redeemed of the lord , in whom , god brings about the new creation , with the rest thereof , ( as he did the old ) it is better to wait to know and feel in the spirit , then to be prying into with the curious , searching , fleshly understanding . quer. . if the seventh days sabbath be not morall , and belonging both to jews and gentiles : then how comes it to pass that it was given to all men in adam , when there was no difference between jew and gentile ? and was observed by command from the beginning , as appears by comparing together , gen. . . and exod. . . to . answ. that it was given to adam in innocency , or to all men in adam , i do not find , nor do these places quoted make it manifest . but its being practised before the giving of the law , doth not prove its perpetuity , or that it was not given for a sign : for circumcision was instituted and observed long before the giving of the law , ( gen. . ) & sacrificing long before that , ( gen. . ) both which were signs of the inward , and not perpetuall , as to the outward observation of them . quer. . if when our lord jesus saith , mat. . . that till heaven and earth pass , one jot or tittle should in no wise pass from the law . if he there meant not the law of the ten commandements , expressed in exod. . then what law did he mean ? answ. by the law is meant the whole ministration of moses , as by the prophets , ver. . the whole ministration of the prophets : and that it is not to be restrained to the ten commandements , is manifest by the instances which christ gives , more of which relate to other parts of the law , then to the commandements : for there are but two instances out of the ten commandements , but there are four instances out of other parts of the law , as may be seen , ver. , , . and . of that chapter . so that christ doth not onely take in the ten commandements , but he takes in the rest of moses his ministry in the spirit , not one jot or tittle whereof is to pass , till it be all fulfilled ; but was to stand in the letter to the jews its full season , and then in the spirit till all be finished there also . the law and the prophets were untill john , from that time the kingdom of god began to be preached , luk. . . and both the law , prophets , and john himself were to decrease and christ and his kingdom to increase . christ in this of matth. had been preaching the kingdom , declaring to whom it apperteined , and the blessedness of such : now this his manner of preaching might seem to derogate from the law of moses , and from the prophets , whose doctrine and dispensation hereby he might seem to destroy . but christ taketh away the occasion of such a mis-apprehension , bidding them not think he came to destroy the law or the prophets ; for he was not come for that end , but to fulfill . wherein he doth these two things , first , he establisheth that ministration of the law and prophets for its season , till it should be fulfilled by him the substance , who was to fulfill all the righteousness of it . it should last out its whole day , and should not fail in the least tittle of it ( as he himself explaineth it , luk. . . ) til the heaven and earth of the jews passed away , heb. . . . secondly , he taketh in the substance of it into his own ministration , and layeth it more inwardly , and closely , and largely upon the spirits of his disciples , then moses had done in the letter upon his disciples . but he doth not give it out in full , but onely giveth a tast to his disciples how straitly he would minister it to them by his spirit , as they came under his yoke , matth. . . which yoke is his spirit or the law thereof , as moses his yoke was the law of the letter . now mark yet further , christ doth not give out the letter for his law , as it was delivered by moses : but requireth somewhat of his disciples , which comprehends the letter . as now when he administers the law against revenge , from whence murther proceeds , he doth not say , thou shalt not kil , as moses had said to them of old time , but saith , thou shalt not be angry without a cause , nor give thy brother any provoking language , ver. . nor does he say , thou shalt not commit adultery ; but thou shalt not let out a lustfull look , nor let in a lustfull thought , v , . and had he spoken here about the sabbath , would he have administred it in the letter , or would he have commanded the observation of the true sabbath , where no work is done , no fire kindled ( nor so much as any sticks gathered to make a fire with ) nor no burthen born ; but the man-servant , the maid-servant , the oxe , the ass , and every creature rests in the seed . the son of man is lord of the sabbath . it is true he subjected himself under the law , but yet he was still lord : and he maketh all his , kings and priests to god , who being once baptised into his death , know also his resurrection and reign . ob●ect . but all the other commandements are to be kept according to the letter ; for although it should prove so , that believers are not bound to observe them by vertue of moses's ministration in the letter , but by vertue of the ministration of the spirit , yet the commandements themselves are kept : but take away the outward observation of the sabbath , and this commandement hath no fulfilling at all according to the letter . answ. this ariseth from the different nature of the thing : for the other commandements require or forbid that which is either good or evill in its own nature ; but this is but good or evill by institution or command . to keep a day , or not to keep a day , is not good or evill in it self , but as it is commanded , or forbidden , or left at liberty in the lord , and according as it is done or forborn by him , who receiveth the command or prohibition , or is let into the liberty of the gospel , rom. . so that if the nature of the thing required in this commandement , had been alike with the nature of the things required or forbidden in the other commandements , it would have been as durable after the dissolution of that covenant , as the other things therein contained were , which vanish not in themselves upon the dissolution of that covenant , but only pass into an higher way of dispensation , where they retain their full vertue and strength , even according to the letter , though not by vertue of the administration of the letter , another higher and fuller administration of a better covenant challenging and taking its own place . qu. . if the seventh days sabbath be not morall , but an abrogated ceremony now since the death of christ ; then wherefore should our saviour instruct his beloved apostles , that must instruct christian churches to pray , mat. . . that they might not flie on the sabbath , knowing that their flight would fall out more then thirty yeares after his death ? answ. great was the hardship the jews under went in the siege of jerusalem , by that apprehension of theirs that they ought not to do any work ( not so much as of defending themselves ) on the sabbath , which hardship such disciples of christs among the jews , as could not easily be drawn of from the law and jewish observations , but still were for circumcision and keeping of an outward sabbath , might be liable to : now christ and the apostles after him , were not hasty to draw them from such things , but for a time bore with them therein , insomuch that paul circumcised timothy , and became to the jews as a jew and to them that were under the law as under the law himself also . but the strength of the query seems to lye in this , that it should bear the name of sabbath from christ's own mouth , in relation to somewhat which should happen on it more then thirty years after it should cease to be a sabbath . to which my answer is plain , that that may as well bear the name of sabbath , as jerusalem or the temple bear the name of the holy place , ver. . of the same chap. for jerusalem and the temple did as much cease to be the holy place above thirty years after those words were spoken , as the jewish sabbath could cease to be the sabbath . now for the sakes of such as have been truly exercised in their spirits by the spirit of the lord ( and have felt the powerfull work of his grace , & a building raised up by him ) & may yet be further exercised , i shall add this . jerusalem was a type of an inward building in the spirits of gods people , both in its rearing up , in its scituation , in its standing , in gods dealing with it all the time of its standing , and lastly in its downfall and utter desolation . there is an appearance and building of god in the spirits of his people , which is to give way to , and be swallowed up in a fuller and higher appearance . but the fleshly spirit , getting into this building , will not give way to the further and more inward & spirituall appearance of the spirit , but will have the first building stand as the building , and will entertain no further appearance of god , then as it can comprehend it , subject it , and afford it a place in the first building : hereupon god distresseth ariel , even the city which david built ( saying within his heart , surely that which i have built will i break down , and that which i have planted will i pluck up , even this whole land : so he causeth the overflowing scourge to pass , even over thy whole land , o immanuel ) now when the enemy enters within the holy city and within the holy temple , it is time to fly , and exceeding great distress will befall that disciple , whose flight is either on the winter or on the sabbath day . do not imagine at this , but if the lord open it not at present , wait his season : for the thing is true and sealed , both by the openings of the light eternall , and by sensible exercises and experiences from that light . thus i have answered such of the queries as concern the seventh days sabbath . such as seem to argue the unwarrantableness of observing the first day of the week for a sabbath , i leave to those to whom they are tendred ( and of whom an answer seems so conscienciously & zealously desired , as i do not see how it can be reasonably neglected or denied ) that by weighty evidence of scripture he may be reduced , if he hath erred : but if not , but it be truth vvhich he hath therein held forth , the lord may be honored in mens bovving and subjecting to every truth of his , by vvhat instruments soever it pleaseth him to make it manifest . some queries sent in writing ( upon occasion of an epistle directed to all such as observe the seventh day of the week for a sabbath ) answered . query . if the whole law of moses , the law of the ten commandments , as well as the law of sacrifices , were both added upon one and the same account for transgressions ; then why doth the holy spirit in the scriptures lay forth such an antiphitical use of them ( i suppose he means anti-tipical ) the one that sin might abound , rom. . . the other sacrificing for sin ? heb. . , , . ans. that the lavv of moses vvas added because of transgression , is manifest from that scripture quoted by me in my epistle , as vvel as from other scriptures : and one end , vvhy it vvas added in relation to transgression vvas , that the offence might abound , vvhich vvould make the sacrifice or propitiation for sin appear more necessary and more acceptable . and the sacrifices also relate to the sinner , some referring to the sin committed , others to the thankfulness and acknovvledgement due for the peace , mercy and blessings of god tovvards his poor , sinful , erring creatures ; both vvhich vvere to last till the time of reformation from the sin , heb. . . & gal. . . ( but that they vvere both added upon one and the same account , that i did not affirm , that is vvrongfully put upon me . ) now though both these were added because of transgression , yet they had not both the same use and service in relation to transgression , but the one was added to discover sin , and to make it appear exceeding sinful , rom. . . the other to blot it out , to take it away , to make atonement for it , which the sacrifices did , making the sinner upright and perfect as relating to that outward state and capacity , though they could not as pertaining to the conscience , heb. . . qu. . if the whole law , the ten commandments as well as the sacrifices , were representations , figures , or shadows of somewhat relating to christ the seed : then what did they in general , or either of them in particular represent , figure , or shadow forth , before they were written in tables of stone , or since they were written in tables of stone , more of christ then , then now . answ. that the ten words were some of the precepts of moses , and appertaining to the first testament or covenant , all which precepts were sprinkled with blood , cannot be denied : and the apostle distinguisheth the precepts of moses under the law , which were sprinkled with the blood of the sacrifices under the law , heb. . . from the precepts of christ which he writes in other tables , ch. . . which also are sprinkled with blood , but not with the blood of bulls and goats , but with his own blood : and he that receives any of these precepts out of the blood of christ , cannot truly and spiritually obey them , though he may strive much to form his spirit into the obedience thereof . now the time and season of their signification , was the time which god allotted them under the law , wherein was the use of signs : but the gospel is a state of substance , of bringing the life and immortality into the heart , and into the possession of believers , which the state of the law shadowed . so that they are not signs since the gospel , since christ put an end to the law-signs , shadows and figures , not yet before the law to believers , so far as they were in the new covenant : ( for as the thing signified cometh ▪ so that which signifieth it passeth away ) though that was a mixed state , wherein god gave a taste of both covenants , before his perfect dispensing or bringing forth of either . qu. . if the whole dispensation of the law was given to the jews , and not to the gentiles , and so the gentiles not bound to that law , but another way for them to know the mind of god then whether that law cited rom . which the gentiles shewed ( the work of in their hearts ) be another law contrary to that law that was given to the jews , even the ten commandments . ans. the law which is the substance , is not contrary to the law which is the shadow , but is the comprehending and fulfilling of it . the law in the spirit ( written by god's power and presence in the heart and mind ) is not contrary to the law in the letter , but is an higher and more glorious ministration of it . the one commandment which god gave by moses to the jews , deut. . . which was the commandment of life and death , as relating to their inward and eternal state , ver. . was not contrary to the ten commandments , which god had commanded them before by another covenant , which he had made vvith them as an outward people , and which was to be their rule as to their outward state : for they were chosen by god to be an holy people outwardly , and so an outward rule of holiness and obedience was prescribed them : but by all their obedience thereto , they could not be justified , but only by hearing , believing and obeying christ the word nigh in the heart , and by feeling in the spirit the blood of that one offering . qu. . if the gentiles were not bound ( under that law that the jews were ) which carryed the curse with it : then which way have the gentiles redemption by jesus christ : seeing all that are redeemed , are redeemed from the law and the curse thereof , gal. . . & . : ans. as they were under the curse outwardly by transgressing that outward law or covenant , and so m●ssed of the outward happiness of the holy land , and still met with wrath and judgements , and at last utter cutting off , as to their outward state , and as to all their hope from that covenant : so he that comes to receive the ministration of the law of the spirit ▪ will find the curse as abundantly inwardly , even till that be cut down by the sword of the spirit , which the curse is to , and that brought into dominion , to which is the promise and blessing . so that the gentiles find as great need to be redeemed from the curse inwardly , which the inward law brings upon the transgressor , as the jews did outwardly ; yea and find a more heavy burthen and load then ever the jews did outwardly . paul when he was alive in the outward administration of the law , not being acquainted with the inward , he knew little of the curse , he was according to it blameless , phil. . . but when he came to receive the living light of the spiritual administration of it into his spirit , then he felt the burthen , and weight , and misery of sin and the curse indeed , and cryed out , o wretched man , who shall deliver ! qu. . if the duration of the dispensation of moses law in the letter was till christ the seed should come and fulfil it , and the dispensation of moses law ( so stated without distinction ) between that that was perpetual , and that that was ceremonially vanishing , and so in the fulfilling of it besides : then what law or commandments that or they were , which while moses dispensation was in full force , is said to be perpetually sure to stand fast for ever and for ever , as psal. . . , . and when christ the seed was come , and had fulfilled all that the father had appointed him to do , was established , rom. . . and not one jot or tittle of it to pass so long as heaven and earth remain ? mat. . . & luke . ans. that distinction between something in moses law being perpetual , and something ceremonial , is not sound and proper in this place : for all that was under moses law was but a shadow , as in that dispensation , and that testament was dedicated with blood ( with the blood which was a shadow ) which related to every precept , heb. . , . and it was all substantiall and perpetuall in what it signified and related to . the sacrifices were substantiall in that sacrifice which they signified , as well as the law and precepts were substantiall , in the law and precepts which they signified . and as the first covenant pointed at a second covenant , so the laws of the first covenant pointed at the law of the second covenant , the ministration whereof is from the mediator of that covenant , and they come into the heart sprinkled with his blood . now the law or commandement , which even under that dispensation was to be perpetuall and last for ever , was the word in the heart , and the laws thereof , deut. . . which moses by especiall order from god , and according to the tenor of an other covenant directed the jews to v. . for the law , as administred by moses in the letter is not perpetuall or eternall ; but as it comes from the spirit , and is administred in the spirit , so it is spirituall and eternall . that administration was fitted to that people : and ( we knovv ) the lord , if he had pleased , could have given a fuller administration of his law in the letter then that was , as christ plainly intimates divers times , mat. . but if it had been never so full , yet the administration of it in the letter , is to give place to the administration of it in the spirit : so that the administration of it in the letter is not perpetuall , but for the time which god allotted it : but the administration of it in the spirit is eternal and perpetual , and there it remains an eternall light , witness , and sword against sin and the transgressor . and thus it is established in the hands of the spirit , after the season of that ministration of it in the letter was ended ; and thus not one jot or tittle of it was to pass away , after the other ministration with every jot and tittle of it was ended . qu. . if the coming of christ in the flesh : and his fulfilling all the righteousness of the law : and being foretold by moses to be that prophet , that was to be heard in all things which is not denyed by us : but if by these he put an end to the law of the ten commandements and gave forth an other law to his house or family : then what law that is . and whether it be contrary to that law that he with the father gave forth as deut. . . with psal. . . which now is in gospel ministration holy just good as rom. . . and spirituall ver. . answ. it is the law of the spirit , or the light of the spirit in the heart , which discovers sin ( not only in the outward acts , but in its principle , rise , first motions and inward nature ) giving forth his living commands against it . this is the law now , in which the believer is to begin , gal. . . and according to which he is to go on to perfection . for as the believer is begotten of the spirit , and born of the spirit , so he is to receive the ministration of his law from the spirit , and in the spirit , hee receives a gift of faith , a measure of faith from the eternall spring of life , and that 's his law . his law is the law of faith . the light of life , which receives in the faith , opens the mind and will of christ to him in the spirit , shewing him both sin and also the things of god more fully , then the law of moses could , though opened by the spirit : for it is a fuller , a deeper kind of ministration ; and so opens the things which it ministers , more fully then a ministration of an inferiour nature can . yet it is not contrary to moses law , but comprehends all the substance , all the righteousness and equity of it , ( as i said before ) which it , as a shadow , represented and commanded to that outward or shadowie people , the jews . but the law which paul spake of , rom. . was the law of the spirit , or such a ministration of the law as paul knew not , all the while he was under the ministration of moses's law blameless : but this law found out sufficient blame in him , ver. . &c. qu. . if jesus christ as he is the son gave forth another law to his house or family : and that law contrary to that that the father gave forth : then whether there is not two law-givers , when the scriptures say there is but one , jam. . . answ. the substance , when it is shadowed out , or when it is nakedly dispensed , is one and the same thing ; so that when ever it comes , it cannot be an other thing , then what the shadow represented it to be . moses his dispensation and christs are one in spirit : and when he cometh in spirit , he doth not destroy either moses or the prophets , but comprehends them . so that the law is but one , although the dispensations of it have been various : but the proper dispensation of the law now to christians is christ's dispensation , not moses his dispensation ; & christians are now to look for the light and knowledge of it , in the tables where christ writes it , according to his covenant . so that there have not been two laws given out , but the one law of god hath been variously dispensed : in and according to the letter by moses to the jews , in and according to the spirit by christ to his discipes . quer· . if the tables of stone : the writing of the law of the ten commandements in the tables : and the law of the ten commandements it self which was written ( were figures or representations ) then whether the finger of gods spirit doth write the law of god ( two ways in the inward tables ) so called namely in the heart of christs family : in one way whilst moses dispensation was on foot , psal. . . for the psalmist speaks in the present tense ( which was under that dispensation ) : now is it another way in this latter dispensation expressed , cor. . . qu. . if two wayes then how doth the finger of gods spirit write them those ways . answ. the eternall covenant was the same under the law , as under the gospell ; and its tables were the heart then , as well as now , and its way of writing the same then as now , even by the finger of god's power or eternall spirit : and thither the jews were even then referred for the inward writing of the law , deut. . . so that they that truly hearkned , even to moses , were to wait on this word , vvhich vvas nigh in the heart , for the vvriting of his laws there . and they that hearkned to this lavv vvhich endureth for ever , knevv the writings thereof in their hearts ; whereas the jews , vvho vvere very diligent to get the law into their hearts from the letter , could never thereby attain the writing of it there , but vvere still found breakers of it , and under that curse vvhich belonged to the breach . abraham , isaac , and jacob , david and the prophets knevv the invvard jew , who becomes so by the invvard covenant , and by the inward dispensation of the lavv in that covenant and the law vvhich vvas after the promise , could not disannul the promise vvhich vvas before it , but it stood good and firm to the children , even to all the spirituall seed , the vvhole time of that outvvard dispensation of the lavv . qu , . if not . then how doth the writing of the law in tables of stone : represent the writing of the law in the tables of the heart : seeing the tables of the heart were writ upon by the finger of gods spirit whilst the tables of stone were in full force and the dispensation had not ceased . answ. though the tables of stone , or law thereof was in force to that outvvard people of god the jews , yet this did not destroy his inward people , nor his inward tables in their hearts nor hinder him from vvriting his invvard lavv there ; but the invvard and eternall covenant ran underneath to them invvardly ( even all the time of that outvvard dispensation ) whereby they were made invvardly righteous and obedient to god . and as god had perticularly directed by moses , to the word and commandement of that covenant : so hee would not fail to write it thereby in the hearts of such , as turned to that word and commandement . so that this was the law vvhich god vvrote in the heart , even then , and vvas alvvays the invvard substance , while as moses his dispensation was but an outward sign thereof . qu. . if the law of the ten commandements it self : which enjoined love and duty to god : and love and duty to man as matth. . , , , . was , or is a figure of an other : then what law that is , that 's the antitipe of this law which in succeeding of it enjoyns not love and duty to god : and not love and duty to man . ans. this query ariseth from a great mistake , as if the law in the letter and the lavv in the spirit could not require the same thing , vvhereas they do require the very same thing in substance , but severall vvays , according to the difference of each administration , to vvit , the one litterally of a litterall or outvvard people , the other spiritually of a spiritual or invvard people . the one requires love according to the tenor of the letter , the other according to the spirit . qu. if the owning of the ten commandements as they are plainly laid down in the letter , be a breaking of them in the spirit and especially those contained in the first table : then how doth the truth of god written which is life and truth , act. . . and eccl. . . and the spirit which is given forth meet together , seeing the spirit leads and guides into all truth . ans. i do not know any , who hath said , that the owning of the ten commandements at they are plainly laid down in the letter , is a breaking of them in the spirit , but he that hath the spirit , owneth the dispensation of the letter in its place and season : but the spirit doth not teach him to run from his own dispensation ( where it is livingly administred to such , as wait on the eternall word in his covenant of life for it ) to that dispensation which was appointed for , and given forth to others . but that the truth , as it is written ( outwardly ) is life , i do not read , but otherwise ▪ cor. . . where paul saith , the letter killeth ( speaking of the letter of the new testament . ) the spirit indeed guides into all truth , but it is the living soul whom hee so guides , and it is the living truth into which he guides in the new covenant , though it was he also who gave forth , required , and was able to lead into the letter of the old covenant . qu. . whether when jehovah gave forth the ten commandements plainly as a law in the letter he did intend by the observation according to the letter : the breach of them by the spirit . ans. the spirit doth not teach to break the commands in the letter , but such as are under the ministration of the letter , to observe them according to the letter ; and such as are under the ministration of the spirit , to fulfill the righteosness of them in the spirit . ( yet the son of man is lord of the sabbath : and if he bid a man take up his bed and walk , which was bearing a burthen and doing of work on the sabbath day , it is no breach of the sabbath . ) now this is most righteous , that as the son's rest should be entred into under the gospel , so his day of rest should be kept by his disciples and family . qu. whether to say : the keeping the law of god according to the letter is a breaking of it in the spirit : be not a charging of god that gave it forth to be kept : and the holy spirit that incites ( us so to do now in this administration jam. . . and says they do well that do so ) and yet thou saist they break it in spirit : but tell us by any one scripture , how a man assisted by the spirit to own jehovah alone to be his god according to the letter of the first commandement doth break that command in the spirit . or so the like of any other of them . ans. this query is altogether from a mistake ; for it was not said by me , that the keeping the law of god acccording to the letter , is a breaking of it in the spirit ; but that he that runs back to the law in the letter , to take up any command as hold forth in it , will be found a breaker thereof in spirit . and for this , the jews in general , and paul in particular may be my instances , who was exceeding strict according to the letter of the law , but yet was a grievous breaker of it in spirit , and did not love his neighbor as himself , but in a blind zeal was a bitter persecutor : and if the jews had taken that direction of moses , deut. . . the observation of the law in the letter might have been more easie to them . so that the turning towards , and receiving the word in the heart , from whence the letter came , is the onely way to fulfll the letter ; and the law is not so much as to be known , much less fulfilled , by running to the letter of it in the first place . and this i certainly know , that there is no coming to the lord of life , nor no keeping chast to him , but in the new-covenant , and in the light of the lord , as it is there dispensed : and till then , the mind cannot forbear making of images and false representations of him to it self , though being from the light of this covenant , it cannot discern that it doth so , no more then paul by the letter of the law could discern how he was a breaker thereof in his violent persecutions . qu. . whether the prophets , jesus christ or the apostles , their keeping the law according to the letter : that they did do so , is evident , did break the law in the spirit ? ans. the prophets were under the law as to their outward state , though inwardly not without feeling the vertue of the new-covenant . christ also was made under the law , and took upon him the fulfilling of that dispensation of moses , that he might bring the believing jews from under it , into the liberty of the spirit , that they might receive the adoption of sons , and the free ministration which was appointed for the sons , and might not be held under that ministration of bondage , which was appointed for the servants . and the apostle bids believers to stand fast in the liberty wherewith christ had made them free , not making themselves debtors to the law , gal. . . for they were children of the promise , children of new jerusalem , the free woman , children of the new-covenant , and not children of mount sinai , the old covenant the law in the letter , c. . , . qu. . if there be but one day of rest holy to the lord and all the sabbaths of the law were but signs of it . that is said to be the day of redemption : that the lord hath made : then whether that day be a day natural , one of the seven days of the week which either respect the day on which our redeemer suffered , or that on which he rose again from the dead , or any other ? ans. as the gospel is not natural , but spiritual : so its day of rest is not natural , but spiritual likewise . yea i may add this also , the six days work in the new creation are not natural neither . qu. . if not so , but that it should he intended applicable to the day or time of the gospel administration from the time that christ suffered in the flesh , unto the end of the world . then whether this day that is intended as a sabbath , is one with that day that the scriptures intend and call a sabbath , which christ himself gave his disciples charge to have respect unto in their flight , matt. . . answ. the supposition here put , demonstrateth that those that put it , have no acquaintance with the gospel-sabbath , but propose another outward time for it , even the time from christs suffering in the flesh to the end of the world . now if any should so affirm , it were as justly to be excepted against , as pressing the observation of the jews sabbath is ▪ that which signifieth is outward or natural , and signifieth to that part which is without : that which is signified , is inward and spiritual , and is known , entred into , kept and enjoyed in the spirit . it is a spiritual sabbath , not a natural , which god hath instituted for his spiritual people , after he hath led them out of spiritual aegyt , into the spiritual wilderness , where he administreth to them the law in the spirit , and teacheth them to worship him in spirit and truth . qu. . if they intend one and the same sabbath day , then how impossible was it for the disciples of christ to escape flying on that sabbath day , though never so fervent in prayer , in regard that this sabbath spoken of begun when christ had suffered and put an end to the dispensation of moses law : and the flight spoken of by christ , which respect the lords sabbath , was not until many years after his sufferings . supposed-sabbath being before denied , the foundation of this query fails . an. christs sabbath is not an outward time or day in the flesh , but a day in the spirit , even a day of rest from all the labours of the fleshly part ▪ but this was spoken to before in the answer to the last of w. salters queries , whereto i may add this ▪ christ spake to his disciples of things , as they were able to bear them . now as they understood not his death : so then they understood not the abolishing of those things , which were to pass away after his death : so that christ might very well call jerusalem the holy place , and the seventh day the sabbath , speaking to them in that state . qu. . if they intend not one and the same sabbath day , then which are the disciples of christ to have respect unto , whether that that jesus christ injoined his disciples to have respect unto , or that that isaac penington would injoyn the disciples of christ to have respect unto . ans. this querie hath very little in it , save to shew the unsavouriness of the spirits of them that put it , and their want of acquaintance with the ministration of the spirit . they that know the gospell sabbath ( which is the substance of the law sabbath ) can tell who injoin'd it them , and can also tell , that he hath not required of them the observation of the jews sabbath . but they that are born after the letter , have been always subject to revile and reproach the truths of the spirit , and those that testifie thereto . qu . if the lords holy sabbath be that day which we may suppose is intended by this paper sent unto us : to be the day that containes the time of gospell-administration : then whether that sabbath doth prohibit outward labour as well as abstaining from sin , if not then which way must this sabbath be kept . seeing , that they that did and doth observe the weekly sabbath did and doth it in the spirit . and rest by faith in christ worshipping the father in spirit and in truth . answ. the gospell-sabbath begins not in the observation of outward time : but as it is spirituall , so it hath a spirituall beginning , increase , and persecting , wherein there is a rest to the spirit from sin and from the creaturely works , & a worshipping in the spirit , even as on the outward sabbath there was a bodily ceasing from labours , and an outward worshipping . and he that heareth the joyfull sound of deliverance from sin and self-working , and entreth into the faith ( beginning to cease from his own works and working , and to wait in the spirit on the power for its working in him ) hath a tast of the gospel-sabbath , and beginneth to see that day , which the type pointed to and ends in . qu. . if that that was ministred to paul , rom. . thou shalt keep the sabbath or believe in the light , follow the light and the observing of either of these in the spirit to be a keeping the whole law . then how are the scriptures observed if the keeping of one commandement be a keeping the whole law when the holy spirit in scriptures says that he that offends in one point is guilty of all , jam. . . ans. i did not say , that the keeping of one commandement is the keeping of the whole law ; but that the observing in spirit of any one of those there mentioned by me , is the keeping of the law : which was not barely said , but demonstrated , because no part of the law can be broken , but every one of these must be broken . he that commits any sin , breaks the gospel-sabbath , which is a resting from all sin and self-works ; errs from the law of love received in the spirit , which shuts out all enmity and transgression both against god and man ; departs from the fear , which keeps from departing from god by any iniquity ; and enters into the lust , which is the womb of sin , out of the compass of which womb sin cannot be conceived , much less committed . so that paul , in that law received from the spirit , thou shalt not lust , saw the whole body of sin struck at , whereas before , under the ministration of moses in the letter ( according to which he said he was blameless ) there was not so much as the life of one sin struck at , but for all his exact answering of the law according to that ministration , he was alive still . to decide this controversie , let it be put to tryall , let any one singly wait on the lord for the administration of his law in the spirit , and if the lord give forth that command to him , thou shalt not lust , in the clearness of the light of his eternall spirit , let him try , if continuing in obedience and subjection thereto , he can commit any one sin whatsoever . i do not say , that a mans proposing to himself that he will not lust , or his striving of himself to love and fear the lord or his applying himself to keep the sabbath or rest from sin to the lord will do this . ( nay this is but an administration in the letter , and will prove weak against the inward strength of the enemy ) but receiving the law in its pure living administration in the spirit , and from the spirit , here comes strength against the enemy , which is too hard for him , while it is abode in . and this the apostle paul taught the galatians , who were running backward towards the law , and not forwards in the spirit : he bids them walk in the spirit , gal , . . and so doing as they should not be under the law , ver. . so neither should they be breakers of the law : for within those bounds sin enters not , but is kept out , not so much as a lust against the law being there known , much less any open transgression against it : and against such as thus keep within the bounds of the spirit there is no law , ver. . . but against all that make themselves debtors to the law of the letter , there stands in force both the law of the letter & of the spirit also ; & they cannot in that state be free from the condemnation and curse thereof , whatsoever they may imagine concerning themselves , and their own state , from a mis-understanding and mis-application of the scriptures . the first letter answered . there is a double ministration of the law : a ministration in the letter , and a ministration in the spirit . the ministration of the letter was by moses , from mount sinai , in tables of stone , to that outward people the jews : the ministration of the spirit is by christ , from mount sion , in tables of flesh , to believers or his disciples . now this is it which the lord hath made manifest to me , that the disciples of christ , or believers , are to have recourse to their administration for the receiving of the law from the spirit , and not to run back to that ministration which was litterall and outward , and fitted to a litterall and outward people . this was more fully set down in my epistle in severall particulars . now in opposition to this , it is said f●rst that all written in that epistle , makes no more at all against a gospel spiritual observing in love the seventh day sabbath to the lord , then they make against a gospell spirituall observing of the other nine comandements . ans. my epistle striketh not at a gospel spirituall observation of any thing : but he that will obey spiritually , must receive his command from the spirit in that way which the spirit hath chosen to dispense it to him in . now the same spirit , which wrote his law in the letter under the old covenant , writeth his law in the hearts of believers under the new covenant , heb. . . which is a better covenant , and of which covenant christ is the mediator , ver. . and christ is as faithfull to give forth the laws of his spirit in the hearts of his people , as their condition requires them , as moses was to give the law written in the tables of stone to his house , heb. . . . and as moses pointed his disciples to christ coming in the flesh , so christ pointed believers or his disciples to the comforter , the spirit of truth , first to wait for him , and then to receive light or his law of life from him : and this is gospel or new covenant , even that which the spirit speaks or writes in the heart ; and this hath power in it and saveth , whereas the letter killeth . now consider seriously , whither should a believer go for this laws ? to which covenant ? to moses his covenant , or to christ's covenant . secondly , that all these commands being holy and good , are to be loved , and in love to be observed , &c. ans. all the statutes , and judgements , and ordinances , and precepts of the lord are holy and good , and are to be loved : but each is to be obedient to that which god requires of him , and to have recourse to that ministration for the law of god to him , under which god hath set him . he that believes , he that hath received the spirit , is to have recourse to the law of faith , and to the spirit for his light or law : he who was under the law of moses , was to have recourse to the law of moses : for the law of moses spake to them who were under it in his family , giving forth the precepts or commandements of that dispensation , to them who were under his testament , heb. . . and christ speaks to his family by his spirit , whom his disciples are to hearken unto , and not to grieve him , or quench his motions , or despise his prophesyings , but give diligent heed thereto , untill the day dawn and the day-star arise in their hearts . now to obey in love , doth not make the distinction of the ministrations : for love belongeth to each ministration . the jews in their day were to obey the law in love , and to have it in their hearts , deut. . , . but this makes the difference , the jews were to seek to the letter for it , the disciple is to receive it from the spirit : for he is to begin in the spirit , gal. . . whereas the jews beginning was in the letter . and this is obedience in the newness of the spirit , when the law is received fresh from the spirit , who both writes new things and brings to remembrance old things livingly and powerfully : but to go to moses ministration and learn it there , and get it into the heart from thence , that 's according to the old ministration or covenant , which was given in the letter to the jews ; as may appear in that place last cited , deut. . . . thirdly that in the same spirit and love , that we have the lord for our god , &c. in the same we are to remember the sabbath day to keep it holy . ans. the lord teacheth believers to know him to be the only true god , &c. by the law of the covenant of life in christ jesus , which he ministers to their spirits in the spirit ; whereby he teacheth them so clearly and effectually , that they need not run back to the tables of moses his covenant , from thence to teach one another to know the lord , but they shall all know him from this teaching from the least to the greatest : yea , and i may add this , this covenant by its ministration teacheth more clearly , then the ministration of moses his law in the letter could teach , heb. . , . they that have been with moses , and have learned the law of him , under the ministration of his covenant , have yet need of coming to christ : but they that have been with christ , and have learned the law of his spirit , by the teachings of the new covenant in their hearts , have not need of being sent back to moses . moses pointeth forward to christ , but christ ( even in the flesh ) sendeth not his disciples from his own dispensation back to moses ( though he also established the dispensation of moses for its season ) but pointeth them forward to the comforter , or to his appearance in the spirit . and this is the mark of a christian , which it is the intent of the letter to direct him to , and not for him to fix in the letter , as men have done since the apostacy from the spirit . this argument is further inforced thus , because he that said the other , said this , in the same law and spirit . ans. it is true , he that said the other by moses to the jews , said this also to them , and they were strictly bound thereto : but that which binds the disciple is the ministration of the new covenant , where christ writes this law in the minds and spirits of his people , by which they are bound , and such as as are out of that the lord when he cometh to examine them concerning their faith and obedience , will say to them , who hath required this at your hands ? were ye children of the new covenant ? did ye receive the spirit ? had ye a measure of faith given you ? were ye new creatures ? why did ye not keep to your rule ? why did ye not wait on the spirit , and receive the law from the new jerusalem , from whence it issues forth to the family of believers ? the jews were to be taught by precepts and judgments from moses , but all thy children shall be taught of the lord . it is said yet further , so that if thou keepest the other , and not this , thou art a transgressor of the royal law of liberty . ans. what is the royall law ? what is the law of liberty ? was the law as it was administred by moses , the royall law ? or is it the royall law as it is administred by the son , who is the king of saints , and writes his law in their hearts as their king ? again , was the law , which moses administred to the jews , a law of liberty , or a law of bondage ? did not the ministration on mount sinai gender to bondage , gal. . ? but in the ministration of the law by the spirit is life and liberty , ver. . and cor. . . and this very law , thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self is royall , and a law of pure liberty , and there is no bondage in it thus administred : but let any man now read it in the letter , and strive to obey it to the utmost he can , he shall find it weak through the flesh , accusing and in bondaging him . and this is the reason that christians so mourn in their prayers , even as persons in bonds , because they know not the royall law of liberty , because they feel not the love which the spirit begets , but strive to get the letter into their hearts , and to answer the commands in the letter with what love and obedience they can come at ; and this ( through not seeing into the true covenant and ministry of christ ) they call obeying in the spirit . the testimony of jesus , rev. . . is the spirit of prophecy , chap. . . and his commandements come fresh from that spirit of prophecy , which are to be taken heed to , till the day dawn and the day-star arise , and then a fuller ministration is witnessed then that of prophecy , even the shining and appearing of that which was prophesied of , which every believer is to wait for in the prophesies of the spirit , and in obedience to those commands , which come livingly into his heart from the spirit of prophesie . fourthly . that the fourth command is to be in love kept by all believers . ans. all the commands of christs covenant are to be kept by believers , according as he pleaseth to dispence them , under his administration in the new covenant : but the laws of the old covenant are not the laws of the new covenant , as so dispensed , but only as they are comprehended in the righteousness , which is taught and required by the spirit , which is fuller , stricter , and exacter , then that which the law of moses required . nor do i hereby go about to teach any to break the least of christ's commands , but the way to fulfill them , which is , by keeping to the certain knowledg and obedience of them , in that ministration , where christ hath promised to dispense and make them known to believers , which is , under the ministry of his own covenant , writing them in their hearts and minds by his spirit . and here the keeping of all christs commands is possible , yea this is the onely way to have the righteousness of the law fulfilled in us : for he that keeps the eye which the spirit hath opened in him , close to the spirit , shall not be able to break any law of righteousness , but the righteousness even of moses his law shall be fulfilled in him . christ is the rest of the gospel ( as he is also the holy land ) believing is the entring into this rest : here 's his sabbath , and the keeping of it . keep in the faith , the gospel rest is kept . parting with every lust that he makes manifest , observing every thing that this king calls for by his spirit , and waiting for the further manifestation or shining of the light of his spirit in the heart , here 's the obedience of the faith , and the holy and spirituall life and subjection of the living soul to its living king . here 's the beginning of a true christian , his growth , his perfection . but as for times , places , persons , &c. these are of another nature , to another part , even to that part in man which is to be done away , as hee comes into the faith , and into the rest . let that which is invisible , whose habitation is out of the reasoning part , feel and read me in that which is invisible : for i do not make void the law by faith , or through publishing the ministry of the spirit , but establish it in its ministration in the spirit to the disciples of christ ; who , keeping to the spirit , cannot transgress the righteousness of it , though they may there learn not to esteem one day above another , but to esteem every day no days having ever had any reall holiness in them one above another , but only a figurative or representative , which the substance , christ and his gospel swallow up : for as his day dawns , those things which were the shadows of it fly away . the second letter answered . object . . it is said to be dangerous , so to hold forth the spirituall sabbatism , as to deny the weekly sabbath , wherein our lord jesus christ rested , &c. and which he blessed and sanctified to adam and his posterity , &c. ans. the gospell is a state of substance , of fulfilling the types and shadows of the law , by bringing believers into the possession of that which they signified of . canaan was a type of christ , who is the land of the living , in whom every believer hath an habitation at present , according to the proportion of his faith : and the sabbath is the day of rest , which every believer is to celebrate to christ in this holy land , which he doth by believing and obeying his spirit in the faith , which keepeth him out of the sin , the unbelief , the unrest . but that the sabbath of the law the rest thereof , which pointed to the faith , is still to be held up in the times of the gospel , i know no scripture which so teacheth , and i know somewhat which teacheth me otherwise . the day is dawned , blessed be the lord god almighty , the everlasting day is dawned , and the shadows of the law are flown away . object . . it is said , that heb. . speaks of three rests , the seventh day or sabbath rest , israels rest in canaan , and a remaining rest whereof david speaks , psalm . . ans. i grant it , there were two rests under the law , which were signs of the one rest under the gospel . the two under the law were outward and natural , the one under the gospel inward and spiritual , answerable to the state of the gospel· david was not only acquainted with the law-state , but with the free spirit , ( psalm , . ) and the eternal law thereof . he knew the new creation , the creating of a new spirit , ( with its travell through the law ) & also the new rest . he knew the circumcision of the heart , the spirituall sacrifices of a broken heart and of praise , he could take the cup of salvation , and sing the song of praise to the lord , which none can do in the strange land , nor on any other day but the day of rest . and he incites israel to this rest , that they might not harden their hearts against it , but in the day of their visitation enter into it , by hearkning to the word which was nigh them , which gives the entrance through the faith . to day if ye will hear his voyce , harden not your hearts , &c. there is a rest ye are now called to enter into , as your fathers were called to enter into the land of canaan : harden not your hearts as they did , but hear the voice , hear the word which calls to this rest , believe and enter . this rest remains , says the apostle , the others were types of it under the law-state , which was to pass away . object . . it is said , ceremoniall signs are done away , but the ten commands under the mercy-seat are of an other nature : and that there are signs which are not yet abolished ( as the rainbow , sun , moon , and stars ) but still remain for us to make good use of . answ. the mercy-seat under the law is done away , and the substance thereof is come , and will ye not give him leave to write his law in the tables which he shall choose , where his disciples may read it with the eye which hee gives ? is his law now to be read in the shadow , or with the outward eye , or to be looked for under the old mercy-seat of the outward tabernacle ? or is it to be read with the eye of the new creature , with the eye of faith , with the eye of the spirit , in the everlasting gospel , where the life it self is read , and in other books or writings without , but tidings or relations of the life ? here christ , here the spirit , here the eternall life , here the love , the joy , the peace , the rest , the purity , which is eternall , is seen , is felt , is handled , is injoyed : for the true faith is indeed the substance of the things hoped for , giving victory over the enemies which disturb , and a quiet habitation in him who is the rest . and as touching signs , i do not say that signs are so done away , as that there is now no good use to be made of them ; but in reading the law and shadows thereof , the lord may please by his spirit to enlighten the spirit of him , who reads in his fear , to see through them : but this i do not find , that so much as any one sign or shadow under the law , was to be continued in that way of service under the gospel ( for indeed to what end should it ? when that is come , which it signified , is not its work at an end ? ) and that that sabbath was given for a sign ( as well as any other sabbaths of the law ) i find expresly , exod. . . to . object . . it is said , that though christ's law be a new law , yet it is also old , given of old to the jews . answ. yea , it is older then so : for it was written in abels and the other holy mens hearts , long before this covenant of the law in writing was made with the jews . and consider wel which is now to stand in the times of the gospel , the writing of the law by the spirit in the hearts of believers , as it was written by vertue of the promise before the law was given , or the outward and visible writing under the law , which was done for the sake of , and as a suitable dispensation for that outward people . it was not thus from the beginning , but after a long time : for when god chose an outward people , he chose also this way of writing to signifie somewhat by , which signification is concerning another state ; in which state , that which was signified is to be set up and advanced , and not the shadows which were significant of it . it is further said , that the lord writes these things new in his peoples hearts , to know the lord , as their god , and as the god and father of jesus christ , and as their father in him : and to love their brethren as christ loved them . and he writes this law also in their hearts , thou shalt have no other gods but me , make no image , exalt my name , keep holy the sabbath , &c. ans. if god write these things in the heart , are they not to be read there ? if god write them in the new covenant , and in the new tables , shal not i read them there ? and if i can read there in this living book , what god writes in it by his spirit , is not this nearer to me and clearer , and read by a more certain eye , then what i can read with my outward eye in tables of stone ? oh , do not turn the believer out of his way : do not hinder him from reading in the book , which is clear and infallible , the clear and infallible things of god . will god write in my heart , and will he not give me an eye to read ? shall he give me an eye to read , and shall i not read therewith ? thou hast here confessed this to be the new writing , and the new writing belongs to the new covenant , both which are proper to the gospel-state and to christs meditation , who is mediatour of the new covenant , heb. . . and in that he saith , a new , he hath made the first old . now that which decayeth and waxeth old , is ready to vanish away , ver. . object . . it is said , that love being the sum and substance of the law of the spirit , makes no more against the fourth commandement , then against the rest . ans. love is the substance of them all , & they are all fulfilled in it : but they are not after this manner fulfilled , to wit , that a man should strive perticularly to keep them in his eye , and so labour to fulfill them in love ; but rather thus , in waiting on the lord to receive love from him , and to be kept by him in the love , in this love received they are all fulfilled and cannot be broken , and this is an easie yoke . this is the new birth , and the path thereof , the other is but the old creature , with its striving after the path and inheritance of life . and as this love is the fulfilling of the law , so the heart are the tables of this love , wherein god writeth both the whole and all the parts of his law . now i am not against any man , who in singleness of heart applies himself to the letter ; but it is but the old way , and a conversing with christ after the manner of moses's his dispensation : but i must confess that i am for the new covenant and for the ministry of the spirit , which is far beyond the letter , and though i have known christ , and the lavvs of his life after the flesh , yet henceforth my desire is not after knowing him so any more , but to know him in the eternall life of his spirit , and to drink of the fruit of the vine , new vvith him in his fathers kingdome . a brief explication of the mistery of the six days labour and seventh days sabbath , for such to behold , the eye of whose spirit is opened by the pure anointing , and who are not so drowned in their conceivings and reasonings about the sence of the letter , as most of the professors of this age are . mat. . , , . come unto me all ye that labour , and are heavy laden , and i will give you rest . take my yoke upon you , and learn of me , for i am meek and lowly in heart , and ye shall find rest unto your souls . for my yoke is easie , and my burden is light . he that hears the joyfull sound of the everliving power , calling him by the voice of his eternall light out of the darkness , out of the death , out of the misery , out of the dominions , territories and deep slavery of satan unto himself , and cometh unto him in the vertue and power of that life which calleth , he hath a tast given him of the eternall rest , and a promise of entring into it . but the entrance into the fulness thereof is not presently , but he hath a long journey to take from egypt the dark land , from sodom the filthy land , from babilon , where all the vessells and holy things of god have been defiled , through the wilderness , unto canaan ; and many battles are to be fought with enemies by the way , & also with the enemies which possess the holy land , and many hardships to be undergone in following the captain , who also leadeth his israel by a pillar of cloud by day , and by a pillar of fire by night ; and there must be a circumcision & a baptism in the cloud & in the sea , and the falling of all those carcasses in the wilderness which are not to enter , nor so much as see the good land , before the entrance be ministred to the seed , and to that which passeth through the water and through the fire with the seed . in plain terms , there must be a taking up of the yoke , and a learning of christ under the yoke , till the proud , the stiff , the stubborn , the wise , the wilful , the selfish spirit , the hard stony heart be wasted and worn out by the cross , and nothing left but what becomes one with the seed , and so is fit to be married to it , and to enter with it into the everlasting kingdom . now this bearing the yoke , this taking up of the cross , this following of christ in the wilderness , through the corrections of the father , through the buffettings and temptations of the enemie , in the midst of all the weaknesses & frailties of the flesh , going when he bids go , standing still where he stops , fighting when hee prepares to the warfare , bearing the repulse , when he suffers the enemy to prevail , and hoping even beyond hope for his relief and victory in due season ; here 's the labour , here 's the travell , here 's the working under the life , with the measure of grace and power received from the life . so that first the day-spring from on high visits : from that visitation there is light entred into the heart : by closing with that light there is grace received : with this grace received there is work to bee done for god , his talent is to be improved all the six days , by all that will rest with him on the seventh , and that desire to cease from their labours in the fruition of the faith , the life , the power ; the faith , the life , the power living , becoming and performing all in them . and he that doth not improve the talent , he that doth not follow on in the pure light , but either sits down by the way , or is deceived with an image of what once vvas true in him , he can never arrive at the land of rest ( though perhaps he may arrive at that which he may call so ) but , when the eternall witness awakes in him , he will find the want of it , and bitterly bewail his grievous mistake . novv in this hard travel , and grievous labour under the close lavvs and spirituall commandements of the life ( hard i mean , yea , very hard to the unrenewed part , though easie and natural to that which is renewed and born of god ) it pleaseth the lord novv and then to give a day of refreshment , causing his life so powerfully to spring up , that it even sensibly is , and doth all in the heart . this is a sabbath , wherein the soul rests in the povverfull movings and operations of the life , and doth not find any stress of trouble , or hardship or labour upon it , but sits still in the povver , is at ease in the life , in the etertal vertue , vvhich lives , and moves and is all in it : and no pain , no trouble , no grievousness of any command is felt ; but to it all is easie , all is natural , all is purely pleasant , the life ( to vvhich all its own lavvs , statutes , ordinances , judgements , ways and paths are easie ) performing all it calls for , even as fast as it calls for it . and here not only a sabbath of days , but also a sabbath of vveeks , yea sometimes a sabbath of years ( besides the everlasting jubilee or year of perfect redemption it selfe ) are known & vvitnessed by such as have vvaited on the lord , in singleness of heart under the yoke of his spirit , for the bringing down of the rough and untovvard nature , and for the raising up of the meek and lovvly heart . but here it is exceeding easie , running out and starting aside : it is easie running out from under the yoke to avoid the bitterness of the hardship to the earthly part ; it is much easier running out on the day of rest , and so loosing the truth in a joy and rejoicing , even such an one as might have a true ground . oh who can but think the bitterness of death is past , when all enemies are vanished , and there is nothing left but the lord and the soul imbracing each other ! and who can but be unwilling to come back again to his labour , and to the residue of his hard travel afterwards ! and yet it is far better to return to the work in the vineyard , and to suffer again with the seed , then to keep up the rest in a notion , and so to lose the life and pure presence and vertue of the seed , when it returns unto and cals back to the labour . oh how many have perished here , suffering a divource from that which led them into the rest , not being willing to go back again with it to fill up the residue of its sufferings , which were yet behind , and so have kept up a false , dead , notional rest , after the true sabbath was ended . now there is no way for such , but to wait to feel the living breath , the quickning vertue , the day-spring from on high , which by the brightness of its rising can discover this false rest , this dead rest , this notionall rest , this ease in the earthly , in the fleshly , in the understanding part , which they uphold by things they have formerly gathered from the scriptures , or from their own ( perhaps once living ) experiences ; but now hold , out of the feeling and possession of the life , in the dead part . but that it is thus with them , they can never see , untill the light , from which they have erred , spring up and discover it to them : and when the light doth arise and discover it , they will find the way of return and the path of redemption much more difficult to them , then it was at first . yet it is better to part which the ease of the flesh , and to undergo the pangs of a new birth , then to miss of the inheritance in the good land . there are three steps or degrees of the blessed estate : first there are desires , thirstings and breathings begotten after the life . secondly , there is a labouring in the service ( under the yoke ) by the vertue which springs from the life . thirdly , there is a rest , or sitting down at ease in the life . by the stirring of life in the soul , desires after life are kindled : he , in whom the desires are kindled , and who feeleth the eternall vertue , cannot but be running the race : he whom the spirit of the lord findeth faithfull in running the race , it pleaseth the lord ever and anon to be giving him a tast of the rest . thus the spring stirring , the soul cannot but move towards its center : and as it entreth into , and fixeth in its center , it partaketh of the rest . n●w to know the leadings of the spirit forward and backward into these ( into desires , when he pleaseth , into the labour and service of the life , when he pleaseth ; into the sweet rest and perfect repose in the life , when he pleaseth ; ) here is the safety and sweet progress of the renewed spirit . that man who is born of the spirit , is to wait for the movings , breathings and kindlings of the spirit in him : and when the sun ariseth , he is to go forth to his labour in the light thereof , and in the night and withdrawing of the sun , to retire : and when his seventh day of rest comes , he is to receive it from , and enjoy it in the spirit ; and afterwards to be willing to begin his week again , even till his whole race and the full course of his pilgrimage be finished . yet if it were possible for man after he is come to christ , to abide perfectly with him , to cease from lust , to keep within the faith , to draw naturally in the yoke , to bow in the spirit continually to the father of spirits , there would be a continuall sabbath kept in the passage , even before the great , full and perfect sabbath in the end . the hardness , and unease of the labour , is because of a part contrary to the life , which when it is worn out , there will be no more labour , but the yoke will become the rest , and all the motions and operations of life will flow forth naturally in the rest . and here is the patience and faith of the saints , to wait under the yoke , under the daily cross to that part which is to be brought and kept under , till all the bonds of captivity be broke through by the life , and the vail of flesh rent from the to the bottome ( the remaining of which , is that which stops the free current of life ) and then shall the soul enter into the holy of hol●es , obtaining the full possession of the everlasting inheritance and of the eternall redemption , and know sorrovv , tears , bonds , sickness , death , captivity ( no nor so much as grapling with them , or travelling out of them ) no more , but the enjoyment of the plenty and fulness of the life reaping all the pleasant fruits of life , in the rich land of life for evermore . some considerations propounded to the jewes , that they may hear and consider , and their hearts at length may be turned towards that which alone is able to convert them to god , that they may once more become his people , and enter into an everlasting covenant with him that may not be broken , that so they may abide in his love and covenant of life , and remain his people for ever . consideration i. what great love , mercy and kindness god shewed to that people , above all nations and peoples under heaven . of his own free love he set his heart upon them , chusing them to be a people to himself . he brought them out of egypt by a mighty hand and outstretched arm ; he mightily preserved them in , and led them through the wilderness . he entred into a covenant with them to become their god , and betrothed them unto himself for his own lot and inheritance . he gave them righteous laws , judgments , statutes and ordinances , both of worship towards him , and of an upright demeanour and conversation among themselves and towards all men . he drove out the heathen from before them , and gave them a pleasant land to possess , even the glory of all lands , a land flowing with milk and honey . he built an habitation for himself among them , first a moving sanctuary or tabernacle , afterwards a more setled abiding place or temple ( which solomon built ) wherein was the ark of his presence , where he was to be sought unto and enquired of by them , and towards which their prayers were to be directed , and there was a mercy-seat , whereof they had large experience , and he ever and anon sent prophets among them , to reprove their errors and blackslidings , and to set them to rights again . he raised up judges likewise to defend them : and although they were weary of his government , desiring a king after the manner of the nations so vehemently , that they even forced a king from him , yet he took him away from them , and after him chose a man after his own heart , to feed jacob his people and israel his inheritance , who fed them according to the integrity of his heart , and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands . what should i say more ? what was wanting of love , of care , of goodness , of kindness , of mercy , of gentleness , of any thing that a people could desire of their god ? i say , what was wanting of all this on gods part ? what could he have done more for his vineyard , than he did do ? nay he emptied upon them all the goodness , all the mercy , love , favour , &c. that that covenant would hold to the full , yea and more too : for he bare with them more than that covenant required him to bear , and redeemed them oftner than that covenant engaged him , yea many time turned he his anger away , and did not stir up all his wrath , as he might often have done according to the tenour of that covenant . yea in all their afflictions he was afflicted , and the angel of his presence saved them : and he was still ready to say in his heart , surely they are my people , children that will not lie , at length they will see their error , repent and be true to me : insomuch as he was never weary of saving them , of trying them again and again , of stirring up his bowels of love and pitty to redeem them , of sending his servants and prophets among them to warn and reclaim them , even till at last it was manifest that there was no remedy but he must cast them off , and provoke them to jealousie by a foolish nation ( deut. . , . ) drawing them nigh to him , who had been worshipping stocks and stones , making them become a people , who had long been no people , and casting these out of his sight , making them become no people , who had so long been his chosen peculiar people , in covenant with him , and nigh unto him above all the families of the earth . consid. ii. what constant rebellion and stiffness of spirit that people all along expressed towards the lord , what wild sowre grapes they still brought forth to him , sowre love , sowre obedience , sowre worship and sacrifices , such as the pure pallate of the lord could find no relish nor savour in : but as moses had told them , that it was not for their righteousness god chose them to give them the good land to possess , for they were a rebellious and stiff-necked people , deut. . , . so it was not for their goodness that god continued his love to them , for they were all along provoking him , jer. . . when god came to shew that great mercy to them of redeeming them out of egypt , and bid them cast away their idols , they would not cast away their idols , ezek. . , . neither did they regard that mercy of redemption from the house of bondage , and from the iron furnace , but said to moses it was better for them to stay in egypt and to serve the egyptians , exod. . . again in the wilderness , how did they provoke him all that forty years of mercy , how did they err in their hearts from his pure fear , and from love to him , and from faith and confidence in him ! how did they murmur against him , and against moses and aaron their leaders ! how did they forget his works and his wonders continually ! when they came near the land , and should have gone in to possess it , then they would not , but repined and rebelled because of the talness and strength of the enemy , and of their cities : and when they were forbid to go , then they would go and fight with them . what should i mention the time of the judges and of the kings , how often the lord made them smart by their enemies in their own land , how often he gave them up to captivity out of their land , even till at length that great captivity of babylon befel them , and since that a greater captivity and desolation than that of babylon ? consid. iii. whether god , having tryed this people even to the utmost , by that covenant which he made with them by moses in mount sinai , may ever please to try them so any more : or if there yet remain any mercy or love from god towards them , whether it is not to be expected another way , and upon another account ? this is very necessary and profitatble for them to consider , that they may not be looking that way for mercy and favour from god , in which it is never to come , and so have their eyes and hearts diverted from that way according to which it is to come : for this must needs put them back exceedingly , if their eyes be looking out one way , and the love of god hath chosen another channel to run towards them in . this may make them refuse the very mercy , love and redemption when it comes , suspecting it not to be it , because it comes not in the way and after the manner that they look for it . now god hath expresly said , that when he shall be pacified towards them ▪ and shall look again upon them with an eye of favour to do them good , it shall not be by their covenant ( which could never last , but was still broken on their parts ) but by his own everlasting covenant , which he would establish to them , ezek. . . &c , it would therefore diligently be enquired by them , what covenant it is which is called their covenant , vers. . and what covenant it is which is called gods covenant , vers. . that they may withdraw their eyes and hopes from the one , from whence their redemption , recovery and mercy cannot come , towards the other from whence it is to come ? to which query , for their sakes , it is in my heart to return this answer . answ. their covenant is that which they entred into with god , the covenant that their hearts chose to unite with god by : and that was to this effect , that if god would shew them his will , they would obey it . go thou near ( said they to moses ) and hear all that the lord our god shall say , and speak thou unto us all that the lord our god shall speak unto thee , and we will hear it and do it , deut. . . thus they thought , but the lord knew otherwise , for o saith the lord that there were such an heart in them , &c. vers. . and moses knew otherwise , he knew that they would corrupt themselves , and that evil would befal them in the latter dayes , deut. . . but gods covenant was the free covenant he made with abraham , isaac and jacob , the covenant of his grace , the covenant of his free love , whereby he was able to reach them in egypt , upon the cry of the seed in them ( in the midst of their idolatries , and to bring them out and do them good notwithstanding their stubbornness and stiff-neckedness ) even before the other covenant was made . this covenant of love was gods covenant . this is the covenant god remembred to them in the days of their youth , while they were young and tender , and not yet grown up to be a people under the other covenant : and this is the covenant which lasts for ever , which is not founded upon their obedience , but on god's free love to them for his own name sake , and for their fathers sake with whom he freely made it . quest . what doth this covenant contain ? answ. putting his fear in the heart , writing his laws in the mind , pouring of pure clear water upon them to wash away the pollutions of their inward parts , circumcising the filth of the heart , healing the backsliding nature by creating of a right spirit within , and keeping of the created spirit right by the presence of that spirit which created it : see jer. . , . ezek. . , &c. hosea . . this is god's covenant , this is the new covenant , which is to be made with the house of israel and judah when god redeems them : and they can never be redeemed but by this covenant , but are to remain desolate , until the spirit be poured out from on high upon them , isai. . . until their hearts be circumcised to love the lord their god , untill his fear be placed there , and they thereby caused to walk in his ways . as therefore they receive the spirit , are brought into the fear , have the law written in their minds and become subject thereto , so will they tast of this covenant , be brought into redemption by it , and become a glory inwardly , and outwardly also upon the earth . quest . what is the way for them to have the fear of god put in their hearts , to have their hearts circumcised , to receive the spirit and his laws into their minds , and so to come into this covenant ? answ. there is no other way but that to which moses himself directed them , after god had made the other covenant with them , and tryed them long by it , together with many temptations , signs and wonders both before and after it ; and seeing by all these they had not had an heart to perceive , nor eyes to see , nor ears to hear , moses at length directs them to another covenant , the word whereof would give them eyes to see , and ears to hear , and an heart to understand . which covenant was a covenant besides the former , deut. . . and was indeed the covenant concerning life or death eternal , chap. . . ( the other being but a covenant of their outward state , made with them after their coming out of aegypt , upon their deliverance there from , and according to their choise to become a people to god according to it . ) this word , moses tells them , was near them ( nearer then that which was spoken by god on the mount , and afterwards written in tables of stone . ) the voyce of this word and the commandment thereof was nearer , that they need not seek anywhere abroad for it , but only listen at home to hear its speech , obey it in the faith , and live for ever , deut. . , &c. this is the way for them and all men to come into this covenant , and there is no other ; there is a light shining in the darkness of mans heart , which springs up in him , and casts forth it's rayes to discover and draw him out of the darkness : now as this light is felt , loved , understood in spirit , hearkned and cleaved to in the pure faith , which it begets ; that which cleaves to it , is drawn out of the darkness by it , into the covenant of the pure eternal light , where god is , and whither all they are translated , who are drawn to him in and by this covenant , as they are kept , preserved , and continue in the faith , love and obedience of it . now i would yet put these few things more to them . first , whether that people of the jews , as they stood related to god in that covenant ( given by moses at mount horeb ) with the covenant it self and all things appertaining thereto , were not a shadow of some inward and spiritual thing afterwards to appear and be made manifest in its season . whether they themselves were not a shadow of a more inward and spiritual people , to be gathered to god by the inward and spiritual covenant ; and whether their outward covenant was not a shadow or visible representation of that covenant , and the laws of it a shadow or representation of the inward laws ▪ which were to be written in the hearts of that spiritual people ? was not their tabernacle , or temple , a shadow of the true tabernacle or temple , seeing god dwelleth not in temples made with hands , but in a poor , humble , contrite spirit , and in the heart that trembles at his word , isai. . . and chap. . , . so was not their circumcision a shadow of the circumcision which is to pass upon the hearts of god's chosen ? were not their sacrifices types or representations of the sacrifices of praise and of a broken heart ? psal. . . and psal. . . was not their canaan , or holy-land , a type of the true holy spiritual rest which the faith gives entrance into ? their city jerusalem a tipe of the jehovah-shammah ? their priests and levites tipes of the spiritual priesthood , which was to offer the pure offering and spiritual sacrifices among the gentiles ? malac. . . mark that place , if it did not plainly foretel the casting off of the jews , with the rejecting of their offerings , priests and levites , and god's raising up a seed among the gentiles , where he would have a more acceptable people and worship , even a pure spiritual people , and a pure spiritual offering . secondly , if they were types , representations , or shadows of somwhat spiritual to come , then were they not to give place to that which is spiritual when it came , and so to be swallowed up in it ? is not the spiritual glory , the glory ? the inward jew , the jew indeed ? the circumcision of the heart , the choice circumcision ? the offering up of praise and of a broken heart , the acceptable sacrifice ? the land of life and righteousness , the true land of rest to the living by faith ? is not the spiritual city , house , or temple which god builds , the ierusalem or temple of the new covenant ? is not this the choice house to god ? and is not this spiritual glory to be expected in the days of the messiah , and all the tipes and shadows of moses , which pointed at him , to end in him , when once he comes to set up his true , inward , invisible , substantial glory among his inward and spiritual people ? when the day of messiah dawns , shall not moses his shadows fly away ? o that your eyes were opened to behold the inward glory of life , the good things of the new covenant , the great treasure and riches which are revealed and possessed in the spirit ; by the spirits that are redeemed unto god , that ye might partake thereof ; and then your eye would not be so much on that which is outward , which if ye had even to the utmost of your desires , are not comparable to the inward . lastly , search the prophets , see if the messiah is not first to come in a despiseable way , as a man of sorrows , isai. . , . whose visage in that appearance was to be more marred then any mans , isai. . . and consider whether he was not to be cut off , though not for himself , dan. . . and then to sit at the right hand of god , until his enemies be made his footstool ; psa. . . before he come in that glory wherein ye expect him . so that if he be not thus come already , then that coming of his is yet to be expected , and his hands and feet are yet to be pierced by you , and then afterwards ye may look upon him whom you have pierced , zach. . . and all the families of israel mourn bitterly apart for it , ver. . when moses gave the law , the vail was over his face : your fathers were not able to bear the light wherein the law was given , nor the light wherein the prophecies of the prophets were given , and so they still erred from the law , were offended at the prophets while they were alive , & mis-understood their words after their death . now do not ye search into moses and the prophets , in the same spirit of error as your fathers did , being shut out from the light of them , even as they were ? if it be thus , if the vail be over your hearts , if ye be ignorant of the true light ▪ of the true eternal power wherein the scriptures were given forth , ye must needs mis-understand them mis-understand moses , mis-understand the prophets , mis-understand the things spoken concerning the messiah , & so not be able to see unto the end of those things ministred by moses , & of that ministration which was to pass away , nor into the beginning of the ministration of the messiah , which was to succeed it . o turn within to the word nigh in the heart , that the true jew may be begotten and formed in you , and his light may arise and overspread you , that in that light ye may see the light of moses , and the light of the prophets , and not gather false meanings from their words , but understand them a right in the same holy spirit , and injoy the blessedness they spake of and directed to , which lyes in the inward raising up of an inward seed , and not in an outward conformity of the outward man , while the heart and mind remains unchanged and unrenewed , which can never be made new by any ministry of the letter without the spirit , but alone by the ministry of the spirit , whether with or without the letter , as he pleaseth . j. p. the end . exercitations concerning the name, original, nature, use, and continuance of a day of sacred rest wherein the original of the sabbath from the foundation of the world, the morality of the fourth commandment with the change of the seventh day are enquired into : together with an assertion of the divine institution of the lord's day, and practical directions for its due observation / by john owen. owen, john, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing o estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) exercitations concerning the name, original, nature, use, and continuance of a day of sacred rest wherein the original of the sabbath from the foundation of the world, the morality of the fourth commandment with the change of the seventh day are enquired into : together with an assertion of the divine institution of the lord's day, and practical directions for its due observation / by john owen. owen, john, - . [ ], [i.e. ] p. : port. printed by r.w. for nath. ponder, london : . reproduction of original in the union theological seminary library, new york. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng sabbath -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - jonathan blaney sampled and proofread - jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion john owen d.d. exercitations concerning the name , original , nature , use and continuance of a day of sacred rest. wherein the original of the sabbath from the foundation of the world , the morality of the fourth commandment , with the change of the seventh day are enquired into . together with an assertion of the divine institution of the lord's day , and practical directions for its due observation . by john owen , d d. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . cor. . . john . . search the scripture . london , printed by r. w. for nath. ponder , at the peacock in chancery lane near fleetstreet . . to the reader . christian reader , there are two great concerns of that religion , whose name thou bearest ; the profession of its truth , and the practice or exercise of its power . and these are mutually assistant unto each other . without the profession of faith in its truth , no man can express its power in obedience . and without obedience , profession is little worth . whatever therefore doth contribute help and assistance unto us in either of these according to the mind of god , is highly to be prized and valued . especially it is so in such a season ; wherein the former of them is greatly questioned , and the later greatly neglected , if not despised . but if there be any thing which doth equally confirm and strengthen them both , it is certainly of great necessity in and unto religion ; and will be so esteemed by 〈◊〉 who place their principal concerns in these things . now such is the solenm observation of a sacred weekly day of rest unto god. for amongst all the outward means of conveying to the present generation , that religion which was at first taught and delivered unto men by jesus christ and his apostles , there hath been none more effectual , than the catholick uninterrupted observation of such a day for the celebration of the religious worship appointed in the gospel . and many material parts of it , were unquestionably preserved by the successively continued agreement of christians in this practice . so far then the profession of our christian religion in the world at this day , doth depend upon it . how much it tends to the exercise and expression of the power of religion cannot but be evident unto all , unless they be such as hate it , who are not a few . with others it will quickly appear unto a sober and unprejudicated consideration . for no small part hereof doth consist in the constant payment of that homage of spiritual worship , which we owe unto god in jesus christ. and the duties designed thereunto , are the means which he hath appointed for the communication of grace and spiritual strength unto the due performance of the remainders of our obedience . in these things consist the services of this day , and the end of its observation is their due performance unto the glory of god , and the advantage of our own souls . whereas therefore christian religion may be considered two wayes : first , as it is publickly and solemnly professed in the world , whereon the glory of god , and the honor of jesus christ do greatly depend : and secondly , as it prevails and rules in the minds and lives of private men , neither of them can be maintained without a due observance of a stated day of sacred rest. take this away , neglect and confusion will quickly cast out all regard unto solemn worship . neither did it ever thrive or flourish in the world from the foundation of it , nor will do so unto its end , without a due religious attendance unto such a day . any man may easily foresee the disorder and prophaness which would ensue upon the taking away of that , whereby our solemn assemblies are guided and preserved . wherefore by gods own appointment it had its beginning , and will have its end with his publick worship in this world. and take this off from the basis whereon god hath fixed it , and all humane substitutions of any thing in the like kind to the same purposes , will quickly discover their own vanity . nor without advantage which it affords as it is the sacred repository of all sanctifying ordinances will religion long prevail in the minds and lives of private men. for it would be just with god to leave them to their own weaknesse and decayes , which are sufficient to ruine them , who despise the assistance which he hath provided for them , and which he tenders unto them . thus also we have known it to have fallen out with many in our dayes , whose apostasies from god have hence taken their rise and occasion . this being the case of a weekly sacred day of rest unto the lord , it must needs be our duty to enquire and discern aright , both what warrant we have for the religious observance of such a day , as also what day it is in the hebdomadal revolution that ought so to be observed . about these things there is an enquiry made in the ensuing discourses ; and some determinations on that enquiry . my design in them , was to discover the fundamental principles of this duty , and what ground conscience hath to stand upon in its attendance thereunto . for what is from god in these things , is assuredly accepted with him . the discovery hereof , i have endeavoured to make , and therewithall a safe rule for christians to walk by in this matter ; so that for want thereof they may not lose the things which they have wrought . what i have attained unto of light and truth herein , is submitted to the judgement of men learned and judicious . the censures of persons heady , ignorant and proud ; who speak evil of those things which they know not , and in what they naturally know corrupt themselves , i neither fear nor value . if any discourses seem somewhat dark or obscure unto ordinary readers , i desire they would consider , that the foundations of the things discoursed of , lye deep , and no expression will render them more familiar and obvious unto all understandings , than their nature will allow : nor must we in any case quit the strengths of truth , because the minds of some , cannot easily possess themselves of them . however i hope nothing will occurr , but what an attentive redder , though otherwise but of an ordinary capacity , may receive and digest . and they to whom the argument seems hard , may find those directions which will make the practice of the duty insisted on ; easie and beneficial . the especial occasion of my present handling this subject , is declared afterwards . i shall only add , that here is no design of contending with any , of opposing or contradicting any , of censuring or reflecting on those whose thoughts and judgements in these things differ from ours , begun or carried on . even those by whom an holy day of rest under the gospel and its services are laughed to scorn , are by me left unto god , and themselves . my whole endeavour is to find out what is agreeable unto truth about the observance of such a day unto the lord , what is the mind and will of god concerning it , on what foundation we may attend unto the services of it , as that god may be glorified in us , and by us , and the interest of religion in purity , holiness , and righteousness be promoted amongst men. j. o. jan. . . exercitations concerning the name , original , nature , use and continuance of a day of sacred rest. exercitatio prima . hebr. chap. iv. ver. ix . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ( ) trouble and confusion from mens inventions . ( ) instanced in doctrines and practices of a sabbatical rest. ( ) reason of their present consideration . ( ) extent of the controversies about such a rest. ( ) a particular enumeration of them . ( ) special instances of particular differences upon an agreement in more general principles . ( ) evil consequences of these controversies in christian practice . ( ) principles and rules proposed for the right investigation of the truth in this matter . ( ) names of a sacred day of rest. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . gen. . . heb. . . ( ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . gen. . . exodus . . chap. . . lam. . . saturn called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the jews , and why . the word doubled . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . reason of it . ( ) translation of this word into the greek and latin languages . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ( ) all judaical feasts called sabbata by the heathen . suetonius ; horace ; juvenal cited to that purpose . ( ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : sunday . used by justine martyr , tertullian , eusebius . blamed by austin , hierom , and philastrius . ( ) use of the names of the dayes of the week derived from the heathen of old . custom of the roman church . ( ) first day of the week . lords day . lords day sabbath . the first exercitation . § . solomon tells us , that in his disquisition after the nature and state of things in the world , this alone he had found out ; that is absolutely and unto his satisfaction ; namely , that god made man upright , but they have sought out many inventions , eccles. . . and the truth hereof , we also find by woful experience , not only in sundry particular instances , but in the whole course of men in this world , and in all their concerns with respect unto god and themselves . there is not any thing wherein and whereabout , they have not found out many inventions , to the disturbance and perverting of that state of peace and quietness , wherein all things were made of god. yea , with the fruits and effects of this perverse apostasie , and relinquishment of that universally harmonious state of things wherein we were created , not only is the whole world as it lyes in evil , filled , and as it were overwhelmed ; but we have the reliques of it to conflict withal , in that reparation of our condition , which in this life by grace we are made partakers of . in all our wayes , actions and duties , some of these inventions are ready to immix themselves , unto our own disturbance , and the perverting of the right wayes of god. § . an evident instance we have hereof in the business of a day of sacred rest , and the worship of god therein required . god originally out of his infinite goodness , when suitably thereunto by his own eternal wisdom and power , he had made all things good , gave unto men a day of rest , as to express unto them , his own rest , satisfaction , and complacency in the works of his hands ; so to be a day of rest and composure to themselves , and a means of their entrance into , and enjoyment of that rest with himself , here and for ever , which he had ordained for them . hence it became unto them a principle and pledge , a cause and means of quietness and rest , and that in and with god himself . so might it be still unto the sons of men , but that they are in all things continually finding out new inventions , or immixing themselves in various questions and accounts ; for so saith the wise man ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , themselves have sought out many computations . and hence it is , that whereas there are two general concernments of such a day , the doctrine , and the practice of it , or the duties to be performed unto god thereon , they are both of them solicited by such various questions through the many inventions which men have found out , as have rendred this day of rest , a matter of endless strife disquietment and contention . and whereas all doctrines of truth do tend unto practice , as their immediate use and end , the whole scripture being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , tit. . . the truth which is according unto godliness , the contentions which have been raised about the doctrine of the holy day of rest , have greatly influenced the minds of men , and weakned them in that practice of godliness , which all men confess to be necessary in the observation of such a day of rest unto the lord , if such a day of rest there be , on what foundation soever it is to be observed . for christians in general , under one notion or other , do agree , that a day of rest should be observed , in and for the celebration of the worship of god. but whereas many controversies have been raised about the grounds of this observance , and the nature of the obligation thereunto , advantage hath been taken thereby to introduce a great neglect of the duties themselves , for whose sakes the day is to be observed , whilst one questions the reasons and grounds of another for its observation , and finds his own by others despised . and this hath been no small nor ineffectual means of promoting that general prophaneness , and apostasie from strict and holy walking before god , which at this day are every where so justly complained of . § . it is far from my thoughts and hopes , that i should be able to contribute much unto the composing of these differences and controversies , as agitated amongst men of all sorts . the known pertinacy of inveterate opinions , the many prejudices that the minds of most in this matter are already possessed withal , and the particular engagements , that not a few are under , to defend the pretensions and perswasions which they have published and contended for ; will not allow any great expectation of a change in the minds of many , from what i have to offer . besides , there are almost innumerable eristical discourses on this subject , in the hands of many , to whom perhaps the report of our endeavours will not arrive . but yet , these and the like considerations , of the darkness , prejudices and interests of many , ought not to discourage any man from the discharge of that duty which he owes to the truths of god ; nor cause him to cry with the sluggard , there is a lyon in the streets , i shall be slain in the way . should they do so , no truth should ever more be taught , or contended for : for the declaration of them all , is attended with the same difficulties , and lyable to the same kind of opposition . wherefore an enquiry into this matter , being unavoidably cast upon me , from the work wherein i am engaged , in the exposition of the epistle to the hebrews , i could not on any such accounts wave the pursuit of it . for this discourse , though upon the desires of many , now published by it self , is but a part of our remaining exercitations on that epistle . nor am i without all hopes , but that what shall be declared and proved on this subject , may be blessed to an usefulness unto them , who would willingly learn , or be established in the truth . an attempt also will be made herein , for the conviction of others , who have been seduced into paths , inconsistent with the communion of saints , the peace of the churches of christ , or opinions hurtful to the practice of godliness ; and left unto the blessing of him , who when he hath supplyed seed to the sower , doth himself also give the encrease . and these considerations have prevailed with me to cast my mite into this sanctuary , and to endeavour the right stating , and confirmation of that doctrine , whereon so important a part of our duty towards god doth depend , as is generally confessed , and will be found by experience , that there doth on this concerning a day of sacred rest. § . the controversies about the sabbath , ( as we call it at present for distinction sake , and to determine a subject of our discourse ) which have been publickly agitated , are universal as unto all its concerns . neither name nor thing is by all agreed on . for whereas most christians acknowledge , ( we may say all , for those by whom it is denyed , are of no weight , nor scarce of any number ) that a day on one account or other in an hebdomadal revolution of time , is to be set apart to the publick worship of god , yet how that day is to be called , is not agreed amongst them . neither is it granted , that it hath any name affixed unto it , by any such means , that should cause it justly to be preferred unto any other , that men should arbitrarily consent to call it by . the names which have been , and amongst some are still in use for its denotation and distinction , are the seventh day , the sabbath , the lords day , the first day of the week , sunday ; so was the day now commonly observed , called of old by the graecians and romans , before the introduction of religion into its observation . and this name some still retain , as a thing indifferent ; others suppose it were better left unto utter disuse . § . those about the thing it self are various , and respect all the concerns of the day enquired after . nothing that relates unto it , no part of its respect to the worship of god , is admitted by all uncontended about . for it is debated amongst all sorts of persons ; ( . ) whether any part of time be naturally and morally to be separated and set apart to the solemn worship of god ; or which is the same , whether it be a natural and moral duty to separate any part of time in any revolution of it , unto divine service ; i mean , so as it should be stated and fixed in a periodical revolution ; otherwise to say , that god is solemnly to be worshipped , and yet that no time is required thereunto , is an open contradiction . ( . ) whether such a time supposed , be absolutely and originally moral , or made so by positive command suited unto general principles and intimations of nature . and under this consideration also , a part of time is called moral metonymically from the duty of its observance . ( ) whether on supposition of some part of time so designed , the space or quantity of it , have its determination or limitation , morally , or meerly by law positive or arbitrary . for the observation of some part of time , may be moral , and the quota pars arbitrary . ( ) whether every law positive of the old testament , were absolutely ceremonial , or whether there may not be a law moral positive , as given to , and obligatory of all mankind ; though not absolutely written in the heart of man by nature ; that is , whether there be no morality in any law , but what is a part of the law of creation . ( ) whether the institution of the seventh day sabbath , was from the beginning of the world , and before the fall of man , or whether it were first appointed , when the israelites came into the wilderness . this in itself is only a matter of fact ; yet such , as whereon the determination of the point of right , as to the universal obligation unto the observation of such a day doth much depend ; and therefore hath the investigation and true stating of it , been much laboured in and after , by learned men . ( ) upon a supposition of the institution of the sabbath from the beginning , whether the additions made , and observances annexed unto it , at the giving of the law on mount sinai , with the ends whereunto it was then designed , and the uses whereunto it was employed , gave unto the seventh day a new state distinct from what it had before ; although naturally the same day was continued as before . for if they did so , that new state of the day , seems only to be taken away under the new testament ; if not the day it self seemes to be abolished : for that some change is made therein from what was fixed under the judaical oeconomy , cannot modestly be denyed . ( ) whether in the fourth commandment , there be a foundation of a distinction between a seventh day in general , or one day in seven ; and that seventh day , which was the same numerically and precisely from the foundation of the world. for whereas an obligation unto the strict observation of that day precisely is as we shall prove , plainly taken away in the gospel , if the distinction intimated , be not allowed , there can be nothing remaining obligatory unto us in that command , whilst it is supposed , that that day is at all required therein . hence ( ) it is especially enquired , whether a seventh day , or one day in seven , or in the hebdomadal cycle , be to be observed holy unto the lord , on the account of the fourth commandment . ( ) whether under the new testament all religious observation of dayes be so taken away , as that there is no divine obligation remaining for the observance of any one day at all ; but that as all dayes are alike in themselves , so are they equally free to be disposed of , and used by us , as occasion shall require . for if the observation of one day in seven , be not founded in the law of nature , expressed in the original positive command concerning it ; and if it be not seated morally in the fourth commandment , it is certain that the necessary observance of it is now taken away . ( ) on the other extream , whether the seventh day from the creation of the world , or the last day of the week , be to be observed precisely under the new testament by vertue of the fourth commandment and no other . the assertion hereof supposeth that our lord jesus christ the lord of the sabbath hath neither changed , nor reformed any thing in or about the religious observation of an holy day of rest unto the lord ; whence it follows , that such an observation can be no part or act of evangelical worship properly so called , but only a moral duty of the law. ( ) whether on the supposition of a non-obligation in the law unto the observance of the seventh day precisely , and of a new day to be observed weekly under the new testament , as the sabbath of the lord , on what ground it is so to be observed . ( ) whether of the fourth commandment as unto one day in seven , or only as unto some part or portion of time , or whether without any respect unto that command as purely ceremonial . for granting , as most do , the necessity of the observation of such a day , yet some say , that it hath no respect at all to the fourth decalogical precept , which is totally and absolutely abolished with the residue of mosaical institutions ; others that there is yet remaining in it , an obligation unto the sacred separation of some portion of our time unto the solemn service of god , but indetermined ; and some that it yet precisely requires the sanctification of one day in seven . ( ) if a day be so to be observed , it is enquired , on what ground , or by what authority there is an alteration made from the day observed under the old testament , unto that now in use ; that is , from the last to the first day of the week ; whether was this translation of the solemn worship of god , made by christ and his apostles , or by the primitive church . for the same day might have been still continued , though the duty of its observation , might have been fixed on a new reason and foundation . for although our lord jesus christ totally abolished the old solemn worship required by the law of commandments contained in ordinances , and by his own authority introduced a new law of worship according unto institutions of his own , yet might obedience unto it in a solemn manner have been fixed unto the former day . ( ) if this were done by the authority of christ and his apostles , or be supposed so to be , then it is enquired , whether it were done by the express institution of a new day , or a directive example sufficient to design a particular day , no institution of a new day being needful . for if we shall suppose that there is no obligation unto the observance of one day in seven indispensibly abiding on us , from the morality of the fourth command , we must have an express institution of a new day , or the authority of it is not divine ; and on the supposition , that that is so , no such institution is necessary ; or can be properly made , as to the whole nature of it . ( ) if this alteration of the day were introduced by the primitive church ; then whether the continuance of the observation of one day in seven be necessary or no. for what was appointed thereby , seems to be no farther obligatory unto the churches of succeeding ages , than their concernment lyes in the occasions and reasons of their determinations . ( ) if the continuance of one day in seven for the solemn worship of god be esteemed necessary in the present state of the church , then , whether the continuance of that now in general use , namely , the first day of the week be necessary or no ; or whether it may not be lawfully changed to some other day . and sundry other the like enquiries are made about the original , institution , nature , use and continuance of a day of sacred rest unto the lord. § . moreover , amongst those who do grant , that it is necessary , and that indispensibly so as to the present church state , which is under an obligation from whence ever it arise , neither to alter nor omit the observation of a day weekly for the publick worship of god , wherein a cessation from labour , and a joint attendance unto the most solemn duties of religion are required of us ; it is not agreed , whether the day it self , or the separation of it to its proper use and end , be any part in it self of divine worship , or be so meerly relatively , with respect unto the duties to be performed therein . and as to those duties themselves , they are not only variously represented , but great contention hath been about them , and the manner of their performances , as likewise concerning the causes and occasions which may dispense with our attendance unto them . indeed herein lyes secretly the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and principal cause of all the strife that hath been and is in the world about this matter . men may teach the doctrine of a sabbatical rest , on what principles they please , deduce it from what original they think good , if they plead not for an exactness of duty in its observance , if they bind not a religious carefull attendance on the worship of god , in publick and private , on the consciences of other men ; if they require not a watchfulness against all diversions and avocations from the duties of the day , they may do it without much fear of opposition . for all the concernments of doctrines and opinions which tend unto practice are regulated thereby , and embraced or rejected , as the practice pleaseth or displeaseth that they lead unto . lastly , on a precise supposition that the observation of such a day is necessary upon divine precept or institution , yet there is a controversie remaining , about fixing its proper bounds as to its beginning and ending . for some would have this day of rest measured by the first constitution and limitation of time unto a day from the creation ; namely , from the evening of the day preceding unto its own ; as the evening and the morning were said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one day , gen. . . others admit only of that proportion of time , which is ordinarily designed to our labour on the six dayes of the week ; that is , from its own morning to its own evening , with the interposition of such diversions as our labour on other dayes doth admit and require . § . and thus is it come to pass , that although god made man upright , and gave him the sabbath or day of rest , as a token of that condition , and pledge of a future eternal rest with himself ; yet through his finding out many inventions , that very day is become amongst us , an occasion and means of much disquietment and many contentions . and , that which is the worst consequent in things of this nature that belong unto religion and the worship of god , these differences , and the way of their agitation , whilst the several parties htigant have sought to weaken and invalidate their adversaries principles , have apparently influenced the minds of all sorts of men unto a neglect in the practice of those duties , which they severally acknowledge to be incumbent on them , upon those principles and reasons , for the observation of such a day , which themselves allow . for whilst some have hotly disputed , that there is now no especial day of rest to be observed to the lord , by vertue of any divine precept or institution ; and others have granted that if it be to be observed only by vertue of ecclesiastical constitution , men may have various pretences for dispensations from the duties of it , the whole due observation of it is much lost among christians . neither is it a small evil amongst us , that the disputes of some against the divine warranty of one day in seven to be separated unto sacred uses , and the pretence of others to an equal regard unto all dayes from their christian liberty , together with an open visible neglect in the most of any conscientious care in the observance of it , have cast not a few unwary and unadvised persons to take up with the judaical sabbath , both as to its institution and manner of its observation . now whereas the solemn worship of god , is the spring , rule and measure of all our obedience unto him , it may justly be thought that the neglect thereof , so brought about as hath been declared , hath been a great , if not a principal occasion , of that sad degeneracy from the power , purity , and glory of christian religion ; which all men may see , and many do complain of at this day in the world. the truth is , most of the different apprehensions recounted , have been entertained and contended for , by persons learned and godly , all equally pretending to a love unto truth , and care for the preservation and promotion of holiness and godliness amongst men . and it were to be wished that this were the only instance whereby we might evince , that the best of men in this world do know but in part , and prophesie but in part . but they are too many to be recounted , although most men act in themselves and towards others , as if they were themselves lyable to no mistakes , and that it is an inexpiable crime in others , to be in any thing mistaken . but as this should make us jealous over our selves , and our own apprehensions in this matter , so ought the consideration of it to affect us with tenderness and forbearance towards those who dissent from us , and whom we therefore judge to err and be mistaken . but that which principally we are to learn from this consideration , is , with what care and diligence we ought to inquire into the certain rule of truth in this matter . for whatever we do determine , we shall be sure to find men learned and godly otherwise minded . and yet in our determinations are the consciences of the disciples of christ greatly concerned , which ought not by us to be causelesly burthened , nor yet countenanced in the neglect of any duty that god doth require . slight and perfunctory disquisitions will be of little use in this matter ; nor are men to think that their opinions are firme and established , when they have obtained a seeming countenance unto-them from two or three doubtful texts of scripture . the principles and foundations of truth in this matter lye deep , and require a diligent investigation . and this is the design , wherein we are now engaged . whether we shall contribute any thing to the declaration or vindication of the truth , depends wholly on the assistance which god is pleased to give or withhold . our part it is , to use what diligence we are able ; neither ought we to avoid any thing more , than the assuming or ascribing of any thing unto our selves . it is enough for us , if in any thing , or by any means god will use us , not as lords over the faith of men , but as helpers of their joy. now for the particular controversies before mentioned , i shall not insist upon them all , for that were endless ; but shall reduce them unto those general heads , under which they may be comprehended , and by the right stating whereof they will be determined . nor shall i enter into any especial contest , unless it be occasionally only , with any particular persons , who of old or of late have eristically handled this subject . some of them have i confess given great provocations thereunto ; especially of the belgick divines , whose late writings are full of reflections on the learned writers of this nation . our only design is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and herein i shall lay down the general regulating principles of the doctrine of the scriptures in this matter ; confirming them with such arguments , as occurr to my mind ; and vindicating them from such exceptions , as they either seem liable unto , or have met withal : all with respect unto the declaration given of the doctrine and practice of the sabbath in the different ages of the church by our apostle , chap. . of the epistle to the hebrews . § . the principles that i shall proceed upon , or the rules that i shall proceed by are , ( . ) express testimonies of scripture , which are not wanting in this cause . where this light doth not go before us , our best course is to sit still ; and where the word of god doth not speak in the things of god , it is our wisdom to be silent . nothing i confess is more nauseous to me , than magisterial dictates in sacred things , without an evident deduction and confirmation of assertions from scripture testimonies . some men write , as if they were inspired ; or dreamed that they had obtained to themselves a pythagorean reverence . their writings are full of strong authoritative assertions arguing the good opinion they have of themselves , which i wish did not include an equal contempt of others . but any thing may be easily affirmed , and as easily rejected . ( . ) the analogie of faith in the interpretation , exposition , and application of such testimonies as are pleadable in this cause . hic labor hoc opus ; herein the writers diligence , and the readers judgement , are principally to be exercised . i have of late been much surprised with the plea of some for the use of reason in religion and sacred things ; not at all that such a plea is insisted on , but that it is by them built expresly on a supposition that it is by others , whom they reflect upon , denyed ; whereas some probably intended in those reflections have pleaded for it against the papists ( to speak within the bounds of sobriety ) with as much reason , and no less effectually , than any amongst themselves . i cannot but suppose their mistake to arise , from what they have heard , but not well considered , that some do teach about the darkness of the mind of man by nature , with respect unto spiritual things , with his disability by the utmost use of his rational faculties as corrupted , or unrenewed , spiritually and savingly to apprehend the things of god , without the especial assistance of the holy ghost . now as no truth is more plainly or evidently confirmed in the scripture than this ; so to suppose , that those by whom it is believed and asserted , do therefore deny the use of reason in religion , is a most fond imagination . no doubt but whatever we do , or have to do towards god , or in the things of god , we do it all as rational creatures , that is , in and by the use of our reason . and not to make use of it in its utmost improvement in all that we have to do in religion or the worship of god , is to reject it , as to the principal end for which it is bestowed upon us . in particular , in the pursuit of the rule now laid down , is the utmost exercise of our reason required of us . to understand aright the sense and importance of the words in scripture testimonies , the nature of the propositions and assertions contained in them , the lawful deduction of inferences from them ; to judge and determine aright , of what is proposed ; or deduced by just consequence from direct propositions , to compare what in one place seems to be affirmed , with what in others seems to be asserted to the same purpose , or denyed ; with other instances innumerable of the exercise of our minds about the interpretation of scripture , are all of them acts of our reason ; and as such are managed by us . but i must not here farther divert unto the consideration of these things . only i fear , that some men write books about them , because they read none . this i know , that they miserably mistake what is in controversie ; and set up to themselves men of straw as their adversaries , and then cast stones at them . ( . ) the dictates of general and incorrupted reason , suitable unto and explained by scripture light , is another principle that we shall in our progress have a due regard unto . for whereas it is confessed , that the separation of some portion of time to the worship of god , is a part of the law of our creation , the light of nature doth and must still on that supposition continue to give testimony unto our duty therein . and although this light is exceedingly weakned and impaired by sin in the things of the greatest importance , and as to many things truly belonging unto it in our original constitution , so overwhelmed with prejudices , and contrary usages , that of it self it owns them not at all ; yet let it be excited , quickned , rectified , by scripture light , it will return to perform its office of testifying unto that dutie , a sense whereof , and a direction whereunto , were concreated with it . we shall therefore enquire what intimations the light of nature hath continued to give concerning a day of sacred rest to be observed unto god ; and what uncontrollable testimonies we have of those intimations , in the knowledge , confessions , and expressions of them , in and by those , who had no other way to come to an acquaintance with them . and where there is a common or prevailing suffrage given amongst mankind , unto any truth , and that , to free us from entanglements about it , declared to be such in the scripture , it must be acknowledged to proceed from that light of nature which is common unto all , though the actings of it be stifled in many . ( . ) the custom and practice of the church of god in all ages is to be enquired into . i intend not meerly the church of christ under the gospel , but the whole church from the beginning of the world , in the various dispensations of the will and grace of god unto it , before the giving of the law , under the toke of it , and since the promulgation of the gospel . and great weight may certainly be laid upon its harmonious consent in any practice relating to the worship of god. nay , what may be so confirmed , will thence appear not to be an institution peculiar to any especial mode of worship that may belong unto one season , and not unto another ; but to have an everlasting obligation in it , on all that worship god , as such , never to be altered or dispensed withal . and if every particular church be the ground and pillar of truth , whose testimony thereunto is much to be esteemed , how much more is the universal church of all ages so to be accounted . and it is a brutish apprehension to suppose , that god would permit a perswasion to befall the church in all ages , with respect unto his worship , which was not from himself , and the expression of its practice accepted with him . this therefore is diligently to be enquired into , as far as we may have certain light into things involved in so much darkness , as are all things of so great antiquity . ( . ) a due consideration of the spirit and liberty of the gospel , with the nature of its worship , the reasons of it , and manner of its performance , is to be had in this matter . no particular instance of worship is to be introduced or admitted contrary to the nature , genius , and reason of the whole . if therefore such a sabbatical rest , or such an observation of it be urged , as is inconsistent with the principles and reasons of evangelical worship , as is built upon motives not taken from the gospel , and in the manner of its observance enterferes with the liberty wherewith christ hath made us free , it discovers it self not to belong unto the present state of the worshippers of god in christ. nor is any thing to commend it self unto us under the meer notion of strictness or preciseness , or the appearance of more than ordinary severity in religion . it is only walking according unto rule , that will please god , justifie us unto others , and give us peace in our selves . other seeming duties , that may be recommended , because they have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a pretence of wisdom in doing even more than is required of us , through humility and mortification , are of no price with god , nor useful unto men . and commonly those who are most ready to overdo in one thing , are prone also to underdo in others . and this rule we shall find plainly rejecting the rigid observation of the seventh day as a sabbath , out of the verge of gospel order and worship . ( . ) the tendency of principles , doctrines , and practices to the promotion or hinderance , of piety , godliness , and universal holy obedience unto god , is to be enquired into . this is the end of all religious worship , and of all the institutions thereof . and a due observation of the regular tendency of things unto this end , will give a great discovery of their nature and acceptance with god. let things be urged under never so specious pretences , if they be found by experience not to promote gospel holiness in the hearts and lives of men , they discover themselves not to be of god. much more when principles , and practices conformable unto them , shall be evidenced to obstruct and hinder it , to introduce profaness , and countenance licentiousness of life , to prejudice the due reverence of god and his worship , do they manifest themselves to be of the tares sowed by the evil one. and by this rule , we may try the opinion which denies all divine institution unto a day of holy rest under the new testament . these are the principal rules , which in this disquisition after a sabbatical rest , we shall attend unto . and they are such as will not fail to direct us aright in our course , if through negligence or prejudice we miss not of a due regard unto them . these the reader is desired to have respect unto , in his perusal of the ensuing discourses ; and if what is proposed or concluded be not found suitable unto them , let it be rejected . for i can assure him , that no self-assuming , no contempt of others , no prejudicing adherence to any way or party , no pretence of certainty above evidence produced , have had any influence into those enquiries after the truth in this matter , which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , we now address our selves unto . § . in the first place it will be necessary to premise something about the name whereby this day may be called . for that also among some hath been controverted . under the old testament it had a double appellation ; the one taken from the natural order of the day then separated with respect unto other dayes , the other from its nature and use. on the first account it was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the seventh day . gen. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and god blessed the seventh day and sanctified it . so also exod. . . upon its first institution , and on the re-introduction of its observation , it is so called . but it is a meer description of the day from its relation to the six precedent dayes of the creation , that is herein intended ; absolutely it is not so called any where . yet hence by the hellenists it was termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the seventh ; and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the sacred seventh day . so is mention made of it by philo , josephus , and others . and our apostle maketh use of this name , as that which was commonly in use to denote the sabbath of the jews . chap. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; for he speaketh , or it is spoken somewhere concerning the seventh . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is not added , because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , was used technically to denote that day . and he educeth the reason of this denomination , from gen. . . being as was said , the day that ensued immediately after the six distinct dayes wherein the world was created , and putting a period unto a measure of time by a numeration of dayes , alwayes to return in its cycle , it was called the seventh day . and from that course of time compleated in seven dayes , thence recurring to its beginning , is the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , hebdomas , a week , which the hebrews call only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a seven . and the same word sometimes signifieth the seventh day , or one day in seven . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; is septimum diem celebrare ; to celebrate the , or a seventh day . and the latines use the word in the same manner , for seven dayes , or one day in seven . but this appellation , as we shall see the apostle casts out of consideration and use , as to the day to be observed under the new testament . for that which was first so , is passed away , and another instituted in the room thereof ; which although it be also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or a seventh day absolutely , or one in the revolution of seven , yet not being the seventh in their natural order , that name is now of no use , but antiquated . § . from its occasion , sanctification and use , it was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the sabbath , and the sabbath day . the occasion of this name is expressed , gen. . . god blessed the seventh day , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , because he rested ( shabath ) that day . it is called rest , the rest , because on that day god rested . and in the decalogue , it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the day of the sabbath ; or of gods rest , and ours . and absolutely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sabbath , isa. . . where also god from his institution of it , calls it my sabbath : v. . this being a thing so plain and evident , it were meer loss of time to insist upon the feigned etymologies of this name , after it came to be taken notice of in the world ; i shall only name them . appion the alexandrian would have it derived from the aegyptian word sabbo , as josephus informs us ; cont. app. lib. . and what the signification of that word is , the reader may see in the same place . plutarch derives it from sabboi , a word that was used to be howled in the furious services of bacchus ; for his priests and devotoes used in their bacchanals , to cry out evoi , sabboi . sympos . lib. . c. . which things are ridiculous . lactantius with sundry others of the antients , fell into no less , though a less offensive mistake . hic , saith he , est dies sabbati , qui lingua hebraeorum à numero nomen accepit ; unde septenarius numerus legitimus & plenus est . institut . lib. . cap. . procopius gazaeus on the pentateuch , hath a singular conceit . speaking of the tenth of the month tizri , termed sabbaton sabbat . he calls it , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . he would have it the day of the conception of john baptist the fore-runner of christ , when the remission and repentance that he preached began ; and thence conjectures the etymologie of the sabbath to be from sabachta ( that is the syriack 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) which signifies remission ; that day being remitted holy unto the lord ; being the seventh day which is sabaa ; that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the vanity of which conjectures is apparent to all . the reason and rise of this appellation is manifest . hence this was the proper and usual name of this day under the old testament , being expressive of its occasion , nature , and end. the word also hath other formes ; as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , exod. . . chap. . . sabbaton ; and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lam. . . mishbat ; the signification of the word being still retained . neither yet is this word peculiarly sacred as to what it denotes , but is used to express things common or prophane ; even any cessation , resting , or giving over . the first time it occurs , gen. . . it is rendred in targum , by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a common word to rest . see isa. . . chap. . . and many other places . it is also applyed , to signifie a week ; because every week , or seven of dayes , had a sabbath or day of rest necessarily included in it , levit. . . you shall count to your selves ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seven compleat sabbaths ; that is weeks , each having a sabbath in it for its close ; for the reckoning was to expire on the end of the seventh sabbath ; v. . and this place being expounded by onkelos in his targum of a week ; nachmanides sayes upon it , that if it be so ( which he also grants and pleads ) then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , there will be two tongues in one verse ; or the same word used twice in the same verse with different significations ; namely , that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should denote both the holy day of rest , and also a week of dayes . and he gives another instance to the same purpose , in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , judg. . . jair the gileadite had thirty sons , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies in the first place colts of asses , and in the latter , cities . and the common number of seven is expressed by it , levit. . . thou shalt number unto , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , seven sabbaths of years ; that is , as it is expounded in the next words , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seven times seven years ; seven years being called a sabbath of years , because of the lands resting every seventh year , in answer to the rest of the church every seventh day : ( see the targum , on isa. . . esth. . . ) moreover because of the rest that was common to the weekly sabbath , with all other sacred feasts of moses's institution in their stated monthly or annual revolution , they were also called sabbaths , as shall be proved afterwards . and as the greeks and latines made use of this word borrowed from the hebrew , so the jews observing that their sabbath day had amongst them its name from saturne , dies saturni , as amongst us it is still thence called satterday , they called him , or the planet of that name , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shabbetai . and even from hence , some of the jews take advantage to please themselves with vain imaginations . so r. isaac caro , commending the excellency of the seventh day , sayes , that saturne is the planet of that day , the whole being denominated from the first hour , ( whereof afterwards ) he therefore , saith he , hath power on that day , to renew the strength of our bodies , as also to influence our minds to understand the mysteries of god. he is the planet of israel , as the astrologers acknowledge , ( doubtless ; ) and in his portion is the rational soul , and in the parts of the earth , the house of the sanctuary , and among tongues the hebrew tongue , and among laws the law of israel . so far he ; who whether he can make good his claim to the relation of the jews unto saturne , or their pretended advantage on supposition thereof , i leave to our astrologers to determine , seeing i know nothing of these things . and on the same account of their rest falling on the day under that planetary denomination , many of the heathen thought they dedicated the day and the religion of it unto saturne . so tacitus , histor. lib. . alii honorem eum saturno haberi . seu principia religionis tradentibus idaeis quos cum saturno pulsos & conditores gentis accepimus ; seu quod c septem syderibus queis mortales reguntur , altissimo orbe & praecipua potentia stella saturni feratur ; ac pleraque coelestium vim suam & cursiem septimos per numeros conficiant . such fables did the most diligent of the heathen suffer themselves to be deluded withal , whereby a prejudice was kept up in their minds against the only true god and his worship . the word sometimes is also redoubled by a pure hebraisme . chron. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , shabbath , shabbath ; that is , every sabbath ; and somewhat variously used in the conjunction of another form ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , exod. . . chap. . . and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , exod. . . levit. . . we render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by rest , the rest of the sabbath , and a sabbath of rest. where sabbaton is preposed at least , it seems to be as much as sabbatulum ; and to denote the entrance into the sabbath or the preparation for it ; such as was more solemn when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a great sabbath , an high day ensued . such was the sabbath before the passeover , for the miracle , as the jews say , which befell their fore-fathers that day in aegypt . the time between the two evenings was the sabbatulum . this then was the name of the day of rest under the old testament ; yet was not the word appropriated to the denotation of that day only ; but is used sometimes naturally to express any rest or cessation ; sometimes as it were artificially in numeration , for a week , or any other season , whose composition was by , and resolution into seven , though this was meerly occasional from the first limitation of a periodical revolution of time , by a sabbath of rest ; of which before . § . and this various use of the word was taken up among the grecians and latines also . as they borrowed the word from the jews , so they did its use. the greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is meerly the hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or perhaps formed by the addition of their usual termination from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , whence also our apostle frames his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the latine sabbatum is the same . and they use this word , though rarely , to express the last day of the week . so suetonius in tiber. diogenes grammaticus sabbatis disputare rhodi solitus . and the lxx . alwayes so express the seventh day sabbath ; and frequently they use it for a week also . and so in the new testament , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , luke . . i fast twice on the sabbath ; that is , two dayes in the week . and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , acts . . the day of the sabbath , is that day of the week which was set apart for a sabbatical rest. hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , one day of the sabbaths , which frequently occurs is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the first day of the week ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being often put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; the numeral for the cardinal . § . about the time of the writing of the books of the new testament , both the jews themselves and all the heathen that took notice of them , called all their feasts and solemn assemblies , their sabbaths ; because they did no servile work in them . they had the general nature of the weekly sabbath in a cessation from labour : so the first day of the feast of trumpets , which was to be on the first day of the second month , what day soever of the week it happened to be on , was called a sabbath . levit. . . this scaliger well observes and well proves ; emendat . tempor . lib. . canon . isagog . lib. . p. . omnem festivitatem judaicam , non solum judaei , sed & gentiles sabbatum vocant ; judaei quidem cum dicunt tisri nunquam incipere à feria prima , quarta , sexta , ne duo sabbata continuentur ; gentiles autem non alio nomine omnes eorum solennitates vocabant . and this is evident , from the frequent mention of the sabbatical fasts of the jews , when they did not , nor was it lawful for them to fast on the weekly sabbath . so speaks augustus to tiberius in suetonius . ne judaeus quidem , mi tiberi , tam libenter sabbatis jejunium servat , quam ego hodie servavi . and juvenals observant ubi festa mero pede sabbata reges . and martial , et non jejuna sabbata lege premet . speaking in contradiction as he thought unto them , and so horace mentions their tricesima sabbata , which were no other but their new moons . and to this usual manner of speaking in those dayes , doth our apostle accommodate his expressions ; col. . . let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink , or in part of an holy day , ( any part of it , or respect unto it ) or of the new moon , or of the sabbaths ; that is , any of the judaical feasts whatever , then commonly called sabbaths . so maimonides tract . de sabb. cap. . speaking of their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , good dayes or feasts ; sayes expresly , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , they are all sabbaths to the lord. and from this usage , some think to expound that vexed expression , of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , luke . . which we render the second sabbath after the first . so suidas , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . it was the second day of the passeover , and the first of unleavened bread . and wonder not that it is called a sabbath ; for they called every feast day a sabbath . theophylact gives us another day , but on the same reason : saith he , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the jews call every feast a sabbath : for sabbath is as much as rest. oft-times therefore there fell out a feast on the day before the weekly sabbath ; and they called it a sabbath , because it was a feast . and therefore that which was the proper sabbath at that time , was called the second sabbath after the first ; being the second from that which went before . chrysostome allows of the same reason . hom. in matth. . isidore pelusiota fixeth on another day , but still for the same reason . epist. . lib. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . it is called the deuteroproton , because it was the second day from the sacrificing of the passeover , and the first day of unleavened bread ; which he shews was called a sabbath upon the general account of all the jewish feasts being so called . for so he saith , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . by the way , this is expresly contrary to the scripture , which makes the day spoken of , to be the proper weekly sabbath , as it is called without any addition , matth. . . whereon depended the questions that ensued about its observation . but we are beholding to scaliger for the true meaning of this expression , which so puzled the antients , and concerning which gregory nazianzen , turned of hierome , with a scoff scarce becoming his gravity , when he enquired of him , what might be the meaning of it . scaliger therefore conjectures , that it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , because it was the first sabbath , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , from the second day of unleavened bread . for on that day they offered the handful , or sheaf of new fruits ; and from that day , they counted seven weeks unto pentecost . and the sabbaths of those weeks were reckoned , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and the first that followed was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : so he , both in his emendat . tempor . lib. . and isagog . canon . p. . and this is subscribed unto , by his mortal adversary , dyonisius petavius animad . in epiphar . n. . p. . who will not allow him ever to have spoken tightly , but in what the wit of man can find no tolerable objection against . but this calling of their feasts sabbaths , with the reason of it is given us by all their principal authors . so lib. tzeror . hammor . on levit. p. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because all solemn dayes are called holy convocations , they are all called so from the sabbath , which is called holy ; wherefore the sabbath is the head of all solemn feasts , and they are all of them called by the name thereof , sabbaths of rest ; whereof he gives instances . § . some of the antient christians dealing with the heathens called that day , which the christians then observed in the room of the jewish seventh day , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or diem folis , sunday . as those who treat and deal with others ; must express things by the names that are currant amongst them , unless they intend to be barbarians unto them . so speaks justine martyr , apol. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . we meet ( for the worship of god ) in common on sunday . had he said on the sabbath , the gentiles would have concluded it to have been the judaical sabbath . to have called it to them the lords day , had been to design no determinate day , they would not have known what day he meant . and the name of the first day of the week , taken up signally by christians upon the resurrection of christ , was not in use amongst them . wherefore he called the day he intended to determine , as was necessary for him , by the name in use amongst them to whom he spake ; sunday . in like manner tertullian treating with the same sort of men , calls it diem solis ; apol. cap. . and eusebius reporting the edicts of constantine for the observation of the lords day , as it is termed in them , adds that it is the day which we call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or sunday . but yet among christians themselves this name was not in common use , but by some was rejected , as were also all the rest of the names of the dayes used among the pagans . so speaks august . in psal. . quarta sabbatorum , quarta feria , que mercurii dies dicitur à paganis , & à multis , christianis . sed noluimus ut dicant , & utinam corrigantur ut non dicant . and hicrome epist. ad algas . vna sabbati , dies dominica intelligenda est ; quia hebdomada in sabbatum , ut in primam , & secundam , & tertiam , & quartam , & quintam , & sextam sabbati dividitur ; guam ethnici idolorum & planetarum nominibus appellant . he rejects the use of the ordinary names unto the heathens . and philastrius makes the usage of them amongst christians almost heretical , num. . all the eastern nations also , amongst whom the planetary denomination of the dayes of the week first began , have since their casting off that kind of idolatry , rejected the use of those names , being therein more religious , or more superstitious , than the most of christians . so is it done by the. arabians and persians , and those that are joyned unto them in religious observances . the day of their worship , which is our friday , the arabians call giuma , the persians adina . the rest of the dayes of the week they discriminate by their natural order within their hebdomadal revolution ; the first , the second , the third ; only some of them in some places , have some special name occasionally imposed on them . the church of rome , from a decree as they suppose , or pretend of pope sylvester , reckons all the dayes of the week , by feria prima , secunda , and so onwards ; only their writers for the most part retain the name of sabbatum , and use dies dominica for the first day . and the rhemists on revel . . . condemn the name of sunday , as heathenish . and polydore virgil before them , sayes , profccio pudendum est , simulque dolendum , quod non antebac data sunt istis diebus christiana nomina ; ne dii gentium tam memorabile , inter nos , monumentum haberent . de invent. rer. lib. . c. . and indeed among sundry of the antients , there do many severe expressions occurr against the use of the common planetary names . and at the first relinquishment of gentilisme , it had no doubt been well , if those names of baalim had been taken away out of the mouths of men , especially considering that the retaining of them hath been of no use nor advantage . as they are now riveted into custom and usage , claiming their station on such a prescription , as in some measure takes away the corruption of their use , i judge that they are not to be contended about . for as they are vulgarly used , their names are meer notes of ditinction , of no more signification , than first , second and third , the original , and occasional imposition of them being utterly amongst the many unknown . only i must add that the severe reflections , and contemptuous reproaches , which i have heard made upon , and poured out against them , who it may be out of weakness , it may be out of a better judgement than our own , do abstain from the using of them , argue a want of due charity and that condescension in love , which become those who judge themselves strong . for the truth is , they have a plea sufficient at least to vindicate them from the contempt of any . for there are some places of scripture which seem so far to give countenance unto them , that if they mistake in their application , it is a mistake of no other nature but what others are liable unto , in things of greater importance . for it is given as the will of god , exod. . . in all things saith he that i have said be circumspect , and make no mention of the names of other gods , neither let them be heard out of thy mouth . and it cannot be denyed but that the names of the dayes of the week , were the names of gods among the heathen . the prohibition is renewed , josh. . . thou shalt not make mention of the names of their gods ; which is yet extended farther , deut. . . to a command , to destroy and blot out the names of the gods of the people , which by this means are retained . accordingly the children of ruben , building the cities formerly called nebo , and baal meon , changed their names , because they were the names of heathen idols ; numb . . . and david mentioneth it , as a part of his integrity , that he would not take up the names of idols in his lips . psal. . . and some of the antients as hath been observed , confirme what by some at present is concluded from these places . saith hierome ; absit ab ore christiano dicere , jupiter omnipotens , mehercule , & mecastor , & coetera magis portenta quam nomina . epist. ad damas. now be it granted that the objections against the use of the planetary names of the dayes of the week from these places may be answered , from consideration of the change of times and the circumstances of things , yet certainly there is an appearance of warranty in them sufficient to secure them from contempt and reproach , who are prevailed on by them , to another use . § . but of a day of rest there is a peculiar reason . if there be a name given in the scripture unto such a day , by that name it is to be called , and not otherwise . so it was unquestionably under the old testament . god himself had assigned a name unto the day of sacred rest then enjoyned the church unto observation , and it was not lawful for the jews to call it by any other name given unto it , or in use among the heathen . it was , and was to be called the sabbath day , the sabbath of the lord. in the new testament , there is , as we shall see afterwards , a signal note put on the first day of the week . so thence do some call their day of rest or solemn worship , and contend that so it ought to be called . but this only respects the order and relation of such a day to the other dayes of the week , which is natural , and hath no respect unto any thing that is sacred . it may be allowed then for the indigitation of such a day , and the discrimination of it from the other dayes of the week , but is no proper name for a day of sacred rest. and the first use of it , upon the resurrection of our lord , was only peculiarly to denote the time. there is a day mentioned by john in the revelation ( which we shall afterwards consider ) that he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , diem dominicam , the lords day . this appellation what day soever is designed is neither natural nor civil , nor doth it relate unto any thing in nature , or in the common usage of men . it must therefore be sacred , and it is , or may be very comprehensive of various respects . it is the lords day ; the day that he hath taken to be his lot , or especial portion among the dayes of the week ; as he took as it were possession of it in his resurrection . so his people are his lot and portion in the world , therefore called his people . it is also , or may be his day subjectively ; or the day whereon his businesses and affairs are principally transacted . so the poet , — tydeos illa dies ; that was tydeus his day ; because he was principally concerned in the affairs of it . this is the day wherein the affairs of the lord christ are transacted , his person and mediation being the principal subjects and objects of its work and worship . and it is , or may be called his , the lords day , because enjoyned and appointed to be observed by him or his authority over the church . so the ordinance of the supper is called the supper of the lord , on the same account . on supposition therefore that such a day of rest there is to be observed under the new testament , the name whereby it ought to be called , is the lords day ; which is peculiarly expressive of its relation unto our lord jesus christ , the sole author and immediate object of all gospel worship . but whereas the general notion of a sabbatical rest , is still included in such a day , a superaddition of its relation to the lord christ , will intitle it unto the appellation of the lords day sabbath ; that is , the day of sacred rest appointed by the lord jesus christ. and thus most probably in the continuation of the old testament phraseologie it is called the sabbath day , matth. . . and in our apostle comes under the general notion of a sabbatism , chap. . . exercitatio secunda . ( ) of the original of the sabbath ; the importance of this disquisition ( ) opinion of some of the jewish masters about the original of the sabbath that it began in mara . ( ) the station in mara and the occurrences thereof ; tacitus noted , exod. . , . jews exposition of it . ( ) this opinion refuted by testimonies and reasons . ( ) another opinion of the antient jews about the original of the sabbath ; and of the mahumetans . ( ) opinions of christians about the original of the sabbath proposed . ( ) that of its original from the foundation of the world , asserted . the first testimony given unto it , gen. . . vindicated . exceptions of heddigerus answered . ( . ) what intended by sanctifying and blessing the seventh day . ( ) other exceptions removed . series and dependance of the discourse in moses cleared . the whole testimony vindicated . ( ) heb. , . vindicated . ( ) observation of the sabbath by the patriarchs before the giving of the law. instances hereof collected by manasse ben israel . farther confirmation of it . ( ) tradition among the gentiles concerning it . sacredness of the septenary number . ( ) testimonies of the heathen collected by aristobulus , clemens , eusebius . ( ) importance of these testimonies examined and vindicated . ( ) ground of the hebdomadal revolution of time . it s observation catholick . ( ) planetary denominations of the dayes of the week , whence . ( ) the contrary opinion of the original of the sabbath in the wilderness proposed , and examined . ( ) first argument against the original of the sabbath , answered , &c. the second exercitation . of the original of the sabbath . § . having fixed the name , the thing it self falls nextly under consideration . and the order of our investigation shall be , to enquire first into its original , and then into its causes . and the true stating of the former will give great light into the latter , as also into its duration . for if it began with the world , probably it had a cause cognate to the existence of the world , and the ends of it , and so must in duration be commensurate unto it . if it ows its rise to succeeding generations , amongst some peculiar sort of men , its cause was arbitrary and occasional , and its continuance uncertain . for every thing which had such a beginning in the worship of god , was limited to some seasons only , and had a time determined for its expiration . this therefore is first to be stated . and indeed no concern of this day hath fallen under more diligent , severe , and learned dissertations . very learned men have here engaged into contrary opinions , and defended them with much learning and variety of reading . summa sequar vestigia rerum ; and shall briefly call the different apprehensions both of jews and christians in this matter unto a just examination . neither shall i omit the consideration of any opinion , whose antiquity or the authority of its defenders did ever give it reputation , though now generally exploded ; as not knowing in that revolution of opinions which we are under , how soon it may have a revival . § . the jews that we may begin with them , ( with whom some think the sabbath began ) are divided among themselves about the original of the sabbath no less than christians ; yea to speak the truth , their divisions and different apprehensions about this matter of fact , have been the occasion of ours ; and their authority is pleaded to countenance the mistakes of others . many therefore of them assign the original , or first revelation of the sabbath , unto the wilderness station of the people in mara ; others of them make it coaeval with the world. the first opinion hath countenance given unto it in the talmud . gemar . babylon . tit. sab. cap. . and tit. sanedr . cap. . and the tradition of it , is embraced by so many of their masters and commentators , that our learned selden , de jur. gen. apud heb. lib. . cap. , , . contends for it , as the common and prevailing opinion amongst them ; and indeavours an answer unto all instances or testimonies , that are or may be urged to the contrary , and indeed there is searce any thing of moment to be observed in all antiquity as to matter of fact about the sabbath , whether it be jewish , christian or heathen , but what he hath heaped together , or rather treasured up in the learned discourses of that third book of his jus gentium apud hebraeos . whether the questions of right belonging thereunto , have been duly determined by him , is yet left unto further enquiry . that which at present we are in the consideration of , is the opinion of the jews about the original of the sabbath at the station of marah , which he so largely confirms with testimonies out of all sorts of their authors , and those duly alledged according to their own sense and conceptions . § . mara was the first station that the children of israel fixed in , in the wilderness of shur , five dayes after their coming up out of the red sea. before their coming hither , they had wandred three dayes in the wilderness without finding any water until they were ready to faint . the report of this their thirst and wandring was famous amongst the heathen , and mixed by them with vain and monstrous fables , one of the wisest amongst them puts as many lies together about it as so few words can well contain . effigiem saith he , animalis quo monstrante errorem sitimque depulerant , penetrali sacravere . tacit. histor. lib. . he feigns that by following some wild asses they were led to waters , and so made an end of their thirst and wandring , on the account whereof they afterwards consecrated in their temple the image of an ass. others of them besides him say that they wandred six dayes , and finding water on the seventh , that was the occasion and reason of their perpetual observation of the seventh dayes rest. in their journey from the red sea to mara they were particularly pressed with wandring and thirst , exod. . . but this was only for three dayes , not seven . they went three dayes in the wilderness and found no water . the story of the asses image , or head consecrated amongst them , was taken from what fell out afterwards about the golden calf . this made them vile among the nations , and exposed them to their obloquy and reproaches . upon the third day therefore after their coming from the red sea , they came to mara , that is the place so called afterwards from what there befell them . for the waters which there they found being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bitter , they called the name of the place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or bitterness . hither they came on the third day . for although it is said , that they went three dayes in the wilderness and found no water , exod. . . after which mention is made of their coming to mara , v. . yet it was in the evening of the third day ; for they pitched that night in mara , numb . . . here after their murmuring for the bitterness of the waters , and the miraculous cure of them , it is added in the story , there the lord made for them a statute and an ordinance , and there he proved them ; and said , if thou wilt diligently hearken unto the voice of the lord thy god , and wilt do that which is right in his sight , and wilt give ear to all his commandments , and keep all his statutes , i will put none of those diseases upon thee which i have brought upon the aegyptians ; for i am the lord that healeth thee . v. . it is said that he gave them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; the words whereby sacred ordinances and institutions are expressed . what this statute and judgement were in particular , is not declared . these therefore are suggested by the talmudical masters . one of them they say was the ordinance concerning the sabbath . about the other they are not so well agreed . some refer it to the fifth commandment of honouring father and mother ; others to the ceremonies of the red heifer with whose ashes the water of sprinkling was to be mingled ; for which conjecture they want not such reasons as are usual amongst them . the two first they confirm from the repetition of the law ; deut. . , . for there those words , as the lord thy god commanded thee , are distinctly added to those two precepts , the fourth and fifth , and to no other . and this could arise from no other cause , but because god had before given them unto the people in mara , where he said he had given them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; that is the ordinance and law of the sabbath , and the judgement of obedience to parents and superiors . this is one of the principal wayes whereby they confirm their imaginations . and fully to establish the truth hereof , baal hatturim , or the small gematrical annotations on the masoretical bibles adds , that in those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the final numeral letters , make up the same number with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the name of the place where these laws were given . and this is the summ of what is pleaded in this case . § . but every one may easily see the vanity of these pretences , and how easie it is for any one to frame a thousand of them who knows not how better to spend his time . aben ezra and abarbinel . both confess that the words used in the repetition of the law , deut. . do refer to the giving of it on mount sinai . and if we must seek for especial reasons of the inserting of those words , besides the soveraign pleasure of god , they are not wanting which are far more probable than these of the masters . ( ) the one of these commandments closing up the first table concerning the worship of god , and the other heading the second table concerning our duties amongst our selves and towards others , this memorial , as the lord thy god commanded thee , is on that account expresly annexed unto them , being to be distinctly applyed unto all the rest. ( ) the fourth command is as it were custos primae tabulae , the keeper of the whole first table , seeing our owning of god to be our god , and our worship of him according to his mind , were solemnly to be expressed , on the day of rest commanded to be observed for that purpose ; and in the neglect whereof they will be sure enough neglected ; whence also a remembrance to observe this day is so strictly injoyned . and the fifth commandment is apparently custos secundae tabulae ; as appointed of god to contain the means of exacting the observation of all the duties of the second table , or of punishing the neglect of them and disobedience unto them . and therefore , it may be the memorial is not peculiarly annexed unto them on their own distinct account , but equally upon that of the other commandments whereunto they do refer . ( ) there is yet an especial reason for the peculiar appropriation of these two precepts by that memorial unto this people . for they had now given unto them an especial typical concern in them , which did not at all belong unto the rest of mankind who were otherwise equally concerned in the decalogue with themselves . for in the fourth commandment , whereas no more was before required but that one day in seven should be observed as a sacred rest , they were now precisely confined to the seventh day in order from the finishing of the creation ; or the establishing of the law and covenant of works ; or a day answering thereunto . for the determination of the day in the hebdomadal revolution , was added in the law decalogical , to the law of nature . and this was with respect unto , and in the confirmation of that ordinance which gave them the seventh day sabbath in a peculiar manner ; that is the seventh day after six dayes raining of manna , exod. . and in the other , the promise annexed unto it of prolonging their dayes , had peculiar respect unto the land of canaan . there is neither of these , but is a far more probable reason of the annexing those words , as the lord thy god commanded thee , unto those two commandments , than that fixed on by the talmudical masters . herein only i agree with them ; that both these commands were given alike in mara ; and one of them i suppose none will deny to be a principal dictate of the law of nature . for the words mentioned , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an ordinance and a statute , the meaning of them is plainly expounded , v. . god then declared this unto them as his unchangeable ordinance and institution , that he would bless them on their obedience , and punish them upon their unbelief and rebellion , wherein they had experience of his faithfulness to their cost . the reader may see this fiction farther disproved in tostatus on the place , though i confess some of his reasons are inconstringent and frivolous . moreover this station of mara , was on or about the twenty fourth day of nisan or april . and the first solemn observation of the sabbath in the wilderness was upon the twenty second of jiar , the month following ; as may easily be evinced from moses journal . there were therefore twenty seven dayes between this fictitious institution of the sabbath , and the first solemn observation of it which was at their station in alush , as is generally supposed , certainly in the wilderness of sin , after they had left mara and elim , and the coast of the red sea ; whereunto they returned from elim , exod. . . numb . . , , , . for they first began their journey out of aegypt on the fifteenth day of nisan ; or the first month , exod. . . numb . . . and they passed through the sea into the wilderness , about the nineteenth day of that month , as is evident from their journyings , numb . . , , , , . on the twentifourth of that month they pitched in mara ; and it was the fifteenth day of jiar , or the second month , before they entred the wilderness of sin , where is the first mention of their solemn observation of the sabbath , upon the occasion of the gathering of manna . between these two seasons three sabbaths must needs intervene ; and those immediately upon its first institution , if this fancy may be admitted . and yet the rulers of the congregation looked upon the peoples preparation for its observation as an unusual thing , exod. . . which could not have fallen out , had it received so fresh an institution . besides these masters themselves and raski in particular , who in his comment on the place , promotes this fancy , grants that abraham observed the sabbath . but the law and ordinances hereof they say he received on peculiar favour , and by especial revelation . but be it so ; it was the great commendation of abraham , and that given him by god himself , that he would command his children and houshold after him to keep the way of the lord , gen. . . what ever ordinance therefore he received from god of any thing to be observed in his worship , it was a part of his fidelity to communicate the knowledge of it unto his posterity , and to teach them its observance . they must therefore of necessity on those mens principles , be instructed in the doctrine and observation of the sabbath before this pretended institution of it . should we then allow that the generality of the jewish masters and talmudical rabbies , do assert that the law of the sabbath was first given in mara ; yet the whole of what they assert , being a meer curious groundless conjecture , it may and ought to be rejected . not what these men say , but what they prove , is to be admitted . and he who with much diligence hath collected testimonies out of them unto this purpose , hath only proved what they thought , but not what is the truth . and upon this fond imagination is built their general opinion , that the sabbath was given only unto israel , is the spouse of the synagogue , and that it belongs not to the rest of mankind . such dreams they may be permitted to please themselves withal . but that these things should be pleaded by christians against the true original and use of the sabbath is somewhat strange . if any think their assertions in this matter to be of any weight , they ought to admit what they add thereunto ; namely , that all the gentiles shall once a week keep a sabbath in hell. § . neither is this opinion amongst them universal . some of their most famous masters are otherwise minded . for they both judge that the sabbath was instituted in paradise , and that the law of it , was equally obligatory unto all nations in the world. of this mind are maimonides , aben-ezra , abarbinel and others . for they expresly refer the revelation of the sabbath unto the sanctification and benediction of the first seventh day , gen. . . the targum on the title of psal. . ascribes that psalm to adam , as spoken by him on the sabbath day . whence austin esteemed this rather the general opinion of the jews . tractat. . in johan . and manasse ben israel , lib. de creat . problem . . proves out of sundry of their own authors , that the sabbath was given unto , and observed by the patriarchs , before the coming of the people into the wilderness . in particular that it was so by abraham , jacob , and joseph , he confirms by testimonies out of the scripture not to be despised . philo judaeus , and josephus , both of them more antient , and more learned than any of the talmudical doctors , expresly assign the original of the sabbath unto that of the world. philo calls it , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the day of the worlds nativity . and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . a feast not of one city or country , but of the whole world. de opificio mundi ; & de vita mos. lib. . to the same purpose speaks josephus lib. . cont . appion . and the words of abarbinel are sufficiently express in this matter ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . he sanctified and separated the seventh day unto glory and honour , because on its approach the work of heaven and earth was perfected and finished — even as a man when he hath performed an honourable work , and perfected it , maketh a banquet and a day of feasting . and yet more evident is that of maimon . tract . ridush . hachodesch . cap. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the vision or sight of the moon is not delivered to all men , as was the sabbath bereschith , or in the beginning . for every man can number six ( dayes ) and rest on the seventh . but it is committed to the house of judgement ( the sanedrims ) ( that is to observe the appearances of the moon ) and when the sanedrym declareth and pronounceth that it is the new moon , or the beginning of the month , then it is to be taken so to be . he distinguisheth their sacred feasts into the weekly sabbath , and the new moons , or those that depended 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the appearing of the new moon . the first he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; sabbath bereschith , the sabbath instituted at the creation ; for so from the first of genesis they often express tecnically the work of the creation : this he sayes , was given to every man ; for there is no more required to the due observation of it in point of time , but that a man be able to reckon six dayes , and so rest on the seventh . but now for the observation of the new moons , all feasts that depended on the variations of her appearances , this was peculiar to themselves , and the determination of it left unto the sanedrym . for they trusted not unto astrological computations meerly , as to the changes of the moon , but sent persons unto sundry high places to watch and observe her first appearances , which if they answered the general established rules , then they proclaimed the beginning of the feast to be . so maimon . ridush , hackodesh , cap. . and philippus guadagnolus apol. pro christiana relig. part. . cap. . shews that ahmed ben zin , a persian mahumetan whom he confutes , affirmed , that the institution of the sabbath was from the creation of the world . this indeed he reflects upon in his adversary with a saying out of the alcoran azoar . . where those that sabbatize are cursed ; which yet will not serve his purpose . for in the alcoran respect is had to the jewish sabbath , or the seventh day of the week precisely ; when one day of seven only is pleaded by ahmed to have been appointed from the foundation of the world . i know some learned men have endeavoured to elude most of the testimonies which are produced to manifest the opinion of the most antient jews in this matter ; but i know also that their exceptions might be easily removed , would the nature of our present design admit of a contest to that purpose . § . we come now to the consideration of those different opinions concerning the original of the sabbath which are embraced and contended about amongst learned men , yea and unlearned of the present age and church . and rejecting the conceit of the jews about the station in mara , which very few think to have any probability attending it , there are two opinions in this matter that are yet pleaded for . the first is , that the sabbath had its institution , precept , or warranty for its observation in paradise before the fall of man , immediately upon the finishing of the works of creation . this is thought by many to be plainly and positively asserted , gen. . . and our apostle seems directly to confirm it , by placing the blessing of the seventh day , as the immediate consequent of the finishing of the works of god from the foundation of the world , hebrews , chap. , , . others refer the institution of the sabbath , to the precept given about its observation in the wilderness of sin , exod. . , , , , . for those who deny its original from the beginning , or a morality in its law , cannot admit that it was first given on sinai , or had its spring in the decalogue , nor can give any peculiar reason why it should be inserted therein , seeing express mention is made of its observation some while before the giving of the law there . these therefore make it a meer typical institution given , and that without the solemnity of the giving other solemn institutions , to the church of the hebrews only . and those of this judgement some of them contend that in those words of moses , gen. . . and god blessed the seventh day and sanctified it , because that in it he had rested from all his works , a prolepsis is to be admitted ; that is , that what is there occasionally inserted in the narrative , and to be read in a parenthesis , came not to pass indeed until above two thousand years after , namely in the wilderness of sin ; where , and when , god first blessed the seventh day and sanctified it . and the reason given for the supposed intersertion of the words in the story of moses , is , because when it came to pass indeed , that god so blessed the seventh day , he did it on the account of what he was then relating of the works that he made , and the rest that ensued thereon . others give such an interpretation of the words as that they should contain no appointment of a day of rest ; as we shall see . those who assert the former opinion deny that the precept , or rather directions about the observation of the sabbath given unto the people of israel in the wilderness of sin , exod. . was its first original institution ; but affirm that it was either a new declaration of the law , and usage of it unto them , who in their long bondage had lost both its doctrine and practice , with a renewed reinforcement of it , by an especial circumstance of the manna not falling on that day ; or rather a particular application of a catholick moral command unto the oeconomy of that church , unto whose state the people were then under a praeludium in the occasional institution of sundry particular ordinances , as hath been declared in our former exercitations . this is the plain state of the present controversie about the original of the sabbath , as to time and place , wherein what is according unto truth , is now to be enquired after . § . the opinion of the institution of the sabbath from the beginning of the world , is founded principally on a double testimony , one in the old testament , and the other in the new. and both of them seem to me of so uncontrollable an evidence , that i have often wondred how ever any sober and learned persons undertook to evade their ●●rce or efficacy in this cause . the first is that of gen. . , , . that the heavens and the earth were finished and all the host of them ; and on the seventh day god ended his work which he had made , and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made . and god blessed the seventh day and sanctified it , because that in it he had rested from all his work which god created and made . there is indeed somewhat in this text , which hath given difficulty unto the jews , and somewhat that the heathen took offence at . that which troubles the jews is , that god is said to have finished his work on the seventh day . for they feared that somewhat might be hence drawn to the prejudice of their absolute rest on the seventh day , whereon it seems god himself wrought in the finishing of his work. and hierome judged that they might be justly charged with this consideration . arctabimus , saith he , judaeos , qui de otio sabbati gloriantur , quod jam tunc in principio sabbatum dissolutum sit ; dum deus operatur in sabbato complens opera sua in eo , & benedicens ipsi diei , quia in illo universa complevit . we will urge the jews with this , who glory of their sabbatical rest , in that the sabbath was broken or dissolved from the beginning ; whilst god wrought in it , finishing his work , and blessed the day , because in it he finished all things . hence the lxx . read the words by an open corruption , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; on the sixth day ; wherein they are followed by the syriack and samaritan versions . and the rabbins grant that this was done on purpose , that it might not be thought that god made any thing on the seventh day . but this scruple was every way needless . for do but suppose , that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which expresseth the time past , doth intend the praeterpluperfect tense , as the praeterperfect in the hebrew must do , where occasion requires , seeing they have no other to express that which at any time is past by ; and it is plain that god had perfected his work , before the beginning of the seventh dayes rest. and so are the words well rendred by junius ; quum autem perfecisset deus die septimo , opus suum quod fecerat . or we may say , compleverat die septimo . that which the heathen took offence at , was the rest here ascribed unto god ; as though he had been wearied with his work . hence was that of rutilius in his itinerary ; septima quaeque dies turpi damnata veterno ut delassati mollis imago dei. the sense of this expression we shall afterwards explain . in the mean time it is certain that the word here used doth often signifie only to cease , or give over without respect either to weariness or rest ; as job . . sam. . . so that no cause of offence was given in the application of it to god himself . however philo , lib. de opific . mund. refers this of gods rest , to his contemplation of the works of his hands , and that not unmeetly as we shall see . but set aside prejudices and preconceived opinions , and any man would think that the institution of the sabbath is here as plainly expressed as in the fourth commandment . the words are the continuation of a plain historical narration . having finished the account of the creation of the world in the first chapter , and given a recapitulation of it in the first verse of this ; moses declares what immediately ensued thereon ; namely the rest of god , on the seventh day , and his blessing and sanctifying that day whereon he so rested . that day which he rested he blessed and sanctified ; even that individual day in the first place , and a day in the revolution of the same space of time for succeeding generations . this is plain in the words , or nothing can be thought to be plainly expressed . and if there be any appearance of difficulty in those words , he blessed and sanctified it , it is wholly taken away in the explication given of them by himself afterwards in the fourth commandment , where they are plainly declared to intend its setting apart and consecration to be a day of sacred rest. but yet exceptions all put in to this plain open sense of the words . thus it is lately pleaded by heddigerus theol. patriarch . exercitat . . sect . . deus die septimo cessaverat facere opus novum , quia sex diebus omnia consummata erant . ei diei benedixit eo ipso quod cessans ab opere suo , ostendit , quod homo in cujus creatione quievit , factus sit propter nominis sui glorificationem ; quod cum majus fuerit caeteris quae hactenus creata sunt , vocatur benedictio ; eundem diem cui sic benedixit sanctificavit , quia & illo die , & reliquo toto tempore constituerat se in homine sanctificare tanquam in corona & gloria sui operis . sanctificare enim est , eum qui sanctus est , sanctum dicere & testari . dies igitur & tempus sanctum erat & agnoseebatur , non per se , sed per sanctitatem hominis , qui in tempore se sanctificat , & cogitationes , & studia , & actiones suas deo , qui sanctus est , vindicat & consecrat . i understand not how god can be said to bless the seventh day , because man who was created the sixth day was made for the glory of his name . for all things , as well as man , were made for the glory of god. he made all things for himself , prov. . . and they all declare his glory , psal. . nor is it said , that god rested on the seventh day from makeing of man , but from all the works that he had made . grant man who was last made , to have been the most eminent part of the visible creation , and most capable of immediate giving glory to god yet it is plainly said that the rest of god respected all the works that he had made , which is twice repeated ; besides that the works themselves are summed up into the making of the heavens and earth and all the host of them . and wherein doth this include the blessing of the seventh day ? it may be better applyed to the first , wherein man was made ; for on the seventh god did no more make man , than he did the sun and moon , which were made on the fourth . nor is there here any distinction supposed between gods resting on the seventh day , and his blessing of it , which yet are plainly distinguished in the text. to say he blessed and sanctified it , meerly by resting on it , is evidently to confound the things that are not only distinctly proposed in the text , but so as that one is laid down as the cause of the other . for because god rested on the seventh day , therefore he blessed it . nor is the sanctification of the day any better expressed . god , saith he , had appointed on that day and alwayes to sanctifie himself in man as the crown and glory of his work . i wish this learned man had more clearly expressed himself . what act of god is it , that can be here intended ? it must be the purpose of his will. this therefore is given us as the sense of this place . god sanctified the seventh day , that is , god purposed from eternity to sanctifie himself alwayes in man , whom on the sixth day he would create for his glory . these things are so forced , as that they scarcely afford a tolerable sense . § . neither is the sense given by this author and some others of that expression to sanctifie , that is to declare or testifie any person or thing to be holy , being spoken by god , and not of him objectively , usual or to be justified . in reference unto god , our sanctifying him or his name , is indeed to testifie or declare his holiness , by our giving honour and glory to him , in our holy obedience . but as to men and things , to sanctifie them is either really to sanctifie them by making them internally holy , or to separate and dedicate them unto holy uses ; the former peculiar to persons , the latter common to them with other things made sacred , by an authoritative separation from prophane or common uses , unto a peculiar , sacred , or holy use in the worship of god. and the following words in our author , that the day is sanctified and made holy not in it self , but by the holiness of man , any more to the purpose . for as man was no more created on that day than the beasts of the field , so that from his holiness no colour can be taken to ascribe holiness unto the day ; so it is not consistent with what was before asserted , that the sanctification intended is the holiness of god himself as declared in his works ; for now it is made the holiness of man. the sense of the words is plain , and are but darkned by these circumlocutions . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the jews do well express the general sense of the words when they say of the day , that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , it was divided or distinguished from the common nature of things in the world ; namely , by having a new sacred relation added unto it . for that the day it self is the subject spoken of , as the object of gods blessing and sanctification , nothing but unallowable prejudice will deny . and this to be the sense of the expressions , both the words used to declare the acts of god about it do declare . ( . ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he blessed it . gods blessing as the jews say , and they say well therein , is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an addition of good. it relates to some thing that hath a real present existence , to which it makes an addition of some farther good , than it was before partaker of . hereof , as we said , the day in this place was the direct and immediate object ; god blessed it . some peculiar good was added unto it . let this be inquired into what it was , and wherein it did consist , and the meaning of the words will be evident . it must be somewhat whereby it was preferred unto , or exalted above other dayes . when any thing of that nature is assigned , besides a relation given unto it to the worship of god , it shall be considered . that this was it , is plain from the nature of the thing it self , and from the actual separation and use of it to that purpose which did ensue . the other word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sanctified it , is farther instructive in the intention of god , and is also exegetical of the former . suppose still , as the text will not allow us to do otherwise , that the day is the object of this sanctification , and it is not possible to assign any other sense of the words , but that god ●●t apart by his institution that day to be the day of his worship , to be spent in a sacred rest unto himself ; and this is declared to be the intendment of the word in the decalogue , where it is used again to the same purpose : for none ever doubted but that the meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he sanctified it , therein , is any other , but that by his institution and command he set it apart for a day of holy rest : and this signification of that word is not only most common , but solely to be admitted in the old testament , if cogent reason be not given to the contrary ; as where it denotes a dedication and separation to civil uses , and not to sacred , as it sometimes doth , still retaining its general nature of separation : and therefore i will not deny but that these two words may signifie the same thing , the one being meerly exegetical of the other ; he blessed it , by sanctifying of it : as numb . . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; and he annointed them and sanctified them : that is , he sanctified them by annointing them ; or by their unction set them apart unto an holy use , which is the instance of abarbinel on this place : this then is that which is affirmed by moses . on the seventh day after he had finished his work , god rested or ceased from working , and thereon , blessed and sanctified the seventh day , or set it apart unto holy uses for their observance , by whom he was to be worshipped in this world , and whom he had newly made for that purpose . god then sanctified this day , not that he kept it holy himself , which in no sense the divine nature is capable of ; nor that he purified it , and made it inherently holy , which the nature of the day is incapable of ; nor that he celebrated that which in it self was holy , as we sanctifie his name , which is the act of an inferior towards a superior ; but that he set it apart to sacred use authoritatively ; requiring us to sanctifie it in that use obedientially . and if you allow not this original sanctification of the seventh day , the first instance of its solemn , joint , national observation is introduced with a strange abruptness . it is said exod. . where this instance is given , that on the sixth day the people gathered twice as much bread as on any other day , namely two omers for one man ; which the rulers taking notice of , acquainted moses with it , v. . and moses in answer to the rulers of the congregation who had made the information gives the reason of it ; to morrow , saith he , is the rest of the holy sabbath to the lord. v. . many of the jews can give some colour to this manner of expression ; for they assign as we have shewed , the revelation and institution of the sabbath unto the station in mara , exod. . which was almost a month before . so they think that no more is here intended but a direction for the solemn observance of that day which was before instituted , with particular respect unto the gathering of manna , which the people being commanded in general before to gather , every day according to their eating , and not to keep any of it until the next day , the rulers might well doubt whether they ought not to have gathered it on the sabbath also ; not being able to reconcile a seeming contradiction between those two commands , of gathering manna every day , and of resting on the seventh . but those by whom the fancy about the station in mara , is rejected , as it is rejected by most christians , and who will not admit of its original institution from the beginning , can scarce give a tolerable account of this manner of expression : without the least intimation of institution and command , it is only said , to morrow is the sabbath holy to the lord ; that is for you to keep holy . but on the supposition contended for , the discourse in that place with the reason of it is plain and evident . for there being a previous institution of the seventh dayes rest , the observation whereof was partly gone into disuse , and the day it self being then to receive a new peculiar application to the church state of that people , the reason both of the peoples fact , and the rulers doubt , and moses's resolution is plain and obvious . § . wherefore granting the sense of the words contended for , there is yet another exception put in , to invalidate this testimony as to the original of a seventh dayes sabbatical rest from the foundation of the world. and this is taken not from the signification of the words , but the connexion and disposition of them in the discourse of moses . for suppose that by gods blessing and sanctifying the seventh day , the separation of it unto sacred uses is intended , yet this doth not prove that it was so sanctified immediately upon the finishing of the work of creation . for say some learned men , those words of v. . and god blessed the seventh day and sanctified it , because that in it he had rested from all his work which god created and made , are inserted occasionally into the discourse of moses ; from what afterwards came to pass . they are not therefore , as they suppose , a continued part of the historical narration there insisted on , but are inserted into it by way of prolepsis or anticipation , and are to be read as it were in a parenthesis . for supposing that moses wrote not the book of genesis until after the giving of the law , ( which i will not contend about , though it be assumed gratis in this discourse there being a respect had unto the rest of god when his works were finished in the institution of the sabbath , upon the historical relation of that rest mises interserts what so long after was done and appointed on the account thereof . and so the sense of the words must be ; that god rested on the seventh day from all his works that he had made ; that is the next day after the finishing of the works of creation ; wherefore , two thousand four hundred years after , god blessed and sanctified the seventh day , not that seventh day whereon he rested , with them that succeeded in the like revolution of time , but a seventh day that fell out so long after , which was not blessed nor sanctified before . i know not well how men learned and sober can offer more hardship unto a text , then is put upon this before us , by this interpretation . the connexion of the words is plain and equal . and the heavens and the earth and all the host of them were finished ; and god had finished on the seventh day all his work that he had made ; and he rested the seventh day from all his work that he had made ; and god blessed the seventh day and sanctified it , because in it god rested from all his work which he had created and made . you may as well break off the order and continuation of the words and discourse in any other place , as in that pretended . and it may be as well faigned that god finished his work on the seventh day , and afterwards rested another seventh day ; as that he rested the seventh day , and afterwards blessed and sanctified another . it is true there may be sundry instances given out of the scripture of sundry things inserted in historical narrations by way of anticipation , which fell not out until after the time wherein mention is made of them : but they are mostly such as fell out in the same age or generation ; the matter of the whole narration being entire within the memory of men . but of so monstrous and uncouth a prolepsis as this would be , which is supposed , no instance can be given in the scripture , or any sober author ; especially without the least notice given that such it is . and such schemes of writing are not to be imagined , unless necessity from the things themselves spoken of , compell us to admit them ; much less where the matter treated of , and the coherence of the words , do necessarily exclude such an imagination , as it is in this place . for without the introduction of the words mentioned , neither is the discourse compleat , nor the matter of fact absolved . and what lyeth against our construction and interpretation of these words , from the arguments insisted on to prove the institution of the sabbath in the wilderness , shall be afterwards considered . § . the testimony to the same purpose with the former , taken out of the new testament , is that of our apostle ; heb. . , . for we who have believed do enter into rest ; as he said , as i sware in my wrath , if they shall enter into my rest ; although the works were finished from the foundation of the world . for he speaketh somewhere concerning the seventh day in this wise . and god rested on the seventh day from all his works . having insisted at large on this place , with the whole ensuing discourse in our exposition of the chapter it self , i shall here but briefly reflect upon it , referring the reader for its full vindication unto its proper place . the present design is to convince the hebrews , of their concernment in the promise of entring into the rest of god ; namely that promise and rest which yet remained , and were prophesied of , psal. . to this purpose he manifests , that notwithstanding any other rest of god , that was mentioned in the scripture , there yet remained another rest for them that did , or would believe in christ through the gospel . in the proof and confirmation hereof he takes into consideration the several rests of god , under the several states of the church which were now passed and gone . and first he fixeth upon the sabbatical rest of the seventh day , as that which was the first in order , first instituted , first enjoyed or observed . and this he sayes ensued upon the finishing of the works of creation . this the order of the words and coherence of them require . although the works were finished from the foundation of the world , for he speaketh concerning the seventh day on this wise ; the works and the finishing of them did not at all belong to the apostles discourse or purpose , but only as they denoted the beginning of the seventh days sabbatical rest. for it is the several rests of god alone , that he is enquiring after . the first rest mentioned , saith he , cannot be that intended in the psalm ; because that rest began from the foundation of the world ; but this mentioned by david is promised , as he speaketh , so long a time after . and what was this rest ? was it meerly gods ceasing from his own works ? this the apostle had no concernment in . for he treateth of no rest of god absolutely , but of such a rest as men by faith and obedience might enter into . such as was that afterwards in the land of canaan ; and that also which he now proposed to them in the promise of the gospel ; both which god calleth his rests , and inviteth others unto an entrance into them . such therefore must be the rest of god here intended ; for concerning his rest absolutely , or his mere cessation from working , he had no reason to treat . for his design was only to shew , that notwithstanding the other rests that were proposed unto men for to obtain an entrance into them , there yet remained another rest to be entred into , and enjoyed under the gospel . such a rest therefore there was instituted and appointed of god , from the foundation of the world immediately upon the finishing of the works of creation ; which sixeth immoveably the beginning of the sabbatical rest. the full vindication of this testimony , the reader may find in the exposition it self , whither he is referred . and i do suppose that no cause can be confirmed with more clear and undeniable testimonies : the observation and tradition of this institution , whereby it will be farther confirmed , are next to be enquired after . § . that this divine original institution of the seventh day sabbath was piously observed by the patriarchs , who retained a due remembrance of divine revelations , is out of controversie amongst all that acknowledge the institution it self ; by others it is denyed that they may not be forced to acknowledge such an institution . and indeed it is so fallen out with the two great ordinances of divine worship before the giving of the law , the one instituted before the fall , the other immediately upon it , that they should have contrary lots in this matter ; namely sacrifices , and the sabbath . sacrifices we find constantly observed by holy men of old , although we read not of their express institution . but from their observation we do , and may conclude that they were instituted , although that institution be not expresly recorded . the sabbath we find expresly instituted , and therefore do , and may justly conclude that it was constantly observed , although that observation be not directly and in terms remembred . but yet as there is such light into the institution of sacrifices as may enable us to justifie them by whom they were used , that they acted therein according to the mind of god , and in obedience unto his will , as we have elsewhere demonstrated ; so there want not such instances of the observation of the sabbath , as may confirm the original divine institution of it , pleaded for . this therefore i shall a little enquire into . many of the jewish masters , as we observed before , ascribe the original of the sabbath unto the statute given them in mara , exod. . and yet the same persons grant that it was observed by the religious patriarchs before , especially by abraham , unto whom the knowledge of it was granted by peculiar priviledge . but these things are mutually destructive of each other . for they have nothing to prove the institution of the sabbath in mara , but those words of v. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , there he gave him a statute and a judgement ; and it is said of abraham , that he taught his houshold and children after him to keep the way of the lord to do justice and judgement , gen. . . if then the observation of the sabbath be a statute or ordinance , and was made known to abraham , it is certain that he instructed his household and children , all his posterity , in their duty with respect thereunto . and if so , it could not be first revealed unto them at mara . others therefore of their masters do grant , as we observed also , the original of the sabbath from the creation , and do assert the patriarchal observation of it upon that foundation . the instances i confess which they make use of , are not absolutely cogent , but yet considered with other circumstances wherewith they are strengthned , they may be allowed to conclude unto an high probability . some of them are collected by manasse ben israel ; lib. de creat . problem . . saith he , dico quemadmodum traditio creationis mundipenes abrahamum & ejus posteros tantum fuit ; it a etiam ex dictamine legis naturalis sabbatum ab iis solis cultum fuisse . de abrahamo dicit sacra scriptura , observavit cultum meum . ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) gen. . . quo loco custodia sabbati intelligitur . de jacobo idem affirmant veteros , ex eo loco quo dicitur venisse ad salem , & castra posuisse c regione vel ad conspectum civitatis ; ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) gen. . . quia enim sabbatum , inquiunt , instabat , non licebat ei ulterius proficisci , sed subsistebat ante urbem . idem assirunt de jasepho , quando dicitur jussisse servis suis ut mactarent & praepararent , id propter sabbatum factum fuisse . ad hoc refertur in sera & rabba mosem petiisse a pharaone in aegypto , ut afflicto populo suo permitteret uno die cessare à laboribus ; eoqu● impetrato , ex traditione elegisse sabbatum ; ex his omnibus colligitur sabbatum ante datam legem observatum fuisse . so far he . of the observation of the sabbath by the light of nature we shall treat afterwards . as to the instances mentioned by him , that concerning abraham is not destitute of good probability . that expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and kept my charge , seems to have peculiar respect unto the sabbath , called elsewhere the charge of god. hence some of those amongst christians who contend for the wilderness original of the sabbath , yet grant , that probably there was a free observation of it among the patriarchs , from the tradition they had of the rest of god upon the creation of the world . so torniellus , annal. vet. test. suarez . de religione , lib. . cap. . s. . prideaux orat. de sabbat . for as there is no doubt but that the creation of the world was one of the principal articles of their faith , as our apostle also asserts ; heb. . . so it is fond to imagine that they had utterly lost the tradition of the rest of god upon the finishing of his works ; and it may easily be conceived what that would influence them unto , should you suppose that they had lost the remembrance of its express institution , which will not be granted . what therefore may be certainly judged or determined of their practice in this matter , shall be briefly declared . that all the antient patriarchs , before the giving of the law , diligently observed the solemn worship of god in and with their families , and those under their rule , or any way belonging to their care and disposal , both their own piety forbids us to question , and the testimony given them , that they walked with god , and by faith therein obtained a good report , gives us the highest assurance . now of all obedience unto god faith is the principle and foundation , without which it is impossible to please him , heb. . . this faith doth alwayes , ( and must alwayes so do ) respect the command and promise of god , which gives it its formal nature . for no other principle , though it may produce the like actions with it , is divine faith , but what respects the command and promise of god , so as to be steered , directed , guided , and bounded by them . unto this solemn worship of god which in faith they thus attended unto , some stated time is indispensibly necessary . and therefore that some portion of time should be set apart to that purpose , is acknowledged , almost by all , to be a dictate of the law of nature ; and we shall afterwards prove it so to be . what ground have we now to imagine , that the holy men of old were left without divine direction in this matter ? that a designation and limitation of this time was or would have been of great use and advantage unto them , none can deny . considering therefore the dealings of god with them , and how frequently he renewed unto them the knowledge of his will by occasional revelation , it cannot be supposed that divine grace was wanting unto them herein . besides in what they did in this kind , they are expresly said to keep the way of the lord , gen. . . and in particular , his charge , his commandments , his statutes and his laws . chap. . . which comprize all the institutions and ordinances of divine worship . that they did any thing of themselves , from their own wisdom and invention in the worship of god , is no where intimated ; nor are they any where commended on the account thereof : yea to do a thing in faith , as they did what ever of this kind they did , and that as a part of the worship of god , is to do it upon the command of god. and the institution mentioned , upon the reason of gods rest joyned with it , is so express , as that none can doubt a practice conformable unto it , by all that truly feared the lord , although the particulars of it should not be recorded . § . it was from no other original , that the tradion of the sacredness of the septenary number , and the fixing of the first period of time , ( next unto that which is absolutely natural and appearing so to the senses , of night and day , with the composition of the night and day into one measure of time , which was also from the original creation and conjunction of evening and morning into one day ) unto a septenary revolution of dayes , was so catholick in the world ; and that both amongst nations in general , and particularly amongst individual persons , that were enquiring and contemplative . not only that sort of philosophers who expressed their apprehensions mystically by numbers , as the pythagoreans and some of the platonicks , who from hence took the occasion of that way of teaching and instruction , esteemed the septenary number sacred , but those also did so , who resolved their observations into things natural or physical . for in all their notions and speculations about the pleiades , and triones in heaven ; lunar changes , sounds of instruments , variations in the age of man , critical dayes in bodily distempers , and transactions of affairs private and publick , they found a respect thereunto . it must therefore be granted , that there is a great impression left on the whole creation of a regard to this number , whereof instances might be multiplyed . the ground hereof was no other but an emanation from the old tradition of the creation of the world , and the rest that ensued on the seventh day . so say the antient verses which some ascribe to linus , others to callimachus . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . in seven all things were perfected , in the starry heavens , which appear in their orbs , or circles , in the rolling or voluble years . this was the true original of their notions concerning the sacredness of the number seven . but when this was obscured or lost amongst them , as were the greatest and most important sacred truths communicated unto man , in his creation , they , many of them retaining the principle of the sacred number , invented other reasons for it of no importance . some of these were arithmetical , some harmonical or musical notions . but were their reasons for it never so infirm , the thing it self they still retained . hence were their notations of this number ; it was termed by them the virgin , and pallas ; and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which sacredly is , saith hesychius , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the number of seven . it is hard to give any other account , whence all these conceptions should arise , besides that insisted on . from the original impression made on the minds of men by the instruction of the law of creation , which they were made under , and the tradition of the creation of the world in six dayes , closed with an additional day of sacred rest , did these notions and obscure remembrances of the specialty of that number arise . and although we have not yet enquired what influence into the law of creation , as instructive and directive of our actions , the six dayes work had , with its consequential day of rest ; yet all will grant , that whatever it were , it was far more clear and cogent unto man in innocency , directly obliged by that law , and able to understand its voice in all things , than it could be to them who by the effects of it made some dark enquiries after it ; who were yet able to conclude , that there was somewhat sacred in the number of seven , though they knew not well what . § . neither was the number of seven only in general sacred amongst them , but there are testimonies produced out of the most antient writers amongst the heathens , expressing a notion of a seventh dayes sacred feast and rest. many of these were of old collected by clemens alexandrinus , and by eusebius out of aristobulus a learned jew . they have by many been insisted on , and yet i think it not amiss here once more to report them . the words of aristobulus wherewith he prefaceth his allegation of them are in eusebius , praepar . evangel . lib. . cap. . speaking of the seventh day ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . homer and hesiod taking it out of our books do openly affirm that it is sacred . that what they affirm herein was taken from the jewish books i much question ; nor do i think that in their time , when the law only was written , that the nations of the world had any the least acquaintance with their writings ; nor much , until after the babylonish captivity , when they began to be taken notice of ; which was principally diffused under the persian empire , by their commerce with the graecians , who enquired into all things of that nature , and that had an appearance of secret wisdom . but these apprehensions what ever they were , they seem rather to have taken up from the secret insinuations of the law of creation , and the tradition that was in the world , of the matter of fact. out of hefiod therefore he cites the following testimonies . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the first , the fourth , and the seventh day is sacred . again , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the seventh again , the sacred or illustrious light of the sun. and out of homer ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . then came the seventh day that is sacred . again ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . it was the seventh day wherein all things were finished , or perfected ; again , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . we left the flood of acheron on the seventh day . whereunto he subjoyns an ingenious exposition about the relinquishment of the oblivion of error , by vertue of the sacredness of the number seven . he adds also out of linus . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the seventh day wherein all things were finished . again , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the seventh day among the best things , the seventh is the nativity of all things . the seventh is amongst the chiefest ; and is the perfect day . again , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . of which before . the same testimonies he repeats again in his next chapter out of clemens , with an alteration of some few words not of any importance : and the verses ascribed to linus in aristobulus , are said to be the work of callimachus in clemens , which is not of our concernment . testimonies to the same purpose may be taken out of some of the roman writers ; so tibullus giving an account of the excuses he made for his unwillingness to leave rome , aut ego sum causatus aves , aut omina dira saturni sacra me tenuisse die. either i laid it on the birds ; ( he had no incouraging augury , ) or that bad omens detained me on the sacred day of saturn . lib. . eleg. . § . i shall not from these and the like testimonies contend that the heathens did generally allow and observe themselves one day sacred in the week . nor can i grant on the other hand , that those antient assertions of linus , homer , and hesiod , are to be measured by the late roman writers , poets or others , who ascribe the seventh dayes sacred feast to the jews in way of reproach ; as ovid ; — nec te peregrina morentur sabbata . stay not ( thy journey ) for forraign sabbaths . and culta palaestino septima festa viro ; the seventh day feast observed by the jew . nor shall i plead the testimony of lampridius concerning the emperour alexander severus going unto the capitol , and the temples on the seventh day ; seeing in those times he might learn that observance from the jews , whose customs he had occasion to be acquainted with . for all antient traditions were before this time utterly worn out , or inextricably corrupted . and when the jews by their conversation with the romans , after the wars of pompey , began to represent them unto them again , the generality despised them all , out of their hatred and contempt of that people . and i do know , that sundry learned men , especially two of late , gomarus and selden have endeavoured to shew , that the testimonies usually produced in this case do not prove , what they are urged for . great pains they have taken to refer them all to the sacredness of the septenary number before mentioned , or the seventh day of the month , sacred , as is pretended , on the account of the birth of apollo , whereunto indeed it is evident that hesiod hath respect in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . but the authority of aristobulus and clemens is not to be despised . something they knew undoubtedly of the state of things in the world in their own dayes , and those that went before . and they do not only instance in the testimonies before rehearsed , but also assert , that the sacredness of one of the seven dayes was generally admitted by all . and the testimonies of philo and josephus are so express to that purpose , as that their force cannot be waved , without offering violence unto their words . the words of philo we expressed before . and josephus in his second book against appion , sayes positively , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . there is neither any city of the greeks , nor barbarians , nor any nation whatever , to whom our custom of resting on the seventh day is not come . and this in the words foregoing he affirmeth to have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , from a long time before , as not taken up by an occasional acquaintance with them . and lucian in his pseudologista , tells us that children at school were exempted from studying , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , on the seventh days . and tertullian in his apologie , cap. . tells the gentiles of their sabbaths or feasts on saturday . but yet as was intimated ▪ i shall grant , that the observation of a weekly sacred feast is not proved by the testimonies produced , which is all that those who oppose them do labour to disprove . but i desire to know from what original these traditions were derived , and whether any can be assigned unto them , but that of the original institution of the sabbatical rest. it is known that this was common amongst them ; that when they had a general notion or tradition of any thing , whose true cause , reason , and beginning they knew not , they would faign a reason or occasion of it , accommodate to their present apprehensions and practices , as i have elsewhere evinced and cleared . having therefore amongst them the tradition of a seventh days sacred rest , which was originally catholick , and having long lost the practice and observance of it , as well as its cause and reason , they laid hold on any thing to affix it unto , which might have any resemblance unto what was vulgarly received amongst them , or what they could divine in their more curious speculations . § . the hebdomadal revolution of time generally admitted in the world , is also a great testimony unto the original institution of the sabbath . of old it was catholick , and is at present received among those nations , whose converse was not begun until of late , with any of those parts of the world , where there is a light gone forth in these things from the scripture . all nations , i say , in all ages have from time immemorial , made the revolution of seven dayes to be the first stated period of time. and this observation is still continued throughout the world , unless amongst them , who in other things are openly degenerated from the law of nature ; as those barbarous indians who have no computation of times , but by sleeps , moons , and winters . the measure of time by a day and night is directed unto sense , by the diurnal course of the sun : lunar months , and solar years , are of an unavoidable observation unto all rational creatures . whence therefore all men have reckoned time by dayes , months , and years , is obvious unto all . but whence the hebdomadal revolution , or weekly period of time should make its entrance , and obtain a catholick admittance , no man can give an account , but with respect to some impressions on the minds of men from the constitution and law of our natures , with the tradition of a sabbatical rest instituted from the foundation of the world . other original , whether artificial and arbitrary , or occasional , it could not have . nothing of any such thing , hath left the least footsteps of its ever being in any of the memorials of times past . neither could any thing of so low an original or spring , be elevated to such an height , as to diffuse it self through the whole world . a derivation of this observation from the chaldaeans and aegyptians , who retained the deepest tincture of original traditions , hath been manifested by others . and so fixed was this computation of time on their minds , who knew not the reason of it , that when they made a disposition of the dayes of the year into any other period on accounts civil or sacred , yet they still retained this also . so the romans , as appears by the fragments of their old kalendars , had their nundinae which were dayes of vacation from labour , on the eighth , or as some think the ninth dayes recurring , but yet still made use of the stated weekly period . it is of some consideration in this cause , and is usually urged to this purpose ; that noah observed the septenary revolution of dayes , in sending forth the dove out of the ark ; gen. . , . that this was done casually is not to be imagined . nor can any reason be given why , notwithstanding the disappointment he met with , the first and second time , he should still abide seven dayes before he sent again , if you consider only the natural condition of the flood , or the waters in their abatement . a revolution of dayes , and that upon a sacred account , was doubtless attended unto by him . and i should suppose that he still sent out the dove the next day after the sabbath , to see as it were , whether god had returned again to rest in the works of his hands . and gen. . . a week is spoken of as a known account of dayes or time. fulfill her week ; that is , not a week of years , as he had done for rachel ; but fulfill a week of dayes in the festivals of his marriage with leah . for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 can have no other sense , seeing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the feminine gender relates unto leah , whose nuptials were to be celebrated , and not to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a week , which is of the masculine . and it was the custom in those antient times of the world , to continue the celebration of a marriage feast for seven dayes , or a week : as judg. . , , . the seven dayes of the feast , is spoken of as a thing commonly known and in vulgar use . § . let us therefore consider what is offered to weaken the force of this observation . it is pretended that the antient heathen , or the contemplative persons amongst them , observing the unfixed , various motions of the seven planetary luminaries , as they used and abused it to other ends , so they applyed their number and names unto so many dayes , which were thereby as it were dedicated unto them , which shut them up in that septenary number . but that the observation of the weekly revolution of time , was from the philosophers , and not the common consent of the people , doth not appear . for those observed also the twelve signs of the zodiack , and yet made that no rule to reckon time or dayes by . besides the observation of the site and positure of the seven planets as to their height or elevation with respect unto one another , is as antient as the observation of their peculiar and various motions . and upon the first discovery thereof , all granted this to be their order , saturne , jupiter , mars , sol , venus , mercury , luna . what alteration is made herein by the late hypothesis , fixing the sun as in the center of the world , built on fallible phaenomena , and advanced by many arbitrary presumptions , against evident testimonies of scripture , and reasons as probable as any are produced in its confirmation , is here of no consideration . for it is certain that all the world in former ages was otherwise minded . and our argument is not taken in this matter from what really was true , but from what was universally apprehended so to be . now whence should it be , that , if this limiting the first revolution of time unto seven dayes proceeded from the planetary denominations fixed to the dayes of the year arbitrarily , the order among the planets should be so changed , as every one sees it to be ? for in the assignation of the names of the planets to the dayes of the week , the midst is taken out first , and so the fourth in order inclusive falls to be next , until the whole cycle be finished . some would take the reason hereof from the proportion of harmony , some from the diurnal ascension of the planets which is ridiculous . so dio cassius in the thirty seventh book of his histories , the third of them that remain , treating of the taking of jerusalem by pompey on the seventh day of the week , when the people out of their superstition made not their wonted resistance , enquires on that occasion , of the reason of the assignation of the planetary names to the dayes of the week , which he affirms to have had its original from the aegyptians . and two reasons he tells us that he had heard of the especial assignation of their several names unto the several dayes , in the order wherein they are commonly used . the first is that it was taken from the harmony 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; or the musical note of diatessaron . for beginning saith he with saturne in the highest sphere , and so passing unto the fourth in order , it is the sun , and so throughout in the whole revolution . his other reason is ; that taking the day and night , beginning with the first hour , and assigning the name of a planet to each hour , beginning with saturn for the reason before mentioned , and the succeeding hours to the other planets in their order ; so renewing the numerations to the end of the four and twenty hours , the first hour of the next day falls to the sun ; and so of the day following to the moon , and the remainder to the other planets in the order commonly ascribed unto them . what there is in these conjectures , i know not : but both of them give the precedency of the first dayes , as they are fixed , unto that which in the true and natural order of the dayes is the last . there is a good account given us of this matter by johannes philoponus ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or de creation . mund. lib. . cap. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . this , saith he , is consented unto amongst all men , that there are only seven dayes , which by a revolution into themselves , compose the whole of time ; whereof we can assign no other reason , but that only which is given by moses ; the grecians indeed ascribe the seven dayes to the seven planets , the first to the sun , the second to the moon , the third to mars , the fourth to mercury , the fifth to jupiter , the sixth to venus , the seventh to saturne ; and hereby they first acknowledge that there are but seven dayes whereof all time consisteth ; but farther they can give no reason , why the dayes are so disposed of unto the planets . for why did they not rather constitute twelve dayes , from the twelve parts of the zodiack through which the sun passing perfecteth the year ? nor can any reason be assigned from the motions of the planets , why any one of the dayes is inscribed to any of them . it is most likely therefore that the gentiles , as they without just reason or cause dedicate the planets by the names of daemons and heroe's , so when they observed that there were seven dayes acknowledged by all , and that the planets were so many in number , they did according to their pleasure in the two equal numbers , assign one day to one planet , another to another ; to which he adds truly ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . only the great moses being divinely inspired hath delivered unto men the true reason of the septenary number of the dayes . so far he . there seems to be some reason for assigning the conduct of time to the sun , or calling the first day by his name , as also of adjoyning the moon unto him in the next place . for the succession of the sun though created the fourth day , in point of use , unto that diffused light which was created the first day , with its being the instrumental cause and measure of every day , with the tradition of the appointment of sun and moon to rule and distinguish times and seasons , with the sensible effects and operations of them , might easily give them the preheminence by common consent in giving names unto the dayes of the week . the other names were added and applyed according to some prevailing fictions concerning the planets , and their respect unto men and their actions . but the hebdomadal period of time , was fixed long before the imposition of those names prevailed among the grecians and the romans , which perhaps is not very antiently , as dio thinks , though they derived them from the chaldaeans and aegyptians . and that the acknowledgement of seven dayes , gave occasion to fix unto them the names of the seven planets , and not that the observation of the seven planets gave occasion to compute the dayes of the world by sevens , is manifest from hence ; in that many nations admitting of the hebdomadal revolution of time , gave the dayes in it quite other names , as various reasons or occasions did suggest them unto them . in the antient celtick or german tongue , and all languages thence deriving , the sun and moon only on the reasons before mentioned giving name to the leading dayes of the week , the rest of the dayes are distinguished and signalized with the names of the conductors of their first great colonies , in the north-western parts of the world. for to fancy that tuisco is the same with mars , wooden with mercury , thor with jupiter , and frea with venus , is to fancy what we please , without the least ground of probability . nor did the celtae ever call the planets by those names ; so that if there be any allusion in those names unto those of the grecians and romans , it was not taken from their natural speculation about the planets , but from the pleasing fictions about deified heroes , wherein they were imitated by most nations of the world . the english and dutch have taken in saturday from saturn ; other nations of the same extract retain their own occasional names . the observation therefore of the seven planets , gave neither rise , reason , cause , nor occasion , to this original period of time in an hebdomadal revolution of dayes . and hence theophilus antiochenus , lib. . ad antolychum affirms , that all mortal men agreed in the appellation of the seventh day , whose testimony is of good force , though himself mistake the original of that appellation . for he tells us , that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; by an error common to many of the antients , who could not distinguish between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . it is also to this purpose observed by rivet and selden from salmasius , out of georgius syncallus , in his chronologie , that the patriarchs reckoned the times , or distinguished them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by weeks only . this therefore is to me no small evidence of the institution and observation of the sabbath from the foundation of the world . for hence did this periodical revolution of time , prevail amongst the nations , even those who had not the least converse with , or knowledge of the jews or their customs , after the command and observation of it was renewed amongst them . not that this evidence is of it self a sufficient testimony unto its original institution , nor that going before ; but that the piety of the patriarchs , and traditions of the apostate gentiles , do confirm the time of that institution , which is so expresly recorded . § . it remaineth that we take a view of the opinion advanced by many learned men in opposition , unto what we have been pleading for . and this is , that the command concerning the sabbath was peculiar to the jews alone , and that it was given unto them in the wilderness , and not at all before . many of the jews as was declared , are of this judgement , and thence call the sabbath the bride of their nation , that which god gave to them as he did eve to adam , and to no other . abulensis contends for this opinion in his comment on exod. . who is followed by some expositors of the roman church ; and opposed by others , as cornelius à lapide , &c. the same difference in judgement is found amongst the protestant divines . the dissertations of rivet and gomarus on this subject are well known . the controversie being of late renewed , especially among some of the belgick divines , i shall take under consideration the arguments of one of them who hath last of all defended this cause , and weigh of what importance they are ; separating as much as we can , between the matter of our present dispute , which is the original of the sabbath , and that of the causes of it which we shall nextly enquire into . § . the design is to prove that the sabbath was first given to the jews and that in the wilderness . and to this purpose , first having repeated the words of the fourth commandment , he adds , quis vero dicere audebit , verba haec convenire in hominem ab initio creationis , sicut hic statuitur ? ( that is by his adversary ) an illi incumbebat opus & quidem servile , idque per sex dies ? an ipsi erant servi & ancillae ? an jumenta requietis indigentia ? an peregrini inter portas ejus ? quis non videt ad solum israelitarum statum in toto illo praecepto respici ? ita calvinus in gen. . postea in lege novum de sabbato praeceptum datum est , quod judaeis & quidem ad tempus peculiare foret ; fuit enim legalis ceremonia , spiritualem quietem adumbrans , cujus in christo apparuit veritas . quo nihil efficacius dici poterat . hanc vero praecepti mentem esse patet ex aliis testimoniis scripturae apertissime , in quibus judaeis tantum datum esse sabbatum constanter docetur . exod. . . videte quod jehovah dedit vobis illud sabbatum ; idcirco dat vobis cibum bidui . et ezek. . . sabbata dedi eis , ut essent signum inter me & ipsos ad sciendum me jehovam sanctificare ipsos . denique neh. . . sabbatum quoque sanctum notum fecisti eis ; quum praecepta statutaque & leges praeciperes eis per mosem servum tuum . in quibus locis uniformiter docetur tanta cum emphasi , per mosem deum dedisse judaeis sabbatum , non ergo aliis gentibus datum fuit ; aut ipsis etiam per majores ipsorum ante illud tempus ab origine mundi . disquisit . cap. . p. . an. it is by all confessed , that the command of the sabbath in the renewal of it in the wilderness , was accommodated unto the paedagogical state of the church of the israelites . there were also such additions made unto it , in the manner of its observance , and the sanction of it , as might adapt its observation unto their civil and political estate , or that theocratical government which was then erected amongst them . so was it to bear a part in that ceremonial instruction which god in all his dealings with them intended . to this end also the manner of the delivery of the whole law , and the reservation of its tables in the ark were designed . and divers expressions in the explicatory part of the decalogue have the same reason and foundation . for there is mention of fathers and children to the third and fourth generation , and of their sins ; of the land given to the people of god in the fifth ; of servants and handmaids in the tenth . shall we therefore say , that the moral law was not before given unto mankind , because it had a peculiar delivery for special ends and purposes unto the jews ? it is no argument therefore , that this command was not for the substance of it , given before to mankind in general , because it hath some modifications added in the decalogue to accommodate it to the present church , and civil state of the hebrews , as likewise had the fift command in particular . ( . ) for those expressions infisted on , of work , servile work , work for six dayes , of servants and handmaids , of the stranger within the gates , they were necessary explications of the command in its application unto that people ; and yet such as had a just proportion unto what was enjoyned at the first giving of this command ; occasioned from the outward change of the state of things amongst men , from what it was in innocency . for in that state god designed man to work , and that in the tilling of the ground , whilst he abode in it , gen. . . he put the man in the garden , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to work in it ; the same word whereby work is enjoyned in the decalogue . and whereas god had sanctified the seventh day to be a day of rest , and thereon put man into the garden , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to till it , by work and labour ; he did virtually say unto him as in the command , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . six dayes shalt thou labour , and do all thy work . neither was this in the least inconsistent with the condition wherein he was created . for man being constituted and composed partly of an immortal soul , of a divine extract and heavenly original , and partly of a body made out of the earth , he was a middle creature between those which were purely spiritual as the angels , and those which were purely terrestrial , as the beasts of the field . hence when god had made man , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of dust from out of the earth , as all the beasts of the field were made ; and had given him distinctly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a breath of life in a distinct substance answerable to that of the angels above , whose creation was not out of any pre-existing matter , but they were the product of an immediate emanation of divine power , as was the soul of man ; there was no meet help to be associated unto him in the whole creation of god. for the angels were not meet for his help and individual converse , on the account of what was terrene and mortal in him . and the beasts were much more unsuited unto him , as having nothing in them to answer his divine and more noble part . and as his nature was thus constituted , that he should converse , as it were amphibiously , between the upper and inferior sort of creatures ; so he was divided in his work and operations suitably unto the principles of his nature and peculiar constitution . for they were partly to be divine and spiritual , partly terrene and earthly , though under the government of the soveraign divine principle in him . hence it was required that in this condition , being not absolutely fitted as the angels for constant contemplation , that he should work and labour in the earth , whilst he continued in it , and his terrene part not refined or made spiritual and heavenly . this made a certain time of rest necessary unto him , and that upon a double account flowing from the principles of his own nature . for his earthly constitution could not alwayes hold out to labour with its own satisfaction , and his intellectual and divine part was not to be alwayes diverted , but to be furthered in and unto its own peculiar operations . this made a sacred rest necessary to him . and in that addition of sweat and travail which befell him in his labour afterwards , that was not a new course of life enjoyned him , but a curse was mixed with that course and labour which was originally allotted unto him . so then , although there is a different manner of working more necessary , and supposed in the giving of the law , then was at the first institution of a sabbatical rest , yet the change is not in the law or command for labour , but in the state or condition of man himself . the same may be spoken concerning the addition about servants and handmaids ; for in the state of innocency there would have been a superiority of some over others , in that government which is oeconomical or paternal . hence all duties of persons in subordination , are built on the law of nature ; and what is not resolved thereinto , is force and violence . and herein lyes the foundation of what is ordained with reference unto servants and strangers , which is expressed in the fourth commandment , with an especial application to the state of the judaical church and people . wherefore although there should have been no such servants or strangers , as are intended in the decalogue , in the state of innocency , when we plead that the law of the sabbath was first given ; yet this proves no more , but that this precept in the renovation and repetition of it unto the jews , was accommodated to the present state of things amongst them ; that state being such as had its foundation in the law of creation it self . the places adjoyned of exod. . . chap. . . ezek. . . do prove sufficiently and undeniably , that in the mosaical paedagogie , the observation of the seventh day , being precisely injoyned , there were additions of signification given unto it , that is to the seventh day precisely by divine institution , as amongst them it was to be observed . and therefore unto the utmost extent of the determination of the day of rest , unto the seventh day precisely , and all the significancy annexed unto it , to that people , we acknowledge that the sabbath was absolutely commensurate to the church state of the jews , beginning and ending with it . but the argument hence educed ; namely , that god gave the sabbath , that is the law of it , in a peculiar manner unto the jews , therefore he had not given the same law for the substance of it before , unto all mankind , is infirm . for god gave the whole law to the jews in an especial manner , and enforced the observation of it with a reason or motive peculiar to them , namely , i am the lord thy god which brought thee out of the land of aegypt out of the house of bondage ; and yet this law was before given unto them who never were in aegypt , nor never thence delivered . and upon the account of this peculiar appropriation of the law unto the jews , it is spoken of in the scripture in places innumerable , as if it had been given unto them only , and to no others at all . so speaks the psalmist , psal. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 declaring his words unto jacob , his statutes and judgements unto israel . where only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the ceremonial and judicial laws are intended , so by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his words , and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the ten words , as moses calls the decalogue . and of them all the psalmist adds v. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath not done so unto any nation ; namely , not in the same manner ; for none will deny , but that nine precepts at least were given unto all mankind in adam . § . it is added by the same learned author ; praeterea ( p. . ) si quies scptimi diei omnibus ab origine mundi hominibus injuncta fuisset , non autem solis israelitis à tempore mosis , deus non solum israelitas ob neglectum illius praecepti sed & gentiles , semel saltem eadem de causa reprehendisset . cum vero israelitas ea de causa reprehendat saepissime , gentiles tamen nuspiam reprehendere hoc nomine legitur , qui propter peccata in legem naturalem commissa toties & tam acriter à deo reprehenduntur . luculentum ejus rei exemplum est ; nehem. . tyrii asserunt hierosolymas & omnes res venales quas vendebant ipso sabbato judaeis , & quidem hierosolymis . v. . non tamen nehemias peccati violati sabbati reos arguit tyrios sed judaeos . v. . tyrios autem clausis portis pridie sabbati à vespera usque urbem excludit , & ita compeseit , & tandem à muris urbis abigit . v. , , . si vero tyrii hi una cum judaeis lege sabbati communi praecepto fuissent obstricti ; nunne à viro sanctissimo ejus peccati nomine quoque reprehensi fuissent ? quod tamen factum non apparet . quum praeterea scriptura impia gentilium festa , graviter reprehendat , an sancti sabbati neglectum , si id quoque ipsis observandum fuisset , tam constanti silentio dissimulasset ? the force of this argument consists in this assertion , that whatever we find god did not reprove in the gentiles , therein they did not sin , nor had they any law given unto them concerning it , 〈◊〉 not in adam ; which will by no means be granted . for , ( . ) the times are spoken of wherein god suffered them to walk in their own wayes , and wincked at their ignorance . hence as he gave them no reproofs for their sins , by his revealed word , so those which he gave them by his providence , are not recorded . we may not therefore say , they sinned in nothing , but what we find them reproved for in particular . ( . ) other instances may be given of sins against the light of nature among the gentiles , and that in things belonging to the second table , wherein that light hath a greater evidence accompanying it , than in that of the first , the first precept only excepted , which yet we find them not rebuked for . such were the sins of concubinacy and fornication . ( . ) after the renovation , or giving of this command unto the jews , it was the duty of the nations to whom the knowledge thereof did come , to take up the observation of it . for it was doubtless their duty to joyn themselves to god and his people , and with them to observe his statutes and judgements ; and their not so doing was their sin , which as is pretended they were not reproved for , or god was not displeased with them on that account . ( . ) the publication of gods commands , is to be stated from his giving of them ; and not from the instances of mens transgressing of them . nor is it any rule , that a law is then first given , when mens sins against it are first reproved . for the instance insisted on , of nehemiah and the tyrians , with his different dealing with them and the jews about the breach of the law of the sabbath , chap. . it is of no force in this matter . for when the tyrians knew the command of the sabbath among the jews , which was a sufficient revelation of the will of god concerning his worship , it was their duty to observe it . i do not say , that it was their duty immediately , and abiding in their gentilisme to observe the sabbath according to the institution it had among the jews ; but it was their duty to know , own , and obey the true god , and to joyn themselves to his people , to do and observe all his commands . if this was not their duty upon that discovery and revelation , which those had of the will of god who came up to jerusalem , as they did concerning whom we speak , then was it not their sin to abide in their gentilisme ; which i suppose will not be asserted . it was therefore on one account or other , a sin in the tyrians to prophane the sabbath . it will be said , why then did not nehemiah reprove them as well as he did the jews ? the answer is easie . he was the head and governour of the state and polity of the jews , unto whom it belonged to see that things amongst them were observed and done according to gods law and appointment : and this he was to do with authority , having the warrant of god for it . with the tyrians he had nothing to do ; no care of them , no jurisdiction over them , no entercourse with them , but according to the law of nations . on these accounts he charged not them with sin , or a moral evil , which they would not have regarded , having no regard to the true god , much less to his worship ; but he threatned them with war and punishment for disturbing his government of the people according to the law of god. it is well observed , that god reproved the profane feasts of the heathens ; and therein unquestionably the neglect of them that were of his own appointment . for this is the nature and method of negative precepts ; and condemnatory sentences in divine things , that they assert what is contrary to that which is forbidden , and recommend that which is opposite unto what is condemned . thus the worship of god according to his own institution is commanded in the prohibition of making to our selves , or finding out wayes of religious worship and honour of our own . for whereas it is a prime dictate of the law of nature , that god is to be worshipped according to his own appointment , which was from the light of it acknowledged among the heathen themselves , it is not any where asserted or intimated in the decalogical compendium of it , unless it be in that prohibition . it sufficeth then , that even among the gentiles , god vindicated the authority of his own sabbaths , by condemning their impious feasts and abominable practices in them . § . by the same learned writer , p. . the testimony of the jews in this case is pleaded . they generally assirm , that the sabbath was given unto them only , and not to the rest of the nations . hence it is by them called the bride of the synagogue : nor do they reckon the command of it amongst the noachical precepts , which they esteem all men obliged unto , and whose observation they imposed on the proselytes of the gate , or the uncircumcised strangers that lived amongst them . nay they say , that others were liable to punishment if they did observe it . for that part of the command , nor the stranger that is within thy gate , they say intends no more , but that no israelite should compell him to work , or make any advantage of his labour ; but for himself he was not bound to abstain from labour , but might exercise himself therein at his own discretion for his advantage . these things are pleaded at large , and confirmed with many testimonies and instances by the learned selden ; and from him are they again by others insisted on . but the truth is , there is not any thing of force in the conceits of these talmudical jews in the least to weaken the principle we have laid down and established . for , ( . ) as hath been shewed , this opinion is not indeed catholick amongst them ; but many , and those of the most learned of the masters do oppose it ; as we have proved already . and others may be added to them , whose opinion although it be peculiar , yet it wanteth not a fair probability of truth . for , they say , that the first part of the precept , remember the sabbath day to keep it holy , hath respect to the glorifying of god on the account of his original work and rest. this therefore belongs unto all mankind . but as for that which follows about the six dayes labour , and the seventh dayes cessation or quiet ; it had respect unto the bondage of the israelites in aegypt , and their deliverance thence , and was therefore peculiar unto them . so r. ephraim in keli jacar . and hence it may be , the word , remember , hath respect unto the command of the sabbath from the foundation of the world . and therefore when the command is repeated again , with peculiar respect to the church of israel , as the motive , from the aegyptian bondage and deliverance is expressed ; so the caution of remembring is omitted , deut. . . and transferred to this other occasion ; remember that thou wast a servant , v. . ( . ) the sole foundation of it is laid in a corrupt and false tradition or conceit , of the giving of the law of the sabbath in mara ; which we have before disproved , and which is despised as vain and foolish by most learned men . ( . ) the assertors of this opinion do wofully contradict themselves , in that they generally acknowledge that the sabbath was observed by abraham , and other patriarchs , as it should seem , at least four hundred years before its institution . ( . ) it is none of the seven , called , noachical precepts ; for they contain not the whole law of nature , or precepts of the decalogue , and one of them is ceremonial in their sense ; so that nothing can thence be concluded against the original or nature of this law. ( . ) that an uncircumcised stranger was liable to punishment if he observed the sabbath , is a foolish imagination , not inferiour unto that of some others of them , who affirm that all the gentiles shall keep the sabbath , one day in seven in hell. . for the distinction which they have invented , that a proselyte of the gate might work for himself , but not for his master , it is one of the many whereby they make void the law of god through their traditions . those who of old amongst them feared god , knowing their duty to instruct their housholds or families , that is , their children and servants , in the wayes and worship of god , walked by another rule . § . it is farther pleaded by the same author , p. . that the gentiles knew nothing of this sabbatical feast , but that when it came to their knowledge they derided and exploded it as a particular superstition of the jews . to this purpose many instances out of the historians and poets , who wrote in the time of the first roman emperors , are collected by selden , which we are again directed unto . now it could not be , but that if it had been originally appointed unto all mankind , that they should have been such strangers unto it . but this matter hath been discoursed before . and we have shewed that sundry of the first writers of the christian church were otherwise minded ; for they judged and proved , that there was a notion at least of the seventh dayes sacred rest , diffused throughout the world . and they lived nearer the times of the gentiles practice , than those by whom their judgement and testimony are so peremptorily rejected . it is not unlikely , but that they might be mistaken in some of the testimonies whereby they confirm their observation ; yet this hinders not , but that the observation it self may be true , and sufficiently confirmed by other instances which they make use of . for my part , as i have said , i will not , nor for the security of the principle laid down , need i to contend , that the seventh day was observed as a sacred feast amongst them . it is enough that there were such notices of it in the world , as could proceed from no other original , but that pleaded for , which was common unto all . the roman writers , poets and others , do speak of , and contemn the judaical sabbaths , under which name they comprehended all their sacred feasts and solemn abstinencies . hence they reproached them with their sabbatical fasts ; of which number the seventh day hebdomadal sabbath was not . but they never endeavoured to come to any real acquaintance with their religious rites , but took up vulgar reports concerning them , as did their historians also , who in the affairs of other natitions are supposed to have been curious and diligent . § . indeed after the conquest of jerusalem by pompey , when the people of the jews began to be known among the romans , and to disperse themselves throughout their provinces , they began every day more and more to hate them , and to cast all manner of reproaches on them without regard to truth or honesty . and it may not be amiss here a little ( by the way ) to enquire into the reasons of it . the principal cause hereof no doubt , was from the god they worshipped , and the manner of his worship observed amongst them . for finding them to acknowledge and adore one only ( the true ) god , and that without the use of any kind of images , they perceived their own idolatry and superstition to be condemned thereby . and this had been the condition of that people under the former empires , of the chaldaeáns , persians , and grecians . god had appointed them to be his witnesses in the world , that he was god , and that there was none other . isa. . , , . ye are my witnesses , is there a god besides me , there is no god , i know not any . as also chap. . ▪ , . ye are my witnesses , that before me there was no god formed , neither shall there be any after me , i even i am the lord , and besides me there is no saviour ; therefore ye are my witnesses , saith the lord , that i am god. this greatly provoked , as other nations of old , so at length the romans , as bidding defiance to all their gods , and their worship of them , wherein they greatly boasted . for they thought that it was meerly by the help of their gods , and on the account of their religion , that they conquered all other nations . so ciccro orat. de respon . harusp . quam volumus ipsi nos amemus , tamen nec numero hispanos , nec robore gallos , nec calliditate poenos , nec artibus graecos , sed pietate & religione , atque hac una sapientia , quod deorum immortalium numine omnia regi , gubernarique prospeximus , omnes gentes nationesque superavimus . let us love and please ourselves as we think meet , yet we outgo neither the spaniards in number , nor the gaules in strength , nor the africans in craft , nor the grecians in arts ; but it is by our piety and religion , and this only wisdom , that we refer all to the government of the immortal gods , that we have overcome all countreys and nations . and dionysius halicarnassaeus , antiquit. rom. lib. . having given an account of their sacred rites and worship , adds that he did it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . that those who knew not before the piety or religion of the romans , might not now think it strange , that they should have such success in all their wars . to be judged and condemned in those things by the contrary witness of the jews , they could not bear . this made them reflect on god himself , as the god which they worshipped . they called him incertum , and ignotum , affirming the rites of his worship to be absurd , and contrary to the common consent of mankind , as tacitus expresly : hist. lib. . the best they could afford when they spake of him was , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , who ever he be . and tully will not allow that it was any respect to their god , or their religion , which caused pompey to forbear spoiling the temple when he took it by force . non credo , saith he , religionem impedimento praestantissimo imperatori fuisse , quod victor ex illo fano nihil attigerit . orat. pro flacc. whereunto he adds as high a reproach of them and their religion as he could devise . stantibus hierosolymis , pacatisque judaeis , tamen istorum religio sacrorum , à splendore hujus imperii ; gravitate nominis nostri , majorum institutis abhorrebat ; nunc vero hoc magis , quod illa gens , quid de nostro imperio sentiret ostendit armis , quam cara diis immortalibus esset , docuit , quod victa est , quod clocata , quod servata . whilst jerusalem stood ( that is , in its own power ) and the jews were peaceable , yet their religion was unworthy the splendor of this empire , the gravity of our name , and abhorrent from the ordinances of our ancestors ; how much more now , when that nation hath shewed what esteem it hath of our empire by its arms ; and how dear it is to the immortal gods , that it is conquered , and set out under tribute . the like reflections , yea worse , may be seen in trogus , tacitus , plutarcb , strabo , and democritus in suidas with others . § . another ground of their hatred was , that the jews whilst the temple stood , gathered great summs of money out of all their provinces , which they sent unto the sacred treasury . so the same person informs us in the same place : cum aurum judaeorum nomine , quotannis ex italia , & ex omnibus vestris provinciis hierosolymam exportari soleret . out of italy and all other provinces of the empire , there was gold wont to be sent by the jews to jerusalem ; as now the europaean jews do contribute to the maintenance of their synagogues in the same place ; and this is acknowledged by philo , legat. ad caium ; and josephus antiqui . lib. . cap. . to have been yearly a very great summ . but by his judaeorum nomine , he seems not only to express that the returns of the gold mentioned were made in the name of the jews , but also to intimate , that it might be raised by others also , who had taken on them the profession of their religion . for this was the third and principal cause of their hatred and animosity , namely that they drew over multitudes of all sorts of persons to the profession of the law of moses . and a good work this was , though vitiated by the wickedness and corrupt ends of them who employed themselves therein , as our saviour declares , matth. . . this greatly provoked the romans in those dayes , and on every occasion they severely complain of it . so dio cassius speaking of them adds , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and this kind of men ( that is men of this profession , not natural jews , ) is found also among the romans ; which though they have been frequently punished , yet have for the most part encreased , so as to take the liberty of making laws to themselves . for their punishments , an account is given us in suetonius in domit. and others , of the inquisition and search , made after such as were circumcised . and as to their makeing of laws unto themselves , he respects their feasts , sabbaths , abstinencies , and such like observances as the jews obliged their proselytes unto . in like manner complaineth juvenal , romanas autem soliti contemnere leges judaicum ediscunt , & servant ac metuunt jus tradidit arcano quodcunque volumine moses . contemning the roman laws , they learn the rites and customs of the jews , observing and learning the whole right or law delivered in the secret writing of moses . seneca is yet more severe . cum interim usque eo sceleratissima gentis consuetudo convaluit , ut per omnes jam terras recepta sit : victi victoribus leges dederunt . the custom of this wicked nation hath so far prevailed , that it is now received among all nations : the conquered , have given laws to the conquerors . and tacitus , pessimus quisque spretis religionibus patriis tributa & stipes , illuc ( that is to jerusalem ) congerebat . the like revengeful spirit appears in those verses of rutilius lib. . itinerar . though he lived afterwards under the christian emperors . o utinam nunquam judaea victa fuisset pompeii bellis , imperioque titi ; laetius excisae pestis contagia serpunt victoresque suos natio victa premit . but it is not unlikely , that he reflects on christians also . § . we may add hereunto , that for the most part the conversation of the jews amongst them was wicked and provoking . they were a people that had for many generations been harrased and oppressed , by all the principal empires in the world ; this caused them to hate them , and to have their minds alwayes possessed with revengeful thoughts . when our apostle affirmed of them , that they pleased not god , and were contrary to all men ; thess. . . he intends not their opposition to the gospel , and the preachers of it , which he had before expressed ; but that envious contrariety unto mankind in general , which they were possessed with . and this evil frame , the nations ascribed to their law it self . moses novos ritus contrariosque caeteris mortalibus & gentibus indidit , saith tacitus . but this most falsly ; no law of man ever taught that benignity , kindness , and general usefulness in the world , as theirs did . the people themselves being grown wicked and corrupt , pleased not god , and were contrary to all men . hence they were looked on as such , who observed not so much as the law of nature towards any but themselves ; as resolving quaesitum ad fontem solos diducere verpos . not to direct a thirsty person to a common spring if uncircumcised . whence was that censure of tacitus , apud ipsos fides obstinata , misericordia in promptu , adversus omnes alios hostile odium . faithful and merciful among themselves , towards all others they were acted with irreconcilable hatred ; which well expresseth what our saviour charged them with , as a corrupt principle among them , matth. . . thou shalt love thy neighbour , and hate thine enemy . into which two sorts they distributed all mankind ; that is in their sense , their own countrey-men and strangers . their corrupt and wicked conversation also made them a reproach , and their religion contemned . so was it with them from their first dispersion as god declares , ezek. . . when they entred unto the heathen whither they went , they profaned my holy name , when they said to them , these are the people of the lord. and their wickedness increased with their time ; for they still learned the corrupt and evil arts , with all wayes of deceit , used in the nations where they lived , until for the crimes of many , the whole nation became the common hatred of mankind . and , that we may return from this digression , this being the state of things then in the world , we may not wonder , if the writers of those dayes were very supinely negligent , or maliciously envious , in reporting their wayes , customs , and religious observances . and it is acknowledged that before those times , the long course of idolatry and impiety wherein the whole world had been ingaged , had utterly corrupted and lost the tradition of a sabbatical rest. what notices of it continued in former ages , hath been before declared . § . but it is further pleaded ( p. . ) that indeed the gentiles could be no way obliged to the observation of the fourth commandment ; seeing they had no indication of it , nor any means to free them from their ignorance of the being of any such law. that they had , and had lost the knowledge of it , in and by their progenitors , is rejected as a vain pretence . and so much weight is laid on this consideration , that a demand is made of somewhat to be returned in answer , that may give any satisfaction unto conscience . but i understand not the force of this pretended argument . those who had absolutely lost the knowledge of the true god , ( in and by their progenitors ) as the gentiles had done , might well also lose the knowledge of all the concernments of his worship . and so they had done , excepting only that they had traduced some of his institutions , as sacrifices , into their own superstition ; and so had they corrupted the use of his sabbaths into that of their idolatrous feasts . but when the true god , had no other acknowledgements amongst them , but what answered the title of the unknown god , is it any wonder that his wayes and worship might be unknown amongst them also ? and it is but pretended that they had no indication of a sabbatical rest , nor any means to free them from their ignorance mans duty is both to be learned and observed in order . it is in vain to expect , that any should have indications of an holy rest unto god , before they are brought to the knowledge of god himself . when this is obtained , when the true god upon just grounds is owned and acknowledged , than that some time be set apart for his solemn worship , is of moral and natural right . that this is included in the very first notion of the true god , and our dependance upon him , all men do confess . and this principle was abused among the heathen to be the foundation of all their stated annual , or monthly sacred solemnities , after they had nefariously lost the only object of all religious worship . where this progress is made , as it might have been , by attending to the directive light of nature , and the impressions of the law of it left upon the souls of men , there will not be wanting sufficient indicatives of the meetest season for that worship . however these things were , and are to be considered and admitted in their order ; and with respect unto that order is their obligation . the heathen were bound first to know and own the true god , and him alone ; then to worship him solemnly ; and after that , in order of nature , to have some solemn time separated unto the observance of that worship . without an admission of these , all which were neglected and rejected by them , there is no place to enquire after the obligation of an hebdomadal rest. and their non-observance of it was their sin , not firstly , directly , and immediately ; but consequentially , as all others are that arise from an ignorance or rejection of those greater principles whereon they do depend . § . the trivial exception from the difference of the meridians is yet pleaded also . for hence it is pretended to be impossible , that all men should precisely observe the same day . for if a man should sail round the world by the east , he will at his return home have gotten a day by his continual approach towards the rising sun. and if he steer his course westward , he will lose a day in the annual revolution , as it is gotten the other way ; so did the hollanders an. . and hence the posterity of noah , gradually spreading themselves over the world , must have gradually come to the observation of different seasons , if we shall suppose a day of sacred rest required of them , or appointed to them . apage nugas . if men might sail eastward or westward , and not continually have seven dayes succeeding one another , there would be some force in this trifle . on our hypothesis , where ever men are , a seventh part of their time , or a seventh day is to be separated to the remembrance of the rest of god , and the other ends of the sabbath . that the observance of this portion of time shall in all places begin and end at the same instants , the law and order of gods creation will not permit . it is enough that amongst all who can assemble for the worship of god , there is no difference in general , but that they all observe the same proportion of time. and he who by circumnavigation of the world , ( such rare and extraordinary instances being not to be provided for in a general law ) getteth or loseth a day , he may at his return with a good conscience , give up again , what he hath got , or retrive what he hath lost , with those with whom he fixeth . for all such occasional accidents are to be reduced unto the common standard . all the difficulty therefore in this objection relates to the precise observation of the seventh day from the creation ; and not in the least unto one day in seven . and although the seventh day was appointed principally for the land of pakstine , the seat of the church of old , wherein there was no such alteration of meridians ; yet i doubt not , but that a wandring jew might have observed the foregoing rule , and reduced his time to order upon his return home . what other exceptions of the like nature occur in this cause , they shall be removed and satisfied in our next enquiry , which is after the causes of the sabbath ; and the morality of the observation of one day in seven . exercitatio tertia . ( ) of the causes of the sabbath . ( ) god the absolute original cause of it . distinction of divine laws into moral and positive . ( ) divine laws of a mixt nature , partly moral , partly positive . ( ) opinion of some that the law of the sabbath was purely positive . difficulties of that opinion . ( ) opinion of them who maintain the observation of one day in seven to be moral . ( ) opinion of them who make the observation of the seventh day precisely to be a moral duty . ( ) the second opinion asserted . ( ) the common notion of the sabbath explained . ( ) the true notion of it farther enquired into . ( ) continuation of the same disquisition . ( ) the law of nature wherein it consists . opinion of the philosophers . ( ) not comprized in the dictates of reason . no obliging authority in them formally considered . ( ) uncertainty and disagreement about the dictates of reason . opinions of the magi , zeno ; chrysippus , plato ; archelaus , aristippus , carneades ; brennus , &c. ( ) things may belong to the law of nature not discoverable to the common reason of the most . ( ) the law of nature wherein it doth really consist . ( ) light given unto a septenary sacred rest , in the law of nature . ( ) farther instances thereof . ( ) the observation of the sabbath on the same foundation with monogamy . ( ) the seventh day an appendix of the covenant of works . ( ) how far the whole notion of a weekly sacred rest was of the law of nature . ( ) natural light obscured by the entrance of sin. ( ) the summ of what is proposed . ( ) the enquiry about the causes of the sabbath renewed . ( ) the command of it in what sense a law moral , and how evidenced so to be . ( ) to worship god in associations and assemblies , a moral duty . ( ) one day in seven required unto solemn worship by the law of our creation . ( ) what is necessary to warrant the ascription of any duty to the law of creation . ( ) . that is be congruous to the known principles of it . ( ) . that it have a general principle in the light of nature . ( ) . that it be taught by the works of creation . ( ) . direction for its observance , by superadded revelation , no impeachment of it . ( ) how far the same duty may be required by a law moral , and by a law positive . ( ) vindication of the truths laid down from an objection . ( ) other evidences of the morality of this duty ( ) required in all states of the church . ( ) these various states . ( ) command for the sabbath before the fall. ( ) before , and at the giving of the law , and under the gospel . ( ) whether appointed by the church . ( ) of the fourth commandment in the decalogue . ( ) the proper subject of it . ( ) the seventh day precisely not primarily required therein . ( ) somewhat moral in it granted by all . ( ) the matter of this command , a moral duty by the law of creation . ( ) the morality of the precept it self proved from its interest in the decalogue by various instances . ( ) the law of the sabbath only preferred above all ceremonial and judicial laws . ( ) the words of our saviour , matth. . . considered . ( ) the whole law of the decalogue established by christ. ( ) objections proposed . ( ) the first answered . ( ) the second answered . ( ) the third answered . ( ) one day in seven , not the seventh day precisely required in the decalogue . ( ) an objection from the sense of the law. ( ) answered . ( ) ( ) other objections answered . ( ) col. . , . considered . the third exercitation . causes of the sabbath . § . we have fixed the original of the sabbatical rest , according to the best light we have received into these things , and confirmed the reasons of it with the consent of mankind . the next step in our progress must be an enquiry into its causes . and here also we fall immediately into those difficulties and entanglements , which the various apprehensions of learned men promoted and defended with much diligence , have occasioned . i have no design to oppose or contend with any , although a modest examination of the reasons of some , will be indispensibly necessary unto me . all that i crave , is the liberty of proposing my own thoughts and judgement in this matter , with the reasons and grounds of them . when that is done , i shall humbly submit the whole , to the examination and judgement of all that call upon the name of our lord jesus christ , their lord , and ours . § . first , it is agreed by all , that god alone is the supream , original , and absolute cause of the sabbath . when ever it began , when ever it ends , be it expired , or still in force , of what kind soever were its institution , the law of it was from god. it was from heaven ; and not of men ; and the will of god is the sole rule and measure of our observation of it , and obedience to him therein . what may , or may not be done , in reference unto the observation of a day of holy rest by any inferior authority , comes not here under consideration . but whereas there are two sorts of laws whereby god requires the obedience of his rational creatures , which are commonly called moral and positive , it is greatly questioned and disputed , to whether of these sorts doth belong the command of a sabbatical rest. positive laws are taken to be such , as have no reason for them in themselves , nothing of the matter of them , is taken from the things themselves commanded , but do depend meerly and solely on the soveraign will and pleasure of god. such were the laws and institutions of the sacrifices of old ; and such are those which concern the sacraments and other things of the like nature under the new testament . moral laws are such as have the reasons of them taken from the nature of the things themselves required in them . for they are good from their respect to the nature of god himself , and from that nature and order of all things , which he hath placed in the creation . so that this sort of laws is but declarative of the absolute goodness of what they do require ; the other is constitutive of it , as unto some certain ends. laws positive , as they are occasionally given , so they are esteemed alterable at pleasure . being fixed by meer will and prerogative , without respect to any thing that should make them necessary antecedent to their giving , they may by the same authority at any time be taken away and abolished . such i say are they in their own nature , and as to any firmitude that they have from their own subject matter . but with respect unto gods determination , positive divine laws , may become eventually unalterable . and this difference is there between legal and evangelical institutions . the laws of both are positive only , equally proceeding from soveraign will and pleasure , and in their own natures equally alterable . but to the former , god had in his purpose fixed a determinate time and season , wherein they should expire , or be altered by his authority ; the latter he hath fixed a perpetuity and unchangeableness unto , during the state and condition of his church in this world . the other sort of laws are perpetual and unalterable in themselves , so far as they are of that sort , that is moral . for although a law of that kind may have an especial injunction with such circumstances as may be changed and varied , ( as had the whole decalogue in the common-wealth of israel ) yet so far as it is moral , that is , that its commands or prohibitions , are necessary emergencies , or expressions of the good or evil of the things it commands or forbids , it is invariable . and in these things there is an agreement ; unless sometimes through mutual oppositions men are chased into some exceptions or distinctions . § . unto these two sorts do all divine laws belong , and unto these heads they may be all reduced . and it is pleaded by some , that these kinds of laws are contradistinct ; so that a law of one kind , can in no sense be a law in the other . and this doubtless is true reduplicatively , because they have especial formal reasons . as far , and wherein , any laws are positive , they are not moral ; and as far as they are purely moral , they are not formally positive , though given after the manner of positive commands . howbeit this hinders not but that some do judge , that there may be and are divine laws of a mixt nature . for there may be in a divine law , a foundation in , and respect unto somewhat that is moral , which yet may stand in need of the superaddition of a positive command for its due observation unto its proper end. yea , the moral reason of things commanded , which ariseth out of a due natural respect unto god , and the order of the universe , may be so deep and hidden , as that god who would make the way of his creatures plain and easie , gives out express positive commands for the observance , of what is antecedently necessary by the law of our creation . hence a law may partake of both these considerations , and both of them have an equal influence into its obligatory power . and by this means sundry duties , some moral , some positive , are as it were compounded in one observance ; as may be instanced in the great duty of prayer ; hence the whole law of that observance becomes of a mixt nature , which yet god can separate at his pleasure , and taking away that which is positive , leave only that which is absolutely moral in force . and this kind of laws , which have their foundation in the nature of things themselves , which yet stand in need of farther direction for their due observation , which is added unto them by positive institution , some call moral positive . § . according to these distinctions of the nature of the laws which god expresseth his will in and by , are mens apprehensions different about the immediate and instrumental cause of the sabbatical rest. that god was the author of it , is as was said , by all agreed . but say some , the law whereby he appointed it was purely positive , the matter of it being arbitrary , stated and determined only in the command it self ; and so the whole nature of the law , and that commanded in it , changeable . and because positive laws did , and alwayes do respect some other things besides and beyond themselves , it is pleaded that this law was ceremonial and typical ; that is , it was an institution of an outward present religious observation , to signifie and represent , some thing not present , nor yet come ; such were all the particulars of the whole systeme of mosaical worship , whereof this law of the sabbath was a part , and an instance . in brief , some say , that the whole law of the sabbath was as to its general nature positive , and arbitrary , and so changeable ; and in particular , ceremonial and typical , and so actually changed and abolished . but yet it is so fallen out , that those who are most positive in these assertions , cannot but acknowledge , that this law is so ingrafted into , and so closed up with somewhat that is moral and unalterable , that it is no easie thing to hit the joint aright , and make a separation of the one from the other . but concerning any other law expresly and confessedly ceremonial , no such thing can be observed . they were all evidently and entirely arbitrary institutions , without any such neer relation to what is moral , as might trouble any one to make a distinction between them . for instance ; the law of sacrifices hath indeed an answerableness in it to a great principle of the law of nature ; namely that we must honour god with our substance , and the best of our increase ; yet that this might be done many other wayes , and not by sacrifice , if god had pleased so to ordain , every one is able to apprehend . it is otherwise in this matter ; for none will deny , but that it is required of us in and by the law of nature , that some time be set apart and dedicated unto god , for the observation of his solemn worship in the world . and it is plain to every one , that this natural dictate is inseparably included in the law of the sabbath . it will therefore surely be difficult to make it absolutely and universally positive . i know some begin to whisper things inconsistent with this concession . but we have as yet the universal consent of all divines , antient and modern , fathers , schoolmen and casuists concurring in this matter . for they all unanimously affirm , that the separation of some part of our time to sacred uses , and the solemn honouring of god , is required of us in the light , and by the law of nature . and herein lyes the fundamental notion of the law now enquired after . this also may be farther added , that whereas this natural dictate for the observation of some time in the solemn worship of god , hath been accompanied with a declaration of his will from the foundation of the world that this time should be one day in seven , it will be a matter of no small difficulty to find out what is purely positive therein . § . others building on this foundation , that the dedication of some part of our time to the worship of god , is a duty natural or moral , as required by the law of our creation , ( not that time in it self which is but a circumstance of other things , can be esteemed moral , but that our observation of time may be a moral duty ) do add ; that the determination of one day in seven , to be that portion of time so to be dedicated , is inseparable from the same foundation , and is of the same nature with it ; that is , that the sabbatical observation of one dayes holy rest in seven , hath a moral precept for its warranty , or that which hath the nature of a moral precept in it ; so that although the revolution of time in seven dayes , and the confining of the day to that determined season , do depend on revelation and a fositive command of god for its observance , yet on fupposition thereof , the moral precept prevails in the whole , and is everlastingly obligatory . and there are some divines of great piety and learning , who do judge , that a command of god given unto all men , and equally obligatory unto all , respecting their manner of living unto god , is to be esteemed a moral command , and that indispensible and unchangeable ; although we should not be able to discover the reason of it in the light and law of nature . nor can such a command be reckoned amongst them that are meerly positive , arbitrary , and changeable , all which depend on sundry other things , and do not firstly affect men , as men in general . and it is probable , that god would not give out any such catholick command , which comprized not somewhat naturally good and right in it . and this is the best measure and determination of what is moral , and not our ability of discovering by reason what is so , and what is not ; as we shall see afterwards . § . moreover , there are some who stay not here ; but contend that the precise observation of the seventh day in the hebdomadal revolution , lyeth under a command moral and indispensible . for god they say , who is the soveraign lord of us and our times , hath taken by an everlasting law this day unto himself for his honour and service ; and he hath therein obliged all men to an holy rest , not on some certain fixed and stated time , not on one day in seven originally , as the first intention of his command , but on the seventh day precisely , whereunto those other considerations of some stated and fixed time , and of one day in seven are consequential , and far from previous foundations of it . the seventh day , as the seventh day , is they say , the first proper object of the command ; the other things mentioned of a stated time , and of one day in seven , do only follow thereon ; and by vertue thereof belong to the command of the sabbath , and no otherwise . herein great honour indeed is done unto the seventh day , above all other ordinances of worship whatever , even of the gospel it self ; but whether with sufficient warranty we must afterwards enquire . at present , i shall only observe , that this observation of the seventh day precisely , is resolved into the soveraignty of god , over us and our times , and into an occasion respecting purely the covenant of works ; on which bottoms it is hard to fix it in an absolute unvariable station . § . it is the second opinion , for the substance of it , which i shall indeavour to explain and confirm ; and therein prove a sacred sabbatical rest unto god , of one day in seven , to be injoyned unto all that fear him , by a law perpetual , and indispensible , upon the account of what is moral therein . the reason i say of the obligation of the law of the sabbath is natural , and thence the obligation it self universal ; however the declaration and and determination of the day it self , depend on arbitrary revelation , and a law meerly positive . these things being explained and confirmed , the other opinions proposed will fall under our consideration . to obtain a distinct light into the truth in this matter , we must consider both the true notion of the sacred rest , as also of the law of our creation , whereby we affirm that fundamentally and virtually , it is required . § . the general notion of the sabbath is , a portion of time set apart by divine appointment , for the observance and performance of the solemn worship of god. the worship of god is that which we are made for , as to our station in this world , and is the means and condition of our enjoyment of him in glory , wherein consists the ultimate end , as unto us , of our creation . this worship therefore is required of us by the law of our creation , and it is upon the matter all that is required of us thereby , seeing we are obliged by it , to do all things to the glory of god. and therefore is the solemn expression of that worship required of us in the same manner . for the end of it being our glorifying him as god , and the nature of it consisting in the profession of our universal subjection unto him , and dependance upon him , the solemn expression of it , is as necessary as the worship it self , which we are to perform . no man therefore ever doubted , but that by the law of nature we were bound to worship god , and solemnly to express that worship ; for else wherefore were we brought forth in this world ? these things are inseparable from our natures , and where this order is disturbed by sin , we fall into another , which the properties of god on the supposition of transgressing our first natural order , do render no less necessary unto his glory , than the other , namely that of punishment . moreover in this worship it is required by the same law of our beings that we should serve god with all that we do receive from him . no man can think otherwise . for is there any thing that we have received from god , that shall yield him no revenue of glory , whereof we ought to make no acknowledgement unto him ? who dare once so to imagine ? among the things thus given us of god , is our time. and this falls under a double consideration in this matter . first , as it is an inseparable moral circumstance of the worship required of us ; so it is necessarily included in the command of worship it self , not directly but consequentially . secondly , it is in it self a part of our vouchsafements from god , for our own use and purposes in this world . so upon its own account firstly and directly , a separation of a part of it unto god and his solemn worship is required of us . it remains only to inquire what part of time it is , that is and will be accepted with god. this is declared and determined in the fourth commandment to be the seventh part of it , or one day in seven . and this is that which is positive in the command , which yet as to the foundation , formal reason , and main substance of it , is moral . and these things are true , but yet do not express the whole nature of the sabbath , which we must farther enquire into . § . and first it must be observed , that whereever there is mention of a sabbatical rest , as enjoyned unto men for their observation , there is still respect unto a rest of god that preceded it , and was the cause and foundation of it . in its first mention , gods rest is given as the reason of his sanctifying and blessing a day of rest for us , whence also it hath its name . gen. . , . god blessed and sanctified the seventh day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , because he sabbatized thereon himself . and so it is expressed , and the same reason is given of it in the fourth commandment . god wrought six dayes and rested the seventh ; therefore must we rest , exod. . . the same is observed in the new creation as we shall see afterwards , and more fully in our exposition of heb. . now that god may be said to rest , it is necessary that some signal work of his do go before . for rest in the first notion of it , includes a respect to an antecedent work or labour . and so it is every where declared . god wrought his works and finished them , and then rested . he made all things in six dayes , and rested on the seventh . and he that is entred into rest , ceaseth from his work . and both these , the work of god , and the rest of god must in this matter be considered . for the work of god , it is that of the old and whole creation , as is directly expressed , gen. . exod. . which i desire may be born in mind . and this work of god may be considered two wayes . first , naturally or physically , as it consisted in the meer production of the effects of his power , wisdom , and goodness . so all things are the work of god : secondly , morally ; as god ordered and designed all his works to be a means of glorifying himself , in and by the obedience of his rational creatures . this consideration , both the nature of it , with the order and end of the whole creation do make necessary . for god first made all the inanimate , then animate and sensitive creatures in their glory , order and beauty . in , and on all these , he implanted a teaching and instructive power ; for the heavens declare the glory of god , and the firmament sheweth his handy work , psal. . , . and all creatures are frequently called on to give praise and glory to him . and this expresseth that in their nature and order , which revealeth and manifesteth him , and the glorious excellencies of his nature , which man is to contemplate in their effects in them , and give glory unto him . for after them all , was man made to consider and use them all , for the end for which they were made ; and was a kind of mediator between god and the rest of the creatures by and through whom he would receive all his glory from them . this is that which our apostle discourseth about , rom. . , . the design of god as he declares , was to manifest and shew himself in his works to man. man learning from them the invisible things of god , was to glorifie him as god ; as he disputes . the ordering and disposal of things to this purpose , is principally to be considered in the works of god , as his rest did ensue upon them . secondly , the rest of god is to be considered as that which compleats the foundation of the sabbatical rest enquired after . for it is built on gods working and entring into his rest. now this is not a meer cessation from working . it is not absolutely so ; for god worketh hitherto . and the expression of gods rest is of a moral , and not a natural signification . for it consists in the satisfaction and complacency that he took in his works , as effects of his goodness , power and wisdom , disposed in the order , and unto the ends mentioned . hence as it is said , that upon the finishing of them , he looked on every thing that he had made , and behold it was very good , gen. . . that is , he was satisfied in his works and their disposal , and pronounced concerning them , that they became his infinite wisdom and power ; so it is added , that he not only rested on the seventh day ; but also that he was refreshed , exod. . . that is , he took great complacency in what he had done , as that which was suited unto the end aimed at ; namely the expression of his greatness , goodness and wisdom , unto his rational creatures , and his glory through their obedience thereon ; as on the like occasion he is said to rest in his love , and to rejoyce with singing , zeph. . . now in the work and rest of god thus stated , did the whole rule of the obedience of man originally consist ; and therein was he to seek also his own rest , as his happiness and blessedness . for god had not declared any other way for his instruction in the end of his creation , that is his obedience unto him , and blessedness in him , but in and by his own works and rest. this then is the first end of this holy rest. and it must alwayes be born in mind , as that without which we can give no glory to god as rational creatures , made under a moral law in a dependance on him. for this he indispensibly requireth of us , and this is the summ of what he requireth of us ; namely that we glorifie him according to the revelation that he makes of himself unto us , whether by his works of nature , or of grace . to the solemnity hereof , the day enquired after is necessary . to express these things is the general end of the sabbatical rest prescribed unto us , and our observation . for so it is said , god wrought and rested , and then requires us so to do . and it hath sundry particular ends or reasons . first , that we might learn the satisfaction and complacency that god hath in his own works , gen. . , . that is , to consider the impressions of his excellencies upon them , and to glorifie him as god on that account , rom. . , , . for hence was man originally taught to fear , love , trust , obey , and honour him absolutely ; even from the manifestation that he had made of himself in his works , wherein he rested . and had not god thus rested in them , and been refreshed upon their compleating and finishing ; they would not have been a sufficient means to instruct man in those duties . and our observation of the evangelical sabbath , hath the same respect unto the works of christ , and his rest thereon , when he saw of the travel of his soul and was satisfied , as shall afterwards be declared . secondly , another end of the original sabbatical rest was , that it might be a pledge unto man of his rest in and with god. for in and by the law of his creation , man had an end , of rest , proposed unto him , and that in god. this he was to be directed unto , and incouraged to look after . herein god by his works and rest had instructed him . and by giving him the sabbath , as he gave him a pledge thereof , so he required of him , his approbation of the covenant way of attaining it , whereof afterwards . hence psal. . whose title is , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a psalm , a song for the sabbath day , which some of the jews ascribe unto adam , as it principally consists in contemplations of the works of god , with holy admirations of his greatness and power manifested in them , with praises unto him on their account ; so it expresseth the destruction of ungodly sinners , and the salvation of the righteous , whereof in that dayes rest they had a pledge . and this belonged unto that state of man wherein he was created , namely , that he should have a pledge of eternal rest. neither could his duty and capacity be otherwise answered or esteemed reasonable . his duty which was working in moral obedience , had a natural relation unto a reward . and his capacity was such , as could not be satisfied , nor himself attain absolute rest , but in the enjoyment of god. a pledge hereof therefore belonged unto his condition . thirdly , consideration was had of the way and means , whereby man might enter into the rest of god proposed unto him . and this was by that obedience and worship of god , which the covenant wherein he was created required of him . the solemn expression of this obedience , and exercise of this worship , was indispensibly required of him and his posterity , in all their societies and communion with one another . this cannot be denyed , unless we shall say , that god making man to be a sociable creature , and capable of sundry relations , did not require of him to honour him in the societies and relations whereof he was capable , which would certainly overthrow the whole law of his creation , with respect unto the end for which he was made , and render all societies sinful , and rebellious against god. hereunto the sabbatical rest was absolutely necessary . for without some such rest fixed , or variable , those things could not be . this is a time or season , for man to express and solemnly pay that homage which he owes to his creator . and this is by the most esteemed the great , if not the only end of the sabbath . but it is evident , that it falls under sundry precedent considerations . § . these being the proper ends and reasons of the original sabbatical rest , which contain the true notion of it , we may nextly enquire after the law whereby it was prescribed and commanded . to this purpose we must first consider the state wherein man was created , and then the law of his creation . and for the state and condition wherein man was created it falls under a threefold consideration . for man may be considered either ( . ) absolutely as a rational creature ; or ( . ) as made under a covenant of rewards and punishments ; or ( . ) with respect unto the especial nature of that covenant . first , he was made a rational creature , and thereby necessarily in a moral dependance on god. for being endowed with intellectual faculties , in an immortal soul , capable of eternal blessedness or misery , able to know god , and to regard him as the first cause and last end of all , as the author of his being , and object of his blessedness , it was naturally and necessarily incumbent on him , without any farther considerations , to love , fear , and obey him , to trust in him as a preserver and rewarder ; and this the order of his nature , called the image of god , enclined and inabled him unto . for it was not possible , that such a creature should be produced , and not lye under an obligation unto all those duties , which the nature of god , and his own , and the relation of the one to the other , made necessary . under this consideration alone , it was required by the law of mans creation , that some time should be separated unto the solemn expression of his obedience , and due performance of the worship that god required of him . for in vain was he indued with intellectual faculties , and appointed unto society , if he were not to honour god , by them , in all his relations , and openly express the homage which he owed him . and this could not be done , but in a time appointed for that purpose ; the neglect whereof must be a deviation from the law of the creation . and as this is generally acknowledged ; so no man can fancy the contrary . here then do we fix the necessity of the separation of some time to the ends of a sabbatical rest ; even on the nature of god and man , with the relation of one to the other . for who can say , no part of our time is due to god , or so to be disposed . secondly , man in his creation with respect unto the ends of god therein , was constituted under a covenant . that is the law of his obedience was attended with promises and threatnings , rewards and punishments , suited unto the goodness and holiness of god. for every law with rewards and recompences annexed , hath the nature of a covenant . and in this case , although the promise wherewith man was incouraged unto obedidience , which was that of eternal life with god , did in strict justice exceed the worth of the obedience required , and so was a superadded effect of goodness and grace , yet was it suited unto the constitution of a covenant meet for man to serve god in unto his glory ; and on the other side , the punishment threatned unto disobedience , in death and an everlasting separation from god , was such as the righteousness and holiness of god , as his supream governour , and lord of him and the covenant , did require . now this covenant belonged unto the law of creation . for although god might have dealt with man in a way of absolute soveraignty , requiring obedience of him without a covenant of a reward infinitely exceeding it ; yet having done so in his creation , it belongs unto , and is inseparable from the law thereof . and under this consideration , the time required in general for a rest unto god , under the first general notion of the nature and being of man , is determined unto one day in seven . for as we shall find , that in the various dispensations of the covenant with man , and the change of its nature , yet so long as god is pleased to establish any covenant with man , he hath , and doth invarilably require one day in seven to be set apart unto the assignation of praise and glory to himself ; so we shall see afterwards , that there are indications of his mind to this purpose in the covenant it self . thirdly , man is to be considered with especial respect unto that covenant under which he was created , which was a covenant of works . for herein rest with god was proposed unto him , as the end or reward of his own works , or of his personal obedience unto god , by absolute strict righteousness and holiness . and the peculiar form of this covenant , as relating unto the way of gods entring into it , upon the finishing of his own works , designed the seventh day from the beginning of the creation , to be the day precisely for the observation of an holy rest. as men then are alwayes rational creatures , so some portion of time is by them necessarily to be set apart to the solemn worship of god. as they are under a covenant , so this time was originally limited unto one day in seven . and as the covenant may be varied , so may this day also , which under the covenant of works , was precisely limited unto the seventh day ; and these things must be further illustrated and proved . § . this was the state and condition wherein man was originally created . our next enquiry is after the law of his creation , commonly called the law of nature , with what belongeth thereunto , or what is required of us , by vertue thereof . now by the law of nature most understand the dictates of right reason , which all men , or men generally consent in , and agree about . for we exclude wholly from this consideration the instinct of brute creatures , which hath some appearance of a rule unto them . so hesiod of old determined this matter , speaking of them . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . they devour one another , because they have no right or law amongst them . hence the prophet complaining of force and violence amongst men , with a neglect of right , justice and equity , sayes , men are as the fishes of the sea ; as creeping things that have no ruler over them , habbuk . . . they devour one another without regard to rule or right . as he in varro . natura humanis omnia sunt paria . qui pote plus , urget ; pisces ut saepe minutos magnu ' comest , ut aves enecat accipiter . most learned men therefore conclude , that there is no such thing as jus , or lex naturae among irrational creatures ; and consequently , nothing of good or evil in their actions . but the consent of men in the dictates of reason , is esteemed the law of nature . so cicero tuse . . omni in re consensio omuium gentium lex naturae putanda est . the common consent of all nations in any thing , is to be thought the law of nature . and aristotle also , rhetoric . lib. . cap. . calls it , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; a common law , unwritten , pertaining unto all , whose description he adds ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . that which is common , is according to nature ; for there is somewhat which all men think , and this is common right or injustice by nature , although there should be neither society nor compact between them . and this he confirms out of empedocles ; that it is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , not which is just to some , and unjust to others . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . but it is right amongst all , spread out with immense light by the broad ruling skie . the like he affirms in his ethicks , lib. . cap. . defining it to be , that which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; that which hath alwayes , or every where the same force or power , and doth not seem or not seem so to be . this his expositors affirm to be , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; amongst the most of men , who live according to the light of nature , with the principles of it uncorrupted . this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the dictates of reason . so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 right reason is the same with many , as jus naturae , or naturale . tully in his first de legib. pursues this at large . est unum jus , saith he , quo devincta est hominum societas ; & quod lex constituit una . quae lex est recta ratio prohibendi & imperandi . there is one common right , which is the bond of humane society , and which depends on one law. and this law is the right reason of forbidding and commanding . this then is generally received ; namely that the law of nature consists in the dictates of reason , which men sober , and otherwise uncorrupted , do assent unto , and agree in . but there are sundry things which will not allow us to acquiesce in this description of it . for , § . first , the law of nature , is a constant and perfect law. it must be so , because it is the fountain and rule of all other laws whatever . for they are but deductions from it , and applications of it . now unto a compleat law it is required , not only that it be instructive , but also that it have a binding force , or be coactive . that is , it doth not only teach , guide , and direct what is to be done , perswading by the reason of the things themselves which it requires ; but also it must have authority to exact obedience ; so far as that those who are under the power of it , can give themselves no dispensation from its observance . but thus it is not with these dictates of reason . they go no farther than direction and perswasion . and these alwayes have , and alwayes will have a respect unto occasions , emergencies , and circumstances . when these fall under any alterations , they will put reason on new considerations of what it ought to determine with respect unto them . and this the nature of an universal law will not admit . whatever then men determine by reason , they may alter on new considerations , such as occasioned their original determination . i do not extend this unto all instances of natural light , but to some only , which sufficeth to demonstrate , that the unalterable law of nature doth not consist in these dictates of reason only . suppose men do coalesce into any civil society , on the meer dictates of reason , that it is meet and best for them so to do ; if this be the supream reason thereof , no obligation ariseth from thencé to preserve the society so entred into , but what is liable unto a dissolution from contrary considerations . if it be said , that reason dictates and commands in the name of god , whence an indissoluble obligation attends it ; it will be answered , that this introduceth a new respect , which is not formally included in the nature of reason it self . let a man indeed use , and improve his own reason without prejudice ; let him collect what resolutions , determinations , instructions , laws , have proceeded from the reason of other men ; it will both exceedingly advance his understanding , and inable him to judge of many things that are congruous to the light and law of nature . but to suppose the law of nature to consist in a systeme or collection of such instances and observations , is altogether unwarrantable . § . the event of things , in the disagreement of the wisest men about the dictates of reason , utterly everts this opinion . the law of nature whatever it be , must in it self be one , uniform , unalterable , the same in and unto all . for by these properties it differs from all other laws . but if it have no higher , nor more noble original to be resolved into , but meer humane reason , it will be found , if not in all things , yet in most , fluctuating and uncertain . for about what is agreeable to reason in things moral , and what is not , there have been differences innumerable from time immemorial , and that amongst them who searched most diligently after them ; and boasted themselves to be wise upon their self-pleasing discoveries . this gave the greatest occasion , unto the two hundred eighty eight sects of philosophers , as austin reports them out of varro , who was disertissimus nepotum romuli , lib. . de civit. dei. yea , and some of the most learned and contemplative authors , did not only mistake in many instances of what natural light required , but also asserted things in direct opposition unto what is judged so to be . the saying produced out of empedocles by aristotle before mentioned , is to prove that the killing of any living creature is openly against the universally prevailing law of nature . others maintained such things to be natural , as the most did abominate . incest in the nearest instances , with sodomy , were asserted lawful by the magi , and some of the most learned greeks , as zeno and chrysippus . and it was the judgement of theodorus , that a wise man ought , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . as hesychius illustrius reports in his life ; he thought that neither theft , nor adultery , nor sacriledge , had any thing evil or filthy in them in their own nature , so that a wise man ought to have respect unto them , according to circumstances and occasions . plato's promiscuous use of wives , was confirmed by law at sparta . and archelaus at once determined , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as diogenes in his life , who likewise reports the same of aristippus and canreades . naturally they thought , nothing just or unjust , good or evil , but by vertue of some arbitrary law. and there are yet those in the world , partakers of humane nature , in common with us all , who know no other rule of their actions towards others , but power ; as the cannibals , and those indians , who suppose they may justly spoil all that are afraid of them . yea some , who of late have pretended a severe inquisition into these things , seem to incline unto an opinion , that power and self advantage , are the rule of mens conversation among themselves in this world . so it was the principle of brennus in his time the terror of europe , that there was no other law of nature , but that the weaker should obey the stronger . and the commander of the gaules who besieged the roman capitol , when he was on a composition to depart upon the giving to him such a weight of gold , threw in his sword into the scale against it , giveing no other reason for what he did , but vae victis . neither will another rule which they had of assigning things to the law of nature hold firm , namely a general usage of mankind from time immorial . this antigona pleads in sophocles for her burying of polynices . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . this ( right ) ar se not to day nor yesterday , but was in force ever of old , nor doth any man know from whence it arose . for all nations from beyond the records of the original of things , had consented into practices directly contrary to the light of nature ; as is now acknowledged . and hence were all the disputes of old , about the nature , bounds and ends of good and evil , duty and vice , honest and filthy , just and unjust , that could never be determined . this plato observing affirms in his phaedo , that if any one name either silver or iron presently all men agree , what it is that is intended ; but if they speak of that which is just and good , presently we are at variance with others , and among our selves . so great uncertainty is there in humane reason , under its best natural improvements , in its judgement what doth or doth not belong to the principles and condition of our nature ; so far is it from being comprehensive of the whole law thereof . § . when therefore we plead any thing to belong unto , or to proceed from the law of nature , it is no impeachment of our assertion , to say , that it doth not appear so to the common reason of mankind , or that right reason hath not found it out or discovered it , provided it contain nothing repugnant thereunto . for it will never be universally agreed , what doth so appear to the common reason of all , nor what is , hath been , or may be discovered thereby . and although it should be true , which some say , that moral and natural duties depend on , and have their formal reason from the nature of god and man , yet it doth not thence follow , that we do , or may , by the sole light of nature , know what doth so arise , with the due bounds and just consequences of it . but there is , as we shall see something yet farther required , in and unto the law of nature , which is the adequate rule of all such duties . i shall not therefore endeavour to prove that the meer dictates of reason do evince a sacred hebdomadal rest ; as knowing that the law of nature unto which we say it doth belong , doth not absolutely consist in them ; nor did they ever since the fall steadily and universally , as acted in men possessed of reason , either comprehend or express , all that belongs thereunto . § . by the law of nature then i intend , not a law which our nature gives unto all our actions ; but a law given unto our nature , as a rule and measure unto our moral actions . it is lex naturae naturantis , and not naturae naturatae . it respects the efficient cause of nature , and not the effects of it . and this respect alone can give it the nature of a law ; that is an obliging force and power . for this must be alwayes from the act of a superior ; seeing par in parem jus non habet ; equals have no right one over another . this law therefore is that rule which god hath given unto humane nature , in all the individual partakers of it , for all its moral actions , in the state and condition wherein it was by him created and placed , with respect unto his own government of it , and judgement concerning it ; which rule is made known in them and to them , by their inward constitution , and outward condition , wherein they were placed of god. and the very heathens acknowledged , that the common law of mankind was gods prescription unto them . so tully , . de legib. hanc video sapientissimorum fuisse sententiam , legem neque hominum ingeniis excogitatam ; neque scitum aliquod fuisse populorum , sed aeternum quiddam quod universum mundum regeret , imperandi prohibendique sapientia . ita principem legem illam & ultimam , mentem dicebant omnia ratione cogentis , aut vetantis dei. take this law therefore actively , and it is the will of god commanding ; take it passively , and it is the conscience of man complying with it ; take it instrumentally , and it is the inbred notions of our minds , with other documents from the works of god proposed unto us ; the supreme original of it , as of all authority , law , and obligation is the will of god , constituting appointing , and ordering the nature of things . the means of its revelation is the effect of the will , wisdom , and power of god , creating man and all other things wherein he is concerned , in their order , place , and condition ; and the observation of it , as far as individual persons are therein concerned , is committed to the care of the conscience of every man , which natarally is the minds acting it self towards gods as the author of this law. § . these things being premised , we shall consider what light is given unto this sacred duty from the law of our creation . the first end of any law is to instruct , direct , and guide them in their duty , unto whom it is given . a law which is not in its own nature instructive and directive , is no way meet to be prescribed unto rational creatures . what hath an influence upon any creature of any other kind , if it be internal is instinct , and not properly a law ; if it be external , it is force and compulsion . the law therefore of creation comprized every thing , whereby god instructed man , in the creation of himself , and of the universe , unto his works , or obedience , and his rest or reward . and whatever tended unto that end , belonged unto that law. it is then as hath been proved , unduly confined unto the ingrafted notions of his mind , concerning god , and his duty towards him , though they are a principal part thereof . whatever was designed to give improvement unto those notions , and his natural light , to excite or direct them , i mean in the works of nature , not superadded positive institutions , doth also belong thereunto . wherefore the whole instruction that god intended to give unto man , by the works of creation , with their order and end , is as was said , included herein . what he might learn from them , or what god taught him by them , was no less his duty , than what his own inbred light directed him unto , rom. . , , . thus the framing of the world in six dayes , in six dayes of work , was intended to be instructive unto man , as well as the consideration of the things materially that were made . god could have immediately produced all out of nothing , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in the shortest measure of time conceivable . but he not only made all things for himself , or his glory , but disposed also the order of their production unto the same end. and herein consisted part of that covenant instruction which he gave unto man in that condition wherein he was made , that through him he might have glory ascribed unto him , on the account of his works themselves , as also of the order and manner of their creation . for it is vain to imagine , that the world was made in six dayes , and those closed with a day of rest , without an especial respect unto the obedience of rational creatures , seeing absolutely with respect unto god himself , neither of them was necessary . and what he intended to teach them thereby , it was their duty to enquire and know . hereby then man in general was taught obedience and working before he entred into rest. for being created in the image of god , he was to conform himself unto god. as god wrought before he rested , so was he to work before his rest ; his condition rendring that working in him obedience , as it was in god , an effect of soveraignty . and by the rest of god , or his satisfaction and complacency in what he had made and done , he was instructed to feek rest with god , or to enter into that rest of god , by his complyance with the ends intended . § . and whereas the innate light and principles of his own mind informed him , that some time was to be set apart to the solemn worship of god , as he was a rational creature made to give glory unto him ; so the instruction he received by the works and rest of god , as made under a covenant , taught him , that one day in seven was required unto that purpose , as also to be a pledge of his resting with god. it may be , it will be said , that man could not know , that the world was made in six dayes , and that the rest of god ensued on the seventh , without some especial revelation . i answer ( . ) that i know not . he that knew the nature of all the creatures , and could give them names suited thereunto upon his first sight and view of them , might know more of the order of their creation , than we can well imagine . for we know no more in our lapsed condition , what the light of nature directed man unto as walking before god in a covenant , than men meerly natural do know of the guidance and conduct of the light and law of grace , in them who are taken into a new covenant . ( . ) however , what god instructed him in , even by revelation , as to the due consideration and improvement of the things that belonged unto the law of his creation , that is to be esteemed as a part thereof . institutions of things by especial revelation that had no foundatiin the law or light of nature , were meerly positive ; such were the commands concerning the trees , of life , and of the knowledge of good and evil. but such as were directive of natural light , and of the order of the creation , were moral , and belonged unto the general law of obedience . such was the especial command given unto man to till and keep the garden , gen. . . or to dress and improve the place of his habitation . for this in general the law of his creation required . now this god did , both as to his works and his rest. neither do i know any one as yet , that questioneth whither adam and the patriarchs that ensued before the giving of the law knew that the world was created in six dayes . though some seem to speak doubtfully hereof , and some by direct consequent deny it , yet i suppose that hitherto it passeth as granted . nor have they who dispute that the sabbath was neither instituted , known , nor observed before the people of israel were in the wilderness , once attempted to confirm their opinion with this supposition , that the patriarchs from the foundation of the world , knew not that the world was made in six dayes ; which yet alone would be effectual unto their purpose . nor on the other side , can it be once rationally imagined , that if they had knowledge hereof , and therewithal of the rest which ensued thereon , that they had no regard unto it in the worship of god. § . and thus was the sabbath , or the observation of one day in seven as a sacred rest , fixed on the same moral grounds with monogamy , or the marriage of one man to one only woman at the same time ; which from the very fact and order of the creation , our saviour proves to have been an unchangeable part of the law of it . for because god made them two single persons male and female , fit for individual conjunction , he concludes , that this course of life they were everlastingly obliged not to alter , nor transgress . as therefore men may dispute that polygamy is not against the law of nature , because it was allowed and practised by many , by most of those who of old observed and improved the light and rule thereof to the uttermost ; when yet the very factum and order of the creation is sufficient to evince the contrary ; so although men should dispute , that the observation of one dayes sacred rest in seven , is not of the light nor law of nature , all whose rules and dictates they say , are of an easie discovery , and prone to the observation of all men , which this is not ; yet the order of the creation , and the rest of god that ensued thereon , is sufficient to evince the contrary . and in the renewing of the law upon mount sinai , god taught the people not only by the words that he spake , but also by the works that he wrought . yea , he instructed them in a moral duty , not only by what he did , but by what he did not . for he declares , that they ought to make no images of , or unto him , because he made no representation of himself unto them , they saw no manner of similitude on the day that the lord spake unto them in horeb out of the midst of the fire , deut. . , . § . but now , to shut up this discourse ; whereas the covenant which man originally was taken into , was a covenant of works ; wherein his obtaining rest with god , depended absolutely on his doing all the work he had to do in a way of legal obedience , he was during the dispensation of that covenant , tyed up precisely to the observation of the seventh day , or that which followed the whole work of creation . and the seventh day , as such , is a pledge and token of the rest promised in the covenant of works and no other . and those who would advance that day again into a necessary observation , do consequentially introduce the whole covenant of works , and are become debtors unto the whole law. for the works of god which preceded the seventh day precisely , were those whereby man was initiated into , and instructed in the covenant of works ; and the day it self was a token and pledge of the righteousness thereof ; or a moral and natural sign of it , and of the rest of god therein , and the rest of man with god thereby . and it is no service to the church of god , nor hath any tendency unto the honor of christ in the gospel , to endeavour a reduction of us unto the covenant of nature . § . thus was man instructed in the whole notion of a weekly sacred rest , by all the wayes and means which god was pleased to use in giving him an acquaintance with his will , and that obedience unto his glory which he expected from him . for this knowledge he had partly by the law of his creation as innate unto him or concreated with the principles of his nature , being the necessary exurgency of his rational constitution ; and partly by the works and rest of god , thereon proposed unto his consideration , both firmed by gods declaration of his sanctification of the seventh day . hence did he know , that it was his duty to express and celebrate the rest of god , or the complacency that he had in the works of his hands in reference unto their great and proper end , or his glory , in the honour , praise and obedience of them unto whose contemplation they were proposed , for those ends. this followed immediately from the time spent in the creation , and the rest that ensued thereon , which were so ordered for his instruction , and not from any other cause or reason taken either from the nature of god , or of the things themselves ; which required neither six dayes to make the world in , nor any rest to follow thereon . for that rest was not a cessation from working absolutely , much less meerly so . hence did he learn the nature of the covenant that he was taken into ; namely , how he was first to work in obedience , and then to enter into gods rest in blessedness . for so had god appointed , and so did he understand his will , from his own present state and condition . hence was he instructed to dedicate to god , and his own more immediate communion with him , one day in a weekly revolution , wherein the whole law of his creation was consummate , as a pledge and means of entring eternally into gods rest , which from hence he understood to be his end and happiness . and for the sanctification of the seventh day of the week precisely , he had it by revelation , or gods sanctification of it , which had unto him the nature of a positive law , being a determination of the day suited unto the nature and tenour of that covenant wherein he walked with god. § . and by this superadded command or institution , the mind of man was confirmed in the meaning and intention of his innate principles , and other instructions to the same purpose in general . all these things , i say , the last only excepted , was he directed unto , in and by the innate principles of light and obedience , wherewith the faculties of his soul were furnished , every way suited to guide him in the whole of the duty required of him ; and by the farther instruction he had from the other works of god , and his rest upon the whole . and although it may be we cannot now discern , how in particular his natural light might conduct and guide him to the observance of all these things , yet ought we not therefore to deny that so it did , seeing there is evidence in the things themselves , and we know not well what that light was , which was in him . for although we may have some due apprehensions of the substance of it , from its remaining ruines and materials in our lapsed condition , yet we have no acquaintance with that light and glorious lustre , that extent of its directive beams which it was accompanied withal , when it was in him as he came immediately from the hand of god , created in his image . we have lost more by the fall , than the best and wisest in the world can apprehend , whilst they are in it ; much more than most will acknowledge , whose principal design seems to be , to extenuate the sin and misery of man , which issueth necessarily in an undervaluation of the love and grace of jesus christ. but if a natural or carnal man cannot discern how the spirit or grace of the new covenant , which succeeds into the room of our first innate light , as unto the ends of our living unto gods glory in a new way , directs and guides those in whom it is , unto the observance of all the duties of it ; let us not wonder if we cannot easily and readily comprehend the brightness and extent , and conduct of that light , which was suited unto an estate of things that never was in the world , since the fall , but only in the man christ jesus ; whose wisdom and knowledge in the mind and will of god , even thereby , without his superadded peculiar assistances , we may rather admire , than think to understand . § . thus then were the foundations of the old world laid , and the covenant of mans obedience established , when all the sons of god sang for joy ; even in the first rest of god , and in the expression of it by the sanctification of a sacred rest , to return unto him a revenue of glory , in mans observance of it . and on these grounds , i do affirm that the weekly observation of a day to god for sabbath ends , is a duty natural and moral , which we are under a perpetual & indispensible obligation unto ; namely , from that command of god , which being a part of the law of our creation is moral indispensible & perpetual . and these things with the different apprehensions of others about them , and oppositions unto them , must now be farther explained , and considered . for that we now enter upon , namely , the consideration of the judgement and opinions of others about these things , with the confirmation of our own . § . in the enquiry after the causes of the sabbath , the first question usually insisted on , is concerning the nature of the law , whereby its observation is commanded . this some affirm to be moral , some only positive , as we have shewed before . and many disputes there have been about the true notion and distinction of laws moral , and positive . but whereas these terms are invented to express the conceptions of mens minds , and that of moral , at least , includes not any absolute determinate sense in the meaning of the word , those at variance about them , cannot impose their sense and understanding of them upon one another . for seeing this denomination of moral , applyed unto a law , is taken from the subject matter of it , which is the manners or duties of them to whom the law is given , if any one will assert that every command of god , which respects the manners of men , that is of all men absolutely as men , is moral , i know not how any one can compel him to speak or think otherwise , for he hath his liberty to use the word in that sense which he judgeth most proper . and if it can be proved , that there is a law , and ever was , binding all men universally to the observation of an hebdomadal sacred rest , i shall not contend with any , how that law ought to be called , whether moral or positive . this contest therefore i shall not engage into , though i have used , and shall yet further use those terms in their common sense and acceptation . my way shall be plainly to enquire , what force there is in the law of our creation unto the observation of a weekly sabbath , and what is superadded thereunto by the vocal declararion of the will of god concerning it . § . and here in the first place it is generally agreed , so that the opposition unto it is not considerable , nor any way deserving our notice , that in and by the light of nature , or the law of our creation , some time ought to be separated unto the obserservance of the solemn worship of god. for be that worship what it will , meerly natural , or any thing superadded by voluntary and arbitrary institutions , the law for its observance is natural , and requires that time be set apart for its celebration ; seeing in time it is to be performed . when there was but one man and woman , this was their duty ; and so it continued to be the duty of their whole race and posterity , in all the societies , associations and assemblies whereof they were capable . but the first object of this law or command is the worship of god it self ; time falls under it only consequentially and reductively . wherefore the law of nature doth also distinctly respect time it self . for we are bound thereby to serve god with all that is ours , and with the first fruits of our substance in every kind . somewhat of whatever god hath given unto us , is to be set apart from our own use , and given up absolutely to him , as an homage due unto him , and a necessary acknowledgement of him . to deny this , is to contradict one of the principal dictates of the law of nature . for god hath given us nothing ultimately for our selves , seeing we and all that we have , are wholly his . and to have any thing , whereof no part as such is to be spent in his service , is to have it with his displeasure . let any one endeavour to assert and prove this position ; no part of our time is to be set apart to the worship of god , and his service , in an holy and peculiar manner , and he will quickly find himself setting up in a full contradiction to the law of nature , and the whole light of the knowledge of god in his mind and conscience . those who have attempted any such thing , have done it under this deceitful pretence , that all our time is to be spent unto god , and every day is to be a sabbath . for whereas notwithstanding this pretence , they spend most of their time directly and immediately to themselves , and their own occasions , it is evident that they do but make use of it , to rob god of that which is his due , directly and immediately . for unto the holy separation of any thing unto god , it is required as well that it be taken from our selves , as that it be given unto him . this therefore the law of our creation requires as unto the separation of some part of our time unto god. and if this doth not at first consideration discover it self in its directive power , it will quickly do so in its condemning power upon a contradiction of it . thus far then we have attained . § . moreover , men are to worship god in assemblies and societies , such as he appoints , or such as by his providence they are cast into . this will not be denyed , seeing it stands upon as good , yea , better evidence , than the associations of mankind for ends political unto their own good by government and order , which all men confess to be a direction of the law of nature . for what concerns our living to god naturally , is as clear in that light and conduct , as what concerns our living among our selves . now a part of this worship it is , that we honour him with what , by his gift , is made ours . such is our time in this world . nor can the worship it self be performed and celebrated in a due manner , without the designation , and separation of some time unto that purpose ; and thereby , secondly , this separation of time becomes a branch of the law of nature , by an immediate , natural and unavoidable consequence . and what is so , is no less to be reckoned among the rules of it , than the very first notions or impressions that it gives us concerning the nature of any thing , good or evil. for whatever reason can educe from the principles of reason , is no less reason , than those principles themselves , from whence it is educed . and we aim no more from this discourse , but that the separation of some time to the worship of god , according to the ends before insisted on , is reasonable , so that the contrary in its first conception is unreasonable and foolish . and this i suppose is evident to all , i am sure by most it is granted . could men hereupon acquiesce in the authority and wisdom of god , indigitating and measuring out that portion of time in all seasons , and ages of the church ; there might be a natural rest from these contentions , about a rest sacred and holy. however , i cannot but admire at the liberty which some men take positively to affirm and contend , that the command for the observation of the sabbath , when or however it were given , was wholly umbratile and ceremonial . for there is that in it confessedly as its foundation , and that which all its concernments are educed from , which is as direct an impression on the mind of man from the law of creation , as any other instance that can be given thereof . § . upon this foundation therefore we may proceed . and i say in the next place , that the stated time directed unto for the ends of a sacred rest unto god , by the light and law of nature , that is gods command impressed on the mind of man in and by his own creation , and that of the rest of the works of god intended for his direction in obedience , is , that it be one day in seven . for the confirmation hereof , what we have discoursed concerning the law of creation , and the covenant ratified with man therein , is to be remembred . on the supposition thereof , the advancement or constitution of any other portion of time in the stead , and to the exclusion thereof , as a determination and limitation of the time required in general in the first instance of that law , is and would appear a contradiction unto it . god haveing finished his works in six dayes , and rested on the seventh , giving man thereby and therein , the rule , and law of his obedience and rewards for him to assign any other measure or portion of time for his rest unto god in his solemn worship , is to decline the authority of god , for the sake of his own inventions ; and to assign no portion at all unto that end , is openly to transgress a principal dictate of the law of nature , as hath been proved . neither this direction nor transgression i confess , will evidently manifest themselves in the meer light of nature , as now depraved and corrupted . no more will sundry instances of its authority , unless its voice be diligently attended unto , and its light cultivated and improved in the minds of men , by the advantage of consequential revelations , given unto us for that purpose . for that by the assistance of scripture light , and rational considerations thence arising , we may discover many things to be dictates of , and to be directed unto by the law of nature , which those who are left unto the meer guidance and conduct of it could not discover so to be , may be easily proved from the open transgression of it in sundry instances which they lived and approved themselves in , who seemed most to have lived according unto it , and professed themselves to be wise in following the light and conduct of reason in all things , as was before at large discoursed . the polutheisme that prevailed amongst the best of the heathens , their open profession of living unto themselves , and seeking after their happiness in themselves , with many other instances make this evident . and if revelation or scripture light contributed no more to the discovery of the postulata of the law of nature , but by a removal of those prejudices , which the manner and fashion of the world amongst men , and a corrupt conversation received by tradition from one generation to another had fixed on , and possessed their minds withal , yet were the advantages we have by it unto this end , unspeakable . let then this help be supposed , and let a judgement be made of the injunctions of the law of nature , rather by its condemning right and power , than by its directive light , ( for that in our lapsed estate is a better 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of its commands , than the other ) and we shall find it manifesting it self in this matter . for on this supposition , let those who will not acknowledge , that the observation of one day in seven , is to be separated unto god for the ends declared , allowing the assertion before laid down of the necessity of the separation of some stated time to that purpose , fixe to themselves any other time in a certain revolution of dayes , and they will undoubtedly find themselves pressed with so many considerations from the law of their creation to the contrary , as will give them little rest or satisfaction in their minds , in what they do . § . farther to manifest this , we may enquire what is necessary unto any duty of obedience towards god , to evince it to be a requisite of the law of our creation . and here our diligence is required . for it must be said again expresly , what was before intimated , that it is a childish mistake to imagine , that whatever is required by the law of nature , is easily discernible , and alwayes known to all . some of its directions it may be are so , especially such as are inculcated on the minds of men , by their common interest and advantage . such are neminem laedere , and jus suum cuique tribuere . but it is far from being true , that all the dictates of the law of nature , and requisites of right reason , are evident and incapable of controversie , as they would have been unto man had he continued in his integrity . many things there are between men themselves concerning which , after all helps and advantages , and a continued observation of the course of the world unto this day , it is still disputed , what is the sense of the law of nature about them , and wherein , or how far they belong unto it . the law of nations among themselves with respect unto one another , on which is founded the peace and order of mankind , is nothing but the law of nature , as it hath been expressed in instances by the customs and usages of them , who are supposed to have most diligently attended unto its directions . and how many differences never to be determined by common consent there are in and about these things , is known . for there are degrees of evidence in the things that are of natural light. and many things that are so , are yet in practice accompanied with the consideration of positive laws , as also of civil usages and customs amongst men . and it is not easie to distinguish in many observances ; what is of the law of nature , and what of law positive , or of useful custom . but of these things we have discoursed before in general . we are now to enquire what is requisite to warrant the ascription of any thing unto this law. § . and ( . ) it is required that it be congruous unto the law of nature , and all the other known principles of it . unto us it may be enjoyned by law positive , or otherwise made necessary for us to observe . but it must in it self or materially , hold a good correspondency with all the known instances of the law of our creation , and this manifested with satisfying evidence , before its assignation thereunto . it is of natural right that we should obey god in all his commands ; but this doth not cause every command of god to belong to the law of nature . it is , as was said , moreover required thereunto , that it be in it self , and the subject matter of it , congruous unto the principles of that law ; whereof there is nothing in things meerly arbitrary and positive , setting aside that general notion , that god is to be obeyed in all his laws ; which belongs not to this question . now when this congruity unto the law of nature or right reason in the matter of any law or command is discovered and made evident , it will greatly direct the mind in its enquiry after its whole nature , and manifest what is superadded unto it by positive command . and this will not be denyed unto the sabbath , its command and observation . let the ends of it before laid down be considered , and let them be compared with any other guidances or directions which we have by natural light concerning our living to god , and there will not only an harmony appear amongst them , but also that they contribute help and assistance to one another towards the same ultimate end. § . ( . ) it is required that it have a general principle in the light of nature , and dictates of right reason , from whence it may be educed , or which it will necessarily follow upon , supposing that principle rightly and duly improved . it is not enough that it be at agreement , that it no way interfere with other principles , it must also have one of its own , from whence it doth naturally arise . so doth the second commandment of the decalogue , belong to the law of nature . it s principle lyeth in that acknowledgement of the being of god , which is required in the first . for therein is god manifested to be of that nature , to be such a being , that it is , and must be an absurd , unreasonable , foolish , and impious thing in it self , implying a renunciation of the former acknowledgements , to make any images , or limited representations of his being , or to adore him any way otherwise than himself hath declared . so is it here also . the separation of a stated time unto the solemn worship of god , is so fixed on the mind of man by its own inbred light , as that it cannot be omitted , without open sin against it , in those who have not utterly sinned away all the efficacy of that light it self . however , that this is required of us by the law of our creation , may be proved against all contradiction . hence whatever guiding , directing , determining positive law may ensue or be superadded about the limitation of this time so to be separated , it being only the application of this natural and moral principle , as to some circumstances of it , it hinders not , but that the law if self concerning it , is of the law of nature , and moral . for the original power unto obligation of such a superadded law , lyes in the natural principle before mentioned . § . ( . ) what all men are taught by the works of creation themselves , their order , harmony , and mutual respect to each other , with reference unto their duty towards god , and among themselves , is of the law of nature , although there be not an absolute distinct notion of it inbred in the mind discoverable . it is enough that the mind of man is so disposed , as to be ready and fit to receive the discovery & revelation of it . for the very creation it self , is a law unto us , and speaks out that duty that god requireth of us towards himself . for he hath not only so ordered all the works of it , that they should be meet to instruct us , or contain an instructive power towards rational creatures made in that state and condition , wherein man was created , which was before described , which hath in it the first notion of a law ; but it was the will of god that we should learn our duty thereby , which gives it its complement , as a law obliging unto obedience . and it is not only thus in general with respect unto the whole work of creation in it self ; but the ordering and disposal of the parts of it , is alike directive and instructive to the nature of man , and hath the force of a law morally and everlastingly obligatory . thus the preeminence of the man above the woman which is moral , ensues upon the order of the creation , in that the man was first made , and the woman for the man , as the apostle argues , tim. . , . and all nations ought to be obliged hereby , though many of them through their apostasie from natural light , knew not that either man or woman was created , but it may be , supposed them to have grown out of the earth like mushromes ; and yet an effect of the secret original impression hereof , influenced their minds and practices . so the creation of one man and one woman gave the natural law of marriage ; whence polygamy and fornication became transgressions of the law of nature . it will be hard to prove , that about these and the like things , there is a clear and undoubted principle of directive light in the mind of man , separate from the consideration of the order of creation . but therein a law , and that moral , is given unto us , not to be referred unto any other head of laws , but that of nature . and here as was before pleaded , the creation of the world in six dayes , with the rest of god on the seventh , and that declared , gives unto all men an everlasting law of separating one day in seven unto a sacred rest. for he that was made in the image of god , was made to imitate him , and conform himself unto him ; god in this order of things , saying as it were unto him , what i have done , in your station do ye likewise . especially was this made effectual , by his innate apprehension that his happiness consisted in entring into the rest of god , the pledge whereof , it was his unquestionable duty to embrace . § . ( . ) in this state of things , a direction by a revelation in the way of a precept for the due and just exercise , of the principles , rules , and documents before mentioned , is so far from impeaching the morality of any command or duty , as that it compleats the law of it , with the addition of a formal obligatory power and efficacy . the light and law of creation , so far as it was innate , or concreated with the faculties of our souls , and compleating our state of dependance on god , hath only the general nature of a principle , inclineing unto actions suitable unto it , and directing us therein . the documents also that were originally given unto that light from without , by the other works and order of the creation , had only in their own nature the force of an instruction . the will of god , and an act of soveraignty therein , formally constituted them a law. but now man being made to live unto god , and under his conduct and guidance in all things that he might come to the enjoyment of him , no prejudice ariseth unto , nor alteration is made in the dictates of the law of creation , by the superadding any positive commands for the performance of the duties that it doth require , and regulating of them , as to the especial manner and ends of their performance . and where such a positive law is interposed or superadded , it is the highest folly to imagine , that the whole obligation unto the duty , depends on that command , as though the authority of the law of nature were superseded thereby ; or that the whole command about it , were now grown positive and arbitrary . for although the same law cannot be moral and positive in the same respect ; yet the same duty may be required by a law moral , and a law positive . it is thus with many observances of the gospel . we may for example instance in excommunication , according to the common received notion of it . there is a positive command in the gospel for the exercise of the sentence of it , in the churches of christ. but this hinders not , but that it is natural for all societies of men , to exclude from their societies those that refractorily refuse to observe the laws and orders of the society , that it may be preserved unto its proper end. and according to the rule of this natural equity , that it should be so , have all rational societies amongst men , that knew nothing of the gospel , proceeded for their own good and preservation . neither doth the superadded institution in the gospel derogate from the general reason hereof , or change the nature of the duty , but only direct its practice , and make application of it , to the uses and ends of the gospel itself . § . i do not plead , that every law that god prescribes unto me is moral , because my obedience unto it is a moral duty . for the morality of this obedience , doth not arise from , nor depend upon the especial command of it , which it may be is positive and arbitrary , but from the respect that it hath unto our dependance in all things which we have to do absolutely and universally on god. to obey god in all things , is unquestionably our moral duty . but when the substance of the command it self , that is , the duty required is moral , the addition of a positive command doth no way impeach its morality , nor suspend the influence of that law , whereon its morality doth depend . it is therefore unduly pretended by some , that because there is a positive command for the observation of the sabbath , supposing there should be such a command for the whole of it , which is nothing else but an explanation and enforcement of the original moral precept of it , ( as in every state of the church something relating unto it , namely , the precise determination of the day it self in the hebdomadal revolution , depended on a law positive ) that therefore the law of it , is not moral . it is not so indeed , so far and in that respect wherein it is positive ; but it is so from it self , for the substance of it , and antecedently unto that positive command . the whole law therefore of the sabbath and its observation may be said to be moral positive , which expression hath been used by some learned divines in this case , and that not unduly . for a law may be said to be so on a double account . first , when the positive part of the law is declarative , and accumulative with respect unto a precedent law of nature , as when some additions are made to the duties therein required as to the manner of their performance . secondly , when the foundation of a duty only is laid in the law of nature , but its entire practice is regulated by a positive law. from all the instances insisted on , it is manifest that the law of the sabbatical observation is moral , a branch of the law of nature , however it be enforced , directed , and the especial day in seven be limited and determined by positive commands . § . these things by many are denyed . they will not grant , that there is any rule or direction in the law of creation for a sacred rest unto god , on one day in seven . for they say , that no such can be made to appear with that evidence , which the common anticipations of the minds of men , are accompanied withal . but this objection hath been sufficiently obviated , by a due stating of the law of nature , which is not to be confined unto inbred natural anticipations only . and it is certain also , that some say the very same concerning the being of god himself , of the difference between good and evil ; namely , that there are no manifest and stedfast presumptions of them in the mind of man , which yet hinders not , but that the acknowledgement of a divine being , as also the difference that is between good and evil , is natural , and inseparable from the faculties of our souls . hence julian in cyril . lib. . con . jul. joyns the first and fourth precept together : saith he , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . he sayes , ( and swears ) that all nations judged that the commandments ( of the decalogue ) ought to be kept , excepting the first forbidding other gods , and the other of remembring the sabbath to keep it , the one may be rejected as well as the other . besides the law of nature as to an obligatory indication of our duty , is not , no not in the extent insisted on , as comprizing the objective documents that are in the works and order of the creation , to be considered alone by it self in this matter , but in conjunction with the covenant that it was the rule of . for whatever was required of man by vertue of that covenant , was part of the moral law of god , or belonged unto the law of his creation . from all which the rest pleaded for to be moral doth arise . and considering the nature of this duty , with the divine positive direction whereby its first practice was regulated , and stood in need so to be , when god blessed the seventh day and sanctified it ; and it is marvellous , that the remaining light of nature about it , should put forth it self by so many intimations , as it doth ; and in so many instances to express the first impressions that it had from god in this matter . for i think we have manifested that they are many , and those pleadable against any probability of contradiction . in a word , we may in all ages find the generality of mankind , feeling , and as it were groping in the dark , after a stated sacred rest to be observed unto god. and however , the most of men destitute of divine revelation , missed the season , the ends , and the object of this rest , yet they were plainly influenced unto all their stated sacred or religious solemnities , both feasts and abstinences , by the remainders of an innate perswasion , that such a rest was to be observed . besides we know , that the present indications of nature as corrupt , are no just rule and measure of its original abilities , with respect unto living to god. and they do but wofully bewray their ignorance and impudence who begin to plead , that our minds or understandings , were no way impaired or worsted by the fall ; but that the principles or abilities in them in reference unto god and our selves , are the same as originally , and that unimpaired . either such men design to overthrow the gospel and grace of our lord jesus christ , or they know not what they say , nor whereof they do affirm . but hereof we shall treat elsewhere by gods assistance . at present we know , that the light of nature is so defective , or so impotent in giving indications of it self , that many nations left destitute of divine revelation , or wilfully rejecting it , have lived and approved themselves in open transgressions of the law of it , as hath been shewed . the apostle gives sundry instances of that kind , amongst them who most boasted themselves to attend to the dictates of right reason , rom. . all idolaters , polygamists , fornicators , and those who constantly lived on spoil and rapine , approving themselves , or not condemning themselves in what they did , are testimonies hereof . that alone then is not to be pretended to be of the law of nature , which all men acknowledge to be a part of it , nor is every thing to be rejected from having a place therein , which some have lived in a secure transgression of , and others say , that it gives no indications of it self ; but that is to be understood to belong thereunto , which by the diligent consideration of all means and advantages of knowledge , may be found to be congruous to all the other knwon and allowed principles and maximes of it , and to have its foundation in it , being what originally god by any means instructed our nature in , as that which belonged unto our living unto him . and it may be a man may sooner learn , what is natural duty to god , in and from corrupted nature , by the opposition that it will make unto its practice , as it is corrupted , than by the light and guidance it will give unto it , as nature . it is also , as we have observed , more discernible in its judging and condemning what is done contrary unto it , than in directing unto what it did originally require . § . having given evidence unto the morality of the sabbath from the indications of it , and directions unto it in the light and law of nature , which will be found to be such , as not to be by any modest or sober man contemned ; we proceed to add those other consequential confirmations of the same truth , which god hath given us in the following revelations of his will about it . and first , this gives no small countenance unto an apprehension of an unchangeable morality in the law of the sabbath , that in all estates of the church , from the foundation of the world , under the several covenants wherein it hath walked with god , and the various dispensations of them , there is a fall evidence , that in them all god hath still required of his people , the observation of a sacred rest unto himself , in an hebdomadal revolution of time or dayes . a full confirmation hereof , with its proofs and illustrations , the reader will find at large in our exposition of the fourth chapter of the epistle to the hebrews , so soon as god shall give an opportunity to have it communicated unto him . at present , i shall touch only on the heads of things . § . that any religious observance hath been required through all estates of the church , having no foundation but only in arbitrary institution , cannot be proved by any one single instance . the institutions of the state of innocency , in the matters of the garden , with the trees of life , and of the knowledge of good and evil ceased , as all men confess , with that estate . and although god did not immediately upon the sin of man destroy . that garden , no nor it may be untill the flood , leaving it as a testimony against the wickedness of that apostate generation , for whose sin the world was destroyed ; yet was neither it , nor the trees of it , of any use , or lawful to be used as to any significancy in the worship of god. and the reason is , because all institutions , are appendixes , and things annexed unto a covenant ; and when that covenant ceaseth , or is broken , they are of no use or signification at all . § . there was a new state of the church erected presently after the fall , and this also attended with sundry new institutions , especially with that concerning sacrifices . in this church state some alterations were made , and sundry additional institutions given unto it , upon the erection of the peculiar church state of the israelites in the wilderness ; which yet hindred not , but that it was in general the same church state , and the same dispensation of the covenant , that the people of god , before and after the giving of the law , enjoyed and lived under . hence it was , that sundry institutions of worship were equally in force both before and after the giving of the law on mount sinai ; as is evident in sacrifices , and some other instances may be given . but now when the state of the church , and the dispensation of the covenant , came to be wholly altered , as they were by the gospel , not any one of the old institutions was continued , or to be continued , but they were all abolished and taken away . nothing at all was traduced over from the old church states , neither from that in innocency , nor from that which ensued on the fall in all its variations , with any obligatory power , but what was founded in the law of nature , and had its force from thence . we may then confidently assert , that what god requireth equally in all estates of the church , that is moral , and of an everlasting obligation unto us , and all men . and this is the state of matters with the sabbath , and the law thereof . § . of the command of the sabbath in the state of innocency , we have before treated , and vindicated the testimony given unto it , gen. . , . it will , god assisting , be farther discoursed and confirmed in our exposition of the fourth chapter of the epistle to the hebrews . the observation of it by vertue of its original law and command , before the promulgation of the decalogue in sinai , or the first wilderness observation of the sabbath , recorded on the occasion of giving manna , hath also been before confirmed . many exceptions i acknowledge are laid in , against the testimonies insisted on for the proof of these things ; but those such , as i suppose , are not able to invalidate them in the minds of men void of prejudice . and the pretence of the obscurity that is in the command , will be easily removed , by the consideration of another instance of the same antiquity . all men acknowledge , that a promise of christ , for the object and guide of the faith of the ancient patriarchs , was given in those words of god , immediately spoken unto the serpent , gen. . . i will put enmity between thee and the woman , and between thy seed and her seed , it shall bruize thy head , and thou shalt bruize its heel . the words in themselves seem obscure unto any such end or purpose . but yet there is such light given into them , and the mind of god in them , from the circumstances of time , place , persons , occasions , from the nature of the things treated of , from the whole ensuing oeconomy , or dealing of god with men revealed in the scripture , as that no sober man doubts of the promissory nature of those words , nor of the intention of them in general , nor of the proper subject of the promise , nor of the grace intended in it . this promise therefore was the immediate object of the faith of the patriarchs of old , the great motive and encouragement unto , and of their obedience . but yet it will be hard , from the records of scripture , to prove , that any particular patriarch did believe in , trust , or plead that promise , which yet we know that they did all and every one ; nor was there any need for our instruction , that any such practice of theirs should be recorded ; seeing it is a general rule , that those holy men of god did observe and do whatever he did command them ; wherefore from the record of a command , we may conclude unto a suitable practice , though it be not recorded ; and from a recorded approved practice on the other side , we may conclude unto the command or institution of the thing practised , though no where plainly recorded . let unprejudiced men consider those words , gen. . , . and they will find the command and institution of the sabbath , as clear and conspicuous in them , as the promise of grace in christ is in them before considered ; especially as they are attended with the interpretation given of them , in gods following dealings with his church . and therefore although particular instances of the obedience of the old patriarchs in this part of it , or the observation of the sabbath , could not be given and evinced , yet we ought no more on that account to deny , that they did observe it , than we ought to deny their faith in the promised seed , because it is no where expresly recorded in the story of their lives . § . under the law , that is , after the giving of it in the wilderness , it is granted , that the portion of time insisted on , was precisely required to be dedicate unto god ; although it may be for some ages , it will be hard to meet with a recorded instance of its observation . but yet none dares take any countenance from thence , to question whether it were so observed or no. all therefore is secure unto the great alteration that was made in instituted worship under the gospel . and to proceed unto that season , there is no practice in any part of gods publick worship , that appears earlier in the records of the new testament , as to what was peculiar thereunto , than the observation of one day in seven for the celebration of it . hereof more must be spoken afterwards . some say indeed , that the appointment of one day in seven , and that the first day of the week , for the worship of god , was only a voluntary agreement , or a matter consented unto by the apostolical or first churches , meerly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gratia , or to keep good order and decorum amongst them , without respect unto any moral command of god to that purpose . this they say directly with respect to the first day of the week , or the lords day , and its religious observation . but those who appoint the first day of every week to be so observed , do without doubt appoint that that should be the condition of one day in seven . now i could incline to this apprehension , if besides sundry other invincible reasons that lye against it , i did not find that god had alwayes before in all states of the church from the foundation of the world , invariably required the observation of one day in seven ; and i know no reason why what had been observed all along so far upon his own authority , he would have observed still , but no longer on his command , but on the invention and consent of men . had the religious observance of one day in seven been utterly laid aside and abolished , it would and ought to to have been concluded , that the law of it was expired in the cross of christ , as were those of circumcision , the sacrifices , and the whole temple-worship . but to have this observance continued by the whole church , in and under the approbation of god , whereof none ever doubted , by a reassumption of it through the authority of the church , after god had taken off his own from it , is a most vain imagination . § . i dispute not of what the church may appoint for good orders sake to be observed in religious assemblies . but this i dare say confidently , that no church , nor churches , not all the churches in the world , have power by common consent to ordain any thing in the worship of god , as a part of it , which god had once ordained , commanded and required , but now under the gospel ceaseth so to do , as circumcision and saorifices . but this is the state of the religious observance of one day in seven . none can deny , but that formerly it was ordained and appointed of god. and it should seem according to this opinion , that he took off the authority of his own command , that the same observance might be continued upon the authority of the church . credat apella . neither do the footsteps of the occasion of any such ecclesiastical institution appear any where on record in the scripture , where all things of an absolute new and arbitrary institution , whether occasional or durable , are taken notice of . there is indeed mention made , and that frequently of the first day of the week to be set apart for the assembling of believers for the worship of god , and a solid reason is insinuated , why that especial day in particular ought so to be . but why one day in seven should be constantly observed to the purpose mentioned , no reason , no account is given in the new testament , other than why men should not lie or stea ' . nor hath any man a ground to imagine , that there was an intercision of a sabbatical observance , by the interposition of any time , between the observation of the seventh day , and of the first of the week , for the same ends and purposes ; though not absolutely in the same manner . if there be any indications , proofs , evidences , that the first churches continued without the observation of one day in seven , after they desisted from having a religious respect unto the seventh day , before they had the same regard to the first of the week unto this purpose , i wish they might be produced ; for they would be of good weight in this matter ; but as yet no such thing is made to appear . for if the obligation of the precept for observing one day in seven , as a sacred rest to god , may be suspended in any change of the outward state and condition of the church , it cannot be esteemed to be moral . i speak not of the actual observance of the thing commanded , which for many causes may occasionally and temporarily be superseded , but of the obliging force and power in the command it self , which if it be moral , is perpetual , and not capable of interruption . now testimonies we have that sundry persons not sufficiently instructed in the liberty of the gospel ; and the law of its obedience , observed both the dayes , the seventh , and the first ; yea , it may be that for a while some observed the one day , and some the other ; but that any christians of old thought themselves de facto set at liberty from the religious observation of one day in seven , this neither is , nor can be proved . this practice then was universal , and that approved of god , as we shall see afterwards , and farther in another discourse , now more than once directed unto . now what can any man conceive to be the ground of this unvariableness in the commanded and approved observation of one day in seven in all states , conditions , and alterations in and of the church , but that the command for it , is part of the moral unchangeable law ? hereby therefore it is confirmed unto us so to be . and indeed , if every state of the church be founded in an especial work of god , and his rest thereon , and complacency therein , as a pledge or testimony of giving his church rest in himself , as elsewhere shall be fully confirmed ; a sabbatical rest must be necessary unto the church in every state and condition . and although absolutely another day might have been fixed on under the new testament , and not one in an hebdomadal revolution , because its peculiar works were not precisely finished in six dayes ; yet that season being before fixed and determined by the law of creation , no innovation nor alteration would be allowed therein . § . there is yet remaining that which is principally to be pleaded in this cause , and which of it self is sufficient to bear the weight of the whole . now this is the place which the command for the observation of a sabbath unto god , holds in the decalogue . concerning this we have no more to enquire , but whether it have obtained a station therein , in its own right , or were on some other occasion advanced to that priviledge . for if it be free of that society in its own right , or on the account of its origine and birth , the morality of it can never be impeached ; if it had only an occasional interest therein , and held it by a lease of time , it may ere this be long since disseized of it . now we do not yet dispute , whether the seventh day precisely be ordained in the fourth commandment ; and do take up the whole nature of it , as the only subject of it , and alone required in it . only i take it for granted , that the observation of one day in seven is required in the command , which is so , because the seventh day , or a seventh day in a septenary revolution , is expresly commanded . § . it is indeed by many pretended , that the command firstly and directly respecteth the seventh day precisely , and one day in seven , no otherwise than as it necessarily follows thereon . for where the seventh day is required , one in seven is so consequentially . and they who thus pretend have a double design , the one absolutely contradictory to the other . for those do so , who from thence conclude , that , the seventh day precisely comprizing the whole nature of the sabbath , that day is indispensibly and everlastingly to be observed : and those do so , who with equal confidence draw their conclusion to the utter abolition of the whole sabbath , and the law of it , in the taking away of the seventh day it self . such different apprehensions have men of the use and improvement that may be made of the same principles and concessions . for those of the later sort hope , that if they can prove the observation of the seventh day precisely , and not one of seven but only consequentially , to be the whole of what is intended in the fourth commandment , that by vertue of the apostles rule , col. . . ( to which purpose he often elsewhere expresseth himself ) they shall be able to prove , that it is utterly abolished . those of the other sort suppose , that if they can make this to be the sense of the commandment , they shall prevail to fix a perpetual obligation on all men from thence unto the observation of the seventh day precisely , although the words of the apostle seem to lye expresly against it . § . but the supposition it self that both parties proceed upon , is not only uncertain , but certainly false . for the very order of nature it self disposeth these things unto that series , and mutual respect which can never be interrupted . the command is about the separation of time unto the service of god. this he tacitely grants , nor will deny , if he be pressed , who contends for the seventh day . here therefore it is natural and necessary , that time be indefinitely considered and required , antecedently unto the designation and limitation of the portion of time that is required . this the order of nature requireth . for if it be time indefinitely that is limited in the command unto the seventh day , time indefinitely is the first object of that limitation . and the case is the same with reference unto one day in seven . this also hath and must have a natural priority unto the seventh day ; for the seventh day , is one day of the seven . and these things are separable . some part of time may be separated unto religious worship , and yet not one day in seven ; but any other portion in a certain revolution of dayes , weeks , months , or years ; if there be not a distinct reason for it . and one day in seven may be so separated , wherein the seventh day precisely may have no interest . and these things the very nature of them doth assert , distinguish , and determine . whatever morality therefore , or obligation unto a perpetual observance can be fancied by any to be in the command as to the seventh day , it is but consequential unto , dependant upon , and separable from , the command and duty for the observance of one day in seven . and this sussiceth as to our present purpose . for i do not yet treat with them who contend for the precise observation of the seventh day now under the gospel . it is enough , that here we prove , that the fourth commandment requireth the sacred observation of one day in seven , and that so far as it doth so , it is moral and unchangeable . § . all men , as we have often observed , do allow that there is something moral in the fourth commandment , namely , that either some part of it , or the general nature of it is so . i do not therefore well understand them , and him of late who hath pleaded that the seventh day only is required in that command , and yet that this seventh day was absolutely ceremonial and typical , being accordingly abolished . the consistency of these assertions doth not yet appear unto me . for if the whole matter of the command be ceremonial , the command it self must needs be so also . for a relief against this contradiction , it is said , that the morality of this command consists in this , that we should look after and take up our spiritual rest in god. but this will not allow , that it should be a distinct commandment of it self , distinguished from all the rest of the decalogue , nor indeed scarcely from any one of them . for the primitive end of all the commandments was to direct us and bring us unto rest with god ; of the first table immediately , and of the second in and by the performance of the duties of it , among our selves . and of the first precept this is the sum ; so that it is unduely assigned to be the peculiar morality of the fourth , instead of the solemn . expression of that rest as our end and happiness . neither is there any way possible to manifest an especial intention in , and of any law , that is not found in this . the words and letter of it in their proper , and only sense , require a day , or an especial season to be appointed for a sacred rest. and so doth the nature of religious worship which undoubtedly is directed therein . the rest of god proposed in the command as the reason of it , which was on the seventh day after six of working , requireth the same intention in the words . so doth also the exact limitation of time mentioned in it ; all in complyance with the order and place that it holds in the decalogue , wherein nothing in general is left unrequired in the natural and instituted worship of god , but only the setting apart , with the determination and limitation of some time unto the solemn observation of it . few therefore have ever denyed but that the morality of this command , if it be moral , doth extend it self unto the separation of some part of our time to the solemn recognizing of god , and our subjection unto him ; and this in the letter of the law is limited on the reasons before insisted on , unto one day in seven , in their perpetual revolution . the sole enquiry therefore remaining is , whether this precept be moral or no , and so continue to be possessed of a power perpetually obligatory to all the sons of men . and this is that which we are now enquiring into . § . here therefore we must have respect unto what hath been discoursed concerning the subject matter of the precept it self . for if that be not only congruous to the law of nature , but that also which by the creation of our selves and all other things we are taught and obliged unto the observation of , the law whereby it is required must be moral . for the descriptive , or distinctive term ( moral ) doth first belong unto the things themselves required by any law , and thence to the law whereby they are commanded . if then we have proved , that the thing it self required in the fourth commandment , or the religious observation of a sacred rest unto god for the ends mentioned , in the periodical revolution of seven dayes is natural and moral , from the relation that it hath unto the law of creation , then there can be no question of the morality of that command . what hath been performed therein is left unto the judgement of the sober and judicious reader . for no man can be more remote from a pertinacious adherence to his own sentiments , or a magisterial imposition of his judgement and apprehensions upon the minds , thoughts , or practice of other men , than i desire to be . for however we may please our selves in our light , knowledge , learning , and sincerity ; yet when we have done all , they are not constituted of god to be the rule or measure of other mens faith , perswasions , apprehensions and conversations . and others whom for some defects , at least , so supposed by us , we may be apt to despise , may be yet taught the truth of god , in things wherein we may be out of the way . that then which we have to do in these cases , is first to endeavour after a full perswasion in our own minds , then to communicate the principles of reason and scripture testimony which we ground our perswasion upon unto others , labouring with meekness and gentleness to instruct them , whom we apprehend to be out of the way ; so submitting the whole to the judgement of all that fear the lord , and shall take notice of such things . and these rules have i , and shall i attend unto , as abhorring nothing more , than a proud magisterial imposing of our apprehensions , and inclinations , on the minds and practices of other men ; which i judge far more intolerable in particular persons , than in churches and societies , in both contrary to that royal law of love and liberty , which all believers ought to walk by . and therefore as we said , what hath been spoken on this subject , or shall yet farther be added , i humbly submit to the judgement of the sober and indifferent readers , only assuring them , that i teach as i have learned , speak because i believe , and declare nothing , but whereof i am fully perswaded in my own mind . § . the nature of the decalogue , and the distinction of its precepts from all commands ceremonial or political , comes now under consideration . the whole decalogue i acknowledge , as given on mount sinai to the israelites , had a political use , as being made the principal instrument or rule of the polity and government of their nation , as peculiarly under the rule of god. it had a place also in that oeconomy or dispensation of the covenant , which that church was then brought under , wherein by gods dealing with them and instructing of them , they were taught to look out after a farther and greater good in the promise , than they were yet come to the enjoyment of . hence the decalogue it self in that dispensation of it , was a schoolmaster unto christ. but in it self , and materially considered , it was wholly and in all the preceptive parts of it , absolutely moral . some indeed of the precepts of it , as the first , fourth , and fifth have either prefaces , enlargements , or additions , which belonged peculiarly to the then present and future state of that church in the land of canaan ; but these especial applications of it unto them , change not the nature of its commands or precepts which are all moral , and as far as they are esteemed to belong to the decalogue are unquestionably acknowledged so to be . let us therefore consider the pleas for morality in the fourth command upon the account of its interest in the decalogue , and the manifest evidences of that interest . as therefore the giving , writing , use , and disposal of the decalogue were peculiar and distinct from the whole systeme of the rest of the laws and statutes , which being with it given to the church of israel , were either ceremonial or judicial ; so the precept concerning the sabbath , or the sacred observance of one day in seven , hath an equal share with the other nine , in all the priviledges of the whole . as , . it was spoken immediately by the voice of god , in the hearing of all the people , exod. . whereas all the other laws , whether ceremonial or judicial , were given peculiarly to moses , and by him declared unto the rest of the people . what weight is laid hereon , see exod. . v. , , , . deut. . . chap. . . in the first whereof the work it self is declared ; in the latter a distinguishing greatness and glory , above all other legislations , is ascribed unto it . and it is worth the enquiry what might be the cause of this difference . no other appears to me , but that god thereby declared , that the law of the decalogne belonged immediately and personally unto them all and every one , upon the original right of the law of nature , which it did represent and express ; whereas all the other laws and statutes given unto them by the mediation of moses , belonged unto that peculiar church state and oeconomy of the covenant which they were then initiated into ; and which was to abide unto the time of the reformation of all things by jesus christ. and here it may be remembred , and so in all the ensuing instances , that we have proved , the matter of this command to be first , the separation of some time indefinitely to the worship of god , and then the limitation of that time unto one day in seven . for this it requires , or nothing at all which should be peculiar unto a distinct precept is required in it , as we have before manifested . and this one consideration alone , is sufficient to evince its morality . . this command , as all the rest of the decalogue , was written twice by the finger of god in tables of stone . and hereof there was a double reason . first , that it was a stable revocation , and objective representation of that law , which being implanted on the heart of man , and communicated unto him in his creation , was variously defaced ; partly by the corruption and loss of that light through the entrance of sin , which should have guided us in the right apprehension and understanding of its dictates , and the obedience that it required ; partly through a long course of a corrupt conversation which the world had in the pursuit of the first apostasie , and according to the principles of it plunged it self into . god now again fixed that law objectively , in a way of durable preservation , which in its primitive seat and subject was so impaired and defaced . and hereof the additions mentioned , with peculiar respect unto the application of the whole , or any part of it , unto that people , were no impeachment , as is acknowledged in the preface given unto them all , containing a motive unto their dutiful observance of the whole . and hence this law must necessarily be esteemed a part of the antecedent law of nature ; neither can any other reason be given , why god wrote it himself , with those , and only those that are so , in tables of stone . secondly , this was done as an embleme , that the whole decalogue was a representation of that law , which by his spirit he would write in the fleshly tables of the hearts of his elect. and this is well observed by the church of england , which after the reading of the whole decalogue , the fourth command amongst the rest , directs the people to pray , that god would write all these laws in their hearts . now this concerneth only the moral law. for although obedience unto all gods ceremonial and typical institutions whilst they were in force , was moral , and a part of the law written in the heart , or required in general in the precepts of the first table of the decalogue , yet those lawes themselves had no place in the promise of the covenant , that they should be written in our hearts ; for if it should be so , especial grace would be yet administred for the observation of those laws now they are abolished , which would not only be vain and useless ; but contradictory to the whole design of the grace bestowed upon us , which is to be improved in a due and genuine exercise of it . neither doth god bestow any grace upon men , but withal he requires the exercise of it at their hands . if then this law was written in tables of stone together with the other nine , that we might pray and endeavour to have it written in our hearts , according to the promise of the covenant , it is and must be of the nature of the rest ; that is , moral and everlastingly obligatory . . as all the rest of the moral precepts , it was reserved in the ark ; whereas the law of ceremonial ordinances was placed in a book written by moses on the side of the ark , separable from it , or whence it might be removed . the ark on many accounts was called the ark of the covenant ; whereof , god assisting , i shall treat elsewhere . one of them was , that it contained in it nothing , but that moral law which was the rule of the covenant . and this was placed therein , to manifest that it was to have its accomplishment in him , who was the end of the law , rom. . , . for the ark with the propitiatory was a type of jesus christ , rom. . . and the reason of the different disposal of the moral law in the ark , and of the ceremonial in a book on the side of it , was to manifest , as the inseparableness of the law from the covenant , so the establishing , accomplishment , and answering of the one law in christ , with the removal and abolishing of the other by him . for the law kept in the ark , the type of him , he was to fulfil it in obedidience , to answer its curse , and to restore it unto its proper use in the new covenant ; not that which it had originally when it was it self the whole of the covenant , but that which the nature of it requires in the moral obedience of rational creatures , whereof it is a compleat and adequate rule , when the other law was utterly removed and taken away . and if that had been the end whereunto the law of the sabbath had been designed , had it been absolutely capable of abolition in this world , it had not been safeguarded in the ark , with the other nine , which are inseparable from mans covenant obedience unto god , but had been left with other ceremonial ordinances at the side of the ark , in a readiness to be removed , when the appointed time should come . . god himself separates this command from them which were ceremonial in their principal intention , and whole subject matter , when he calls the whole systeme of precepts in the two tables by the name of the ten words or commandments , deut. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; those ten words which the lord spake unto you in the mount out of the midst of the fire , in the day of the assembly . no considering person can read these words , but he will find a most signal emphasis in the several parts of them . the day of the assembly ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; is that which the jews so celebrate , under the name of the station in sinai ; the day that was the foundation of their church state , when they solemnly covenanted with god about the observation of the law. deut. . , , , . and the lord himself spake these words , that is , in an immediate and especial manner , which is still observed where any mention is made of them , as exod. . deut. . & . and saith moses , he spake them unto you ; that is immediately unto all the assembly ; deut. . . where it is added , that he spake them out of the midst of the fire , of the cloud , and of the thick darkness , with a great voice , ( that every individual person might hear it ) and he added no more . he spake not one word more , gave not one precept more immediately unto the whole people , but the whole solemnity of fire , thunder , lightning , earthquake , and sound of trumpet immediately ceased and disappeared ; whereon god entred his treaty with moses , wherein he revealed unto him , and instructed him in the ceremonial and judicial law , for the use of the people who had now taken upon themselves , the religious observance of what he should so reveal and appoint . now as the whole decalogue was hereby signalized , and sufficiently distinguished from the other laws and institutions which were of another nature ; so in particular , this precept concerning the sabbath , is distinguished from all those which were of the mosaical paedagogie , in whose declaration moses was the mediator between god and the people . and this was only upon the account of its participation , in the same nature with the rest of the commands , however it may and do contain something in it , that was peculiar to that people , as shall be shewed afterwards . . whereas there is a frequent opposition made in the old testament , between moral obedience , and the outward observance of ordinances of a meer arbitrary institution , there is no mention made of the weekly sabbath in that case , though all ceremonial institutions are in one place or other enumerated . it is true , isa. . . the sabbath is joyned with the new moons , and its observation rejected in comparison of holiness and righteousness . but as this is expounded in the next verse , to be intended principally of the appointed annual feasts or sabbaths ; so we do grant , that the sabbath , as relating unto temple worship there intended and described , had that accompanying it , which was peculiar to the jews and ceremonial , as we shall shew hereafter ; but absolutely the observation of the sabbath is not opposed unto , nor rejected in comparison of other , or any moral duties . . the observation of the sabbath is pressed on the church , on the same grounds , and with the same promises , as the greatest and most indispensible moral duties ; and together with them opposed unto those fasts which belonged unto ceremonial institutions . to this purpose is the nature and use of it at large discoursed , isa. . v. , , , , , , , , . § . now it is assuredly worth our enquiry , what are the just reasons of the preference of the sabbath above all positive institutions , both by the place given unto it in the decalogue , as also on the account of the other especial instances insisted on . suppose the command of it to be ceremonial , and one of these two reasons , or both of them must be alledged as the cause hereof . for this exaltation of it must arise , either from the excelency of it in it self and service , or the excellency of its signification , or from both of them jointly . but these things cannot be pleaded or made use of unto the purpose intended . for the service of it , as it was observed among the jews , it is now earnestly pleaded , that it consisted in meer bodily rest , which is scarcely to be reckoned as any part of divine service at all . what is farther in it , is said to be only a meer circumstance of time , not in any thing better than that of place , which had an arbitrary determination also for a season . it cannot therefore be thus exalted and preferred above all other ordinances of worship upon the account of its service , seeing it is apprehended to be only a meer adjunct of other services , which were therefore more worthy than it , as every thing which is for it self , is more worthy than that which is only for another . and take it absolutely , place is a more noble circumstance than time in this case , . considering that place being determined by an arbitrary institution in the building of the temple became the most glorious and significant part of divine worship ; yet had it no place in the decalogue , but only in the samaritan corruption added unto it . it must therefore be upon the account of its signification that it was thus peculiarly exalted and honoured . for the dignity , worth and use of all ceremonial institutions depended on their significancy , or their fitness and aptness to represent the things whereof they were types , with the especial worth of what they did peculiarly typifie . and herein the sabbath even with the applications it had unto the judaical church state , came short of many other divine services , especially the solemn sacrifices wherein the lord christ with all the benefits of his death , was as it were evidently set forth crucified before their eyes . neither therefore of these reasons , nor both of them in conjunction can be pleaded as the cause of the manifold preference of the sabbath above all ceremonial institutions . it remaineth therefore that it is solely upon the account of its morality , and the invariable obligation thence arising unto its observation , that it is so joyned with the precepts of the same nature ; and such we have now , as i suppose , sufficiently confirmed it to be . § . i cannot but judge yet farther , that in the caution given by our saviour unto his disciples , about praying that their flight should not be on the sabbath day , matth. . . he doth declare the continued obligation of the law of the sabbath , as a moral precept upon all . it is answered by some , that it is the judaical sabbath alone that is intended , which he knew that some of his own disciples would be kept for a season in bondage unto . for the ease therefore of their consciences in that matter , he gives them this direction . but many things on the other side are certain and indubitable , which render this conjecture altogether improbable . for ( . ) all real obligation unto judaical institutions was then absolutely taken away ; and it is not to be supposed , that our lord jesus christ would before hand lay in provision for the edification of any of his disciples in error . ( . ) before that time came , they were sufficiently instructed doctrinally in the dissolution of all obligation in ceremonial institutions ; this was done principally by st. paul in all his epistles ; especially in that unto the hebrews themselves at jerusalem . ( . ) those who may be supposed to have continued a conscientious respect unto the judaical sabbath , could be no otherwise perswaded of it , than were the jews themselves in those dayes . but they all accounted themselves absolved in conscience from the law of the sabbath upon eminent danger in time of war , so that they might lawfully either fight or fly , as their safety did require . this is evident from the decree made by them under the hasmonaeans . and such imminent danger is now supposed by our saviour ; for he instructs them to forego all consideration of their enjoyments , and to shift meerly for their lives . there was not therefore any danger in point of conscience with respect unto the judaical sabbath to be then feared or prevented . but in general , those in whose hearts are the wayes of god , do know what an addition it is to the greatest of their earthly troubles , if they befall them in such seasons , as to deprive them of the opportunity of the sacred ordinances of gods worship , and indispensibly engage them in wayes and works quite of another nature , than , when they stand in most need of them . there is therefore another answer invented ; namely , that our lord jesus in these words respected not the consciences of his disciples , but their trouble ; and therefore joyns the sabbath day and the winter together , in directing them to pray for an ease and accommodation of that flight which was inevitable . for as the winter is unseasonable for such an occasion , so the law concerning the sabbath was such , as that if any one travelled on that day above a commonly allowed sabbath dayes journey , he was to be put to death . but neither is there any more appearance of truth in this pretence . for ( . ) the power of capital punishments was before this time utterly taken away from the jews , and all their remaining courts interdicted from proceeding in any cause wherein the lives of men were concerned . ( . ) the times intended were such , as wherein there was no course of law , justice or equity amongst them , but all things were filled with rapine , confusion and hostility , so that it is a vain imagination , that any cognizance was taken about such cases as journying on the sabbath . ( . ) the dangers they were in , had made it free to them , as to legal punishments upon their own principles , as was declared ; so that these cannot be the reasons of the caution here given . it is at least therefore most probable , that our saviour speaks to his disciples upon a supposition of the perpetual obligation of the law of the sabbath ; that they should pray to be delivered from the necessity of a flight on the day whereon the duties of it were to be observed , lest it falling out otherwise , should prove a great aggravation of their distress . § . from these particular instances we may return to the consideration of the law of the decalogue in general , and the perpetual power of exacting obedience wherewith it is accompanied . that in the old testament it is frequently declared to be universally obligatory , and hath the same efficacy ascribed unto it without putting in any exceptions to any of its commands or limitations of its number , i suppose will be granted . the authority of it is no less fully asserted in the new testament , and that also absolutely without distinction , or the least intimation of excepting the fourth command from what is affirmed concerning the whole . it is of the law of the decalogue that our saviour treats , matth. . , , . this he affirms that he came not to dissolve , as he did the ceremonial law , but to fulfill it ; and then affirms that not one jot or tittle of it shall pass away . and making thereon a distribution of the whole into its several commands , he declares his disapprobation of them who shall break , or teach men to break any one of them . and men make bold with him , when they so confidently assert , that they may break one of them , and teach others so to do , without offence . that this reacheth not to the confirmation of the seventh day precisely we shall afterwards abundantly demonstrate . in like manner st. james treats concerning the whole law and all the commands of it ; chap. . , . and the argument he insists on for the observance of the whole ; namely , the giving of it by the same authority , is confined to the decalogue , and the way of gods giving the law thereof , or else it may be extended to all mosaical institutions , expresly contrary to his intention . § . it is known that many things are usually objected against the truth we have been pleading for ; namely , the morality of a sacred rest to god , on one day in seven , from its relation to the law of creation , and the command for it in the decalogue . and it is known also , that what is so objected , hath been by others solidly answered and removed . but because those objections , or arguments , have been lately renewed and pressed , by a person of good learning and reputation , and a new reinforcement indeavoured to be given unto them , i shall give them a new examination , and remove them out of our way . § . it is then objected in the first place ; disquisit . de moralitate sabbati ; p . that the command for the observation of the sabbath , is a command of time , or concerning time only ; namely , that some certain and determinate time be assigned to the worship of god ; and this may be granted to be moral . but time is no part of moral worship , but only a circumstance of it , even as place is also . therefore the command that requires them in particular cannot be moral . for these and the like circumstances must necessarily be of a positive determination . § . an. ( . ) the whole force of this argument consists in this , that time is but an help , instrument , or circumstance of worship , and therefore is not moral worship it self , nor a part of moral worship , nor can so be . but this argument is not valid . for whatever god requires by his command to be religiously observed , with immediate respect unto himself , is a part of his worship . and this worship as to the kind of it , follows the nature of the law whereby it is commanded . if that law be meerly positive , so is the worship commanded ; however it be a duty required by the law of nature that we duly observe it , when it is commanded ; for by the law of nature god is to be obeyed in all his commands , of what sort soever they are . if that law be moral , so is the duty required by it , and so is our obedience unto it . the only way then to prove , that the observation of time is no part of moral worship , is this ; namely , to manifest that the law whereby it is required is positive , and not moral ; for that it is required by divine command , of the one sort or the other , is now supposed . and on the other side , from the consideration of the thing it self naturally , as that it is an adjunct or circumstance of other things , no consequence ariseth to the determination of the nature of the law whereby it is required . ( . ) time abstractedly , or one day in seven absolutely , is not the adequate object of the precept , or the fourth commandment . but it is an holy rest to be observed unto god in his worship on such a day . and this , not an holy rest unto god in general , as the tendency and end of all our obedience and living unto him , but as an especial remembrance and representation of the rest of god himself , with his complacency and satisfaction in his works , as establishing a covenant between himself and us . this is the principal subject of the command ; or a stated day of an holy rest unto god in such a revolution of dayes or time. this we have proved to be moral from the foundation and reason of it , laid and given in the law of nature , revived and represented in the fourth command of the decalogue . now though place be an inseparable circumstance of all actions , and so capable of being made a circumstance of divine worship by divine positive command , as it was of old in the instance of the temple ; yet no especial or particular place , had the least guidance or direction unto it in the law of nature , by any works or acts of god , whose instructive vertue belonged thereunto ; and therefore all places were alike free by nature ; and every place wherein the worship of god was celebrated , was a natural circumstance of the actions performed , and not a religious circumstance of worship , until a particular place was assigned and determined by positive command for that purpose . it is otherwise with time , as hath been shewed at large . and therefore although any place , notwithstanding any thing in the law of nature , might have been separated by positive institution unto the solemn worship of god , it doth not thence follow , as is pretended , that any time , a day in a monthly or annual revolution , might have been separated unto the like purpose , seeing god had given us indication of another limitation of it in the law of creation . § . it is farther objected ; ( disquisit . p. . ) that in the fourth commandment not one day in seven , but the seventh day precisely is enjoyned . the day was before made known unto the israelites in the station at mara , or afterwards at alesh ; namely , the seventh day from the foundation of the world . this in the command they are required to observe . hence the words of it are that they should remember 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that same sabbath day , or that day of the sabbath which was newly revealed unto them . this command therefore cannot be moral as to the limitation of time specified therein , seeing it only confirms the observation of the seventh day sabbath which was before given unto the hebrews in a temporary institution . and this is insisted on as the principal strength against the morality of the command . i shall first give you in my answer in general , and then consider the especial improvements that are made of it . . instances may be given , and have been given by all writers concerning the hebrew tongue , wherein the prefixed letters sometimes answering the greek praepositive articles , are redundant ; and if at all emphatical , yet they do not at all limit , specifie or determine . see psal. . . eccl. . . lev. . . the observation therefore of prefixing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which may possibly denote an excellency in the thing it self , but tends nothing to the determination of a certain day , but as it is afterwards declared to be one of seven , is too weak to bear the weight of the inference intended . nor will this be denyed by any whoever aright considered the various use , and frequent redundancy of that praefixe . . the sabbath or rest of a seventh day was known and observed from the foundation of the world , as hath been proved . and therefore if from the praefixe , we are to conclude a limitation , or determination to be intended in the words , remember the sabbath day , yet it respects only the original sabbath , or the sabbath in respect of its original , and not any new institution of it . for supposing the observation of the sabbath to have been before in use , whether that use were only of late , or a few dayes before , or of more antient times , even from the beginning of the world , the command concerning it may be well expressed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remember the sabbath day . . suppose that the sabbath had received a limitation to the seventh day precisely , in the ordinance given unto that people in the first raining of manna ; then doth the observation of that day precisely by vertue of this command necessarily take place . and yet the command which is but the revival of what was required from the foundation of the world cannot be said to intend that day precisely in the first place . for the reason of , and in the original command for a sabbatical rest , was gods making the world in six dayes , and resting on the seventh ; which requires no more , but that in the continual revolution of seven dayes , six being allowed unto work , one should be observed a sacred rest to god. these words therefore remember the sabbath day , referring unto the primitive command and reason of it , as is afterwards declared in the body of the law , requires no more but a weekly day of rest , whereunto the seventh day is reduced , as added by an especial ordinance . and the reason of this commandment from the works of god , and the order of them , is repeated in the decalogue , because the instruction given us by them , being a part of the law of our creation , more subject unto a neglect , disregard , and forgetfulness , than those other parts of it , which were wholly innate to the principles of our own nature , it was necessary that the remembrance of it should be so expresly revived , when in the other precepts there is only a tacit excitation of our own inbred light and principles . . the emphatical expression insisted on ; remember the sabbath day , hath respect unto the singular necessity , use , and benefit of this holy observance , as also to that neglect and decay in its observation , which partly through their own sin , partly through the hardships that it met withal in the world , the church of former ages had fallen into . and what it had lately received of a new institution with reference unto the israelites , falls also under this command , or is reduced unto it , as a ceremonial branch under its proper moral head , whereunto it is annexed . and whereas it is greatly urged , that the command of the seventh day precisely , is not the command of one day in seven ; and that what god hath determined , as in this matter the day is , ought not to be indefinitely by us considered , it may be all granted without the least prejudice unto the cause wherein we are ingaged . for although the institution of the seventh day precisely , be somewhat distinct from one day in seven , as containing a determinate limitation of that which in the other notion is left indefinite ; yet this hinders not , but that god may appoint the one and the other ; the one in the moral reason of the law , the other by an especial determination and institution . and this especial institution is to continue , unless it be abrogated or changed by his own authority , which it may be , without the least impeachment of the moral reason of the whole law , and a new day be limited by the same authority , which hath been done accordingly , as we shall afterwards declare . § . it is yet farther pleaded ( disquisit . p. , , , . that no distinction can be made between a weekly sabbath , and the seventh day precisely . and if any such difference be asserted , then if one of them be appointed in the fourth commandment , the other is not . for there are not two sabbaths enjoyned in it , but one . and it is evident , that there never was of old but one sabbath . the sabbath observed under the old testament was that required and prescribed in the fourth commandment ; and so on the other side , the sabbath required in the decalogue , was that which was observed under the old testament , and that only . two sabbaths , one , of one day in seven , and the other of the seventh day precisely are not to be fancied . the seventh day , and that only was the sabbath of the old testament , and of the decalogue . these things i say are at large pleaded by the forementioned author . an. . these objections are framed against a distinction used by another learned person , about the sabbath as absolutely commanded in the decacalogue , and as injoyned to practise under the old testament . but neither he nor any other sober person ever fancied that there were two sabbaths of old , one injoyned unto the church of the israelites , the other required in the decalogue . but any man may , nay , every prudent man ought to distinguish between the sabbath , as injoyned absolutely in words expressive of the law of our creation , and rule of our moral dependance on god , in the fourth command ; and the same sabbath , as it had a temporary , occasional determination to the seventh day in the church of the jews by vertue of an especial intimation of the will of god , suited unto that administration of the covenant which that church and people were then admitted into . i see therefore no difficulty in these things . the fourth commandment doth not contain only the moral equity that some time should alwayes be set apart unto the celebration of the worship of god ; nor only the original instruction given us by the law of creation , and the covenant obedience required of us thereon , wherein the substance of the command doth consist ; but it expresseth moreover , the peculiar application of this command by the will of god , to the state of the church then erected by him , with respect unto the seventh day precisely , as before instituted and commanded , exod. . nor is here the least appearance of two sabbaths , but one only is absolutely commanded unto all , and determined unto a certain day for the use of some for a season . § . . that one day in seven only , and not the seventh day precisely , is directly and immediately injoyned in the decalogue , and the seventh only with respect unto an antecedent mosaical institution , with the nature of that administration of the covenant which the people of israel were then taken into , hath been evinced in our investigation of the causes and ends of the sabbath preceding ; and been cleared by many . and it seems evident to an impartial consideration . for the observation of one day in seven belongs unto every covenant of god with man. and the decalogue is the unvariable rule of mans walking before god , and living unto him ; of what nature soever , on other reasons , the covenant be between them , whether that of works , or that of grace by jesus christ. the seventh day precisely belonging unto the covenant of works , cannot therefore be firstly , but only occasionally intended in the decalogue . nor doth it , nor can it , invariably belong unto our absolute obedience unto god , because it is not of the substance of it , but is only an occasional determination of a duty , such as all other positive laws do give us . and hence there is in the command it self a difference put between a sabbath day , and the arbitrary limitation of the seventh day , to be that day . for we are commanded to remember the sabbath day , not the seventh day , and the reason given ( as is elsewhere observed ) is because god blessed and sanctified the sabbath day , ( in the close of the command , where the formal reason of our obedience is expressed ) not the seventh day . nor is indeed the joint observation of the seventh day precisely unto all to whom this command is given , that is , to all who take the lord to be their god ; possible ; though it were to the jews in the land of palestina , who were obliged to keep that day . for the difference of the climate in the world will not allow it . nor did the jews ever know whether the day they observed , was the seventh from the creation ; only they knew it was so from the day whereon manna was first given unto them . and the whole revolution , and computation of time by dayes , was sufficiently interrupted in the dayes of joshua and hezekiah , from allowing us to think the observation of the seventh day to be moral . and it is a rule to judge of the intention of all laws divine and humane , that the meaning of the preceptive part of them is to be collected from the reasons annexed to them , or inserted in them . now the reasons for a sacred rest that are intimated and stated in this command , do no more respect the seventh day , than any other in seven . six dayes are granted to labour , that is in number , and not more in a septenary revolution . nor doth the command say any thing , whether these six dayes shall be the first or the last in the order of them . and any day , is as meet for the performance of the duties of the sabbath , as the seventh , if in an alike manner designed thereunto ; which things are at large pleaded by others . § . it hath hitherto been allowed generally , that the fourth commandment doth at least include something in it that is moral ; or else indeed no colour can be given unto its association with them that are absolutely so in the decalogue . this is commonly said to be ; that some part of our time be dedicated to the publick worship of god. but as this would overthrow the pretension before mentioned , that there can be no moral command about time , which is but a circumstance of moral duties , so the limitation of that time unto one day in seven is so evidently a perpetually binding law , that it will not be hard to prove the unchangeable obligation that is upon all men unto the observance of it , which is all for the substance that is contended for . to avoid this , it is now affirmed ( disquisit p. . ) that , moralc quarti praecepti est , non unum diem sed totum tempus vitae nostrae quantum id fieri potest , impendendum esse cultui dei , quaerendo regnum dei & justitiam ejus , atque inserviendo aedificationi proximi : quo pertinet ut deo serviamus , ejus beneficia agnoscamus & celeberemus , cum invocemus spiritu , fidem nostram testemur confessione oris , &c. this is that which is moral in the fourth commandment ; namely , that not one day , but as much as may be our whole lives be spent in the worship of god ; seeking his kingdom and the righteousness thereof , and furthering the edification of our neighbour . hereunto it belongeth , that we should serve god , acknowledge and celebrate his benefits , pray unto him in spirit , and testifie our faith by our confession . § . an. it is hard to discover how any of these things have the least respect to the fourth commandment , much more how the morality of it should consist in them . for all the instances mentioned , are indeed required in the first precept of the decalogue , that only excepted of taking care to promote the edification of our neighbour , which is the summ and substance of the second table , expressed by our saviour by loving our neighbour as our selves . to live unto god , to believe and trust in him , to acknowledge his benefits , to make confession of him in the world , are all especial moral duties of the first commandment . it cannot therefore be apprehended , how the morality of the fourth commandment should consist in them . and if there be nothing else moral in it , there is certainly nothing moral in it at all . for these things and the like are claimed from it , and taken out of its possession by the first precept . and thereunto doth the general consideration of time , with respect unto these duties belong ; namely , that we should live unto god , whilst we live in this world. for we live in time , and that is the measure of our duration and continuance . something else therefore must be found out to be moral in the fourth commandment , or it must be denyed plainly to have any thing moral in it . § . it is farther yet pleaded , that the sabbath was a type of our spiritual rest in christ ; both that which we have in him at present by grace , and that which remains for us in heaven . hence it was a shaddow of good things to come , as were all other ceremonial institutions . but that the same thing should be moral , and a shadow is a contradiction . that which is a shadow , can in no sense be said to be moral , nor on the contrary . the sabboth therefore was meerly ceremonial . an. it doth not appear , it cannot be proved , that the sabbath either as to its first original , or as to the substance of the command of it in the decalogue , was typical , or instituted to prefigure any thing that was future . yea , the contrary is evident . for the law of it , was given before the first promise of christ , as we have proved ; and that in the state of innocency , and under the covenant of works in perfect force , wherein there was no respect unto the mediation of christ. i do acknowledge that god did so order all his works in the first creation , and under the law of nature , as that they might be suitable morally to represent his works under the new creation , which from the analogie of our redemption to the creation of all things is so called . and hence according to the eternal counsel of god , were all things meet to be gathered into an head in christ jesus . on this account there is an instructive resemblance , between the works of one sort and of the other . so the rest of god after the works of the old creation , is answered by the rest of the son of god , upon his laying the foundation of the new heavens and new earth in his resurrection . but that the sabbath originally , and in its whole nature , should be a free institution to prefigure , and as in a shadow to represent any thing spiritual or mystical , after wards to be introduced , is not , nor can be proved . it was indeed originally a moral pledge of gods rest , and of our interest therein , according to the tenor of the covenant of works ; which things belong unto our relation unto god , by vertue of the law of our creation . it continueth to retain the same nature , with respect unto the covenant of grace . what it had annexed unto it , what applications it received unto the state of the mosaical paedagogie , which were temporary , and umbratile , shall be declared afterwards . § . but it is yet pleaded from an enumeration of the parts of the fourth commandment , that there can be nothing moral , as to our purpose in it . and these are said to be three . first , the determination of the seventh day to be a day of rest. secondly , the rest it self commanded on that day . thirdly , the sanctification of that rest unto holy worship . now neither of these can be said to be moral . not the first ; for it is confessedly ceremonial . the second is a thing in its own nature indifferent , having nothing of morality in it , antecedent unto a positive command : neither is the third moral , being only the means or manner of performing that worship which is moral . an. it will not be granted , that this is a sufficient analysis or distribution of the parts of this command . the principal subject matter of it is omitted , namely , the observation of one day in seven unto the ends of a sacred rest. for we are required in it to sanctifie the sabbath of the lord our god , which was a seventh day in an hebdomadal revolution of dayes . supply this in the first place in the room of the determination of the seventh day to be that day , which evidently follows it in the order of nature , and this argument vanisheth . now it is here only tacitly supposed , not at all proved , that one day in seven is not required . ( . ) rest , in it self absolutely considered is no part of divine worship antecedently unto a divine positive command . but a rest from our own works , which might be of use and advantage unto us , which by the law of our creation we are to attend unto in this world , that we may intend and apply our selves to the worship of god , and solemnly express our universal dependance upon him in all things ; a rest representing the rest of god in his covenant with us , and observed as a pledge of our entring into his rest by vertue of that covenant , and according to the law of it , such as is the rest here injoyned , is a part of the worship of god. this is the rest which we are directed unto by the law of our creation , and which by the moral reason of this command is injoyned unto us , on one day in seven ; and in these things consists the morality of this precept , on whose account it hath a place in the decalogue , which on all the considerations before mentioned , could not admit of an association with one that was purely ceremonial . ( . ) granting the dedication of some time or part of time unto the solemn worship of god to be required in this command , as is by all generally acknowledged , and let a position be practically advanced against this , we insist on , namely , that one day in seven is the time determined and limited for that purpose , and we shall quickly perceive the mischievous consequents of it . for when men have taken out of the hand of god the division between the time that is allowed unto us for our own occasions , and what is to be spent in his service , and have cast off all influencing direction from his example of working six dayes , and resting the seventh , and all guidance from that seemingly perpetual direction that is given us , of imploying ordinarily six days in the necessary affairs of this life ; they will find themselves at no small loss what to fix upon , or wherein to acquiesce , in this matter . it must either be left to every individual man to do herein as seems good unto him , or there must an umpirage of it be committed unto others , either the church or the magistrate . and hence we may expect as many different determinations and limitations of time , as there are distinct ecclesiastical or political powers amongst christians . what variety , changeableness would hence ensue , what confusion this would cast all the disciples of christ into , according to the prevalency of superstition or profaneness in the minds of those who claim this power of determining and limiting the time of publick worship , is evident unto all . the instance of holy dayes as they are commonly called , will farther manifest what of it self lyes naked under every rational eye . the institution and observation of them was ever resolved into the moral part of this command , for the dedicating of some part of our time unto god ; but the determination hereof being not of god , but left un-the church , as it is said , one church multiplyes them without end , until they grew an unsupportable yoke unto the people ; another reduceth this number into a narrower compass , a third rejects them all , and no two churches that are independent ecclesiastically and politically one on the other , do agree about them . and so will , and must the matter fall out as to the especial day whereof we discourse , when once the determination of it by divine authority is practically rejected . as yet men deceive themselves in this matter , and pretend that they believe otherwise then indeed they do . let them come once soberly to joyn their opinion of their liberty and their practice together , actually rejecting the divine limitation of one day in seven , and they will find their own consciences under more disorder , then yet they are aware of . again , if there be no day determined in the fourth command , but only the seventh precisely which is ceremonial , with a general rule that some time is to be dedicated to the service of god , there is no more of morality in this command , then in any of those for the observation of new moons , and annual feasts with jubilees and the like ; in all which the same general equity is supposed , and a ceremonial day limited and determined . and if it be so , as far as i can understand ; we may as lawfully observe new moons and jubilees , as a weekly day of rest , according to the custome of all churches . § . the words of the apostle paul , col. . , . are at large insisted on to prove that the sabbath was only typical and a shadow of things future . let no man therefore judge you in ment or in drink or in respect of an holy day , or of the new moon ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) or of the sabbaths , or sabbath dayes ; which are a shadow of things to come , but the body is of christ. for hence they say it will follow , that there is nothing moral in the observation of the sabbath ; seeing it was a meer type and shadow as were other mosaical institutions ; as also that it is absolutely abolished and taken away in christ. an. this place must be afterwards considered ; i shall here only briefly speak unto it . and ( . ) it is known and confessed , that at that time all judaical observations of dayes , or the dayes which they religiously observed , whether feasts or fasts , weekly , monthly , or annual were by themselves and all others , called their sabbaths , as we have before evinced . and that kind of speech which was then in common use , is here observed by our apostle . it must therefore necessarily be allowed , that there were two sorts of sabbaths amongst them ; the first and principal was the weekly sabbath , so called from the rest of god upon the finishing of his works . this being designed for sacred and religious uses , other dayes separated unto the same ends in general , became from their analogie thereunto to be called sabbaths also , yea , were so called by god himself , as hath been declared . but the distinction and difference between these sabbaths was great . the one of them was ordained from the foundation of the world ; before the entrance of sin , or giving of the promises , and so belonged unto all mankind in general , the other were appointed in the wilderness as a part of the peculiar church worship of the israelites , and so belonged unto them only . the one of them was directly commanded in the decalogue , wherein the law of our creation was revived and expressed ; the other have their institution expresly among the residue of ceremonial temporary ordinances . hence they cannot be both comprized under the same denomination , unless upon some reason that is common to both sorts alike . so when god saith of them all , you shall observe my sabbaths , it is upon a reason common to them all , namely , that they were all commanded of god , which is the formal reason of our obedience , of what nature soever his commands are , whether moral or positive . nor can both these sorts be here understood under the same name , unless it be with respect unto something that is common unto both . allow therefore the distinctions between them before mentioned , which cannot soberly be denyed , and as to what they agree in , namely , what is , or was in the weekly primary sabbath of the same nature with those dayes of rest which were so called in allusion thereunto , and they may be allowed to have the same sentence given concerning them . that is , so far the weekly sabbath may be said to be a shadow , and to be abolished . ( . ) it is evident , that the apostle in this place dealeth with them who endeavoured to introduce judaisme absolutely , or the whole systeme of mosaical ceremonies into the observation of the christian church . circumcision , their feasts and new moons , their distinctions of meats and d●n●s he mentioneth directly in this place . and therefore he deals about these things so far as they were judaical , or belonged unto the oeconomy of moses , and no otherwise . if any of them fell under any other consideration , so far as they did so , he designeth not to speak of them . now those things only were mosaical , which being instituted by moses , and figurative of good things to come , or the things which being of the same nature with the residue of his ceremonies , were before appointed , but accommodated by him to the use of the church which he built 〈◊〉 such as sacrifices and circumcision . for they were all of them nothing else but an obscure adumbration of the things whereof christ was the body . so far then as the weekly sabbath had any additions made unto it , or limitation given of it , or directions for the manner of its observance , or respected the services then to be performed in it , and by all accommodated unto that dispensation of the covenant which the posterity of abraham was then brought into , it was a shadow , and it taken away by christ. therewith falls its limitation to the seventh day , its rigorous observation , its penal sanction , its being a sign between god and that people , in a word , every thing in it , and about it , that belonged unto the then present administration of the covenant , or was accommodated to the judaical church or state. but now if it be proved , that a septenary sacred rest was appointed in paradise , that it hath its foundation in the law of creation , that thereon it was observed antecedently unto the institution of mosaical ceremonies , and that god renewed the command concerning it , in his systeme of moral precepts manifoldly distinguished from all ceremonial ordinances , so far and in these respects it hath no concern in these words of the apostle . ( . ) it cannot be said , that the religious observance of one day in seven as an holy rest unto god , is abolished by christ , without casting a great reflection of presumption on all the churches of christ in the world , i mean that now are , or ever were so ; for they all have observed and do so observe such a day . i shall not now dispute about the authority of the church to appoint dayes unto holy or religious uses , to make holy dayes . let it be granted to be , whatever any yet hath pretended or pleaded that it is . but this i say , that where god by his authority had commanded the observation of a day to himself , and the lord christ by the same authority hath taken off that command , and abolished that institution ; it is not in the power of all the churches in the world , to take up the religious observance of that day to the same ends and purposes . it is certain that god did appoint that a sabbath of rest should be observed unto him , and for the celebration of his solemn worship on one day in seven . the whole command of god hereof , is now pleaded to be dissolved , and all obligation from thence unto its observation to be abolished , in and by christ. then say i , it is unlawfull for any church or churches in the world to reassume this practice , and to impose the observance of it , on the disciples of christ. be it that the church may appoint holy dayes of its own , that have no foundation in , nor relation and to the law of moses ; yet doubtless it ought not to digg any of his ceremonies out of their grave , and impose them on the necks of the disciples of christ ; yet so must it be thought to do on this hypothesis , that the religious observance of one day in seven , is absolutely abolished by christ , as a meer part of the law of commandments contained in ordinances , which was nailed to his cross and buried with him , by the constant practice and injunctions thereof . . herewith fall the arguments taken from the apostles calling the sabbath in this place a shadow . for it is said , that nothing which is moral can be a shadow . it is true ; that which is moral , so far as it is moral , cannot be a shadow . we therefore say , that the weekly observation of a day of rest , from the foundation of the world , whereunto a general obligation was laid on all men unto its observation , the command whereof was a part of the moral law of god , was no shadow , nor is so called by the apostle , nor did typifie good things to come . but that which is in its own nature moral , may in respect of some peculiar manner of its observance , in such a time or season , and some adjuncts annexed unto it , in respect whereof it becomes a part of ceremonial worship , be so far , and in those respects esteemed a shadow , and as such pass away . in brief , the command it self of observing one day in seven , as an holy rest unto god , hath nothing aaronical or typical in it , but hath its foundation in the light of nature as directed by the works of god and his rest thereon . for its limitation precisely to the last day of the week , with other directions and injunctions for and in the manner of its observance , they were mosaical , and as a shadow are departed , as we shall manifest in our ensuing exercitations . § . but yet neither can it be absolutely proved , if we would insist thereon , that the weekly sabbath is in any sense intended in these words of the apostle . for he may design the sabbatical years which were instituted among that people , and probably now pressed by the judaizing teachers on the gentile proselytes . nor will the exception put in from some of the rabbins , that the sabbatical years were not to be observed out of the land of canaan , from which colosse was far enough distant , reinforce the argument to this purpose . for as men in one place , may have their consciences exercised and bound with the opinion of what is to be done in another , though they cannot engage in the practice of it whilst they are absent , so our apostle chargeth the galatians as far distant from canaan as the colossians , that when they began to judaize , they observed years as well as dayes , and months , and times , which could respect only the sabbatical years that were instituted by the law of moses . exercitatio quarta . of the judaical sabbath . ( ) the sabbath how required by the law of nature ; as a covenant . ( ) explanations of the law of the sabbath in the fourth precept of the decalogue . ( ) the law of creation and covenant of works renewed in the church of israel , with what alterations . ( ) the sabbath why said to be given peculiarly to the israelites . ( ) change in the covenant , introduceth a change in the sabbath . ( ) the whole nature of the judaical sabbath , and how it is abolished . ( ) jews sense of the original of the sabbath rejected . ( ) the first appropriation of the law of the sabbath to that people , exod. . ( ) their mistakes about its observation . ( ) the giving of the law on mount sinai , with the ends of it . ( ) nature of the fourth commandment thereon ; what ceremonial in it . ( ) renovation of the command of the sabbath , exod. . , . ( ) occasion hereof . ( ) appropriations made of the sabbath to the church of israel in this renovation . ( ) the commandment renewed again , exod. . . new additions made to it . ( ) so also exod. . , . ( ) the whole matter stated , deut. . . ( ) the conclusion . the fourth exercitation . § . we have declared how the observation of a septenary sacred rest , is required by the moral law , or the law of our creation . now this is not absolutely and meerly as it is a law ; but as it contained a covenant between god and man. a law it might have been , and not have had the nature of a covenant , which doth not necessarily follow upon either its instructive or preceptive power . yet it was originally given in the counsel of god to that end , and accompanied with promises and threatnings , whence it had the nature of a covenant . by vertue of this law as a covenant , was the observation of a sabbath prescribed and required , as a token and pledge of gods rest in that covenant , in the performance of the works whereon it was constituted ; and of the interest of man in that rest , as also a means of entrance into it . on this ground it should have been observed in the state of innocency , wherein the law of it was given and declared . for it was no less necessary unto that state and condition , than unto any other wherein god requireth covenant obedience of men ; nor , considering the nature and ends of an holy rest or sabbath , can any reason be given , why it should be thought accommodated only to the administration of the covenant under the old testament after the giveing of the law , whereunto by some it is appropriated . § . it is true indeed ; that in the fourth commandment , there is an explanation of the rest of the sabbath so far as it consisteth in a cessation from our own works that are of use and advantage to the outward man in this life , suited as unto the state and condition of mankind in general since the fall , so unto the especial state of the jews , at that time when the law was given ; as there was also in the additional appendix of the first commandment . but for the substance of it the same kind of rest was to be observed in the state of innocency ; and was necessary thereunto , on the grounds before insisted or . servile labour , with trouble , sweat and vexation , was occasioned by the curse . gen. . , , . the state also of servants and handmaids such as was then , and is still in use , followed on the entrance of sin , though meerly to serve , be no part of the curse , cor. . , . as having its foundation in that subordination which is natural . and the government of servants ought not to be despotical , but paternal , gen. . . in these things there was some variation supposed in the giving of the decalogue as to their outward manner , from the original state of things amongst mankind . but there was also work required of man , or labour in the earth , with reference unto his natural life and subsistence in this world , in the state of innocency . for it is said expresly , that god put man into the garden , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , gen. . . to labour in it ; and to preserve it by labour for his use. a cessation therefore from bodily labour was consistent with , and useful unto that condition , that men thereby might be enabled to give themselves ( in the season they were directed unto by the works and example of god ) wholly unto the especial ends of living unto him according to the covenant made with them . there is nothing therefore in the fourth commandment , directing unto six dayes of labour , and requiring a seventh unto rest , that is inconsistent , or not compliant with the law of our creation , and the state of living unto god constituted thereby ; although the manner of that work and labour be varied from what originally it was . likewise in that state of mankind , there was to be a superiority of some over others . this the natural relation of parents and children makes manifest . and these latter were in the worship of god to be under the government and direction of the other . and unto this natural equity is all subjection to magistrates in subjects , and masters in servants , reduced in the fifth commandment . so then , the outward variations , which are in these things supposed in the fourth commandment , do not in the least impeach its morality , or hinder but that for the substance of it , it may be judged a law natural and moral ; and a true representation of a part of the law of our creation . § . seeing therefore that the moral law , as a covenant between god and man , required this sacred rest , as we have proved ; we must enquire what place , as such , it had in the mosaical oeconomy , whereon the true reason and notion of the sabbath as peculiarly judaical , doth depend . for the sabbath being originally annexed to the covenant between god and man , the renovation of the covenant doth necessarily require an especial renovation of the sabbath , and the change of the covenant as to the nature of it , must in like manner introduce a change of the sabbath . and we shall find , that the covenant of the law , or of works , had a twofold renovation in the church of israel , in the framing and constitution of it . these rendred it their especial covenant , although it was not absolutely a new covenant , nor is it so called , but is every where called the old ; and hence the sabbath became peculiarly theirs . ( . ) it was renewed unto them materially . it was originally written in the heart of man , or concreated with the faculties of his soul ; where its light and principles being excited , guided , and variously affected with the consideration of the works of god , ) proposed unto him with an instructive ability , for that end , whose directions concurred to the making up of the entire law of creation ) was evidently directive unto all the duties which god in the first covenant required at our hands . by the entrance of sin , with the corruption and debasing of the faculties of our souls , which ensued thereon , whereby the alteration in our natures , the principal seat and subject of this law was so great , as that we lost the image of god , or that light and knowledge into our duty with respect unto him , which was necessary for us in that covenant , the law it self became insufficient , a lame and imperfect guide unto the ends of the covenant . besides , the aspectable creation , the outward medium of instructing man in the knowledge of the goodness , power and wisdom of god , being for our sin brought under the curse , and the creature into bondage , the contemplation of it would not so clearly , distinctly , and perfectly represent him unto us , as formerly . let men fancy what they please , and please themselves whilst they will with their fancies , all things both within , and without in the whole creation , were brought into such disorder and confusion by the entrance of sin , as that the law of nature was utterly insufficient to enable us unto , or to guide us in our liveing unto god , according to the tenor of the first covenant . there were , and are indeed , general notions of good and evil indelibly planted on the faculties of our souls , with a power of judging concerning our actions and moral practices , whether they are conformable unto those notions , with respect unto the superiour judgement of god. but besides the impairing of the principles of these notions before mentioned , they were of old variously obscured , perverted , and stifled , by customs , prejudices , and the power of sin in the world , so as that they were of little use as unto a due performance of covenant duties , indeed of none at all , in reference unto any acceptation with god. wherefore god erecting his church , and renewing the knowledge of himself , and mans duty towards him in the posterity of abraham , he gave unto them afresh , in the first place , the precepts of the law and covenant of nature , for the guide and rule of their obedience . and that this might now be permanent , he reduced the substance of the whole law unto ten words or commands , writing them in tables of stone , which he appointed to be sacredly kept amongst them . the law thus declared and written by him , was the same , i say , materially , and for the substance of it , with the law of our creation , or the original rule of our covenant obedience unto god. yet in it as thus transcribed , there was an innovation both in its form and principle of obligation . for as to its form or directive power , it was now made external and objective unto the mind of man , which before was principally internal and subjective . and the immediate obligation unto its observation among that people , was now from the promulgation of it on mount sinai , and the delivery of it unto them thereon . hence it was prefaced with motives peculiar to their state and condition , and its observation continually pressed on them afterwards , with arguments taken from their peculiar relation unto god ; with his love and benefits unto them . this gave it a new respect , because there was nothing originally in it , nor belonging unto it , but what was equally common unto all mankind . now this alteration in the law and covenant of creation as applyed unto the church of the israelites , did also affect the law of the sabbath which was a part of it . it was now no more to them a meer moral command only , equally regarding all mankind , but had a temporary respect given unto it , which was afterwards to be abolished and taken away . so was it with the whole law , and so was it with the sabbath in particular . to take up therefore the observation of it , as appointed in the decalogue , not as a material transcript of the law of nature meerly , but as under its renovation to the church of israel , is a groundless and unwarrantable going over into a part of abolished judaisme . for , § secondly , the law was renewed as an ingredient into that oeconomy under which god was pleased to bring his church at that time , before the exhibition of the promise , or the accomplishment of it . and sundry things are to be observed herein . ( . ) that god did not absolutely bring that people under the covenant of works in all the rigor of it , according unto its whole law and tenor , to stand or fall absolutely by its promises or threatnings . for although the law contained the whole rule of the covenant , and on the considerations to be afterwards mentioned , it is often called the covenant of god with that people , yet were they not absolutely tyed up unto it , and concluded by it , as to the eternal issue of living unto god. this arose from the interposition of the promise . for the promise of grace in christ , being given upon the first entrance of sin for the relief and salvation of the elect , and being solemnly renewed unto abraham and his seed four hundred and thirty years before the giving of the law unto his posterity , there was a blessed relief provided therein against the curse and threatnings annexed to the first covenant , for all them that betook themselves unto it , and made use of it . notwithstanding , i say , this renovation of the first covenant materially unto them , they were so far freed from its covenant terms , as that they had a relief provided against what they could not answer in it , with the consequences thereof . ( . ) from the nature and tenor of the covenant of works , so renewed amongst that people , there was begotten in their minds such a respect unto the rigor of its commands , the manner of their observance , or of obedience unto them , with the dread of its curse , awfully denounced amongst them , as brought a servile and bondage frame of spirit upon them , in all wherein they had to do with god , by vertue of the law and rule of that covenant . this frame of spirit , as that which stands in direct opposition unto the freedom and liberty purchased for us by jesus christ , to serve god in righteousness and holiness without fear all our dayes , is much insisted on by the apostle paul especially in his epistles to the romans and galatians . and in their observation of the sabbath in particular , they were under this bondage , filling them with many scrupulous anxieties , which arose not from the law of the sabbath it self as originally given unto man in the state of innocency ; but from the accommodation of the law thereof unto them , after the entrance of sin . and hereby their sabbath rest became unto them a great part of their wearying burthensome yoke , which is taken off in christ. ( . ) this law was yet proposed to that church and people in the manner and form of a covenant , and not only materially , as a law or rule . this it had from the promises and threatnings which it was attended withall . there was adjoyned unto it , do this , and live ; and the man that doth these things shall live in them ; as also , cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the law to do them . not that it was hereby absolutely constituted a covenant , which eventually and finally they were to live or dye by , ( for as we shewed before , there was a relief provided against that condition in the promise , ) but god gave the old covenant an especial revival , though with respect unto other ends than were originally intended in it . hence this covenant form given unto it , rendred the obedience of that people in a great measure servile , for it gendred unto bondage . ( . ) the law being attended with various explanations , and many ordinances of judgement , deduced from the principles of moral right and equity contained in it , was made the rule of the polity and government of that people , as an holy nation under the rule of god himself who was their king. for their polity for the kind of it , was a theocracy , over which god in an especial manner presided as their governour and king. and hence he affirms , that when they would choose another king over them after the manner of the nations , that they rejected him from reigning over them ; though they resolved to adhere to his laws , and the manner of government prescribed to them . and this was peculiar to that people . hence the sabbath amongst them came to have an absolute necessity accompanying it of an outward carnal observance , the neglect whereof , or acting any thing against the law of it , was to be punished with death . ( . ) unto this renovation of the covenant in the manner , and for the ends expressed , there was added a typical church state , with a great number of religious laws and ordinances , in themselves carnal and weak , but mystically significant of spiritual and heavenly things ; and instructive how to use the promise that was before given , for their relief from the rigor and curse of the law or covenant , now proposed unto them . and in all these things did the covenant of god made with that people in the wilderness consist . the foundation , matter , manner of administration , promises and threatnings of it were the same , with the covenant of works ; but they were all accommodated to their ecclesiastical and political estate , with especial respect unto their approaching condition in the land of canaan ; only there was , in the promise , new ends and a new use given unto it , with a relief against its rigor and curse . § . on the account of the accessions that were thus made to the law , and especially unto the observation of the sabbath , is it often mentioned in the scripture , as that which god had in a peculiar manner given unto the israelites , in whose especial worship it had so great a place ; many of their principal ordinances haveing a great respect unto it ; it being also , the only means of keeping up the solemnity of natural worship in their synagogues among the people : acts . . thus god sayes concerning them , that he gave them his sabbaths in the wilderness , to be a sign between him and them , ezek. . , , . and it is said of the same time , nehem. . . that he made known unto them his holy sabbath ; that is , in the manner and for the ends expressed . nor is there any need why we should say , that he gave them , intends no more , but that he restored the knowledge of the sabbath amongst them , the memory whereof they had almost lost ; although that interpretation of the expression might be justified . for he sayes no where , that he then gave his sabbaths ; but that he then peculiarly gave them unto that people ; and that for the ends mentioned . for the sabbath was originally a moral pledge and expression of gods covenant rest , and our rest in god. and now was it appointed of god , to be a sign of the especial administration of the covenant which was then enacted . hence it is said , that he gave it them as a perpetual covenant , exod. . . that they might know him to be the lord that sanctified them , v. . that is , their god according to the tenor of that covenant , which was to continue throughout their generations ; that is , until the new covenant should be brought in and established by christ. thus was it peculiarly given unto them ; and so far as it was so ; as it was a sign of their covenant , as it was then first given , so it is now abolished . for , § . the renovation and change of the covenant must and did introduce a change in the rest annexed unto it . for a sabbath , or an holy rest , belongs unto every covenant between god and man. but as for the kind and nature of it , as to its ends , use , and manner of observation , it follows the especial kind or nature of that covenant wherein we at any season walk before god. now the original covenant of works being in this representation of it on sinai , not absolutely changed , or abolished , but a afresh represented unto the people , only with a relief provided for the covenanters against its curse and severity , with a direction how to use it to another end than was first given unto it , it follows that the day of the sabbatical rest could not be changed . and therefore was the observation of the seventh day precisely continued , because it was a moral pledge of the rest of god in the first covenant . for this the instructive part of the law of our creation , from gods making the world in six dayes , and resting on the seventh did require . the observation of this day therefore was still continued among the israelites , because the first covenant was again represented unto them . but when that covenant was absolutely , and in all respects as a covenant taken away and disannulled , and that not only as to its formal efficacy , but also as to the manner of the administration of gods covenant with men , as it is under the gospel , there was a necessity that the day of rest should also be changed , as i have more fully shewed elsewhere . i say then , that the precise observation of the seventh day enjoyned unto the israelites , had respect unto the covenant of works , wherein the foundation of it was laid , as hath been demonstrated . and the whole controversie about what day is to be observed now as a day of holy rest unto the lord , is resolved fully into this enquiry , namely , what covenant we do walk before god in . § . and that we may understand the whole nature of the judaical sabbath , it must moreover be considered , that the law in general , and all the precepts of it , was the instrument of the politie of the people under the government of god , as we before observed . for all the judgements relating unto civil things , were but an application of the moral law to their state and condition . hence , was the sanction of the transgressions of it , to be punished with death . so was it in particular , with respect unto the sabbath . numb . . partly , that it might represent unto them , the original sanction of the whole law as a covenant of works , and partly to keep that stubborn people by this severity within due bounds of government . nor was any thing punished by death judicially in the law , but the transgression of some moral command . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the hand of heaven is threatned against their presumptuous transgressions of the ceremonial law , where no sacrifice was allowed . i the lord will set my face against that man , and cut him off . this also made the sabbath a yoke and a burden , that wherein their consciences could never find perfect rest. and in this sense also it is abolished and taken away . again , it was made a part of their law for religious worship , in their typical church state , in which , and whereby the whole dispensation of the covenant which they were under , was directed unto other ends. and so it had the nature of a shadow , representing the good things to come , whereby the people were to be relieved from the rigor and curse of the whole law , as a covenant . and on these reasons , new commands were given for the observation of the sabbath , new motives , ends and uses were added thereunto , every way to accommodate it to the dispensation of the covenant then in force , which was afterwards to be removed and taken away , and therewithall the sabbath it self , so far as it had relation thereunto . for the continuation of the seventh day precisely belonged unto the new representation that was made of the covenant of works . the representation of that covenant , with the sanction given unto it amongst the judgements of righteousness in the government of the people in the land of canaan , which was the lords and not theirs , made it a yoke and burden ; and the use it was put unto amongst ceremonial observances , made it a shadow ; in all which respects it is abolished by christ. to say that the sabbath as given unto the jews is not abolished , is to introduce the whole systeme of mosaical ordinances , which stand on the same bottom with it . and particularly the observation of the seventh day precisely , lyeth as it were in the heart of that oeconomy . and these things will the more clearly appear , if we consider the dealing of god with that people about the sabbath from first to last . § . the jews , some of them at least , as was before discoursed , would have not only the first revelation of the sabbath unto them , or the renovation of its command , but its first institution absolutely to have been in their station at mara ; exod. . the vanity of this pretence we have before sufficiently discovered . and whereas this was the opinion of the talmudical masters of the middle ages since christ , they seem to have embraced it on the same account whereon they have invented many other fancies . for observing that a sabbath was in esteem amongst the christians , in opposition unto them , they began to contend , that the sabbath was , as they called it , the bride of the synagogue , and belonged to themselves alone , being given secretly to them only . the vanity of this pretence we have before laid open , and so shall not again insist upon it . § . the first peculiar dealing of god with them about the sabbath , was evidently in their first station at alush , exod. . the occasion of the whole is laid down , v. , . then said the lord unto moses , behold i will rain bread from heaven for you , and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day , that i may prove them whether they will walk in my laws or no ? and it shall come to pass , that in the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in , and it shall be twice as much as they gather dayly . here is no mention of the sabbath ; nor any reason given why they should gather a double portion on the sixth day . this command therefore must needs have seemed somewhat strange unto them , if they had before no notion at all of a seventh dayes sacred rest. they must else otherwise have been at a great loss in themselves , why they must double their measure on the sixth day . however it is apparent , that either they had lost the true day they were to observe through that long bondage in aegypt , or knew not what belonged to the due observation and sanctification of it . for when the people had observed this command , and gathered a double portion of manna , to keep one part of it for the next day , although they had experience that if at another season it were kept above one day , it would putrifie , and stink , v. . the rulers of the congregation fearing some mistake in the matter , go and acquaint moses with what was done amongst them , v. . hereon moses replyeth unto them , v. . this is that which the lord hath said , to morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the lord , bake that which you will bake . this is the first express mention of the sabbath unto , and amongst that people . and it sufficiently declares that this was not the absolute original of a sabbatical rest. it is only an appropriation and application of the old command unto them . for the words are not preceptive but directive . they do not institute any thing anew ; but direct in the practice of what was before . hence it is affirmed , v. . that god gave them the sabbath ; namely , in this new confirmation of it , and accommodation of it to their present condition . for this new confirmation of it , by withholding of manna on that day , belonged meerly and solely unto them , and was the especial limitation of the seventh day precisely , wherein we are not concerned who do live on the the true bread that came down from heaven . in those words therefore , to morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the lord , there is a certain limitation of the day , a direction for its sanctification , as confirmed by the new sign of withholding manna , all which belonged to them peculiarly . for this was the first time that , as a people , they observed the sabbath , which in aegypt they could not do . and into this institution and the authority of it , must they resolve their practice who adhere unto the observation of the seventh day precisely . for that day is no otherwise confirmed in the decalogue , but as it had relation hereunto . § . the jews in this place fall into a double mistake about the practical observation of their sabbath . for from those words , bake that which you will bake , and seethe that which you will seethe , and that which remaineth lay up for you to be kept untill the morning ; v. . they conclude it to be unlawful to bake or seethe any thing on the sabbath day ; whereas the words have respect only to the manna that was to be preserved . and from the words of v. . see , for that the lord hath given you the sabbath , therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two dayes ; abide you every man in his place , let no man go out of his place on the seventh day ; they have made a rule , yea many rules about what motions or removals are lawful on the sabbath day , and what not . and hence they have bound themselves with many anxious and scrupulous observances ; though the injunction it self do purely and solely respect the people in the wilderness , that they should not go out into the fields to look for manna on that day ; which some of them having done , v. . an occasion was taken from thence for this injunction . and hereunto do some of the heathen writers ascribe the original of the sabbatical rest among the jews ; supposing that the seventh day after their departure out of aegypt they came to a place of rest , in remembrance whereof they consecrated one day in seven to rest and idleness ever after , whereunto they add other fictions of an alike nature . see tacit . hist. lib. . § . not long after ensued the giving of the law on sinai , exod. . that the decalogue is a summary of the law of nature , or the moral law , is by all christians acknowledged , nor could the heathens of old deny it . and it is so perfectly . nothing belongs unto that law , which is not comprized therein . nor can any one instance be given to the contrary . nor is there any thing directly , and immediately in it , but what belongs unto that law. only god now made in it , an especial accommodation of the law of their creation unto that people , whom he he was in a second work now forming for himself , isa. . , , . chap. . , . and this he did as every part of it was capable of being so accommodated . to this purpose he prefaceth the whole with an intimation of his particular covenant with them ; i am the lord thy god ; and addeth thereunto the remembrance of an especial benefit , that they and they alone were made partakers of . that brought thee out of the land of aegypt , out of the house of bondage , which he did in the pursuit of his especial covenant with abraham and his seed . this made the obligation to obedience unto the law as promulgated on mount sinai , to belong unto them peculiarly ; to us , it is only an everlasting rule , as declarative of the will of god , and the law of our creation . the obligation , i say , that arose unto obedience from the promulgation of the law on mount sinai , was peculiar unto the israelites ; and sundry things were then and there mixed with it , that belonged unto them alone . and whereas the mercy , the consideration whereof , he proposeth as the great motive unto obedience , which was his bringing them out of aegypt , with reference unto his setling of them in the land of canaan , was a typical mercy , it gave the whole law a station in the typical church state which they were now bringing into . it altered not the nature of the things commanded , which for the substance of them were all moral ; but it gave their obedience unto it a new and typical respect , even as it was the tenor of the covenant made with them in sinai , with respect unto the promised land of canaan , and their typical state therein . § . this in an especial manner was the condition of the fourth commandment . three things are distinctly proposed in it . ( . ) the command for an observance of a sabbath day , v. . remember the sabbath day to keep it holy . this contains the whole substance of the command . the formal reason whereof is contained in the last clause of it , wherefore the lord blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it . and upon the neglect of the observance of the sabbath in former generations , with a prospect on the many difficulties that would arise among the people in the observation of it for the future , as also because the foundation and reason of it in the law of creation , being principally external in the works and rest of god that ensued thereon , were not so absolutely ingrafted in the minds of men , as continually to evidence and manifest themselves , as do those of the other precepts , there is an especial note put upon it for remembrance . and whereas it is a positive precept , as is that which follows it , all the rest being negatives , it stood more in need than they of a particular charge , and special motives ; of which nature one is added also to the next command , being in like manner a positive enunciation . ( . ) secondly , there is an express determination of this sabbath to be one day in seven , without which it was only included in the original reason of it , v. , . six dayes shalt thou-labour , and do all thy work , but the seventh day is the sabbath of the lord thy god. and herein the day originally fixed in the covenant of works is again limited unto this people , to continue unto the time of the full introduction and establishment of the new covenant . and this limitation of the seventh day , was but the renovation of the command when given unto them in the way of an especial ordinance , exod. . and belongs not to the substance of the command it self . yea take the command it self without respect unto its explications elsewhere , and it expresseth no such limitation ; though vertually because of the precedent institution , exod. . it be contained in it . hence ( thirdly ) there is a prescription for the manner of its observance accommodated unto the state and condition of that people , and that two wayes , ( . ) in comprehending things spiritual under things carnal , when yet the carnal are of no consideration in the worship of god , but as they necessarily attend upon things spiritual . hence that part of the command which concerns the manner of the observation of the sabbath to be kept holy , is given out in a prohibition of bodily labour and work , or a command of bodily rest. but it is the expression of the rest of god and his complacency in his works and covenant , with the sanctification of the day in obedience to his commands , in and by the holy duties of his worship , that are principally intended in it . and this he farther intimates afterwards unto them by his institution of a double sacrifice to be offered morning and evening on that day . ( . ) in the distribution of the people into the capital persons with their relations , servants and strangers , that god would have to live amongst them , and joyn themselves unto them . in the whole it appears , that the sabbath is not now commanded to be observed , because it is the seventh day , as though the seventh day were firstly and principally intended in the command , which as we have shewed , that neither the substance of the command , nor the reason of it , with which the whole of the precept is begun and ended , will admit of ; but the seventh day is commanded to be observed , because by an antecedent institution it was made to be the sabbath unto that people , exod. . ( whence it came to fall under the command , not primarily , but reductively ) as it had been on another account from the foundation of the world. the sabbath therefore is originally commanded as one day in seven to be dedirated unto an holy rest. and the seventh day , if we respect the order of the dayes , is added , as that especial day , which god had declared that he would have at that time his sabbath to be observed on . now all these things in the law of the sabbath are mosaical ; namely , the obligation that arose unto its observation , from the promulgation of the law unto that people on sinai ; the limitation of the day unto the seventh or last of the week , which was necessary unto that administration of the covenant , which god then made use of , and had a respect unto a previous institution ; the manner of its observance suited unto that servile and bondage frame of mind which the giving the law on mount sinai did ingenerate in them , as being designed of god so to do ; the ingrafting it into the systeme and series of religious worship then in force , by the double sacrifice annexed unto it , with the various uses in , and accommodations it had unto the rule of government in the commonwealth of israel ; in all which respects it is abolished and taken away . § . god having disposed and setled the sabbath , as to the seventh day , and the manner of its observation , as a part of the covenant then made with that people , he thereon makes use of it in the same manner , and unto the same ends with the residue of the institutions and ordinances which he had then prescribed unto them . this he doth , exod. . , , , , , . and the lord spake unto moses saying , speak thou unto the children of israel , saying , verily , my sabbaths ye shall keep , for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations , that ye may know that i am the lord that doth sanctifie you . ye shall keep the sabbath therefore , for it is holy unto you . every one that defileth it , shall surely be put to death , for whosoever doth any work therein , that soul shall be cut off from amongst his people . six dayes may work be done , but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest holy to the lord , whosoever doth any work on the sabbath day , shall surely be put to death . wherefore the children of israel shall keep the sabbath , to observe the sabbath throughout their generations , for a perpetual covenant . it is a sign between me and the children of israel for ever . for in six dayes the lord made heaven and earth , and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed . this is the next mention of the sabbath amongst that people , wherein all that we have before laid down is fully confirmed . god had now by moses appointed other sabbaths , that is monthly and annual sacred rests to be observed unto himself . with these he now joyns the weekly sabbath , in allusion whereunto , they have that name also given unto them . he had sufficiently manifested a difference between them before . for the one he pronounced himself on mount sinai , as part of his universal and eternal law. the other he instituted by revelation unto moses , as that which peculiarly belonged unto them . the one was grounded on a reason wherein they had no more concern or interest than all the rest of mankind ; namely , gods rest on his works , and being refreshed thereon , upon the creation of the world , and the establishment of his covenant with man : the other , all built on reasons peculiar unto themselves , and that church state whereinto they were admitted . but here the sabbaths of both these kinds are brought under the same command , and designed unto the same ends and purposes . now the sole reason hereof lies in those temporary and ceremonial additions which we have manifested to have been made unto the original law of the sabbath in its accommodation to their church state , with the place which it held therein , as we shall see yet farther in particular . § . the occasion of this renovation of the command was the building of the tabernacle , which was now designed , and forthwith to be undertaken . and with respect hereunto , there was a double reason for the repetition of this command . first , because that work was for an holy end , and so upon the matter an holy work ; and whereon the people were very intent ; hence they might have supposed , that it would have been lawfull for them to have attended unto it on the sabbath dayes . this therefore god expresly forbids , that they might have no pretence for the transgression of his command . and therefore is the penalty annexed unto it , so expresly here appointed and mentioned . secondly , as the tabernacle now to be built , was the only seat of that solemn instituted worship which god was now setting up amongst them ; so the sabbath being the great means of its continuance and performance , this they were now to be severely minded of , lest by their neglect and forgetfulness thereof , they might come to a neglect and contempt of all that worship , which was as it were built upon it . and as we observed before more than once , the weekly sabbath being inserted into the oeconomy of their laws , as to the matter of works and rest , it is comprized in the general with other feasts called sabbaths also . verily , my sabbaths ye shall keep . and in this regard they are all cast together by our apostle , col. . . and the sabbath dayes . and they who by vertue of this and the like commands , would bind us up to the judaical sabbath , do certainly lose both that , and all other ground for the observance of any sabbath at all . for look in what respects it is joyned with the other sabbaths by moses , in the same it is taken away with them by the apostle . § . there is a treble appropriation of the weekly sabbaths in this place made unto the church of the israelites . ( . ) in that the observation of it is required of them in their generations , that is , during the continuance of that church state , which was to abide to the coming of christ. for what was required of them in their generations , as it was required , was then to expire and be abolished . ( . ) that they were to observe it , as a perpetual covenant , or as a part of that covenant which god then made with them , which is called everlasting , because it was to be so unto them , seeing god would never make any other peculiar covenant with them . and whereas all the statutes and ordinances that god then gave them belonged unto , and altogether entirely made up that covenant , some of this , as this especial command for the sabbath , and that of circumcision , are distinctly called the covenant , and ceased with it . ( . ) it was given unto them as an especial pledge of the covenant that god then made with them , wherein he rested in his worship , and brought them to rest therein in the land of canaan , whereby they entred into gods rest. hence it is called a sign between them . v. , , which is repeated and explained , ezek. . . a sign it was , or an evident expression of the present covenant of god , between them and him ; not a sacramental or typical sign of future grace in particular ; any otherwise than as their whole church constitution , and their worship in general whereof by these means it was made a part , were so ; that is , not in it self or its own nature , but as prescribed unto them . and a present sign between god and them it was upon a double account . ( . ) on the part of the people ; their assembling on that day for the celebration of the worship of god , and the avowing him alone therein to be their god , was a sign , or an evident express acknowledgement that they were the people of the lord. and this doth not in the least impeach its original morality ; seeing there is no moral duty , but in its exercise or actual performance may be so made a sign . ( . ) on the part of god , namely , that it was he who sanctified them . for by this observance , they had a visible pledge that god had separated them unto , and for himself ; and therefore had given them his word and ordinances , as the outward means of their further sanctification to be peculiarly attended unto on that day . and on these grounds it is , that god is elsewhere said to give them his sabbaths , to reveal them unto them , as their peculiar priviledge and advantage . and their priviledge it was . for although in comparison of the substance and glory of things to be brought in by christ , with the liberty and spirituality of gospel worship , all their ordinances and institutions were a yoke of bondage , yet considering their use , with their end and tendency , compared with the rest of the world at that time , they were an unspeakable priviledge , psal. . v. , . however therefore the sabbath was originally given before unto all mankind ; yet god now by the addition of his institutions to be observed on that day whereby he sanctified the people , made an enclosure of it , so far unto them alone . lastly , here is added a peculiar sanction under the penalty of death . he that transgresseth it shall surely be put to death , v. . god sometimes threatneth cutting off and extermination unto persons , concerning whom yet the people had no warranty to proceed capitally against them ; only he took it upon himself , as the supream legislator and rector of that people , to destroy them and cut them off , as they speak , by the hand of heaven . but where ever this expression is used , he shall surely be put to death , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , dying he shall dye , there the people , or the judges among them are not only warranted , but commanded to proceed judicially against such an offendor . and in this respect it belonged unto that severe government which that people stood in need of , as also to mind them of the sanction of the whole law of creation as a covenant of works , with the same commination of death unto all transgressors . in all these regards , the sabbath was judaical , and is absolutely abolished and taken away . § . the command is renewed again , exod. . . six dayes thou shalt work , but on the seventh day thou shalt rest , in earing time and in harvest thou shalt rest . earing time and harvest are the seasons wherein those who till the ground , are most intent upon their occasions , and do most hardly bear with intermissions , because they may be greatly to their dammage . wherefore they are insisted on , or specified , to manifest that no avocation nor pretence can justifie men in working or labour on that day . for by expressing earing and harvest all those intervenings also are intended in those seasons , whereon damage and loss might redound unto men , by omitting the gathering in of their corn. and it should seem on this ground , that on that day , they might not labour neither to take it away before a flood , nor remove it from an approaching fire . so some of the masters think , although our saviour convince them from their own practice , in relieving cattel fallen into pits on that day , luke . . and by loosing them that were tyed to lead them to watering , chap. . . that they did not conceive this universally , to be the intendment of that law , that in no case , any work was to be done . and it seems they were wiser for their asses in those dayes , than the poor wretch was for himself in latter ages , who falling into the jakes at tewkesbury on that day , would not suffer himself to be drawn out , if the story be truely reported in our chronicles . in general , i doubt not but that this additional explanation in a way of severity , is in its proper sense purely judaical , and contains something more of rigidness , that is required by the law of the sabbath as purely moral . § . mentioned it is again with a new addition , exod. . , . six dayes shall work be done , but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day , a sabbath of rest unto the lord : whosoever doth work therein shall be put to death . ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations on the sabbath day . here again the penalties , and the prohibition of kindling fire are mosaical ; and so is , on their account , the whole command , as here renewed , though there be that in it , which for the substance of it , is moral . and here the seventh day precisely is made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holiness unto them ; ( or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a convocation of holiness ; an holy convocation as it is expressed , levit. . . where these words are again repeated ) whose profanation was to be avenged with death . the prohibition also added about kindling of fire in their habitations hath been the occasion of many anxious observances among the jews . they all agree that the kindling of fire for profit and advantage , in kilns , and oasts for the making of brick , or drying of corn , or for founding or melting mettals , is here forbidden . but what need was there that so it should be ; seeing all these things are expresly forbidden in the command in general , thou shalt do no manner of work ; somewhat more is intended . they say therefore , that it is the kindling of fire for the dressing of victuals ; and this indeed seems to be the intendment of this especial law ; as the manna that was to be eaten on the sabbath , was to be prepared on the parasecue . but withal i say , this is a new additional law , and purely mosaical ; the original law of the sabbath making no entrenchment on the ordinary duties of humane life , as we shall see afterwards . whether it forbad the kindling of fire , for light and heat , i much question the present jews in most places employ christian servants about such works . for the poor wretches care not what is done to their advantage ; so they do it not themselves . but these and the like precepts belonged unquestionably unto their paedagogie , and were separable from the original law of the sabbath . § . lastly , the whole matter is stated , deut. . . where after the repetition of the commandment , it is added ; and remember that thou wast a servant in the land of aegypt , and that the lord thy god brought thee out thence , through a mighty hand , and by a stretched out arm ; therefore the lord thy god commanded thee to keep the sabbath day . the mercy and benefit they had received in their deliverance from aegypt is given as the reason , not why they should keep the sabbath , as it was proposed as a motive unto the observation of the whole law in the preface of the decalogue ; but wherefore god gave them the law of it , to keep and observe . therefore the lord thy god commanded thee to keep the sabbath . now the reason of the command of a sabbatical rost absolutely , god had every where declared to be , his making the world in six dayes , and resting on the seventh . the mention whereof in this place is wholly omitted ; because an especial application of the law unto that people is intended . so that it is evident , that the mosaical sabbath was on many accounts , and in many things distinguished from that of the decalogue , which is a moral duty . for the deliverance of the people out of aegypt , which was a benefit peculiar unto themselves , and typical of spiritual mercies unto others , was the reason of the institution of the sabbath as it was mosaical , which it was not nor could be of the sabbath absolutely ; although it might be pressed on that people as a considerable motive , why they ought to endeavour the keeping of the whole law. § . from all that hath been discoursed , it appears . that the observation of the seventh day precisely from the beginning of the world , belonged unto the covenant of works ; not as a covenant , but as a covenant of works , founded in the law of creation ; and that in the administration of that covenant , which was revived , and unto certain ends reinforced unto the church of israel in the wilderness , it was bound on them by an especial ordinance to be observed throughout their generations , or during the continuance of their church state. moreover , that as to the manner of the observance required by the law , as delivered on mount sinai , it was a yoke and burden to the people , because that dispensation of the law , gendred unto bondage , gal. . . for it begot a spirit of fear and bondage in all that were its children , and subject unto its power . in this condition of things , it was applyed unto sundry ends in their typical state , in which regard it was a shadow of good things to come . and so also was it in respect of those other additional institutions , and prohibitions which were inseparable from its observation amongst them , whereof we have spoken . on all these accounts i doubt not but that the mosaical sabbath and the manner of its observation is under the gospel utterly taken away . but as for the weekly sabbath , as required by the law of our creation , reinforced in the decalogue the summary representation of that great original law , the observation of it is a moral duty , which by divine authority is translated unto another day . § . the ancient jews have a saying , which by the later masters is abused , but a truth is contained in it . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sabbath gives firmitude and strength to all the affairs of this world. for it may be understood of the blessing of god , on the due observation of his worship on that day . hence it was they say , that any young clean beast that was to be offered in sacrifice , must continue seven dayes with the damm , and not be offered until the eighth , levit. . . that a child was not to be circumcised until the eighth day , that there might be an interposition of a sabbath for their benediction . and it is not unlikely that the eighth day was also signalized hereby , as that which was to succeed in the room of the seventh , as shall be manifested in our next discourse . the fifth exercitation of the lords-day . ( ) a summary of what hath been proved , a progress to the lords-day . ( ) the new creation of all things in christ , the foundation of gospel-obedience and worship . ( ) the old and new creation compared ( ) the old and new covenant . ( ) distinct ends of these covenants . ( ) supposition of the heads of things before confirmed . ( ) foundation of the lords-day on those suppositions . ( ) christ the ●uthor of the new creation ; his works therein ( ) his rest from his works the indication of a new day of rest. ( ) observed by the apostles . ( ) proof of the lords-day from heb. . proposed . ( ) the words of the text. ( ) esign of the apostle in general . ( ) his answer unto an objection ; with his general argument . ( ) the nature of the rests treated on by him . ( ) the church under the law of nature , and its rest. ( ) the church under the law of institution , and its rest. ( ) the church under the gospel , and its rest. ( ) the foundation of it . ( ) christ his works , and his rest , intended heb. . ( ) this farther proved by sundry arguments . ) what were his works whereby the church was founded . ( ) his entrance into his rest , not in his death , but in his resurrection . ( ) the day of rest limited and determined hereby . ( ) the sabbatism that remains for the people of god. ( ) the sending of the holy ghost . ( ) church assemblies on the first day of the week . ( ) the lords-day , rev. . . ( ) the sum of the preceding discourse . ( ) necessity of the religious observation of one day in seven . ( ) blessing of god on the church-worship on the first day . ( ) of the seventh day sabbath , judaism restored in it . of the ebionites . ( ) schisms perpetuated by the opinion of the seventh day sabbath ( ) penalty of the law reinforced with it . ( ) the whole legal . § . how the creation of all things was finished . and the rest of god and man that ensued thereon , hath been declared . it hath also in part , and sufficiently as unto our present purpose , been evidenced , how the great ends of the creation of all , in the glory of god , and the blessedness of man in him , with the pledge thereof in a sabbatical rest , were for a season as it were defeated and disappointed by the entrance of sin , which brake the covenant that was founded in the law of creation , and rendred it useless unto those ends . for the law became weak through sin , and the flesh , or the corruption of our nature that ensued thereon , rom. . . hence it could no more bring man to rest in god. but yet a continuation of the obligatory force of that law and covenant , with the direction of it unto other ends and purposes , than at first given unto them , was under the old testament designed of god , and hath been declared also . hence was the continuation of the original sabbatical rest , in the church of israel , with the especial application of its command unto that people , insisted on in the preceding discourse . in this state of things , god had of old determined the renovation of all by a new creation ; a new law of that creation , a new covenant , and a new sabbatical rest , unto his own glory by jesus christ ; and these things are now to be discussed . § the renovation of all things by jesus christ is prophesied of end foretold , as a new creation of all , even of the heavens and the earth , and all things contained in them , psal. . , . chap. . . pet. hence the state of things to be introduced thereby , was under the old testament called the world to come , heb. . . so it is still called by the jewish masters , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so kimchi amongst other expositions of the title of psal. . a psalm or song for the sabbath day , addes this , as that which the most antient rabbins fixed on , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they interpreted it of the world to come , which shall be wholly sabbath and rest , and these are the dayes of the messiah . a spiritual rest it is they intend , and not a cessation of a sabbath-day in particular ; seeing in the prophesie of the new temple , or church-state in those dayes , there is especial direction given for the service of the sabbath-day , ezek. . . and this renovation of all things is said accordingly to be accomplished in christ , cor. . , . old things are past away , behold all things are become new ; the old law , old covenant , old worship , old sabbath , all that was peculiar unto the covenant of works as such , in the first institution of it , and its renewed declaration on mount sinai , all are gone , and antiquated . what now remains of them as to any usesulness in our living to god , doth not abide on the old foundation , but on a new disposition of them , by the renovation of all things in christ. for in the dispensation of the fulness of times . god gathered unto an head all things in christ , both which are in heaven , and which are on earth , even in him , ephes. . . the whole old creation , as far as it had any thing in its self , or its order , that belonged unto , or communicated any thing towards our living unto god and his glory , is disposed anew in christ jesus unto that end. but this renovation of all , which is the foundation of all our acceptable obedience unto god , and of his present worship , consists principally in the regeneration of the elect , making them new creatures , and the erection of a new church-state thereby to the glory of god. now this new creation of all must answer unto all the ends of the old , in reference unto the glory of god , and the good of them who are partakers of it ; otherwise it would not be so rightly called , nor answer the declared ends of it , which was to gather all things to an head in christ jesus . for what was lost by sin , as to the glory of god in the old creation , in this , was to be repaired and recovered . § . we may then , as the foundation of our present discourse , consider how these things answer unto one another . first , the old creation comprized in it the law of the obedience of all creatures unto god. this was therein and thereby implanted on their natures , with inclinations , natural , or moral , unto the observation of it . and thus must it be also in the new creation , as unto the subject of it , which is the church . this law of the old creation unto man , consisted principally in the image of god in him , and con-created with him . for hereby did he both know his duty , and was enabled to perform it , and was acquainted with his relation unto god , and dependance upon him , which rendred it necessary and indispensible . but this law in the state of creation , fell under a double consideration , or had a double use ; first of rule , and then as a principle . as a rule , the light that was in the mind of man , which was a principal part of the image of god in him , acquainted him with his whole duty , and directed him in the right performance of it . as a principle , it respected the ability that the whole man was endowed withall , to live to god according to his duty . this law , as to its first use , being much impaired , weakned , and in a great measure made useless by sin , god was pleased to restore it in the vocal revelation of his will , especially in the decalogue , which with his own finger he wrote in tables of stone . in answer hereunto , a new law of obedience is introduced by the new creation in christ jesus . and this principally consisted in the renovation of the image of god in the new creatures , which was lost by sin : for they are renewed in the spirit of their minds , and do put on that new man , which after god is created in righteousness and true holiness , ephes. . , . and this fully answers the first law , as it was a principle of light , and power , unto obedience . and in a great measure it supplys the loss of it , as it was a rule also ; for there is a great renovation thereof in god's writing his law in our hearts , not here to be insisted on . but in this new creation god designed to gather up all that was past , in the old , and in the law thereof , and in the continuation of it by writing under the old testament , unto one head in christ. wherefore he brings over in this state , the use of the first law , as renewed and represented in tables of stone for a directive rule of obedience unto the new creature ; whereby the first original law is wholly supplyed . hereunto he makes an addition of what positive laws he thinks meet , as he did also under the old law of creation , for the tryal of our obedience , and our furtherance in it . so the moral law of our obedience is in each condition , the old and the new , materially the same ; nor is it possible that it should be otherwise . but yet this old law , as brought over into this new estate , is new also . for all things are become new . and it is now the rule of our obedience , not meerly and absolutely unto god as the creator , the first cause and last end of all , but as unto god in christ bringing of us into a new relation unto himself . in the renovation then of the image of god in our souls , and the transferring our of the moral law as a rule accompanied with new distinct principles , motives and ends , doth the law of the new creation consist , and fully answer the law of the first , as it was a principle and a rule , each of them having their peculiar positive laws annexed unto them . § . secondly , the law of creation had a covenant included in it , or inseparably annexed unto it . this also we have before declared , and what belonged thereunto , or ensued necessarily thereon . thus therefore must it be also in the new creation , and the law thereof : yea because the covenant is that which as it were gathereth all things together , both in the works and law of god , and our obedience , disposing them into that order which tendeth to the glory of god , and the blessedness of the creatures in him ; this is that which in both creations is principally to be considered . for without this , no end of god in his works , or law , could be attained , nor man be made blessed in a way of righteousness and goodness unto his glory . and the law of creation no otherwise failed , nor became useless as to its first end by sin , but that the covenant of it was thereby broken and rendred useless , as to the bringing of man unto the enjoyment of god. this therefore was principally regarded in the new creation , namely the making , confirming , and ratifying of a new covenant . and the doing hereof was the great promise under the old testament , jerem. . . whereby the believers who then lived , were made partakers of the benefits of it . and the confirming of this covenant in and by christ , is expressed as a part of the new creation , heb. . . and it is indeed comprehensive of the whole work of it . § . thirdly , the immediate end of the old covenant , was to bring man by due obedience unto the rest of god. this god declared in , and unto his inbred native light , by his works and his rest that ensued thereon , and the day of rest which he instituted as a pledge thereof , and as a means of attaining it , by that obedience which was required in the covenant . this we have before declared , and this was the true original and end of the first sabbatical rest. all these things therefore must have place also in the new covenant , belonging unto the new creation . the immediate end of it , is our entring into the rest of god , as the apostle proves at large , heb. . but herein we are not absolutely to enter into gods rest , as a creator and rewarder , but into the rest of god in christ , the nature whereof will be fully explained in our exposition of that chapter . for obedience is now to be yielded unto god , not absolutely , but to god in christ , and with that respect therefore are we to enter into rest. the foundation hereof must lye in the works of god in the new creation , and the complacency with rest which he took therein . for all our rest in god , is founded in his own rest in his works . for a pledge hereof , a day of rest must be given and observed ; the reasons and necessity whereof we have explained and confirmed in our preceding discourses . this , as hath been shewed , originally was the seventh day of the week . but as the apostle tells us in another case , the priesthood being changed , there must also of necessity a change of the law ensue ; so the covenant being changed , and the rest which was the end of it being changed , and the way of entring into the rest of god being changed , a change of the day of rest must of necessity thereon ensue . and no man can assert the same day of rest precisely to abide , as of old , but he must likewise assert the same law , the same covenant , the same rest of god , the same way of entring into it , which yet , as all acknowledge , are changed . the day first annexed unto the covenant of works , that is , the seventh day , was continued under the old testament , because the outward administration of that covenant was continued . a relief indeed was provided against the curse and penalty of it , but in the administration of it , the nature , promises , and threatnings of that covenant , though with other ends and purposes , were represented unto the people . but now that covenant being absolutely abolished , both as to its nature , use , efficacy and power , no more to be represented nor proposed unto believers , the whole of it , and its renewed administration under the old testament being removed , taken away , and disappearing , heb. . the precise day of rest belonging unto it , was to be changed also ; and so it is come to pass . § . we must here suppose what hath been before proved and confirmed . there was a day of holy rest unto god , necessary to be observed by the law and covenant of nature , or works ; neither was or could either of them be compleat without it , looking on them as the rule and means of mans living unto god , and of his coming to the enjoyment of him . that this day was in the innate right of nature , as directed by the works of god , designed and proposed unto it for that purpose to be one day in seven . this was it to learn , and this it did learn from gods creating the world in six dayes , and resting on the seventh ; for god affirms every where , that because he did so , therefore it was the duty of man to labour on six dayes , as his occasions do require , and to rest on the seventh . this therefore they were taught by those works and rest of god , or it could not be proposed as the reason of their suitable practice ; and for this end did god so work and rest. the law therefore of this holy rest he reneweth in the decalogue , amongst those other laws , which being of the same nature and original , namely branches of the law of our creation , were to be unto us moral and eternal . for god would no longer entrust his mind and will in that law unto the depraved nature of man , wherein , if he had not in the best , often guided and directed it by fresh extraordinary revelations , it would have been of little use to his glory ; but committed it by vocal revelation to the minds of the people , as the doctrinal object of their consideration , and recorded it in tables of stone . moreover , the nature of the first covenant , and the way of gods instructing man in the condition of it by his works and rest , had limited this holy day unto the seventh day , the observation whereof was to be commensurate unto that covenant , and its administration , however the outward forms thereof might be varied . § . on these suppositions we lay , and ought to lay the observation of the lords day under the new testament , according to the institution of it , or declaration of the mind of christ , who is our lord and law-giver concerning it . . a new work of creation , or a work of a new creation is undertaken and compleated , isa. . . chap. . , . pet. . . rev. . . rom. . , . cor. . . gal. . . . this new creation is accompanied with a new law , and a new covenant ; or the law of faith , and the covenant of grace , rom. . . chap. . , , . jer. . , , . heb. . , , , , , . . unto this law and covenant a day of holy rest unto the lord doth belong , which cannot be the same day with the former , no more than it is the same law , or the same covenant , which were originally given unto us , heb. . . rev. . . . that this day was limited and determined to the first day of the week by our lord jesus christ , is that which shall now further be confirmed ; only i must desire the reader to consider , that whereas the topical arguments whereby this truth is confirmed , have been pleaded , improved , and vindicated by many of late , i shall but briefly mention them , and insist principally on the declaration of the proper grounds and foundations of it . § . as our lord jesus christ , as the eternal son and wisdom of the father , was the immediate cause , and author of the old creation , joh. . . col. . . heb. . , . so as mediatour , he was the author of this new creation , heb. . , . he built the house of god ; he built all these things , and is god. herein he wrought , and in the accomplishment of it , saw of the travail of his soul , and was satisfied , isa. . . that is , he rested and was refreshed . herein he gave a new law of life , faith , and obedience unto god , isa. . . not by an addition of new preceps to the moral law of god , not virtually comprized therein , and distinct from his own positive institutions of worship , but in his revelation of that new way of obedience unto god in and by himself , with the especial causes , means , and ends of it , which supplyes the use and end whereunto the moral law was at first designed , rom. . , . chap . , . whereby he becomes the author of eternal salvation unto all that do obey him , heb. . . this law of life and obedience , he writes by his spirit in the hearts of his people , that they may be willing in the day of his power , psal. . . cor. . , . heb. . not at once , and in the foundation of his work actually , but only in the causes of it . for as the law of nature should have been implanted in the hearts of men in their conception , and natural nativity , had that dispensation of righteousness continued ; so in the new birth of them that believe in him , is this law written in their hearts in all generations , joh. . . hereon was the covenant established , and all the promises thereof , of which he was the mediatour , heb. . . and for an holy day of rest , for the ends before declared , and on the suppositions before laid down , evincing the necessity of such a day , he determined the observation of the first day of the week . for , § . first , on this day he rested from his works , in and by his resurrection ; for then had he laid the foundation of the new heavens , and new earth , and finished the works of the new creation , when all the stars sang together , and all the sons of god shouted for joy . on this day he rested from his works , and was refreshed , as god did , and was from his . for although he worketh hitherto , in the communication of his spirit and graces , as the father continued to do in his works of providence , after the finishing of the works of the old creation , though these works belonged thereunto ; yet he ceaseth absolutely from that kind of work whereby he laid the foundation of the new creation : henceforth he dieth no more . and on this day was he refreshed in the view of his works , for he saw that it was exceeding good . now as gods rest , and his being refreshed in his work , on the seventh day of old , was a sufficient indication of the precise day of rest , which he would have observed under the administration of that original law and covenant ; so the rest of our lord jesus christ , and his being refreshed in and from his works on the first day , is a sufficient indication of the precise day of rest , to be observed under the dispensation of the new covenant now confirmed and established . and the church of christ could not pass one week under the new testament , or in a gospel-state of worship , without this indication . for the judaical sabbath , as sure as it was so , and as sure as it was annexed unto the mosaical administration of the covenant , was so far abolished , as not to oblige really the disciples of christ in conscience unto the observation of it , whatever any of them might for a season apprehend . and if a new day was not now determined , there was no day or season appointed , for an observance of an holy rest unto the lord , nor any pledge given us of our entring into the rest of christ. and those who say , that it is required that some time be set apart unto the ends of a sabbatical rest , but that there is no divine indication of that time , when , not what it is , or shall be , if we consider what are the ends of such a rest , as before declared , must allow us to expect firmer proofs of their uncouth assertion , than any as yet we have met withall . § . accordingly , this indication of the gospel day of rest and worship , was embraced by the apostles , who were to be as the chief corner-stones , the foundation of the christian church . for immediately hereon they assembled themselves on that day , and were confirmed in their obedience by the grace of our lord , in meeting with them thereon , joh. . , . and it seems that on this day only he appeared unto them , when they were assembled together , although occasionally he shewed himself to sundry of them at other seasons . hence he left thomas under his doubts an whole week , before he gave him his gracious conviction , that he might do it in the assembly of his disciples on the first day of the week . from which time forward this day was never without its solemn assemblies , as shall further be cleared afterwards . § . now because i am perswaded that the substance of all that we have laid down and pleaded for , in all the preceding discourses , especially in what we have proposed concerning the foundation and causes of the lords-day , is taught by the apostle paul in his epistle to the hebrews , chap. . i shall present unto the reader the sum of his design and scope in that place , from vers . . to vers . . with an application of it unto our present purpose ; referring him yet , for farther satisfaction , unto our full exposition of the chapter it self . for this place is touched on by all who have contended about the original and duration of the sabbatical rest , but not yet that i know of diligently examined by any . i shall not fear to lay much of the weight of the cause wherein i am engaged upon it , and therefore shall take a view of the whole context , and the design of the apostle therein . § . the words of the apostle are ; for we which have believed do enter into rest , as he said , as i have sworn in my wrath , if they shall enter into my rest : although the works were finished from the foundation of the world . for he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise , and god did rest the seventh day from all his works . and in this place again , if they shall enter into my rest. seeing therefore it remaineth taht some must enter therein , and they to whom it was first preached , entred not in because of unbelief : again , he limiteth a certain day , saying , in david , to day , after so long a time ; as it is said , to day if you will hear his voice , harden not your hearts . for if jesus had given them rest , then wonld he not afterwards have spoken of another day . there remaineth therefore a rest to the people of god. for he that is entred into his rest , he hath also ceased from his own works , as god did from his , heb. . v. , , , , , , , , . § . the design of the apostle in this discourse , is to confirm what he had laid down , and positively asserted in the beginning of the chapter . now this is , that there is yet under the gospel a promise of entring into the rest of god , left or remaining unto believers ; and that they do enter into that rest , by mixing the promise of it with faith. this he declares ; and the declaration of it was usefull unto , and necessary for the hebrews . for he lets them know , that notwithstanding their present , and antient enjoyment of the land of canaan , with the worship and rest of god therein , which their forefathers fell short of by their unbelief , they were under a new tryal , a new rest being proposed unto them in the promise this he proves by a testimony out of the th . psalm , the words whereof he had insisted on at large chap. . and doth so again in this . but the application of that testimony unto his purpose , is obnoxious to a great objection ; for the rest mentioned in that psalm , seems to be a rest long since past and enjoyed , either by themselves or others . they therefore could have no new or fresh concernment in it , nor be in danger of coming short of it . and if this were so , all the arguments and exhortations of the apostle in this place , must needs be weak and incogent , as drawn from a mistaken and misapplyed testimony . § . to remove this objection , and thereby confirm his former assertions and exhortations thereon , is the design of the apostle in this discourse . to this end he proceeds unto the exposition and vindication of the testimony it self , which he had cited out of the psalms . and herein he shews from the proper signification of the words , from the time when they were spoken , and the persons to whom , that no other rest was intended in them , but what was now by him proposed unto them , as the rest of god and his people , in the gospel . the general argument which to this purpose he insists upon , consists in an enumeration of all the several rests of god and his people , which are mentioned in the scriptures . for from the consideration of them all , he proves that no other rest could be intended in the words of david , but only the rest of the gospel , whereinto they enter who do believe . moreover , from that respect which the ●●●ds of the psalmist have unto the other foregoing rests of god and his people , he manifests that they 〈◊〉 were appointed of god , to be representations of that spiritual rest which was now brought in and established . this is the general design of this discourse . in pursuit hereof , he declares in particular , ( ) that the rest mentioned in the psalm , is not that which ensued immediately on the creation of all things . this he evinceth , because it was spoken of afterwards , a long time after , and that to another purpose , v. , . ( ) that it was not the rest of the land of canaan , because that was not entred into by them unto whom it was first proposed and promised ; for they came short of it by their unbelief , and perished in the wilderness ; but this rest which is now afresh proposed is such , as the people of god must and will enter into , v. , . ( ) whereas it may be objected , that although the wilderness generation entred not in , yet their posterity did so under the conduct of joshua , v. . he answers , that this rest in the psalm being proposed and promised in david so long a time , ( above years ) after the people had quietly possessed the land whereinto they were conducted by joshua , it must needs be that another rest then yet to come , was intended in those words of the psalmist , v. . and ( ) to conclude his argument , he declareth that this new rest had a new peculiar foundation , which the other had no interest or concernment in , namely his ceasing from his works , and entring into his rest , who is the author of it , verse . this is his way and manner of arguing for the proof of what he had before laid down , and which he issueth in that conclusion , verse . there remaineth therefore a rest for the people of god. § . but we must yet further consider the nature of the several rests here discoursed of by the apostle , which will give light and confirmation unto what we have before discoursed . to this purpose will the ensuing propositions taken from the words conduce : as , . the rest of god is the foundation and principal cause of our rest. hence in general it is still called gods rest ; if they shall enter into my rest ; it is on some account or other gods rest before it is ours : not the rest only which he hath appointed , commanded , and promised unto us , but the rest wherewith himself rested , as is plainly declared on every head of the rests here treated of . and this confirms that foundation and reason of a sabbatical rest which we have laid down in our third exercitation . gods rest is not spoken of absolutely , with respect unto himself only , but with reference unto an appointed rest that ensued thereon , for the church to rest with him in . hence it follows , that the rests here mentioned are as it were double , namely the rest of god himself , and the rest that ensued thereon for us to enter into . for instance , at the finishing of the works of creation , which is first proposed , god ceased from his works , and rested . this was his own rest , the nature whereof hath been before declared : he rested on the seventh day ; but this was not all , he blessed it for the rest of man , a rest for us ensuing on his rest , an expressive representation of it , and a pledge of our entring into , or being taken into a participation of the rest of god. . the apostle proposeth the three-fold state of the church unto consideration : ( ) the state of it under the law of nature or creation . ( ) the state of it under the law of institutions , and carnal ordinances . ( ) that then introducing under the gospel . accordingly have we distinguished our discourses concerning a sabbatical rest , in our third , and fourth , and this present exercitation . to each of these he assigns a distinct rest of god , a rest of the church , entring into gods rest , and a day of rest , as the means and pledge thereof . and withall he manifests that the two former were ordered to be previous representations of the latter , though not equally , nor on the same account . first , he considers the church and the state of it under the law of nature , before the entrance of sin ; and herein he shews first that there was a rest of god in it ; for saith he , the works were finished from the foundation of the world , and god did rest from all his works , verse , . as the foundation of all , he layeth down first the works of god. for the church and every peculiar state of the church is founded in the work , some especial work of god , and not meerly in a law or command . the works saith he , were finished from the foundation of the world ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the works ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the work , that is of god , the effect of his creating power , was finished or compleated ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , from the foundation of the world : a periphrasis of the six original dayes , wherein time , and all things measured by it , and existent with it , had their beginning . this work of god , as hath been proved exercit. . was the foundation of the church in the state of nature , and gave unto it the entire law of its obedience . on this work and the compleating of it , ensued the rest of god himself , verse . god rested the seventh day from all his works . this rest of god , and his refreshment he took in his works , as comprizing the law and covenant of our obedience , have been explained already . but this alone doth not confirm nor indeed come near the purpose or argument of the apostle . for he is to speak of such a rest of god , as men might enter into , as was a foundation of rest unto them , or otherwise his discourse was not concerned in it ; whereupon by ●●citation of the words of moses from gen. . . he tells us , that this rest of god was on the seventh day , which god accordingly blessed and san●tified , to be a day of rest unto man. so that in this state of the church there were three things considerable ; ( ) the rest of god himself on his works , wherein the foundation of the church was laid . ( ) a rest proposed unto man to enter into with god , wherein lay the duty of the church . and ( ) a day of rest , the seventh day , as a remembrance of the one , and a means and pledge of the other . and herewith we principally confirm our judgement , in the sabbaths beginning with the world. for without this supposition , the mentioning of gods work and his rest , no way belonged to the purpose of our apostle . for he discourseth only of such rests as men might enter into , and have a pledge of . and there was no such thing from the foundation of the world , unless the sabbath were then revealed : nor is it absolutely the work and rest of god , but the obedience of men , and their duty , with respect unto them , which he considers . and this could not be , unless the rest of god was proposed unto men to enter into , from the foundation of the world . § . secondly , the apostle considers the church under the law of institutions ; and herein he representeth the rest of the land of canaan , wherein also the three distinct rests before-mentioned do occurre . . there was in it a rest of god. this gives denomination to the whole : he still calls it his rest ; if they shall enter into my rest. and the prayer about it was , arise o lord into thy rest , thou and the ark of thy strength , or the pledge of his presence and rest. and this rest also ensued upon his work , for god wrought about it works great and mighty , and ceased from them when they were finished . and this work of his answered in its greatness unto the work of creation , whereunto it is compared by himself , isa. . , . i am the lord thy god that divided the sea , whose waves roared , the lord of hosts is his name , and have put my words in thy mouth , and have covered thee in the shadow of my hand , that i may plant the heavens , and lay the foundation of the earth , and say unto zion thou art my people . the dividing of the sea whose waves roared , is put by a synecdoche for the whole work of god , preparing a way for the church-state of that people in the land of canaan . and this he compares to the work of creation , in planting the heavens , and laying the foundation of the earth . for although those words are but a metaphorical expression of the political and church-state of that people , yet there is an evident allusion in them unto the original creation of all things . this was the work of god , upon the finishing whereof , he entred into his rest , in the satisfaction and complacency that he had therein . for after the erection of his worship in the land of canaan , he sayes of it , this is my rest , aná here will i dwell . . god being thus entred into his rest. in like manner as formerly , two things ensue thereon : ( ) that the people are invited and encouraged to enter into the rest of god. this the apostle treats concerning in this and the foregoing chapter . and this their entrance into rest , was their coming by faith and obedience into a participation of the worship of god wherein he rested , as a means and pledge of their everlasting rest in him . and although some of them came short hereof , by reason of their unbelief , yet others entred into it under the conduct of joshua . ( ) both these , his own rest , and rest of the people , god expressed by appointing a day of rest. this he did , that it might be a token , sign , and pledge , not now , as given to this people absolutely of his first rest at the creation , but of his present rest in his instituted worship ; and to be a means in the solemn observation of that worship , to farther their entrance into his rest eternally . hence had the seventh day a peculiar institution among that people , whereby it was made to them , a sign and token , that he was their god , and they were his people . and here lies the foundation of all that we have before discoursed concerning the judaical sabbath , in our fourth exercitation . it is true , this day was the same in order of the dayes , with that before observed ; namely , the seventh day of the week . but it was now re-established upon new considerations , and unto new ends and purposes . the time of the change of the day was not yet come ; for this work was but preparatory for a greater . and the covenant whereunto the seventh day was originally annexed , being not yet to be abolished , that day was not to be yet changed , nor another to be substituted in the room of it . hence this day became now to fall under a double consideration : first , as it was such a proportion of time as was requisite unto the worship of god , and appointed as a pledge of his rest in his covenant . secondly , as it received a new institution , with superadded ends and significations , as a token and pledge of gods rest in the law of institutions , and the worship erected therein . so both these states of the church , had these three things distinctly ; a rest of god on his works for their foundation ; a rest in obedience and worship for man to enter into ; and a day of rest as a pledge and token of both the other . § . thirdly , the apostle proves from the words of the psalmist , that there was yet to be a third state of the church ; an especial state under the messia , which he now proposed unto the hebrews , and exhorted them to enter into . and in this church-state , there is to be also a peculiar state of rest , distinct from them which went before . to the constitution hereof , there are three things required . first , that there be some signal work of god compleated and finished , whereon he enters into his rest. this was to be the foundation of the whole new church-state , and of the west to be obtained therein . secondly that there be a spiritual . rest ensuing thereon , and arising thence , for them that believe to enter into . thirdly , that there be a new , or renewed day of rest , to express that rest of god , and to be a pledge of our e●tring into it . if any of these , or either of them be wanting , the whole structure of the apostles discourse , will be dissolved ; neither will there be any colour remaining for his mentioning the seventh day , and the rest thereof . these things therefore we must farther enquire into . § . first , the apostle sheweth , that there was a great work of god , and that finished , for the foundation of the whole . this he had made way for , chap. . vers . , . where he both expresly asserts the son to be god , and shews the analogie that is between the creation of all things , and the building of the church ; that is , the works of the old and new creation . as then god wrought in the creation of all , so christ , who is god , wrought in the setting up of this new church-state . and upon his finishing of it , he entred into his rest , as god did into his , whereby he limited a certain day of rest unto his people . so he speaks ; there remaineth therefore a sabbatism for the people of god. for he that is entred into rest , hath ceased from his works , as god did from his own . a new day of rest accommodated unto this new church-state , ariseth from the rest that the lord christ entred into , upon his ceasing from his works . and as to this day , we may observe ; ( ) that it hath this in common with the former dayes , that it is a sabbatism , or one day in seven , which that name in the whole scripture use , is limited unto . for this portion of time to be dedicated unto sacred rest , having its foundation in the light and law of nature , was equally to be observed in every state of the church . ( ) that although both the former states of the church had one , and the same day , though varied in some ends of it ; now the day it self is changed , as belonging to another covenant , and having its foundation in a work of another nature , than what they had respect unto . ( ) that the observation of it is suited unto the spiritual state of the church under the gospel , delivered from the bondage frame of spirit wherewith it was observed under the law. and these things must be farther confirmed from the context . § . the foundation of the whole is laid down v. . for he that is entred into his rest , is ceased from his works , as god from his own . expositors generally apply these words unto believers , and their entring into the rest of god ; whether satisfactorily to themselves and others , as to their design , coherence , scope , or signification of particular expressions , i know not . the contrary appears with good evidence to me ; for what are the works that believers should be said here to rest from ? their sins , say some ; their labours , sorrows and sufferings , say others . but how can they be said to rest from these works , as god rested from his own ? for god so rested from his , as to take the greatest delight and satisfaction in them , to be refreshed by them . in six dayes the lord made heaven and earth , and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed , exod. . . he so rested from them , as that he rested in them , and blessed them , and blessed and sanctified the time wherein they were finished . we have shewed before , that the rest of god was not only a cessation from working , nor principally ; but the satisfaction and complacency that he had in his works . but now if those mentioned be the works here intended , men cannot so rest from them , as god did from his . but they cease from them , with a detestation of them , so far as they are sinfull ; and joy for their deliverance from them , so far as they are sorrowfull . this is not to rest , as god rested . again ; when are believers supposed to rest from these works ? it cannot be in this world : for here we rest not at all from temptations , sufferings , and sorrows ; and in that mortification of sin which we attain unto , yet the conflict is still continued , and that with severity unto death , rom . . it must therefore be in heaven that they thus rest ; and so it is affirmed accordingly . but this excludes the rest in and of the gospel , from the apostles discourse , which renders it altogether unsuitable to his purpose . this i have so fully demonstrated in the exposition of the chapter , as that i hope it will not be gainsayed . thirdly , there is no comparison in the whole discourse between the works of god , and the works of men , but between the works of god in the creation , and under the law on the one side , and those in and under the gospel on the other . and the whole comparison is summed up and closed in this verse . § . it appears therefore that the subject of the apostles proposition in this place hath been mistaken . it is another who is intended , even christ himself , the son of god , and his rest from his works , which is here compared with the rest of god from his , at the foundation of the world , to which end alone the mention of them was introduced , verse , . for , first , the conjunction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for , whereby he brings in his assertion , manifests that the apostle in these words gives an account whence it is that there is a new sabbatism remaining for the people of god. there remains a sabbath-keeping for the people of god ; for he that is entred into his rest , is ceased from his works . had there not been a work laying the foundation of the gospel-church-state , and a rest of god in it , and ensuing thereon , there could have been no such sabbatism for believers , for those things are required unto a sabbath . he had proved before , that there could be no such rest but what was founded in the works of god , and his rest that ensued thereon ; such a foundation therefore , he saith , this new rest must have , and it hath it . this must be and is in the works and rest of him by whom the church was built , that is christ , who is god , as it is expresly argued , chap. . vers . , . for as that rest which all the world was to observe , was founded in his works and rest who made the world , and all things in it ; so the rest of the church under the gospel is to be founded in his works and rest , by whom the church was built , that is jesus christ : for he on the account of his works and rest is also lord of the sabbath , to abrogate one day of rest , and to institute another . secondly , the apostle here changeth the manner of his expression from the plural absolutely , we who believe , or virtually in the name of a multitude , the people of god , into that which is absolutely singular ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , he that is entred . a single person is here expressed , with respect unto whom the things mentioned are asserted ; and of this change of phrase , there can be no other reason given . thirdly , the rest which this person is said to enter into , is called his rest absolutely . as god speaking of the former rest , calls it , my rest , so this is the my rest , of another , namely the rest of christ : whereas when the entring of believers into rest is spoken of , it is called either gods rest , they shall enter into my rest ; or rest absolutely , we that believe do enter into rest , but not their rest , or our rest , for it is not our own absolutely , but gods rest whereinto we enter , and wherein we rest . but the rest here is the rest of him whose it is , and who is the author of ours . fourthly , there is a direct parallel in the words , between the works of the old creation , and those of the new , which are compared by the apostle . for , . there are the authors of them , which on the one side is said to be god ; as god did from his own , that is god the creator , or god as creator ; on the other , he , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , chap. . vers . . that is he of whom we speak , as the apostle declares himself , vers . . for in these words a transition is made unto his treating of the person of christ. . the works of the one and the other are expressed . the works of the creator are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , his proper works , his own works , the works of the old creation , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and there are the works of him of whom he speaks , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , his works , those which he wrought in like manner as god did his own at the beginning ; that is the work of building the church . for these works must answer each other , and have the same respect unto their authors ; they must be good and compleat in their kind , and such as rest and refreshment may be taken in , and on them . to compare the sins and sufferings of men with the works of god , our apostle did not intend . . there is the rest of the one and the other ; and these also have their mutual proportion . now god rested from his own works of creation , ( ) by ceasing from creating , only continuing all things by his power in their order , and propagating them unto his glory . ( ) by his respect unto them , and refreshment in them , as those which expressed his excellencies , and set forth his praise , and so satisfied his glorious design . so also must he rest who is spoken of . ( ) he must cease from working in the like kind of works ; he must suffer no more , die no more , but only continue the work of his grace and power in the preservation of the new creature , and the orderly increase and propagation of it by his spirit . ( ) he takes delight and satisfaction in the works that he hath wrought ; for he sees of the travel of his soul , and is satisfied , and is in the possession of that glory which was set before him , whilest he was engaged in this work . and these things sufficiently clear the subject here spoken of , namely that it is jesus christ the mediator . § . the works that the rest mentioned respects have been sufficiently intimated ; and i have so fully insisted on them in the exposition of the third and fourth verses of the third chapter of this epistle , that i shall not here again repeat them . in brief , all that he did and suffered in and from his incarnation to his resurrection , as the mediator of the covenant , with all the fruits , effects , and consequences of what he so did and suffered , whereby the church was built , and the new creation finished , belongs unto these works . his rest that ensued on these works hath two parts ; ( ) a cessation from his works , which was eminent , and answered gods rest from his own . ( ) satisfaction in his works , and the glorious product of them , as those which had an impression on them , of his love and grace , psal. . . § . it remains only that we enquire into his entrance into his rest , both how and when he did so , even as god entred into his on the seventh day ; for this must limit and determine a day of rest to the gospel-church . now this was not his lying down in the grave . his body indeed there rested for a while ; but that was no part of his mediatory rest , as be was the founder and builder of the church . for , ( ) it was a part of his humiliation : not only his death , but his abode and continuance in the state of death , was so ; and that a principal part of it . for after the whole humane nature was personally united unto the son of god , to have it brought into a state of dissolution , to have the body and soul separated from each other , was a great humiliation . and every thing of this nature belonged unto his works , and not his rest. ( ) this separation of body and soul under the power of death , was poenal , a part of the sentence of the law which he underwent . and therefore peter declares , that the pains of death were not loosed but in his resurrection , act. . . whom god , saith he , hath raised up , loosing the pains of death , because it was not possible that he should be holden of it . whilst he was held of it , he was under it penally . this therefore could not be his rest , nor any part of it . nor did he in it enter into his rest , but continued in his work. nor dly . did he first enter into his rest at his ascension : then indeed he took actual possession of his glory , as to the full publick manifestation of it . but to enter into rest is one thing , and to take possession of glory another . and it is placed by our apostle as a consequent of his being justified in the spirit , when he entred into rest , tim. . . but this his entrance into rest , was in , by , and at his resurrection from the dead . for , ( ) then and therein was he freed from the sentence , power and stroke of the law ; being discharged of all the debts of our sins , which he had undertaken to make satisfaction for , acts . . ( ) then and therein were all types , all predictions and prophesies fulfilled , which concern the work of our redemption . ( ) then therefore his work was done , i mean that which answereth gods creating work , though he still continue that which answers his work of preservation . then was the law fulfilled and satisfied , sathan subdued , peace with god made , the price of our redemption paid , the promise of the spirit received , and the whole foundation of the church of god gloriously laid on his person , in his works and rest. ( ) then and therein was he declared to be the son of god with power , rom. . . god manifesting unto all , that this was he concerning and unto whom he said , thou art my son , this day have i begotten thee , acts . . § . thus did the author of the new creation , the son of god , the builder of the church , having finished his works , enter into his rest. and this was , as all know , on the morning of the first day of the week . and hereby did he limit and determine the day for a sacred sabbatical rest under the new testament . for now was the old covenant utterly abolished , and therefore the day which was the pledge of gods and mans rest therein , was to be taken away , and was so accordingly , as we have shewed . as the rest from the beginning of the world , had its foundation from the works of god , and his rest which ensued thereon , which was determined unto the seventh day , because that was the day wherein god ceased from those works , which day was continued under the legal administration of the covenant by moses ; so the rest of the lord christ the son of god , is the foundation of our rest , which changing the old covenant , and the day annexed unto it , he hath limited unto the first day of the week , whereon he ceased from his works , and entred into his rest. and hereby the apostle compleats the due analogy that is between the several rests of god and his people , which he hath discoursed of in this chapter . for as in the beginning of the world , there was first , the work of god , and his rest thereon , which made way unto a rest for his people in himself and in his worship , by the contemplation of his works that he had made , on whose finishing he rested ; and a day designed , determined , blessed and sanctified , to express that rest of god ; whence mention is made of those works in the command for the observation of that day , seeing the workship of god in and on it , consisted principally in the glorifying of him , by , and for those works of his ; as also to be a means to further men in their entrance into eternal rest , whereunto all these things do tend ; and as at the giving of the law , there was a great work of god , and his rest thereon , in his establishing his worship in the land of canaan , which made way for the peoples entring into his rest in that worship and countrey , and had a day of rest enjoyned unto them , to express the one and the other , as also to help them to enter finally into the rest of god ; so now under the gospel there is a rest answering all these , in and by the instances which we have given . § . and this is that which the apostle affirms , as the substance of all which he hath evinced : namely , that there is a sabbatism for the people of god , v. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : the word is framed by our apostle from an hebrew original , with a greek termination . and he useth it , as that which is comprehensive of his whole sense , which no other word would be . for he would shew that there is a sabbatical rest founded in the rest of god , remaining for the church ; and therefore makes use of that word , whereby god expressed his own rest when he sanctified the seventh day , for a day of rest thereon . that day of rest being removed , and another , on a new foundation , namely , the rest of christ upon his works introduced , he calls it a sabbatism , or a sabbath-keeping . he doth not do this only and separately , averring the necessity of a sabbath-observation in the first place , distinctly from a spiritual rest in christ , with an eternal rest ensuing thereon ; but in the manner and order before laid down , wherein the necessity of such a day is included . and besides the evidence that ariseth from the consideration of the whole context , there are two things which make it undeniably evident , that our apostle asserts an evangelical sabbath , or day of rest , to be constantly observed in and for the worship of god under the gospel . for first , without this design , there can be no tolerable reason assigned , why he should mention the works of god from the foundation of the world , with his rest that ensued thereon , and referr us to the seventh day , which without respect unto another day to be introduced , doth greatly involve his whole discourse . again , his use of this word , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a sabbatism , which is framed , and as it were coyned on purpose , that it might both comprise the spiritual rest aimed at , and also a sabbath-keeping , or observation of a sabbath rest , manifests his purpose . when he speaks of our rest in general , he still doth it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , adding , that there was an especial day for its enjoyment . here he introduceth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a sabbatism , which his way of arguing would not have allowed , had he not designed to express the christian sabbath . adde hereunto , that he subjoynes the especial reason of such a days observation in the next verse , as we have declared . and here do we fix the foundation and reason of the lords-day , or the holy observation of the first day of the week ; the obligation of the fourth commandment unto a weekly sacred rest , being put off from the seventh day to the first , on the same grounds and reasons whereon the state of the church is altered from what it was under the law , unto what it is now under the gospel . and the covenant it self also is changed ; whence the seventh day is now of no more force , than the old covenant , and the old law of institutions , contained in ordinances , because the lord christ hath ceased from his works , and entred into his rest , on the first day . § . here we have fixed the foundation of the observation of the lords-day , on the supposition of what hath been proved concerning our duty in the holy observance of one day in seven , from the law of our creation , as renewed in the decalogue . the remaining arguments evincing the change of the day from the seventh unto the first by divine authority , shall be but briefly touched on by me , because they have been lately copiously handled , and fully vindicated by others . wherefore , ( ) when the lord christ intended conspicuously to build his church upon the foundation of his works and rest , by sending the holy ghost with his miraculous gifts upon the apostles , he did it on this day , which was then among the jews the feast of pentecost , or of weeks . then were the disciples gathered together with one accord , in the observance of the day signalized to them by his resurrection , acts . . and by this doth their obedience receive a blessed confirmation , as well as their persons a glorious endowment with abilities for the work which they were immediately to apply themselves unto . and hereon did they set out unto the whole work of building the church on that foundation , and promoting the worship of it , which on that day was especially to be celebrated . § . the practice of the apostles , and the apostolical churches , owned the authority of christ in this change of the day of sacred rest. for hence forward , whatever apprehensions any of them might have of the continuance of the judaical sabbath , as some of them judged that the whole service of it was still to be continued , yet they observed this day of the lord , as the time of their assemblies and solemn worship . one or two instances hereof may be called over , acts . , . we came to troas in five dayes , where we abode seven dayes . and upon the first day of the week , when the disciples came together to break bread , paul preached unto them , ready to depart on the morrow , and continued his speech untill midnight . i doubt not but in the seven dayes that the apostle abode there , he taught and preached as he had occasion in the houses of the believers ; but it was the first day of the week , when they used according to their duty , to assemble the whole body of them , for the celebration of the solemn ordinances of the church , synecdochically expressed by breaking of bread. this they did , without any extraordinary warning or calling together ; for in answer to their duty they were accustomed so to do . such is the account that justin martyr gives of the practice of all churches in the next age ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . on the day called sunday there is an assembly of all christians , whether living in city or the countrey ; and because of their constant breaking of bread on this day , it was called dies panis , august . epist . and athanasius proved that he brake not a chalice at such a time , because it was not the first day of the week when it was to be used , socrat. lib. . cap. and whosoever reads this passage without prejudice , will grant , that it is a marvellous , abrupt , and uncouth expression , if it do not signifie that which was in common observance amongst all the disciples of christ , which could have no other foundation but only that before laid down , of the authority of the lord christ requiring it of them . and i doubt not but that paul preached his farewel sermon unto them , which continued untill midnight , after all the ordinary service of the church was performed . and all the objections which i have met withall against this instance , amount to no more but this ; that although the scripture sayes , that the disciples met for their worship on the first day of the week , yet indeed they did not so do . cor. . . the same practice is exemplified ; upon the first day of the week , let every one of you lay by him in store as god hath prospered him , that there be no gatherings when i come . the constant day of the churches solemn assemblies being fixed , he here takes it for granted , and directs them unto the observance of an especial duty on that day . what some except , that here is no mention of any such assembly , but only that every one on that day should lay by himself what he would give , which every one might do at home , or where they pleased , is exceeding weak , and unsuitable unto the mind of the apostle . for to what end should they be limited unto a day , and that the first day of the week , for the doing of that which might be as well , to as good purpose and advantage , performed at any other time , on any other day of the week whatever ? besides it was to be such a laying aside , such a treasuring of it in a common stock , as that there should be no need of any collection when the apostle came . but if this was done only privately , it would not of its self come together at his advent , but must be collected . but all exceptions against these testimonies have been so lately removed by others , that i shall not insist farther on them . § . that from these times downwards the first day of the week had a solemn observation in all the churches of christ , whereby they owned its substitution in the room of the seventh day , applying the duties and services of a sabbath unto it , hath also been demonstrated . and that this was owned from the authority of the lord , is declared by john in the revelation , who calls it the lords day , rev. . . whereby he did not surprize the churches with a new name , but denoted to them the time of his visions , by the name of the day which was well known unto them . and there is no solid reason why it should be so called , but that it owes its pre-eminence and observation unto his institution and authority . and no man who shall deny these things , can give any tolerable account , how , when , or from whence this day came to be so observed , and so called . it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the lords day , the day of the lord , as the holy supper is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , cor. . . the lords supper , by reason of his institution . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the day of the lord in the old testament , which the lxx render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , no where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , signifies indeed , some illustrious appearance of god in a way of judgement or mercy . and so also in the person of christ , this was the day of his appearance , mark . . so was it still called by the ancient writers of the church . ignatius in epist. ad trall . ad magnes . ect . dionysius of corinth . epist. ad rom. in euseb. hist. lib. . cap. . theophilus antioch . lib. . in . evangel . clemens alex. stromat . lib. . cap. . origen lib. . con . cels. tertul. de coron . milit . cap. . as for those who assign the institution of this day to the apostles , although the supposition be false , yet it weakens not the divine original of it . for an obligation lying on all believers to observe a sabbath unto the lord , and the day observed under the law of moses being removed , it is not to be imagined that the apostles fixed on another day , without immediate direction from the lord christ. for indeed they delivered nothing to be constantly observed in the worship of god , but what they had his authority for , cor. . . in all things of this nature , as they had the infallible guidance of the holy ghost , so they acted immediately in the name and authority of christ , where what they ordained was no less of divine institution , than if it had been appointed by christ in his own person . it is true , they themselves did for a season , whilest their ministery was to have a peculiar regard to the jews , for the calling and conversion of the remnant that was amongst them , according to the election of grace , go frequently into their synagogues on the seventh day to preach the gospel , act. . . chap. . . chap. . . chap. . . but it is evident that they did so , only to take the opportunity of their assemblies , that they might preach unto the greater numbers of them , and that at such a season wherein they were prepared to attend unto sacred things . upon the same ground paul laboured if it were possible to be at hierusalem at the feast of pentecost , act. . . but that they at any time assembled the disciples of christ on that day for the worship of god , that we read not . § . we may now look back , and take a view of what we have passed through . that one day in seven is by virtue of a divine law to be observed holy unto the lord , the original of such an observation , gen. . . the letter of the fourth commandement , with the nature of the covenant between god and man , do prove and evince . and hereunto is there a considerable suffrage given by learned men of all parties . the doctrine of the reformed divines hereabouts hath been largely represented by others . they also of the church of rome , that is , many of them agree herein . it is asserted in the canon law it self . tit. de feriis cap. licet , where the words of alexander the third are , tam veteris quam novi testamenti pagina septimum diem ad humanam quietem specialiter deputavit ; where by septimus dies he understands one day in seven , as suarez sheweth , de relig. lib. . cap. . and it is so by sundry canonists reckoned up by covarruvias . the schoolmen also give in their consent , as bannes in a . a . g. . a. . bellarmine contends expresly , decultsanct . lib. . cap. . that jus divinum requirebat ut unus dies hebdomadae dicaretur cultui divino . so doth suarez , de dieb . sac . cap. . and others might be added . we have the like common consent , that whatever in the institution and observation of the sabbath under the old testament was peculiar unto that state of the church , either in its own nature , or in its use and signification , or in its manner of observance , is taken away by virtue of those rules , rom. . . gal. . . col. . , . nor can it be denied but that sundry things annexed unto the sabbatical rest , peculiar to that church-state which was to be removed , were wholly inconsistent with the spirit , grace , and liberty of the gospel . i have also proved , that the observation of the seventh day precisely , was a pledge of gods rest in the covenant of works , and of our rest in him , and with him thereby ; so that it cannot be retained without a re-introduction of that covenant , and the righteousness thereof . and therefore although the command for the observation of a sabbath to the lord , so far as it is moral is put over into the rule of the new covenant , wherein grace is administred for the duty it requires ; yet take the seventh day preeisely as the seventh day , and it is an old testament arbitrary institution , which falls under no promise of spiritual assistance in , or unto the observation of it . under the new testament we have found a new creation , a new law of creation , a new covenant , the rest of christ in that work , law , and covenant , the limiting of a day of rest unto us , on the day wherein he entred into his rest , a new name given unto this day , with respect unto his authority by whom it was appointed , and an observation of it by all the churches , so that we may say of it , this is the day which the lord hath made , we will rejoyce and be glad in it , as psal. . . § . these foundations being laid , i shall yet by some important considerations , if i mistake not , give some farther evidence unto the necessity of the religious observation of the first day of the week , in opposition unto the day of the law , by some contended for . it is therefore , first , acknowledged , that the observation of some certain day , in and for the solemn publick worship of god , is of indispensible necessity they are beneath our consideration by whom this is denyed . most acknowledge it to be a dictate of the law of nature , and the nature of these things doth require it . we have proved also , that there is such a determination of this time , unto one day in seven , as it must needs be the highest impudence in any person , persons or churches , to attempt any alteration herein . and notwithstanding the pretences of some about their liberty , none yet have been so hardy from the foundation of the world , as practically to determine a day for the worship of god , in any other revolution of dayes or times , to the neglect and exclusion of one day in seven . yea the light hereof is such , and the use of it so great , that those who have taken up with the worst of superstitions instead of religion , as the mahumetans , yet complying in general with the performance of a solemn worship to god , have found it necessary to fix on one certain day in the hebdomadal revolution for that purpose . and indeed partly from the appointment of god , partly from the nature of the thing it self , the religious observation of such a day , is the great preservative of all solemn profession of religion in the world. this the law of nature , this the written word directs unto , and this experience makes manifest unto all . take away from amongst men , a conscience of observing a fixed stated day of sacred rest to god , and for the celebration of his worship in assemblies , and all religion will quickly decay , if not come to nothing in this world. and it may be observed , though it be not evident whether be the cause , or the effect , that where , and amongst whom religion flourisheth in its power , there , and amongst them is conscience the most exercised , and the most diligence used in the observation of such a day . i will not say absolutely that it is religion , or other principles , that teacheth men exactness in the observation of this day ; nor on the other hand , that a conscience made of this observation , doth procure an universal strictness in other duties of religion . but this is evident , that they are mutually helpfull unto one another . and therefore though some have laboured to divest this observation of any immediate divine authority , yet they are forced to supply such a constitution for the observation of one day in seven , as that they affirm , that none can omit its observation without sin in ordinary cases ; whether they have done well to remove from it the command of god , and to substitute their own in the room of it , they may do well to consider . § . let then the state of things in reference unto the first day of the week , with the presence of god in , and his blessing upon the worship of the church therein , be considered . and this is a consideration , as i think , by no means to be despised . it is manifest to all unprejudiced persons , that the apostles and apostolical churches , did religiously observe this day . and no man can with any modesty question , the celebration of the worship of god therein , in the next succeeding generations . in the possession of this practise are all the disciples of christ at this day in the world , some very few only excepted , who sabbatize with the jews , or please themselves with a vain pretence that every day is unto them a sabbath . nor is it simply the catholicism of this practise which i insist upon ; though that be such , and hath such weight in things of this nature , as that for my part i shall not dissent from any practise that is so attested : but it is the blessing of god upon it , and the worship on this day performed , which is pleaded , as that which ought to be of an high esteem with all humble christians . on this day , throughout all ages , hath the edification of the churches been carried on , and that publick revenue of glory been rendred unto god which is his due . on this day hath god given his presence unto all his solemn ordinances , for all the ends for which he hath appointed them . nor hath he by any means given the least intimation of his displeasure against his churches , for their continuance in the observation of it . on the other side , not only have the wisest and holiest men , who have complained of the sins of their several times and ages wherein they lived , which procured the pouring out of the judgements of god upon them , constantly reckoned the neglect and prophanation of the lords-day among them ; but such instances have been given of particular severities against them who have openly prophaned this day , and that upon unquestionable testimonies , as may well affect the minds and consciences of those who profess a reverence of god , in the holy dispensations of his providence . nor can any of these things be pleaded , to give countenance unto any other day , that should be set up in competition with the lords-day , or the first day of the week . what of this nature can be spoken concerning the seventh day now by some contended for , and that which is grievous , by some persons holy and learned ? of what use hath it ever been to the church of god , setting aside the occasional advantages taken from it by the apostles , of preaching the gospel in the synagogues of the jews ? what testimonies have we of the presence of god with any churches , in the administration of gospel-ordinances and worship on that day ? and if any lesser assemblies do at present pretend to give such a testimony , wherein is it to be compared with that of all the holy churches of christ throughout the world in all ages , especially in those last past . let men in whose hearts are the wayes of god , seriously consider the use that hath been made under the blessing of god , of the conscientious observation of the lords-day , in the past and present age , unto the promotion of holiness , righteousness , and religion universally in the power of it , and if they are not under invincible prejudices , it will be very difficult for them to judge , that it is a plant which our heavenly father hath not planted . for my part , i must not only say , but plead whilst i live in this world , and leave this testimony to the present and future ages , if these papers see the light , and do survive , that if i have ever seen any thing in the wayes and worship of god , wherein the power of religion or godliness hath been expressed ; any thing that hath represented the holiness of the gospel , and the author of it ; any thing that hath looked like a proeludium unto the everlasting sabbath and rest with god , which we aim through grace to come unto , it hath been there , and with them , where and amongst whom the lords-day hath been had in highest esteem , and a strict observation of it attended unto , as an ordinance of our lord jesus christ. the remembrance of their ministry , their walking and conversation , their faith and love , who in this nation have most zealously pleaded for , and have been in their persons , families , and churches or parishes , the most strict observers of this day , will be precious with them that fear the lord , whilst the sun and moon endure . their doctrine also in this matter , with the blessing that attended it , was that which multitudes now at rest , do bless god for ; and many that are yet alive , do greatly rejoyce in . let these things be despised by those who are otherwise minded , to me they are of great weight and importance . § . let us now a sittle consider the day that by some is set up , not only in competition with this , but to its utter exclusion . this is the seventh day of the week , or the old judaical sabbath , which some contend that we are perpetually obliged to the observation of , by vertue of the fourth commandment . the grounds whereon they proceed in their affertion , have been already disproved , so far as the nature of our present undertaking will admit ; and such evidences given unto the change of the day , as will not easily be everted , nor removed . the consequences of the observation of the seventh day , should the practice of it be re-assumed amongst christians , is that which at present i shall a little enquire into , when we have summed up somewhat of what hath been spoken . ( ) it was not directly , nor absolutely required in the decalogue , but consequentially only , by way of appropriation to the mosaical oeconomy , whereunto it was then annexed . the command is to observe the sabbath-day , and the blessing is upon the sabbath-day ; god blessed the sabbath-day . and the mention of the seventh day in the body of the command , fixeth the number of the dayes in whose revolution a sabbatical rest returns , but determines not an everlasting order in them ; seeing the order relating to the old creation , is inconsistent with the law , reason , and worship of the new. and if the seventh day and the sabbath , as some pretend , are the same , the sense of the command in the enforcing part of it is , but the seventh day , is the seventh day of the lord thy god , which is none at all . ( ) the state of the church , and the administration of the covenant , whereunto the observation of this day was annexed , are removed , so that it cannot continue , no more than an house can stand without a foundation . ( ) the lord christ who was the lord of the sabbath , and by assuming that iitle to himself , manifested his authority as to the disposal of the day whereon a sabbatical rest was to be observed , hath in his own rest from his works , limited unto us another day of sacred rest , called from his appointment of it , the lords-day , his day who is the lord of the sabbath . ( ) the day so introduced by his authority , hath from the day of his rest been observed without interruption , or any such difference about it , as fell out among the churches of god about other feast dayes , whose observation was introduced among them , they knew not well how ; as of the pascha , and the like . and whereas the due observation of it , hath been enjoyned by councils , edicts of emperors , kings , and princes , laws of all sorts ; advised and pressed by the antient writers amongst christians , and the practice of its observance taken notice of by all who from the beginning have committed the affairs of christianity unto posterity ; yet none of any sort pretend to give it any original , but all mediately , or immediately referr it unto christ himself . the observation then of this day , first , is an evident judaizing , and a returnal unto those rudiments of the world , which the apostle so severely cautioneth us against . i know not how it is come to pass , but so it is faln out , that the nearer judaism is unto an absolute abolition and disappearance , the more some seem inclinable to its revival and continuance , or at least to fall back themselves into its antiquated observances . an end it had put to it morally and legally long ago , in the coming , death and resurrection of jesus christ. and we may say of it , what the apostle said of idols when the world was full of idolatry , we know that judaism is nothing in the world ; no such thing as by some it is esteemed . the actual abolition of it in the profession of the present jews , by the removing of the veyle from their hearts and eyes , and their turning unto god , we hope , is in its approach . and yet , as was said , there seems in many an inclination unto their rites , and servile observances . it is apparent in the acts and epistles of the apostles , especially that to the hebrews , that at the first preaching of the gospel , there were very many jews who came over to the faith and profession of it . many of these continued zealous of the law , and would bring along with them all their mosaical institutions , which they thought were to abide in force for ever . in this weakness and mis-apprehension , they were forborn in the patience of god , and wisdome of the holy ghost , guiding the apostles and disciples of jesus christ. in this state things continued unto the destruction of hierusalem and the temple , when the chiefest cause of their contests was taken away . in the mean time they carried themselves very variously , according to the various tempers of their minds . for it is apparent that some of them were not content themselves to be indulged in their opinions and practices , but they endeavoured by all means to impose the observance of the whole mosaical law on the churches of the gentiles . their circumcision , their sabbaths , their feasts and fasts , their abstinences from this or that kind of meats , they were contending about , and thereby perverting the minds of the disciples . some stop was put to the evil consequences hereof in the synod at hierusalem , acts . which yet determined nothing concerning the jews own practice , but only concerning the liberty of the gentile-believers . after the destruction of hierusalem , city and temple , these professing jews fell into several distinct wayes . some of them , who as is probable had despised the heavenly warning of leaving the place , took up their lot amongst their unbelieving brethren ; relinquishing the profession of the gospel which they had made , not it may be with any express renuntiation of christ , but with a dis-regard of the gospel , which brought them not those good things they looked for ; of which mind josephus the historian seems to be one . these in time became a part of that apostate brood which have since continued in their enmity to the gospel , and into whose new and old superstitions , they introduced sundry customes which they had learned among the christians . some absolutely relinquished their old judaism , and compleatly incorporated with the new gentile churches , unto whom the promise and covenant of abraham was transferred and made over . these were the genuine disciples of our great apostle . others continued their profession of the gospel , but yet still thought themselves obliged unto the observation of the law of moses , and all its institutions . hereupon they continued in a distinct and separate state from the believers and churches of the gentiles , and that for some ages , as some say to the dayes of adrian . these it may be were they whom eusebius out of hegesippus calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , masbothai , whom he reckons as a sect of the jews , histor. lib. . . the jews call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , sabbatarians , which must be from some observation of the sabbath in a distinct manner , or for different reasons , from themselves . buxtorfe , and our late learned lexicographer , render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by sabbatarii , adding this explanation , qui secundum christi doctrinam sabbatum observabant , by a mistake ; for as they are reckoned unto the jews by hegesippus , so those who followed the doctrine of christ , did not sabbatize with the jews , nor were ever called sabbatarians by them . there was indeed a sort of persons among the samaritans who are called sabuaei , whom epiphanius makes the third sect of them . but these were so called without any respect unto a sabbatical observation . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the jews call them , that is septenarii . from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; unless we shall think with drusius , that they were so denominated from sebaia , who came along with dosthai to settle the new inhabitants of samaria . epiphanius sayes no more of them , but that they observed the feast of pentecost in autumn , and the feast of tabernacles in the spring , at the time of the jews passeover . but this gives no account why they should be so called . but they got this appellation from their observation of every day in the week , between the passeover and the pentecost , that is for seven weeks , which was the same with the second day in the week of unleavened bread , whereon the omer or sheaf of first fruits was to be offered . but to return . after this many of them coalesced , and we hear no more of them . in the mean time as there were great disputes and heats between the differing parties , whilest the occasion of their difference continued , so the gentile believers did in many things either condescend unto those of the circumcision , or fell themselves in liking with their observances , and received them into practice . hence it was that they embraced the paschal solemnity , with some other festivals , and also in many places admitted the sacredness of the seventh day sabbath , though still observing according to the institution of christ and his apostles the lords day also . and it is not improbable that they might be induced the rather to continue these observations , that they might thereby give a publick testimony of their faith against the marcionites , who began early to blaspheme the old testament , and the god thereof ; which blasphemy they thought to condemn by this practice . and hence in those writings which are falsly ascribed to the apostles , but suited to those times , can. . and constitut. lib. . cap. . the observation both of the saturday and the lords day are enjoyned . others of these jews about the same season constituted a sect by themselves , compounding a religion out of the law and gospel , with additions and interpretations of their own . these the ancients call ebionites . circumcision with all the sabbaths , feasts , and rites of moses , they retained from the law. that the messiah was come , and that jesus christ was he , they admitted from the gospel ; that he was only a meer man , not god and man in one person , they added of their own , yet in compliance with the sense and expectation of the corrupt and carnal part of the church of the jews , whereof originally they were . and this sect is that which in a long tract of time hath brought forth mahumetanisme in the east . for the religion of the mahumetans is nothing but that of the ebionites , with a super-addition of the interests and fanatical brain-sick notions of the impostor himself . and yet so it is that some begin now to plead , that these ebionites were the only true and genuine believers of the circumcision in those dayes . these , they say , and these alone , retained the doctrine preached by the apostles to the jews , for they were the same and no other with those which were also called nazarenes . thus do the socinians plead expresly , and have contended for it in sundry treatises published to that purpose . this they do , hoping to obtain from thence some countenance unto their impious doctrine about the person of christ , wherein they agree with the ebionites . but as to their sabbatizing with the jews , and the rest of their ceremonial observances , they will have nothing to do with them , as not finding those things suited unto their interest and design . but herein do they now begin to be followed by some among our selves , who apparently fall in with them in sundry things condemned by our apostle , and on the account whereof they declined him , and rejected his authority , as others seem almost prepared to do , on other reasons not here to be mentioned . in particular some begin to sabbatize with them , yea to outgo them . for ebion and his followers , although they observed the seventh day sabbath with the jews , yet they observed also the lords day with the christians , in honour of jesus christ , as both eusebius and epiphanius testifie : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . they in like manner with us observe the lords day , in remembrance of the saving resurrection . how great a scandal these things are to christian religion , how evidently tending to harden the jews in their infidelity is apparent unto all . for the introduction of any part of the old mosaical systeme of ordinances , is a tacite denial of christs being come in the flesh , at least of his being the king , lord , and law-giver of his church . and to lay the foundation of all religious solemn gospel-worship in the observation of a day , which as such , as the seventh day precisely , hath no relation unto any natural or moral precept , not instituted , not approved by jesus christ , cannot but be unpleasing to them who desire to have their consciences immediately influenced by his authority , in all their approaches unto god. but christ is herein supposed to have built the whole fabrick of his worship on the foundation of moses , and to have graffed all his institutions into a stock , that was not of his own planting . § . moreover it is evident that this opinion concerning the necessary observation of the seventh day sabbath , tends to the increasing and perpetuating of schismes and differences amongst the disciples of christ ; things in their own nature evil , and to be avoided by all lawfull wayes and means . it is known how many different opinions and practices there are amongst professors of the gospel . that they should all be perfectly healed or taken away perhaps in this world , is not to be expected . for the best know but in part , and prophesie but in part . that every good man , and genuine disciple of christ ought to endeavour his utmost for their removal , none will deny . for if it be our duty so far as it is possible , and as much as in us lyeth to live peaceably with all men , in that peace which is the life of civil society ; doubtless it is so much more to live so with all believers , in a peaceable agreement in the worship of god. and therefore of all differences in judgement which lead unto practice , those are the worst and most pernicious , which occasion or draw after them any thing whereby men are hindred from joyning together in the same publick solemn worship , whereby they yield unto god that revenue of his glory which is due unto him in this world . and that many of these are found at this day , is not so much from the nature of the things themselves about which men differ , as from the weakness , prejudices , and corrupt affections of them who are possessed with different apprehensions about them . but now upon a supposition of an adherence by any unto the seventh day sabbath , all communion amongst professors in solemn gospel-ordinances is rendred impossible . for if those of that perswasion , do expect that others will be brought unto a relinquishment of an evangelical observance of the lords-day sabbath , they will find themselves mistaken . the evidence which they have of its appointment , and the experience they have had of the presence of god with them in its religious observation , will secure their faith and practise in this matter . themselves on the other hand , supposing that they are obliged to meet for all solemn worship on the seventh day , ( which the other account unwarrantable for them to do , on the pretence of any binding law to that purpose ) and esteem it unlawfull to assemble religiously with others on the first day , on the plea of an evangelical warranty , they absolutely cut off themselves from all possibility of communion in the administration of gospel-ordinances , with all other churches of christ. and whereas most other breaches as to such communion , are in their own nature capable of healing , without a renunciation of those principles in the minds of men , which seem to give countenance unto them ; the distance is here made absolutely irreparable , whilst the opinion mentioned is owned by any . i will press this no farther , but only by affirming , that persons truely fearing the lord , ought to be very carefull and jealous over their own understandings , before they embrace an opinion and practice , which will shut them up from all visible communion , with the generality of the saints of god in this world. § . we have seen the least part of the inconveniences that attend this perswasion , and its practise ; nor do i intend to mention all of them which readily offer themselves to consideration . one or two more may yet be touched on . for those by whom it is owned , do not only affirm that the law of the seventh day sabbath is absolutely and universally in force , but also that the sanction of it , in its penalty against transgressors , is yet continued . this was , as is known , the death of the offender by stoning . so did god himself determine the application of the curse of the law , unto the breach of this command , in the instance of the man that gathered wood on that day , and was stoned by his direction , numb . . . now the consideration of this penalty , as expressive of the curse of the law , influenced the minds of the jews into that bondage frame wherein they observed the sabbath . and this alwayes put them upon many anxious arguings how they might satisfie the law in keeping the day , so as not to incurr the penalty of its transgression . hence are the questions among the jews , no less endless than those about their genealogies of old , about what work may be done , and what not , how far they might journey on that day , which when they had with some indifferent consent reduced unto cubits , which they called a sabbath-dayes journey , yet where to begin their measure , from what part of the city where a man dwelt , from his own house , or the synagogue , or the walls , or suburbs of it , they are not agreed . and the dread hereof was such amongst them of old , from the rigorous justice wherewith such laws with such penalties were imposed on them , that untill they had by common consent in the beginning of the rule of the hasmonaeans , agreed to defend themselves from their enemies on that day , they sate still in a neglect of the law of nature , requiring all men to look to their preservation against open violence , and suffered themselves to be slain , to their satiety who chose to assault them thereon . and certainly , it is the greatest madness in the world , for a people to engage in war , that do not think it at least lawfull at all times to defend themselves . and yet they lost their city afterwards by some influence from this superstition . and do men know what they do when they endeavour to introduce such a bondage into the observance of gospel-worship , a yoke and bondage upon the persons and spirits of men , which those before us were not able to bear ? is it according to the mind of christ , that the worship of god , which ought to be in spirit and truth , now under the gospel , should be enforced on men by capital penalties ? and let men thus state their principles ; the seventh day is to be kept precisely a sabbath unto the lord , by virtue of the fourth commandment , for not one day in seven , but the seventh day it self is rigorously and indispensibly enjoyned unto observation ; and that the transgression of this law , not as to the spiritual worship to be observed on it , but as to every outward transgression , by journeying or other bodily labour , is to be avenged with death ; undoubtedly in the practice of these principles , besides that open contradiction which they will fall into , unto the spirit , rule , and word of the gospel , they will find themselves in the same entanglements wherein the jews were and are . and as the cases that may occur , about what may be done and what not , what cases of necessity may interpose for relief , are not to be determined by private persons according to their own light and understanding , because they have respect unto the publick law , but by them unto whom power is committed to judge upon it , and to execute its penalty ; so there will so many cases , and those almost inexplicable , emerge hereon , as will render the whole law an intolerable burden unto christians . and what then is become of the liberty wherewith christ hath made us free ? and wherein is the preheminence of the spiritual worship of the gospel , above the carnal ordinances of the law ? § . and this introduceth an evil of no less hainous importance , than any of those before enumerated . the precise observation of the seventh day as such , is undoubtedly no part of the law , naturally moral . this we have sufficiently proved before , as i suppose . that law is written in the hearts of believers , by virtue of the covenant of grace , and strength is administred thereby unto them for the due performance of the duties that it doth require . nor is it an institution of the gospel ; none ever pretended it so to be . if there be not much against it in the new testament , yet surely there is nothing for it . in the things that are so , we have ground to expect the assistance of the spirit of christ , to enable us for their right observation to the glory of god , and our own edification , or increase in grace . but it is a meer precept of the old law as such . and what the law speaks , it speaks unto them that are under the law. in all its precepts , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , it exerciseth a severe dominion over the souls and consciences of them that are under it . and we have no way to extricate our selves from under that dominion , but by our being dead unto its power and authority as such , through the death of christ ; or an interest by faith in the benefits that through his fulfilling and satisfying the law , do redound to the church . but what is required of any one , under the notion of the formal and absolute power of the law , is to be performed in and by that spirit , which is administred by the law , and the strength which the law affords ; and this indeed is great , as to conviction of sin ; nothing at all , as unto obedience and righteousness . do men in these things appeal unto the law ? unto the law they must go . for i know not any thing that we can expect assistance of gospel-grace in or about , but only those things which are originally moral , or superadded unto them in the gospel it self ; to neither of which heads this observation of the seventh day as such can be referred . it is therefore a meer legal duty , properly so called , and in a bondage frame of spirit , without any especial assistance of grace it must be performed . and how little we are beholding unto those who would in any one instance reduce us from the liberty of the gospel , unto bondage under the law , our apostle hath so fully declared , that it is altogether needless farther to attempt the manifestation of it . of the lords-day . the sixth exercitation . ( ) practice the end of instruction and learning . ( ) practical observation of the sabbath , handled by many . ( ) pleas concerning too much rigour and strictness in directions for the observation of the sabbath . ( ) extreams to be avoided in directions of sacred duties . extream of the pharisees . ( ) the worse extream of others in giving liberty to sin . ( ) mistakes in directions about the observation of the lords day . ( ) general directions unto that purpose proposed . ( ) of the beginning and ending of the sabbath . the first rule about time. ( ) the frame of spirit required under the gospel in the observation of the lords day . ( ) rules and principles for its due observation . ( ) duties required thereunto of two sorts . ( ) preparatory duties their necessity and nature . ( ) ( ) particular account of them . meditation . ( ) supplication . ( ) instruction . ( ) ( ) publick duties of the day it self . ( ) what refreshments and labour consistent with them . ( ) of private duties . § . it remains that something be briefly offered , which may direct a practice suitable unto the principles laid down and pleaded . for this is the end of all sacred truth , and all instruction therein . this that great rule of our blessed saviour both teacheth us , and obligeth us to an answerable duty , if you know these things , happy are ye if you do them , joh. . . words so filled with his wisdome , that happy are they in whose hearts they are alwayes abiding . the end then of our learning scripture-truths , is to obtain such an idea of them in our minds , as may direct us unto a suitable practice . without this they are to us of no use , or of none that is good ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . knowledge without practice puffeth , not buildeth up . for as austin speaks with reference unto those words , con. faust. man. lib. . cap. . multa quibusdam sunt noxia , quamvis non sint mala . things not evil , yea good in themselves , may be hurtfull unto others . and nothing is usefull but as it is directed to its proper end. this practice is unto sacred truth . § . i confess our endeavours herein may seem less necessary than in the foregoing discourses . for there are many treatises on this part of our present subject , extant in our own language , and in the hands of those who esteem themselves concerned in these things . with some they meet indeed with no other entertainment , than the posts did that were sent by hezekiah through ephraim , manasseh and zebulun , to invite them unto the passeover ; they are laughed to scorn and mocked at , chron. . . but wisdome is justified of her children . unto some they are of great use , and in great esteem . and for the most part in the main of their design they do agree . so that the truth in them is established in the mouthes of many witnesses , without danger of dividing the minds of men about it . but yet i cannot take my self to be discharged hereby from the consideration of this concern also of a sacred rest under the gospel , the nature of our design requiring it . and there are yet important directions for the right sanctifying of the name of god , in and by the due observance of a day of sacred rest , which i have not taken notice to have been insisted on by others ; and whereas a due improvement may be expected of the peculiar principles before discussed , i shall go through this part of the work also . § . besides , there are not a few complaints , and those managed , at least some of them , by persons of sobriety and learning , pretending also a real care for the preservation and due observance of all duties of piety and religion , that there hath been some excess in the directions of many given about the due sanctification of the lords day . and there is no small danger of mistakes on this hand , whilest therein is a pretence of zeal and devotion to give them countenance . of this nature some men do judge some rigorous prescriptions to be , which have been given in this matter . and they say that a great disadvantage unto religion hath ensued hereon . for it is pretended that they are such as are beyond the constitution of humane nature to comply withall ; of which kind god certainly requires nothing at our hands . hence it is pleaded , that men finding themselves no way able to come unto a satisfaction , in answer unto the severe directions for duties , and the manner of their performance , which by some are rigorously prescribed , have taken occasion to seek for relief , by rejecting the whole command ; which is duely interpreted in such a condescension as they were capable of a compliance withall , they would have adhered unto . on this account men have found out various inventions to colour their weariness of that strict course of duty which they were bound unto . hence have some taken up a plea , that every day is to them a sabbath , that so they might not keep any . some , that there is no such thing as a sacred rest on any day , required of us by the authority of christ , and therefore that all directions for the manner of the observance of such a day , are to no purpose . and many by degrees have declined from that strictness , which they could not come up unto a delight in , untill they have utterly lost all sense of duty towards god in this matter . and these things are true , only the reasons of them are not agreed on . § . and in things of this nature those who are called to the instruction of others , are carefully to avoid extreams . for he that condemns the righteous , and he that justifieth the wicked , are both of them an abomination to the lord. and several instances there are of the miscarriages of men on the one hand and the other . on the one , lay the sin of the pharisees of old . when they had gotten the pretence of a command , they would burden it with so many rigid observances , in the manner of its performance , as should make it a yoke intolerable to their disciples ; getting themselves the reputation of strict observers of the law. but in truth they were not so wanting unto their own ease and interest , as not to provide a secret dispensation for themselves . they would scarce put a finger to the burdens which they bound and laid on the shoulders of others . and this is the condition of all almost that hath an appearance of religion or devotion in the papacy . and a fault of the same nature , though not of so signal a provocation , others may fall into unadvisedly , who are free from their hypocrisie . they may charge and press both their own consciences , and other mens , above and beyond what god hath appointed . and this they may do with a sincere intention to promote religion and holiness amongst men , by engaging them into the strictest wayes of the profession of it . now in the directions of the consciences of men about their duties to god , this is carefully to be avoided . for peace is only to be obtained in keeping steady and even to the rule . to transgress on the right hand whatever the pretencebe , is to lye for god , which will not be accepted with him . § . on the other hand there lyeth a rock of far greater danger . and this consists in the accommodation of the laws , precepts and institutions of god , unto the lusts , with the present courses and practices of men . this evil we have had exemplified in some of late , no less conspicuously than the fore-mentioned was in them of old . a mystery of iniquity unto this purpose hath been discovered not long since , and brought forth to light , tending to the utter debanchery of the consciences and lives of men . and in it lyes the great contrivance , whereby the famous sect of the jesuits have prevailed on the minds of many , especially of potentates and great men in the earth , so as to get into their hands the conduct of the most important affairs of europe . and this abomination , as it is known , hath lately been laid open by the diligence of some , in whom at once concurred a commendable care of christian morality , and an high provocation in other things , by them who endeavoured to corrupt it . a search hath been made into the writings which that sort of men have published , for the direction of the consciences of men in the practice of moral duties , or unto their disciples , for their guidance upon confessions . and a man may say of the discovery , what the poet said upon the opening of the house of cacus : panditur extemplo foribus domus atra revulsis , abstructaeque ; boves , abjurataeque ; rapinae , caelo ostenduntur . non secus ac si qua penitus viterra dehiscens , infernas reseret sedes , & regna recludet , pallida . such a loathsome appearance of vizards and pretences for the extenuating of sin , and countenancing of men in the practice of it , was never before represented unto the eyes of men . the main of their design as is now manifest , hath been so to interpret scripture-laws , rules and precepts , as to accommodate them all to that course of corrupt conversation , which prevaileth generally in the world , even among them who are called christians . — gratum opus agricolis . a work exceeding acceptable and obliging to all sorts of men , who if not given up to open atheisme , would rejoyce in nothing more , than in a reconciliation between the rule of their consciences and their lusts , that they might sin freely without trouble or remorse . to this end having learned the inclinations and temptations of men from their private confessions , and ●nding it a thing neither possible in it self , nor at all conducing to their own interest , to endeavour their reformation by , and recovery unto the fixed stable rule of truth and duty , they have by their false glosses , subtle distinctions , and resined imaginations , made it to justifie and countenance them in the highest abominations , and in wayes leading constantly to the practice of them . and there is nothing in their whole course , which faithfull interpreters of the mind of god ought more carefully to avoid , than a falling in any instances into that evil , which these men have made it their design to promote and pursue . the world indeed seems to be weary of the just , righteous , holy wayes of god ; and of that exactness in walking according to his institutions and commands , which it will be one day known that he doth require . but the way to put a stop to this declension , is not by accommodating the commands of god to the corrupt courses and wayes of men . the truths of god , and the holiness of his precepts , must be pleaded and defended though the world dislike them here , and perish hereafter . his law must not be made to lacquey after the wills of men , nor be dissolved by vain interpretations , because they complain they cannot , indeed because they will not comply with it . our lord jesus christ came not to destroy the law and the prophets , but to fulfill them , and to supply men with spiritual strength to fulfill them also . it is evil to break the least commandement , but there is a great aggravation of that evil in them that shall teach men so to do . and this cannot be done , but by giving such expositions of them , as by virtue whereof , men may think themselves freed from an obligation unto that obedience , which indeed they do require . wherefore though some should say now as they did of old concerning any command of god , behold what a weariness it is ? and what profit is it to keep his ordinances ? yet the law of god is not to be changed to give them relief . we are therefore in this matter to have no consideration of the present course of the world , nor of the weariness of professors in the wayes of strict obedience . the sacred truth and will of god in all his commands is singly and sincerely to be enquired after . § . and yet i will not deny but that there have been and are mistakes in this matter , leaning towards the other extream . directions have been given , and that not by a few , for the observation of a day of holy rest , which either for the matter of them or the manner prescribed , have had no sufficient warrant or foundation in the scripture . for whereas some have made no distinction between the sabbath as moral , and as mosaical , unless it be meerly in the change of the day , they have endeavoured to introduce the whole practice required on the latter into the lords day . but we have already shewed that there were sundry additions made unto the command , as to the manner of its observance , in its accommodation unto the mosaical pedagogie ; besides that the whole required a frame of spirit suited thereunto . others again have collected whatever they could think of , that is good , pious , and usefull in the practice of religion , and prescribed it all in a multitude of instances , as necessary to the sanctification of this day ; so that a man can scarcely in six dayes read over all the duties that are proposed to be observed on the seventh . and it hath been also no small mistake , that men have laboured more to multiply directions about external duties , giving them out as it were by number or tale , than to direct the mind or inward man , in and unto a due performance of the whole duty of the sanctification of the day , according to the spirit and genius of gospel obedience . and lastly , it cannot be denied but that some , it may be measuring others by themselves , and their own abilities , have been apt to tye them up unto such long tiresome duties , and rigid abstinences from refreshments , as have clogged their minds , and turned the whole service of the day into a wearisome bodily exercise , that profiteth little . § . it is not in my design to insist upon any thing that is in controversie amongst persons learned and sober . nor will i now extend this discourse unto a particular consideration of the especial duties required in the sanctification or services of this day . but whereas all sorts of men , who wish well to the furtherance and promotion of piety and religion in the world , on what reasons or foundations soever they judge that this day ought to be observed an holy rest to the lord , do agree that there is a great sinfull neglect of the due observation of it , as may be seen in the writings of some of the principal of those who cannot grant unto it an immediate divine institution ; i shall give such rules and general directions about it , as a due application whereof will give sufficient guidance in the whole of our duty therein . § . it may seem to some necessary , that something should be premised concerning the measure or continuance of the day to be set apart unto an holy rest unto the lord. but it being a matter of controversie , and to me on the reasons to be mentioned afterwards , of no great importance , i shall not insist upon the examination of it , but only give my judgement in a word concerning it . some contend that it is a natural day , consisting of hours , beginning with the evening of the preceding day , and ending with the same of its own . and accordingly so was the church of israel directed , lev. . . from even unto even shall you celebrate your sabbath ; although that doth not seem to be a general direction for the observation of the weekly sabbath , but to regard only that particular extraordinary sabbath , which was thus instituted ; namely the day of atonement on the tenth day of the seventh moneth , vers . . however suppose it to belong also unto the weekly sabbath ; it is evidently an addition unto the command particularly suited unto the mosaical pedagogie , that the day might comprize the sacrifice of the preceding evening in the services of it , from an obedience whereunto we are freed by the gospel . neither can i subscribe unto this opinion ; and that because , ( ) in the description and limitation of the first original seven dayes , it is said of each of the six that it was constituted of an evening and a morning ; but of the day of rest there is no such description ; it is only called the seventh day , without any assignation of the preceding evening unto it . ( ) a day of rest according to rules of natural equity , ought to be proportioned unto a day of work or labour , which god hath granted unto us for our own use . now this is to be reckoned from morning to evening , psal. . , , , . thou makest darkness and it is night , wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep ; ( from whose yelling the night hath its name in the hebrew tongue . ) the young lions rear after their prey , and seek their meat from god. the sun riseth , they gather themselves together , and lay them down in their dens . man goeth forth to his work and his labour untill the evening . the day of labour is from the removeal of darkness and the night , by the light of the sun , untill the return of them again ; which allowing for the alterations of the day in the several seasons of the year , seems to be the just measure of our day of rest. ( ) our lord jesus christ who in his resurrection gave beginning and being to the especial day of holy rest under the gospel , rose not untill the morning of the first day of the week , when the beamings of the light of the sun began to dispel the darkness of the night ; or when it dawned towards day , as it is variously expressed by the evangelists . this with me , determines this whole matter . ( ) meer cessation from labour in the night , seems to have no place in the spiritual rest of the gospel to be expressed on this day ; nor to be by any thing distinguished from the night of other dayes of the week . ( ) supposing christians under the obligation of the direction given by moses before-mentioned ; and it may entangle them in the anxious , scrupulous intrigues which the jews are subject unto , about the beginning of the evening it self , about which their greatest masters are at variance , which things belong not to the oeconomy of the gospel . upon the whole matter , i am inclinable to judge , and do so ; that the observation of the day is to be commensurate unto the use of our natural strength ; on any other day , from morning to night . and nothing is hereby lost that is needfull unto the due sanctification of it . for what is by some required as a part of its sanctification , is necessary and required as a due preparation thereunto . this therefore is our first rule or direction . the first day of the week , or the lords-day , is to be set apart unto the ends of an holy rest unto god , by every one , according as his natural strength will enable him , to employ himself in his lawfull occasions any other day of the week . there is no such certain standard or measure for the observance of the duties of this day , as that every one who exceeds it , should by it be cut short , or that those who on important reasons come short of it , should be stretched out thereunto . as god provided in his services of old , that he who was not able to offer a bullock , might offer a dove , with respect unto their outward condition in the world ; so here there is an allowance also for the natural temperaments and abilities of men . only whereas if persons of old had pretended poverty , to save their charge in the procuring of an offering , it would not have been acceptable , yea they would themselves have fallen under the curse of the deceiver ; so no more will now a pretence of weakness or natural inability , be any excuse unto any for neglect or profaneness . otherwise god requires of us , and accepts from us , according to what we have , and not according to what we have not . and we see it by experience , that some mens natural spirits will carry them out unto a continuance in the outward observance of duties , much beyond , nay doubly perhaps unto what others are able , who yet may observe an holy sabbath unto the lord with acceptation . and herein lyes the spring of the accommodation of these duties to the sick , the aged , the young , the weak , or persons any way distempered . god knoweth our frame , and remembreth that we are dust ; as also , that , that dust , is more discomposed , and weakly compacted in some than others . as thus the people gathered manna of old , some more , some less , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every man according to his appetite , yet he that gathered much had nothing over , and he that gathered little had no lack , exod. . , . so is every one in sincerity according to his own ability , to endeavour the sanctifying of the name of god in the duties of this day ; not being obliged by the examples or prescriptions of others , according to their own measures . § . secondly , labour to observe this day , and to perform the duties required in it , with a frame of mind becoming and answering the spirit , freedom and liberty of the gospel . we are now to serve god in all things in the newness of the spirit , and not in the oldness of the letter , rom. . . with a spirit of peace , delight , joy , liberty , and a sound mind . there were three reasons of the bondage servile frame of spirit , which was in the judaical church , in their observance of the duties of the law , and consequently of the sabbath . first , the dreadfull giving and promulgation of it on mount sinai , which was not intended meerly to strike a terror into that generation in the wilderness , but through all ages , during that dispensation , to influence and awe the hearts of the people into a dread and terror of it . hence the apostle tells us that mount sinai gendered unto bondage , gal. . . that is , the law as given thereon , brought the people into a spiritually servile state , wherein although secretly on the account of the ends of the covenant they were children and heirs , yet they differed nothing from servants , chap. . , . secondly , the renovation and re inforcement of the old covenant , with the promises and threatnings of it , which was to be upon them during the continuance of that state and condition . and although the law had a new use and end now given unto it , yet they were so in the dark , and the proposal of them attended with so great an obscurity , that they could not clearly look into the comfort and liberty finally intended therein . for the law made nothing perfect ; and what was of grace in the administration of it , was so veiled with types , ceremonies , and shadows , that they could not see into the end of the things that were to be done away , cor. . . thirdly , the sanction of the law by death encreased their bondage . for as this in it self was a terror unto them in their services , so it was expressive , and a representation of the original curse of the whole law , gal. . . and hereby were they greatly awed and terrified , although some of them by especial grace were enabled to delight themselves in god and his ordinances . and in these things was administred a spirit of bondage unto fear , which by the apostle is opposed to the spirit of adoption , whereby we cry abba father , rom. . . which , where it is , there is liberty ; where the spirit of the lord is there is liberty , cor. . . and there only . and therefore although they boasted that they were the children of abraham , and on that reason free and never in bondage ; yet our saviour lets them know , that whatever they pretended , they were not free untill the son should make them so . and from these things arose those innumerable , anxious scrupulosities which were upon them in the observation of this day , accompanied with the severe nature of those additions in its observation , which were made unto the law of it , as appropriated unto them for a season . now all these things we are freed from under the gospel . for , ( ) we are not now brought to receive the law from mount sinai , but are come unto mount sion . so the apostle at large , heb. . , , , , , , . for ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched ; ( that is , which naturally might be so by mens hands , though morally the touching of it was forbidden ) and that burned with fire , nor unto blackness , and darkness , and tempest . and the sound of a trumpet , and a voice of words , which they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoke unto them any more ; for they could not endure that which was commanded , and if so much as a beast touch the mountain it shall be stoned or thrust through with a dart . and so terrible was the sight , that moses said , i exceedingly fear and quake ; which it seems were the words he used , where it is on this occasion said of him , and moses spake , but nothing is added of what he said , exod. . which things are insisted on by him to shew the grounds of that bondage which the people were in under the law ; whereunto he addes , but you are come to mount sion , unto the city of the living god , the heavenly hierusalem ; hierusalem that is above , which is free , which is the mother of us all , gal. . . that is , we receive the law of our obedience from jesus christ , who speaks from heaven , to be observed with a spirit of liberty . ( ) the old covenant is now absolutely abolished , nor is the remembrance of it any way revived , heb. . . it hath no influence into , nor upon the minds of believers . they are taken into a covenant full of grace , joy and peace for the law was given by moses but grace and truth came by jesus christ , joh. . . ( ) in this covenant they receive the spirit of christ ; or adoption to serve god without legal fear , luk. . . rom. . . gal. . . and there is not any thing more insisted on in the gospel , as the principal priviledge thereof . it is indeed nothing to have liberty in the word and rule , unless we have it in the spirit and principle . and hereby are we delivered from that anxious solicitude about particular instances in outward duties , which was a great part of the yoke of the people of old . for , ( ) hence we may in all our duties look on god as a father . by the spirit of his son , we may in them all cry abba father . for through christ we have an access in one spirit unto tho father , ephes. . . to god as a father ; as one that will not alwayes chide ; that doth not watch our steps for our hurt , but remembreth that we are but dust . one who tyeth us not up to rigid exactness in outward things , whilest we act in an holy spirit of filial obedience as his sons or children . and there is great difference between the duties of servants and children ; neither hath a father the same measure of them . the consideration hereof , regulated by the general rules of the scripture , will resolve a thousand of such scruples as the jews of old while servants were perplexed withall . ) hence we come to know that he will be worshipped in spirit and in truth . therefore he more minds the inward frame of our hearts wherewith we serve him , than the meer performance of outward duties , which are alone so far accepted with him , as they are expressions and demonstrations thereof . if then , in the observation of this day , our hearts are single and sincere in our aims at his glory with delight , it is of more price with him than the most rigid observation of outward duties , by number and measure . ( ) therefore the minds of believers are no more influenced unto this duty by the curse of the law , and the terror thereof , as represented in the threatned penalty of death . the authority and love of jesus christ are the principal causes of our obedience . hence our main duty lyeth in an endeavour to get spiritual joy and delight in the services of this day ; which are the especial effects of spiritual liberty . so the prophet requires , that we should call the sabbath our delight , holy and honourable of the lord , isa. . . as also , that on the other side we should not do our own pleasure , nor do our own wayes , nor find our own pleasure , nor speak our own words . and these cautions seem to regard the sabbath absolutely , and not as judaical . but i much question whether they have not in the interpretation of some , been extended beyond their original intention . for the true meaning of them is no more but this ; that we should so delight our selves in the lord on his holy day , as that being expresly forbidden our usual labour , we should not need for want of satisfaction in our duties , to turn aside unto our own pleasures , and vain wayes , which are only our own , to spend our time , and pass over the sabbath ; a thing complained of by many ; whence sin and satan have been more served on this day , than on all the dayes of the week beside . but i no way think , that here is a restraint laid on us from such words , wayes , and works , as neither hinder the performance of any religious duties belonging to the due celebration of the worship of god on the day , nor are apt in themselves to unframe our spirits , or divert our affections from them . and those whose minds are fixed in a spirit of liberty to glorifie god in and by this day of rest , seeking after communion with him in the wayes of his worship , will be unto themselves a better rule for their words and actions ; than those who may aim to reckon over all they do or say , which may be done in such a manner , as to become the judaical sabbath , much more then the lords-day . § . thirdly , be sure to bring good and right principles unto the performance of the duty of keeping a day of rest holy unto the lord. some of these i shall name , as confirmed expresly in , or drawn evidently from the preceding discourses . . remember that there is a weekly rest , or an holy rest of one day in the week , due to the solemn work of glorifying god as god. remember the sabbath to keep it holy . we have had a week unto our own occasions , or we have a prospect of a week in the patience of god for them . let us remember that god puts in for some time with us . all is not our own . we are not our own lords . some time god will have to himself from all that own him in the world. and this is that time , season , or day . he esteems not himself acknowledged , nor his soveraignty owned in the world , without it . and therefore this day of rest he required , the first day as it were that the world stood upon its legs ; hath done so all along , and will do so to the last day of its duration . when he had made all things , and saw that they were good , and was refreshed in them , he required that we should own and acknowledge his goodness and power therein . this duty we owe to god , as god ( ) that god appointed this day , to teach us , that as he rested therein , so we should seek after rest in him here , and look on this day as a pledge of eternal rest with him hereafter . so was it from the beginning . this was the end of the appointment of this day . now our rest in god in general consists in two things : ( ) in our approbation of the works of god , and the law of our obedience , with the covenant of god thereon . these things are expressive of , and do represent unto us the goodness , righteousness , holiness , faithfulness , and power of god. for these , and with respect unto them , are we to give glory to him . what god rests in , he requires that through it , we should seek for our rest in him . as this was the duty of man in innocency , and under the law , so it is ours now much more . for god hath now more eminently and gloriously unveiled and displayed the excellencies of his nature , and the counsels of his wisdome , in and by jesus christ , than he had done under the first covenant . and this should work us to a greater and more holy admiration of them . for if we are to acknowledge , that the law is holy , just , and good , as our apostle speaks , although it is now useless as to the bringing of us to rest in god ; how much more ought we to own and subscribe to the gospel , and the declaration that god hath made of himself therein , that so it is . ( ) in an actual solemn compliance with his will , expressed in his works , law , and covenant . this brings us unto present satisfaction in him , and leads us to the full enjoyment of him . this is a day of rest ; but we cannot rest in a day , nor any thing that a day can afford ; only it is an help and means of bringing us to rest in god. without this design , all our observation of a sabbath is of no use nor advantage . nothing will thence redound to the glory of god , nor the benefit of our own souls . and this they may do well to consider who plead for the observation of the seventh day precisely . for they do profess thereby that they seek for rest in god , according to the tenor of the first covenant . that they approve of , and that they look ( by that profession ) to be brought to rest by ; though really , and on other principles , they do otherwise . whatever then be the covenant wherein we walk with god , the great principle which is to guide us in the holy observation of this day , is , that we celebrate the rest of god in that covenant , approve of it , rejoyce in it , and labour to be partakers of it , whereof the day it self is given us as a pledge . we must therefore , ( ) . remember , that we have lost our original rest in god by sin . god made us upright , in his own image , meet to take our rest , satisfaction , and reward in himself , according to the tenor of the law of our creation , and the covenant of works established thereon . hereof the seventh day was a token and pledge . all this we must consider that we have lost by sin . god might justly have left us in a wandring condition , without either rest , or any pledge of it . our reparation indeed is excellent and glorious ; yet so , as that on our part the loss of our former estate was shamefull , and in the remembrance whereof we ought to be humbled . and hence we may know , that it is in vain for us to lay hold of the seventh day again , which is but an attempt to return into the garden after we are shut out , and kept out by a flaming sword. for although it was made use of as a type and shadow under the law ; yet to us who must live on the substance of things , or not at all , it cannot be possessed with robbery : and is of no use when attained . for , we are to remember , ( ) that the rest in god , and with god , which we now seek after , enter into , and celebrate the pledge of , using the means for the farther enjoyment of it , in the observation of this day , is a rest by a recovery , by a reparation in jesus christ. there is now , a new rest of god , and a new rest for us in god. god now rests , and is refreshed in christ , in his person , in his works , in his law , in the covenant of grace in him ; in all these things is his soul well pleased . he is the brightness of his glory , and the express image of his person ; making a far more glorious representation of him , than did the works of creation of old , which yet he had left such impressions of his goodness , power and wisdom upon , as that he rested in them , was refreshed on them , and appointed a day for man to rest in his approbation of them , and giving glory to him for them . how much more is it so with him , with respect unto this glorious image of the invisible god. this he now dealeth with us in ; for as of old , he commanded light to shine out of darkness , whereby we might see and behold his glory which he had implanted , and was implanting on the work of his hands , so now he shines into our hearts , to give the light of the knowledge of his glory , in the face of jesus christ , cor. . . that is , enableth us to behold all the excellencies of his nature , made manifest in the person and works of jesus christ. the way also of bringing them unto him , through christ , who had by sin come short of his glory , is that which he approveth of , is delighted with , and resteth in , giving us a pledge thereof in this day of rest. herein lyes the principal duty of this dayes observances ; namely , to admire this retriveal of a rest with god , and of a rest for god in us . this is the fruit of eternal wisdom , grace and goodness , love and bounty : this , i say , belongs unto the sanctification of this day , and this ought to be our principal design therein ; namely , in it to give glory unto god , for the wonderfull recovery of a rest for us with himself , and an endeavour to enter by faith and obedience into that rest. and for those ends and purposes , are we to make use of all the sacred ordinances of worship , wherein , and whereby this day is sanctified unto the lord. ( ) that in the observation of the lords-day , which is the first day of the week , we subject our consciences immediately to the authority of jesus christ , the mediator , whose day of rest originally it was , and which thereby , and for that reason is made ours . and hereby in the observation of this day , have we fellowship with the father and his son jesus christ. of old there was nothing appeared in the day , whilst the seventh day was in force , but the rest of god the creator , and his soveraign authority intimated unto us thereby , for the observing of an holy rest unto him , according to the tenor of the first covenant . but now the immediate foundation of our rest on the lords-day , is the lords rest , the rest of christ , when upon his resurrection he ceased from his works , as god did from his own . this gives great direction and encouragement in the duty of observing this day aright . faith truely exercised in bringing the soul into an actual subjection unto the authority of christ in the observance of this day , and directing the thoughts unto a contemplation of the rest that he entred into after his works , with the rest that he hath procured for us to enter into with him , doth more thereby towards the true sanctification of this day , than all outward duties can do , performed with a legal spirit , when men are in bondage unto the command as taught to them , and dare not do otherwise . god in several places instructs the israelites , what account they shall give unto their children concerning their observation of sundry rites and ceremonies that he had instituted in his worship , exod. . . and it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come , saying , what is this ? that thou shalt say unto him , by strength of hand the lord brought us out of the land of egypt , &c. it was in remembrance of such works of god amongst them , whereof those rites were a token and representation . and we have here a special observance in the worship of god ; what account can we give unto our selves , and our children , concerning our observation of this day holy unto the lord ? must we not say , nay may we not do so with joy and rejoycing , that whereas we were lost and undone by sin , excluded out of the rest of god , so far as that the law of the observation of the outward pledge of it , being attended with the curse , was a burden and no relief unto us ; our lord jesus christ the son of god undertook a great work to make peace for us , to redeem and save us ; and when he had so done , and finished his work , even the erecting of the new heavens and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness , he entred into his rest , and thereby made known unto us , that we should keep this day as a day of an holy rest unto him ; and as a pledge that we have again given unto us , an entrance into rest with god. ( ) we are then to remember , that this day is a pledge of our eternal rest with god. this is that whereunto these things do tend . for therein will god glorifie himself in the full accomplishment of his great design , in all his works of power and grace . and this is that which ultimately we aim at . we do at best in this world but enter into the rest of god ; the full enjoyment of it is reserved for eternity . hence that is usually called our everlasting sabbath ; as that state wherein we shall alwayes rest with god , and alwayes give glory unto him . and this day is a pledge hereof on sundry accounts ; ( ) because thereon , god as it were calleth us aside out of the world , unto an immediate converse with himself . israel never had a more dreadfull day , than when they were called out of their tents , from their occasions , and all worldly concerns , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in occursum jehovae , to a meeting with the lord , exod. . god called them aside to meet and converse with him . but it was unto mount sinai that he called them ; which was altogether on a smoak , because the lord descended in fire , vers . . hence although they had been preparing themselves for it sundry dayes , they were not able to bear the terror of gods approach unto them . but under the gospel , we are this day called out of the world , and off from our occasions , to converse with god , to meet him at mount sion , heb. . here he doth not give us a fiery law , but a gracious gospel ; doth not converse us with thunder and lightning , but with the sweet still voice of mercy in jesus christ. and as this requireth due thoughts of heart in us to prepare us for it ; so it is in it self a great and unspeakable priviledge , purchased for us by christ. and herein have we a pledge of rest with god above ; when he shall call us off from all relations , all occasions of life , all our interests and concerns in this world , and eternally set us apart unto himself . and undoubtedly that it may be such a pledge unto us , it is our duty to take off our minds and souls , as far as we are able , from all occasions of life , and businesses of this world , that we may walk with god alone on this day . some indeed do think this a great bondage . but so far as they do so , and so far as they find it so , they have no interest in this matter . we do acknowledge that there are weaknesses attending the outward man , through the frailty and imbecillity of our natures , and therefore have before rejected all rigid , tiresome services . and i do acknowledge that there will be repisning and rebelling in the flesh against this duty . but he who really judgeth in his mind , and whose practice is influenced and regulated by that judgement , that the segregation of a day from the world , and the occasions of it , and a secession unto communion with god thereon , is grievous , and burdensome , and that which god doth not require , nor is usefull to us , must be looked on as a stranger unto these things . he to whom the worship of god in christ is a burden or a bondage ; who sayes , behold what a weariness it is , that thinks a day in a week to be too much and too long to be with god in his especial service , is much to seek , i think , of his duty . alas ! what would such persons do if they should ever come to heaven , to be taken aside to all eternity to be with god alone , who think it a great bondage to be here deiverted unto him for a day ? they will say it may be , heaven is one thing , and the observation of the lords-day is another ; were they in heaven they doubt not but they should do well enough . but for this observation of the lords-day they know not what to say to it . i confess they are so ; they are distinct things , or else one could not be the pledge of the other . but yet they both agree in this , that they are a separation and secession from all other things unto god. and if men have not a principle to like that in the lords-day , neither would they like it in heaven , should they ever come there . let us then be ready to attend in this matter , to the call of god , and go out to meet him . for where he placeth his name as he doth on all his solemn ordinances , there he hath promised to meet us . and so is this day unto us a pledge of heaven . ( ) it is so in respect of the duties of the day , wherein the sanctification of the name of god in it doth consist . all duties proper and peculiar to this day , are duties of communion with god. everlasting , uninterrupted immediate communion with god , is heaven . carnal persons had rather have mahomets paradise , than christs heaven . but this is that which believers aim at ; eternal communion with god. hereof are the duties of this day , in a right holy performance , an assured pledge . for this is that which in them all we aim at , and express according to the measure of our light and grace . hereon , we hear him speak unto us , in his word ; and we speak unto him , in prayers , supplications , praises , thanksgivings , in and by jesus christ. in all , our aim is to give glory to him , which is the end of heaven , and to be brought nearer to him , which is its enjoyment . in what god is pleased hereby to communicate unto our souls , and in what by the secret and invisible supplyes of his grace , and spirit , he carryes out our hearts unto , lye and consist those first fruits of glory , which we may be made partakers of in this world. and the first fruits are a pledge of a full harvest ; god gives them unto us for that end , that they may be so . this then are we principally to seek after in the celebration of the ordinances of god , whereby we sauctifie his name on this day . without this , bodily labour in the outward performance of a multitude of duties , will profit little . men may rise early , and go to bed late , and eat the bread of care and diligence all the day long ; yet if they are not thus in the spirit , and carried out unto spiritual communion with god , in the services of the day , it will not avail them . whatever there be either in the service it self performed , or in the manner of its performance , or the duration of it , which is apt to divert or take off the mind from being intent hereon , it tends to the prophanation rather than the sanctification of this day . ( ) the rest of the day , is also a pledge of our rest with god. but then this rest is not to be taken for a meer bodily cessation from labour , but in that extent wherein it hath before been at large described . these are some of the rules which we are to have a respect unto in our observation of this day . a due application of them unto particular occasions and emergencies , will guide us through the difficulties of them . therefore did i choose rather to lay them thus down in general , than to insist on the determination of particular cases , which when we have done all , must be resolved into them , according to the light and understanding of them who are particularly concerned . § . it remains that we offer some directions , as to the duties themselves , wherein the sanctification of this day doth consist . and this i shall do briefly . it hath been done already at large by others ; so as that from thence they have taken occasion to handle the nature of all the religious duties , with the whole manner of their performance , which belong to the service of this day , which doth not properly appertain unto this place . i shall therefore only name the duties themselves which have a respect unto the sanctification of the day , supposing the nature of them , and the due manner of their performance , to be otherwise known . now these duties are of two sorts ; ( ) preparatory for the day ; and ( ) such as are actually to be attended unto in it . § . ( ) there are duties preparatory for it for although as i have declared , i do not judge that the preceding evening is to be reckoned unto this holy rest as a part of it ; yet doubtless it ought to be improved , unto a due preparation for the day ensuing . and hereby the opinion of the beginning of the sabbatical rest with the morning is put into as good a condition for the furtherance of the duties of piety and religion , as the other about its beginning in the evening preceding . now preparation in general is necessary ; ( ) on the account of the greatness and holiness of god with whom in an especial manner we have to do . the day is his . the duties of the day are his prescriptions . the priviledges of the day are his gracious concessions ; he is the beginning and ending of it . and we observed before , on this day , he calleth us aside unto a converse with himself . and certainly , some special preparation of our hearts and minds is necessary hereunto . this belongs to the keeping of our foot when we go to the house of god , eccl. . . namely , to consider what we are to do , whither we are going , to whom we make our approaches , in the solemn worship of god. the rule which he gives , lev. . . is moral , perpetual or everlasting ; i will be sanctified in them that come nigh me , and before all the people i will be glorified . he loves not a rude careless rushing of poor sinners upon him , without a sense of his greatness , and a due reverence of his holiness . hence is that advice of our apostle , heb. . , . . let us have grace , be graciously prepared in our hearts and minds , whereby we may serve god acceptably with reverence and godly fear ; for our god is a consuming fire . and this will not be answered by meer bodily postures of veneration . hence there is a due preparation necessary . ( ) it is so , from our own distractions and intanglements in the businesses and occasions of life . i speak not of such who spend the whole week in the pursuit of their lusts and pleasures ; whose sabbath-rest hath an equal share in prophaneness , with all other parts of their lives . but we treat of those who in general make it their design to live unto god. the greatest part of these i do suppose to be engaged industriously , in some calling or course of life . and these things are apt to fill their minds , as well as to take up their time , and much to conform them to their own likeness . much converse with the world , is apt to beget a worldly frame in men , and earthly things will taint the mind with earthlyness . and although it be our duty , in all our secular occasions also , to live to god , and whether we eat or drink to do all things unto his glory ; yet they are apt to unframe the mind , so as to make it unready unto spiritual things , and heavenly contemplations . there is a command indeed that we should pray alwayes ; which at least requires of us , a readiness of mind to lay hold of all occasions and opportunities for prayer ; yet none will deny , but that there is great advantage in a due preparation for that , and all other duties of religion . to empty therefore and purge our minds of secular earthly businesses , designs , projections , accounts , dependencies of things one on another , with reasonings about them , as far as in us lyeth , is a duty required of us , in all our solemn approaches unto god. and if this be not done , but men go full of their occasions into religious services , they will by one means or other return upon them , and prevail upon them to their disturbance . great care is to be taken in this matter ; and those who constantly exercise themselves unto a good conscience herein , will find themselves fitted for the duties of the day to a good success . § . for these preparatory duties themselves , i should referr them to three heads , if the reader will take along with him these advertisements . . that i am not binding burdens on men or their consciences , nor tying them up unto strict observances , under the consideration of sin , if not precisely attended unto . only i desire to give direction , such as may be helpfull unto the faith and obedience of those who in all things desire to please god. and if they apply themselves to those wayes in other instances which they find more to their own edification , all is done that i aim at . . that i propose not these duties , as those which fall under an especial command , with reference unto this season ; but only as such which being commanded in themselves , may with good spiritual advantage be applyed unto this season . whence it follows , . that if we are by necessary occasions , at any time diverted from attending unto them , we may conclude that we have lost an opportunity or advantage , not that we have contracted the guilt of sin ; unless it be from the occasion it self , or some of its circumstances . § . these things premised , i shall recommend to the godly reader a threefold preparatory duty to the right observation of a day of holy rest unto the lord. ( ) of meditation ; ( ) of supplication ; ( ) of instruction , unto such as have others depending on them . ( ) of meditation ; and this answers particularly the reasons we have given for the necessity of these preparatory duties . for herein are the minds of believers , to exercise themselves unto such thoughts of the majesty , holiness , and greatness of god , as may prepare them to serve him with reverence and godly fear . the nature of the duty requires , that this meditation should first respect god himself ; and then the day and its services in its causes and ends. god himself , i say , not absolutely , but as the cause and author of our sabbatical rest. god is to be meditated on with respect unto his majesty , greatness , and holiness , in all our addresses unto him in his ordinances . but a peculiar consideration is to be had of him , as the especial author of that ordinance which we address our selves to the celebration of , and so to make our access unto him therein . his rest therefore in jesus christ , his satisfaction and complacency in the way and covenant of rest for us through him , are the objects of a suitable meditation in our preparation for the observance of this day of rest. but especially the person of the son , whose works and rest thereon , is the foundation of our evangelical rest on this holy day , is to be considered , it were easie to supply the reader with proper meditations on these blessed subjects , for him to exercise himself in as he finds occasion : but i intend only directions in general , leaving others to make application of them according to their ability . again ; the day it self and its sacred services are to be thought upon . the priviledges that we are made partakers of thereby ; the advantages that are in the duties of it , and the duties themselves required of us , should be well digested in our minds . and where we have an habitual apprehension of them , yet it will need to be called over and excited . to this end those who think meet to make use of these directions , may do well to acquaint themselves with the true nature of a sabbatical rest , from what hath been before discoursed . it will afford them other work for faith and thankfulness , than is usually taken notice of , by them who have no other notion of it , than merely a portion of time set apart unto the solemn worship of god. there are other mysteries of god and his love , other directions for our obedience unto god in it , than are commonly taken notice of . by these means the ends of preparatory duties above mentioned , will be effected ; the mind will be filled with due reverential apprehensions of god on the one hand , and disentangled on the other from those cares of the world , and other cumbersome thoughts , wherewith the occasions of life may have possessed it . § . secondly , supplication ; that is prayer with especial respect unto the duties of the day . this is the life of all preparation for every duty . it is the principal means whereby we express our universal dependance on god in christ , as also work our own hearts to a sense of our indigent estate in this world , with all our especial wants , and the means whereby we obtain that supply of grace , mercy , and spiritual strength , which we stand in need of , with respect unto the glory of god , with the encrease of holiness and peace in our own souls . special directions need not be given about the performance of this known duty . only i say , some season for it , by way of preparation , will be an eminent means to further us in the due sanctification of the name of god on this day . and it must be founded on thanksgiving for the day it self , with the ends of it , as an advantage for our converse with god in this world. his goodness and grace in this condescension and care , are to be acknowledged and celebrated . and in the petitory part of preparatory prayer , two things are principally to be regarded ; ( ) a supply of grace from god , the god and fountain of it . and herein respect must be had , ( ) unto that grace , or those graces , which in their own nature are most immediately serviceable unto the sanctification of the name of god in this ordinance . such are reverence of his authority , and delight in his worship . ( ) such graces in particular , as we have found advantage by in the exercise of holy duties , as it may be contriteness of spirit , love , joy , peace . ( ) such as we have experienced the want of , or a defect in our selves as to the exercise of them on such occasions ; as it may be diligence , stedfastness , and evenness of mind . ( ly , ) a removeal of evils , or that god would not lead us into temptation but deliver us from evil . and herein a regard is to be had , ( ) unto the temptations of satan . he will be casting his fiery darts in such a season . he is seldome busier than upon our engagement into solemn duties . ( ) to the inconstancy , wavering and distraction of our own minds . these are indeed a matter of unspeakable abasement , when we consider aright the majesty of god with whom we have to do . ( ) to undue , and unjust offences against persons and things , that we may lift up pure hands to god without wrath and without doubting . sundry things of the like nature might be instanced in , but that i leave all to the great direction , rom. . , . § . thirdly , instruction . this in such cases was peculiarly incumbent on the people of old ; namely that they should instruct their children and their families in the nature of the ordinances whereby they worshipped god. this is that which god so commended in abraham , gen. . . i know , saith he , abraham , that he will command his children and his houshold after him , and they shall keep the way of the lord , to do justice and judgement . in which expression the nature and observance of all ordinances is required . thus is it incumbent on them who have others under their charge , to instruct them in the nature of this service which we observe unto the lord. it may be this is not , this will not be necessary upon every return of this day . but that it should be so done at some appointed season , no man that endeavours to walk uprightly before god , can deny . and the omission of it hath probably caused the whole service amongst many , to be built on custome and example only . hereon hath that great neglect of it which we see , ensued . for the power of their influence will not long abide . § . we have done with preparatory duties . come we now to the day it self ; the duties whereof i shall pass through with an equal brevity . and they are of two sorts ; ( ) publick ; ( ) private ; whereof the former are the principal , and the latter subordinate unto them . and those of the latter sort are either personal , or domestical . § . the publick duties of the day are principally to be regarded . by publick duties , i intend the due attendance unto , and the due performance of all those parts of his solemn worship , which god hath appointed to be observed in the assemblies of his people , and in the manner wherein he hath appointed them to be observed . one end of this day is to give glory to god in the celebration of his solemn worship . that this may be done aright , and unto his glory , he himself hath appointed the wayes and means , or the ordinances and duties wherein it doth consist . without this , we had been at an utter loss , how we might sanctifie his name or ascribe glory to him . most probably we should have set up the calves of our own imaginations to his greater provocation . but he hath relieved us herein , himself appointing the worship which he will accept . would we therefore give full direction in particular , for the right sanctifying of the name of god on this day ; we ought to go over all the ordinances of worship which the church is bound to attend unto , in its assemblies . but this is not my present purpose . besides somewhat of that kind hath been formerly done in another way . i shall therefore here content my self , to give some general rules for the guidance of men in the whole . as , ( ) that the publick and solemn worship of god is to be preferred above that which is private . they may be so prudently managed , as not to interfer , nor ordinarily to entrench on one another . but where-ever on any occasion they seem so to do , the private are to give place to the publick . for one chief end of the sacred setting apart of this day , is the solemn acknowledgement of god , and the performance of his worship in assemblies . it is therefore a marvellous undue custome , on the pretence of private duties , whether personal or domestical , to abate any part of the duties of solemn assemblies . for there is in it , a setting up of our own choice and inclinations against the wisdome and authority of god. the end of the day is the solemn worship of god ; and the end is not to give way to the most specious helps and means . ( ) choice is to be made of those assemblies for the celebration of publick worship , where we may be most advantaged as unto the ends of them in the sanctification of this day , so far as it may be done without breach of any order appointed of god for in our joyning in any concurrent acts of religious worship , we are to have regard unto helps suited unto the furtherance of our own faith and obedience . and also because god hath appointed some parts of his worship , as in their own nature and by virtue of his appointment are means of conveying light , knowledge , grace , in spiritual supplyes unto our souls , it is certainly our duty to make choice and use of them , which are most meet so to do . ( ) for the manner of our attendance on the publick worship of god , with reverence , gravity , order , diligence , attention , though it be a matter of great use and moment , yet not of this place to handle ; nor doth it here belong unto us , to insist on those wayes whereby we may excite particular graces unto due actings of themselves , as the nature of the duties wherein we are engaged doth require . § . ( ) although the day be wholly to be dedicated unto the ends of a sacred rest before insisted on ; yet , . duties in their performance drawn out unto such a length as to beget wearisomness and satiety , tend not unto edification , nor do any way promote the sanctification of the name of god in the worship it self . regard therefore in all such performances is to be had , ( ) unto the weakness of the natural constitution of some , the infirmities and indispositions of others , who are not able to abide in the outward part of duties , as others can . and there is no wise shepherd , but will rather suffer the stronger sheep of his flock , to lose somewhat of what they might reach unto in his guidance of them , than to compell the weaker to keep pace with them to their hurt , and it may be their ruine . better a great number should complain of the shortness of some duties who have strength and desires for a longer continuance in them , than that a few who are sincere should be really discouraged by being overburdened , and have the service thereby made useless unto them . i alwayes loved in sacred duties , that of seneca concerning the orations of cassius severus when they heard him ; timebamus ne desineret ; we were afraid that he would end . ( ) to the spiritual edge of the affections of men , which ought to be whetted , and not through tediousness in duties abated and taken off . other things of a like nature might be added , which for some considerations i shall forbear . . refreshments helpfull to nature , so far as to refresh it , that it may have a supply of spirits to go on chearfully in the duties of holy worship , are lawfull and usefull . to macerate the body with abstinences on this day , is required of none ; and to turn it into a fast , or to fast upon it , is generally condemned by the antients . wherefore , to forbear provision of necessary food for families on this day , is mosaical ; and the enforcement of the particular precepts , about not kindling fire in our houses on this day , baking and preparing the food of it the day before , cannot be insisted on without a re-introduction of the seventh day precisely , to whose observation they were annexed , and thereby of the law and spirit of the old covenant . provided alwayes that these refreshments be , ( ) seasonable for the time of them , and not when publick duties require our attendance on them . ( ) accompanied with a singular regard unto the rules of temperance : as ( ) that there be no appearance of evil . ( ) that nature be not charged with any kind of excess , so far as to be hindred rather than assisted in the duties of the day . ( ) that they be accompanied with gravity , and sobriety , and purity of conversation . now whereas these things are in the substance of them required of us in the whole course of our lives , as we intend to please god , and to come to the enjoyment of him , none ought to think an especial regard unto them on this day , to be a bondage , or troublesome unto them . . labour , or pains for the enjoyment of the benefit and advantage of the solemn assemblies of the church , and in them of the appointed worship of god , is so far from entrenching on the rest of this day , that it belongs unto its due observation . a mere bodily rest is no part of religious worship in it self , nor doth it belong unto the sanctification of this day , any farther then as it is a means for the due performance of the other duties belonging unto it . we have no bounds under the gospel for a sabbath-dayes journey , provided it be for sabbath ends . in brief , all pains or labour , that our station and condition in this world , that our troubles which may befall us , or any thing else make necessary , as that without which we cannot enjoy the solemn ends and uses of this holy day of rest , are no way inconsistent with the due observation of it . it may be the lot of one man to take so much pains , and to travel so far for and in the due celebration of the lords day , as if another should do the like without his occasions and circumstances , it would be a prophanation of it . . labour in works of charity and necessity , such as are to visit the sick , to relieve the poor , to help the distressed , to relieve or assist creatures ready to perish , to supply cattel with necessary food , is allowed by all , and hath been by many spoken unto . . for sports and such like recreations , and their use on this day , i referr the reader to laws of sundry emperors and nations concerning them . see of constant. leg . omnes cap. de feriis . theodosius and arcadius ibid. and of leo and authemius , in the same place of the code ; of charles the great , capilular . lib. . cap. . lib. . cap. . the sum of them all is contained in that exhortation which ephram syrus expresseth in his serm. de diebus festis . festivitates dominicas honorare studiose contendite , celebrantes eas non panegyrice , sed divine ; non mundane , sed spiritualiter ; non instar gentilium , sed christianorum . quare non portarum frontes coronemus ; non choreaes ducamus , non choram exornemus ; non tibiis & citharis auditum affaeminemus , non mollibus vestibus induamur , nec cingulis undique auro radiantibus cingamur ; non comessationibus & ebrietatibus dediti simus , verum ista relinquamus eis quorum deus venter est , & gloria in confusione justorum . § . for private duties both personal and domestical , they are either antecedent or consequent unto the solemn publick worship , as usually for time it is celebrated amongst us . these consisting in the known religious exercises of prayer , reading the scripture , meditation , family instructions from the advantage of the publick ordinances , they are to be recommended unto every ones conscience , ability and opportunity , as they shall find strength and assistance for them . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . these books following are to be sold by nath. ponder , at the peacock in chancery-lane near fleetstreet . exercitations on the epistle to the hebrews , also concerning the messiah . wherein the promises concerning him to be a spiritual redeemer of mankind , are explained and vindicated . his coming , and accomplishment of his work according to the promises , is proved and confirmed . the person , or who he is , is declared . the whole o economy of the mosaical law , rites , worship , and sacrifices , is explained . and in all , the doctrine of the person , office , and work of the messiah , is opened : the nature and demerit of the first sin is unfolded : the opinions and traditions of the antient and modern jews are examined ; their objections against the lord christ and the gospel are answered : the time of the coming of the messiah is stated : and the great fundamental truths of the gospel vindicated . with an exposition and discourses on the two first chapters of the said epistle to the hebrews . by i. owen , d. d. in polio . price s. bound . times of the bible : veyled in cubits , shekels , talents , furlongs , chapters , verses , letters , of the scripture : with the dayes , hours , watches , weeks , and months of the jewish year . by i. s. in quarto . price d. stitch'd . a practical exposition on the th . psalm . wherein the nature of the forgiveness of sin is declared ; the truth and reality of it asserted ; and the case of a soul distressed with the guilt of sin , and relieved by a discovery of forgiveness with god , is at large discoursed . by john owen , d. d. john . . search the scriptures . in quarto-price s. bound . a brief declaration and vindication of the doctrine of the trinity . as also of the person and satisfaction of christ. accommodated to the capacity and use of such as may be in danger to be seduced ; and the establishment of the truth . john . search the scriptures . by john owen , d. d. in twelves . price ● s. bound . the unreasonableness of atheism . made manifest in a discourse to a person of honour : by sir charles wolseley baronet . the second edition , revised and enlarged by the author . in large octavo . price s. d. bound . there is now published , a new treatise written by mr. thomas brooks , called londons lamentations : or , a sober serious discourse concerning the late fiery dispensation ; wherein the procuring causes , and the final causes of that dreadful dispensation are laid open , with the duties that are incumbent , both upon those who have been burnt up , and upon those who have escaped those consuming flames ; with thirteen supports , to bear up the hearts of such as have been sufferers . here are many great objections answered , and many weighty questions resolved ; and variety of arguments to prove that a little that the righteous man hath , is better than the riches of the wicked ; with several other points of grand importance , all tending to the cooling , quieting , setling , refreshing , upholding and comforting of all that have been sufferers by the late fiery calamity . price s. bound . exercitations concerning the name , original , nature , use and continuance of a day of sacred rest. by i. owen , d. d. in large octavo . certaine queries, proposed by the king, to the lords and commons commisssioners from the honourable houses of parliament, attending his majesty at holdenby, the of this instant aprill, . touching the celebration of the feast of easter. with an answer thereunto, given and presented to his majesty by sir james harrington knight and barronet a commissioner there. england and wales. sovereign ( - : charles i) this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (thomason e _ ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing c thomason e _ estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; :e [ ]) certaine queries, proposed by the king, to the lords and commons commisssioners from the honourable houses of parliament, attending his majesty at holdenby, the of this instant aprill, . touching the celebration of the feast of easter. with an answer thereunto, given and presented to his majesty by sir james harrington knight and barronet a commissioner there. england and wales. sovereign ( - : charles i) harrington, james, sir, - . england and wales. parliament. [ ], p. printed for john giles, london, : aprill . . reproduction of the original in the british library. eng charles -- i, -- king of england, - -- early works to . easter -- early works to . sabbath -- early works to . sunday -- early works to . a r (thomason e _ ). civilwar no certaine queries, proposed by the king,: to the lords and commons commisssioners from the honourable houses of parliament, attending his ma england and wales. sovereign c the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the c category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion certaine qveries , proposed by the king , to the lords and commons commissioners from the honourable houses of parliament , attending his majesty at holdenby , the of this instant aprill , . touching the celebration of the feast of easter . with an answer thereunto , given and presented to his majesty by sir james harrington knight and barronet a commissioner there . london , printed for john giles , aprill . . i desire to be resolved of this question why the new reformers discharges the keeping of easter ? the reason for this query is , i conceive the celebration of this feast was instituted by the same authority , which changed the jewish sabboth into the lords day or sunday , for it will not be found in scripture where saturday is discharged to be kept , or turned into the sunday , wherefore it must be the churches authority that changed the one and instituted the other ; therefore my opinion is that those who will not keepe this feast , may as well returne to the observation of saturday and refuse the weekely sunday ; when any bodie can shew me that herein i am in an error i shall not be ashamed to confesse and amend it . tell when you know my minde , c. rex . may it please your majesty , i cannot but from the blessed example of our saviour ( who was in his age a new reformer of old errors , viz. the false glosses of the scribes and pharises , mat. . . ) but accompt all such reformers in our times , blessed also ; but for the keeping of easter although i know not any ordinance of parliament discharging it ; yet with submission to better judgments , i in all dutifulnesse conceive that your majesties reason upon which your queery is built , hath a great mistake even in the foundation of it , you being pleased to lay this for a ground that the change of the sabboth , and the institution of easter are by one and the same equall authority and ecclesiasticall decree , which with your majesties favour i cannot yeild to , for i humbly conceive that the change of the jewish sabboth ( the commemoration of the worke of the creation ) unto the lords day , the remembrance of that greaterwork ( the worke of redemption finished upon this day of the lords resurrection ) was by no lesse then by divine authority , because the keeping of one day in seven as a sabboth to god , was not only sanctified and set a part by gods own example in the creation , gen. . ver. . and accordingly observed by the israelites many weekes before the law was given ex. . ver. . but is one of the ten commandements delivered by gods own voyce , on mount sinay , written by his owne finger in tables of stone , commanded by himselfe to be put into the arke of the covenant , which decalogue or ten commandements , are also by our blessed saviour in his sermon upon the mount , declared to be the rule of his peoples morall obedience unto the end of the world , mat. . . and in the following part of that sermon , wherein hee vindicates the law from the corrupt glosses of the scribes and pharises ; he instances only in morall duties and morall lawes , from all which divines generally infer that the decalogue is to continue in force unto the worlds end ; and therefore it seemes most apparent that no authority that is inferior to that which appointed the seventh day from the creation to be the sabboth , could abrogate that day and appoint another day to be used instead of it , because neither the law of nature nor the holy scripture doth anywhere give the least intimation , that any humane power may change any of the commandements of god , and indeed so many absurdities would follow upon such an assertion , that i am confident your majejesty will not own it ; it remaines therefore that the change of the day must needs be the worke of christ himselfe , or of his apostles , who were divinely inspired , acts . . and to prove that it was so , viz. that by divine institution , the lords day now succeeds in the room of the jewish sabboth , i shall use no other arguments then those which i finde in learned bishop andrewes his speech in the star chamber at the censure of mr. traske ; who expresly saith , that it hath ever beene the churches doctrine that christ made an end of all sabboths by his sabboth in the grave ; and that presently the lords day came in the place of it , and that according to austens judgement , the lords day is declared to be the christian sabboth by the resurrection of jesus christ , which the said bishop not only saith , but proveth by these arguments , first because he then began the new world heb. . . by whom he made the world , the first world which ended with his buriall , the second world or new creation which began with his resurrection ; secondly because the foure evangelists say christ rose una sabbatorum , that is the first day of the weeke ; thirdly the apostles kept their holy meetings on that day , to preach and pray and celebrate the lords supper , act. . . fourthly the day is called the lords day , not onely in the apostles time , but by the apostle john himselfe , revel. . . and he further addes that this epithite ( dominicum ) in the scripture is onely applied to these two , the lords day and the lords supper , to shew that they are both to be taken alike in the scripture : fifthly he saith wee have not onely example but expresse precept for it , cor. . . that upon the first day of the weeke which was the day of their assembly , then collections o● oblations should be made ; and lastly he affirmes that in all ages of the church this day was observed ; to this i may adde our saviours rest upon that day from his workes , heb. ▪ . his often visiting his apostles during the forty daies after his resurrection , upon that day speaking of the things appertaining to the kingdome of god , act. . . now what more materiall thing was there to be declared to them then this , the change of the sabboth , and the appointing a set time for his worship , he accordingly appearing thrice upon the first day of the weeke , besides his being seen of the women , mat. . . to teach and instruct his disciples , first to the two disciples that went to emmaus , luk. . . secondly to the apostles when thomas was absent , john . . ver. . and the third time when thomas was present , iohn . . . as also observe that those wonderfull and extraordinary gifts of the holy ghost were poured out according to his promise upon the apostles and church ( then ) met together , act. . . the day of penticost being the morrow after the seaventh sabboth , to be accompted from the day of the sheafe-offering , levit. . . by all which he seemes to have honoured and set apart that day above others for his service ; lastly this being a principall institution might probably be one of those decrees ordained by the apostles as well as that concerning the sacrament , cor. . . and delivered by paul to the churches in all the cities through which he passed , act. . ve . . but for the observation of easter to be an annuall festivall to christians i finde nothing in the holy scripture , and your majestie is pleased to place it only upon the churches authority ; and although i will not contend about the churches power of institution of such things as are simply indifferent , yet i suppose i may boldly assert that such things as are instituted onely by ecclesiasticall authority , having no footesteps in the scripture , may be by ecclesiasticall authority be altered and laid aside . your majesties most loyall subject and humble servant . finis . the lords-day, or, a succinct narration compiled out of the testimonies of h. scripture and the reverend ancient fathers and divided into two books : in the former whereof is declared, that the observation of the lords day was from the apostles ... : in the later is shewn in what things its sanctification doth consist ... / lately translated out of the latine. dies dominica. english young, thomas, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing y estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the lords-day, or, a succinct narration compiled out of the testimonies of h. scripture and the reverend ancient fathers and divided into two books : in the former whereof is declared, that the observation of the lords day was from the apostles ... : in the later is shewn in what things its sanctification doth consist ... / lately translated out of the latine. dies dominica. english young, thomas, - . baxter, richard, - . [ ], p. printed by e. leach, and are to be sold by nevil symmons ..., london: . half-title: dies dominica, or, the lords day. attributed to thomas young. cf. halkett & laing ( nd ed.). "epistle dedicatory" signed: theophilus philo-kuriaces loncardiensis [i.e. thomas young]. "to the reader " signed: richard baxter. reproduction of original in union theological seminary library, new york. marginal notes. includes index. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng sabbath -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - john latta sampled and proofread - john latta text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion dies dominica , or the lords day . ignat. epist. ad magnes . after the sabbath , let all that love christ , celebrate the lords day , as being consecrated to the lords resurrection , the queen , and princess of all dayes . the lords-day . or , a succinct narration compiled out of the testimonies of h. scripture , and the reverend ancient fathers : and divided into two books . in the former whereof is declared ; that the observation of the lords day was from the apostles : and by the christian church solemnized in a continual series : that its institution was divine ; and what things do hinder its solemnity . in the later is shewn , in what things its sanctification doth consist . in both which also several ecclesiastical antiquities , not unworthy to be known , are explained . lately translated out of the latine . aug. de verb. apost . serm. . the lords resurrection hath promised us an eternal day , and consecrated for us the lords day : which is called the lords day , because it seemeth to belong properly to the lord. acta martyrum , apud baronium , an . . n. , &c. the martyrs being called into judgment , and ask'd of the proconsul , whether they had done their collect , or celebrated the lords day ? answered , with the same words often repeated , that they were christians , that they had done thes lords collect , and celebrated the lords day , with a congruou devotion of religion , because it could not be intermitted . london , printed by e leach , and are to be sold by nevil symmons , at the princes arms in st. pauls church-yard . . to the reader . reader , in the midst of our distractions , confusions , and desolations , our declinings , and the increase of wickedness in the land , it would be no small reviving to our hopes , if we could but procure a more general and conscientious observation of the lords day ; i mean not [ a judaizing , touch not , taste not , handle not , go but a sabbath dayes journey , heal not on the sabbath day , rub not the ears of corn to eat , &c. ] but a holy diligence all the day , in learning the will of god , in reading and hearing his word , in singing and speaking out his praises ; in calling upon his name in the communion of saints , in the sacramental commemoration of the death and resurrection of our saviour till he come : nor do i mean the preferring of the name of the sabbath , before the naming of it the lords day : but the real separation of it for these holy works , from all works that are common and unclean ; not calling that unclean , which god hath cleansed ; but avoiding all unnecessary things , which are a true impediment to the duties of the day , and to the edification and comfort of our souls . could we but procure a general conscience of this holy day and work , oh , what a blessed means would it prove to the increase of knowledge , and holiness among us ! how could men spend one day of seven in the serious reading and hearing of gods word , and not grow in the understanding of it ? how could they spend each week a day in hearing heavenly discourses , and in holy prayers , praises , and thanksgivings , and not become themselves more holy , if they did this in good earnest , and not with hypocritical formality ! where there is a profitable publick ministry , what a furtherance would this be to its success ? where there is not , o what a supply would this be in families . if parents and masters did but spend the day in catechising their children and servants , and reading to them the word of god , and holy , profitable books , and in praying , singing of psalms , and fruitful conferences , how much would it make up the loss of a profitable ministry , where there is none ? but , i confess , for those many thousand families where none is able thus to read or pray , the case is hard , in these times when they dare not come to their neighbours families that can help them ! but o , that the love of our souls were as strong , as natural self-love is in the preservation of our lives ! if prohibited persons did put the case to me , whether it were lawful for them , against their rector's wills , to go beg bread at their neighbours houses , rather than famish , or feed on grass , i think their resolutions would anticipate my answer . and if he have not the love of god in him , who seeth his brother in need , and shutteth up the bowels of compassion from him ; i may inferr , that he neither rightly loveth god , nor himself , who will suffer his soul and family to famish , and deny god his worship , and spend the lords own day unprofitably , and think it a sufficient excuse to say , i was forbidden , and man must be obeyed . nor will it excuse neighbours from helping one another , who live out of the reach of publick helps ( as alas , too many do , especially in the remote parts of the kingdome ) to cast the blame on negligent ministers , or to cry out , it is the prelates that famish so many souls , nor to complain of the silencing of faithful teachers ; for every man hath his own part to do in building up the city of god : and if you do not your own work , you do but condemn your selves while you complain of others . was that your covenant with christ , that you would serve him , if others did , or if none forbad you , or else not ? if others perform not their duty , will you sin for company , and yet condemn them ? if you think they do ill , why will you imitate them ? if well , why do you blame them ? do you cry out of silent or unprofitable ministers ? and do you think that silence and unprofitableness in the governour of a family is no crime ? what if all the rest of the town denied food or cloathing to the poor ? would your obligation to feed and cloath them , think you , be the less or the greater ? as ever you would have your families to be under the blessing and protection of god , and not exposed to the miseries of such as he forsaketh , see that you dedicate them as holy societies to god , and set up his government over them , and his worship among them ; especially in the holy improvement of the lords dayes . and i take it to be a merciful and comfortable prognostick , that god hath suddenly stirred so many , to write on this subject , and to confute all that is said against this duty . and some more are ready ( if not hindred ) shortly to come forth . among them all , i take this book to be of singular weight and worth ; which having declared in my own , lately published , on this subject , it hath occasioned many to enquire after it ; and a worthy knight , who had this translation by him , to be willing to publish it . i confess , i intended no more , than to provoke the learned to take more notice of the book as it is in the latin tongue ; for being strong in the testimonies of antiquity , and the opening of church-customes , ( on which , as an historical evidence of fact , i laid in this controversie no small stress ) i thought it fittest for the perusal of the learned . but , seeing it is now translated , i hope it will also be profitable to many , especially of the more judicious sort of readers , who have no more than the english tongue . the author was a man eminent in his time , for great learning , judgment , piety , humility ; but especially for his acquaintance with the writings of the antient teachers of the churches , and the doctrine and practise of former ages . the lord bless this , and all other labours of his faithful servants , for the preservation of knowledge , holiness , and concord , which satan and his forces are so fiercely , and alas ! so successfully assaulting throughout all the world . thy fellow servant in the faith , labour , and patience of believers , richard baxter . sept. . ( the anniversary day of londons flames ) . to the holy , orthodox church of christ . happily cleansed from the filth of popery , my dear mother , grace and peace . the church of christ in old time , appealed to the scriptures , councils , and records of the ancients , in deciding of questions , whereby the peace of the church was disturbed , or course of the gospel retarded : and then the antients did interpret the scriptures , not as they were by the crooked interpretations of sectaries , or hereticks , accomodated to their own dreams , but according to the analogy of faith , by the consent of other scriptures . in the church there hath alwayes been great profit by , and very much need of councils : and in conclusion , if ill-employed men had rejected the records of the antients , they were forthwith exploded by the church . to these , i say , did the church go straightway , as to an holy anchor , when any tempest arose , as may be seen in sisinnius , who perswaded theodosius , studying to put an end to the unseasonable controversies of that time , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. to avoid disputations , with sectaries , & to require of them , whether they would receive those , who before the distraction of the church , were the interpreters of the scripture and doctors ? unto whom pronouncing judgment on the questions emergent , according to the scriptures , they should submit themselves . i judged the same was to be done by me , ( o spouse of christ , and beloved mother ) when this unhappy question about the lords day solemnity ( alwayes in use and esteem in the christian church ) arose : that the things which the lord hath written upon this matter in the holy records , being first observed , i might betake my self to the councils and records of the antients : by whose engines , ( for no new ones do i judge to be necessary to vanquish the enemies which oppugn the solemnity of this festival ) i may assault the adversaries of this ordination , both with the authority of scriptures , and likewise with the consent and records of reverend antiquity plainly attested : in gathering whereof , i thought it expedient to discover to thee the purpose of my mind , which take briefly thus . first of all , i gathered into one , the judgments of the antients , upon this subject , not that i ascribe more to antiquity than truth : for that i leave to the papists : but i am determined with st. hierom , to read the antients , try all things , hold fast what is good , and not recede from the faith of the catholick church . i run not unweaponed , that is , deprived of spiritual knowledge , revealed in gods word , to the antients ; as to the philistian smiths , for sharpening my husbandry instruments , but because i see that the holy ghost hath very sparingly delivered himself in the scriptures ( although in them he hath recommended to us its name , use , and apostolical institution ) about the lords day , i therefore consult the antients , who faithfully retain what they received from the lord by the apostles , that their pious opinion and practise being observed , we may observe likewise what we are to do in this case . secondly , divers have set out sundry things upon this subject , to the great profit of the church : but few have touched what was the sacred practise of the more pure church , in keeping this solemnity entirely . these things gave me occasion to enquire more deeply into the question ; not onely to help me against my own forgetfulness , but also to mitigate tediousness to others , into whose hands ecclesiastical writers have not either fallen , or being detained with the weighty offices of their charge , could not peruse them . * it was in my design hereby to make provision for both vacancy and studies , whilst i present unto their eyes a brief account of the antiquity of the lords day . this is required of every man , even ▪ nature dictating it , that he profit many , if it can be ; if not so , yet a few ; if not so , yet his neighbours ; if not so , yet himself . thirdly , i judged it not unseasonable , in this deplorate state of the church , to set forth this solemnity ; and that for a two-fold reason ; because the abominable , and un-christian-like violation of the lords day , doth expose the holy worship of god almighty to the wicked's scorn : and from hence , even hence , hath flown an inundation of all that misery , whereby the darkened glory of the church hath fallen . alas ! with what squalor and miseries , is the face of the church , sometimes shining and happy , now in all nations obscured ! they who love it with a sincere love , do see , and lament it ; although they who are bewitched with the malignant spirit of popery , see , and rejoyce at it : neither is there among us any that knoweth how long ; the godly are fallen by the sword , the little ones are dashed together ; and they that are with child are cut asunder : oh , woe is me ! — quis talia fando temperat à lacrymis ? — — who can forbear at telling such events to shed a tear ? this afflicted face of christs church doth call us to true repentance , in performing whereof , the violation of the lords day ( which bringeth fuel to this fire ) in the church of every nation , ought to grieve us . for this festival hath been solemnized , as was fit , in the exercises of piety , according to the rule of gods word , but by few : which the many fairs upon it , for gainful labour , in all nations , feasts , drunkenness , dancings , and the impious profanations of it , by stage-playes , do testifie . these flagitious crimes ( which do obscure the grace of christianity , and give farther occasion of slander to those who blaspheme the name of christ ; and which the purer church abhorred ) do every where rage on the lords dayes , without punishment , to the great scandal of religion . in another respect also any man sees that this argument agrees not with the secure condition of these times : because in this age , if ever , religion among many , languisheth under a bare profession of the gospel , and its power lies down almost extinct , and dead . i judge the sanctification of the l. day , to be a present remedy for both these maladies . first , it will prepare a way to extinguish that vehement flame where with the church is every where a burning . this may easily be taught by the example of gunther amnus , that most pious king of france : who , after he had observed , not without grief of mind , that the state of his kingdom waxed worse , and that he fought with unhappy success against the goths ; the source of so great an evil being a little more deeply sought out , he reproved the bishops which sed not with gospel doctrines the people committed to them , who , by their profligate manners stirred up the wrath of a revenging god against him : to prevent which evil for the future , it was ordained in a council , that the lords day should be kept religiously . the pattern of this most christian king , while the victory in this our age inclineth to the enemies , perswades us devoutly to keep the l. day solemnity ; for which we have ●ought unsuccessfully almost these twenty years , against the enemies of our liberty , that have roared in the churches of god , to our great sorrow . when we count the causes of this will , why should we not apply our minds with gunther amnus to bewail the heynous violation of the lords day ? and with the ancient fathers , who observed , that the lords day was not reverently kept , ordained , that first of all the priests , then kings and princes , and all the faithfull , should chiefly see to it , that the due observation , and religious devotion of so great a day , now in so great a part neglected , be hereafter for a sign of christianity more devoutly exhibited : and that the christian magistrates excellency be humbly desired of the priests , that in honour and reverence of so great a day , all may be put in fear , that men presume not to keep markets , do their own pleasure , and works , on this holy and venerable day . for when this solemnity is either taken away , or neglected , there is no more hopes of the other parts of religion , than there is of the bodies safety , when the head is cut off . neither can there be used a more excellent remedy for curing the other malady , than the holy observation of this festival ; for the zeal of religion waxing cold , and purity of holy doctrine being obscured , what will be more fit to heal errours , and stirr up the languishing strength of zeal , than that an entire worship be offered up both publickly and privately , to god on this day ? while the holy word of god is piously preached , attentively heard : the sacred mysteries devoutly , and according to christs institution celebrated : prayers poured into the hearts of the faithful , by the holy ghost , are with all humility offered up to god : sacred hymns sound in the church , with a godly joy ; the afflicted members of christ , and the poor provided for bountifully by the rich ; and those that are sound in mind do mercifully comfort them that are sorrowful . these are those exercises of the lords day , which will uphold religion , when it is falling : which , if they be religiously observed of the church , every one seeth how great an access will be made from thence to the christian religion , which we all profess . and these are the things ( most holy church of christ ) which in this elaborate treatise i do not utter foolishly of my self : but humbly offer all things to thee , as they are taken out of the holy scriptures ( where they afforded me any light in discussing of this dispute ) and the lights of purer christianity : not because , as sometime chrysostome , homil. post prioris exilii reditum ; thou stand'st in need of my doctrine , which indeed , i acknowledge to be but small , but that i might testifie my good will to thee , and that at length thy natural sons ( to whom religion is both their care and their pleasure ) may in some sort see what works they are to attend on that day , and from what to abstain , and with what authority the institution of this solemnity is supported . with gods assistance i will briefly shew from the holy scriptures , and fathers of better credit , asserting all these things . thou hast therefore ( most beloved mother ) the purpose of my mind in sending forth this little work . do thou then , of thy humanity to thy friends , pardon the mistakes how great soever they be , in collecting these things , and take in good part the slenderness of my wit , which endeavoured according to its power , to benefit chiefly thy natural sons that sojourn in germany ( which i love upon many accounts : ) this doth he humbly ask of thee , who loves thee and thine , with a sincere love in christ , theophilus philo-kuriaces loncardiensis . an index of the chapters . book . the preface ; in which first is propounded the scope of this treatise . secondly , is shewn why we meet with more things about the duties of the lords day ▪ in the later , than in the former councils . thirdly , how far the church at this day may be obliged by the authorities of provincial councils , that ordain these duties , although some things of lesser value be put among their canons . fol. . chapter . that to the solemn worship of god a determined time is necessary . concerning the assemblies of the apostles , and how they were present in the jewish synagogues on the sabbath day . . chap. . the ordinary time observed for celebrating the publick worship of god , after christs death , was the lords day , solemnly used by the christian church , in the very apostles age . three texts of the new testament , namely , acts . . cor. . . and rev. , . are briefly weighed . . chap. . after the apostles death , the church met upon other dayes than the lords . the antient christians observed the sabbath not as an holy day : the differences between the observation of the lords day and sabbath . how constantine the great ordained the parasceve to be observed . anniversary festivals were not celebrated with that solemnity , as the lords day . anniversary festivals not to be preferred to the lords days : anciently they bowed not the knee on the lords day . . chap. . the chief of the fathers make mention of the lords day solemnity : the authority whereof depends not upon the emperours constitutions . when it was first ordained that judges should cease from hearing law-suits on the lords day : the christians were punished for observing it . vvhat it is dominicum agere . . chap. . the reason of observing the lords day . it 's called the first day of the week by the evangelists and fathers , and the lords day : sunday also , and why : the sabbath , and christian sabbath . vvhy the fathers used so seldome the name sabbath . vvhat synaxis may signifie with the ancients . . chap. . the whole lords day is to be sanctified to god , and not onely some part thereof . . chap. . the ordinance of the lords day is not properly to be reckoned amongst unwritten traditions . it was instituted of christ by the apostles . the apostles prerogatives above other ministers of the church : the things ordained by the apostles are of divine right . . chap. . in the compass of a week one day was sanctified , from the beginning of the world . this is affirmed by jews and christians . how adam had need of the sabbath . mention of a seventh day observed amongst the heathen . the authorities are weighed , wherein the observation of the sabbath among the patriarchs , is denied . vvhy the heathens are not upbraided with the profanation of the sabbath . . chap. . one day in the week is even under the gospel , to be sanctified . the morality of the fourth command , which is perpetual , requires this . christ hath not abolished the law. how the sabbath is said to be a sign between god and the church . . chap. . a day in every week is to be sanctified under the gospel , which is not the seventh , but first . the cessation of the jewish sabbath . col. . . and gal. . . are considered . the places on which the observation of the lords day in the new testament , is bottomed . the fathers acknowledge its divine authority . the church cannot change that day ; and substitute another in its room . . chap. . vvherein the sanctification of the lords day consisteth : where something is said about resting from gainful labours ; which the fathers carefully cautioned against , that they should not be used on that day . a place of chrysostom , gregory m. and of the coun. of laodicea is explained . and a canon of the second co●n● . of matiscon . . chap. . how far forth on the lords day we may attend labours , namely , of necessity and piety . countrey ▪ men are bound to sanctifie the lords day . the indulgence granted to countrey men by constantine the great is examined , and revoked . the fact of paula , and the practice of the coenobite● [ or monasticks ] in hierom is weighed . the sense also of a canon of the council of orleans . manumissions , and certain transactions on the lords day . . chap. . the lords day not to be profaned by surfeting . servants not to be called off from sanctifying the lords day . we are not to fast on the lords day . whether st. ambrose was wont to feast on the lords day . . chap. . sports are not at all to be held on the lords day , by the judgment of divers fathers and emperours . four kinds of showes condemned by the fathers , and not to be acted on the lords day , and not onely while the sacred meetings are kept . ● . book ii. chap. . the lords dayes solemnities were both publick and private : publick assemblies of the church on the lords day , the mention whereof we meet with more frequently in the succeeding , than the former church . night meetings : and why abolished at this day . meetings before day , and on the day , in the morning , and in the evening . . chap. . what was done in the publick meetings of the church . reading of the scriptures . what scriptures were read : humane writings were also read in the church . the order in reading of scriptures . the readers of scripture stood in the sight of the whole people ▪ . chap. . explaining of scripture on lords dayes , which was called treating . whose office it was to do this . who the clerici were among the ancients . bishops , q. watchers , overseers , and superintendents . the bishops interpreted the scriptures . presbyters , deacons , sometimes catechists , and sometimes also private men did the same . . chap. . converning the manner of expounding scriptures , in use with the ancients . treating begunwith prayer . the text of the treating . the scriptures that were read , applyed to the peoples use . the treaters did sometime stand , and sometimes sit . after treating followed prayer : when that was ended ; a psalm was sung to god. . chap. . whether the bare reading of scripture in the church assembly , be properly preaching ? and how the reading of the scripture may be called preaching . . chap. . the time assigned to the treatises of the ancients , namely , how long they lasted their treatises were not long : ordinarily about an hour : but they were not tied to an hour : none were to go forth before the end of the treatise . . chap. . the ancients treated every day out of the scriptures . neither did they prohibit others , who taught diligently from that their diligence in teaching . . chap. . they were wont on the lords dayes to treat out of the scriptures . . chap. . both in the old and new testament , in celebrating the sabbaths solemnity , after reading of the scriptures , followed their interpretation . it 's considered whether amongst the jews before the babylonish captivity , the interpreting of the law was used on their sabbath dayes . . chap. . the church used prayers on the lords day . conventicles for churches . prayers onely to god : the praefectus began them . he prepares the people to pour them out . the sursum corda : in prayer the voice of all that worshipped was one . they prayed as the holy ghost suggested to them . how this custome : for what the church prayed . the posture of the body in prayer . . chap. . concerning psalms and hymns that were sung on the lords day . the use of hymns was but of late time in the western churches , although baronius think otherwise . whence the matter of hymns was taken . . chap. . the manner of singing in the church , was modest and sober : the incommodities of a sweeter voice in singing . the commodity of a well moderated singing . antiphones , organs . how none were to sing in the church , but those that were chosen for that purpose . broken musick disallowed . a censure of that musick which is in use with the papists . . chap. . administration of the sacraments on the lords day . . chap. . who was to be present at all the offices of the liturgy , and who not . the catechumeni , audientes , competentes , poenitentes , and their sundry degrees : namely , some lugentes , others audientes , others substrati , others consistentes , others sacramentorum participantes . at what offices these were to be present , and what not . . chap. . of places in which the churches publick assemblies were held . . chap. . private duties of religion to be performed on the lords day . examining of what they heard . conferring on the same . meditating of the life to come : amesig●th●●ed for the poors use . 〈◊〉 chap. . the conclusion . . a table of the fathers , and other writers , out of whom this narration is transcribed ; together with the places where , and times when they were set forth . since nothing can with that faithfulness be brought to light out of the pleasant gardens of the ancients , against which malevolous detractors do not whet their spiteful tongues : therefore knowing the temper of such men , i thought it would be for the readers profit , in the very entrance of the treatise , to make mention of the places , and times of the editions of the grave fathers , and others , whose testimonies are here alledged ; to the end that both the detractors may be prevented , and also , if the reader , who thirsted after truth should any where stick doubting , he might the more easily make recourse to the authors cited , and consult their meaning ; and so all occasion of doubting being cut off , he might at length willingly embrace the truth set before his eyes . a agrippa de vanitate scientiarum . colinae agrippin● . . ambrosius excusus basileae . . amesii medulla . amsterodami . . antonius de dominis de repub. christiana . part . londini . arnobius contra gentes . parisiis . athanasius graeco latin. ex officina commetiana , . athenaeus lat. lugduni , . augustinus basileae , . b baronii cardin. annales , moguntiae , . basilius mag. graece , basileae , . basil . magn. lat. basileae , . bellarmini cardin. controv. coloniae , . bernardus , antuerpiae , . bibliotheca patrum . parisiis . c canones ecclesiae afric . per justellum parisiis , . casauboni exercit . in baron . annal. francof , . centuriae magdeburgicae . basilae , . chrysostomus . graece , londini . chrysostomus latine , basileae , . clement . constitut . graeco-latin , parisiis , . clemens alex. graeco-lat . lugduni , . conciliorum tomi per severinum binium . coloniae , . corpus juris civilis , genevae , . cyprianus apud joannem le preux , . cyrillus alexandrinus , lat. paris . . d damascenus , graeco-lat . paris . . dionysius areopagita , graeco-lat . paris . . e epiphanius , graece , basileae . epiphanius , latine , coloniae , . eusebii hist . graeco-lat . colo. allobrogum , . eusebius de praep . evangel . lat. paris . . examen concil . trident. per chemnit . francof . . f flavius josephus , lat. colo. agripin . . g gratiani corpus jur. canon . paris . . greg. nazianz. graec. basileae , . greg. nazianz. lat. basileae , . greg. nyssenus lat. basil . greg. magnus paris . . galatinus , apud haered . andreae wecheli , &c. . gelasius de artis concil . nicaeni paris . per marcellum . h hieronymus . basiliae , . hilarius . basileae , . hist . ecclasiasticae scriptores . graec-lat . colo. allobr . . hist . ecclestiastica tripart . parisiis . . i ignatius graeco-lat . genevae . i●enaeus basileae , . isidori pelus . epist . graeco-lat . parisiis . isychius , parisiis , . l lactantius . basileae . m macrobius . lugduni , . minutii felicis ●ct●avius , paris , . mortonii apologia . londini , . n nicephori historia . paris . . nomocanon phothii . paris . . o origenes . basileae . . optatus . apud commelinum , . p philo judae . graec-lat . colo. allobrogum , . plutarchi vitae , lat. basileae , . plutarchi moralia , lat. basil . . platina de r. pontificum vitis . colon. . primafius in epistolas . lugduni , . r ruffinus . parisiis , . rivetus in decalogum . leidae . t tertullianus . antuerpiae , . theodoret. lat. colon. agripp . . theodoreti questiones . graece paris . . z zonaras in concilia graeco-lat . parisiis , . the lords day the first day of every week is to be sanctified in the exercises of religion . whose institution is divine . sanctification consisteth in ceasing from worldly matters . a. attending on divine worship . b. a. therefore not to be profaned by gainful labour . or by surfeiting . sports . b. here the duties of religion are of right publick private . c. in every chur. meeting as namely the ministry of the word , in and prayer . singing psalms . administration of the sacraments . reading expounding of scripture . c. when the faithful were dismissed from the publick assembly . in contemplating of the works of god eternal life . or in meditating discoursing of what they had heard . comforting the weaker relieving the poorer brethren . a preface to the reader . in which is propounded , first , the scope of this treatise . secondly , is shewn why we meet with more things about the duties of the lords day in the latter , than in former councils . thirdly , how far the church at this day may be obliged by the authorities of provincial councils , ordaining these dayes : although some things of smaller value be put amongst their canons . that old serpent , the perpetual hater of divine truth , and true piety , hath busied himself to remove every stone since the first promulgation of the holy gospel , that he might turn aside the minds of men bewitched with an impure hatred of light and godliness , from a sincere love to the same . therefore , having stirred up a terrible flame of persecution , he hath sometimes disheartened the favourers of the gospel , from all affection to godliness , by most crafty means to hinder the happy progress of gods word : sometimes by the diligent care of pious princes , ihis unhappy flame of persecution being quenched , he hath not feared either to set together by the ears the very professors of religion ( not attentively enough observing his tricks and snares ) or shamefully to alienate them ( mens minds being inclined to lust , and a too great love of this present world ) from the holy practice of godliness , and from all exercise of true religion . but this in vain . for so long as a door is open to hear gods word , at a time solemnly observed for the publick worship of god , and the private practice of godliness not neglected , through the divine providence [ it shall happen , that ] ( maugre the enemies of the gospel ) godliness shall flourish , faith shall abound , and charity , the manifest token of christs disciples , shall not wax cold ; and mens minds shall be stirred up with a greater desire of unfeigned love to the gospel , and the violent shall take the kingdome of heaven by force . this thing that masked serpent observeth with no small disdain , whilst that he considers he is a falling like lightning from heaven , by the power of apostolical preaching , and upon that account , by his emissaries , employes all his power , that he might retard the course of preaching the gospel . nor could he take a more ready way to promote this unhappy enterprize , than either by utterly abolishing the time appointed from heaven for this work , or by corruptly perverting the use thereof . which being once obliterated out of mens minds , at length piety would decay , and all care of religion would lye extinct . for it 's well enough known , that the professors of christian religion do there most endeavour after godliness , and that church by god is most abundantly adorned with all manner of gifts , where , with greatest reverence , and strictest observation , the lords day is wholly spent in divine exercises . for , if the a lords day be the queen of dayes ; that church which gravely studieth the setting forth of this solemnity , is deservedly to be reputed the queen of churches . but the deadly enemies of piety , with all their strength , endeavour to relax the observation of the lords day , ( whereon they willingly suffer not themselves to be holden bound by the exercises of godliness ) and to extricate themselves from this burden , thereby rovingly to give up themselves without check , to impiety and idleness . wherefore constantine the great , that most godly emperour , not ignorant of these mens temper , when he determined with himself to obviate this evil , and begun with greatest care to practise the true religion of christ , and provoke his subjects to observe it , he made a law for a diligent observing the lords solemnity , as witnesseth sozomen . for since it 's the churches part , intermitting the affairs of this world , to meet together for the exercises of piety , such conventions cannot fitly be holden without a certain and determinate time . the time therefore destined for performing the the holy duties of religion being abolished , the minds of men will not be intent upon the offices of religion . whence , of necessity piety must fail ; and that being extinct , what other thing can men expect , but that a tempest of all evils should be ingruent ? but yet , since it 's no casie thing to obliterate , and wholly to eradicate the matter of that law which commands us to set apart a whole day within the compass of a week , and refer it for spiritual labour : therefore that sly adversaries by his emissaries ( whose wit is ready , and that have a mercenary tongue for colouring impostures ; changing their opinion at pleasure with the inconstant ecebolius ) at the first , only desputes after his crafty manner , whether such a time be ordained of god. these men more boldly than truly acknowledge the authority of time to be received not from gods , but mens constitution ; as though the lords-day were like the holy-dayes which were commanded the romans ; namely , such as the praetors according to their arbitrary power did proclaim . and so its observation should depend upon the civil magistrate , and churches authority . these things thus being handled after these mens will , and others not strenuously applying their minds to retard the speedy course of their enterprises , reasons are found out with a little ado ( for errour is a fruitful thing ) by which men not very religious and observant of piety , may at last rush upon the constant sanctification of this time with unwashen hands and feet , as the proverb is , and tread it under feet , as if it were only instituted of god not for the sake of any spiritual work , but carnal idleness . these things ( courteous reader ) have given me occasion more narrowly to search out both the institution , and sanctification of this time ; namely , whether first it could be shown from the fountain of holy writ ( from whence wise men know we must always judge what is to be defined of every divine truth ) and the ancient practise of the following church ( which learned it from the apostles ) any part of time weekly be destined to performe the holy exercises of religion ? secondly , by what authority that time is imposed upon the church , divine , or humane ? thirdly , in what things the solemn sanctifying thereof consisteth ? touching all which , what may be shown from the foresaid fountains , the following pages will briefly , without prejudice of others , judging according to truth , by the grace of god inform us . these are , i say , the things of which i have purposed to treat , god assisting , which , before i enter on , some things remain , of which the reader studihus of truth , is timely to be admonished . first of all , though there be none of any authority and name amongst the professors of more pure christianity , who beareth not most clear testimony to the lords festival ; yet in no case must we expect , that all things which chiefly make for the illustrating it , can be demonstrated out of the papers of the most approved fathers in one age . nor can any one of right be offended , or wonder at this , since the reverend authority of the fathers , especially in the controversies that unhappily sprang up in their age is to be attended ; in weighing whereof they have professedly and openly declared what their mind was ; but in other things , which they have touched upon only by the bye , they have not so roundly shewed their judgements . besides , we know there is no point of christian religion , the illustration whereof hath not more and more increased in the church by progress of time ; to effect which , the succeeding church was enforced through a certain necessity : for sometimes the foolish frowardness of adversaries , and sometimes the lewdly-imployed manners of their own men , have required this , that diverse canons about some heads of religion ( the knowledge whereof formerly increased in the church ) should be appointed . i believe none will deny that the most profound mystery of the holy trinity was known to the christian church from its infancy : yet in several councils of the succeeding church , diverse canons were ordained about it . the reverend fathers in the council of nice ordain , that our lord jesus christ is not a creature : and this they did according to pauls word . in the council of constantinople all profess they did believe that the holy ghost is true god , as co-essential to god , both father , and the son. in the council of ephesus , under the emperor theodosius the younger , the divinity of the son is again concluded . these mysteries were illustrated by these new constitutions : and yet who will be so mad , as for that cause to contend they were first then known to the church , when these new canons were set forth about them ? which only the holy fathers ordained to obviate the frowardness of hereticks that either denyed , er adulterated the received truth : that the divine verity , which the former church embraced , being obscured , and held down by the wicked artifices of adversaries , might be restored to its ancient vigour . but not onely the madness of hereticks ▪ but sometimes also the inordinate manners of christians , have occasioned new canons ordaining about things formerly known : for it was an usual thing for the fathers to inquire into the manners of those churches that were commended to their care ; and when they observed that their christian people were ensnared in errour , or wandring from the path of truth , or at least walking not uprightly , according to the received rule of piety , they straightway used new canons , as medicines congruous to both these evils : and so in the church , as in the commonwealth , good laws grew out of evil manners . and although the things that were before ordained were abundantly sufficient to quench those errours newly sprung up , or reform their lewd manners : yet either the new breaking out of errour , or dilating of manners , not at all consonant to the holy light of the gospel ▪ and creeping every way like leaven , were stopped by the bar of new canons . but thereupon we must not think that the former church was not bound to the truth which was by a postliminium established with new sanctions , or to manners reformed by their authority : which is easie to be observed in this business of the lords day . the succeeding church , through the care of the best emperours , having obtained peace , established divers things about the lords festival , which are not now extant in the doctors of the primitive church . but who will say , that the piety established by new canons , for observing that solemnity , was not known to the former christians ? whenas , even in the apostles age , as it shall afterwards appear from the scriptures , the lords day was solemnly used for all the exercises of religion , in which the true manner of keeping it holy doth consist . and the fathers of the succeeding church , ordaining new canons about its solemnity , have not concealed this , as is to be seen in the second council at matiscon , a can. . in which they gravely study to set forth the lords solemnity , but to this they were moved by the rash custome of some , as they say , who exposed the lords day to contempt . in concil . cabilon , b held about the year . caution is taken for prohibiting country labours on that day ; which thing , when the fathers did ordain , they confess , they did not appoint any new thing , but renew the old . moreover , in the council of friuli , c can. . all christians were commanded to observe with all reverence the lords festival : in which , as in other canons of that council , they acknowledge , they do not institute new rules , but having recited the sacred pages of their fore-fathers canons , they persist to embrace with greatest devotion , and 〈…〉 with a fresher style , the things that were digested by them , and promulgated by a wholsome pen. there came out also a a new decree in a council at paris , for the strict observing the lords day , of which , this reason is assigned by the fathers : because b a due observation , and the religious devotion of that day , was in a great measure neglected . that was not then the first time they decreed a religious institution of the lords day , but it being grown into a disuse , they labour postliminio , to renew it , and call to remembrance the neglected or obscured use thereof : and the dissolute manners of christians , in performing on that day the exercises of religion have produced new canons about observing this solemnity : whenas yet the solemnity it self , and the holy duties thereof , were well enough known to the former church : and so the things which were neglected , through the carelesness of the people , were afterwards with great labour inculcated . another reason also is to be added , for the ordaining new canons about this festival . the heathen emperours being haters of the christian name , provided by their laws , that the christians should not have liberty on the lords day , to keep their meetings . which the wicked edict of dioclesian , touching this thing , informs us of . how therefore would they observe out of the writers of that age , all the mysteries of godliness to be performed on that day , whenas , not without great peril of life , they did celebrate the lords dayes , not on the day time , but on the night ? yet all authors of any note , as i said , do acknowledge , that the day it self was to be celebrated from the beginning of the church : and if they had had liberty , they had executed the same offices of religion on that day , by which it was celebrated in the succeeding church . and these are the things , for whose cause the fathers of the succeeding church being moved , have treated more at large concerning the lords day duties , than those of the foregoing . there remains one other rock , upon which , lest any dash , i judge them also to be advertised . many of the canons , upon whose authority a great sort of the duties of religion on that day to be performed , do lean , were set forth by councils which were provincial : perhaps therefore some will object , that none but the churches of those provinces are obliged to keep those canons . but indeed , since the decrees of provincial councils serve for the profit of the whole , and not of any particular church onely , why should they not be received of other churches professing the same faith with them ? although not by vertue of any provincials authority , but of divine truth , albeit determined in a particular province . and since the reason of a provincial synods determination is universal , why should not canons so determined , even in that respect , oblige other churches , although not to undergo the punishment ? for the imposing of the punishment is particular , where the law in respect of equity may be general . and whenas we see the authorities of particular fathers to be esteemed amongst all ; we should be too partial towards them , if we should set at nought the canons of provincial councils , at which several fathers and bishops were present : unless some body will think that a sentence approved by the judgments of many , be of less weight and authority , than when it 's pronounced by one single person apart . because pauls epistles were written to particular churches they are not therefore rejected of others , for that in gods intention they pertain to the churches of all ages and nations ▪ nor do they less agree with their moral state and condition , than with those for whom they were primarily designed . moreover , if in any province there be churches rightly constituted , and according to the rule of gods word , doubtless they are to be honoured with the name and title of churches : and the right hands of christian fellowship are to be given them : neither is there extant at this day a church , which , upon occasion , does not freely use the authorities of some provincial councils , in confirming the truth : to which yet this is by none imputed as a fault : and why may not its assertors sometimes have liberty to use the provincial authorities of canons for propagating the truth about the lords day ? the orthodox fathers anciently , when any question arose , by which the peace of the church was disturbed , did advise , and mutually help one another . the french bishops , in the case of communion with felix , consulted the bishops of rome and millain , whose letters were read in the council of tauritan . as appeareth by the fifth canon of that council . the spanish bishops , in the case of the priscillianists , profess , they will not communicate with the lapsed , although reclaimed , without the consent of the roman bishop , and simplicianus of millain : liberius bishop of rome writes to athanasius , and begs it of him before god and christ , that if he be of his mind , he would subscribe his epistle . a pud athanas . p. . that was indeed a sweet communication , and modest prudence in the ancient bishops , a that one act , and one consent should be kept , according to gods laws , amongst them all : and hence it was , that they entirely studied to b use one common counsel about the profit of church-administration : and did not reject with a supercilious disdain , that which seemed best to be done to their fellow bishops , although distant from them in other provinces , a but the association of priests , although large , was so coupled together with the glew of mutual-concord , and bond of unity , that one falling into danger , the rest helped him . whatever therefore was thought just by pastors of other churches , ( especially those that were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as petrus alexandrinus sayes in sozomen , of the roman bishop , b although congregated in a provincial council , or out of council ) was by good desert not rejested of other bishops of the same faith : but they helped one another by mutual counsels and labour . whence it follows , that canons ordained , although in provincial councils , about the lords festival , are not to be rejected . but i will stay no longer to take this remora out of the way . one objection remaineth , which , lest any thing be wanting to the knowledge of the truth , must be prevented . some , having no care of the lords festival , do contend , that the fathers in those latter councils , do stick in small things , and do mingle , i know not what , matters of little value , with their canons about observing the lords solemnity : for whose sakes they judge whole canons to be nothing worth : as in some councils it 's ordained , that what sometime the priest abimelech asked of david , sam. . . that should 〈…〉 done by christians on the lords day . so in the council of friuli , can. . this is reputed by some for a trifle . concerning which thing , it yet troubled not st. paul to make a canon for the married in case of prayer and fasting , cor. . . put for that part of friuli's canon , wherein it 's ordained , to abstain from our wives on that day ; whether it was added by the fathers , or foisted into the canon by some sciolist , on the marginal explication of a carnal work , i dispute not : i onely assert this , if it be their grief that trifles repugnant to the word of god , are obtruded on the church of christ , in this i commend and accept very well their temper , who set at nought whatever point is dissonant from the holy so●iptures , however approved in the judgments of many men : but , if under the name of trifles , as they call them , they shall reject those canons that contradict not the reverend authority of writers , i cannot approve their fact in this , at least i would be taught this thing of them : which they may find out by the whole huge volume of councils . all the things therein ordained , are not approved now adayes by all ; and yet those councils are not therefore rejected by wise men . some things enacted in the first council of nice , which have come to our hands , ( if the authentick acts of the council have not perished through the injury of time , or cunning of the arrians ) are over orude , which savour not of athanasius , ofius , or paphnatius's wit , and other approved fathers , which were present at the council , and which things are now also antiquated : shall we therfore judge all things in the reverend council , which hath so many witnesses , to be rejected ? far be it from us . in that council also it 's ordained , that there must be no bowing of the knees on the lords dayes , or from the passover to pentecost , in pouring out prayers to god. perhaps there will be some , that will think this ordinance worthy derision , rather than observation : who will not yet for that cause reject the council . once in a council at trulla , spiritual affinity , as they call it , was forbidden : yea , there we read an injunction ( for the fifth canon says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. ) for , avoiding ridiculous jesters , and other spectacles at any time : but at this day they esteem it a trifling canon , who judge those tumblers to be rejected not alwayes , but even on the very holy day do permit christian people to be present at the childish arts of tumblers , when the publick exercises of religion are ended , and yet they refuse not all the canons of that council . i can bring forth many more other examples of canons determining small matters , but i 'le spare this labour : at least , i add but this , when in provincial councils of every province , questions were handled ( conc. . constantinop . can. . t. . p. . ) and nothing was brought to the general council , but what could not fitly be determined in the provincial : it was needful for the fathers to determine of the propounded questions , of what kind or weight soever they were : and so if any minute things ( which by some are reckoned trifles ) do occurr in the canons , they are rather to be ascribed to others , who propounded them to the fathers assembled in council , than to them determining of them . these are the rocks , which in the following treatise by gods help , shall be more clearly explained in their places : of which things ( most courteous reader ) i judged it expedient to admonish thee , before i dismiss thee to read it over , lest in any place thou be at at a stand . in which things , having briefly prefaced , by gods assistance , i hasten to my purpose . the lords-day . the first book . in which is demonstrated the solemnity and antiquity of the lords day . chap. . that to the solemn worship of god , a determined time is necessary . concerning the assemblies of the apostles , and how the apostles and other christians were present in the jewish synagogues , on the sabbath day . that some certain time is to be assigned by divine institution , on which , men ceasing from common affairs , are diligently to bend themselves to ▪ divine worship , for gods glory , and the churches good ( although no religion be placed in holy-dayes ) i think to be without controversie : the custome received amongst nations of all ages ( that namely , at a stated time , and upon certain dayes , all should meet to invocate , and worship that deity which they took for their supreme ) doth witness this : and reason it self doth require the same . conventions also for performing exercises of piety , were alwayes used by the christian church , in which said exercises , it practised what pertained to godliness , and the worship of god , for which cause the apostle , heb. . . allows not of that readiness in christians , to forsake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i.e. that coming to the synagogue [ or meeting together ] and if christ disdained not to come himself to the temple , and the jews synagogues , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , luk. . . . as his custome was ; who will he be that shall think the places dedicated for the churches assemblies are not to be gone unto by christians ? but the necessity ( which a chrysostom at large decyphers de verbis isaiae ) of these assemblies ( of which more afterwards ) being admitted : we must at this time briefly enquire out the fit season ( without which the exercise of divine worship cannot fitly be acted in them ) for holding of them : for the best sign of the time which was solemnized by the church , must be observed from the publick conventions which were held for performing of the duties of religion . the time assigned for divine worship amongst the ancient christians , was either extraordinary , or ordinary : solemnly to celebrate the extraordinary time , they were called upon only by an extraordinary occasion , when it sell out : so while the apostles were living , luke tells us , acts . that many were gathered together in maries house , during st. peter's imprisonment , and for his sake poured out prayers continually god ; — the occasion of which convention was extraordinary , yet did they not therefore intermit the ordinary time of meeting : the ancient writers do also witness , that such were the meetings of the christians after the apostles times , when a just occasion was offered : who , as often as persecutions , or publick calamities sell out , they then joyned prayers in their meetings congregated on that occasion : and so , as it were , a by making a band in their prayers to god , they compassed him about as they prayed : which thing we read was done by the apostles and church , acts . . . when the elders of the people forbad the apostles they should not preach christ , the church poured forth prayers to god. the ordinary time for the exercises of piety was , at which they attended divine worship upon a stated and determinate day : to manifest which , it will be worth the while to know , that for convocating the church ordinarily , more days were set apart after the apostles death , than the former church observed . concerning the assemblies of the church while the apostles were yet alive , some things observable do occurr in the evangelists ( the holy ghosts amanuenses , and the faithful describers of the acts of the apostles ) in declaring whereof , we will first consider what is recorded of the apostles in this thing , and then of the other members of the church . and first of all we will shortly touch upon the assemblies of the apostles ( although they cannot truly be reputed amongst the ordinary conventions of the church , because which way soever the apostles turned , they took every occasion to preach the gospel ) because they open us a way to understand others . after the saving passion of jesus christ , our most merciful redeemer ▪ the mention of the first of these , at which were present the rest excepting thomas , occurrs joh. . . in which christ vouchsafed his presence . the , occasion of which meeting is not mentioned ; but doubtless , as all interpreters conjecture , this was done , that by their mutual presence they might comfort one another : for as many as are christs , do perpetually incline to communicate all things , whether their sorrows or joyes , among themselves : and then their lord being gone , their greatest fear was of the jews ; for which cause we read that the place wherein they held their meeting was shut and barred : when the apostles were assembled , they conferred among themselves of what divers related of christs resurrection : the time of this meeting is noted in john , a it was the first day of the week , and about evening of that day , or after sun-set ; at which time , christ , having conquered the grave and death , presented himself to them alive . secondly , after eight dayes , or the eighth day current from his appearing , the same evangelist tells us , john . . that they were all met together , where jesus came again , and stood in the midst of them . here some make a question , whether the day of their second meeting was the eighth from the first , or after the eighth day ? b cyril affirms it was the eighth , or lords day , the first and last being reckoned : neither doth it hinder that it 's said after eight dayes . christ taught , that the son of man must suffer many things , &c. and after three dayes rise again . mar. . . yet christ rose from the dead on the third day from his burial , not after the third day . so also 't is said luke . . when eight dayes were accomplished for the circumcising of the child , i. e. on the eighth very day : for the h. ghost speaks of the eighth day current , and not finished : so here after eight dayes , or on the eighth day , are all one . it must be added also , that christ appeared in the evening of that day . afterwards some of the apostles were together , when they went to fish , to whom also jesus appeared . a . thirdly , the general convention of all the apostles is declared , act. . . in which they were commanded , not to depart from jerusalem , but there wait for the promise of the father : and thither they came after the glorious ascension of christ , where being gathered together , they tarried for the spirit , promised of god the father , and christ . b . luke reports that women also were present at this congregation of the apostles : where they continued their meeting , till the feast of pentecost , abiding with one accord in prayer and supplication : which fell out also on the first day of the week . so thinks isychius c , who sayes , the day of pentecost fell out on that day which our saviour rose on ; and indeed , whoever shall compare his reckoning with the law of god , about keeping pentecost , will find that isychius in this misses not the truth at all . for the day of pentecost ( which the scripture elsewhere calls the feast of weeks , or of new-fruits , because on that day the shew-bread was offered out of the new fruits ) was the fiftieth inclusively from the day of offering the first-fruits , lev. . which was the day immediately next after the passover a , on which the lord jesus , who was the first-fruits of the dead , lay in the grave : and the fiftieth day from that inclusively , was the first in the week , upon which the h. ghost descended on the apostles , as they were that day assembled . act. . these are the meetings ▪ which the holy scripture testifies the blessed apostles held upon the fiftieth day from christs resurrection : which being held upon the first day of the week , christ oftentimes honoured with his presence . but why they met on that , and not another day , it is not easie to declare ; although one may guess at the cause of the first and last meeting , yet hath the holy ghost shewn us nothing of the second occasion . and it 's uncertain whether christ before his death , or for those forty dayes wherein he reasoned with them after his resurrection , of things pertaining to the kingdome of god , gave his apostles any command for setting apart some new time for their meetings . epiphanius sayes , they knew very well that the sabbath was at an end , from his converse with them , and doctrine before his passion . this at least is an indubitable truth , that they met on the first day of the week , and that christ made renowned their meeting held on that day by his own gracious presence , and mission of the holy ghost . and st. cyril must be credited , holy congregations are held at this day of right in churches , because on that day jesus appeared to his apostles , as they were met together . nor doth isychius think otherwise in the place afore quoted . therefore according to those most grave fathers , because the eighth day was made famous with the presence of christ , and the gifts of the holy ghost sent down from heaven , it is at this day also by the church solemnized with a more honourable worship . afterwards the apostles , together with the faithful , are said daily to meet to hear the word of god , and receive bread , act. . . yea , the apostles ceased not to teach from house to house , and in the temple , act. . . and these are the things which the holy ghost hath afterwards left us written in the holy scriptures , concerning the apostles meetings : to the solemnizing whereof , we read not that they observed a certain or set time ; because they had to do with the jews , to whom , before others , according to the ancient prophecies , the gospel was to be declared . therefore the apostles were often present at the jews assemblies , ●nd that upon their sabbaths . and whether the apostles , when first they went for●●●o preach the gospel , met apart from the jews amongst themselves on other da●●s , the holy ghost is silent in the script●re . but at that time the candidates of christianity being hindred with fear of the jews , could not without great difficulty meet together . we must then think they held their meetings in those dayes when they could . but the church being wonderfully increased , and daily corroborated in the faith , by the frequent preaching of the apostles , it appeareth by the history of the apostles travels recorded by st. luke , that the christians where-ever they lived , were wont to meet upon set dayes , to handle religion : to prove its truth , divers examples are ready in the acts of the apostles , and their epistles ; in which the celebrating of their meetings is usually denoted by these phrases ; meeting together to hear the word of god , acts . . coming together to break bread , acts . . to come together , cor. . . ministring to the lord. acts . , &c. they are said sometimes to meet in the temple , act. . . sometimes other christians than the apostles were at the jews synagogues : because there the apostles preached christ to the jews , and therefore other christians also resorted thither , that they might hear the apostles teaching . act. . . that the first christians were sometimes present at the jews synagogues on the sabbath day is granted , the holy writ being witness hereof , acts . . also acts . . it 's said , the apostle , as his manner was , went in unto them , and three sabbath dayes reasoned with them out of the scriptures , &c. but not to solemnize the sabbaths after the jewish manner ( from whose observation the christians , and that by authority committed to the apostles from the lord , were far enough off ) especially when paul himself could most severely reprove the colossians and galatians , because some amongst them stood for the sabbath , and other feasts of the jews : but because they then had obtained a good occasion of communing with the jews , being met together : that their readings of the law and prophets being finished in the synagogues , they might preach the gospel with more fruit in such a concourse of men ( which upon other dayes they could not so easily obtain ) and for no other end , as from the alledged testimonies is evident . which things let the reader seriously weigh with himself . for at what time , or in what place soever they could speak with the jews , they set upon them , and preached the gospel to them . therefore , both on the sabbaths , and other dayes , as well in the synagogues , as when they were met other where , the apostles were not wanting amongst the iews in the office of preaching . when they had tarried certain dayes amongst the macedonians , because no fit occasion for preaching the gospel was offered ( as the circumstances of that place teach ) which the apostles every where greedily sought after , they preached christ on the sabbath dayes out of the city , by a river side , to the women which resorted to publick prayers according to their custome . st. paul hastened to keep the feast of pentecost at ierusalem , only because he might have many of the iews living dispersedly in divers places of the world there gathered together , with whom he might treat about christ , and so the preaching of the gospel by them returning home might be made famous through the world . so thinketh chrysost . who sayes , what means that haste of his ? ( he speaks of pauls hasting to the feast ) it was not for the feast , but for the multitude . afterwards he sayes , he made haste to preach the word . it 's granted therefore that the apostles and other christians in those first times , were present at the synagogues of the iews : yet although they met with them on the sabbaths , they are not read in the scripture to meet on the sabbath dayes apart from the iews , and by themselves . neither do we read that this was done of them with an intention to solemnize the sabbath , or have a worship common to the iews , which was not lawful to be done . st. paul sometimes disputed in areopagus , act. . . and the schools of the heathen , act. . . in which the schoolmasters were wont to explain the names , genealogies , fables , and histories of their gods , to observe their feasts , and instruct their catechetae in their rites . yet no man will thence conclude , ( as mr. eaton well observes ) that because he was present in their schools , he did observe the heathens feasts , and worship their gods . in like manner the apostles must not be said to have observed the jewish sabbath , although they had divers disputations thereon , as the concourse of the iews gave them occasion . moreover if the christians had observed the sabbath , then justin martyr had satisfied with little ado , trypho the jew , that counselled him to observe the sabbath . for it had been enough for martyr to have answered the iew , that the christian church did observe the sabbath . yet this he grants not , but that blessed martyr ▪ plainly denies that the jewish sabbath ought to be observed by the christians . the same do other fathers against the iews , as we shall see afterwards . lastly , we read not that the apostles were alwayes at their synagogues . for it 's said act. . . when the iews hearts were hardned at pauls doctrine , first paul himself departed from them , neither is he ever after read to enter into their synagogues . besides he segregated from them the disciples that embraced the sounder doctrine , lest , as it 's in the proverb , the sick cattel should infect the sound . therefore as long as they conceived any hope of converting the iews , they neither declined their company nor synagogues . but when they observed , that they rose up against the sound doctrine of the gospel with an obdurate heart , they forthwith forsook them , neither are they read in scripture ever after to enter into their synagogues any more . chap. ii. the ordinary time observed for celebrating the publick worship of god after christs death was the lords day , solemnly used by the christian church , in the very apostles age . three texts of the new testament , namely , act. . . cor. . , . and apoc. . . are briefly considered . afterwards , when the christians had no dealing with the iews , we read that they met by themselves , in the apostles age , and that on the lords day , to exercise the offices of piety and divine worship . but for the period of time , in which at first they held these conventions by themselves , apart from the iews , there 's nothing occurrs in scripture , and divers dispute about it . passing by whose dispute , it plainly appears in the holy scripture ▪ that the lords day , while yet the apostles were alive , was destined for the publick meeting of the church . there are three texts of the new testament , ( namely , act. . . cor. . , . and apoc. . . in which there is plain mention of that dayes celebrity ) on whose most grave authorites the religious observation of the lords day , by the common suffrage almost of all divines , doth chiefly rest . yet all interpreters agree not amongst themselves in their expositions of them : and no wonder , since to all it is not given presently to hit upon the sense of what is delivered in the scriptures , but to some that prophesie some things are revealed , according to the apostle , whilst other sit by . yea , men of every age studiously following after the known truth ; even while they diligently apply their ages to the study of the scripture , are blessed with a new-light of knowledge not observed by their predecessors . it sometimes also falleth out , that some things may be revealed to men of inferiour condition , which are hid to others of greater name and authority ; as may be seen in st. paphnatius , who being armed with the divine authority of the epistle to the hebrews , wherein it 's asserted , that marriage is honourable in all , opposed in that famous council of nice the bishops that ordained an excess of rigour , or studiously endeavoured to prejudice the church with an intolerable inconveniency of too severe a prescription : yet all that famous convention of holy bishops , presbyters , and deacons , yielded to paphnatius his opinion . chrysostom gives leave to the weaker , although the least , to speak any thing that 's profitable , even in the church-assembly . moreover , one and the same understanding at the same moment , receiveth not all the sacred mysteries of faith ; but the holy ghost , ( the onely teacher of truth ) openeth to men their understanding at divers times . and most commonly it happens , that he that cannot have the first place for wisdome , may have the second for modesty , by retracting what he hath inconsiderately spoken . now as in the expositions of other scriptures , there are more masters , when they judge diversly , and contradictorily amongst themselves : so it falleth out in the gloss of the foresaid texts . for some of them ( whereof the first and second do note , that the offices of religion are to be performed by the christian church on that day ; the third its name ) being supported by testimonies , do piously and modestly defend the authority of the lords day : which others of them contend , cannot be defended by those authorities . the former of these opinions is more common , and received of more both ancient and modern divines : neither doth the latter want asserters of great authority in the church . mr. calvin , of blessed memory , in his learned commentaries , so interprets that place , act. . . that it seems to bring little help to prove the lords day solemnity . whose opinion i see divers do embrace ; whose temper i cannot enough wonder at in this : because in this point they stifly-adhere to learned calvins opinion , from which , in other matters of christian faith , they are altogether aliens , and cry out that the vilest comments of the papists are far to be preferred to his elaborate expositions , which breath forth piety and excellent learning : and whatever is approved by the judgment of that well exercised divine , mr. calvin , they little esteem it : and that because the most famous calvin sometimes thought so . yet in this business they judge nothing ought to be approved , but what , forsooth , seems good to calvin . when i consider these mens temper , it comes into my mind , what theophilus sometime did to the monks sirnamed longi , at whom he was displeased . he conspired with the common sort of monks , who affirmed with origen , that god had an humane shape ( although he thought otherwise ) against those friars whence arose a great contention amongst the monks , who turned themselves to rail and not dispute . so divers , who matter not mr. calvins judgment , do yet , under a pretence of his authority , studiously defend their own opinions , to the end they might set by the ears those whom they observe to admire and love famous calvin's judgment , as reason requires , in other things , while some of them adhere to , and others dissent from his opinion ; when yet in the mean time they value not mr. calvin a straw . whoever knows the learned calvin , cannot but acknowledge him for a most stout maintainer of gods truth : by whose auspicious labours , in this age , through gods mercy , an admirable course hath been made to all excellency of doctrine and religion : which might have perished , had not he , being stirred up by gods grace , as another atlas , upholden the ruinous affairs of the church . he was also a most earnest restorer of christian liberty , which with might and main pursued about the use of meats , and dayes , against the papists , and other adversaries of the truth . and let none think it strange , if upon the matter he find the same happen to him , which does to the diligent husbandman , after that his good seed sprouts out in his field : who perceiving darnel and tares , while he goes about to root them out , contrary to his purpose he plucks up some of the wheat with the tares . whilst that famous divine observes the observation of the jewish sabbath to cease , and that upon apostolical authority : he thought it congruous to truth , to pronounce the christian church free from observing the weekly sabbath . this opinion he manifested especially , when he set himself against the unnecessary festivals of the papists , from whose most grievous yoke , he had an earnest desire to free the church of christ . it will not be well taken for me to dissent from calvin , together with the learned beza , gallacius on ex. . and fajus , mr. calvins most intimate colleagues , and other divines of great name , though it be done with never so great modesty , and craving his pardon ; however i judge him worthy to be reckoned amongst our greatest writers . but i will come now to weigh the foresaid texts , whereof the first is in act. . . where st. luke sayes , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . upon the first day of the week , when the disciples came together to break bread , paul preached unto them , ready to depart on the morrow , and continued his speech until midnight . where the church-assembly is , as they say , painted to the life , by all its circumstances : and first from the time , then from the duties performed of the church in that assembly : concerning all which , a double question is moved of some that seek a knot in a bulrush . in the one whereof , what luke means by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . i. the first day of the week : in the other they discuss what must be understood by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . i. breaking of bread . in describing the church of troas , first , the time is noted , namely , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . where some interpret it , not for the first , but one day of the week : as if luke had signified nothing else by that phrase , than that they met on a certain day of the week , when st. paul was there . they eat , according to the proverb , with very tender jaws , to whom these dainties relish . but with their leave , what they say cannot agree with the genuine sense of that place . for in that place sabbatum must needs be taken either for the whole week ( as the hebrews usually speak ) or for the last day in the week . we must not understand it here in the latter sense , because the apostle abode at troas only seven dayes , act. . and in that space only one sabbath , properly so called , did occurr : therefore , since he tarried there but only for one sabbath , it cannot be said he preached to them on one of the sabbath● : neither is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as divers observe , ever read in the new testament for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . it follows therefore from thence necessarily , that sabbatum should be taken for the whole week ; and then on one , or the first of the sabbaths , will be all one . in which sense , that phrase occurrs else where , as in mar. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. very early in the morning , the first day of the week : as in the ninth verse of the same chapter , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . there the evangelist expounds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . i. one by the first . and so the greek fathers next the apostles times , interpreted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . justin martyr dial. cum tryph. sayes , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. one of the sabbaths , remaining the first of all the dayes , according to number , the spaces of all the dayes being run again into a circle , is called the eighth ; and remaineth the first , as it is . p. . chrysoft . hom. . in act. apostol . expounds one of the sabbaths by the lords day . so hieronymus . nor otherwise augustine , ep. . one of the sabbaths , sayes he , was then called that day , which now is called the lords , which is more plainly found in the gospel . some also by breaking of bread understand a private banquet , not the lords supper : of which doubt this seems to be the cause . in that age the christians meeting in the church , did sup together , and also received the h. eucharist ; and so both tables , the common and sacred were joyned together , as chrysostom teaches , hom. . in cor. upon set dayes they made common tables , and when the assembly was ended , after communion of the sacraments , they went to eat and drink together . and hence it was , as chrysostom thinks , that they acts . . met to break common bread : because when the communion was celebrated , the common table followed : and chrysostom affirms , in the beginning of that hom. that the day on which they met was the lords , and that all things that there were done were joyned to preaching ; but the breaking of bread in the foresaid place , is to be expounded of the holy eucharist : for there were sundry there , and paul took bread , not at supper time , but mid-night . in that text therefore the duties of a christian sabbath ( such are an holy assembly , breaking of bread , or admistration of the lords supper , preaching of the word , devout prayers , &c. ) are read to be performed of the church on that day : which holy duties were not performed of them on another day , otherwise paul having stayed there the space of seven dayes , could not have deserred them to this day , especially when he was to depart the day following : neither doth luke affirm the apostle to have proclaimed this meeting of the church as extraordinary , because he was to depart the day after : but he teacheth that the church met ( namely , as it was wont ) to break bread , and not to take leave of the apostle : and st. augustine consesses that pauls departure was the express cause of continuing his speech , because he desired sufficiently to instruct them . the received custome therefore of the church , and not the blessed apostles departure from troas , gave occasion to this assembly . for he stayed there seven dayes , not so much for the eucharist , as waiting for the lords day . whence it appears , that that text shews that the apostolical church kept solemnly the lords day in the publick exercises of religion . but upon what authority the christians met on that day , we will afterwards examine , here it 's enough for me only to demonstrate that they did meet on that day . the second text , out of which the celebration of the lords day is shown , is , cor. . . . now concerning the collection for the saints , as i have given order to the churches of galatia , even so do ye , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . i. upon the first day of the week , &c. the former place taught us , that the apostle paul did celebrate the lords day with the church : this , that he commands it to be celebrated by the church . and his practise is not here only recorded , but here is mention made of his apostolical ordination about that thing . where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be taken distributively for , upon the first day of every week . in which apostolical command , nothing is commanded the church of corinth , which is not also required of the whole church of christ , according to the golden rule of tertullian , very profitable for understanding of the scripture , some things , saith he , uttered specially are to be understood generally : which rule cannot but have place in this text : because what things the apostle writ to the church of corinth , the same belong to all that call upon the name of christ in every place , he himself being witness , cor. . . moreover , who will deny that all who have given their name to christ , are bound to relieve their necessities ? for you must not think , sayes chrysostom , that these things were written to the corinthians alone , but to every one of us , and all that shall be after us . let us do therefore as paul prescribes us , and let every one of us lay by him at home on the lords day , the lords riches ( i. to be employed for such use as the lord hath prescribed ) and hereupon let it become a low and immutable custome , &c. therefore in chrysostoms judgment , the apostle applies the manner of the church in collecting almes on the lords dayes , for the benefit of afflicted brethren , which were then at hierusalem , which office of christian charity , although no brethren liv'd in that place , ought not to be omitted of christians : but in chrysostoms opinion is to be established by an inviolable law for ever , as it was done ( even as it appears by justin martyr , and tertullians apologies ) in the succeeding church . i only add this ; although a general law for making collections on that day to the use of the poor , be set down by the apostle , yet they that at this day do it at other times , must not be judged transgressors of the apostles law . that kind of collection was not so affixed to the lords day , as it could not be done on other dayes ; although a peculiar reason was in it , why they did rather on that , than another day ; namely , for the church-assemblies held at that time : and no time , as chrysostom witnesseth , which we shall see afterwards , is more fit to perform that office on than the lords day . others again , set to another engine , by which they oppose the usual interpretation of the apostles foresaid phrase , and contend that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie every day of the week , ( singulam sabbatum ) this they assert , not because it 's the probable construction of the apostles words , but that they might elude , if they could , the genuine interpretation received every where of the church . but whoever shall weigh with himself the blessed apostles purpose , ( who did studiously provide that his ordinances should not be a burden to the churches of christ , which in those dayes for most what consisted of men of an inferiour condition ) will not easily admit , that the apostle did so ordain , that collections should be made daily : neither is it like that he should ordain , that these should be gathered on every sabbath , properly so called : since when the apostle was present at corinth , the christians could not meet in one place : much less after his departure from them , was it safe for them to frequent the jewes synagogues on the sabbath day . let that place , act. . . be consulted . lastly , neither must we believe that the christian corinthians did hold their publick meetings on the sabbath day amongst themselves : since they were held on the lords dayes in every place : neither is there extant any testimony in the whole volume of the scriptures , by which it can be shown , that the christians kept sabbath-day meetings among themselves , or apart from the jews . therefore the received exposition of the apostles words , is to be retained ; namely , that the apostle did ordain in the church of corinth , yet when they met for religion , weekly , as the lords dayes returned , almes should be collected for the poors use : and they seem privately to have laid aside what their condition permitted to bestow for the comfort and relief of the poor : and that which was thus laid aside , they kept with themselves till the first day in the week , at what time they deposited it with the rulers of the church for the poors use . he that shall more considerately weigh the apostles phrase , may well enough see this was his meaning : for he saith , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. i. against the first day in every week , or when the first of every week comes ; so as is said amongst the grecians a , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. water ready for washing ones hands . in like manner , the almes which were privately laid aside of every one , were deposited on the first day of the week for the help of the needy , and then , when the church met , are said to be gathered , because their collection was made of those who privately had laid them aside , on the lords day , or or first day of the week . le● admonished his hearers , a because on the lords day there should be a collection , toprepare themselves for a voluntary devotion , and that every one according to his ability , might have fellowship in that most sacred oblation : from which testimony one may easily gather , that the christians laid aside by themselves their collections against the lords day , which then they deposited with the rulers of the church , to be bestow'd . although chrysostom b thinks that the people reserved their almes , laid aside on the lords day , till the apostle himself came , to whom they should be brought in ; but the former exposition doth more agree with the custom of the church . the third place is rev. . . where there is had express mention of the lords day ; out of which , almost all writers fetch the custome of the lords day solemnity , from the very apostles time . for the lords day , as we see , is expounded by as well ancient , as late interpreters of scripture , to be the first day in the week : and some new expositions of that phrase ( which cannot stand with the signification of the lords day in the evangelists themselves , and some famous c writers next the apostles age ) are solidly resuted by divers ; and therefore omitting them , we set it down for a certain , that in the apostles age ( that i may use ribera's words , on rev. . ) the solemnity of the sabbath was changed into the lords day , being consecrated by the resurrection of our lord. for it 's not once that it appears from scripture , that the apostolical church kept solemn the lords day , by celebrating the supper , preaching the word , and collecting of alms , in which the true manner of solemnizing it doth consist . yea , the history of the apostles travels lets us know , that the christians of that time held not their ordinary meetings but upon the lords day . he that shall teach the contrary , confiding in scripture authority , i will freely hear , although after the apostles death , the succeeding church in some places , as afterwards we shall see , kept their meeting on the sabbath dayes . in the mean time we find that the lords day in the apostles age , the sacred records attesting the same , was solemnly observed . which thing was first to be proved by us . chap. iii. after the apostles death , the church met upon other dayes than the lords . the ancients observed the sabbath not as an holy day . the differences between the observation of the sabbath and lords day . how constantine the great ordained the parasceve to be observed . anniversary festivals were not celebrated with that solemnity , as the lords day . not bowing the knees on the lords day . anniversary festivals not to be preferred to the lords day . none who will diligently look into the gravest writers of the following ages shall be ignorant , that after the apostles were dead , the church did in all nations celebrate the lords day : which that it may more plainly be known to all , we must know ; as i said in the first chapter , when the apostles were translated to heaven , the number of dayes ( on which ordinarily the church-meetings were had ) received an increase . for while the apostles were alive , the christians ordinarily held their meetings on the lords dayes only , but afterwards the ordinary time for performing the exercises of publick worship was not only weekly , but anniversary ; that came every week , this but once every year . but here we will not speak of the extraordinary , and anniversary festivals , that were used by the succeeding church ; but of the ordinary time returning every week , destined for religious exercises . where , in the first place , it will be for the readers profit to consider , that although the use of the lords day spread abroad through the world in the church of god , yet in some places the church had weekly her publick meetings on other dayes besides the lords . socrates acknowledges the sabbath and lords day for feasts returning every week , on which meetings were wont to be kept . hist . . c. . and elsewhere , when he treats of the sundry rites of churches , l. . c. . he tells us , that the presbyters and bishops of cappadocia ▪ cesaria and cyprus , did interpret the scriptures on the sabbath and lords day . when a sozomen noteth the time of calling the church together , he sayes , some met on the sabbath , and the day after the sabbath . epiphanius in panario contr . heresi . lib. . t. . acknowledgeth , that the church met upon the wednesday , instead of the sabbath , and lords day . when st. b austin shews what christians must do when they see the customes of churches to vary , he confesses that some do daily partake of [ the lords ] blood and body on the lords day ( which all the ancients do witness was done in the church-assembly ) and others only on the sabbath and lords day and in other places only on the lords day . a hierom acknowledges the christians did observe quartam sabbati , parasceven , and the lords day : although he shews they differed from the jews in the observation of those dayes . the testimonies of the fathers hitherto mentioned , do shew , that although the use of the lords day grew every where , yet the church had in some places oftener , in others more rarely , their weekly meetings , whereupon it seemed equal and just to some to ordain other dayes ( which the succeeding church proclaimed for publick meetings ) to be equallized with the lords day : and that chiefly for three causes ; first , the publick meetings of the church were held on other dayes besides the lords . secondly , the christians were bound to the same duties of religion on other dayes , appointed by the church for meetings , which were required by the church on the lords day . lastly , some feasts , the anniversary namely , were more esteemed in the church than the lords : and these things are confidently enough affirmed , that they might shew , if by any means they could , that the original and obligation of the lords day and other festivals is the same , both which they set forth to the world for humane : but let them look to it , to whom they affirm it , lest they be twit with that of ezek. . . but that the prerogatives of the lords day above others , may more clearly appear , let us by gods help weigh of what value the reasons are , with which they contend for other feasts to be equallized with the lords day : which , that it may be done with plainness , we will first clearly distinguish the church-assemblies held on the sabbath dayes , from others which were held on the lords day , relying upon the gravest testimonies of the ancients ; then by gods assistance , we will shew the peculiar excellency of the lords day ; for the dignity whereof it is superiour to other dayes , while others contend against it in vain . first , we affirm , that , excepting the lords , there was no other weekly ( we speak of stated and ordinary ) holy day , with the whole church next the apostles . we have heard in the first chapter , that the christians met on the first day of the week : and for the allegations in this chapter out of the fathers and historians , for the observation of the sabbath , they cannot demonstrate , that the sabbath was observed by the christian church as an holy day : which , unless it be first explicated , they that peruse the records of the ancients , will haply fall into a troublous matter . after the apostles death , socrates , sozomen , epiphanius , hieronymus , augustine , and if there be any more , say , that the church in the publick assembly did perform the duties of piety as the sabbaths came about : yet whoever shall say that the sabbath was neither accounted holy , nor equalled to the lords day , will do no wrong to the truth . who will say the sabbath is holy ? when in the holy records a tittle cannot be read of its institution , or observation in the christian church , as is of the lords day : but that the lords day was instituted of the apostles , indued with extraordinary power , and moved by the holy ghosts inspiration , we will afterwards by the grace of god inform you . yea , let him tell who can , that the christians in the apostles age met by themselves on sabbath dayes , which thing yet they did on the lords dayes , is apparent enough from the scriptures : but after the apostles death i deny not that the christians met together on sabbath dayes , ( although they accounted not the sabbath holy ) and those assemblies were chiefly in use with the oriental people , according to some ; because the jews dispersed in the orient , and accustomed to the sabbatical solemnity , could not easily be contented to be plucked from it , although they observed the lords day ( which what is it else to do , but brand them with * ebionism ? ) or as a baronius thinks , because certain hereticks reproached the sabbath , that the god of the hebrews , whom they called evil , rested on that day , therefore they fasted on the sabbath : contrariwise , the catholicks not judaizing , but that they might worship him as god the father , creator of heaven and earth , with a solemn celebrity , said , that in honour of him the sabbath , as well as the lords day to the glory of christ , ought to be celebrated . thus they . to whom vedelius in his notes on ignatius's tenth epistle , numb . . doth answer learnedly and orthodoxly enough . or because the sabbath hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. a regard of creation , as is defined in the b constitutions which they call the apostles . but how much these kind of conjectures are to be valued , that are supported with no reasons of any authority , or genuine testimonies of the fathers , let others judge . it 's without controversie , that the oriental christians and others , did at that time hold assemblies on the sabbath day , although upon what reasons they were chiefly moved to this , it is not well enough known by the writers of that age . yet did they not hold the sabbath day holy . the difference of the eastern from the western church in observing the sabbath , teacheth this : while the oriental people kept holy day on the sabbath , most in the west fasted : i say the most of them , because they of millain , though in the west , and divers others of the west , were not attentive to fast on sabbath dayes , but dined soberly . ambrose had a custome to dine on the sabbath . a witness paulinus . ambrose confesseth this of himself in augustine : augustine b acknowledgeth he dined on the sabbath , without superstitious vacation , ep. . yet the roman church , and some c others , and at length every where , even they of the east fasted on the sabbath . these things about those who fasted on the sabbath , do not declare that they acknowledged it for a feast , or holy day , on which fasting was altogether to be forborn ( according to the custome of the church . aug. ep. . and other authors being witnesses ) yet that the lords day was accounted holy at that time , is granted of all . moreover , the sabbath was not every where amongst the christians observed with that solemnity of the church , as the lords day . for the meetings were not held in the same manner on sabbaths , as on the lords dayes . some things touching both , observed out of the fathers , will shew this . . what things are reported of historians and others , about observing the sabbath , touching gathering assemblies , were not used in every church every where . for in the churches of rome and alexandria the manner of meeting on the sabbath held not . witness sozom. hist . l. . c. . and afterwards in other churches it grew out of use . athanasius hom. de semente , glorieth , that he never medled with the sabbath ( after the jews manner , namely . ) tertul. de idol . cap. . saith , the sabbaths are extraneous to christians , and that holy dayes were sometime time beloved of god. the nazaraei observing the sabbath , are branded for heresie by epiphanius , l. . num . . and likewise the ebionites . if it had been the christians duty to observe sabbaths , why had the catholicks imputed its observation as a fault to the hereticks ? which yet they have done more than once , as sure as sure can be . but christians have celebrated their lords day every where without brand of heresie , or any other crime : and therefore since the festivity of the sabbath was not every where in use with the christian church ; nor doth any where occurr any apostolical ordination for continuing it in the church , we do by good right affirm , that christians are not obliged to its celebration : which to affirm of the lords day , that was observed in the apostles age , and ever after , is an heirrous thing . . when meetings were held on sabbath dayes , they met not weekly on all sabbaths , as they came about ; for on one sabbath publick conventions were to be omitted , if we may believe the foresaid constitutions : so it 's ordained constit . ap. lib. . cap. . and what that is they explain the sabbath in the great week , constit . ap. c. . lib. . [ the sabbath ] of the lords burial , on which it's fit we should fast , but not celebrate a festival . so also august . to casulanus , ep. . but for the omitting church-assemblies on the lords day ( as often as it came about , and were safe for the church for the persecution of the tyrants ) we read nothing was ever ordained of the ancients . there is a sanction in the same constitutions that the lords day should be celebrated without intermission . lib. . cap. . . in populous cities , where without dammage to their estates , they could be present at reading of scripture , and their interpretation , meetings were more frequently kept . therefore the council of laodicea decrees , that the gospels should be read on the sabbath . can. . ambrose treated of prayer the same day . de sacram. lib. . c. . but all the exercises of piety were not every where performed in those assemblies , that yet were not omitted on the lords day . a augustine saith in another place , on the lords day only the communion of the lords body and blood is used . b socrates doth not record , that they of alexandria and rome did celebrate those mysteries on the sabbath . while chrysostom requireth it of the rich lords of villages , that they build churches in them , hom. . in act. he distinguisheth those congregations that were on other days from those that were held upon the lords day . upon those * congregations , prayers and hymns were had , in these an oblation was made on every lords day : and for that cause the lords day is in chrysostom called dies panis , i. the day of bread . c athanasius purgeth himself of a calumny imputed to him ; for breaking the cup , because it was not the time of administring the holy mysteries : for it is not , saith he , the lords day . whence it is evident , that the lords supper was administred on the lords dayes : otherwise the argument wherewith athanasius purgeth himself , were of no weight . although therefore they met upon the sabbath day , yet did they not every where observe it equally to the lords day , on which they celebrated all the mysteries of religion . . the people were free to be present or absent from sabbath-day meetings , as they saw good : that is , they were not obliged by any necessity of law to meet on that day : for the sabbatarii contending for a necessary observation of the seventh day , were of the whole christian church condemned of heresie , in this behalf , as i have briefly shewn before . i confess a origen reproves his hearers which came seldom to hear the word of god , that scarce did come to the church on feast dayes . gregory nyssen , in that oration which he made against those that would scarce endure reproofs , nips the people that met not on the sabbath . with what eyes , saith he , lookest thou on the lords day , that despisest the sabbath ? dost thou not know that these dayes are sisters ? that if thou reproach the one , thou offendest the other ? but he speaks of those who had oftener liberty to meet for hearing the word , which they regarded not to embrace , out of a certain supine negligence , or being puffed up with pride , despised the church-meetings on sabbath-dayes . whether it was the sluggishness or arrogance of these men , it was deservedly blameable : whenas they might divers dayes meet at church , without dammage of their worldly affairs , which yet to do , they were not easily moved , although the duties of their calling would bear it . in the old testament , some hours in a week were consecrated to gods worship , numb . . . but yet all the day long the whole people of israel should not attend on the holy duties of piety ; this was only enjoyned to them that could commodiously do it . so in the churches planted by the apostles , they met on other dayes as often as they could , besides the lords dayes : but on the lords dayes , appointed for this end , they were bound to be present at the publick assemblies , and their absence for a certain time from these on the lords day , was to be reprehended by the sentence of the first concil . eliberitan . can. . a and yet where are any canons established for punishing their absence from sabbathday-meetings ? although the fathers do often reprove those that come seldome on the sabbath , and other dayes to hear the word . . although on the sabbath dayes they might meet to hear the holy oracles of god , yet when that dayes meetings were ended , they might not be idle : but an anathema is denounced to them that work not on that day . conc. laodic . can. . ignatius in an epistle to the magnesians , exhorts them to spend the sabbath in labours without rest : and therefore the sabbath had not its vacation from labours . so athan. de semente . ambros . ep. . which we never read was ordained of the lords day , ( on which it's a sin to give our selves to labour . ) and let these things suffice for the lords dayes prerogatives above the sabbath ; by which we find that the sabbath day was not kept holy of the church , ( i. e. the ancients did not separate it from common use and labour , nor consecrate it wholly to god in an holy rest , that on it the acts of divine worship , and those things that pertain to a spiritual life , should only be exercised ) neither were the conventions on that day to be compared with those held on the lords day : which things surely once to define , had been much to our profit . for the institution of other dayes to hold meetings on , it 's not needful to take much pains , since we have nothing writ of it in the word of god , as of the lords day ; and many things which were not instituted of the apostles , but first arose in particular churches , were introduced by little and little into other , which at length in process of time , are made more common : which socrates ascribes to the bishops of divers churches a : and those that received such rites from the bishops , transmitted them as a law to posterity : as in other things , so in the meetings of the church , it 's to be observed , whose original was not used by the church in the apostles age . epiphanius in panario tells us of synaxes ecclesiae quarta , prosabbato , & dominico fartas . b constantine the great ordained by law , the parasceve to be celebrated : of which nothing is yet extant in scripture , but c sozomen seems to touch upon the cause of its institution , who sayes that constantine gave great honour to the holy cross , both for the help that was brought him in managing his wars against his enemies , through its vertūe , and also for the heavenly vision that was offered him about it ; which things teach us , that constantine ( if we may say so of so godly an emperour ) did very superstitiously worship the cross : whence it happened that he attributed more to the cross than was fitting : and for that cause instituted that day to be set a part for meetings in memorial of christs passion on that day accomplished . yet who will from that sanction compare the observation of that day , ordained of constantine , and not of the apostles , with the lords day ? which was long before constantines dayes observed of the church , which we must take for certain did so often meet to hear the word of god , as it fitly could . afterwards we shall see , that the fathers did treat to their people out of the scriptures , almost every day ; yet i trust none will equallize every day , on which these assemblies were holden , to the lords day . but these assemblies were free , neither was the universal church obliged by any law to keep them , which yet we acknowledge of the lords day : therefore i will add no more of them . and from what hath been said , the attentive reader will easily perceive , that no day was observed of the whole catholick church , with that solemnity that the lords day was : and that on the sabbath day the christians did not intermit their ordinary labours . now having gotten out of a very troublesome disputation , i hasten to that which in the third place i thought to enquire about ; namely , whether anniversary feasts were observed of the church with greater solemnity than the lords day , as some think ? especially because amongst the ancients they were sometimes equalled to the lords day , and sometimes far preferred to it . from the passover-holy-dayes until pentecost , being intentive on prayers , they did no more bend the knees , than on the lords dayes : yea , the answer in a justin affirms the same things , that pentecost was in equal power with the lords day . the same is ordained in the twentieth canon conc. nic. . mention also is made of this custome in other fathers , basil . de s. sancto , cap. . tertul. de corona milit . cap. . hieron . advers . luciferianos . aug. epist . . cap. , , &c. from their freedom from kneeling , some conclude the equality of these dayes : which i acknowledge was interdicted on those dayes ; and they were glad for their immunity at that time from their fasts ; and yet i do not think that those dayes are to be compared with the lords . verily , if these prerogatives had constituted an holy day , they that for this cause judge the dayes of pentecost to be equalled to the lords , had said something : but if they so think , i doubt not at all but they are mistaken : and what st. austin sometime answered urbicus disputing against those that dined on the lords day , is hither to be referred . austin a concludes the lords day must be preferred to the sabbath for the faith of the resurrection , not for custom of refection , that is , they prefer not the lords day to the sabbath , because they remit fasting on it ; which yet they do not on the sabbaths ; but because b it was declared to the christians to be the lords day by the resurrection of the lord , and thereupon began to have its own festivity . so we say here , the dayes of pentecost are not to be compared with the lords day , although as well on those as on this , the time was passed without bowing and fastings : because the ordination , whereby bowing and fasting were interdicted them , was merely humane . austin thinks it is not c defined by the lords command , or the apostles on what dayes to fast : and not many ages since , while the lords solemnity remained in the church , that ordination was vanisht . no body therefore that 's alwaies one , can by right compare the solemnity of pentecost with the lords : ( whose institution afterwards we will prove divine ; ) neither is there in the places cited , made any comparison of that with this amongst the fathers ; but only in regard of that immunity . d ambrose saith , for these fifty dayes the church knoweth not fasting , as the lords day : afterwards he addeth , they are all as the lords day : because upon them , as he said , as on the lords day , there was a relaxation of fasting . after the same manner are justin martyr and tertullian de cor . mil. to be understood . that i may therefore dispatch in a word ; if the lords day had not been celebrated in the apostles age , and if it had been honoured with no other prerogatives than immunity from bowing and fasting , then certainly they would have equallized them to this day : but that this is false , even , as the proverb is , the blearcyed , and barbers know : and so they conclude , arguing like sophisters from that which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and thus far of the equality of some dayes with the lords , which some men dream of : it will farther also be worthy our consideration , [ to know ] whether some feasts , which they call anniversary , were preferred of the church to the lords day . to those that think thus , it is enough to answer them once after this manner ; whereas we cannot read that the holy ghost in scripture affords a testimony to the institution or observation of these , they are to be received as humane institutions : which , omitting others , may be cleared by this one argument : if those feasts had been instituted of the apostles , then they had been observed every where by the church , in the same manner and time , according to the rule of vincentius lirinensis : yet the contrary doth plainly appear by ecclesiastical writers and fathers : which it will not be irksome to demonstrate in some of them . if the feast of the passover had been ordained by the law of christ or his apostles , ( sayes the learned chamier ) then that law had unanimously been propounded of the apostles , and accordingly celebrated of all churches , in the same manner , at least at the beginning . but that is not to be found , which the unhappy controversie about this matter ( whereby the concord of divers churches hath wonderfully been interrupted ) sheweth , they of asia contend it must be celebrated on the fourteenth day , they of the west on the lords day only : and which is more , those acknowledge their opinion received by tradition from john , these from peter and paul. this controversie , eusebius hist . l. . explains more at large . who therefore can be brought to believe , if the festivity of the passover was ordained by the apostles authority , that so soon divers churches , that were governed of the very apostles scholars , would make a departure from so holy a precept ? and that in celebrating the lords day , all the churches of christ through the whole world should follow one and the same rule ? why had they not also done the like in the feast of the passover , if it had been instituted by apostolical authority ? it is not likely therefore it was ordained of the apostles . and yet i cannot but wonder at the wit of some men , who hold the passovers festivity , which the scriptures are silent in , for divine ; and yet they repute the lords day , whose observation we meet with in scripture , for ecclesiastical and humane . if therefore the passovers festivity was instituted of the apostles , no man can justly prefer it to the lords day , ordained of christ by his apostles . nor must we judge otherwise of the feast of the happy nativity of christ , whose solemnity was anniversary , but on what day of the year to be celebrated , it 's uncertain . chrysostom ( although he conjectures a christ was born on the eighth before the calends of january in december , recites divers opinions about this matter , but follows his own opinion , without condemning of others , and permits b every one to abound in his own sense , till such time as the lord shall reveal to every one of us what must be holden for certain . st. hierom ( if so be that sermon de nativitate domini , which goes commonly under his name , be hieroms ) saith , whether the lord jesus was born to day , or baptized to day , a different opinion is carried about in the world , and according to the variety of traditions , is the sentence diverse . in this authors judgement , whoever he was , it was uncertain what day the blessed nativity of christ fell out on . the learned casaubon exercit. ad apparat . bar. annal . num . . tells us , there were of old divers opinions in the church about christs nativity . some writing , that he was born on the sixth of january , others , on the nineteenth of april , others , on the nineteenth of may , some in the month of september , most on the twenty fifth of december . now these divers opinions about these feasts , which are taken for chief ones , do teach us , that they were ordained by no law of the apostles : otherwise in their writings without doubt we should have met with a direct assigning of the time to be set aside for keeping them in memory , as it is observed of the lords day , which yet it 's plain no where can be found . moreover , if their ordination had been derived from the apostles , they had either all been equal among themselves , or it had been known some way to the church , which amongst them had been of greater authority and right . but the contrary appeareth from the most grave fathers , which differ from one another about this thing : and therefore one is sometimes preferred before another of them . chrysostom calls the feast of christs nativity the mother of all feasts . orat. de philognio . a gregory nyssen calls it , the holy of holies , and feast of feasts b gregory nazianzen judgeth it to be preferred far before all others that are christs , and are celebrated in honour of him . since therefore it is not agreed on amongst the fathers of the church of the first institution of these festivals , and their prerogatives , none will doubt that their institution was not received from the apostles : which things being supposed , it can be inferred by no necessary consequence , that these are to be compared , much less to be preferred to the lords day . from all which , it appeareth , that the observation of the lords day was far different from that of the sabbath , and other dayes : because the sabbath day amongst christians had on it no cessation from worldly labours , neither was it observed with such solemnity of the whole church , as was the lords day : yea , the sabbath is not read to be observed of the whole church : whenas yet the premises do evince that the lords day was ever solemnized from the very apostles age in the church dispersed through all nations , and we have observed that other festivals of christs are not to be compared with , much less to be equallized , or preferred to the lords day . chap. iv. the chief of the fathers make mention of the lords day : its authority depends not on the constitutions of emperours , when it was at first ordained that judges should cease from hearing law-suits on that day : the christians were punished for observing it : what it is dominicum agere . better to manifest the celebrity of the lords festival , i will moreover bend my mind to two things : by which , in the first place , i will demonstrate , that the lords day all along in the church , from the very apostles age , was consecrated to perform religious exercises on : secondly , that on all that day the church was wont to be vacant from all worldly matters : which two things will clearly enough shew its solemnity above all other dayes ( to which these things agree not ) amongst men that relish the truth . in demonstrating the fi●st of these , we will prove that the lords day was alwayes celebrated , and will briefly open both the reasons of its solemnity , and its names , which we meet with amongst the ancients . let it be sufficient to illustrate the first , that there is none of any note in the ancient church , who doth not give an ample testimony to this its solemnity . amongst the renowned witnesses of this truth , let st. ignatius a come forth , who thus charges us : let every lover of christ celebrate the lords day , which was consecrated to the lords resurrection , as the qneen and prince ( i. the chief day , as constantine the great in euseb . de vit . ejus , lib. . cap. . ) of all other dayes . justin martyr in the end of his second apology confesseth , that on that day which they call sunday , were holden solemn assemblies of all that lived both in villages and cities : and he tells us more at large what was done in those assemblies , of which afterwards we shall hear more ▪ dionysius bishop of corinth , when he mentions clements epistle to the corinthians in a eusebius , saith , he kept holy the lords day . tertullian b reckoneth the lords day ( which he calls the eighth , namely from the creation ) amongst the christians solemnities . the same doth c origen ( although otherwise he was not at one with himself about the times for performing religious exercises ) lib. . contra celsum . eusebius , d when he speaks of the ebionites , whom he reports did observe the lords dayes , after the same manner as the church did , in remembrance of the lords resurrection , doth make mention of this day : whence it is collected , that the church did celebrate the lords day , otherwise eusebius had not affirmed that the ebionites had done it after the same manner as the church did . and the testimonies which follow teach us the same . e cyprian mentions this day , which he calls the first after the sabbath . basilius m. saith , the church standing up , made their supplications on the first day of the week , which he calls , the beginning of dayes . de sp. sanct. c. . f chrysostom saith , on the first day of the week , or the lords day , the christians ceased from all labour : that by their relaxation , and holy dayes , the minds of the offerers might become more cheerful . g ambrose on the lords day , after the readings , and treating of the creed , communicated [ baptism ] to the competentes ( i. to those , who being instructed in the christian faith , sought baptism . aug. retract . lib. . ch . . & libro de fide & operibus cap. . ) at the fonts of the church . we meet with frequent mention of this day in st. austin ep. . c. . and in the end of those books , de civit. dei , lib. . c. . also serm. . de verbis apostoli , and many times elsewhere . hilary saith , the church doth joyfully celebrate a festival on the eighth day , which is also it self the first of a perfect week . prol. in psalmos . amongst the holy-dayes confirmed by the laws of the emperours , valens , theodosius , and arcadius , the sundayes , which their ancestors rightly called the lords-dayes , were reckoned . leo also and athenius ordain , the lords day to be alwayes venerable and honoured . a leo in the same place , by his eleventh law , ordains , that all should cease from their labours on the lords dayes . i can also bring forth many more testimonies for confirming the truth of this solemnity , yea , of all that have flourish'd in the church of christ to this very day . but i will add no more , lest i should seem to lend light to the sun : and those that have been cited hitherto do abundantly enough declare , that the lords day was alwayes solemnly kept of the church : because the holy fathers acknowledge it for the chief , yea , for an holy day . on it the church ceased from their labours , on it solemn assemblies were kept , or they rejoyced in the festival of the sabbath perfected ; on it the scriptures were handled , the sacraments were administred , on it the church made supplications : and therefore it is numbred amongst the chief solemnities of the christians , and is provided for by the laws of godly emperours , that studied all they could to promote the worship of god , that the holy solemnity of that day should not be defiled by labours , or any pleasures . but although those most religious emperours ordained the lords day , as was fitting , to be celebrated , it would be ridiculous from thence to conclude that the lords festival was not celebrated in the church before they came to the empire . the christians , as hath appeared from the premises , attended to celebrate this festival , when as yet there were no magistrates christian ( on whose authority the ordination of the lords day doth not depend ) even over the whole world , when the preaching of the gospel came . for which cause , as we shall by and by hear , divers under dioclesians reign were punished : but when the emperours became christian , they ordained that the solemnity which was before observed of the christians by christs authority , should also by their own laws be celebrated , and took care that others should not defile it by worldly businesses , or the pleasures of the flesh ; but they did not institute it at the first . constantine the great , the first of the christian emperours , having got the whole roman empire , by publick edict commanded his subjects , that they should observe the christian religion , as witnesseth a sozomen : yet no man well in his wits will thence inse●r , that the christian religion was then first known to the world : although the free exercise of it was not safe , before he was set happily over the government of the empire : so must we think of the lords solemnity , which the church of god observed not without great danger , before the emperours embraced the christian faith : but after that the emperours became nursing-fathers of the christian religion , they did it freely , a law being made of the emperours for this end . moreover , let none be offended , that before the times of constantine , publick judges did attend the hearing of law-suits on the lords day , which to do , was [ declared ] unlawful in his reign : as though if the lords day had been formerly known to the world , magistrates had been forbidden the exercise of publick judicatures on that day : that most godly emperour greatly contended by all means that he could to promote our religion , and for the greater solemnity of this festival , provided that all court clamour should on that day cease . before his most auspicious government , the publick magistrates did attend judicatures , even on the lords day : and no wonder ; for before he got the stern of government , the judges were not christian , but under his reign the christians began to bear almost all the offices of the roman empire : a most whereof he dignified with authority , some with the senators office , many also with the consular dignity . b but after the judges embraced the christian truth , they submitted themselves to this law of celebrating the lords day with greatest good will : and did rest the parties from their controversies in honour of that day . i might also add this . it was needful , that one law being made for observing the lords day , by another he should interdict the judges from the cognizance of causes on that day . for it was provided by the roman laws , a that no judge should presume on his own authority to make any holy dayes . he therefore made this law in favour of the judges , who might know on what dayes they should attend the office which the emperour committed to them , and on what they should keep holy dayes [ free ] from the same . these things thus being weighed in an equal scale ▪ it appeareth , that the law for not hearing law-suits on the lords day doth detract nothing from the honour of its solemnity , but rather much conduce to favour it . that i may at length put an end to this chapter , we have seen how the fathers have piously admonished the church to celebrate the lords day , and the emperours by their laws made for this purpose , very carefully provided , that the christian people should obey their admonitions : so also we may find it observable , from the writers of those times , that the christians did celebrate this day's solemnity , with as much devotion of religion as they could : and therefore while they prayed on that day towards the east , they fell into a suspicion of worshipping the sun b , with the heathen , amongst whom they lived , that hated the christian name . yet could they by no punishments be deterred from celebrating the same : but when they were by the heathens carried to punishment , they demanded of the christians , whether they had kept the lords day ? as we may see in the acts of the martyrs , by baronius . a as sometimes the bloudy papists , when other arguments failed , wherewith they might stop the protestants mouths , who with singular dexterity , and great acuteness of wit , being happily illuminated with a notable light of the scripture , did refute their dotages , at length setting upon them with this question , would fish out what their opinion was of the sacrament of the altar ( as they speak incongruously ) whereupon then as they desired they might have a pretence to pronounce them guilty of death , according to the cruel laws enacted by them : so the heathens asked of the christians , whether [ they had been at their ] collect , and kept the lords day ? and when they confessed they had been at the collect , and celebrated the lords day , with a congruous devotion of religion , ( as st. dativus ) then had they whereupon to threaten the sentence of cruel death against them , inasmuch as having done against the emperours command . yet the martyrs answered to this question , with an unanimous consent , that they could not intermit the lords day , because they were christians ; and the law ( namely of god , as the martyrs themselves expound it , num . . not of the church , as is noted by baronius , in the margin , num . . ) had warned them to keep it . so the martyrs . but it will be for the readers profit here more throughly to weigh what it is dominicum agere , or celebrare : especially for the sake of baronius's candor in rehearsing the acts of these martyrs : he contendeth , that by collecta , collectio , and dominicus , in the acts of the martyrs , must alwayes be understood the sacrifice of the mass : but whoever shall look more narrowly into their acts , will easily perceive that baronius's gloss deceives the reader . dominicum agere , and dominicum celebrare , in the acts of the martyrs , are both one : and this is , that i may use hieroms words , the same , as if they should say , they celebrate the lords day , having received the lords body : a or according to tertullian ; it is to celebrate the lords solemnities : which by the succeeding church b were called solemnities appointed by god. so in concil . tarraconensi , can. . and those were celebrated of the church , being gathered together ( tertullian witnessing it in the place fore-cited ) and were all the exercises of religion ( which baronius foolishly following the use of his age , comprehendeth under the name of the mass , altogether unknown to the church of that age ) dedicated to divine worship , and performed on the lords day ; in whose number the administration of the lords supper is reckoned : which in those first times was oftentimes celebrated every lords day , but never without other publick duties of christian religion : of which solemnities more hereafter , by the grace of god , when we treat of the sanctification of this day . let this for the present suffice the reader , that the martyrs being asked by the proconsul de dominico , answer , se dominicum egisse ; and we meet with dominicum in the african writers , for the lords day . cyprian , ep. . saith of aurelius , an ordained reader , dominico legit , where without doubt , he meaneth the lords day . it is sometimes put for the place that 's set aside for the church to meet in : comest thou in dominicum without a sacrifice ? saith cyprian , de opere & eleemosynis a . sometimes also for the symboles of the lords supper ; numquid , saith cyprian , dominicum post coenam celebrare debemus ? b in the foresaid acts of the martyrs , the word dominicum is taken in all its significations : whenas therefore they answer , se collectam dominicam egisse , what can it be else , but as they add , that se ad scripturas dominicas legendas in dominicum . ( i. e. there was a publick meeting for the church , although , for the persecution they met in private houses , because , as they answer , they were all present & aderat prebyter ) convenisse , or ex more dominica sacramenta celebrasse ? num. . a that is , all the mysteries of christian religion at that time prohibited of the heathen emperours , were faithfully performed on the lords dayes in the assemblies of the christians . for when any thing is opposed to a negative command , we must consider it from the nature of the thing forbidden ; therefore the genuine sense of this phrase , dominicum agere , dominicum celebrare , in dominicum convenire , &c. in the acts of the martyrs , cannot better be demonstrated , than from the very words of the emperours edict ; in which b charge is given for burning the scriptures , destroying the temples , and prohibiting the christians meetings which they celebrated on the lords day . saturninus , because he gathered together the martyrs against the emperours mandates , was brought to punishment c . when therefore the proconsul demands of them , why dominicum egissent , & c ? it is the same as if he should ask , why they kept their meetings , ( as the proconsul himself expresseth it ) or dominicam collectam egissent a ? in which the duties of piety were observed . and when were such sort of meetings kept , but at that time whereon the congregations of the common people were made ? ( as austin of the same martyrs , in breviculo collationis tert . diei , cap. . ) that is , but upon the lords dayes , according to the command of christ , and the custome of the church founded upon this command ; and in those meetings of the martyrs , they did perform all the rites and offices of their religion entirely : for which cause , as i said , they were aceused ; namely , because b collectam dominciam celebrarunt ( i. e. they met , or synaxes egerunt , in the lords name , to celebrate the lord on the lords day ) dominicum , ( i. e. the offices of the christian liturgy , which were prohibited by the imperial edict , under the name of a meeting , as they expound it after●●●d ) cum fratribus celebrarunt , c ; namely , ad scripturas dominicas legendas in dominicum convenerunt , d & dominica sacramenta ex more celebranda , e idque ex authoritate legis dei f . these are the excellent offices of piety , which were performed of them with the greatest devotion 〈…〉 religion , although they were interdicted by the emperour ; for whose sake as i said , they were complained of by the proconsul . from which things , it 's plain to any , that dominicum agere , or celebrare , is the same amongst the martyrs , that dominica solemnia celebrare , was to their countrey-man tertullian , ( whose phrase doth in a parallel answer to this of the martyrs ) or to perform solemnities for the honour of god , on the lords day . by what hath been said it is also manifest , that the authority of the lords day was great in the church , because the christians would not intermit the celebrating of it according to the law prescribed them by god ( although they were straitly forbidden of the emperours , upon great danger of life . ) chap. v. the reason of observing the lords day , was the resurrection of christ on that day : it is called the first day of the week , by the evangelists and fathers , and lords day , and sunday also ; and why the sabbath , and christian sabbath , whereupon the fathers did rarely use the name of sabbath ; what the word synaxis may signifie with the ancients . the things that are observed thus far have taught us , that the lords day was alwaies solemnized in the church of christ , from his resurrection : now let us enter both upon opening the reasons for which the primitive christians were induced to this , and also the names by which they usually called this day . first , one and the same reason of this days solemnity , is assigned every where in the fathers : then it 's pointed out by the self-same names of them all , though far remote from one another : and the testimonies observed in the former chapter do witness both these . the fathers plainly affirm , that the lords day was sacred with the christians , by reason of the lords resurrection , and that he had a festival ever since that time , . so ignatius , justin martyr , constant . mag. augustine , &c. in the places fore-cited . but we meet with the reason of this festival no where more accurately , and to the life , as they say , painted out , than in athanasius de sabb. & circumcis . of which place this is the summ , ( to which , because it is large , i referr the reader . ) there athanasius mentions a double world , to the former whereof , he tells us the saving passion of christ , at which the sun appeared not , put an end , and the beginning of a new creation came after it , which took its beginning in our saviour . the church relying on this reason ( which all the other fathers acknowledge ) hath hitherto alwaies from the resurrection of christ , had in reverence the lords day , namely , because of the lords resurrection : now the resurrection presupposeth christs nativity and death , or the resurrection is as it were the consummation of our redemption : therefore when the apostles office is described of luke , acts . . they are called witnesses of the resurrection ; not because they testified of the resurrection alone ; but since the resurrection ( without which , the faith of christians would be vain , the great apostle being witness , cor. . ) is the chief article of the gospel , when they are said to give testimony of the resurrection , iqis as much as if they bore witness of the whole gospel . hence it was that the ancients preferred the passovers solemnity to all other festivals . greg. nazianzen calls it , the festival of festivals , a solemnity of solemnities , which , saith he , doth so far excell all the other , not only the humane and earthly , but those also of christ himself , and are celebrated for his sake , as the sun excelleth the stars : because if he had not risen again , neither had his nativity , nor baptism , nor the other mysteries of christ been confirmed , nor made us believe them . therefore gregory nazianzen thinks the honour of that festival is far to be preferred to the solemnities of others , as his interpreter nicetas thinks . therefore , while the fathers consess , that the lords day was consecrated in memory of the resurrection , it 's the same as if they had said , in memory of our redemption : which resurrection is the chief point of the gospel ; to hear and handle which , on that day , the church is sequestred from worldly affaires . some assign other reasons , but this former is omitted by none , although to it other are added by others . nor is there less harmonious consent amongst the ancient fathers of the church , in the name of this festival , than in assigning its reason : and in its appellation they follow the evangelists , agreeing amongst themselves , who were the holy ghosts amanuenses : in whom it 's called by two names . first , it 's called by the evangelists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , mat. . mar. . luk. . joh. . so acts . . and cor. . . as we have observed in the second chapter . in which places una sabbatoruni must be expounded by the lords day , saith chrysostom a . whose interpretation hierom follows , and expounds the reason thereof , ad hebidam , quest . . because , saith he , every week is divided into the sabbath , and into the first , and second , and third , and fourth , and fifth , and sixth day ; which the heathens called by the names of their idols and elements : and therefore in those fathers opinion una sabbatorum ( by enallage of the plural number for the singular ; for it s seldome read in the singular number in the old testament , which manner the writers of the new testament do imitate ) and prima sabbatorum are all one : for the name of sabbath among the ancients denoteth not only the last day in the week , but the whole week also , which from finishing [ the creation ] and the day of rest , is called the sabbath , for its excellent dignity , as theophylact in luc. . . that is to say , for the reverence of this day , the hebrews called the whole week the sabbath . and in this sense is the pharisee to be understood about the sabbath , when , being puffed up with extream pride , amongst other things , he glories of fasting a , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , quasi , twice a sabbath . there by sabbath we must of necessity understand the whole week by an hebraism , and not the last day thereof . for the pharisees , ( as the most learned searchers of hebrew antiquity , have often observed , which thing also epiphanius puts us in mind of ) instituted two fasts every week , namely , on munday and thursday b : therefore the lords day was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or una sabbatorum , as in the evangelists and apostles , so in the writers of the following age : he that will look into their writings , shall find examples enow . and this for the first name of this day in the scriptures . the second is extant in rev. . . where , that which was before called of all the evangelists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , john calls it denominative , with an article , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or the lords day ; and is hitherto called by that agnomination amongst the most ancient fathers , both greek and latine , since the apostles age : which he that will consult them , shall not deny . so ignatius epist . ad magnes . eusebius when he speaks of the ebionites , hist . l. . c. . & de dionysio corinthiaco , hist . l. . c. . cyp. ep. , &c. after the name of our saviour , constantine the great saith , it 's called dominicum a : because , as austin , the lord made it b : this reason perhaps will be of no great weight with some , since the lord made all other dayes : but he seems to have made this day after a special manner ; namely , by his resurrection ( the commemoration of which benefit succeedeth the memory of the creation ) from the dead , whereby he perfected our salvation : or else because it was then destinated for worshipping our lord jesus christ , austin assigneth both these reasons , when he saith , c the lords resurrection hath consecrated for us the lords day , and it seems properly to belong to the lord. it is therefore called the lords , because the lord hath instituted its solemnity , as the lords prayer is so called , because the lord endited it , or the lords supper , because christ instituted it : or else because it was chiefly instituted for the lord , and his worship , while the lord christ is worshipped upon it : but some others contend it is so called , because that by the lords resurrection a way is opened to an eternal sabbath : but the former is more common , and received of most . justin martyr calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or sunday , about the beginning of his second apology : and his follower , tertullian , a writes , that he and the church gave themselves to rejoyce on the sunday . but in this they agree with the heathen , who use this word ; to whom they both directed their apologies , in which it is so named , and to whom the names used by the church were unknown . for they distinguished the names of the seven dayes in the week by the names of the planets ; yet in the church it was called the lords day ( so justin disputing against b trypho a jew , useth a name accommodated to the man , and calleth the lords day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . tertullian also when he deals with the christians , useth the name lords day , as in his book de corona , cap. . and lib. de idol . c. . ) and very seldome sunday . hierom , although spurious , yet very c willingly confesseth , that it may be called sunday , because on it light arose to the world , and the sun of righteousness with healing in his wings . a speech also which is reckoned amongst a ambrose's , saith , that the day which is called the lords day in the church , by the men of the world is called sunday : where the name is set down by which it was called both by the church and others . in other authors it is also called sunday , but austin shews us , that the manichees rather than the christians called it so b . ye , saith he to the manichees , worship the sun on that day which they call sunday : as we call the same the lords day , because on it we reverence not the sun , but the lords resurrection : and elsewhere he is earnest that christians should not call dayes by heathen names c . for the church manner of speaking comes better from a christian mouth . moreover also , i am not ignorant , that other of the fathers do sometime express this day otherwise , d cyprian sometimes calleth it the eighth , because it is the eighth from the beginning of the creation , sometimes the first after the sabbath , so tertullian . of basil it is called the onely , the first , the eighth , de sp. sanct. c. . by hilary the eighth , and first ; in his prol. to the expos . of the psalms . so aug. epist . . c. . while chrysostom nippeth the jews for abusing the sabbath to idleness , he sharply taxeth others also that indulged their vices on festival dayes ( under the name of the sabbath . ) the feasts of christians are called sabbaths by a ruffinus : the enemies , saith he , do deride our sabbaths . ruffinus speaks there of the christian , not jewish sabbaths . athanasius says , that he observed the sabbath day , not as it b was prima aetate , in the beginning of the world . the lords day with origen is the sabbath , and the christian sabbath . where , without doubt , origen speaks of the lords day , otherwise men must cease all the dayes of their life from worldly affairs , which is required on the christian sabbath , ibidem . in the council of friuli can. . the sabbath is called dedicatum domini , i. e. dedicated to the lord. but although the ancients have sometimes called the lords day the sabbath , from its parent , as it were the jewish sabbath , as in the scriptures the holy ghost calls baptism circumcision : yet it 's certain they very rarely do note this day by the name of the sabbath : especially because they opposed the jews that gloried in the sabbaths solemnity ( whose observation they judged necessary to obtain eternal life , as appears from trypho in justin martyr ) and that contemned the gospel . and like as the christians had nothing to do with the jews in celebrating the feast of the passover , because they abhorred to keep it with them at the same time , as witnesseth socrates , lib. . cap. . so they abstained from names of feasts in use with the jews , lest ( as st. austin , when he enquires , whether a true christian be to be called a jew or israelite ? ) for the ambiguity of the word , which usual speech discerneth not , that might seem to be uttered which is an enemy to the christian name : we ought not to confound the custome of mans speech by foolish loquacity ; for this reason we meet with the name of sabbath rarely amongst the ancients . this is also to be added , because while the first fathers were alive , both the sabbath and lords day were observed of the church , although not in the same manner , as we have before shewed out of the fathers . while therefore they spake of the lords day , they were forced to abstain from the word sabbath , that they might distinguish the lords day from it : and that difference they have also observed strictly in other things . like as what collecta is with the latines , with the greeks it is synaxis , namely , a meeting of the church , as the word means . and although it be derived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , whence also the word synagogue ; yet the first christians ( which the learned a casaubon observeth ) for the nonce have abstained from the word synagogue , that they might discriminate the christian meetings from the jewish synagogues : therefore they called their assemblies synaxes , not synagogues : & by synaxin is meant the meeting of the church it 's plain from a socrates , speaking of the alexandrians administring all things pertaining ad synaxin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i. e. besides the celebration of the mysteries ; where he plainly distinguisheth between synaxin and eucharistiae administrationem . so not once in chrysostom , the name of synaxis is general , which comprizeth all things that were wont to be done in the christian assemblies , and is distinguished from their oblation , hom. . in act. ap. where he teaches , that in the churches of villages and towns , the sacrament was wont to be celebrated only on lords dayes , but prayers , and hymns , and synaxes every day . but this by the bye , that it may appear to us , how it was ordinary with christians to abstain from words in use with the jews ; therefore they are read seldome to have used the word sabbath : but as once b alexander hales , because the sabbath day taken in determinately , is called the day of rest , or vacation to god , after this manner the lords day may be called the sabbath day , without any prejudice of the christian name , or scandal of christians . more names of this day do also occurr in other of the fathers , who only obiter , & ex re nata , have so named that day : but when they speak of it properly , then they call it the lords day , which cannot but appear to him that vieweth their writings . and thus far of the reason of observing this solemnity , and of its names . chap. vi. the whole lords day is to be sanctified to god , and not onely some part of it . thus far these notes , although scribled with an hasty pen , have told us , that christians must keep holy the lords day , and that they largely enough shew was done from the very apostles age . the second question which i have propounded follows ; namely , whether the church must keep the whole lords day holy ? some there are who grant , that the lords day must be sanctified , yet contend that the whole and entire day is not to be celebrated in the religious devotion of piety : in whose judgment , as much as this solemnity requires is done , if onely some , although but some small part thereof be dedicated to divine worship ; neither do they judge otherwise of the lords day , ( alwayes to be counted dear amongst christians ) than the heathens anciently did of those dayes amongst them called a intercisi ; which were common to the gods and men : for at some hours of them it was lawful to sit in judgement , and in some not . but who , well in his wits , shall judge , that a day in this manner is to be dedicated to the good and great god ? the lord hath not reckoned the other dayes of the week thus for our use : neither will he suffer willingly his day to be sanctified of us by halves . it was provided under the law , that if any had by vow b consecrated a thing to god , and he afterwards repented of his vow , and would not suffer that thing to be sold , or prized openly but determined to keep it to himself ; then was he to be fined in a fifth part over and besides the ordinary estimation of the thing , for his levities sake . if nothing must be diminished of those things that are dedicated to god , although once they were in our own power ; much less will it be safe to detract any thing from the time consecrated to god , but rather add something to it of our own : for what is consecrated to god , must not be be converted to another use . therefore they that compare the jews inhabiting tiberias , with others that dwell in the mountains , do judge those , and deservedly , far to be preferred to these : for it was a familiar thing with them who had the shorter day , to add something of the profane to the sacred ; but these that were sited in the mountains , who had the longer day , added to the profane , taking something from the sacred . if it be better in those mens judgment , to add of the profane to the sacred , than to take from the sacred and add to the profane ? in what case are they to be reckoned , who are not afraid to steal a great part of time from the lords day , consecrated of the lord by his apostles to sacred uses , and apply it to profane ? yet although some here impatient of true piety , do seek a knot in a bulrush , as the proverb is , yet by these mens leave i will say , he that will follow the wholsome counsel of irenaeus , shall indeed find it is no gordian knot . irenaeus a gives pious counsel ; in any question , when a disputation doth arise , we must have recourse to the most ancient churches , from whom may be learned what we must judge of the present question . indeed if we would but here follow the advice of this reverend prelate , it will be an easie thing to untie that knot by the authorities of the ancients . in the first place , when the fathers speak of sanctifying a day , they make mention , not of some small portion thereof , but of a whole day : and to what end should not a day consist of the same termes with us , as it did with the ancients ? since austin piously teacheth us , that in the equality of all modern years and dayes ( which have terminated in the same space of time in former ages , as have now ) being determined within the diurnal and nocturnal course of twenty four hours , there is the same space of time with the former . and for what he addeth of the forty dayes , ( whereon continual great rain is mentioned ) which were not determined in the space of two hours or little more ; the same we may safely conclude of the sanctification of the lords day ; since it consists of the same term of hours , that other dayes in the week do , the manner of its solemnity is not to be judged by the space of two or three houres . nor doth austin think otherwise , ( if that sermon may be reckoned among his genuine writings ) who judgeth , that on the lords dayes we must attend divine worship only , and exhorts , to celebrate the lords day with a religious solemnity , as the ancients were commanded about the sabbath ; yea , and not without indignation , doth he reprove those that refused to follow the custom of the church in this thing , who , as he speaketh , reckon one point of this day to the service of god , and the remaining space of the day , together with the night , to their pleasures . according to the grave judgment of this author , ( whoever he was ) the entire day , and not some small part of it , is to be assigned to the service of god , and that according to the custom of the church : and though he differ from some others in defining the period of time , at which the sanctification of this day should begin , ( namely , from evening ) yet hath he others agreeing with him in the continuance of this sanctification : for before him , a origen upbraids some that reckoned one or two hours of the whole day to god , and came to church to prayer , or heard the word of god in transitu : but spent their chief care about this world , and their belly . the same thing doth st. chrysostom require , who thinks that the whole day must be sanctified . i think , saith he , that one of these seven dayes , and that of right , is to be spent in the worship and service of the god of us all . hom. . in joh. chrysostom shews , that a day must be sanctified ; and he , his own best interpreter , will teach us , what he understands by the name of a day . from the beginning , sayes he , god insinuated this doctrine to us , teaching us , that in the compass of a week one whole day is to be set apart , and reserved for our spiritual work . hom. . in genes . from his authority it also appeareth , that a whole day , and not some small portion thereof , is to be set apart from other affairs , to perform the duties of piety thereon , in a spiritual manner . the same author more plainly , doth seriously contend with his auditors in another place , for sanctifying the whole day . hom. . in math. the sabbaths ( according to a irenaeus ) did teach persevering to serve god the whole day ; what other thing doth perseverantiam totius diei mean , but that a whole day must be reserved ( as chrysostom before ) to spiritual work ? as afterwards the fathers in b conc. turonensi , do speak ; being sequestred from servile work , to persevere in praising god , and giving of thanks . no otherwise then as anciently among the romans c , the daily sacrifices were continued from the beginning of the day , to the middle of the following night . but i will not weary the reader , by rehearsing apart the testimonies of the several fathers , in a matter so clear , whose writings he that will but lightly look into , shall grant , that a whole day , according to their opinion , must be assigned to perform religious exercises upon : which will better appear from those rules that occurr in their writings , for the sanctification of this day : three whereof i will not refuse to reckon . first , they exhort the church to regard on that day the things that pertain to their souls salvation : where a hierom accommodates , as he shews in the following words , what the prophet speaks of the sabbath to those whom christ hath made free . and if any have a mind to see what it is to regard the things that pertain to the souls salvation , the fourth canon conc. tarraconensis , will inform him : namely , that men on the lords day only perform to god the appointed solemnities : and what should be done on them , we have formerly heard ex turonensi concil . namely , that they should abstain from servile work , and persevere to the evening in giving of thanks . b but lest any one should grant , that those exercises of piety are to be done on that day , whenas yet he might deny that the whole day were to be spent in them , therefore the fathers add , secondly , that excepting those things that pertain to the fouls salvation , nothing else at all must be done on that day . so hierom , austin , conc. tarracon . in the fore-cited places : with whom agree also the fathers in the council of friuli , who ordain , that on the lords day the vacation must be to no other purpose , but for prayer , and other offices of piety . and in the council of paris , it is ordained , that it 's convenient for those that are redeemed by the grace of christ , to abstain on that day whereon the author of life rose again , and gave them hope of a resurrection , from these things that are fore-mentioned ( i. e. from this worlds pleasures and their own , and rural works , as there they speak ) and be filled onely with spiritual joyes , and busily vacant with all their heart in restless praises . the same particle of restriction is added in conc. triburiensi , can. . where they ordain , that it 's the peoples part on the lords dayes only to labour in the holy service of god. and afterwards they add , that they must only attend on god on the lords dayes . greg. mag. shews also they were wholly to be employed in prayers on the lords dayes . thirdly , they do not only think that this 〈…〉 must be religiously kept , and wholly ●●ployed in the worship of god on it ; but ●hey farther do define the term of time which they must spend in the work thereof , namely , a whole day ; so chrysost . hom. . in gen. and hom. . in math. let your eyes and hands be spread out to god all that whole day . a this is to persevere in performing its services until the evening . concil . turon . . cap. . or as in conc. trull . cap. . from the evenings ingress to the altar on the sabbath , till the following evening on the lords day . now if in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established , the premises do evidently enough shew , that the sanctification of all the day is required ; since that not only the fathers do determinate , that we must cease from our worldly matters , and attend on god , but moreover , that nothing must be done but a work of piety on all that day , that is , from the beginning to the end thereof . neither do i think good to confirm the truth in this matter by reasons , over and besides these testimonies , that are not to be contemned : although they be not to seek wherewith to stop the mouths of dissenters , if they be angry : and the entire sanctification of the whole day , may be vindicated against the too earnest seekers of a profane liberty . first , as , if the day be commanded to be held holy , by common sense it follows , that a day , not some hours , is to be sanctified . so aug. serm. . de temp. secondly , moreover , if there were any term of that dayes holiness , before the day it self were determined , then such a term would appear either from the scriptures , or from some of the fathers , piously interpreting them , but what no where is extant , he that can shew it , — erit mihi magnus apollo . the ancients , who thought good to fast on the sabbath , sometimes continued their fasts to the ninth hour , which being past , they were not afraid to relaxe their fast , and refresh their strength with meat . socrat. hist . l. . c. . and sometimes till the cock-crow of the lords day , growing light , as in the sabbath of the great week , as epiphanius teaches in panario . when therefore they judged that they must simply fast on the sabbath , then they added nothing of the termes of the fast , before the sabbath it self ended : but because some judged that they must not abstain on all sabbaths , for a whole day from meats , therefore they signified how long their fast was to last . we may say the same of the lords day's duration : if the church must not keep holy day by a religious solemnity , from worldly affairs , for a whole day , then the term ( without whose knowledge the church-would be ignorant how long the day were to be sanctified , and the minds of men would stick pendulous ) of this solemnity would some way be known to us from the scriptures ; nor would the holy ghost have passed it by untouched ; and formerly we have observed from their writings , that the fathers would determine nothing to be done on this whole day , that is , from the sun-rising to the setting , but what relates to piety : who being excited with an holy zeal , have exploded the half sanctification of the lords day . thirdly , if the glory of the jewish sabbath be translated to the lords day , ( which is not denied of the fathers ) i do not see why we should not interpret this day in the same manner , as it was prescribed about the sabbath , to the worshippers of god in old time : for to the jews , and that by divine authoritie , it was given in command , that they , being sequestred from all worldly business , through the whole sabbath should attend divine worship alone . with what face therefore , and upon what authoritie relying , can christians bestow their lords day , or any part thereof in worldly affairs , setting aside the worship of god , let them look to 't , that have a care of their salvation . this reason hath the most pious leo approved with his judgement and authority ; for , saith he , if they that did observe a certain shadow and figure , did so greatly reverence the sabbath day , that they wholly abstained from all work : how is it not fitting that those should reverence that day , that is honoured of god , who love the light of grace , and the truth it self ? . lastly , the rule of equity and justice requires the same , if we look at what time the lord hath indulged us for our uses : whose large benevolence hath allowed us six whole dayes , to overcome the labours of this world , and dispatch our own business with . why should it therefore be tedious to us , weighing this in an equal ballance , for to set apart one whole day for his praise , and sincere worship : neither can any one think this an absurd form of arguing , who shall but observe chrysostom arguing in this matter from the duty of servants towards us , to our observance towards god : he judgeth it ridiculous , if we would have our servants alwayes employed in our business , and and we give no service to god. and we likewise , contending for the sanctifying of the whole day , do say , that it is much more ridiculous , if we should reckon those dayes for whole ones , which are allowed us to dispatch the affairs of this life in for our use , and interpret a day set aside for gods worship , by divine authority , not an entire one , but a small part thereof to be dedicated to divine worship . it would be ridiculous , yea , plainly impious , to arrogate to our selves , and our affairs , what we refuse to bestow on god. chrysostom judgeth it an irreligious thing to consume six dayes in carnal , and be unwilling to spend one in spiritual matters . so also leo in the foresaid place , how is it not the part of a wholly dissolute religion , whereas one of the seven dayes is consecrated to the honour of god , not to preserve it inviolate to god , but to make it common ? but we must not contend with reasons , but testimonies ( for the prejudices of some men who condemn the truth in this matter as novelty ) and he that shall undervalue the foresaid testimonies of greatest authority , will esteem at little reasons , although every way valid ( like the leviathan that esteemeth iron as straw , and brass as rotten wood ▪ ) and therefore i will put an end to this labour . and thus far being furnished with the authorities of the ancients , i have taught you , that they have stood for sanctifying of the whole day , which they have judged necessary for the church : how the sacred exercises of divine worship performed on that day , were so disposed , that in performing thereof , the whole day was spent by the ancients , when i shall speak of the sanctifying of the lords day , then by the grace of god shall be made manifest . chap. vii . the ordinance of the lords day is not to be reckoned amongst unwritten traditions : it was instituted of christ by the apostles : the apostles prerogatives above other ministers of the church : things ordained of the apostles are divine . when the jews had observed john to use another form of doctrine , than was commonly received , and to begin a new ceremony of baptisme , they ask who he was ? i. e. by what authority he did set upon these new things , and unheard of in former ages ? that being informed in that thing , they might in time consider what they should do . so , since that we have found out of scriptures and fathers , that the lords day was solemnized by the church under the gospel , insomuch that mens minds are to be masculously applied to the duties of piety , not on the last , ( as under the law ) but first day of the week ; a question is made , by what authority gods holy church doth this thing . for it was not so kept holy from the beginning , from whence even till the happy resurrection of our saviour , the lord commanded that the seventh day in every week should be held holy ; and for sanctifying the first day of every week , divers men seek for a command , which they confidently enough cry out is not extant in all the holy scriptures : and divers more other wise divines of great note , do greatly toyle in heaping up arguments whereby to enervate the divine authority of this day . it is an ordinary thing with sundry of the papists ( although some amongst them , especially of the school-men , do think otherwise ) who strenuously contend for unwritten traditions , ( on whose weak authority , as on a solid foundation , many of their dotages are grounded ) to reckon up the observation of the lords day among this sort of traditions ; which cannot be , fince the mention thereof doth so often occurr in the sacred word of god. whilst the most learned dr. whitaker doth studie soberly to prevent , as his manner is , this errour of the papists , he is scourged of gretser . yet the learned vedelius in his notes upon ignatius , doth strongly defend whitaker against the vain fooleries of gretser . others contend , that the lords day should be held solemn , ●ure divino . lastly , others do acknowledge it received from apostolical ordination . we will , by gods assistance shew , that solemn celebration of the lords day was instituted of god by the apostles . the holy scriptures do testifie , that the lords day was observed of the church , while the apostles were yet alive , nor is there much doubt of this observation : this is the onely thing ( as i said ) of which the question is , whether this solemnity was instituted of the apostles , or of the church , according to that power allowed them by the lord ? and if it be ascribed to the holy apostles , whether they of themselves , and by their own authority , or by divine command , have prescribed it to the church ? since the observation of the lords day grew in use with the church of christ , while the apostles were yet alive , it seems equitable , and agreeable to sound reason , to take them for the authors of this observation : because the chief care of ecclesiastical government was by god devolved upon them : every one whereof , as a wise master-builder , laid a foundation , upon which their successors builded : and all other modern doctors of the church , how great soever they were , gave place unto them . ignatius for that reason , saith of himself , a i do not command as an apostle . and elsewhere , in an epistle ad philadelphienses , he doth not challenge apostolical authority to himself . neither would ambrose claim b apostolical glory to himself , which he acknowledgeth is by right due to them whom the son of god hath chosen : and he affirmeth , that by how much we are inferiour to the apostles in time , we are so much inferiour to them in merit . c chrysostom also confesses , that he is far from the apostles dignity ; neither doth he account himself worthy to be called their shadow : d and christ hath deservedly joyned them to him , as individual companions , out of the number of all his disciples ; or , that i may speak with tertullian , e lateri suo adlegavit . i. made themselves legates a latere . secondly , he hath sent them out furnished with special authority to gather the church ( to lay f whose foundations belong to the apostolical dignity ) out of the promiscuous multitude of all nations : and so they were sent out by christ to all nations , without any exception ; for which cause , when a church was planted in any part of the world , whither they came , they fixed not , but removed some other way . thirdly , they were endued with that abundance of grace of the holy ghost , for the ministry committed to them by the lord , that they preached the truth of the gospel infallibly : i know , sayes hierom , how to esteem of the apostles in one manner , of other doctors after another ; that those alwayes taught the truth , these in some things did erre as men . whence the doctrine commended to the church by the apostles , was alwayes accounted for the rule , and canon of all christian religion . fourthly , the apostles , at the beginning of the church , by the visible sign of imposition of hands , conferred the gifts of the holy ghost upon others , that were instructed of them in the doctrine of the gospel : and they were endued with divers other gifts of miracles ( by which their call was rendred clear both to themselves and others ) matth. . . and these are the signs by which the blessed apostle teaches us , that he had executed the office of a true apostle in the church of corinth . cor. . . deservedly , for these causes , were they that were elected to the honourable state of apostolical dignity , preferred to other ministers of the church , not only in the chief eminency of order , but of power : and hence it was , that all questions respecting the affairs of the whole church , were propounded to be discussed by the apostles , ( whom all the churches consulted in doubtful cases ) as may be seen , acts . . cor. . . and whatever they determined , the whole church every where embraced ; which made a conscience of departing a fingers breadth from those things that were committed to them by the apostles . if therefore the solemnity of the lords day was celebrated while the apostles were living , ( which the scriptures testifie was done , as we have seen , chap. . ) it must of right chiefly be imputed to their ordination : otherwise , without doubt , the universal church had not followed it . baronius thinks , that all who are well in their wi●● will say , that since it is found that it was done in the apostles times , it could not be ordained , and commanded to be kept of any other but of themselves . neither is any thing worthy consideration brought to the contrary ; except it be because the blessed apostles have left no singular command with the church for the observation of this day : although he that shall attend their practise , may lawfully deny this , since their example and practise hath the force of a precept . but who will deny , that some things were instituted of the apostles in the church , whose use , while they were alive , ( i pass not for traditions introduced into the church when the apostles were dead ) was grown out with the primitive christians ? of whose first institution , or necessary continuation afterwards , no precept is extant in the scriptures : yet who will be bold to extenuate the authority of these commands ? or will affirm , that the church at this day is not obliged to observe them ? because their observation being mentioned in scripture , is as it were a command , by vertue whereof the church is bound to continue them . the thing will be more plain by examples . the apostles ordained deacons , act. . and elders in every church ▪ act. . . in the ordinations of all ministers , imposition of hands was used , but where is there extant an express comman● from christ for perpetuating the ordination of those , the institution of these , or for the use of this ceremony ? yet none doubts , but that the apostles in performing of these , were acted by a divine instinct of the spirit , and that the church at this day is bound to them by vertue of apostolical institution . but that i may briefly shew , that the blessed apostles , and no others , were the authors of this solemnity , that which follows may suffice . if it were observed while they were yet living , ( which the scriptures do evidently enough manifest ) it is deservedly to be ascribed to their ordaining it : for it was either instituted by them , and their authority , or by some other doctors of the church , without their consent ; a third way is not given ; the latter whereof is absurd , and never to be admitted of any exercised in the christian faith : because the apostolical authority ( as formerly we have abundantly enough shewn ) was supreme in the church : it belonged to them to declare to the christian flock what was best to be done in all things : and not to the church , to prescribe them statutes and laws . why therefore did it not appertain to the apostles , the faithful founders of the church , amongst other things , to commend this also to the church , and not to the church to prescribe it the blessed apostles ? moreover , the general consent of all churches , in celebrating this festival , evinceth the same : otherwise they had dissented from one another , as in other observations ( not received from the apostles , but observed for a time by the succeeding church ) as in the feast of the passover , in observing fasts , &c. so doubtless it would have happened in celebrating the lords day , if by divine authority received from the apostles its observation had not been used amongst the christians . thirdly , if the christian church had ordained that day to be celebrated , without the advice of the apostles , either those that turned christians from jews or gentiles , had done this ; but not those , to whom the cessation of their old sabbath was not known , but by the apostles ; much less would they attempt to do this by themselves , or on their own authority . neither will any wise man think , that those whom the apostles invited from heathenism , to embrace the christian faith , were the authors of this festival , because it is not usual with them to sabbatize after the manner of the church , unless so far as they were instructed to it by the apostles . fourthly , if the holy apostles , by authority committed to them from christ , had not instituted the lords day , but had left its observation free to the judgment of the church , then we might on good reason have called the church the queen of the sabbath : which yet is a very clear argument of christs divinity , ( as the learned dr. paraeus piously ) for none is lord of the sabbath , but he that hath instituted the sabbath , &c. the sabbath is of the lord they god. lastly , if its authority did depend upon the churches institution , then it may by it be again abolished , when it shall think good : but this was never hitherto , since christs ascension , attempted , because the lords day being taken away , the publick worship of god must of necessity fall . since , therefore , the observation of the lords day was used while the apostles were living , it must altogether be ascribed to them as the first founders of the church . moreover , if it should be granted , that this solemnity was instituted of the apostles , others ask , whether therefore doth this ordination lean upon a divine right ? we , passing by this rather curious , than sound disputation , whether the ordinance of the lords day be an institution of god or his apostles ? discussed by some doltish , and drowsie men , do acknowledge with all willingness , as the ancients did , that it was introduced by divine authority . and although its authority should be granted to be of apostolical institution , it would not thence follow , that it is not divine ; unless something be ordained in the church by the apostles , which the holy ghost did not inspire them with : which will not easily be admitted of any that is in his senses : because the postles in all matters delivered those things to the churches , which they received from christ , as st. paul witnesseth , cor. . . and according to christs precept , taught men that embraced the gospel , to observe those things which christ had commanded them , matth. . . a so judgeth tertullian . the apostles , saith he , chose nothing which they brought in at their own pleasure , but faithfully appointed to the nations that discipline they received from christ. and why should i believe that the apostles were less acted with the divine spirit in their sacred institutions , ( which they imposed upon the churches ) than in promulgating the doctrine of the gospel ? for there is nothing apostolical , done by a right that is not apostolical ; i. e. divine : and nothing done by them but the holy ghost endites it to them : and therefore what they did , they did by divine right , and that their facts ( which are certain ) and not onely their saying , or writings are of divine right cannot be denied . the apostle shews it necessary , that he that is a prophet , or spiritual man , must acknowledge , that they are the lords precepts , which he hath written to the churches , cor. . . surely , nothing was enjoyned the church by the apostles , which was not first prescribed by the lord ; because the apostles were to teach what they learned of christ : which thing they performed with great faithfulness : neither will any one , who savours the things of the spirit , deny this ; and yet i acknowledge , that some things were instituted of them for a time ; inasmuch as whose occasions were singular , and not to be continued , wherefore those ordinations were mutable : which yet cannot be affirmed of the lords day . if there be any of the fathers therefore , who think that the institution of the lords day was made by the apostles , they are not so to be understood , as if they acknowledged it not for divine , but humane : because the same fathers elsewhere are not affraid to ascribe it to god and christ : and they acknowledge that the blessed apostles were not the authors of this solemnity , but the holy ghosts amanuenses , ( i. e. as leo interprets it , who writ their decrees by virtue of a divine authority ) in propounding it to the church . for which cause , the most pious leo hath ordained abstinence from labours on the lords day , because this seemed good to the holy ghost ; and the apostles instituted thereby : and confesseth , that that day was abundantly honoured by the lord. the lords day therefore was instituted of the apostles , as the faithful architects of the christian church , by extraordinary power , which continues not now in the church , and by inspiration of the holy ghost ; that christians might be obliged not by humane , but by divine authority , to keep holy convocations , and to celebrate the private exercises of godliness on that day . apostolical grace , saith ambrose , hath raised up the dead , which , although it was not the grace of the apostles , but of christ , as the apostles themselves confess , acts . . . is called apostolical , because it was poured out upon them , and by his help they raised up the dead : so here the lords day is called an apostolical institution , not because it is a mere ordinance of the apostles , as they were christians , but because it was instituted of christ , by those who were endowed with extraordinary power . but , as i have said , this is the onely thing that vexes them , that call in question the authority of this institution ; that there is no place extant in scripture , in which , by divine authority , the solemn observation of this day seems to be enjoyned . these are men of subtil wits , who , as the proverb goes , cannot see the wood for trees . whose opinion , when i consider , that in the author a oper. imperf . in matthae , comes into my mind , where the priests of old that rail'd upon the people that paid not their tythes , are sharply reproved for not reproving those that sinned against god. if any of the people , faith he , offer not his tithes , the priests did so reprove him , as if he had committed some great fault , because he had not offered the tenth part of any thing , though never so little : but if any of the people had sinned against god , or injured any one , or done any such thing , none cared for reproving him , as though he had committed no fault , who had sinned against god ; and very careful they were of their own gain , but careless of the glory of god , and salvation of men . whose fault in this thing , he accommodates to the bishops , elders , and deacons of the church , as guilty of this crime . even so must we judge of these men . with what heat of mind , and earnestness , do the very authors of this doubt contend for tythes , which they cry out , that the lord hath indulged to the church under the gospel , by a divine right , whenas yet they cannot produce one plain testimony out of the new testament , for their bestowing on the ministers of the gospel ? but about the lords day ( whose being observed more than once by the christian church , is plain enough in the scriptures ) their faith is wavering ; nor can they be perswaded to believe , that its authority can be demonstrated out of the word of god. let others judge , whether they be worthy tenths , who deny sevenths ( if i may say so ) to god. but for their sakes , admitting the law about tythes , i would ask this , whether it 's likely , that the most good , great , and wise god ( who hath put the seasons of times in his own power , act. . . ) would determine any thing certain of a salary , to be bestowed on the administrators of his worship , when yet he left nothing certain in the church , of the time in which his worship should be performed ? it 's a wise mans part , first to determine the work , and a fit time to do it in , and then the wages , where with they that under went it , are to be rewarded . the parable , math. . relates , how the housholder hired labourers ; but first he signified what he would have them do , and then he agreed with them for a penny a day . if therefore they assert , that tythes are allowed by god for the use of the ministers of the church , they must of necessity grant , that god hath appointed a time , in which they must attend his worship ( to whom , in their opinion , he hath granted tythes ) because it is the same authority that must both define the worship , and a fit time for performing of that worship . now for establishing the divine institution of this day , we must not have recourse to that spurious scroul , that , ( as it 's reported in the third tome of a councils ) was sent down from heaven to hierusalem ; because that what things the holy ghost hath revealed to us in scripture , they do demonstrate it to all to be divine , of those that embrace the truth : and for the fabulous fooleries about this matter , we leave them to the papists ( whose kingdome had long since fallen without their support ) and we will briefly , according to our manner , examine what light may be brought out of the new testament , to manifest the truth in this matter . here three things come to be examined . first , whether in the compass of every week , must the church keep holy a certain day , by gods institution ? secondly , whether the jewish sabbath be abrogated ? thirdly , what can be brought out of the books of the new testament to confirm the keeping holy the first day in the week ? the first of these is more obscure , the other two may plainly enough be observed out of the holy scriptures , and fathers , and one of them depends upon another . of the last many things have been observed out of the scriptures , in our second , third , &c. chapters ; but the truth about the two former questions being made manifest by the testimonies of the ancients , it will appear with little ado , what is to be enquired into in the third place . chap. viii . within the compass of a week , one day was sanctified , from the beginning of the world : this is affirmed both by jews and christians . how adam had need of the sabbath . the mention of observing the seventh day amongst the heathens . the authorities are weighed , wherein the observation of the sabbath among the patriarchs is denied . why the heathens are not upbraided with the abuse of the sabbath . as to the first question , namely , that in the compass of seven dayes , one is to be set apart for spiritual operation ( as saith chrysostom ) why should i fear to affirm it ? especially , since this opinion is approved by the suffrage of the greatest divines , and clearly enough taught by the manifest testimonies of the ancients . we shall see that the church of god , since the history of the creation was known , did alwaies set apart one day of the weekly systeme , for his worship : the verity of which thing may be observed in the three epocha's , or junctures of years ; the first whereof is from the creation to moses : the second from moses till the gospel was preached by the apostles : the third follows to be considered from that time , till the end of the world : in all which we shall find , that one of the seven was alwayes set apart for the publick worshipping of god. we read , it was so done from the beginning of the world till moses ; from moses till the resurrection of christ ; from thence to this very day . the controversie at this day , is chiefly about the first and last epocha , none doubts of the second . in demonstrating the first , that the sabbath was observed before moses , yea , from the first beginning of the world , both the holy scriptures , and the reverend fathers , their faithful interpreters , do attest it : to prove the truth whereof , we will first bring the authority of moses , which is had gen. . , . of which places , divers have given the genuine sense , and especially the learned rivet , in gen. and doth orthodoxly enough defend his exposition against those that think otherwise , in his dissertation de sabbato , chap. . and removes a prolepsis that is devised by the modern , in commenting upon moses's text : for moses in the foresaid place , doth not relate what god did , when he writ the history of the creation ; but what god did , after that the stupendious work of creation was finished : namely , that he ceased from creating any new work , and ordained by a law promulgated , that the seventh day should be set apart by men , to his worship , in memorial of the creation . this is related by moses . neither was that fore mentioned prolepsis , which the best amongst the christians allow not , known to the jews . and if we follow the simple and literal sense of moses his words , they all make for us . for , how unjust is it , when all the verbs are of the same mood and tense , vajecol , vaijsboth , vajebarech ; and be finished , and ceased , and blessed , to restrain the two former to the present , and to extend the latter , as some do , to a time to come two thousand years after ; this would be too harsh a construction of the words . but let us see how the jews understood this place . tertullian tells us of them , that they affirm , that god from the beginning did sanctifie the seventh day , by resting on it from all the works that he made : and thereupon moses said to the people , remember to keep holy the sabbath day , &c. where tertullian delivers the jews opinion of the sabbaths observation from the beginning of the world : and then he affirms , that according to the jews , the command in the decalogue for keeping it , respects the original observation of the sabbath ; namely , because god at the creation sanctified the seventh day . this was the opinion retained amongst the jews in tertullians age , which he produces , when he disputes against them : and no where doth tertullian deny that the seventh day was sanctified from the beginning . neither do the jews themselves deny this . the title of ps . . apud jonath . who translated the bible into the chaldee , is thus ; a praise and song which the first man spoke for the sabbath day . from which inscription it appears , that the ancient jews , even before the first coming of christ , thought that adam observed the sabbath . for. jonathan lived , according to galatinus , forty two years before christs nativity . josephus , a very learned jew , acknowledgeth , that god rested on the seventh day , and ceased from his works , and for that cause do the jews celebrate a vacation on this day , which they call the sabbath . josephus therefore confesses , that the jews ceased from their works on the sabbath , because the lord ceased from the creation on the seventh day . of the same opinion is philo , the apostles contemporary , after , saith he , that nature was perfected in six dayes , the father added honour to the seventh day following ; which , when he praised , he vouchsafed to call it holy . also , de vita mosis , lib. . he confesses , that the sabbath day had a priviledge by nature , since the birth day of the world . and a little before , in the same book , he saith , moses thought it sitting that all those who were enrolled in this city , should , following the law of nature , celebrate the sabbath . he grants then , that the sabbaths observation was according to the law of nature , that is , that it was constituted by god at the creation of nature . st. austin sayes also , that the jews acknowledge , that god sanctified a day , since which he began as it were to rest from his labours . so solomon iarchi , in gen. . by whom is cited r. simson , in is . . aben ezra in exod. . da. kimchi . manasses ben-israel , in deut. . and all the doctors of the jews , excepting maimonides . these things shew , that the jews had knowledge that the sabbath was observed from the creation , from whom the observation of the sabbath was very well known to the inhabitants of the whole world. of the christians also , divers , both antient and modern , were of this opinion ; a few of whose testimonies we will lightly touch . theophilus antiochenus , lib. . ad antolicum , saith , a that god finished the work that he made , on the seventh day , and blessed the seventh day , and sanctified it ; because on it he rested from every work he made , &c. he saith not , that god did consecrate the seventh day , that afterwards only it might be sanctified of the israelitish church ; but so soon as the work of creation was consummate , the seventh day was of god both blessed and sanctified . afterwards he acknowledges , that the seventh day was solemnized amongst all men , which the hebrews call the sabbath , and greeks the seventh day , although most know not the cause of that name . and what cause was unknown to the most ? namely , the holy resting of god on that day , and its sanctification , whereof theophilus made mention a little before b . tertullian saith , that christ fulfilled the law , while he made the sabbath day , which was holy from the beginning , by the blessing of the father , more holy by his own doing good on it . cyprian c confesseth , that the seventh day holy day from the creation of the world , obtained authority , because in six dayes gods works were finished , and the seventh consecrated to rest , as holy , and sanctifying , honoured with a solemnity of vacation , and entitled to the sanctifying spirit . lactantius is of the same opinion , a god finished the world , and this admirable work of the creation , in six dayes space , and then ordained the seventh day , whereon he rested from his works . this is the sabbath day . lactantius therefore fetcheth the sanctification of the sabbath from the creation , and not from the history of manna . st. athanasius b saith , that god rested when he had finished the former creation , and therefore the men of that generation observed the sabbath on the seventh day . where he acknowledges , that the sabbath was observed from the creation till christ ; for he saith , that all men of that generation did observe the sabbath ; where he speaketh of the whole time , from the beginning of the world till christ . greg. nyssen , c lo ▪ here is for thee , the sabhath blessed from the beginning of the world : mark it by that sabbath , this sabbath , the day of rest , which god hath blessed above other dayes . chrysost . d god hath blessed and sanctified that day . what is it that he hath sanctified it ? he hath set it apart from other dayes . after , when he tells us the cause why he hath sanctified it , he addeth , because on that he rested from all his works , which god began to make . now god intimateth to us this doctrine from the beginning , teaching us , that within the compass of a week , one whole day is to be set apart , and spent in spiritual work . therefore , according to chrysostom , the sabbath day , since the creation , was set apart from other dayes , and plainly it appears , that for that ordination the world is bound to dedicate one whole day of the week to the worship of god. aug. ult . cap. postrem . lib. de civitate dei , while he is describing that everlasting sabbath which the saints shall enjoy in heaven , he referrs the institution of the sabbath to the resting of god from the work of creation . he doth the like in epist. ad casulanum , where he saith , that god sanctified the seventh day , when he rested on it from all his works , and afterwards gave command about its observation to the hebrew people . augustine therefore doth acknowledge , that the use of the sabbath was amongst the ancients , before it grew common amongst the hebrews ; namely , first , at the beginning , before moses , and afterwards in the church of the jews . theodoret. a he hath bestowed a blessing on the seventh day , instead of creating , les● that day only , above others , should want its ho● nour : and he hath put [ hallowed it ] fo● [ set it apart . ] and afterwards ; in blessing the seventh day , he hath shown , that he thought it not an unprofitable and superfluous day , but hath ordained it to be applied to rest . who doth not see , that in theodorets opinion , from the beginning the sabbath was set apart for the worship of god from other dayes ? so when he answers the question , why he commanded not the sabbath to be celebrated on another day ? because the god of all hath created every thing in six dayes ; but on the seventh day he made nothing , but honoured this day with a blessing : as it is added , in six dayes the lord thy god made heaven and earth , and rested the seventh : wherein he teaches us , that even then this day was consecrated of god to rest and sanctification from the beginning of the world . alexander hales a affirmes , that the sabbath before the law , was observed of the fathers ; and of the same opinion are divers of the schoolmen . now if any have a mind to reckon up the grave opinions of the aforesaid fathers , he will not deny , that the sabbath day was solemnly kept from the very beginning of the world : because , by the judgment of them all , the sabbath was sanctified by god ; nor do the fathers speak of the purpose of god , as though it was not then really set apart for the worship of god : but according to his purpose , it was only destined for this , that after two thousand years it should be set apart for this end : for , say they , when god had finished his work of creation , the sabbath was sanctified , from the beginning , or from the creation of the world , when he had rested from his works , from the creation till christ , &c. — and therefore they acknowledge , that the sabbath day was solemnized amongst all men or all men of the former generation , that is , from the beginning of the world till christ , a long time before its use was established amongst the jews . all these things are affirmed in round words by the fathers . out of which it clearly appears , that one day of the week was alwayes set apart to the worshipping of god publickly . and as the best of the ancients were of this opinion ; so the chief of our late writers , that have flourished in the reformed churches , do affirm , that god did from the beginning of the world , sanctifie the seventh day for his worship amongst men . wallaeus and rivet have clearly taught this ; the former whereof , in his third chapter of the fourth command , doth teach this : proving it by the grave testimonies of luther , zuinglius , calvin , beza , peter martyr , bullinger , zanchy , ursin , gualter , aretius , bonaventure , bertram , merrer , antonius faius , junius , paraeus , zepperus , martinius , and alstedius . to which the famous rivet , in his dissertation de sabbatho , cap . adds , the authorities of lambertus danaeus , rod. hospinianus , martinus chemnitius , ●oh . gerhardus , conradus p●eilen , henricus butingus , bartasius , gonlartius , tilenus ( while yet he warred with us in our tents ) marloratus , and fequernehianus . th●se two very learned divines having deserved well of the christian common-wealth , being compassed about with such a cloud of witnesses of great authority , have made it evident to all , that the observation of the sabbath hath alwayes been used in the church of god , before moses ; from whose judgment , no man of reason will easily suffer himself to be perswaded to recede , although one or two of the modern writers go contrary thereunto . touching which opinion , after these men to say any more , although it may be thought the part of a man that 's diligent in vain , yet since this opinion , being supported by the testimonies of so many famous divines , is weakened both by some reasons , and also by the authorities of the ancients , a few things more ar● to be added . these which follow are the chief of those reasons wherewith they do oppose the truth received of so many learned men . in the first place , before the lamentable fall of adam , there was no need of the sabbath , on which his strength , being spent with labours , it was to be repaired . secondly , nothing is read in scripture of the patriarchs keeping the sabbath . thirdly , if the sabbath had been observed from the creation , the heathens had been obliged to observe it , & somewhere in the scriptures they would have been accused by god for the neglect of the sabbath , w ch yet is no where read in h. records . these are the reasons which bear the greatest shew of probability , for which they assert , there was no use of the sabbath before moses in the world . to the two first whereof , the famous wallaeus answers solidly . to whose answer , i only add this . since adam could not conveniently attend at one and the same time , two businesses of a diverse nature , it seemeth not unreasonable , that god assigned him a stated time for doing both in conveniently ; to the end he might both till the garden freely , and also solemnly celebrate the publick worship of god. moreover , since we believe that the night was assigned to him in his happy condition of innocency , wherein he might rest ; why should not also the day be appointed for a divine contemplation of the works of god ? lastly , whereas the saints themselves in that blessed kingdome of heaven , do enjoy a perpetual sabbath , it will not be thought incongruous , or disagreeable to the condition of adam , if the sabbath were assigned to him in paradice , to worship god on ; although we read not that he did keep the sabbath . some institutions are expressed in scripture , whose observation doth not constantly occurr in the same . neh. . . those that returned from the captivity are read to make themselves tabernacles , in which they abode : which was not done before , even from the times of joshua , to that very day ; although it was provided for in the law , lev. . . and after the law given by moses , about the sabbath , there is made no mention of its observation in the whole book of judges , &c. yet none will thence conclude , that the sabbath was not instituted at that time , because we meet with no footsteps of its festivity being observed . nor do we read that sampson , deborah , or joshua did keep the sabbath : yet do we not deny upon that account , that the sabbath was instituted . so also might it happen before the law was given in the mount. and what if we say , that the aegyptians would not suffer the israelites , while they were their slaves , to be idle on the seventh day ? perhaps they gave place to necessity ; which josephus tells us , fell out also in the time of antiochus . when , saith he , the jews were interdicted upon most severe punishments the observation of the seventh day , within a very short time , not only in antioch , but in the neighbouring regions , the sabbath was neglected . moreover , it is read no where , that adam worshipped god publickly , which yet we must conclude for certain he did . we may judge the like of the sabbath's not being observed of him : because if he had the mode of worship prescribed him of god , surely , that a time was defined of god to exercise it in , cannot rightly be denied : although we read nothing of the express time : for it is most agreeable to natural equity , that as well the time for performance of the worship , as the worship it self should be defined . as to the third reason , brought from the heathens ; some think , if the sabbath had been observed from the creation , then the gentiles had been bound to celebrate its solemnity . but this they deny for a double reason . first , because no footsteps of the seventh day's observation are found amongst them . secondly , they are not reproved of god for neglecting the sabbath . to the first , the learned vvallaeus answers , loc . praedicto : that though it should be granted , that the mentioning of it was obliterated amongst the heathens , it doth not thence follow , that the use of the sabbath remained not amongst the posterity of adam , or noah : so vvallaeus . the searchers out of hebrew antiquities , tell us out of maimonides , that a corrupt religion grew up from the beginning of the world , and so far received augmentations , till at length the divine religion was almost turned upside down ; yet that great rabbi hath excepted enoch , melchisedech , noah , shem , &c. who worshipped the true god , with a pure heart : the truth of whose relation , being bottomed on scripture authority , who will question ? if therefore the true religion , and that which was instituted of god , and put into the minds of men , hath ceased amongst the posterity of the heathen in other chief points , what wonder if amongst them also the observation of the sabbath was not continued : which yet was alwayes observed by the church of god ? that the seventh day was celebrated amongst the gentiles , and that they observed it with a certain solemn devotion , ( either from the instinct of nature , or by a tradition received from the ancestours , from whom they descended , or from a general knowledge of the creation it self ) their very writings in express words do shew : in which , whoever will look into them , he may easily find clear footsteps of a sabbatical solemnity . that the seventh day is sacred , not only the hebrews , but also the greeks know ; on which the universe of things animate and inanimate is turned about , — saith clemens alexandrinus a , which he proveth by the testimonies of hesiod , homer , callimachus , and other heathens , which i think needless to rehearse here , because if any will not believe my relation , the aforesaid testimonies of the poets in clemens , may make the incredulous to believe b . euseb . de praepar . erang . saith , that god having finished his works , allowed us a day for rest from our labours . this he confirms by the authorities of divers poets . and the learned rivet , in dissertat . de sabbato , cap. . proves , that these testimonies are to be understood of the seventh day of every week . while suetonius describes the moderation of tiberius , exhibited even towards his inferiours , he tells us , amongst other things , that diogenes , a certain grammarian , being wont to dispute on the sabbath dayes at rhodes , would not admit tiberius to hear him , out of his order , but by his servant put him off till the seventh day . whence it appears , that the seventh day was known to diogenes , although the learned casaubon , on that place of suetonius , thinketh , that the observation of weeks , which holds at this day , used among the greeks , was not commonly received before the times of tiberius . yet the learned rivet , loc . citato , proves by divers testimonies , that it was in use amongst the latines , so to distinguish their dayes . lampridius in alexand. severo , tells us , that when he was in the city , he went up to the capitol on the seventh day , and frequented the temples . we meet with more testimonies to this purpose in the learned amesius , of pious memory , in medul . theolog. lib. . cap. . sect . . and now i will conclude with the testimony of josephus against appion , l. . that there is no nation , either of greeks , or barbarians , or any where else , amongst whom the custome of the seventh day , which the jews used to keep holy , was not grown common . with whom , as we have seen , agreeth clemens alexandrinus . that the custome therefore of celebrating the seventh day , was common amongst the heathens , can be doubted by none ; whether , as i said , from the instinct of nature , or by the ordination of god , which came by tradition to the posterity of adam . however , if we may credit the fore-mentioned authors , it is certain , that the festival of this solemnity was known to the whole world , although most know not the cause of this solemnity : which philo de vita mosis , lib. . observes , and theophilus antiochenus in the fore-cited place . theophilus saith , that all men call the seventh day the sabbath , but most know not the cause of its appellation . now that cause which most knew not , was gods resting on it , when he had finished in six dayes that stupendious work of creation ; which was obliterated amongst the heathens , by a long tract of time , although they observed the day , as appeareth by the mentioned testimonies . this irenaeus teacheth more at large , in the end of the thirtieth chapter of his fourth book , whither i send the reader . in the last place , i will satisfie the second question , viz ▪ if the gentiles were obliged to observe the sabbath , and the custom of observing it was grown common amongst them , why are they never in scripture reproved of god for profaning the sabbath ? who can deny that the gentiles as well as the jews , were obliged by the instinct of nature , to worship god their great creatour ? besides , divers of the heathen had got the knowledge of god , the creation , and sabbath , as clemens alexandrinus , eusebius , &c. have plainly taught us . furthermore , let him tell us who can , why they , as well as other men , should not be obliged to observe the sabbath , by the divine law : for we know , that a determined time to perform a certain worship , is no less necessary to them than others . but many reasons there were for which god might reprove the heathen , and yet move no controversie against them , about the sabbath ; either because its institution was grown obsolete amongst many of the gentiles , ( though not all ) or because they had violated the whole worship of god : for which cause he reprehends them : yet he reproves them not for the sabbath by name , as being the time of worship : because the sabbath was onely ordained for performing the true worship of the true god : now the gentiles worshipped not god , but idols ; therefore god accuseth them of idolatry , and not for neglecting the sabbath : and in vain would they have had regard of the sabbath , while on the sabbath they worshipped idols , and not god , the author of the sabbath . i might also add here , that it 's not manifest , that all the sins committed by the heathens were reprehended in scripture particularly . but the famous rivet doth answer this objection more at large : in whose learned answers , they that do not abhorr the truth , cannot but acquiesce . and thus much for the reasons against the opinion of the sabbath being observed from the beginning of the world . now to the authorities by which others busie themselves , to infringe this opinion : these are in number three . the first whereof is that of irenaeus , who lib. . cap. . tells us , that abraham believed god without circumcision , and without the sabbath . the second is , of justin martyr , in his dialogue with trypho the jew , in whom it 's read , that abel and enoch were just , without the observation of the sabbath ; and after them , abraham and his posterity , untill moses pleased god. and after he adds , before moses there was no need of celebrating the sabbath . in the third place , a tertullian is produced , in whom they read , that neither adam nor his off-spring , abel , or noah , or enoch , did keep the sabbath . these are the chief places which are brought against the contrary opinion ; to which , before i answer , i might say , that the judgments of other fathers that affirm it , might be opposed to the authorities of them that deny it . but , lest by so saying , i should seem to set together the grave fathers amongst themselves , i answer , first , he that equally weigheth the foresaid testimonies , shall easily observe , that the fathers intention in the foresaid places , was this ; that they might teach , that men were not justified by observing of the jewish sabbath . this at the first blush will appear to him that views the places . irenaeus he speaks of the multitude of them that were just before abraham , the patriarchs , and moses , and were justified without these , ( namely , without circumcision and the sabbath . ) it was therefore irenaeus his purpose , to prove that the sabbath , or circumcision were not the perfecting of righteousness : neither doth irenaeus simply speak of the observation of the sabbath , but of its observation in order to justification ; which thing his words do declare and justin martyr had the same meaning , who disputed against trypho the jew , propounding to himself means by which mercy might befall him from god , ( as trypho speaks ) amongst which he reckons the sabbath and circumcision , that he might have some hope of salvation . whilst the blessed martyr opposeth himself to this mans purpose , he affirmeth , that all the foresaid fathers who kept the sabbath , pleased not god. yet doth he not affirm , that the observation of the sabbath was unknown to them : but he grants , that the fathers were not justified by it : which they also confess , who hold fast the foresaid opinion , confirmed to be true by a long series of authorities . it was not therefore the purpose of the reverend fathers , to define , whether the sabbath was simply observed of the patriarchs , or not ? onely they affirm , that by its observation they obtained not righteousness before god , nor for that cause did they observe it : as the jews did contend in this question , with whom the fathers had to do . and tertullian is not to be expounded otherwise , who attended this also , that he might shew against the jews , that the fathers were not justified by circumcision , the sabbath , or the works of the law. his words do testifie this . for he sayes , advers . jud. c. . he that contendeth , that the sabbath is yet to be observed , as a medicine of salvation , must teach , that those who observed the sabbath formerly are just , &c. and thereupon what were formerly objected do follow : which in this manner being understood , according to the scope of the author , without any injury to the words , do make nothing against the observation of the sabbath from the creation : especially whereas tertullian himself , as formerly we observed , hath asserted , that the jews do confess , a that gods resting on it , did from the beginning sanctifie the seventh day . the truth of which assertion , tertullian no where calls into question : for if he had not taken it for true , then he would not have granted it without a reproof in any wise , for their sakes ; but would have used one or other interpretation , either to avoid , or clear that place , out of genesis . , . which yet he no where does . the sanctification therefore of the seventh day from the creation , for which the jewes stood , is granted by tertullian : out of whom it is fetch'd , that there was the use of the sabbath before the mosaical law , which also tertullian granteth must continue when that ceaseth . therefore , in the second place , i answer , that these , and the like places , if any be , amongst the fathers , which seem to intimate , that the sabbath was not observed before moses , are not so much to be understood of the sabbath it self , or the observation of the seventh day , as of the jewish observation thereof , and its abuse to justification before god : for they contend , either that for its observation eternal life befell not the patriarchs , or that it was not observed before moses , according to the ceremonies , wherewith it was afterwards celebrated of the jews ; neither ought it to be observed after the coming of christ : which things are affirmed by none at all . thirdly , in the foresaid testimonies , the fathers had to do with the jews , who obtruded the jewish sabbath on the christians : for which cause , when the fathers mention the sabbath , they speak of it somewhat dishonourably , if we look at the name and ceremonies of the sabbath : but if we understand the thing it self , i. e. the lords day , they have extolled the sabbath with wonderful praises : therefore , when they plead against the jewish sabbath , they altogether reject it , but when they appoint it to be celebrated in the christian manner , they greatly honour it . fourthly , the criticks , which are well exercised in the writings of the fathers , teach us , that it is an usual thing with the fathers , while with all their might they decline one errour , they oftentimes do either fall into another , or seem in a certain sort to fall into it : like husbandmen , ( as prettily the learned rivet , in prolegom . in crit. sa●r . cap. . ) who labouring to straiten a crooked stick , do sometimes exceed measure , and bend the plant into a contrary and diverse form : so they know it very often falls out with the most grave fathers , who peruse their disputations with their adversaries : for while they contend with their enemies , out of an earnest desire to smite them , they have sometimes even struck their own companions . st. austins heat against the manichees , carried him from the explication of the text , and those things which he purposed to assert . this thing , austin himself , when he had finished his treatise , signified to possidonius , and others that dined with him . so possidonius relateth it in the life of austin , chapter . and as the truth of this thing hath appeared in other questions , so in this of the sabbath . for while tertullian , and before him , justin martyr , have declared the foresaid opinions about the sabbath , their work was with the jews , who , as we said , obtruded the sabbath on the christians , as though without its observation , none could obtain eternal life . which errour , while the grave fathers studied to shun , they declare this opinion of the sabbath , ( if in the testimonies cited this was their meaning ) being observed all that time , from the creation until moses : in expounding of which opinion , although they thought to smite the jews , yet considered they not , how unwarily they wounded their own companions , who , to their power , were diligent to defend the contrary : whose opinions we have formerly recited in this chapter . lastly , none that is but meanly conversant in the writings of the fathers , can be ignorant , that some more hard sayings do often occurr in them ; which , unless they be expounded by other places in them , are not easily to be admitted . chrysostom saith , in his later sermon de utilitate ex obscuritate prophetiarum , in savils edition , before christs coming , faith in christ was not required of the jews : which words , without a candid interpretation , are not to be admitted : for if they be taken absolutely , they agree not with the holy scriptures , as appears from hebr. . in which it is related , that the saints before the former coming of christ , did rely upon him by faith , and for their faith are commended : therefore the genuine sense of this place is to be found out of another place in his former sermon , pag. . where , of the jews , he saith , they looked for the lamb of god to come ; that should take away the sins of the world : of which the later place affordeth no small light to the interpretation of the former . in like manner are we to judge in examining the foresaid testimonies of the fathers , wherein the sabbath is denied to be observed from the beginning of the world : whose meaning is to be expounded from those fathers in other places , or from others that were their contemporaries . if any therefore have a mind to find out tertullians mind adv. jud. cap. . let him compare him with tertullian adv . mercion . lib. . cap. . where he shall find him acknowledging , that the sabbath was holy from the beginning . we may judge the same of the other authorities which are cited , whose sense is to be sought out either by other places of those authors , or by other writers that were contemporaries with them . the words of irenaeus and justin martyr , do roundly enough expound their scope , as before we have heard by them , both which do only contend for this , that they may teach , that the ancient fathers were not justified by the sabbath and circumcision , and add no more . chap. ix . that one day in a week is under the gospel also to be sanctified . the morality of the fourth command , which is perpetual , requireth this . christ hath not abolished the law. how the sabbath may be said to be a sign between god and the church . thus far of the first epocha , in which we have found , that from the beginning of the world , one day in the weekly compass was to be set apart for the solemn performing of the worship of god : and for the second , from moses to christs resurrection , none doubteth , therefore i 'le add nothing of it : and will come to the third epocha , of which is the greatest controversie , namely , whether under the gospel , in the compass of a week , one day be to be sanctified ? some men of great name do deny this , and some do strongly affirm it : which later opinion being grounded upon so many testimonies and reasons of the ancients , and the continual practise of the christian church , i freely embrace : for this is neither a new , nor an unheard of assertion , but by several divines of a well exercised judgment , is sufficiently manifested to all pious souls , and prone to the fear of god : in demonstrating whereof , they have recourse to the morality of the fourth command in the decalogue , whose moral part is perpetual : for it is one of the ten words of god , engraven by his own hand in tables of stone , exod. . . deut. . . out of which number , if the sabbath should be expunged , there would only nine remain . now the moral part of the decalogue ( which remaineth also in the new law , bonavent . l. . q. . p. . ) as alexander hales a once wittily , is said to be so two manner of wayes , one way which is of the very essence of the decalogue , according to the primary intention , and so vacation to a time indeterminately is moral in the decalogue : another way it 's said to be moral , in the decalogue , which is to determine the decalogue , and according to this vacation on the lords day , is moral in the decalogue , in the time of grace , as the seventh day in the time of the law , and that is moral by discipline , i. e. by divine institution : and therefore , even by the sole instinct of nature , it must needs be granted , that man at some time must attend upon god : yea , nature it self dictates , that sufficient dayes be set apart to perform his worship . and who is to determine those dayes , but him , whose the day and night are ? psal . . . so alexander hales . the observance of a day indeterminately , that at some time we should attend on god , is moral in nature , and immutable ; but the observance of a determinate time , is moral by discipline , by the adding of divine institution . afterwards he saith , when that time ought to be , is not for man to determine , but god : because it is his part to define the certain time for worship , whose it is to prescribe the worship it self : it pertaineth not to inferiours , whose part it is to perform offices to others , to determine of a fit time to perform them in : superiours , to whom they are to be exhibited , do prescribe others , when , ex officio , they ought to attend these . nor can it be otherwise , because if the way of setting apart the time for worshipping god in should not depend upon divine institution , the mind of man would hang pendulous in this business : neither would it appear to us , what dayes would be sufficient : since , if we look at gods benefits conferred upon us , it would not be sufficient to consecrate the whole course of our life to this work : and if we look at our covetousness , and sloth , how many of us would suffer the very least part of our time ( saith the famous mr. d. g. ) to be cut off either from our labour or rest ? a certain time is therefore to be defined of god , at least for their sakes ▪ who attend more ▪ upon this world than god , a as hierom : and left the conscience of men should stick in doubt , or god be defrauded of his due worship , very reason it self seemeth to require , that a certain day should be assigned by the most blessed and almighty god ; especially , when , as b scotus saith , a man is bound to no act pro tempore indeterminato , to which he is not bound pro aliquo signato : because , if then worship be not to be exhibited to god , by like reason not now , and by the same reason of every other time . besides , he that will not think much to compare the reason of the present age , with the times of adam , the patriarchs , and the jews , he shall see it equal and just to set apart in every seven dayes , one whole one for the worship of god. for why should the lord indulge a further liberty to the men of our age , in his service , than he granted them ? especially when god , since he hath repealed his gospel , is more propitious to us , than to them . farther , if we weigh the nature of our present men , we shall find for certain , that no less time is required to the instructing of them , than of the ancients . and to conclude , relaxation from labour is no less necessary in this age , to servants , and those that live under other mens government , than to men in former ages . he that without prejudice weigheth these things , cannot deny , that one day in seven is as well to be set apart for the publick worship of god by christians , as men of the former age . i will add nothing of the nature of the decalogue , never abrogated by the blessed coming of christ . faith in christ makes not void the law , the matter of which , all men acknowledge to be written in mens hearts from the creation , the great apostle being witness : although we acknowledge with the same apostle , gal. . and col. . that the ceremonial and typical observation thereof , being fulfilled by christs coming in the flesh , be now ceased . this doth also irenaeus witness , adv . haeres . l. . c. . who affirmeth , that god spoke the words of the decalogue immediately by himself , and thereupon they remain permanent , and fixed with us , admitting of extension and augmentation , but no dissolution by the coming of christ in the flesh . so st. austin in psalm . fulfill the law , saith he , which the lord thy god came not to dissolve , but to fulfill . and certainly , no body that throughly weighs with himself the morality of that precept , will doubt , that the solemnity of the lords day grew up by vertue of the fourth command in the decalogue : for it is granted of all , that the substance of the command , included in these words , ( remember to keep holy the sabbath day , i. e. the day of rest , not as the seventh day ) is moral , and to be continued for ever . but if the lords day festivity be not bottomed upon the authority of this command , then that morality doth plainly perish : when now there is not any other weekly sabbath , besides the lords day ; without which , as i said , the moral part of the sabbath in the new testament would not remain . by right therefore , as alexander hales hath it , the vacation of the lords day is the moral part of the decalogue in the time of grace , as the seventh day in the time of the law. moreover , some may with great reason doubt , why the jewish sabbath should be translated to the lords day , ( which yet we see hath been done for above one thousand six hundred years ) if so be that christians be not obliged to observe the fourth command , as it is moral : whenas otherwise there would be no need of any festival to succeed in place of the ancient sabbath : but because that law doth perpetually bind all the worshippers of god to the observation of the sabbath , it necessarily follows , that the day on which the sabbath is to be observed , must be determined by some positive law , and is designed by god for this purpose , to be the seventh day in the old covenant , and the the first in the new. for it 's not for man , saith alexander hales , quaest . . fol. . to determine , but god , when that time is , &c. it 's in gods power only , to define a fit time for performing his worship . but we read this question of the morality of the fourth command , discussed at large by divers : amongst whom , the famous wallaeus doth it most excellently , who , to the great fruit of the church , hath copiously taught us , what is ceremonial , and what moral , in writing of that command of the sabbath . i will not therefore add any more about this question , but do send the reader to the learned labours of others , in which this question is examined . i will only add this one thing for a conclusion , out of the observations of this learned divine , namely an explication of the sabbath's being a sign between god and men . since , saith he , it is in bred by nature , in all nations , that in the external worship of that deity which they take for supreme , they should have some symbole of document , which may shew to others , whom they take for god : as may be observed in the sacrifices of bacchus : and therefore in the revelation , they that worshipped god and the lamb , are read to have the mark of god in their foreheads , rev. . . and they that worshipped the beast , received his mark in their forehead , or hand , rev. . . which were nothing else but external tokens , by which they would plainly signifie , that they worshipped either god or the beast : so of old we read that the sabbath was instituted of god , that it might be a symbole or sign , to manifest to all the world who was the god of the jews . so ezek. . . the sabbaths are said to be signs between god and them , that it might be known that the lord was their god. now what it was that was shewn by that sign , moses tells us in divers places ; especially in exod. ch . . , . therefore the children of israel shall observe the sabbath , throughout their generations , for a perpetual covenant . it is a sign between me and the children of israel for ever ; ( he speaks of the sabbath ) for in six dayes the lord made heaven and earth , and on the seventh day he rested , and was refreshed . as if he should say , the pious observation of the sabbath amongst them , when every seventh day returns , doth intimate , that the almighty creatour of heaven and earth is their god. in this sense , athanasius de sabbatho & circumcisione , saith , the sabbath is a sign , whereby the day might be known on which the creation was finished : which being known , they might ascend to the knowledge of the creatour . and by observing the sabbath , they attained unto that two manner of wayes . first , inasmuch as one day of the seven was solemn , or because after they had ended their labours in the six dayes , they must rest on the seventh . secondly , by determining that rest on the last day of the weekly compass : both wayes the jewes signified , that they worshipped none other , than god the creatour of heaven and earth : because , whereas they sanctified the seventh day , after the six dayes labours were ended , they openly professed , that they were worshippers of that god , who created heaven and earth , and having finished his labour , in beautifying that stupendious work , on the seventh day he ceased from working : for which cause , he enjoyned them the observation of the seventh day ; that they might follow his fore-going example , both in working and in resting . he hath commanded , saith philo , de decalogo , that whosoever received these institutions , as in other things , so in this also , they should follow god , in working six dayes , and resting the seventh , and attending on the contemplation of things , and study of vvisdome , &c. afterwards , follow god , thou hast gods example and prescript in working six dayes . and farther , they set apart no other day in the weekly course , but the seventh , for the exercises of piety , that they might profess they were the servants of that god , which redeemed the israelites out of the land of egypt , and brought them out of the house of bondage : which is collected from the repetition of the decalogue , deuteronom . . . where moses , omitting the argument taken from the creation , which he had used in the decalogue , doth excite them to sanctifie the sabbath , from their being freed out of the land of egypt ; namely , because whenas they served in the land of egypt , the lord their god brought them out thence , with a strong hand , and stretched out arm : and therefore he commanded them , that they should observe the very day of the sabbath , ( in whose morning watch they came out of egypt , as the learned junius observes in his notes on deuteronom . . out of exod. . . ) this seems to have been the cause of appointing this day , rather than any other . and thus much of the jews sabbath , whereby , as by a manifest document , they professed to worship the lord , the creator of this universe , and their mighty redeemer out of egypt , for which cause the sabbath was had for a sign between god and them . chap. x. a day in every week is to be sanctified under the gospel , which is not the seventh , but first : the celebrating of the jewish sabbath , col. . . and gal. . . examined : the places whereon the observation of the lords day in the new testament is bottomed . the fathers acknowledge its divine authority : neither can the church change that day , and substitute another in its place . a stated day in every week being granted , to perform gods worship on , it remaineth now farther to find out what day is determined by god for his worship , since the light of the gospel was up and down dispersed . and whereas thus far we have spoken of the jews sabbath , it remains , in the second place , to be considered , whether christians , or no , be bound by the fourth command in the decalogue , to sanctifie one day weekly ? amongst equal estimates of things ( saith the foresaid learned divine ) it cannot but be without controversie , that it is as well for christians as jews , having finished their labours on the six dayes , to sanctifie the seventh , that with the jews they acknowledge that they worship the most blessed and almighty god , the maker of heaven and earth . but although in this both jew and christian do agree , that when they have spent six dayes in their labours , on the seventh they should rest : yet they differ amongst themselves in the determination , or designation of the day destined to this holy rest . for the christians keep holy that day , which to the jews was the first in the week , and call it the lords day , that they might prove themselves the servants of god , who , in the dawning of that day subdued the devil , that spiritual pharaoh , and redeemed his people from a spiritual servitude , by raising up jesus christ our lord from the dead : who hath regenerated the christian church , not unto a sublunary canaan , but unto a lively hope of an immortal inheritance , preserved for us in the heavens . and , that i may dispatch in a word , the christian , by sanctifying the lords day , doth prosess that he is a christian ; that is , as st. peter interprets it , believes in hin● that raised up christ from the dead . hence it easily appears , that both jews and christians ( though the same day be not solemnized amongst them both ) were led by the same reason to sanctifie the seventh day : which , to the jews , might call to mind their liberty restored from egypt , and servitude of a worldly pharaoh ; and to christians , from a spiritual egypt and pharaoh . but , lest any one should object unto me , christians might profess this , by sanctifying the last day in the week : i add moreover , they could not do so by right : for if the christians should keep holy day after the manner of the jews , then they would declare , that their spiritual redemption was not yet perfected , but yet did look for it : especially whenas the redemption of israel out of egypt by the ministry of moses , was a type and pledge of our future and spiritual liberty by christ : and the inheritance of the earthly canaan , which those that were freed from egyptian bondage , did seek after , prefigured a celestial inheritance , ( which the redeemed by the holy blood of christ , did look for . ) since therefore the shadow vanished when the body was present , we must not believe in god foretelling future things by types and shadows : but in him that hath most faithfully accomplished the truth , according to the prophecies foretold by him . so a austin against faustus the manichee . it is not , saith he , a diverse doctrine , but a different time ; it was one thing for these things that they must be foretold by figurative prophecies , and another thing , that they must now be fulfilled by the truth made manifest and accomplished . as by an apt similitude mr. d. g. illustrateth it . there is , saith he , in all nations , the same law of all the stars , and the same motion , although a great variety may arise from the difference of the horizon : whereupon it may be our day , when it 's night with our antipodes : so the law of nature is the same with us and the jews ; yet in some things it admitteth of some mutation , from the difference of the horizon , as i may say , whilst they inhabited the old world , and we the new : that is , the sun of righteousness , on the seventh day , came to their meridian by creation ; to ours , on the eighth day , by christs resurrection ; whence that which was a festival to them , to us is none . although the sabbath be translated to the lords day , yet for that reason its being a sign between god and his people , is not taken away , but translated to another day : neither is the thing changed , that was signified by that sign ; but only the manner and circumstance of time , and clearness of signification . i will hasten therefore to demonstrate the cessation of celebrating the sabbath after the jewish manner , and substitution of the lords day into its place , both out of scriptures and fathers . the holy writings of the apostles do testifie , that the observation of the jewish sabbath , as well as other festivals in use amongst them , is removed from off the christians shoulders . so st. paul , col. . . let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink , or in respect of an holy day , or of the new moon , or of the sabbath dayes . in that chapter , while the apostle mentions various corruptions of the sacred religion ▪ which he teacheth will be profitable for the church , diligently to shun , he reckons up three sorts of them : the first whereof , by false teachers , was drawn from philosophy , the second from humane traditions , the third from the rudiments of the world . now by the rudiments of the world , he means , the pedagogy of moses : out of which , ver . . he brings forth two corruptions , to wit , of the choice of meats prohibited by the law , and sanctifying of festivals observed under the same . amongst the jews there were divers feasts , some of great name and authorty , celebrated yearly , namely , of the passover , pentecost , and tabernacles : and then , besides these , they celebrated their new moons every month , and their sabbath every week : the apostle affirms , that all these festivals ( which after a manner , were the shadow of christ to come , and christ their truth and body , that is , they did portend what afterwards , were truly exhibited of christ ) had their end , when christ was once come : for when the body is come , the shadow vanisheth . even as in the emperours absence his image hath authority , but when he is present hath not : so these things also , before the coming of the lord , in their time were to be observed , but when he is come , do want authority . and therefore they that contend for observing the sabbath , after the jewish manner , do , deny that christ is come ; witness the blessed apostle : for gaping at the shadow , they embrace not the body . there was a time when they were to be trained up by the shadow , but he that follows the shadow , when the body is present , is deceived . therefore from that place of the apostle , we must believe , that the jewish sabbath ( of which he speaks , under the number of a multitude , sabbaths , because it was celebrated every week , and seldome do we meet with it in the singular number , as before was observed ) is ceased by the coming of christ , or that christ is not yet come . the same apostle sharply taxeth the galatians for observing of days , that having rejected the wholsom doctrine of the gospel , they returned to the same beggarly elements , ( that is , legal observations ) gal. . . ye observe , saith he , dayes , and months , and times , and yeares . where ( according to tertullian contra marcion , lib. . c. . chrysostom , theodoret , primasius , &c. in gal. . ) by dayes the apostle understandeth the sabbaths of the jews , and by the names of months , new moons ; by years , the computing of years according to the jews . the false apostles did urge the sabbath , new moons , and the other feast dayes of the jews , because they were legal observations : but the apostle , having pious bowels rolling within him , doth seasonably admonish the galatians , that they should not yield to them in this business , and so his labour in promulging the gospel be in vain . and to any that considers the circumstances of the text , it is a thing without controversie , that the apostle properly doth reprehend the galatians , because that after they had acknowledged , and received the doctrine of the gospel , in a jewish manner , ( to whom not only the day for the worship , but also the celebration in its rest was of it self religious ) they had observed feast dayes ; as if such a kind of observation were so necessary to the worship of god , that by its neglect their salvation was in hazard . neither are the words of the apostle so to be taken , as if he only reprehended the galatians , for observing dayes [ on this ground ] that they might make a guess of the success of their actions , as the heathens did ; as st. austin would have it , epist . ad januarium . ( although in another place he interprets this place doubtfully . austin in epist . ad cal. expounds it , first of the heathens custom , and then of the jews . ) also the commentaries in gal. attributed to ambrose , do interpret the place of the apostle in the same manner : but because the observation of dayes , which was rejected of the apostle , was done according to those weak and beggarly elements , gal. . . i. e. as we said , legal observations , which the galatians did seriously sue for , being so taught of the false apostles . the sense of the apostles words cannot be expounded according to the foresaid fathers . these sacred testimonies of the blessed apostle do shew , that the jewish sabbath was abrogated by christs coming . nor do i dissent from the gravest lights in the churh , in teaching the cessation thereof ; for , with an-unanimous consent , they do teach , that the observation of the jewish sabbath , is not to be imposed on christians . so athanas . hom. de semente , & homil. de sab. & circumcis . a cyprian would have the eighth day to be to the christians , what the sabbath was ; which , as he saith , is , as it were , the image of the lords day . august . ep. . c. . ambros . in eph. . chrysost . in cal. . b tertullian calls the sabbath , temporal , which in time should cease . chrysostom confesses the same , hom. . ad pop. aug. l. . c. . contr . faust . manich. & de gen. ad literam . lib. . c. . hither also are to be referred other fore-cited testimonies of the fathers , which yield a testimony evident enough for the cessation of the jewish sabbath . now since these holy fathers do assert , that the precept of the sabbath is not to be observed of christians , whether do they simply contend for abrogating the observation of the weekly sabbath , or only that it must not be kept on that manner , and on the seventh day , as the sabbath was commanded the jews ? which is very worthy our consideration ; and the later seems to be intimated by the following examples . whereas the name is put upon the seventh day , and the observation thereof ordained , yet we , c saith hilary , do rejoyce on the eighth which is also the first , the festival of the sabbath being finished . therefore hilary affirmeth not a simple abrogation , but change of the sabbath ( whose name we often meet with , and the observation prescribed . ) because he confesseth , that christians did observe the festival of the sabbath , though on the sabbath day ; i. e. the seventh day from the creation , it was not done . tertullian , while he disputeth that the patriarchs did not acknowledge the use of the jewish sabbath , yet he granteth the sabbath , which he calls eternal , that is , it was before the law , and must last when it ceaseth ; for no where doth tertullian deny the sanctification of the seventh day from the creation , which the jewes do assert . st. austin a contr . faust . manich. whilst he teacheth , that the sabbath and circumcision were figures , saith , it is no diverse doctrine ( namely , ours , from that of the jews , about the observation of the sabbath ) but a different time , it was one thing for these things , that they must be foretold by figurative prophecies , and another thing that they now must be fulfilled by the truth made manifest and accomplished . where augustine confesseth , that both the jews and christians observation of the sabbath is grounded upon the same foundations of doctrine , though the same consideration of time be had amongst both . yea , in a another place he acknowledgeth , that the command of the sabbaths observation was more enjoyned to us , than the jews . the sermon in august . de tempore , saith also , that the glory of the sabbath is transferred upon the lords day : that is , the positive determination of the seventh day is changed , which yet he affirmeth not is abolished . for where there is only a mutation of a thing , there is not an utter destruction of it . therefore , according to the author of that sermon , the law of the sabbath is not vanished , and made void , so that by it we are not obliged to observe any sabbath . origen grants , b that every holy and just man ought to observe the sabbath's festival : and he shews how this must be done : neither doth he yet speak of that spiritual sabbath , of which we meet with frequent mention in the fathers , but of the christian sabbath , which now is succeeded into place of the former sabbath ; which he shews by the works that are to be done on that day . leaving therefore , saith he , the judaical observations of the sabbath , let us see how the christian ought to observe the sabbath . on the sabbath day , ( he speaks of the lords day under that name ) he ought not to work any of all the worlds actions . if therefore thou ceasest from all thy secular works , and doest no worldly thing , but attendest on spiritual works , goest to the church , hearest godly lectures and treatises , lookest not after present and visible things , but at invisible , and things future , this is the observation of the christian sabbath . this shews that origen speaks of the sabbath , as it is to be observed of christians , and not of the spiritual sabbath : or else christians all their dayes , ought not to be troubled with their secular labours ; which origen never thought on . a athanasius saith , that he observed the sabbath day , not as they in the first age . now what else meaneth the observation of the sabbath in athanasius , but keeping it holy day by vertue of the command in the decalogue about the sabbath ? b the image of the lords day , according to cyprian , went before in the sabbath . whereby he infinuateth , that the lords day is to us what the sabbath was to the jews , whose place it now supplieth in the church , when the image is removed . c ruffinus contendeth for observing the sabbath , though not carnally , or in jewish delights . to these let be added , a place in constit . apost . lib. . cap. . which tells us , that the lords day supplies the room of the sabbath . all these things argue , that the pious fathers did not under the gospel explode that precept in the decalogue about the sabbath : and therefore sometimes under the name of the sabbath , which to them the lords day is signified , as we have seen chap. . for they yield , that christ fulfilled , and not destroyed the law by his coming ; and that christians are to rejoyce on the sabbaths festival , and that the solemnity of this festival is grounded on the command in the decologue : and seem only to stand for this , that now it should not be in that manner celebrated of christians , that the sabbath was amongst the jews . they celebrated the sabbath on the seventh day , and flinging off the weighty care of godliness , gave themselves up to idleness , and delights of this world ; but the fathers taught , that christians ought not so to keep the sabbath , who should keep the first day of the week holy , not carnally , but spiritually . for they judged it far better under the light of purer christianity ( as after shall appear ) to labour on the sabbath , than to attend on the alluring pleasures of the world . but though they abhorred the jewish manner of observing the sabbath , yet they alwayes ordained one day of the seven ( as chrysostom speaks ) to be bestowed in the worship and service of the common lord of us all . and therefore passing by the abrogating of observing the sabbath , in the jewish manner , being confirmed by testimonies both of scriptures and fathers ; thirdly , it remains to be considered , what may be brought from the same fountains to assert the authority of observing the lords day . for it is most sure , that the apostle ( although he call back in the foresaid places the church from observing the festival of the sabbath in the jewish manner ) doth not forbid christians all observing of every day : otherwise the apostle himself had given an offence to the church , in keeping the lords day with a church , ( which it appears he did , act. . ) which to think of him , the candour of a christian mind will not admit . therefore we doubt not , but by the apostle's sentence ( whom we believe did not ordain it by that ordinary power which yet continueth in the church ) a certain day is to be employed about spiritual labour : otherwise the church had not met at a stated time in the dayes of the apostles . and whereas a certain day is appointed , whereon weekly divine worship is to be attended only , that neither diminisheth , nor abolisheth christian liberty ; it only directeth christians , that their minds fluctuate not in observing it : which is not to destroy christian liberty , but rightly to instruct christians in the use thereof , the better , that they miss it not in performing service to their god. now for the weekly conventions of the christian church , no day was deputed of the apostles but the lords day : the first mention whereof in their writings , we meet with , is , rev. . . where john saith , that he was in the spirit on the lords day . and although that be the first time that it 's mentioned in the scriptures under that appellation , yet might it , before john writ the revelation , be known in the church by that name . no evangelist before st. john called christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i. e. the word , yet the same author being witness in the beginning was the word , joh. . . so that day doubtless was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the lords day , before ; not as by some new institution , which lately was established in the church , but as a thing well known to the church : otherwise he would not so have named that day , without farther explication , but that he knew for certain it was named in the church by that agnomination . which shews , that the lords day was celebrated in the church , before that john was in the spirit . neither could the lords day be so solemn , throughout all churches in john's time , but that all the apostles before him had dispersed abroad this doctrine . secondly , it appears from scripture also , that this day was by apostolical ordination destined to the collecting of almes , cor. . . where he gives order , that upon the first day of the week every one should lay by him in store the collection for the saints , of which he had spoken in the former verse . the primary intention indeed of that place is , to give order about the collections made for relieving the necessity of the poor ; but since he orders , that they may be made on the lords day , there is no doubt but he changes them to celebrate the day it self . for whenas he requires the end , why should he not also prescribe the means directly conducing to that end ? without doubt the effect , which was on that day to be performed , presupposeth the day it self : and in commanding the end , the command of the means is alwayes included , without which we obtain not the end . to chrysostom ▪ that searches out the causes of this apostolical ordination , that time seems , very commodious to exercise mercy on ▪ first , because the mind being free from labours , it is more easily perswaded to commi●eration : and secondly , because the communicating of celestial holy things , being had on that day , will strongly provoke men to the duties of mercy . tertullian , and justin martyr , do testifie , that almes were collected on that day ( doubtless by authority of the aforesaid apostolical ordination ) which they had laid by them in store till this day , as we have seen in the second chapter . these collections were by the christian people observed of their own accord , as pledges of piety , as tertullian : which iustin martyr affirms , in his second apology , were on the sunday deposited with the president , out of which provision was made for pupils , widows , and those who were in want , through sickness , or any other cause . thirdly , it also appears by the scripture , that on that day assemblies were held , for hearing the word , and administring the eucharist : which are chiefly to be counted amongst the sacred offices of holy dayes . st. paul , as in the second chapter , although he abode seven dayes at troas , we read not that the disciples met to break bread but on the first day of the week . whence it is collected conveniently , that even then the church had on that day solemn conventions , to perform the sacred exercises of religion on , in the preaching of the word , and administration of the sacraments : neither did this custome grow out of use with the succeeding church ( as after , when we shall treat of sanctifying the lords day , we will shew ) but the devout preaching of gods word being happily begun on that day by the apostles , acts . . was ever after continued at the same time to the honour of god , and profit of the church . from the three foresaid places of the new testament , and testimonies of various divines , and versions of the scripture , the learned wallaeus concludes , that the use of the lords day is to be referred to the apostles . and whatever is brought of some in their expositions to the contrary , is solidly by him weighed and refuted . lastly , we have shewn in the second chapter of this treatise , that the lords day was ordinarily solemnized by the church , while the apostles were living , and the preheminence of it above other dayes , which the succeeding church hath consecrated to gods worship , in the third chapter . since therefore the holy scriptures do plainly bear witness of the name and use of this day , ( for the name which the church ever after used , is by st. john expressed , rev. . . ) and since it is by the apostles charge destined to the sacred assemblies of the church , and gathering of almes , cor. . and lastly , since at the same assemblies the apostle and church spent it in hearing the word of god , and communicating the eucharist , act. . what man is there that can rightly deny that its authority in the church was established by the testimony of holy scripture ( of which in the third place we have undertaken to enquire in ch . th . ) ? since it is bottomed upon the ordination and practice of the blessed apostles , which are recorded in the scriptures ; amongst un-written traditions , it cannot be reckoned . i deservedly therefore affirm , that its observation is commended to us in the scriptures . because we so often read in the scriptures , that the apostles , and the whole church of christ did unanimously hold their assemblies on that day , to whom will it not be thought a needless thing to dispute the authority of its institution ? especially since we read this was done of the church , while the apostles were alive . for it is dangerous either to say or write , that the apostles in some things used a divine inspiration , and in others their own prudence , and that in those things which are found written . if the apostles in scripture admonish christians , that they receive no opinion from those to whom they have given no commandment , act. . . if they ordained in all churches what they received from the lord , cor. . . if christians must imitate the apostles , thes . . . and withdraw themselves from every one that walketh not after the tradition received of the apostles , thes . . . surely it seems just to think , that the christian church in all nations would not yield to those that obtrude the lords solemnity upon them , unless they knew for certain , that this burden was imposed on them of god by the apostles . lastly , if those things be to be done by the church , which it hath learned and heard of the apostles , phil. . . why should it not keep holy the lords day , since the apostolical church kept its meetings on that day ? and who will say , that the apostles do not command us to imitate them , when in holy records their example is represented unto us ? and these are the things with which i am perswaded to believe , that the sabbaths festival , by divine authority ( which proceeded from god by the apostles ) was translated to the lords day : for he onely who is ▪ lord of the sabbath , can change the sabbath day , mar. . . besides this , all men know , that that is grounded on the word of god , which is either expressed in so many words in scripture , or else by virtue of necessary consequence , is drawn out from thence : and in this later way , the best of our divines affirm , that we meet with in scripture the institution of the lords day , as at large , and pithily the famous mr. d. g. first , saith he , in the old testament , a parallel precept occurrs , as all know , in the decalogue , from which any may know , that it seemed just and good to the divine majesty , to set apart a whole day of the seven , for the worship of god. secondly , apostolical practice is a sign of gods will in this business : they observed this day , and commended it to be observed by others : and if their practice in this particular had been doubtful , the perpetual and constant custome of the church , from the apostles age ( which illustrates their practice in doubtfuls , and confirms it in plain things ) doth most evidently demonstrate this . for although we reject ●n vritten traditions , yet may the inviolate custome of all churches , from the apostles times , interpret to us their writings . if we could have the interpretation of some place of paul , allowed of in the judgment of all his auditors , who would not prefer this far to the commentaries of all others ? deeds do as well speak as sayings . since therefore we see this a confirmed practice of all christians , we should be too unjust and hard , if we should deny our belief . with these same arguments doth that famous and learned divine teach the church to defend the truth against its adversaries . as in the point of infant-baptisme , we suppress the bawling anabaptists with these weapons , whom we cannot smite with clear testimonies . first , from a parallel precept about circumcision . secondly , apostolical practice : which since it is somewhat more dark , we add the custome of the whole church , from the primitive and heroical times . which things , although they will not move the obstinate anabaptists , yet will they prevail with prudent , obedient , and equal estimators of things . the church alwayes ordained , that sacred baptisme is not to be repeated : touching which prohibition we meet with nothing in the sacred records : but because circumcision ( into whose place baptisme succeeded ) was not repeated : because it 's agreeable with reason that regeneration , no less than generation , should be but once : because in the scriptures examples of once sprinkling only do occurr : and lastly , because the orthodox church of god hath hitherto abhorred anabaptisme , therefore all grant that baptisme is not to be repeated . i will add no more . what hath been said , declares to them that despise not truth , that the lord made the day , on which the stone which the builders refused , was made the head stone of the corner , that on it we should rejoyce . but since it is not my purpose to handle any questions on this subject , but leave them to others to be discussed , i will return to my undertaken task ; namely , to enumerate the testimonies of the ancients on this particular : by which it will be made manifest , that the fathers were of no other mind : because they contended , that this day was religiously to be observed , and fetch'd the doctrine , wherein they asserted this , out of the holy scriptures . to the truth of which thing , we will first bring athanasius , homil. de semente . in time past , with the ancients , the sabbath was of great account : which solemnity the lord translated to the lords day : neither do we set light of the sabbath , by our selves . where , first , he with the finger points at the author of the lords festival , namely , christ ; whom he tells us , translated the sabbath day into the lords : and then denies , that the church of her self , or by her own authority , did ordain that translation : for , saith he , we set , not light by the sabbath of our selves . therefore athanasius being judge , it appears , that the church doth not of her self , but by the authority of christ ; whereby the lords day was ordained , observe its solemnity , and honour it , as he else where speaketh . and let it move no body , that while he expresseth the honour wherewith the church honoureth it , he doth not speak in that manner of its institution , as of the sabbath ; of which , when he speaks , he saith , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as god hath commanded ; but when he mentions the lords day ▪ he only saith , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , we hnour the lords day . nor doth he say that this honour is given of the church to the lords day , by authority of any divine precept . let this , i say , move no body ; as if athanasius had acknowledged the institution of this solemnity , to be received from the churches ordination , and not christs : for if this grave prelate had so meant it , he would have contradicted himself , as appeareth out of the place forecited , homil , de sement . in which he plainly acknowledgeth not the church , but the lord , to be the author of the lords day : neither can any thing else be inferred from that later phrase which athanasius useth . when subjects do openly profess that they with all honour do honour their own kings and magistrates , shall not i therefore conclude , that they are not obliged by divine authority to this duty ? no verily : but the subjects perform this to their princes , with a most ready will , because by divine law and authority they are bound to perform this duty : so christians honour the lords day , because the divine institution of this festival by christ ( which athanasius makes mention of in the same place ) requires this by right of them . chrysostom a in the often fore-cited place , acknowledges god to be the author of instituting one day in the week to be set apart for spiritual work . when b eusebius gathers divers arguments to demonstrate the divine power of christ above all the heroes of the heathens ; amongst the rest he adds this . who , saith he , ( meaning what god of the heathen , or heroes ) hath prescribed to all the inhabitants of the whole world , whether they be on land or sea , that meeting weekly on one day , they should celebrate the lords festival , and ordain , that as they fed their bodies with food , so they should refresh their souls with divine instructions ? therefore , in eusebius's judgment , the solemnity of this day is ascribed to christs institution . and c leo acknowledges this solemnity to be received from the holy ghost , and apostles ordained by him . augustine a confesses , that the lords day was consecrated by christs resurrection ; where he intimateth , that the church did not only take occasion from the resurrection of christ , to celebrate this solemnity on that day , but that the very resurrection of christ did administer it unto christians : and if the resurrection of christ hath consecrated the lords day , ( which he confesses as well in this place , as elsewhere , serm. . de verbis apostoli ) then christ and no other , is to be reputed for the author of its institution : for his resurrection hath consecrated that day , b and since that time he began to have his festival . moreover , if augustine had not believed that god was the author of this festival , by what right could he have derided urbicus , speaking after this manner , as if there were one lord of the sabbath , and another of the lords day ? c if he had not esteemed him for the author of the lords day , who was author of the sabbath ; the contrary whereof , he thought urbicus judged , augustine would never have blamed him for that : which yet the premises do testifie he did , and he that shall look over that epistle , shall see that he in round words doth acknowledge , that there is one lord of the sabbath and lords day . pag. . he adds , it was made the lords day through christ . pag. . and while that learned father renders a reason why it is called the lords day , a he assigns this , because , saith he , the lord made it . and how , since he is the author of all dayes , yet may be said especially to make that , we have before , chap. . out of augustin himself explained . and after augustin the fathers in b concil . forojubensi , have also explained this , the lord hath sanctified it by the glorious resurrection of jesus christ . what needs more ? it 's enough to point at briefly the divine institution of this day , and these things manifest enough do suffice in a matter smelling of piety . therefore as basil the great sometime concluded his sermon of the perpetual virginity of the blessed virgin , c these reasons , saith he , we think are sufficient , because christian ears cannot endure the contrary : so also , we being content with these testimonies , ( which , although few in number , are yet , we trust , of great authority with equal estimators of things ) we will add no more . and though many badges of this day have thus far been observed , as that christ rose again on that day , luke . . on that oftener than once he appeared to his disciples , joh. . , . on that day the apostles taught , and administred the sacraments . act. . . on that day john received a divine revelation , rev. . . i could also reckon up others , mentioned by divers , as on this day the world received its beginning , on this , by the resurrection of christ , both death received its destruction , and life its beginning ; on this the apostles took up thetrumpet of the gospel , to preach to all nations ; on this , lastly , the holy ghost came down from the lord on the apostles . more badges are also extant in austin of the lords day . serm. . de tempore . and others relate , that other miracles were done on that day . these are indeed great badges ; but because amongst certain , some of these are reckoned for uncertain , they are not proper enough in their judgment to demonstrate the truth : only whereas at every perfect period of time the very heathens do testifie , that certain festival dayes were to be celebrated , for some eminent benefits of god conserred upon us , and when any thing eminent was ordained of god , it was done in honour of this day , ( the reason of whose observation arises not from the foresaid prerogatives , but is founded in the authority of god the institutor . ) i am more easily induced to believe with the ancients , its solemnity was instituted of god. here i could , out of the fathers , tell you , the punishments of some that violated the solemnity of the lords day . in concil . parisiensi so we read ; many of us , by the sight of our own countrey men , and many of us by the relation of others , have been informed , that certain men exercising on this day their rural works , have been slain with lightning , others punished with contraction of their limbs , others having their bodies and bones also consumed in an instant by visible fire ▪ and on a sudden resolved into ashes , have died in great torment ; as many other terrible judgments have been , and to this day are ; by which it is declared , that god is offended at the dishonour of so great a day . these tremendous judgments of god do shew , that god , the avenger of all sin , is angry , ( as the fathers speak ) at the impious violators of this solemnity . but if the holy festival of the lords day were not gods own ordinance , his severe anger would not be so hot upon those that are guilty of the violation thereof . we therefore of right do esteem the lords day above other dayes , and that by reason of its solemnity : because it was by a positive determination of christ by the apostles set apart from other days in the week , that it might supply the room of the ancient sabbath ; that it might preserve religion , and the external worship of god , both publick , lest the disorderly congregating of the people , should diminish their faith in christ : and also private , that all might be obliged to attend meditations , and pious exercises on a certain stated day ; which otherwise would seldome or never be done by men , attending on the world rather than god : therefore is the lords day ordained , that they being at liberty from worldly things , might give up themselves wholly to divine matters . lastly , it only remaineth , that this question may sufficiently be satisfied , whether it be in the churches power to abrogate the lords day , and substitute another in its room ? surely he that saith , that so innocent a custome , so long received of the church , and that through authority of god by the apostles , caught not to be troubled with a change , seems to be in the right : unless any think , that now greater authority doth reside in the church , than the apostles were endued with : wherewith it being endued , it can change those things which were ordained of the apostles : or unless some greater occasion than the resurrection of christ do occurr , than which , the world never saw a greater miracle . and chrysostom calls the lords day , or the first day of the week , ( hom. . tom. . ) because of christs resurrection , the birth day of the whole humane nature . lastly , if the custome of the church , ( from which arguments are not once fetched by the apostle , as cor. . . ) grounded on the word of god , be of any right amongst christians : i see not why the lords festival , celebrared first by them of hierusalem , secondly , by them of troas , thirdly , by the galatians and corinthians , fourthly , by them of the isles , rev. . fifthly , by the greeks and latines , and lastly , by the whole churh through the world , professing christs name ; i say , why this innocent custome ( which is attended with no incommodity , but much profit ) happily continued from the very apostles age hitherto , should not be by us derived to our posterity ? whilst julius blames the preposterous irruption of georgius the arrian into the bishoprick of athanasius , he uses this argument , it is not fitting , that this new manner of canons should be brought into the church : for where is there such an ecclesiastical canon , or such an apostolical tradition ? so we say here , it is by no means fitting , that a new custome should be introduced against an innocent order , so long received by the church : which is neither supported by the canons of the church , or tradition received from the apostles . none in this found mind can grant , that things ordained by the apostles , can be changed of the church . i confess , all the ordinances of the apostles were not of the same kind : for some of them pertained to doctrine , some to rites , as wallaeus observes , chap. . those are perpetual , neither any wayes obnoxious to change : he must be anathematized , that preacheth any other gospel than what we have received from the apostles , gal. . . but these which respect the rites or circumstances of divine worship , are of a double nature : for either their causes were singular , and such as perpetually should not have place in the church : therefore these ordinances were to be varied , because when the cause was taken away , the ordinances themselves ceased : but other ordinances respecting rites , were not to be changed , whose occasions perpetually continued in the church ; such was the laying on of hands in the ordinations of ministers : and therefore , when the causes of ordinances made by the apostles , are changed , the ordinations themselves are to be changed , but while the cause remains , the ordinances also remain unmoved . which things being considered , it 's easie to see , that the ordinance about the lords day is not to be varied : because no greater cause than what it 's bottomed on , can ever occurr , for whose sake it should be changed : neither hath the church ever thus far since the apostles age , once attempted this . therefore the foresaid question is , superfluous , that i may say no worse , and altogether unworthy a farther answer ; especially , whenas we know , that many priviledges necessary for a church to be founded , were granted by god to the apostles , which were not derived from them to the doctors of the church founded : for they were personal , and could not lawfully be challenged by others : which is shewn more at large in the seventh chapter . chap. xi . in what things the sanctification of the lords day doth consist . where about resting from gainful labours , which the fathers carefully cautioned against , that they should not be used on that day . a place of chrysostom , gregory , and the council of laodicea , is explained : also a canon of the council of matiscon . we have seen by the judgment of the fathers , that the lords day is to be sanctified , and that by divine authority . now it remaineth , ( which we undertook in the third place to be proved ) to find out in what the solemn observation thereof consisteth . the fathers think , that to christians the lords day succeeded in place of the old sabbath , and therefore , as hilary speaketh , is to be celebrated with the a festivity of the sabbath , that is , as august . serm. de temp. . even as the ancients observed the sabbath . now it appeareth by the scriptures of the old testament , that the observation of the jewish sabbath consisted first in the rest , and secondly , in the sanctification of this rest : and in the observation of these things , their records will inform us , that the lords day was solemnized by the ancients . as for the rest , the church of christ hath used it , not as necessary of it self to the worship of god , but only as an help thereto ; without which , the worship commanded of god could not conveniently be performed of the people for , while men are intangled in the affairs of this world , they cannot religiously attend , as is fitting , on the things that pertain to god , and his worship . the sabbath was not allowed for idleness , but that men being withdrawn from the cares of temporal things , its rest should be spent in spirituals : as chrisostom . hom. . de lazaro . athanasius of the same judgment , de sabbat . & circumcis . for he saith , the end of the sabbath was the knowledge of the creation , and not idleness : that men keeping holy that day , they might know god , who rested on that day , having finished the work of creation . in the third council of orleans . it 's provided , that men abstain from rural labour , a and they shew the end of this abstinence , that they might go more easily to church to pray . therefore , by the very dictates of nature , b the priests affirmed , that holy dayes were polluted if any work was done upon their proclaimed and moveable feasts . numa pompilius ordained , a that alwayes on the priests festivals the cryers should go before them through the city , who should give charge , that men should rest , and cease from their works . he thought it was fit , that he who worshipped the gods should be freed from other things : and in worshipping of the gods , ▪ to apply the mind , as to a thing greatly conducing to piety . therefore the minds of men , without a cessation from worldly things , cannot be applied in a holy devotion to divine worship . handy labour , saith cyril , b is forbidden on a feast day , that you may exercise your selves more entirely in divine matters . the ancients thus ordained , that we must cease on a festival day , from all secular works , and no worldly thing is to be done on that day , which may hinder its sanctification . now in worldly matters men are intent either upon gain or pleasure , but here must be a cessation from both . first and foremost , the observation of the lords day is not to be profaned by gainful labour : for which cause it was provided for by the ancients , that christians should wholly abstain from all things whereby the body is either wearied , or the mind alienated from divine , to humane things . which clearly enough shews , that they were not of that opinion , which a austin reports seneca sometimes was . seneca derided the jews , especially for their sabbaths , that lost the seventh part of their life time in idleness , and did not many urgent affairs in their season . christians were not so intent upon their labour for profit , as not to be pulled from it , to attend religion . they would not give themselves up to their commodities , when the season called for obedience . b when c origen describes how a christian ought to observe the sabbath , he concludes , nothing of worldly actions must be done , and he must abstain from all secular works , as we have observed before in chap. . where we cited a place , in which there is a truly golden and pious image of the christian sabbath , which origen , divinely inspired , hath happily drawn to the life , as they say , and in which are elegantly described what things are on that day by christians to be followed , and what to be fled : while he teacheth us , that leaving earthly works on the lords day , we must attend on divine : which , that it may be done with greater advantage , we must go to the church , in which he exhorts us to attend on the things of religion : and if men shall faithfully do this , they will make it evident to all , that they have a greater care of their hope for the future inheritance reserved in heaven , than of the profits of this present life . chrysostom a confesses , that the lords day is free from business and labours , and hath a rest appointed for it ; and elsewhere , ( hom. against those that run to playes ) he accuseth those that meddle with worldly cares on that day , although they may pretend poverty , necessity of getting food , and other urgent occasions . but although chrysostom seems manifestly ●o think , that gainful labour is not on the lords day to be undertaken by christians : yet some make a question , whether , according to chrysostom , all the day , or only so long as the publick assemblies of the church are held , there ought to be an abstinence from labours ? especially whenas he doth indulge his hearers , when they are returned from the church-assembly , if they shall repeat the scriptures , and discourse of that which they have once heard , then go to look after the things which are necessary for this life . but i will set down the very words of the father , lest i should either keep in suspense the well-minded reader , or seem to darken the truth . you must not , saith he , when you are returned from the church-meeting , intangle your selves in businesses contrary to this exercise : but returning home straightway repeat the holy scriptures , and call ▪ your wife and children together to confer of those things that have been spoken ; and these things being fixed more deeply and thoroughly in their mind , than to go and look after the things which are necessary for this life , &c. it never came into st. chrysostom's mind ( who asserts that the lords day should be free from labour , and doth not so much as grant any on the lords day to labour for getting food , or avoiding poverty ) to give any liberty , that they should freely attend any worldly affairs , which hinder piety . and he that sayes thus , will do chrysostom no wrong ; but rather he who affirms , that he indulges men to use these kind of labours on that day , ( which he often finds fault with ) will fasten the lye on him . and i fear not to say this of them that so assert , that by their crooked interpretation they do apply the words of that grave father , to quite another sense than chrysostom thought of . this will be evident with a small adoe , to him that observes the cited place , and compares him with other places that do occurr in him : in which it is chrysostoms purpose to check them , who though in the church they did attentively enough hear what was said , yet being departed , and forth with mingling themselves with their secular affairs , do extinguish the fire of devotion , which the word praeach'd had kindled in them . for this evil he prescribes this remedy , that so soon as they are returned home , they read the holy scripture , and commune amongst themselves about those things that were spoken : which things being deeply fixed in their mind , then to go and look after those things that they judge necessary for this life , they may freely for him ; ( as afterwards a bed● relates ; after the exercises of piety are finished , there was liberty to take care to refresh the flesh ) but to care for any other secular businesses , than those that pertained to their sustenance , he gave them no liberty . which also we read was done by gunteramnus , baron . . . because first the very phrase of chrysostom [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] may in a sense commodious enough be expounded of things pertaining to life ; ( so arrianus translates the words of chrysostom , even trapezuntius , one of greece approving it ) for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth properly signifie life , to which death is opposed , or sustenance : and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in its native signification , doth plainly signifie any thing belonging to sustain life , and getting sustenance , or any thing for the use of this life ; whence b clem. alexand. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is administring necessaries for this life : also in the same man it occurrs , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . all necessity pertaining to life . but amongst divines ( as stephanus observes ) when it is spoken of a man , then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is secular , or one that is addicted to the affairs of this secular life . and so it often occurrs in chrysostom , as hom. . in col. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. and hom. . de lazaro , &c. in the same sense , in justin martyr , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is opposed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , where he that lives in common life , is distinguished from him that lives in solitariness , [ a monk. ] therefore , according to the native signification of chrysostoms words , by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are denoted things that pertain to life and sustenance : from the sober use whereof , no christian is debarred on the lords day . how little those things conduce to the defence of secular businesses being undertaken on that day , they know who look into chrysostom . we will omit any disputation about the propriety and use of the word , because it pertains to the grammarian , and ought to be left to others : we will produce the rest , which chrysostom himself helpeth us to . secondly , we intreat the reader to consider that chrys . in the aforesaid place is displeased with those that after they are returned from the church-meeting , are intangled in businesses which are contrary to the exercise ( as he speaks ) which is held in the church-assembly . surely , if in chrysostoms judgment worldly matters might safely be medled with on the lords day , he would never have reproved those that looked after them : which yet his very words shew that he sharply did . thirdly , he thinks it is too much , yea , altogether extreme indevotion , to spend five or days in wordly matters , & not to employ one in spirituals . he that weighs this , will easily grant , that chrysostom would never have any part of that day consecrated to affairs that smell not of piety . and he that abuses the authority of this holy father , to palliate the using of labour on that day , although i scruple to accuse him of too much indevotion , yet i am troubled that he hath no more religious a care of the lords festival . fourthly , this he layes as a law upon his auditors in the same place , that they bestow that onely day of the whole week , on which they meet to hear , all of it in the meditation of those things that are delivered . he that requireth that the rest of the day , which remaineth after hearing the word in the publick church meetings , should be spent about meditation & conference of the things they have heard , will allow no liberty after the aforesaid meetings are ended , to dispatch worldly affairs , by which pious meditation may be hindred . if therefore , chrysost . being judge , no other exercises be to be medled with on the lords day out of the church-assembly , which are contrary to the duties of piety , performed in those assemblies : if by his grave judgment it be thought a very irreligious thing not to spend one whole day in the exercises of piety ; yea , if he earnestly require it from his auditors , that they consecrate that whole day to their devotion ; of all which he tells us his judgment in these very words , then surely it was far from chrysostoms mind , to give liberty for ordinary labours on the lords day . lastly , if his words , which make mention of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , be stretched to that sense , ( because sometimes in chrysostom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a secular person ) chrysost . did that which gregory the great in an other sense did , whom the custom of the laityes seasting on the lords day usually vexed , yet thought they were not to be punished by law , lest that being made against them , they should become worse ; and therefore to avoid the danger of schisme , left them to themselves , so that what he approved not , being constrained through the necessity of the time , he permitted ; so here , whatever chrysostom indulged the people in , he did it against his will , for their sakes , whose minds were not so easily called back from earthly things ; to whom yielding in some things , he did gradually bring them on to higher exercises of piety ; and indulged them that , which he did not approve , lest any thing worse should happen , he , as it were unwilling , willed it . but as for his part , he judged , that a whole day should be consecrated to the exercises of religion , any part whareof , as we have seen , he would not have employed in worldly affairs . and thus we have seen st. chrysostom vindicating himself from some mens foolish gloss : nor is there any body , whose senses either stupour or phlegmatickness hath not dulled , which will think otherwise . origen also takes it ill , that some do but assign an hour or two of the whole day to god , and come to prayer in the church , while they spend the rest of the day about the world and their belly : but if christians were at liberty when their assemblies are ended , to betake themselves to their worldly occasions , then this reproof of his had been unjust ; against which they might truly answer , that the custom of the church was to define the sanctification of the day within the terms of two or three houres . gregory the great 's † judgment is also for ceasing from earthly labour , on the lords day . indeed in the beginning of that epistle , he tells us , that antichrist will make both the sabbath and lords day to be kept free from all labour . but lest any one should unwarily deceive himself , by not well considering the phrase , as if gregory had judged that antichrist would forbid labour on the lords day , it is to be noted , that he intimates this , that antichrist will have an equal regard of the sabbath , as of the lords day , because , as gregory thinketh , antichrist would call back the observation of the sabbath ; and directs the stile of the former part of his epistle against those that forbid the working of any thing on the sabbath day . nor can the sense of those words of his be otherwise expounded , who thought that labour was to be undertaken on the sabbath , from which yet we ought to abstain on the lords day ; but i● never came into gregory's mind , to reckon rest from labour on the lords day , for an interdiction of antichrist , since gregory himself doth plainly condemn labour undertaken on that day . augustine , a it is therefore called the lords day , that we abstaining on it from earthly works , and worldly pleasures , should onely attend on divine worship ; giving honour and reverence to this day , for the hope of our resurrection , which we have in it . augustin , or whoever was the author of that sermon , doth plainly prohibit christians attending their labours on that day , and thinks it is to be honoured with divine worship : for the day which is called the lords day , is by right to be dedicated to the lord. constantine the great , about the year , ordained , that all the subjects of the roman empire should on those dayes called by our saviours name , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i. e. rest from all work . so sozomen , lib. . cap. . divers passages occurr amongst the ancients , which shew , that no earthly labour for the sake of gain , is to be undertaken on that day ; which would be needless to run over severally , since the premises demonstrate the truth to all , that reject it not . but lest any should be deceived in can. . of the council of laodicea , held before constantines time , i will add something to illustrate the true meaning thereof . in which christians are commanded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . i. e. that honouring the lords day , they should rest ( if they can ) as christians . by which exception ( if they can ) zonaras , on can. . conc. laodic . thinks , that labour on the lords day was prohibited all christians , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , except the husbandmans works , to whom the civil law grants an indulgence . whose opinion the patrons of labouring on that day do follow ; but in this doubtless zonaras derives them , and they others , who adhere to his gloss . for first , the very words of the canon shew , that christians , as christians , ought on that day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to rest : whence it appears , that labour on the lords day is unlawful to christians . now the exception which the canon mentions ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) if they can , ought rather to be understood with a respect had to the time in which the council was gathered , than to performing ( namely of harvest ) labours . for the council was assembled before constantine the great entred upon the empire , at what time the inseriour sort of christians were compelled by their heathen lords , to whom they were subject , and not of their own minds , to perform worldly works on that day , as on others : as a long time after that council was congregated , the christians were forced to sit and see the playes : for remedy whereof , the africans ordain , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that no christian should be forced to those playes . for their sakes therefore , who were forced to labour by others , was that exception added by the laodicean fathers : not that labours used on that day were approved by them , but because of those that were in bondage to others , and by their severe authority or impetuousness , compelled to undergo them on the lords dayes ; i say , for the comfort of these , they put in this exception , if any contrary to their minds were forced by others to do so . although divers that were stronger in the faith , rather died for it , than that they would any wayes violate the lords day : as formerly we heard out of baronius , under the reign of dioclesian . and that this , which we have brought , is the genuine sense of the laodicean canon , divers authorities of fathers before the council of laodicea ( wherein christians are prohibited earthly labours ) do shew : neither can there from thence any in this our age ( in which all , god be thanked , have given up their name to christ ) take a pretence to defend the using of worldly labour on the lords day , since now it is the fashion as well of masters , as servants , to rest from their labours on that day . and secondly , that civil law , on whose authority zonaras exposition depends , was made by constantine ( of which briefly anon ) wherein the countrey men had liberty freely to attend their countrey labours on the lords day . now the laodicean fathers being gathered before the first council of nice , could have no respect unto a law made some time after the meeting of their council : but are to be understood , as i said , according to the condition of that age , in which the christians , although they of themselves rested from labours , were by others compelled , that had not yet embraced the christian faith , to undergo them . in the second council of matiscon , can. . about the year . it is ordained , that none give themselves to labours , as on private dayes , as they speak ; for this is in a rash manner to give up the lords day to contempt . but the words of the canon come a little more narrowly to be examined , lest , at the first sight , the reader be imposed upon through some mens perverse interpretation of them . first , the fathers ordain , that if any have a church near him , that he betake himself thither : these words are not so to be expounded , as if none were bound to be present at church-meetings , but those that had neighbouring churches at hand , from which , they that lived farther off , might at their pleasure be absent . he that will attentively read the beginning of that canon , will not say , that this was the sense of the bishops in that council : who had it put upon them by king guntheramnus's command , that by all means they could , they look to , that the christian people should not in a rash manner give up the lords day to contempt : and therefore the bishops admonished all christians in this matter , from which admonition they neither exempt lawyers nor countrey men , nor the clergy , or monks , as the words of the canon do shew . and when guntheramnus required it of them , that the body of all the people should assemble on that day , to exercise their devotion , he decrees , that those who set at nought this admonition , should by right be corrected with canonical severity , or the punishment of the law. if therefore he , by his own authority , according to the vigor of the bishops decree , allowed none a liberty to be absent from church assemblies , none can interpret the aforesaid words of the canon , as if only those that are near to churches , were bound to be present at them ; since all , as well near as far off , are bound by one and the same law : when therefore they say , if any have a church near him , it is the same with , let all go to the church : as afterwards in concil . foroju . can. . secondly , let none wonder , that the matiscon fathers , reciting the exercises of the l. day , in that canon , do there only make mention of prayers & hymns , as if there were no other exercises of piety , besides prayers and singing of psalms , to attend on that day : for afterwards , in the same council , they have ordained something of the sacraments , can. . and guntheramnus doth faithfully charge his bishops , that by frequent preaching they study to amend the people , by gods providence committed to their charge . therefore they declare , that no offices of piety be pretermitted on that day . nor do they define those things only for the exercises of hymns or prayers , but peradventure they mention hymns and prayers , because they direct the canon to the people , whose part it was , to attend these offices , and celebrate the same , and not to preach the word . thirdly , the fathers in the same place , say , the lord doth not require of us to celebrate the lords day by corporal abstinence ; nor are these words so to be taken , as if we were not by virtue of a divine precept , obliged to rest from worldly affairs , and that vacation from worldly labours on that day were not a divine , but humane ordinance . for the fathers are intent on this , to teach them , that corporal abstinence , as they speak , is not on the lords day only required of us , but that god also seeks for that obedience , through which treading under foot all earthly actions , he may in his mercy advance us to heaven . in that phrase therefore , there is an ellipsis , as appears from the premises , which the holy ghost often uses in both the testaments . as gen. . . thy name shall be called no more jacob , but israel ; that is , thou shalt not only be called jacob , but also israel . . sam. . . they have not despised thee , but me ; that is , not only thee . cor. . . christ sent me not to baptize , but to preach the gospel ; that is , he was not only , or chiefly intent on baptizing those that had embraced the christian faith . so here , they grant , that god requires the body to rest from labour , but they affirm , that he doth not only require that : and they certifie all , if they disesteem their wholesome counsel , that they should be punished of god ; yet no vengeance of god would pursue them , where they transgressed a command prescribed of him . it appears therefore , from the punishment , with which , according to these fathers , the violation of this rest is attended by god , that god requires of all to rest on the lords day : otherwise his anger would not wax hot against those that pollute the holiness of this festival , by worldly labours , or slothful idleness . and now these things do evidently enough shew , that gainful labour is to be avoided on the lords day . chap. xii . how far forth on the lords day we may attend labours , namely of necessity , and piety : countrey men are boud to sanctifie the lords day : the indulgence granted to countrey men by constantine the great is examined , and revoked : the fact of paula , and practise of the coenobita [ or monasticks ] in hierom , is weighed : also the sense of a canon in the council of orleans . manumissions , and certain transactions lawful on the lords day . although the ancients thought that labour tending to gain , was on the lords day by no means to be undertaken of christians : yet do they not require a cessation from all labour generally ; but according to the scriptures , do permit that , which men moved by necessity do undertake . mat. . . where christ teaches us , that a sheep which is on the sabbath day fallen into a pit , may lawfully be laid hold on , lift up , and drawn out : for no laws are appointed to necessity , which defendeth whatever it enforceth . it is ordained in the council of narbo , that every man , as well free-born , as servant , goth , roman , syrian , greek , or jew , should do no work on the lords day , nor yoke oxen , except there be a necessity [ murando ] for walling [ otherwise in metendo ] for fetching in corn . can. . they therefore allow labour undertaken for necessity . of which nature there are divers reserved cases , of which frequent mention is made in the decretals . in which number , is the taking of fishes , which , unless they be then taken , cannot be taken at another time . this appears in the catching of herrings , which do appear seldome , or but upon certain dayes , to catch which ( although some think it no case of present necessity ) there is liberty granted whenever they appear . decret . greg. l. . de feriis , tit. . cap. licet . & gregorius ep. l. . cap. . although he denies that the body is to be washed on the lords day , out of luxury of mind , or for pleasure-sake , yet he condemns it not , necessity so requiring : whereby it appears , that under the name of baths , all things done out of necessity to the body are allowed . neither doth any one find fault with that bour that is bestowed in the exercises of piety : as being that which directly tends to the worship and glory of god , and doth promote a it . of ancient time saith tertullian , the law of the sabbath forbad humane labours , not divine b the heathens allowed a liberty to labour about both these . macrob. saturn . l. . c. . in whose judgment , works undertaken for religious devotion sake , or any necessity , were lawful amongst them , even on a festival day . in another case also , there is by some a certain indulging of labour yielded . by constantine the great the countrey men were permitted to attend on the tilling their ground on that day : but i will set down the words of that indulgence . c let all judges and people in cities , and all crafts-men rest upon the honourable sunday . yet let those that live in the countrey , freely , and at their liberty , serve husbandry : because it frequently falls out , that on another day the corn and vines cannot so conveniently be committed to the furrows ; and so by missing of that advantage , the profit yielded by the heavenly providence perish . now if any one , because of that indulgence granted to to countrey men , to work on the lords day , think , that they are not at all obliged to sanctifie this solemnity ; especially whereas the fathers of the church about the year . in eliber . concil . appointing a canon about celebrating the lords day , do only make mention of those that live in cities , when they say , a if any dwelling in the cities shall not for three lords dayes come to the church , let him abstain for a while , that he may be thought as one rebuked . if , i say , any will interpret these words so , as if attending this festivals solemnity , belonged only to citizens , and that countrey men were left at liberty on that , to bestow their labour in their trades and affairs , setting aside all care of religion : as if the lords day were like those holy dayes which among the romans were proper to some families , which they observed according to the use of their houshold celebrity : or like those feriae imperativae , b which the consuls or praetors proclaimed by the freedome of their power : as if it were for princes and magistrates to determine by their power to whom it belongs to celebrate the lords day : they that so think , neither do reach the sense of the law made by constantine , nor of the eliberitan canon : because a long while before constantine of blessed memory , by the grace of god came to the empire , there was meeting of all in the same place , on the sunday , whether they lived in city or country , as just . martyr witnesses , ap. . and c origen perswades all , that on the christian sabbath , they would come to church , and there hearken to holy lectures and treatises . these are the duties which christians are to attend , from which none , no not countrey men are exempted ; but as well they in the countrey , as they in city , were obliged to be present at church-assemblies . which things being considered , i see not to what purpose any should conclude out of the elib . council . that they which live in the countrey are not to attend on the lords festival : although in the canon there be express mention of those who live in cities : because the bishops and presbyters ( to whom it belonged to go before the other members of the church in celebrating the lords day ) did dwell in the cities ; and in that age , there was not every where a supply of them afforded for the villages : therefore the fathers of that synod , by name did express these , who were supplied with them that laboured in the word . and a long time after the eliberitan council was gathered , divers villages were not furnished with churches : witness chrysostom , hom. . in act. besides , when it 's plain , that the unlearned , and unbelievers were admitted into the church-assembly in the apostles dayes , cor. . . why should not the countrey men , after the apostles death , be bound to be present at the assemblies of the church , as if they who had bestowed their pains in tilling the earth , had forthwith forsworn their barbarity ? and because they who live in the countrey , are as well members of christ as citizens ; why should not christ impart his communion as well to these as those in the exercises of religion , on the lords dayes ? it is expresly commanded in a the constitutions which they call the apostles , that on the lords day servants attend in the church to hear the doctrine of religion . and b sozomen tells us , that amongst the arabians and cyprians he found ordained bishops in villages . if at that time bishops were set over some villages , then certes , they who inhabited them were instructed by the bishops in the doctrine of christ , on all , especially the lords dayes , as the custome of the church was . c eusebius also confesseth , that men and women , old men and children , bond and free , noble and ignoble , learned , and unlearned , did almost daily assemble together in every place , where-ever the men lived , to receive the discipline of christ , from the rising of the sun to the setting thereof . if all men of whatever condition or quality , were daily intent upon the doctrine of christ , then they that lived in the countrey did not refuse it on the lords day . yea , the same author , a as formerly we have seen , affirmeth , that christ hath prescribed all the inhabitants of the world , whether at land or sea , to celebrate the lords day . eusebius therefore acknowledges not that it 's only for noble men , and others of great name , to be present at church-assemblies , from which , servants , and those of inferiour condition , should be excluded ; but saith , that the lord himself hath otherwise commanded . also in theodoret b that pious emperour theodosius witnesseth , that the doors into the holy temple are open for servants and beggars : and therefore in this age , they were present with other christians in the church-assembly , and were not excluded from the same . but let us return to examine that indulgence granted by the emperour constantine to countrey men , for working their labours on the lords day . where first , we may make a question , with the learned divine , mr. s. a. whether any such was ever granted of him for the countrey mens sakes or no ? since eusebius ( who was constantius's contemporary , and who well enough knew all things that the emperour did ) speaking of the law he made about observing the lords day , makes no mention of this indulgence , euseb . de vita constantin . l. . c. . but only relates , how the emperour commanded that all should rest from their works . in the same manner , sozomen recites the same law , although lib. . c. . and in both there be a deep silence about excepting country labours . which things being considered , it may justly be doubted , whether ever such an indulgence were granted by that emperour of blessed memory : but come on : and granting this indulgence for the authority of the book relating it , let us seek out the reason and sense thereof . this was the true reason of that liberty , if there was any granted : because constantine subjected all the subjects of the roman empire , ( whether they had embraced the christian faith , or had not yet tasted it ) to the law of observing the lords day ; a witness eusebius . which , though it could be known by no other argument , might be judged of by this , that he calls not that day in the church manner ( as b baronius ) the lords day , but by the heathen manner , sunday . thence , i say , may it be gathered , that the same law was not prescribed by him to christians only , but heathens also , for whose sake he uses an appellation peculiar to them . since therefore the gentiles also were to rest from their labours , by virtue of the law made by ●…stantine ; therefore he granted them a liberty to look after their countrey labours . whereas he knew that those who were not turned christians , could not easily be brought in to be bound by the christians lawes , he yielded something for these mens sakes : and constantine was sufficiently hated by them , for neglecting their idolatry : and therefore by little and little he studied to draw them to the true worship of god ; as eusebius , ubi supra . moreover , the liberty of medling with countrey labours on the lords day , was granted to countrey men only in case of necessity , which thing the very words of the indulgence do declare : lest through occasion of a moment , the profit yielded by the heavenly providence perish : by the occasion of one moment , the profit of fruits might perish ; therefore , in gathering in the fruits , sometimes a regard of a moment may be had ; no labours are therefore permitted , but to undergo which , they were induced by a certain necessity , lest the fruits should perish ; in which case also we have observed worldly labour is permitted . that exception therefore of constantine , cannot be brought to patronize labour used upon no necessity : because he indulged this liberty for the sake of the heathen only , whom he with all lenity studied as far as he could to perswade them to embrace the christian faith , and in case of necessity : which being afterwards continued a while , leo declares void , by a new law set forth to the contrary , and calls that indulgence a decree differing from the apostles . but because leo doth very aptly answer the reason of this indulgence assigned by constantine , i will set down his very words for the readers sake . because , saith he , it is apparent that another law doth contradict that law which commands all to reverence the day of the lords resurrection , by a cessation from labours , which determines , that all generally are not prohibited working , & others have a liberty to work , ( for it saith , let all judges , &c. as above in the law of constantine ) the cause of which profaning that day is grounded on no reason ; ( for although the preservation of fruits may be pretended , yet that is of no weight , and in very deed is foolish : since not the diligence of husbandry , but the virtue of the sun , when it seems good to the bestower of fruits , doth afford the abundance of fruits ; ) because , i say , such a law is come forth , as vilisies the lords worship , and is a decree differing from those that by the holy ghost have gotten the victory against all their adversaries ; we ordain also , which seemed good to the holy ghost , and the apostles instituted of him , that all persons cease from labour that day , whereon our innocency was restored ( he speaks of the lords day ) and let neither husbandmen , nor any others , go about any unlawful work on that day . for if they who observed but a certain shadow and figure , did so greatly reverence the sabbath day , that they wholly abstained from all labour ; how is it not reasonable for those who honour the light of grace , and the truth it self , to reverence that day , which is of god enriched with honour , and on which deliverance from shameful destruction was wrought for us ? thus leo , novel . . leon. and so ( according to that common proverb , the later day is scholar to the former ) what by too much facility , which suited not with the lords solemnity , was formerly granted by them that followed , who saw the inconvenience of the former liberty , was afterwards amended . in divers councils also it was ordained , that no rural labours should be exercised on that day : as about the year . in one and the same year , all servile and rural labours , and markets are forbidden , concil . aceratensi . can. . in turonensi , can. . in moguntino , can. . in rhemensi , can. . & in conc. aurelianensi , . where they think fit to determine of rural work , that is , concerning husbandry , or the vineyard , or pruning , or reaping , winnowing , or cutting hedge , that coming to the church , they moght more easily attend upon prayer . can. . also in conc. narbonensi , cap. . it 's ordained , that they should not yoke oxen . in concil . antisiodorensi , can. . it is not lawful to yoke oxen on the lords day , or to exercise other labours . also in concil . calibonensi , can. . we define that none at all presume to work any rural labours on the lords day ; that is , to plow , to reap , make sale , or any thing that pertains to husbandry . but although these things do very abundantly shew , that on the lords dayes we are not to employ our work for gainful labour , since as well they were to be punished by the supreme authority of the prince , as by the censure of the church , who did the contrary : yet there are some , who ( having no respect either to the worship of god , or to the promoting mens salvation ) do affirm , that christians may on the lords day safely attend any labours , when the duties of the publick service are ended : to establish which opinion , they first wrest the authority of hierom , and them of the third council of orleans . hierom. in epitaphio paulae ad eustochium , tells us , that the women returning from the church , on the lords day , with paula , were busie about their task , and either made clothes for themselves or others . in the council of orleans they determine , that on the lords day that to be lawful , which was lawful before to be done : only rural labours excepted . hence some gather , that men are to cease from their labours no lo●●●r on the lords dayes , than while * collectam faciunt , ( as hierom there speaks . ) but first let the reader well weigh , whether hierom in that place may seem to speak of womens labour , which they bestowed about their works on other than the lords dayes , and whether revertentes ab ecclesia , in him , be the same as if he had said , when they are not present at church , they are busie at work . nor doth this sense of hierom's words want reason ▪ especially because hierom sayes , they went only to the church on the lords day . and in another place , hierom contends , that on the sabbath ( he speaks to those whom christ had made free , not the jews ) men should only do those things which pertain to the salvation of the soul . now if those women had on that day plied their labours , they would have done somewhat that had not pertained to the souls salvation : which , by hierom's judgment , they should not have done . and of others hierom speaks , who on the lords dayes did only attend on prayer and reading . epist. ad eustochium de custodia virginit . but hierom sayes not this , as if on the lords day to attend the duties of piety , had been only appropriated to the * coenobitae , ( of whom he speaks : and other christians on that day had employed their work o●●●daily labours , from which the coenobitae ceased : no , by no means . but the holy father doth distinguish the works undertaken by the coenobitae , on the lords day , from others which they undertook on the other dayes of the week : on which they fell about stated works , ( as he speaks ) and those being ended , they attended on prayer , and reading also : which thing they also did every day when they had ended their labours : but on the lords day they were intent on nothing else but the duties of piety . secondly , if it should be granted , that those women did attend their ordinary works on the lords day , it was proper to them onely : and then what we must think of that fact appears out of st. cyprian ; who , while he affirms that the aquarians did bottom on no author or will of christ , insinuateth this doctrine to us , namely , that the custome of some men is not to be followed , unless first we enquire whom they followed : whose grave authority we may very fitly accommodate to the aforesaid women . we are to consider not only what those women did , but upon what authority they did it . if they attended on the lords day their daily works and labours , they were invited thereunto neither by the authorities of christ , nor his holy apostles , nor the lawful practise of the church ( which restrained christians from those works . ) and i believe no body of a sound mind will impose as a law on other mens shoulders , a certain singular custome , confirmed by no law , or authority , but contrary to the general practice of the whole church : especially when hierom himself , and other grave fathers do conclude that nothing but the works of piety , or of some emergent necessity is to be done on that day , as formerly from their writings hath been observed . we do with st. austin , commend a custom , which is known to usurp nothing against the catholick faith . thirdly , charles the great in his constitutions ordains , that on the lords day women sow not their clothes . now we prefer justly the religious ordinance of a pious emperour , depending upon various authorities of ecclesiastical canons , to a custome of women , confirmed by no antiquity . lastly , i 'le only add this , what if those silly women believed it to be a work of charity by the example of dorcas ? now i must answer to the authority of the council of orleans ( which was but a provincial , and consisted onely of twenty five bishops ) for performing all labours on that day , excepting rural , in the same manner as sometimes a hierom to euagrius , while he was shewing what difference there was between a bishop , elder , and deacon , he would not have the custom ( in some sort contrary to his opinion ) of one city ( namely rome ) to be brought out against him , for , he being judge , the authority of the world was greater than the citie 's . and so i must say here . if an indulgence for them had grown into use with the rest of the church , or had been supported by reason , or any authority ; then the sentence of this ( though provincial ) council had been of some weight : but in this their custome being rejected of the church up and down dispersed , is not to be obtruded as a law upon all . then secondly , the bishops being congregated in that council , purposed to obviate ( as they speak ) the jewish observation of the sabbath . and they yield these things , lest they should rather seem to set up a jewish institution , than christian liberty : and the very words of the canon do intimate , that the people were perswaded that these things ought not to be done . i 'le add nothing of the corrupting that place ( which binius judges to be depraved ) only let others judge what authority is to be given to it : it suffices us , that the fathers with one consent do interdict all christians earthly affairs , and worldly works on lords days , although some , abounding in their sense , do seem to think otherwise . lastly , that i may put an end to this chapter , two things now remain to be considered in the emperours laws , made about the lords day , which , according to some , do mightily prejudice its solemnity : the first of these is considered in their manumissions , and the second in some certain transactions to be done on the lords day : and since both of these are a civil office , some think that certain worldly things for that cause were to be done on that day , which were not works of piety . to add somewhat of both these offices , will not be far from our purpose . the indulgence for making free and manumitting , granted by the christian emperours , and to be done on the lords day , could not hinder its religious solemnity ; which , that it may appear , the reason of that institution is a little better to be enquired into . constantine , of blessed memory , studied by laws , and all other means to promote the worship of god : amongst other things , he granted liberty to the church , by law , that whoever were made free , the priests being witnesses , they should be inrolled into the number of the roman citizens : so nicephorus hist . l. . c. . and sozomen hist . l. . c. . and if any desire to see the form of these manumissions , it is extant in the fragments conc. toleran . and in the learned instellus his notes in canones africanos , can. . whither i refer the reader : because it is only my purpose to touch something of the time wherein these manumissions were done ; which , by historians , and the emperours laws , we see fall out to be on the lords day : and that especially for the honour of the church , and increase of christian religion : while they by the bishops were performed in the church , the bishops were had in greater esteem among the people : till ( as the learned instellus very well observeth ) as formerly servants were manumitted in the temple of the goddess feronia , so afterwards , by the emperours constitutions , together with their liberty , they obtained to be roman denizens in the church : no otherwise then as among the egyptians , the cubit wherewith the inundation of nilus was wont to be marked , was no more brought , as the custome was , to the temples of the heathen , but from that time to the churches of the christians , sozomen . c. . after this manner the emperour did earnestly regard the worship of god in making his laws ; to encrease which , he also established that about manumissions to be made on the lords day in the church . moreover , servants , those for the most part whom their masters discharged against their will , obtained their freedome , not without great difficulty , as sozom. therefore the servants ( as saith zonaras in can. . carthagin . ) fled to the church ; and if the bishop determined equally , they were manumitted . thereupon the emperour ordains , a that all who were by the priests testimony set at liberty in churches , should be made denizons of the roman commonwealth . and afterwards , in process of time , the fathers of the synod thought good to advise the emperour that this might be done , conc. carth. can. . now the benefit of liberty ( of which the emperour was desirous , as tending to the glory of god ) was very acceptable to god ; and for charity sake on that day ( whose holiness works of charity do not dishonour ) was also to be performed . i could also name another cause , assigned in the fragments conc. toletan . some thought that they did a thing very acceptable to god , and profitable ▪ to their own souls , if in the church of some saint , in the presence of the bishop , or the priests there standing , or the noble laity , before the horn of the altar of that church , send out their servants free by a charter of absolution and freedom from all bonds of servitude : but these superstitious manumissions for remedy of the soul , as they speak , were observed about the four hundredth year after christ : but that formerly mentioned by zonaras , sozomen , and nicephorus , was the true cause why first the pious emperours lookt to that these manumissions were performed on the lords day : which we do not see hindred the lords solemnity . as manumissions do not obscure this solemnity , so certain transactions are lawful on the lords day . nor can this hinder it , that leo , a most earnest defender of the lords festival , did indulge those that were at odds amongst themselves , leave to meet on the lords day , vicaria poenitudine , whereon they might conferr of their bargains , & speak of their transactions . these which were offices of charity could not destroy the lords solemnity . for that holy man leo would have adversaries freely , and without fear , to meet together , & vicaria poenitudine , ( which the interpreter of the law expounds by repentance , which ought to return by course , that is , on the lords dayes : or vicaria poenitudo is that which one expecteth from the other by turn ) be reconciled to one another ; to effect which reconciliation , they might be at their liberty to confer of their bargains , and speak of their transactions . but all these things were granted by the emperour , not for any worldly end , but for renewing their lost friendship , which could not obscure the honour of the festival , on which the things that pertained to peace and concord were permitted ; for they then , as it were leaving their gift before the altar , went their way , that they first might be reconciled to one another , and then come and offer their gift ; which reconciliation could not be made without mention of their bargains and transactions , upon whose account they were at difference . and thus much for avoiding worldly affairs , and especially gainful labours , on the lords day . chap. xiii . the lords day not to be profaned by surfeiting : servants not to be called off from sanctifying the lords day : we ought not fast on the lords day : whether ambrose was wont to banquet on that day ? even as the solemn observation of this day is not to be profaned by labour tending to our profit : so neither is it for us to give our selves to the pleasures or delights of the world on it . we do not ( saith primasius in gal. . ) celebrate festival dayes in luxury and banquettings : and that justly : a for if a work be for bidden on a feast day , that by the body may be exercised for necessity of life , that we may more entirely attend on divine matters : are not those things by better right prohibited , which cannot be done without sin , and grievous offending of god ? it 's for christians therefore neither by sur●eiting , nor sports , to defile the religious observation of this day . in celebrating festivals , divers of the fathers do to their power reprove rioting and drunkenness . greg. naz. a when he describes the manner how christian festivals are to be celebrated , admonisheth , that we rejoyce not with the varnish of the body , nor change of garments , and their gorgeousness , not in rioting and drunkenness , whose fruit , you have learned , chambering and wantonness are : nor let us crown our streets with flowers , nor our tables with the deformity of oyntments : neither let us adorn our porches , nor let our houses shine with a visible light , nor sound with a concord and shouting of minstrels : for this is the manner of heathens celebrating their festivals , &c. when he judgeth all kind of luxury is to be removed from christians in their festivals , not only because the body being stuffed with meat , and overcharged with wine , easily falleth into wantonness ; but because amongst the heathens ( with whom the church in celebrating festivals ought to have nothing common ) this was an usual thing . festivals are not to be celebrated in drinking off cups of wine , but in renewing the spirit of the mind , and purging the heart : for he that facrificeth to the belly and bacchus , doth more stir up to anger the lord of the celebrity . scholion . in johannis chinac● gradum decimum quartum de gula. it grieved cyril , that so many amongst the christians did on festival dayes , give up themselves either to honest sports , surfeiting , dances , or other vanities of the world : and he affirms , that these rites tend to no other end than the derision of gods name , and slighting of the day : and they that follow these things , do grievously sin , the rather , that they go about these things at a more holy time : for surely , they that give the reins to the belly and pleasures , cannot celebrate a festival day . st. chrysostom by two arguments of great weight and authority , doth perswade his hearers , spiritually to observe the lords day . in the first place , from the various good things which we do enjoy on that day : and secondly , from our happy freedome from evils : and at length descends to remove those means , whereby that spiritual honour is wont to be hindred , not by banquetting , not by pouring out wine , nor attending on drunkenness : in his judgment such wicked deeds as these do no little detract from the honour of the lords day . yet many in this our age , ( especially the richer sort ) for these causes cannot avoid a just reprehension : who above measure on the lords day filling themselves with surfeit , keep their servants at home to prepare meat finer than ordinary to satisfie their insatiable luxury : and think much to give them leave to go to church to feed their souls with the holy bread of life . it once grieved ambrose , that a certain christian in the time of a fast , did draw with him to an hunting , some servants that were accidentally hasting to the church , because thereby he heaped others sins on his own pleasures , not knowing that he would be both guilty of his own offence , and the perdition of the servants . and why should not we as well grieve , when we see divers professing themselves christians to the world , not to be more careful for promoting the salvation of their christian servants , whilst they hinder them from the publick assemblies of the church on the lords day , that they may serve their lust ? especially while , as saith ambrose , they do not consider , that although they be servants in condition , yet are they brethren by grace ; for they have as well put on christ , partake of the same sacraments , and have the same god for their father which their masters have . st. paul would eat no flesh whilst the world stood , rather than that his eating should make his brother to offend . cor. . . david scrupled the very once tasting of the water which was drawn out of the well of bethlem by his worthies , with the great peril of their lives , sam. . with how more heinous a spot do they brand themselves therefore , who do expose the souls of their servants ( whom they detain at home from the publick meeting of the church , to serve their vanities ) unto so great a danger ? a wickedness it is rather beseeming those that sacrifice to bacchus , than those that keep a festival to god. in the council of paris , this very same wickedness grieved the fathers , for though the lords day seemed to be kept in some reverent manner , by certain masters , yet was it found very seldome to be observed with due honour of their servants under subjection . i wish that the christian religion , even defiled with the blot of this wickedness , in our age , were not ill spoken of amongst divers ! at least , i beseech in christ , those that are the cause of others absence from the publick exercises of piety , that they would , with their servants which they keep at home , be pleased to do that which chrysostom requires of his hearers ; namely , to discourse of what they heard , with them that were absent , by which means , they might hear and learn from them , what they lost themselves in preparing of corporal food , being held from spiritual , let them consider this , who cause those that are under them to be hindred of spiritual food , that they may prepare corporal meat for their use . gregory a allowed not at all the custom of laicks ; feasting ordinarily on lords dayes , from which they could not easily be moved . in the mean while , i am not ignorant , that in the old church divers canons are extant , of not keeping fasts on the lords day . although they condemned not a fast of it self , and in the general , as a work contrary to gods command , or that is repugnant to his word : because divers illustrious examples thereof are afforded in the rules both of old and new testament ; yet did they judge , that fasts on that day were to be relaxed . to the africans , he that fasteth on the lords day is no catholick ; to b ignatius , he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a killer of christ . yea , in concil . gangren . can. . an anathema is denounced against the observers of this fast ; and prohibitions of this nature are frequent amongst the ancients ; the cause whereof zonaras c seems to teach , while he saith , the time of fasting is appointed for sorrow ; but a festival celebrity for mirth and joy . he teaches the same in can. . concilii gangrensis . therefore , because the lords day , being consecrated by christs resurrection from the dead , it is a day of joy to the church : thereupon , the rejoycing christians gave thanks on that day to god , and relaxed their fasting , and abstained from every right that might inferr any sorrow . they were stirred up to this also by the pranks of hereticks , who denied the resurrection of christ ; amongst whom the manichees acted with a diabolical spirit , and studying to diffuse this errour , that they might extinguish the joy of christians for the saving resurrection of christ , have prescribed fasts on the lords day to their followers : whose errours , and others which held the same , that the orthodox might prevent , they have lookt to it , that on overy lords day the fast should be relaxed . but although we reject not the canons set out by the church in detestation of hereticks , yet we affirm , that provision was made in them about this matter , was ordained by the fathers , and not by the apostles . otherwise st. austin had missed it , when he said , it is not defined by our lords command , or of the apostles , on what dayes we ought not , and on what to fast . and if this had been a true apostolical ordinance , it had been lawful for the church to fast on the lords day , when no occasion was offered . but hierom thinks otherwise , while he wisheth that we might fast at every season ( he excepts not the lords day ) and sayes , that paul , and the faithful with him , fasted on the lords day , yet doth he not accuse them of the manichean heresie . and because we read not that the aforesaid canons were ordained by the apostles , therefore they are grown out of use in the church : because , like as the impious madness of hereticks , adulterating the christian faith , hath given the church occasion to ordain divers ceremonies in the external worship of god , by which they might both extinguish their poison , and better confirm the minds of christians in the truth once received , which , as before those herefies did put up the head , were not in use ; so those being extinct , they grew into disuse again . therefore , whatever we meet with in the ancients , of prohibiting fasts on the lords day , doth not at all enervate my opinion of avoiding surfeit on that day , which is confirmed with the gravest sayings of the approved fathers ; neither do they make any thing against me : to fast and surfeit do differ far enough : between which extremes , a third thing is given ; namely , a sober and moderate dinner : the use whereof , none will deny to christians on the lords day , unless any think with urbicus , a that not to fast is to be drunk . austin , who used a sparing and frugal table , tells us , that he entertained at dinner with him , a man miraculously restored to his former health on the lords day * , a because he shewed hospitality , as possidonius . arbogastes being entertained at a feast by the king of france , and asked , whether he knew b ambrose ? answered , that he knew the man , and was beloved of him , and often was wont to feast with him . some interpret this , as if st. ambrose fared delicately on the lords day ( on which day , and the sabbath , and when the birth-dayes of martyrs were celebrated , paulinus reports he was wont to dine ) because on that day noble men were entertained by him : but paulinus relates not that ambrose did entertain to a feast count arbogastes on the lords day . arbogastes boasteth in paulinus , that he often feasted with ambrose , but whether he spoke the truth in this , is a question , although c baronius reporteth it for a truth , who yet mentions not the day on which he held this feast . arbogastes also glories , that he was beloved of ambrose ; but it 's easie to conjecture , that there was but small friendship between ambrose and count arbogastes , whenas ambrose so hated his sacrilege : for which cause arbogastes being incensed , vowed that he would make a stable of the church of millain , and would try how the clergy could fight . therefore it 's not certain , whether what he spake of the feast was true . he might perhaps insinuate to the king , who highly esteemed ambrose the bishop of millain , that he was prized by him somewhat , that he might be more highly regarded of the king. however it was , when ambrose himself would never be present at a feast a in his own countrey , being invited ; it may be judged , whether it 's likely that he would invite others to a feast on the lords day , who refused to be present at other mens feasts himself . lastly , if it were granted that ambrose did entreat count arbogastes at a feast , whether will any believe it , who considers the austere life of ambrose , chastizing his body with that discipline ( as paulinus ibidem ) that he observed a daily fast , that he would distain himself with feasts on the lords day , which hindred the exercises of religion , either publick or private ? nay , truly . he might perhaps dine on the lords day , as the custome of the church required : but we must not believe that the grave father did fare so daintily on that day , as that he could not attend the duties of piety : concerning which nature of feasts , we are here speaking : in which number that is to reckoned , which baronius mentions out of gregor . turonens . a who tells us of a certain presbyter , invading the bishoprick of avergue , after the death of sidonius apollinaris , who , when the lords day came , having prepared a banquet , commanded that all the citizens should be invited into the church : a wickedness indeed beseeming the author , that he who had ambitiously invaded the bishops see , against the canons of the church , should violate the lords solemnity by his feast , that hindred the duties of divine worship : which unlawful example , i hope no body that relisheth any thing of christ will follow . and now i will conclude with st. austin , b that none can rightly deny , that a christian may on the lords day be refreshed with a moderate and sober dinner , and also will affirm with that grave father , that those who fear god must not riot on the lords day . chap. xiv . sports are not at all to be held on the lords day , by the judgment of divers fathers , and emperours . four kinds of shows condemned by the fathers , and not to be acted on the lords day : and that not only while the sacred meetings are kept . they that are cloyed with luxurious banquets , drunken feasts , and lewd drunkenness , cannot devoutly consecrate the lords day to god : so they that delighting in luxury , do give up themselves to pleasures , are unfit for the sanctifying thereof , because with their pleasures they defile the lords holy day : pleasure is the individual companion of drunkenness , and intemperance in many , becomes a cause of lasciviousness , as we say in the proverb , when the belly is well filled , then follow dances ; we read that these have been condemned with great fervour of mind , and most holy zeal , with the old friends of sincere piety : which chrysostom , hom. de eleemosyna , would not have any attend on : and no wonder , for all such worldly spectacles with chrysostom are called sathans festivals , from which he exhorts his hearers to abstain : and sharply reproveth parents , that bring their a children to spectacles , and exhort them not to doctrine . cyril was sorry , as we have seen in the former chapter , b that christians should on feast dayes run to playes , pageants , and dancings , because in his judgment , these things cannot be done without mocking of gods name , and violation of the day : for the holiness of festivals is miserably distained by petulant dancings : therefore leo and authemius , those good emperours , ordain , that festivals being dedicated to the most high majesty , are by no pleasures ( which afterwards in detestation of them they call obscene ) to be defiled . they say also , we decree the lords day alwayes to be so honourable and reverent , that it be excused from all executions , &c. and after , nor ▪ yet do we , relaxing the rest of this holy day , suffer any one to be witholden by obscene pleasures . let the scene of the theatre , or the fights in the cirque , or the doleful sights of wild beasts , challenge nothing to themselves on that day : and if any solemnity fall out to be celebrated on our birth-day , let it be deferred . if any one shall ever be present at ●●ghts on this feast-day , he shall sustain the loss of his command in the militia , and the sale of his patrimony ; and likewise the serjeant of every judge , that under pretence of either publick or private business , doth believe that these things which are ordained in this law are to be violated . the fathers in the council a of carthage were of the same mind , who provided , that no sights should be shewed on the lords day , or any other of the festivals . yea , even in the thickest darkness of popery , so solemn was the splendour of this day , that the cimmerian darkness of antichristianism could never overcome it . therefore it was provided , can. . part . . of the provincial council of colen , that there should be an abstinence from these . wherefore ( say they ) it is our mind , that on these dayes ( they speak of festivals ) fairs be prohibited , taverns be shut , riot , drunkenness , expences , strifes , wicked sports , dances full of madness , evil communication , bawdy songs , be avoided : briefly , all luxury : for by these , and the blasphemies and perjuries which usually attend these , the name of god is profaned , and the sabbath ( which admonisheth us to cease from doing perversly , and learn to do well ) is defiled . in the third council also of millain , they decree , let the bishop carefully prohibit , and see to it that it be done , that not only no leapings and dancings , but no riot , playes in honour of the saints , and other profane actions , unmeet for the worship of those festival dayes , and pious institutions , be any wayes publickly acted on these dayes , or brought in under pretence or occasion of them . if men brought up in the cimmerian darkness of antichristianism , declining the pure light of the gospel , like owls , yet could not , through the splendour of truth , but bear an illustrious testimony to the lords festival : and thereupon condemned what was opposite to its sanctification , as dances , which they call full of madness , and wicked sports , by which the sabbath , on which christians are to cease from doing evil , is violated : if by no means , under any pretence , they permit leapings and danings to be acted : to how tremendous a judgment do the ill-employed libertines of this age expose themselves ? who now having the face of the church happily discovered , by the sacred light of the gospel , are not afraid to tread under foot the holiness of this day , by giving the reins to pleasures , and dances , running out into folly , so often condemned by the fathers ? as if they made haste to pass over into the heretical tents of the heicetae , a who in other things following the churches authority , in their monasteries , by a company of monks praised god , using tripudiations , and dances thereunto . a wickedness indeed more becoming hereticks than christians . what once the learned morton in his catholic . apolog , lib. . cap. . related of tollet , we will apposirely apply to the patrons of dancing on the lords day . tollet affirms , that a man is bound , under a mortal sin , to sanctifie a festival , but he is not bound to sanctifie it well. on the other side , morton cryes out , and that justly , what ( the foul ill ! ) what a sanctifying is this , that wants well , without which , no action can be acceptable to god ? so these mens sanctifying of this day , ( while they grant the lords day must be sanctified , but labour not to sanctifie it well ) is rather to be reckoned a profanation , than sanctification thereof . alas ! are these fruits beseeming so long a preaching of the holy gospel ? while men do on the lords day so profusely serve the pleasures of the flesh . the primitive christians , whose souls are now in rest , celebrated not so the lords day , who made conscience of intermitting its solemnity upon any occasion . if on holy dayes we must abstain from lawful , and necessary labours , must we therefore attend upon unlawful , vain , and unhonest works ? god forbid . the women of the jews had better on the sabbath day spin , than dance on their new moons , as augustin judgeth . and on psal . . it is better to dig , than dance on the sabbath . but these things are not so to be expounded , as if st. austin had commended the undertaking of gainful labour on that day : but that grave father doth praise the scope of those men rather , who do apply their just and lawful labour , than their unlawful vanities : as otherwhere he relates of socrates , that swore by flesh , a stone , or any thing that was at hand to swear by : not that he approved socrates's fact , but by this means he would instruct his hearers , that although neither be agreeable to reason , yet it is better to transferr gods honour to gods workmanship , than to the works of mens hands . so , although we must not attend on the lords day , on labour undertaken for gain-sake , but only on divine worship ; yet the good father judged it better on that day , to employ our pains about labours lawful on other dayes , than about vanities , alwayes unlawful , and severely condemned of god ; although neither will very well agree with the solemnity of that day . if any one till his ground on the lords day , he violates the holy rest , but if the refore , he , leaving his husbandry , be drunk , or commit whoredome , shall he not be thought to profane the holiness of the lords day ? if all profaneness , and carnal delight ought to be banished from the church , then especially it should , when man doth peculiarly apply himself to the worship of god. if tertullian thought it an uncomely thing , and altogether alien from the religion of publick joy , to celebrate those dayes which were dedicated to the nativities of the emperours , with that vanity , which the heathens abused in such kind of festivals , whereas what was acted on the solemn birth-dayes of princes , would not be thought comely on other dayes : with what spirit are they acted , to whom unchaste dancings , obscene sports , and mad tripudiations shall seem lawful , on the day dedicated to our lords honour ? shall the licentiousness of evil manners be piety ? an occasion of luxury be reckoned religion ? we must rather say with tertullian , that it is for men of the true religion , to celebrate both the emperours solemnities , and the lords day , out of conscience rather than licentiousness . and if any like dancing , i earnestly ask it of him , that he would apply his mind to those spiritual dances , which chrysostom mentions : in which there is much comeliness and modesty , with which christians must dance , not to the measures of harp and pipe , for they themselves ought to be both harp and pipe to the holy ghost : and when others lead the dance to the devil , these being in the church , offer themselves the organs and vessels to the spirit , and afford their souls , as musical instruments which the holy ghost should play upon , and move ; and they give their hearts as organs , into which he may inspire his grace . these are those dances of the angels , * ( and what can be more blessed , than upon the earth to imitate the dance of angels ? ) approved by the holy ghost , and worthy the christian name : in which , he that on the lords day shall diligently be busied , will not bend his mind to those immodest leapings or dancings , ( which chrysostom calls diabolical , hom. . in gen. because where this wanton dancing is , there the devil is , chrysost . hom. . in math. ) so often condemned ; but will refresh his soul , wearied with the sad burden of his fins , by the spiritual joy of these dances : and prepare himself the better to celebrate that eternal sabbath in the heavens , which must be observed for ever with all the saints . and that this is the solemnity which beseemeth the feasts of christians , gregory nazianzen sheweth at large , and exhorts us , to take hymns for timbrels , singing psalms , for filthy and ribald songs , a clapping of hands when we give thanks , for clapping the hands in the theatre ; gravity for laughter , prudent speech for drunkenness , comliness and honesty for delicious pleasures . and if it be convenient for thee , when thou celebratest a festival merrily , to dance , then dance , yet not the dance of herodias , but of david , when he danced for the resting of the ark : by which i think mystically is meant , the nimbleness and volubility of our holy journeying , and that which is pleasing to god. thus he . ephrem syrus gives the same counsel , whose testimony deserves to be added here . let us honour , saith he , the lords festivals divinely , not in a worldly manner , but spiritually , not after the custome of the heathens , but christians : let us not lead dances , nor effeminate our ears with pipes and harps . — you , both small and great , men and women , let us in a christian manner celebrate the lords festivals , in psalms , and hymns , in spiritual songs , and angelical melody . that blessed soul uttered this , about the lords festivity , the reason of all which , is extant in chrysostom . there is , saith he , a time for prayers , not for drunkenness , and that alwayes , and especially at solemnities . for a solemnity is therefore instituted , not to live filthily , nor to abound in sin , but to extoll present things . these and many other testimonies of the ancients , do shew , that all carnal following of worldly delights , ( whereby the sparks of the holy ghost being stirred up in the lords day holy exercises of piety are choaked ) by which either divine worship may be hindred , or the fruit thereof prevented , ought far to be banished from the christian church . for it is as sure as can be , as sometimes * ruffinus , that when we are idle and negligent , when we lift not up our mind in heavenly desires , when we grow cold in the love of our lord , when we spend the day in fables , and wicked cogitations , then we more attend upon the devil than god. and after ; the enemy derides our sabbaths , when they see us to be at leisure for the idleness and vanities of the evil spirit . if a plutarch thought that the jews did worship bacchus on their sabbath , because they then strove at their cups and riotings , and gave themselves wholly to drunkenness , ( and for that cause called the sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifies bacchus , or the son of bacchus ) how much more truly might he at this day say it of many in the church , if he observed how they are given to bacchus , venus , sports , and mad dances ? and yet these sins do rage all abroad , without danger of punishment , to the great ignominy of the christian name : for there is no wickedness so heinous , which is not most of all committed on the lords holy day : a while the greatest part of men do daily more and more spend the rest of festival dayes not in praying , not in hearing the scriptures , for which cause the rest was given , but for all manner of encreasing the corruption of good manners : saying , that they do it for their mind sake , as if they were altogether of plato's mind , who said , that for that very purpose did god institute such holy festivals . and he repeats the same complaint , in his exposition of the lords prayer , when he explains the fourth petition , and thus laments ; at this day , no time is usually more spent in all manner of sports , in dances , wanton love , company-keeping , dicing , bargains , and fairs . these do abundantly shew , that dancings , sports , and sights , were both forbidden of the emperours and fathers , that they should not at all be kept on the lords day : which , he that views the sacred decrees of the one , and the grave records of the other , will not deny . yet when all is done , lest some think ( b whom the doctrine of the ●…e delights , and those who release their minds to pleasure , more than is fitting ) that not all , but some kinds of those sports , were forbidden , and that only while the church-assemblies were held , as though the christian people were at their liberty , to use certain kinds of dances and sights , even upon the lords day , when the publick church-assemblies were finished ; to whom it seems , a such extrinsecal solaces of the eyes and ears , do nothing interrupt the religion in their mind and conscience : as though god could not be offended with the delight of man ; which , without any prejudice to gods fear and honour , to enjoy in fit time and place is no sin : lest any one here should think so , i will over and above add something , that may make more for illustrating the genuine sense of the aforesaid prohibitions . and in the first place , this is worth our knowing , that sights , playes , and conflicts , were amongst the ancients under the same kind : and in tertullian there are reckoned four kinds of sights ; namely , . circi insania , [ i. the folly of the cirque . ] . theatri impudiciti● , [ i. the wantonness of the theatre . ] . arenae atrocitas , [ the cruelty of the sand. ] . xysti vanitas , [ i. the vanity of the xyst , or wrastling-gallery . ] in the cirque , four horses run striving one with another ; in the theatres were acted stage-playes , and immodest interludes were recited ; in the sand , were setting together wild beasts , and fencers ; lastly , in the wrastling galleries , there were the praeludia of these games , while the wrastlers were exercised in their schools , and the swiftness of the runners was tryed . whence , the same tertullian calls the founders and orderers of these sights , * quadrigiarios , scenicos , xysticos , & arenarios . whatever we meet with to be observed about them , by the searchers of antiquity , it is to be referred to these kinds of sights . and all these are disallowed by the ancients , especially by tertullian and cyprian , in their books which they have set out purposely de spectaculis . in which their idolatrous original ( because at first amongst other superstitious rites , they were instituted under the name of religion ) and divers obscene provocations of lust flowing from them , are recited and condemned . but when the emperours had embraced the christian faith , it seems all other acts but the sights in the cirque , and theatre were ceased : and hence it was , that the grave fathers , being haters of games , when they write against sights , do not so much make mention of others , as of these two : and against them , from which they judge , that all christians should withdraw , they direct a sharp stile enough ; neither by their good will , would they have any members of the church at any time , much less on the lords day , to be present at them . this the books above cited , de spectaculis , do without me saying any thing , abundantly testifie . the holy , and general synod in trulle , forbids those jesters , as they are called , and the sights of them : and then the seeing of huntings , and those dances that are acted in the scene . neither is the time named by them , on which they are prohibited , but they say , that the synod , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , forbiddeth altogether : and what is forbidden altogether , is to be done at no time . for ( as zonaras expounds the canon ) the faithful are to lead their life by the prescript of evangelical discipline , and not remissly , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i. as becometh saints . all those things therefore , by which the mind cannot be released , by a necessary remission , and whereupon immoderate laughters are provoked , are by the decree of this canon forbidden . now , if in their judgment , we must not at any time see the actions of jesters , or scenical dancings , much less must we on the lords day , which is expresly ordained by the africanes in the council of carthage . st. chrysostom , cyril , ephrem syrus , greg. naz. and divers other fathers , have taught the same . the sacred emperours , leo , anthemius , and others , have decreed the same , whose testimonies are formerly recited in this chapter . but although the truth of this be largely demonstrated , * yet so far is the vigour of ecclesiastical discipline enervated , and by the languishing whereof , we are thrown down into so bad a condition , that now not only an excuse , but authority is given to vice . whereupon , the same falls out in our age , which did sometime in cyprians , there are not wanting fawning assertors , and indulgent patrons of vices , who give authority to vice . these do , as we said , batter with a double ram , the aforesaid truth , confirmed by so many illustrious testimonies of the ancients . and they contend , that worldly shows were forbidden of the fathers , only for two causes , either because they were obscene in themselves , and of their own nature , and therefore never lawful ; or else because they were held at such a time , as the publick meetings of the church were celebrated : according to them , honest and sober dances , as they speak , notwithstanding the aforesaid canons and statutes , especially after the church-meetings are ended , may safely be used . how wise doth disputing arrogance think it self , especially when it fears losing any thing of worldy joyes ! saith tertullian . this subtil wit , if any where , appears in this weak refuge . shall they who decree ( as leo , and anthemius ) that dayes dedicated to the most high majesty , be occupied in no pleasures , be believed that they would assign any place to them ? and although these pleasures afterwards , in the same law , be called obscene ; yet by virtue of what consequence can it be inferred , that therefore some pleasures there are not obscene , which are not prohibited by that decree ? this new , and unheard of distinction , of forbidden pleasures , is to be left to the authors of it , which was unknown to leo and anthemius , when they decreed , that the holiness of the day was to be violated by no pleasures : and which octavius , in minuc . felice , confesses , the church was ignorant of , while he answers caecilius , blaming the christians , for abstaining from sights and pomps , which caecilius , then a heathen , called honest pleasures : octavius confesses , that christians abstained from them : octavius , a christian , takes those for evil pleasures , which caecilius a heathen called honest . this is to all men an argument , that the christians ( whose cause octavius pleads against caecilius ) did repute the pleasures of sights and pomps , as evil : and that for good cause , since ( as the greeks have a proverb , an ape is an ape , although clad in purple ) by the pleasures of sights , with what painting soever they be whited , the lords day is not to be violated . any may see , that the pleasures of pomps or showes , in the fore-mentioned decree of the emperours , are called obscene from the effect . for they that follow them , do usually fall into obscene manners : and the word obscenity is added by the emperours , not for the distinction , but detestation of pleasures : as when the apostle , pet. . . calls idolatry abominable , or if any one else should call drunkenness detestable ; will any wise man thence conclude , that there is a certain lawful use of images , or that some drunkenness is not to be detested ? nothing less st. chrysostom wished , that games and dances might altogether be left off : of which he never speaks , without highly detesting them in his mind , and boldly condemns the very art of dancing : which he that exerciseth , if he be asked , why , omitting other arts , he is employed in this ? * he could not deny it to be dishonest and unjust . if therefore conscience dictate , as chrysostom thinks , that the very art of this pleasure be dishonest and unjust , let them who commend them to the church , see , where those sober and modest dances , which they speak of , can find any place : and to those that expound choreas ducere , only of lascivious dances , we will in a form of speech commodious enough , interpret these dances to be meant of all dancings whatsoever : otherwise st. cyprian had not affirmed , that david * danced before god , unless any should think , that the bl. martyr ( which never came into his mind ) would brand the royal prophet with a mark of lascivious , and obscene dancing . and if there be any that think , that dancing be sober and modest , they are at their liberty for me to abound in their own sense : at least , with octavius , that good defender of the christian religion , and other lights of reformed christianity , it seems meet for me to repute them as obscene , and evil pleasures . lastly , let the patrons of those dances , which they call sober , bring forth any testimony out of approved authors , whereby any dances on the lords dayes can be defended , and then we will believe them , that such dances were not prohibited by the fathers : which , till it be done , we will with the ancients say , we ought not to lead dances , or effeminate our ears with pipes and harps . the ancients cursed those kinds of pleasures , which then were in use . if the things which at this day are highly esteemed by the world , and are reckoned as sober , had in their age put up the head , doubtless they would have condemned them , with the same zeal , and holy fervour of spirit , as being contrary to the lords solemnity , and which hindred the sanctification thereof . in the mean while , since we see that sports and dances by st. cyril ; all pleasures by leo and anthemius ; sports and dances , by the fathers of colen ; dancings , by the council of millain , to be condemned ; the pleasures of showes to be reckoned evil , of octavius and chrysostome ; to reprehend dances , as leading to the devil ; we affirm , that these worldly showes ( which are the very fomes of pleasures , and whose art , witness chrysostom , is dishonest , and unbeseeming the christian name ) are not to be kept on the lords day . moreover , neither are the fore-mentioned prohibitions so to be expounded , as if dances and showes were only forbidden , while the sacred exercises of piety were held on the lords day in the publick assemblies ; which being finished , who will may lawfully be employed in them : for that indeed would be nothing else but * to go straight out of gods church into the devils . but god grant that such a desire of destructive pleasure be prevented from his people . we have in the fifth chapter declared , that christians must keep all the whole day holy , and afterwards , god willing , will teach what duties of piety are to be done by christians , when church-meetings are ended . and thus from the premises we find , that the lords day is to be violated by no pleasures : * for we must honour this day with a spiritual honour , not in feasting , and drinking , not in drunkenness and dances , &c. the end of the first book . the lords-day . the second book . in which it 's shewed at large , out of the records of the ancients , what things are required to the sanctification of the lords day . chap. i. the lords day ordinary duties were both publick and private : publick church-assemblies on the lords day : the mention of which , we oftener meet with in the following , than in the former church : night-meetings ; and why abolished : meetings before day , and on the day , in the morning , and in the evening . what we have recited in the foregoing book , do shew , that the lords day was alwayes solemnized by the church , and what things they were which did ordinarily hinder the solemnity thereof , amongst the men of this world : now we come to those things , in which the solemn sanctification thereof consisteth : for we must not onely abstain from labours and pleasures on that day , but also we must attend upon divine worship : neither is the rest commanded on the lords day , to be dedicated to our affections , sports , pleasures , or sins , but to the worship of god alone : which the pious practise of the apostles ▪ and of the church following them , doth declare . among the ancients , there were lords day solemnities , [ or ordinary duties ] † which were performed in the church ; and what they were , the same author explains in the same chapter ; namely , reading of the scriptures , singing of psalms , adlocutiones , [ q. d. speakings unto ] and prayers . by those adlocutiones which were uttered in the church assembly , the battologies ( as pamelius on that place would have it ) frequently repeated in the mass ( as dominus vobiscum , [ the lord be with you , ] pax vobiscum [ peace be to you ] oremus , [ let us pray ] gratias agamus domino , [ let us give thanks to god , ] &c. which are in the mass offices repeated ad nauseam ) are not to be understood : but by adlocutiones in tertullian , are meant the ministers sermons to the people , after the scriptures were read in the assembly . for those that expounded the scriptures , spoke to the people by exhortations , admonitions , &c. as afterwards will appear . and in this sense of ours , we meet with the word adlocutio , in cyprian de lapsis , sect . prima . those offices also to be performed on the lords day , are extant in clemens , constit . p. . c. . the lords day solemnities , wherewith they honoured this day , are the duties that appertain to godliness : whereof some were of a publick , others of a private right : those were to be performed by every church , in the publick assemblies , and these of the faithful members of the church , when they were returned home , the publick assembly being ended . this place therefore requireth , that something be added about the publick meetings of the church , being held on the lords dayes . in describing whereof , we will first teach , that they were in use with the church of god , even from the apostles age . secondly , we will enquire what was done in them by the church . thirdly , we will add something of the places wherein they were held . although the ancients ( as we have seen in the former book , ch . . ) did destinate the whole lords day , or the first day of the week , to the exercises of divine worship ; yet did they hold their publick assemblies at certain hours , and what time remained besides , they spent it also privately in holy duties . whence we may easily observe , that there was a solemn , and religious observation of the lords day , both publick and private : the publick was performed in the publick conventions of the church ; and that christians , in what part of the world soever they lived , so often as they could for persecution , were wont to meet together in one place , to handle the duties of piety , is so clear from divers places of the new testament , that it wanteth no testimony . these assemblies could not be held without a stated time every week , and a fit place : now we find that the lords day was destined to keep them on , and that while the apostles were living , and faithfully discharging the ministry committed to them of the lord. for , on no day was there wont to be a more solemn and frequented convention of the people in the church , to hear sermons , and partake of the holy communion , than on the lords day : and this we have proved in the two first chapters of the precedent book , to be a very ancient custome . the church therefore , as saith isychius , hath sequestred the lords day for divine conventions : in which the worship of god was religiously celebrated : for the dispatching whereof , the christians met together , as often as they could commodiously . yet this must be marked of him that observes the meetings of the church , that there is a rehearsal made of more meetings which were kept by the later , than the former church , on the lords day , by historians and others that treat of them : not because the former church , if it could , for the daily persecutions it met with , did not so often hold their meeting ; especially whenas we see that the first christians did sharply contend ( in book . ch . . ) about sanctifying the whole day : but because it being hindred with the cruel flames of persecutions , did meet as often as occasion did occurr : but the following christians were at liberty to meet oftner under the christian emperours ; and therefore we read , that they met twice upon the lords day : in the former meeting whereof , they begun the day , and with the other they ended the day ; and upon that reason , they afterwards called the one their matins , and the other their vespers . but what , and how many hours were spent at both of these conventions , is not well known : because there was not the same manner of meeting every where , but according to the necessity and profit of the church , they held their meetings on the night and day . the apostle taught the ephesians both night and day , act. . . at troas he continued his sermon till midnight , act. . the corinthians met in the evening , cor. . for about supper time , or after , they were gathered together . but , as i said , necessity commanded their night-meetings : because the christians being moved with the fear of tyrants , could not safely meet on the day time . the christians of the following age , retaining their night-meetings , ( as also many other things , out of which an huge heap of superstitious rites flowed , by which the clear face of truth breaking out of darkness , was filthily darkened ) called them vigils ; and turned them into the fasts of the night which went before the holy day : in which , sometimes they continued till midnight ; witness hierom in parab . virgin. and sometimes they began their meeting at mid-night . so it appears out of basil , who performed an office in another church , before he came to some other that were met at mid-night , and waited for his coming . but at this day , because of the wickedness committed in these nocturnal vigils , bellarmine thinketh they are justly abrogated . bellarm. de cultu sanctorum , lib. . cap. ult . tertullian , amongst others , makes mention of night-meetings , lib. . ad uxorem , c. . at which , he saith , that an heathen husband did not willingly suffer his christian wife to be present . souldiers , at the command of constantine the arrian emperour , came to apprehend st. athanasius , while the people were keeping a meeting in the night with him . theodor. hist . l. . c. . there are testimonies also extant of meetings before day ( which are to be reckoned with them of the night ) tertul. de corona milit . cap. . and the epistle of plinius secundus ad trajan . mentions them , apud tertull . passing by the meetings which were in the night , and before day , we will enquire of those that were kept on the day : where , assoon as the church had obtained peace by the authority of the great emperours , we shall find that they held their ordinary meetings for the exercise of gods worship , on the day time : and for that end some certain hours of the day were destined for performance of the publick offices of religion . for the religious fathers did with great care provide , that they should neither weary themselves , nor the people committed to their care , with continual labours , in setting all care of refreshing themselves aside . and they judged it more advised , to teach often than long : they therefore selected some hours out of the whole day for publick assemblies . julian the apostate is reported , that he ordered the greeks to live after the same manner as did the christians : and therefore , amongst other things , he ordains , that certain prayers , for certain hours and dayes , after the custome of the church , should be selected . niceph. hist. . c. . which he would never have done , if it had not been a familiar thing with the church ( after whose rule he laboured to regulate the heathen ) to select certain hours of the day for this peculiar use . but on what dayes , or what houres of the day , prayers were made by the church unto god , nicephorus adds not ; only he tells us , that certain hours were select for this office . a athanasius witnesseth , that the arrians , who raged against the orthodox , even as they were met on the lords day , being guarded with a company of souldiers , found but a few together ; for many of them were gone home for the hour of the day ; that is , after the assembly was ended , which the church observed at stated hours : or as a tertullian speaks , after the solemnities were done , and the people dismissed . but neither athanasius nor tertullian do assign the hours at which the church met . ambrose mentions the morning hours , at which the people met , lib. . ep. . where , what was read on t of psal . . the gentiles are come into gods inheritance , he afterwards calls his hearers to mind for the morning hours . zeno also bishop of majuma , although he was well struck in age , yet was he alwayes present at b the morning hymns , and the other holy service , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , unless hindred by sickness . the eucharist was administred at their morning meetings ; which appears out of c cyprian , while he disallows the custome of those that in the morning only offered water , lest they should smell of wine : for which cause , he calls that the morning sacrifice , in their morning assemblies , they sung the psalm to god. witness clement , constitut . apost . lib. . cap. . the morning meetings were kept about nine of the clock . therefore , in conc. laodic . it is ordained , that the publick service should be performed at nine of the clock , and at their vespers . and these solemn assemblies broke up about noon , as witnesseth chrysost . orat. de philogonio . the church also met in the evening . for they had hymns appointed as well for the evening , as morning meetings , niceph. hist . l. . c. . clemen . constitut . apost . lib. . c. . the bishops and presbyters of gaesaria , cappadocia , and in cyprus , did interpret the holy scriptures on the lords day , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , alwayes about evening . neither can it be thought inconvenient , chrysostom being judge , if the church hold an assembly in the afternoon : yea , he being witness , then especially should we meet , and then our bodily food being received , a spiritual banquet ought to be set before us ; lest after satiety of bodily food , the soul beginning to be drowsie , it feel some hurt thereby . so chrys . in the end of the ▪ hom. in gen. he doth the same in the th hom. ad populum antiochen . and elsewhere he commends those that when they have dined come to church , hom. . ad pop . antioch . lastly , he doth often reprove those that are absent from afternoon meetings , hom. . in gen. many of the ancients do bear witness to afternoon meetings , which , when we speak of the time assigned to the treating of the scriptures , shall , god willing , be made manifest . for the present it is enough to advertise the reader , that those , if there be any such , do deceive both themselves and others , who do deny that there were held any meetings in the evening of the church , before the council of arragon , that is in the year of christ . the constitutions of clement , which are held ancient by all , do make mention of them . cyprian , as we have seen , took it heavily , that morning suppers were despised of some delicate persons , that would not smell the savour of wine , but not evening suppers : they , saith he , offered in the morning water only , yet when they came to supper , they offered a mix'd cup : whereupon the learned goulartius judiciously acknowledgeth , that pamelius doth confess , that some in cyprians age , were wont to offer twice a day : although ●amelius doth corruptly referr this to private masses in use amongst the papists . in the council of laodicea ( which was held before the first council of nice ) there is mention made as well of the evening , as morning liturgy , ( the fathers speak of the publick service in the church-meeting . ) hilary acknowledges for a great sign of mercy , the pleasures ( while the day begins in prayers to god , and ends in his praises ) of matins , and evening-service in the church . divers treatises also of the fathers , in the afternoon , which we shall afterwards mention , will teach us , that the church met in the evening . but the primitive christians , as we said , met oftener on the night time in that age which abounded with persecutions , and being hindred by the wicked devises of the adversaries , could seldome keep a meeting on the day time , as basil . ep. . tertull. de fuga , ult . cap. teach us . thence therefore , i think , it came to pass , that we meet with seldome mention of a two-fold meeting amongst the christians of the former church . and these things do testifie , that the church of christ kept publick meetings , to those that shut not their eyes against the truth . but since sundry in our age do so easily bite with the tooth of detraction , that scarce any thing can be written ( though never so elaborate , and studiously composed , which at first by the envy of malevolent persons , may not be depraved , and at last contemned : therefore , i onely add this , lest perhaps some might object , that those things which i have observed concerning assemblies , are to be applied not only to meetings kept on sabbath dayes , of which i shall speak hereafter , but also to those which were kept on other dayes , besides the lords dayes , which i deny not . i at least wise affirm this : if they had it in their mind to meet on other dayes after noon , for religions sake ; much more are they to be thought to have done it on the lords day , which was set apart for this end . and divers forecited testimonies do make mention of meetings being held on that day . lastly , what is said to be done in the meetings which were kept on other dayes , we read that the same was done in the lords dayes meetings : although all things which were done every where in these , were not done in those meetings : as hath been observed in the first book , and third chapter . chap. ii. what was done in the publick church-meetings . reading of scriptures : what scriptures were went to be read : humane writings were read in the church-assembly . the order of reading the scriptures . the readers of the scriptures were ordinarily deacons . who they were that were anciently called audientes . the readers of the scriptures stood in the sight of the whole people . having observed the publick meetings of the church , let us in the second place see what was done in them . in them the church was only intent upon the exercises of piety , divers whereof are ●ound in tertull. lib. de anima , cap. . * justin martyr , and others . † chrysostom saith , there was in those holy meetings , a convention of the brethren , holy doctrine , prayers , an hearing of the divine law , or a communication with god , and discourse with men . hesychius saith , a there was devout prayer , devout reading of gods word , and hearing of the interpretation all things , that i may speak briefly , were devout , which are said or done in the churches of god according to his law. and all these things may be referred to the ministry of the word , publick invocation of gods name , and administration of the sacraments . so it is evident to us , out of the holy scripture , and more pure christianity , in what things the offices of almost all the worship of god were performed . these are reckoned up , act. . . although the order in which they were performed be not declared . st. paul being brought to troas , some peculiar things fell out , in the description whereof , st. luke is very diligently conversant ; and above all , amongst the rest , an example of a church-meeting , with all its circumstances , is recorded , act. . in which convention , paul first preached , which exercise he continued till mid-night , and when that was ended , then the lords supper was performed . and we must suppose , that the apostles never preached the word , or administred the sacraments , without solemn invocation of god. when the apostles were dead , these same things were observed by the following church , on the lords day , which , by and by , i will in brief shew . therefore , not without reason , have i concluded the publick offices of piety on that day to be performed under these three . in describing whereof , first , that divine office of piety doth occurr , the ministry of the word ( a word familiar enough to our age ) without which , the things of religion cannot happily be dispatched . neither were other duties which tended to piety , done without it in the ancient church . therefore , in delineating the publick offices of piety , we will first speak of it . now under the ministry of the word to be had on the lords day , are understood both the reading of the word , and the explaining thereof . first , as often as the church was gathered together , the holy scriptures were read . in describing of which argument , i will point at three things ; namely , first , i will shew what scriptures were read in the church-assembly ; secondly , whose office it was to do this ; thirdly , i will add something of the place out of which the scriptures were read in the church-assembly . it is evident out of divers authors , that those scriptures were read , * by whose reading faith was nourished . and that is thought by divers men of great name , in imitation of the jews : by whom , it was an ordinary thing to read moses and the prophets in the synagogues , every sabbath day , acts . . and . . this custome of the jews , omitting ceremonials , was not onely profitable to the apostles , who upon that occasion every where preached christ in the synagogues , out of moses and the prophets , act. . . and . , . but also was commended by the apostles to christians , as often as the church met : namely , that the writings of the old prophets should be read and expounded by the modern prophets ▪ cor. . . origen also witnesseth ( although he be deceived in giving the cause , for which this was enjoyned the church , of the apostles ) that the apostles ordained , that the books of jewish histories should be read in churches by the disciples of christ . so he , initio hom. . in josh . moreover , there be some that gather out of cor. . . where the apostle saith of luke , with titus we have sent our brother , whose praise is in the gospel , throughout all the churches ▪ that not only the scriptures of the old testament , were wont to be read , while the apostles were alive , but also of the evangelists , about the history and sermons of christ . where , according to them , we may not unfitly observe , that even at that time the gospel of luke was wont to be read in churches . paul is not afraid to adjure the thessalonians , that when that epistle to them was finished , it should be read to all the holy brethren , thes . . . and he requires the colossians , that they read the epistle written from laodicea : and that they should cause that which he sent unto them , to be read in the church of the laodiceans , col. . . and eusebius , out of clement , relates , that peter ordained , that the gospel of mark was to be read in churches . so euseb . hist . l. . c. . and the same author our * of irenaeus , asserteth , that matthew set forth his gospel for the hebrews , in their own tongue , while paul and peter preached the word at rome . after the apostles death , the writings , not only of the prophets and evangelists , but of the apostles themselves , were read in the church-assemblies , as i have said from thes . . and col. . justin martyr * saith , that the writings of the prophets and apostles were read on sunday in their assemblies . others afterwards confess the same thing . † origen , when he reckons up the works to be performed on the christian sabbath , he mentions the sacred reading in their assemblies ; where also he speaks of reading and treatises : and in ex. hom. . he saith , the lord alwayes rains down from heaven ( namely , when the holy oracles were read , as he afterwards explains it ) manna on our lords day ; whence he concludeth , that the christians lords day is to be preferred to the jewish sabbath . tertullian * confesses , that the church assembled for to remember those divine things that were read . and elsewhere , amongst the lords day solemnities , he affirms , that the sacred scriptures were read ; de anima , c. . cyprian mentions this reading , ep. . in which he writes to the clergy and people , of one aurelius , that was ordained a reader of him , to read the gospel in the church , &c. † eusebius acknowledges , that both the old and new testament was read in churches , ambros . in epist . ad soror . ep. . aug. de civitate dei , lib. . cap. . these things shew , that the scriptures both of the old and new testaments were read , and in the fifty ninth canon of the council of laodicea , it is ordained , that only the canonical books should be read ; and in the sixtieth canon , they reckon up the names and order of canonical books of both testaments . the same provision is made in the th canon of the council of carthage , apud zonar . that beside the canonical scriptures , nothing be read in the church under the name of divine scripture . only they add the books of tobit , judith , and esther . yet this must not be concealed , not only the writings of the apostles , and prophets , but of divers others , ( who were famous for piety , and of great authority in the church ) were anciently read in the church-assemblies . dionysius corinthiacus apud euseb . reports , that clements epistle ad corinth . was read on the lords day . hierom. in cat. script . ecclesiast . witnesseth , that effraemus deacon of the church at edissa , came to such renown , that after the reading of the scriptures , his writings were publickly read in some churches . the sufferings of the martyrs were also read upon their feasts . concil . carthag . can. . but the commentaries , in which the martyrs conflicts were described , were only read over on those dayes , whereon their memory was annually celebrated ; witness zonaras in concil . carthag . can. . and such humane writings as were read in the church , are to be understood chiefly of the psalms and songs which were devised of them , to praise god by . eusebius mentions these , lib. . cap. . and lib. . . afterwards , through the devils subtilty , tares sprung up in the church , and under pretence of these writings , hereticks sowed their false doctrines , which the fathers in trull . can. . observe , in the constitutions ascribed to clement , to which , some things sorged , and some things repugnant to faith , are annexed : which evil , that the fathers might feasonably prevent , they frequently ordained , that no books should be read in the publick church-assembly , but the holy scriptures : much less , that it ever should be safe through them , that many dreams which they babled out with a rash attempt , like old wife's dotages ) of vain-talking men , should be read among the holy scriptures , as afterwards , by use , it fell out ; because , as we have seen , they ordained , that nothing but the scriptures should be read in churches . now for the order , according to whose rule , all reading of the scriptures among the ancients was disposed , we meet with a few things to be observed out of their records . whether , namely , in the primitive church , there were selected parts of the scriptures which they read ; or ( as it was familiar with the jews on their sabbath-dayes ) they read the scripture in order , as the lords dayes returned , till they had finished that work ; this , i say , is not certainly known : onely what parts of scripture they read , they explained the same for the peoples use , as the necessity of the present times did require . tertul. apo . c. . ambr. l. . ep . . but afterwards it doth appear , that there was an order observed in reading the scriptures . st. austin mentions the order observed by himself , in handling his lectures upon scripture , in prooemio epistolae johannis . and he addeth , a that the book of the acts of the apostles was every year read at an anniversary solemnity , after the lords passion . he reports also , that ps . . was wont to be read every year , in the last week before the passion-day of christ , all the people being attentive . tract . . in joh. moreover also , when there were divers feasts constituted in the church , some certain and peculiar lessons of scripture were read every feast-day , which were annually so carefully observed , that no others could be more . aug. in prooem . epist . jo. the same appears from a sermon of chrysostom , against those that only met upon feast-dayes : who thinks it unseasonable at the solemnity of pentecost , to continue the text formerly begun on , and omit the commemoration of the benefits conserred on the church at that time ; and after pentecost he prosecutes the text he was on before . i will add no more testimonies for reading lessons out of the holy scripture , in the church-assembly , in a case that is plain enough , lest by repeating many things , i cause weariness in the reader . i will now relate the second thing which i intended , for the candid readers sake ; namely , forasmuch as the ancients judged the h. scripture should be read in their conventions , therefore they designed certain persons for to do that particular office , whom they called readers . cyprian ordained one a saturus a reader in the church . he tells the clergy and people , that aurelius a confessor , was ordained a reader by him , ep. . and he designed the office of a reader to celerinus . ep. ead . now although this office was offered to some , yet usually it was the deacons work to read the scripture in the holy church-assembly . hierom reproved sabinianus , because , after he had sollicited a virgin to whoredome , b he , as a deacon read the gospel . sozomen , l. . c. . and niceph. l. . c. . do witness , that this office amongst divers , was translated to the deacons : and the deacons are judged worthy to read what christ spoke in the gospel . conc. vasens . . c. . and thereupon optatus , a sub-deacon , in cyprian , ep. . is called , doctor audientium , i. e. the teacher of them that hear . the audientes , of whom more afterwards , were called those that were lately admitted , as if one should say , the tyro's [ or new beginners ] in the christian faith , so called , ab audiendo , from hearing ; who , though they were not admitted to the holy eucharist , yet might be present at the reading of the scriptures ; and therefore the readers to them were called doctors , [ or teachers . ] in divers churches also , only the priests , and upon solemn dayes , the bishops performed this office , as sozomen hist . l. . c. . lastly , they that read the scripture , stood in a pulpit , or tribunal of the church , as cyprian , ep. . i. e. in some higher place than the rest , from whence the lessons were read ; and cypr. calls that place a tribunal metaphorically ; for the tribunal was an high place , out of which judgment was given to the tribes [ or wards . ] so that he who performed publickly the offices of religion in the church-assembly , was not severed from the presence of the people , into an angle of the church , there secretly to celebrate the offices of divine worship , like some conjurer , that mutters to himself what he sayes , ( as now it is the practice in popish churches : ) but in the sight of all he uttered what he had to say , or read with a loud voice , which all that were present might understand : as once the holy man ezra stood in a pulpit of wood , which he had made for the purpose , that he might speak freely in the face of the congregation . neh. . so in cyprian's age , he that read the law , and the gospel of our lord , being raised up with the advantage of an higher place , was seen of all the people ; that the reading of the scriptures might better be observed of the hearers , and the reader being set on high , might be seen of the people that stood about him . eusebius confesses , that the scriptures were so publickly read in the temples , that through the world were erected to god , that they might be heard of all . de praepar . evang. l. . c. . & const. ap. l. . c. . it is appointed , that the reader should read out of an high place . that was also a token of reverence to the scriptures , as once it was amongst the jews , neh. . . and therefore , because a bishop at alexandria rose not up when the gospel was read , it is recited as an unusual fact in the church . sozom. . . and thus much for the publick reading of the scriptures every day , especially on the lords dayes , in use among the ancients . chap. iii. explaining of scriptures on the lords dayes , which was called tractatus [ or treating upon , or handling a place . ] whose office it was to do this . who the clerici were among the ancients . bishops , q. watchers , overseers , superintendents . the bishops interpreted the scriptures : the presbyters , deacons , catechists , and sometimes also private men did the same . since the sabbath was given for understanding the creatour , and not for idleness sake , as athanasius de sabb. & circumcis . therefore the ancients have to the uttermost of their power endeavoured , that by what means they could , they might augment the churches knowledge , by their labours on that day . for this end , the church being assembled , the holy scriptures ( from whence the knowledge of divine things flowes ) were distinctly read : after the reading whereof , followed their explication . this was used in the church while the apostle was alive . while he prescribes the manner to those that prophecy in the church , he charges them to look to , that what they speak , they may promote men in the study of piety , while to that work they either make make use of exhortation , or comfort , cor. . . neither was the use of prophecying left off in the following church ; as may every where easily be observed in the fathers . after the apostles and prophets writings , the minister made an oration , wherein he instructed the people , and exhorted them to the imitation of such excellent things a . ambrose b interpreted the appointed lessons , and did apply them to the peoples present use . origen saith , the christians in their readings , and the explication of them , did exhort the people to piety towards the blessed and great god , and to other virtues , the inseparable companions of piety . contra celsum , l. . after the ordinary scriptures were read , c saith austin , i came to my sermon . the same appears every where out of the fathers treatises . this explication of the scriptures , with us is called ▪ sermon , but with the ancients a treatise . origen exhorteth to reading the scripture , and treating . hom. . in num. ambrose l. . ep . . & cyprian de bono pudicitiae . and they that explained the scriptures , were called tractatores [ treatisers , or treaters . ] hieronym . adv . errores joh. hierosolymitan . saith , he esteems of apostles after one sort , and of other treaters after another . and ep. ad august . he calls those treaters , that did interpret the holy scriptures . aug. ep. . in explicating this section about treatises upon scriptures , first , we will consider whose office it was to interpret them . secondly , the manner which they used in explaining of them . in the third place , something shall be added about the time , at which the ancients did attend these . in the first place , we will speak of the treaters themselves . those to whom the administration of the word was committed by god , in the scriptures , they were by a name familiar enough to the fathers , called clerici , [ the clergy ] or in clerum ascripti [ admitted into the clergy ] either because matthias was chosen by lot , who was the first that we read of that was ordained by the apostles ( so augu. in psal . . ) or because they are the lords lot , 〈…〉 should possess him for their lot and inheritance , with the children of levi for ever . so austin , in prolog . in psal . if that preface be austins . hierom gives almost the same reason , who fatih , they are the lords lot , and because the lord himself is the lot , that is , the portion of the clergy . the apostle comprehends all to whom any publick charge in the church of the philippians was committed , under bishops and deacons , philip. . . where , under the name of bishops , he understandeth all that especially executed the office of teaching : and under the name of deacons , he intimates others that ministred . the name of bishop is a general appellation , signifying all those that labour in the word of god , and attend upon the cure of souls . whence the office of an apostle is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , [ a bishoprick ] act. . . and by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , are elegantly described men that administer the word according to the scriptures . for it signifies both indulgently to attend , as shepherds their flocks ( as jacob , gen. . , , . ) that they may drive away wild beasts from the sheep ; and to watch like watch-men , ezek. . . i have made thee a watch-man to the house of israel ; namely , that thine adversaries come not near thee , who threaten thee destruction . so heb. . . the teachers of the gospel are said to watch for the souls of the church . the holy scripture * calls these watchmen , who watch the actions of all men , and with an aim of religious curiosity , spie out , how every one liveth with his houshold in his house , how with the citizens in a city . where the duties of bishops , or watchmen is excellently set out . ambrose interprets bishops , super inspectores , [ overseers ] lib. de dignitate sacerdotali , cap. . hierom contends , that they are most truly called superintendentes , because they are to look diligently over [ or superintend ] every one in their flock : and ep. ad evagrium , he renders the greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by superintendentes . these words therefore , do not signifie any perfunctory inspection , which only is undertaken for knowledge sake ; but a diligent and accurate watchfulness , that ought to be bishops , that they might make provision of necessary means to feed their flocks , and instruct them to live piously . as alipius was , whom austin ep. . acknowledges to be a pastor carefully governing the lords pasture sheep . under the title of bishop , both bishops and presbyters are comprehended . and though there be some that distinguish not a presbyter from a bishop , yet i do with austin , who expounds the words oratio , precatio , & postulatio , choose to understand that by these words , which all . or almost all the church doth often use . ep. . therefore , since according to the custom of the church , or according to the words of honour * which the church useth , the office of a bishop is greater than that of a presbyter : the highest ministry in the church is now signified under the title of bishop . the bishops work was especially to interpret the holy scriptures , when the church was gathered together : and therefore i think their power was of the ancients signified in the name cathedra , ( because chiefly it consisted in teaching . ) optatus a saith , the first gift of the church was cathedra , whereby is signified , that the churches power is instructive ; and for this cause , aug. b confesses , that christs chair [ or cathedram ] succeeded moses chair . i. e. the apostles of christ succeeded the interpreters of moses and the prophets . the bishops duty therefore is , to instruct the people commended to their care : and hierom thinks c this ability to be so necessary for them , that it can profit a bishop nothing at all to have the testimony of his virtues in his own mind , except he be able to instruct the people committed to him . and d hilary acknowledges , that by the necessary virtue of his office , he is bound to serve the church in preaching the gospel . and therefore e athanasius excited dracontius to take upon him a bishoprick ( to which he was elected ) with this reason , because the people by whom he was made bishop , did expect that he would bring them meat out of the doctrine of scripture . neither did the greatest bishops decline that charge , but rather for a bishop to abstain from preaching , seemed to a gregory the great a foul shame , and wicked act , and he saith , that he is dead that walks without the sound of preaching . ibid. since therefore the principal duty of bishops is terminated in doctrine , ( to which , by necessity of office they are obliged , and without which , although they otherwise live a pious life , they are not to be adorned with the title of bishops ) their first and principal charge was , to interpret the word of god ( the onely subject for all doctrine of ministers in the church , luk. . . ) when the church was assembled for hearing the same ; that the most vigilant bishops of old did this with great praise , and for the great fruit of the church , their most learned treatises , which are extant among their works do testifie . but to explain the holy scripture , in the churches publick assembly , did not only lie upon bishops , but upon presbyters also , and that ex officio . so pet. . . therefore the second chair in the church was assigned them by the fathers . so clem. alexand. strom. l. . origen saith , b that some deacons in his age , did seek after the first chairs of them who are called presbyters . if the chair was assigned to them , then it was their duty to instruct the people in the doctrine of the gospel : if it had not been their duty to feed the church with the food of the word and sacraments , why should st. paul charge them to take heed unto themselves , and to all the flock , over the which the holy ghost had made them overseers , to feed the church of god ? augustine being a yet a presbyter , while valerius was alive , edified the church with the word and sacraments . it was the custome at alexandria , that ( although one was set over all ) the presbyters kept their churches apart , and gathered the people committed to them into assemblies , sozom. hist . l. . c. . and taught them so gathered together , as an assembly . niceph . l. . c. . neither was this power of teaching the people taken away from the presbyters of alexandria , until arius , a presbyter , disputing about his doctrine , introduced a new one . sozom. . . socrates tells us , that the presbyters , as well as the bishops of caesaria , cappadocia , and in cyprus , did interpret the scriptures , l. . c. . in conc. vasens . secund . not only in cities , but in all parishes , the power of preaching was given to presbyters . can. . yea , this they were to do in the presence of the bishop . constit . ap. l. . c. . the dispencing therefore of the mysteries of god , was committed to presbyters , as well as to bishops , for they are over the church of christ , and in breaking of the lords body and bloud are partakers with bishops , and likewise in teaching of the people , and in the office of preaching . conc. aquisgrav . . c. . these , and many other things , do shew , that with the ancients the publick preaching of the word was committed to presbyters , and for this cause , it is determined by the apostles sentence , that double honour is due to them . in the third place , sometimes this office of treating out of the scriptures , was committed to deacons . for although at first they saw to the collections , and distributing of alms , yet afterwards they performed other offices : in their hands was the care of preserving all order in the holy church assembly : wherefore a deacon is said to be consecrated , not to the priesthood , but to the ministry . conc. carth. . c. . but it is certain , that other offices than those that were committed to them from the beginning , fell to deacons ; yea , in scripture they begun to use stephen and philip , to take off some part of the ministry , as the church encreased . we read that the deacons discoursed out of scripture , and preached the gospel , act. . and . and that philip was one of the seven deacons , act. . . so austin thinks too . who , ex utroque quaest . in . & can. . conc. ancyrani , are said , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i. to preach ; which power they are deprived of , by the authority of that council , if through cowardize they had sacrificed in the torments . fourthly , we read that catechists had sometimes liberty to teach publickly in the church . origen , who had not yet attained to the degree of a presbyter , was asked by alexander bishop of hierusalem , and theoctistus , bishop of the church in the same caesaria , that he would open the scriptures , in the publick assembly of the church at caesaria in palestine . also euelpis was asked by leo bishop of laranda , paulinus , by celsus bishop of iconium , and theodorus , by atticus bishop of synada . we read these things in eusebius hist . l. . c. . nicephorus also relates , that origen did interpret the scriptures amongst them of alexandria , l. . c. . and no wonder , when private men were sometimes permitted to preach the word of god ; namely , when there were none deputed to that office , who might perform it , nor could be used any means of faith any other way . this did aedesius and frumentius among the indians , to their great commendation , and the no small profit of the church ; where there were none executing any ecclesiastical function , to call together publick assemblies , and perform the divine mysteries . theodoret also records , that a woman converted the iberi to the truth of christian religion , hist . l. . c. . but none doubts , but that this was done extraordinarily , because this charge was not committed to them , according to the order which is to be observed in the church : although bishops were wont sometimes to exhort those whom they knew to be fit among the laity , that they might thereby something profit the people by expounding the scriptures , and preaching , to exercise this charge , even in their presence . so eusebius , ubi supra . chap. iv. the manner of expounding scriptures in use among the ancients . treating begun with prayer . texts of the treatises . scriptures being read , were applied to the peoples use . the treaters did sometimes stand , and sometimes sit : after treating followed prayers : after those were ended , a psalm was sung to [ praise ] god. these are they to whom the expounding of scripture was committed among the ancients : which things being declared , somewhat remains to be spoken of the manner which was observed by them in ther expositions . in the first place , when they were to treat out of scripture , they saluted the people . so optatus contra parmenianum , libro vet . and what kind of salutation that was , is taught in const . ap. l. c. . chrysost . also in hom. . in coloss . namely , the grace of our lord jesus christ , and the love of god the father , and the communion of the holy ghost , be with you all , &c. but afterwards it was usual with the bishops to salute the people in another manner than the presbyters ; which was prohibited in conc. bracarensi . can. . this salutation being premised , whether without further prayer to god , they set upon their treating , is doubted by some . but if the love-feasts in use among christians , were not performed without the office of prayer ; ( for before they sate down , they first took a taste of prayer to god , and when the supper was finished , prayer determined the feast ; ) if , i say , their banquets were never celebrated but with prayer to god , much less durst they set upon the expounding of the holy scriptures , without the invocation of gods name being premised . but this i will advertise the reader of , that the industry of antiquity hath so carelesly touched this part of holy things , that there is but a very little which at this day we can find delivered in the records of the ancients , about this matter . and neither is it to be wondred at , nor is it unusual . there are in this age divers sermons of very learned divines , published , which are not uttered but with prayer to god first made , and yet none of those prayers are prefixed to the printed copies . we may conjecture the same of the ancients treatises , without any injury to the truth : which , doubtless , the pious fathers never entred upon without prayers to god first premised ; which thing i will now manifest by some testimonies . the godly prayer of a certain holy man is extant in † chrysostom . i know , saith st. chrysostom , a certain godly man that prayed thus ; before these words , he said nothing , namely , we give thanks to thee for all thy benefits , which have been conferred on us unworthy wretches , from the first to this present day ; for those we know , and those we know not : for those that are manifest , and those that are not manifest : for what have been done in work or word : for what have been done voluntarily , and unvoluntarily : for all things that have been made for us unworthy creatures , for afflictions , for recreations , for hell , for punishment , for the kingdom of heaven . we pray thee preserve our soul holy , having a pure conscience , and to make our end worthy thy clemency . thou that hast so loved us , as to give us thy onely begotten son ; vouchsafe us to be worthy thy love . give us wisdom in thy word , and in thy fear . o onely begotten christ , inspire us with thy fortitude . then that hast given for us thy onely begotten , and sent forth thy holy spirit for the remission of our sins ; if we have willingly , or against our will sinned , pardon it , and impute it not to us . remember all them that call upon thy name in truth . remember all that wish us well and ill . for we are all of us men . and then having added a prayer of the faithful , as it were for a certain conclusion and winding up for all persons , he having made this prayer , here he ended . and thus he . the aforesaid prayer was rehearsed in chrisostom's presence , but where , or when , it is not evident out of the fore-cited place . it seems to me , without prejudicing others , to have been recited by one that was entring upon a treating out of the word of god ; especially since he calls him , by whom it was used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i. e. a holy man. and secondly , he used this prayer when he begun to speak : for before it he said nothing . thirdly , chrysostom speaks of his frequent using it , when he himself was also present : but laicks had never liberty to pray frequently , when any of the clergy were by ; much less when st. chrysostom was present : who yet confesses , that he heard him , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i. so to pray . fourthly , the whole form of the prayer shews plain enough , that it was used publickly : for whetherfoever he give thanks , or petition god in it , he pleads not only his own cause , but others , and alwayes speaks in the plural number . fifthly , he seems to speak it with respect had to the word ; for he begs for wisdom in the word . lastly ; he said nothing before he used it , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . but it is not credible , that the men of that age did in their ordinary discourses burn with such an ardency of zeal towards god , as that they would not begin them without premising prayer to god. these things perswade me to believe , that the aforesaid prayer was used publickly , at the treating upon the word : but let the wise judge . basilius m. shews , that prayers were wont to be said by the whole assembly , after that the president went up into the pulpit to teach , or expound any thing out of the scriptures ; for he makes this the beginning of his sermon : i need the prayers of them that love the lord , that by the grace of the good god and his christ , the holy and good spirit may admonish and teach us , those things it hath heard from the lord , and may direct our mind into the way of peace , and into found words to the edifying of faith . basil . de baptism . austin useth the same preface , when he begins his fifteenth sermon , de verbis apostoli . * cyprian spoke not only the words which came from the fountains of the scripture , but with the words he joyned prayers , and requests to god , that both for himself and his auditors he might both open the treasures of his sacraments , and also that he would give strength to supply them with what they should know . these things shew , that the blessed martyr at his treating out of the scripture , did pour out prayers to god , that what he said might be useful both to himself and his hearers ; for without gods mercy , all the watchfulness of a pastor is in vain . therefore did cyprian adjoyn prayer to his treatises , to implore the mercy of god , that what was heard might turn into deeds . yea , austin judges , that prayer is so necessary to him that is to treat upon the scripture , before he begin that work , * that none , in his opinion , ought to teach them before he pray , and that at the same time , before he let loose his tongue to preach , he lift up his thirsty soul to god , that he may cast up that which he hath drunk in . and afterwards , cap. . let him that is to speak to the people , pray that god would give good words into his mouth , &c. and what augustine required of other doctors , with great devotion he performed himself , in that he earnestly begged of god , when he spoke to the people , that he † might utter what was true , and suitable in his sermon , and what the hearers might understand , and what they might believe . . when the prayer was ended , they entred upon the treatise : and they were usually wont to preach to the hearers out of the lessons of scripture which were then read . tertullian a saith , that the lessons of scripture were rehearsed in the assembly , as the quality of the times required , either to forewarn , or to call to remembrance : that is , they applied the scriptures that were read , to the quality of the times . so sayes justin martyr , the president instructed the people with his oration , to imitate those things which were read in the records of the prophets and apostles , ap . . ambrose applied the b history of job , and prophecy of jonas , as he read them , to the use of his hearers . august . tract . in joh. c. . & . and the same appeareth every where from those treatises . origen saith , that he intended briefly to admonish his hearers , of those things that had been read , hom. . in levit. athanasius saith , in the beginning of his oration de semente , we have heard now how jesus went through the corn fields , and how he healed the withered hand ; wherefore ● think it convenient , if we discourse a little upon the lesson in the gospel . sometimes they also did interpret that place of scripture , which the people were greatly desirous should be explained unto them : which the words of basil m. who was about to make a sermon to the people on christs baptisme , do testifie . for he saith , that he entertained with a ready mind , their pious admonition in christ , about the most glorious baptism of christ : and acknowledgeth , that he will be very ready to speak of it according to his ability . thirdly , in their treatises they lookt to this , that what was read should be applied to the peoples use . so tertull. ap . c. . justin martyr , apol. . saith , that the president did exhort the hearers to the imitation of what was read : and not without reason ; for to preach , is , according to isychius , in levit. lib. . c. . to exhort the people . origen contra celsum , lib. . affirms , that the christians expounded the scriptures as they read them , that they might exhort the people to piety towards god , and unto other virtues . ambrose also accommodated the scriptures , as they were read , to the present use and edification of the people , partly , by teaching , and partly , by reproving . see the beginning of serm. . the same he does in lib. . ep. . and chrysostom confesses , that he fulfilled that charge , by convincing , rebuking , and admonishing . * moreover , these treaters , as they expounded the scriptures , did sometimes stand , cor. . and sometimes they sate . for the bishops seat ( whose office it was chiefly to treat out of scripture ) was set in the midst of the church , on either side whereof the presbyters sate . constit . ap. lib. . cap. . when chrysostom preach'd unto the people , he sate in the pulpit , or chair , as his manner was . niceph. lib. . c. . chrysostom himself confesses , that he sate in the pulpit and taught . hom. de non contemnenda ecclesia , t. . p. . all sate when they taught the people , in optatus his time ; although hierom taxeth the superciliousness of some bishops , smelling of the pride of this world , who , being set as in a watch-tower , will scarcely vouchsafe to look upon mortal men , and otherwise their fellow servants . and the epistle of the council of antioch reckoneth this amongst the portentous manners of samosatenus , that he , being not content with a mean one , as a disciple of christ , hath erected himself an ascent in the church , and a chair of state , like one of the princes of this world . euseb . hist . . c. . gregory nazianzen also nippeth the pride of ministers , who fit upon high thrones , and that lift up their superciliousness higher than the theatres themselves . fourthly , as they begun their treatises with prayer , so when they were ended , they stirred up the people to call upon god. this did athanasius , when he ended his sermon de semente . but because , saith he , our discourse hath proceeded far enough , let us arise and stretch forth holy hands , that having called upon the god of all things , we may enjoy his assistance , through christ our lord. the same did basil , as appears from the end of hom. . hexaemer . when the minister , saith justin martyr , hath finished his sermon , we all rise up , and pour out our prayers , ap. . after exposition , the priests by appointment lift up their hands to heaven . isychius in levit. lib. . c. . the prayer of st. austin , which he used after all his sermons and treatises , is extant in the end of his commentaries upon the psalms , in these words ; we , being converted to the lord god , our omnipotent father , let us with a pure heart give him , so far as our weakness is able , great and unfeigned thanks , praying with our whole mind , for his singular meekness , that in his good pleasure he would vouchsafe to hear our prayers : and that by his power he would expell the enemy from our actions and thoughts ; multiply our faith , rule our mind , afford us spiritual cogitations , and bring us to his blessedness , through jesus christ his son , and our lord , who liveth and reigneth with him , being god , in the unity of the holy ghost , through all ages . amen . this very same prayer is extant also serm. . de verbis domini . lastly , when prayers were ended , they sung hymns [ or psalms ] to god. it is ordained , concil . toletan . . can. . circ . ann . . that not before , but after the gospel be preach't , hymns be sung . so basil ▪ neither did they begin to sing psalms , before their having made confession to god , they rose up from prayer . chrysostom teaches the same from the example of christ . hom. . in matth. chap. v. whether the bare reading of scriptures in the church-assembly be properly preaching ? and how the reading of scripture may be called preaching ? these are the things which are chiefly to be observed touching the great labours which the fathers took in their continual treatises upon the holy scriptures : whom , he that shall seriously observe , will evidently find , with a small ado , that the pious and laborious fathers in instructing the people , were not of that mind , as if the naked reading of scripture were sufficient to instruct the christian people in the understanding of them , without undertaking any farther explication of them to the peoples use : which divers treaters of this age are not ashamed to urge . they that assert this , do either not excell in any faculty to interpret the scriptures , or the holy ghost hath indued them with no meet gifts to undergo that office , ( to which they are wanting , through their carelesness ) with dexterity , and to the churches great profit . and that such should stand for the bare reading of scripture , and decline painful treating out of the same , i no more wonder at them , than at the fox , ( as it is in the fable ) that had his own tayl cut off , the want of which he thought himself truly disgraced by ) who perswaded the other foxes also to cut off their ●ayles , ( as if they were both a burden and blemish to them : ) so these men , being unfit to expound scripture themselves , could not envy others this ability . if these mens eye ( mat. . . ) be not evil , out of which in due time it would be convenient to pluck their beam , let them consider . as for those that judge they may safely forbear labour in expounding the scriptures , although they be of god endued with a tolerable ability to undergo that burden ▪ i cannot without grief of mind consider , and admire their slothfulness , and yet they contend for the scriptures , as if to them nothing was more dear than reading of the scriptures , which they glory of before others , that they highly value . when the learned divine . mr. s. a. seriously weighed the temper of these men with himself , it came into his mind , how aurelius fuscus blamed livy , for commending thucydides writings : for he praised thucydides writings ; not for thucydides sake , but because he thought that he could the more easily overcome sallustius , if he preferred thucydides first : so any man , though of no fine judgment , may here smell out these mens disposition : they commend the bare reading of the scriptures to the church , not because they are delighted therein , but that under this pretence they may oppose their necessary explication ; in which , while they give up themselves to idleness , they observe others , not without some stomaching , carnestly to bestow their pains . there is no body so shameless , as to deny , that the reading of scripture in the church-assembly , is necessary for increasing both the faith , and knowledge of the people : and he that readeth scripture , doth after a manner preach them , i deny not : since any may either by hand or writing , evangelize . i. e. declare abroad . but this word preaching is here more strictly to be taken : under which , after reading of the scriptures , ( alwayes in use and esteem in the church of god , as formerly hath been shown ) both their interpretation , and application to the hearers , are comprehended , which the father 's used , when the reading of scripture was ended , as the testimonies cited in the fore-going chapter do manifest . nor do the scriptures say otherwise : for it 's said , act. . . that moses was preached , when he was read every sabbath day : because it was a custome of the jews to interpret the scriptures as they were read , neh. . , , . the elders of the levites interpreted the law , when it was read unto the people . philo judaeus makes mention of this custome , who was coetaneous to the apostles , in euseb . de praeparat . evang. lib. . c. . when the priest , saith he , or one of the elders reads the law , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , he expounds it severally , ( we use that word , when we bring a more full exposition , and rehearsal of a thing ) and that through the whole seventh day . and if no more than a naked reading of scripture had been required to constitute a fit minister of the new testament , st. paul having obtained an embassy from the lord to preach the gospel , had not dealt seriously with god , when he would have an open mouth , and free to preach the same granted , which yet he did with all his heart , col. . . where he is to be thought to ask for something more than a faculty to read the scriptures . and when the lord taxeth the watchmens blindness in isaiah , is . . . whom he calls greedy dogs , feeding themselves , that are ignorant , doth he only brand them for being ignorant of reading scripture ? moreover , if nothing were required by a minister of the gospel than reading of the scripture , then he that once shall read them in the sacred church-assembly , must straightway be said to preach them , as though he had abundantly fulfilled the part of a gallant treater ; and so at length he that being called before a tribunal into judgment , for being guilty of some smaller crime , and shall , according to the custome of some kingdomes bottomed upon obsolete canons , distinctly read some part of the holy scripture , which the judge offers him , that he , having some milder punishment inflicted , may escape with his life , for his skill in reading ; i see not why such a watchman should not be judged acute , and fit enough , because he readeth as a clergy-man : and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i. e. to divide the word of truth aright ( to undergo which task , if we ask paul , he will answer , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i. who is sufficient ? cor. . . ) will according to them be nothing else but to read the word of truth distinctly : and at last it will come to this , that the religious education of youth in the universities , that they may make themselves better furnished to undergo the charge of preaching the gospel , will be in vain . how little the defenders of this opinion do differ from the gnosimachi , let them look to it . damascen witnesseth , that they were such adversaries to the knowledge of christians , that they said , that it was a vain , and less necessary labour in them , who sought for any knowledge in the divine scriptures . but who will there be found desirous of divine knowledge , that will not be weary of these fooleries ? and what to judge of the premises , viz. whether a reader of scripture may deservedly , and properly in the church of god be called a preacher of them ? let the wise judge of it . since preaching cannot univocally be predicated of simple reading of the scriptures , and their interpretation and application . for preaching hath reading previous to it , but reading of scriptures doth not contain in it their explication . i will add nothing of the difference in the words , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . chap. vi. the time assigned to the treatises of the ancients ; namely , how long they continued their treatises , were not long , usually about an hour : but they were not tyed to an hour : none was to go out before the treatise was ended . for the fuller discovery of these treatises out of holy scripture , something is in the third place to be added , of the time assigned by the ancients to their treatises : touching which , a double question doth occurr : first , how long their treatises lasted , secondly , how often treated they in the week . for the continuance of their treatises , the fathers troubled themselves but a little : and therefore they continued their sermons an hour , and sometimes longer : and that they were not long in their treatises , may be observed from origen's , and all the other fathers ( who drew not out their sermons to any long time with the people ) their manner of treating . for they thought it to be much more advised to teach often , than long : and those who treated out of the scripture , looked to that , of which once hierom admonished augustin ; namely , * lest the sermon being drawn out too long , could not be understood ; for they knew well enough , that a satiety in a sermon was no less an enemy to the ears , than too much meat to the body , as greg. nazianz. orat. . therefore , lest their unpleasant prolixity should beget in the hearers a loathing of the sermon , they were cautious for this respect . basilius m. † being moved with this consideration , ended his morning sermon [ the sooner ] lest he should make his auditors more dull against the evening assembly . besides , they judged , that holy doctrine was to be instilled by little and little , for defect of understanding in the people : which * chrysost . declares by a similitude from a mother that makes way to bring a sucking infant to solid meat : she doth not pour much at once into the mouth of a meer infant , lest , what was poured in , be forthwith cast up again of the child : therefore the mother doth pour in by little and little , and so what is given , is presently by the child sent through him without any trouble . after this manner , the fathers propounded not many things to their hearers , at one and the same time , lest what they had proposed , should slip out of their auditors minds ; and therefore they chose rather to propound what they had to say , at distinct times . chrysostome also , hom. . in gen. assignes this very reason ; namely , that they might better consider with themselves what they had heard . but although they did not protract their sermons very long , yet was there a time set for the doctrine of the sermon , that neither the teachers should weary themselves with the multitude of words , nor the hearers . * and he that shall say , that the time of a whole sermon was determined within the space of about an hour , will not much miss it : as appears from basil's second sermon in psal . . where he saith , that he could not finish yesterday his sermon with them , under an houres space , and what remained , he deferred till the following day . † origen reproved some men that rather followed their worldly , than spiritual affairs ; because they assigned one or two hours of a whole day to god , and come to prayer in the church ; but spend their principal care about the regard of the world and their belly . from which , it 's given to understand , how long they were present at the church-assembly ; namely , one or two hours . austin confesseth , that he carefully avoided speaking in his sermons to the people , of the abominable sin against the holy ghost , because he could not finish this question , which of all he judged the greatest , a within the space of an hour . ( namely , at the publick-assembly . ) the same appears out of chrysostom , when he reproves those that forsook the communion , and congregation of the saints ; especially , because , whereas the week having an hundred sixty eight houres , god hath set apart one for himself , and they would spend this about secular , and ridiculous matters . hom. de euchar. and elsewhere , hom. de non contemnenda eccles . t. . p. . he makes mention of two hours in which the church is to attend spiritual affairs . idem , t. . p. . but they were not so tyed to an houres space , as that upon any necessary occasion emerging , they might not continue their sermon longer to the people . what austin a answers to urbicus , about the continuance of fasts , may be referred hither ; he thought that if any necessity arose , a dinner was not to be preferred to a more urgent action . which he confirms by the example of the church , act. . which thought it not much to hear st. paul continuing his sermon till midnight . to judge the same of treatises ( which upon some urgent necessity , may be longer continued than ordinary ) who will judge it to be alien from the christian faith ? yet whether their treatises were long or short , he that went out of the auditory , before the treater had finished his sermon , was obnoxious to the churches censure . chrysostom , for this cause , doth severely pinch some that waited not for the last sentence of the mystery . and elsewhere he requires it of all , that none go out of the church before they be dismissed . for if any went out before the dismission , he was , as a fugitive , required his reason . homil. de non contemnenda eccles . in the fourth council of carthage , canon . it is provided , that he that goes forth while the priest is speaking , shall be noted with the terrible censure of excommunication . see the twenty eighth canon concil . aurelian . . ann . . also can. . concil . agathensis , ann . . lastly , because the auditors were not to go out of the church-assembly till the end of the treatise , the treaters , when they had ended their treatises , conferred their help in pouring out their prayers ; as formerly hath been shewn in the fourth chapter . i onely add this , that chrysostome commends his hearers that received his admonitions with great chearfulness , and that they were not offended with their prolixity , but preserved a continual desire of hearing , with an extreme setledness of vigour , even to the end . in princip . homil. . in genesin . chap. vii . the ancients treated every day out of scripture : and did not prohibit those that taught others diligently , from that their diligence in teaching . in the second place , it will not be unprofitable to find out , how often we read that this was done by the ancients , within a weeks compass , or how often the fathers were wont to treat out of the scripture to the people . to which question i answer briefly , and say , that they buckled themselves to this work every day , ( as occasion offered ) but especially on lords dayes , on which they were not wanting twice to sustain this labour , when they had liberty for persecution . but because this , through some mens prejudice , may seem a thing hard to believe , we will plead with the very testimonies of the gravest authors , and will teach both , by the grace of god , out of their records . in the first place , they used to preach to the people every day , which will appear to him that looks into their treatises . for how often do we meet with this phrase in the beginning of their treatises , yesterday's sermon ? — ambr. de sacramentis , l. . c. . also l , . c. . also serm. . which he begins in the same manner . chrysostom thinks it necessary that a bishop should preach every day ; and he shews the fruit of this diligence , that by continuance in teaching , the auditors minds might retain the sermon . chrys . de sacerdotio , lib. . and what burden the grave father imposed upon other mens shoulders in this business , yet he declined it not himself through a pharisaical austerity , though it were hard to be born , which his sermons shew . ye made yesterday , which had been the devils festival , to be the spirits feast-day , because ye received what we said to you , with a great desire of mind , &c. hom. de lazar. hom. . in gen. he saith , ye learned yesterday the excellent modesty of the patriarch hom. . in gen. thus he begins ; the reliques of yesterdayes table , i set before you to day . such prefaces as these do frequently occurr in his homilies . hom. . ad populum . although i have spoken to you of this matter , yesterday , and the day before yesterday , yet shall i not perswade you to it to day , nor to norrow , nor the next day after to morrow , &c. hom. . ad populum . with the same beginning , and like prefaces , with which i begun yesterday , and the day before yesterday , i will also begin to day . these , and many others , that may be observed in him , do plainly shew , that he performed the office of treating out of scripture every day to the people . greg. nyss . orat. . de martyribus , makes mention of the things he had spoken the day before to the people ; and in an oration next after that , he calls to their remembrance what he had declared yesterday . austin thus begins his second sermon in psalm . the later part of the psalm upon which we spoke yesterday to your charity , remains to be explained by me to day . tract . . in joh. he mentions , yesterdays labour , and yesterdayes lesson . tract . . in johan . & tract . . he begins tractat. . after this manner , this dayes lesson out of the gospel follows the sermons that i repeated to you , yesterday , and the day before yesterday , &c. cyprian by his daily treating out of the gospels , endeavoured to encrease the saith and knowledge of his hearers . nicephorus affirms , that alexander comforted the church daily , with his divine instructions . hist . l. . c. . and thus much for the daily labours of the doctors of the church , which they spent in the explication of scripture : whose diligence was so great , over their flocks commended to their charge , to feed them saithfully with the bread of life , that they would not abstain from the continual labours of treating . they became not at that time lookers after their secular affairs , relicta cathedra [ i. leaving the chair ] ( which thing was a grief to cyprian , de lapsis , sect . . ) as afterwards they were ; or did they grow too rank with excessive stipends : but , as their chief charge was bounded in doctrine , so they thought not much to bestow their most diligent labour in this office , though very toylsome : and the more frequently and officiously they executed the charge of preaching to the people , the greater honour had they from all good men , according to the apostles canon , tim. . . which theodosius junior did piously observe . socr. l. . c. . nor do i remember that i have read any where in the ancients , that any man was interdicted ( who being not deprived of the faculty of preaching , by the church , or was not subject to its censure ) that he should not , so often as conveniently he could , instruct the people committed to him in the knowledge of the scriptures . cyprian asked the presbyters , in his absence , that they would seriously execute both their own , and his part , in the instructing the church of christ , ep. . and he commends the presbyters that did corroborate every one with their daily exhortations , ep. . the roman clergy exhorted the clergy of carthage , to constancy in executing their office , and to encourage the christians to persevere in the confession of faith , and detestation of idolatry , by arguments drawn out of the holy scriptures , cypr. ep. . but neither cyprian , nor the romans , did prohibit the presbyters of carthage from the diligent function of this office : but provoked them forward to perform it upon every occasion that was offered . this st. chrysostom teacheth elegantly and pithily homil. . in tim. while he exciteth all the doctors of the church ( whom he contends ought so to be called , because they teach ) to labour in the word and doctrine , and stingeth some , that say , that there is no need of the word and doctrine : because , in his judgment , it tendeth no little to the edification of the church , if those that are over the church excell in the grace of teaching : without which , many things in the church-discipline will perish . he doth not therefore greatly reprove those that applied themselves to doctrine , but shews , they are to be greatly honoured . chap. viii . on the lords dayes they were wont to treat twice out of the holy scriptures . that the ancients , when a fit occasion was offered , did treat out of the scripture every day , their own records do teach us : but , as i said in the former chapter , they especially buckled themselves to this work on the lords day : a for it be●oveth those that are set over churches , on all dayes , but especially lords dayes , to teach all the clergy and people the oracles of piety , and the right religion . and as they took pains to explain the scripture every day , so they judged , that all times of the day were fit for a spiritual discourse , chrys . hom. . in gen. yea , though night gr●w on , himself being judge , it prejudiced not spiritual doctrine . and hence it was , that we read , that the ancients explained the scriptures not only in the morning , but evening ( for at both times the church assembled , as is shewn in the first chapter ; ) this their very words will tell us . it appears from the beginning of basils second hom. that one of those sermons was had in the morning , and the other after noon : for he saith , we took time in a few words from the first dawning of the day , &c. hexaem . hom. . and he kept the second hom. about the evening . while on it he interpreted the evening hom. of the first day , he saith , these our discourses of that evening , being now occupied from this evening , do here put an end to our oration . hexaem . hom. secun . circa finem . and he saith in the beginning of his third hom. that one part of these homilies brought morning aliment , and the other evening joy to his hearers . in the end of his seventh hom. he admonishes his hearers to give thanks , and to talk among themselves of those things which both early , and in the evening , his oration yesterday had offered them . in the conclusion of the eighth hom , he puts an end to the morning feast , lest the exuberant satiety of speech make his auditors more dull to receive his evening banquets . in the beginning of the following hom. had upon the same day , he saith , that his oration had set a banquet before his auditors in the morning , and that oration was had about the evening : for he concludes it in this manner , behold , the evening time commands us silence , the sun being now set a pretty while since , here therefore we think it meet , that this our oration should bring us to our bed , or rest . all these to testifie that basil the great held a double treatise out of the scriptures the same day . for he makes mention both of his evening and morning labour undertaken in performing that office by him . neither did great chrysostom give place to basil , although he was called magnus , in the diligent treating out of scripture , who saith , what we have said to day , is very like to that which we yet have determined to speak to day . hom. oportet haereses esse . that place doth shew evidently enough , that chrysostom preach'd twice on one and the same day ; and if the church were but to meet once a day to hear the word of god , with what face could chrysostom have reproved those his auditors that refused to come after their carnal table to a spiritual banquet ? which thing we find him to have done not once . so hom. . in gen. & hom. . ad populum . contrariwise , he commends those that obeyed this admonition , because when they had dined they met in the church . hom. . ad populum . in the beginning of oration , t. . of the greek edition , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. he saith , that he , being wearied with the labours of the morning sermon , reserved the rest , ( namely , till afternoon ) and was wonderfully refreshed with the presence of flavianus . this testifies , that he preached twice that day , otherwise bishop flavianus had not been present to hear him in the afternoon . he that shall look into the beginning of the second sermon of austins in ps . . will grant , that austin did the same . for he commands his auditors to bend their mind to the rest of the psalm , of which he had been speaking in the morning . being content with these authorities of the fathers , ( although we meet with much more in them ) we will add no more . and he that shall weigh these in an equal ballance , will with a little adoe find , that these grave authors did endure the labour of treating twice a day out of the scriptures . now , if any one ( whose palate nau●●ating the old path that leadeth straight to the eternal salvation of the soul , and seeking a new one , the premises do not please ) shall object to me , that from the aforesaid testimonies it is not evident , that the fathers did undergo those labours , in interpreting and treating out of the scripture twice on the lords day , which i should have proved : surely , he that shall say so , will not work me much trouble , nor will he enervate my opinion of the fathers labours declared in this sense ; unless he shall first demonstrate , that the church did on all dayes besides the lords , keep evening assemblies ( on which they had these sermons ) and that they laboured to sanctifie other dayes more than the lords dayes ; which thing , i suppose , he will demonstrate from their grave writings , about the time of later lammas . moreover , if on other dayes , on which the church was permitted to attend on worldly labours , they took pains in so often interpreting of scripture , who will be so far a stranger to right reason , as that he should believe , that they would not bestow so much labour for this business , on the lords dayes , ( on which they , abstaining from all others , were only intent on divine worship ) ? much rather , and better ●●ould they say , in my judgment , if on other dayes they treated twice out of scripture , they would , if occasion served , much oftener give themselves to this labour on the lords day . as sometimes sisinnius being asked , why he would wash himself twice every day in the publick bath , being a bishop ? he answered , because i cannot wash thrice . so the ancient bishops of the church were seriously intent twice on the lords dayes , on the explication of scripture . and if they could get any just occasion to do more than this , they would not avoid the labour of doing it the third or fourth time ; as may be seen by that sermon in austin ; when he , whoever he was that was the author of that sermon , had twice performed the office of explaining scripture , when a new occasion was offered , ( which was an extraordinary one ) on the same day , he did the same the third time . for thus he begins , wonder not , dear brethren , if i to day this third time , by gods assistance , preach unto you . serm. . ad fratres in eremo . we have formerly seen some of basils , both morning and evening sermons ; we read also , that he preach'd twice before noon . in the beginning of his hom. in psalm . . he excuseth himself , that he came somewhat late to some that had waited on him from midnight , and gives the reason , because before he came to them , he had preached in another church : yet those vigils were onely continued from mid-night to mid-day . and thus these things shew , that the fathers did oftener than once treat out of the scripture , on one and the same day . chap. ix . both in old and new testament , in celebrating the sabbaths solemnity , after reading of the scriptures followed the interpretation of them . it 's considered , whether before the babylonish captivity the interpretating of the law was in use among the jews on their sabbath dayes ? there are some , who being not content with the aforesaid testimonies , do further demand an example to be shewn either in the old or new testament : of any pastour labouring in preaching of the word , who bestowed his labour in this work twice on the sabbath dayes . i cannot enough wonder at these mens wit , who will not be removed from the opinion they have espoused , and rather would pluck out their their own eyes , than see what , will they , nill they , they are enforced to see . but come on , i● there be any satisfying of these mens expectation , and let us consider what light may be setch'd from the fountains of scripture to answer this question . from both testaments it is evident , that in the publick assemblies of the church , after reading of scripture , there followed the interpretation of the same . this we have shewn in chap. . so neh. . , , , . they did not onely read plainly the law of god in the publick assembly , but they also expounded the sense of it : and therefore the naked reading of scripture was not thought sufficient by the levites to give the people understanding : otherwise they would have abstained from expounding them from day to noon . so in the jews assemblies which are mentioned in the new testament , alwayes after reading of scripture , followed their explication : see luk. . . act. . . the sacred books being read , they that excelled in doctrine , did afterwards interpret them . so acts . . we read , that moses had in every town those that preached him , being read in the synagogues every sabbath day ; the sense of which scripture we have declared out of philo judaeus . and these things , shew that the scriptures were both read , and by interpretation illustrated in the jewish church . but some there are , that they may elude this answer , who contend , that this manner of interpreting scripture on sabbath dayes , was not in use under the former temple , that is , before the babylonish captivity : because in the writings of moses , in which is extant the institution of the sabbath , before they were returned out of babylon into the land of canaan , we meet with no mention thereof : neither , as they think , is there any command extant , by virtue whereof the priests are obliged to interpret the law on sabbath dayes , successively returning : which opinion is entertained by some with applause . now if it be true , which they say , then the whole manner of the jews keeping holy the sabbath , consisted in meer idleness , or a cessation from labours by gods command , which yet none will easily admit : since not onely in the old sabbath god enjoyned the rest to the people of the jews , but also required holiness in those that ceased from their labours ; otherwise he had not determined the day , on which we are to rest , to be sanctified , which yet he did . observe , saith moses , the sabbath day , to sanctifie it , as the lord thy god hath commanded thee . the rest commanded by god on the sabbath day , was not a part properly called , but an help to its sanctification , as we have taught out of the fathers , book . chap. . the sabbath , saith chrysostome , is given , not for idleness , but that men being withdrawn from the care of temporal things , they might spend the rest of it in spiritual matters . yea , he saith in the same place , that the jews were to attend the hearing of divine sermons . so also origen confesses , that the reader , or doctor of the law , did not cease on sabbath dayes from his work , and yet did not break the sabbath . now what was the work of the reader or doctor of the law , on which they did attend , but to instruct the people in the understanding thereof . athanasius also saith , the sabbath signifieth , or intimateth not idleness , but the knowledge of the author . the sabbath was given for knowledge , and not for idleness , because knowledge is more necessary than idleness . he blamed those who were idle on the sabbath , because they had not that which was proper for the sabbath , that is to say , knowledge of the truth . the sabbath therefore according to st. athanasius , was given men , that they , ceasing from worldly businesses , might freely apply their minds to the means by which they might attain some knowledge of god. and what those means are , we have shewn from chrysostom and origen . st. austin thought , that the jews women might better spin wool , and their men dig the ground , as formerly we have observed out of him , than that they , ceasing from labour , should spend their time in playes : according to whom , something else was required to the sanctification of the sabbath , than meer rest ; namely , the sanctifying of the rest , or the consecration of the rest to the publick exercise of gods worship : which , in what things can it better be observed , than in reading of gods law , and explaining the sense of its words , prayers , and other exercises of piety ? on the sabbath , saith * theodoret , we are commanded to rest , but it 's not any kind of rest ; since the holy ghost hath multiplied our work : and what that work of the spirit is that is multiplied on the sabbath , he afterwards expounds , when he saith , he hath commanded us to labour in prayers and psalms . these things shew , that something more than rest was required of the people on the sabbath day . secondly , if the bible had not been publickly read , and its sense expounded on sabbath-dayes , then none besides the priests and levites , and some others that offered sacrifices to the priests , had been bound to be present on sabbath dayes , in the place destined by god to sacrifice in : for what need was there , that they should onely be present with them that sacrificed ? but the contrary appears from the very text , lev. . . where the solemnity of the sabbath is shown . god appoints , that there shall be an holy convocation . now if a convocation were by god required on the sabbath dayes , then it concerned the people , as well as the priests , to be present at the common assembly ? which being finished , that solemn benediction was pronounced by the priest to the people assembled . num. . . thirdly , if there had been no reading of the law , and explaining thereof , in use among the jews , under the former temple , then the priests had been bound to nothing else , but to serve for offering sacrifices . but the scripture testifies , that the levites were to teach israel the judgments , and law of god , as well as to put incense upon the altar . deut. . . where two offices are assigned to the levites . in the first place , that they teach the people in the law and judgments of god : and secondly , that they put incense upon the altar . but if they had not instructed the people in the law , then they had bestowed their chief care upon the less principal , the other , which was the principal duty , being neglected . and unless the people had been instructed in the meaning of the law , they had wholly been ignorant of the use for which the sacrifices were ordained of god. but aaron and his sons were separated from others by god , to teach the children of israel the statutes of god , lev. . . which they faithfully performed , both privately ( as often as any consulted them upon any emergent question , deut. . , . ) and publickly , for they instructed all israel in the word of god , chron. . . and that charge did , ex officio , lie upon the levites , as well before , as after the captivity , to be indued with the knowledge of all things , that the law might be sought for at their mouth , m.al. . . but when could they with greater fruit draw out the knowledge of gods law to the peoples edification , than in the publick assembly of the church , being gathered together on s. dayes ? since * on other dayes , on which they were to attend their labours , they could not do this . christ when he began his ministry once , did frequently teach in the temple . why did the people wait for zacharias , when he was offering sacrifice , if it were not an usual thing for them to hear some short sermon and benediction from him , before they went out ? christ sate in the temple in the midst of the doctors , hearing and asking them questions : which shews , that it was the custome of a doctor to teach the multitude in the temple . if therefore the law of god was not on the sabbath dayes expounded for the peoples use , and no other exercises of piety but sacrifices , were required of the people , in what thing was the sabbath ennobled above other dayes ? for sacrifices were offered on other besides the sabbath dayes : yea , two lambs were day by day offered for a continual burnt-offering , numb . . therefore the sabbath was not made remarkable by the only worship of sacrifices , above other dayes , on which they attended sacrifices : but besides the sacrifices , were superadded the interpreting of the law , and a serious and pious exercising themselves therein , and other duties of piety : upon which account , the sabbath day was reckoned more holy than other dayes of the week , and the ninety second psalm was for this end written , that the people might sing it in the church on the sabbath day , whereon a holy convocation was held . fourthly , the question propounded by the husband of the shunamitess doth evince the same , kin. . . he asks his wife why she would go to the prophet that day , since it was neither new moon nor sabbath ? which were the ordinary dayes to consult god upon , and to hear his word , according to the famous junius . lyra saith also the same on that place , he spoke this , saith he , because men went more frequently on those dayes to the prophets , to hear gods word : because the prophets were not to attend sacrifices , therefore they that went to the prophets , did it , that they might be instructed in the law and will of god by them : but when could this be better done than on the sabbath ? the famous cunaeus , upon the authority of rabbi aben ezra , affirms , that oracles were consulted on sabbath dayes . de rep. hebraeorum , l. . c. . fifthly , if reading of scriptures , and a clear interpreting of them , had not been prescribed of god , then christ , and after him his apostles , who were faithfully diligent in expounding the law on sabbath dayes , are to be taxed for will-worship ; because they offered god a worship on the sabbath , which he had not commanded them . lastly , that the use of synagogues was among the jews before the babylonish captivity , may be collected from moses , lev. . . where the hebrews by sanctuaries do understand synagogues , in which the people met weekly on sabbath dayes : of whose ruine and vastation the church expostulateth with god , psal . . , . the inscription of which psalm shews , that that psalm was penned when david governed the kingdome : for the inscription is for asaph . it was therefore either penned by asaph , ( who writ some of the psalms as well as david , chron. . . ) or was commended to his care ; who , together with his sons , is recited among those who sung holy songs , chr. . . if therefore , while asaph survived , then were synagogues long in use before the captivity . but for what end were they instituted ? in which sacrifices ( which it was lawful to offer no where else but at hierusalem when the temple was built ) were not offered : but in them was the people instructed in the law of god by the levites , who were dispersed up and down israel , and by others who were delegated of god to that charge and office . which things being considered , let others judge what to say of their uncertain conjecture , who contend , that there was no other interpreting of the law , used under the former temple , besides that which the prophets , being extraordinarily called , undertook . which opinion , being once admitted , it will not be easie to avoid the aforesaid incommodities , as to any one it will appear , by a more narrow search into them . unto whose conjecture , we will , with their good-leave , oppose the authorities both of jews and christians in that particular , being bottomed upon the holy scripture . flavius josephus ( whom according to cunaeus , we are to believe next to the pen-men of holy writ ) pleading the cause of the jews against appion , in his apology ( which in the famous cunaeus opinion is learned to a miracle ) in express words affirms , that moses would have us hear the law not once , or twice , or oftner , but he commands all men , leaving their other works , to meet together to hear the law , and perfectly to learn it , &c. thus he . and if this ordinance of a weekly meeting to hear and learn the law was in force in moses age , then was it long before the babylonish captivity . while philo judaeus contends , that the playes , and ridiculous spectacles of fools and dancers ought to be put away ; he saith , that it was the manner to study philosophy on sabbath dayes , the prince going before , and teaching , what was needful to be done or spoken , the rest giving ear . whereupon he also affirms , that they now should play the philosophers upon sabbath dayes , more patrio , in their country manner ▪ and he acknowledgeth , that oratories in cities were for schools of virtue ▪ more credit therefore is deservedly to be given to the jewes , relating their countrey customes , than to other mens conjectures of them . among the christians , divers very learned men treating of the hebrews common-wealth , have taught the same . amongst whom ▪ carolus sigonius de rep. hebraeorum , l. . c. . and cornelius bertramus , p. . the famous cunaeus ( to whom the christian church is much beholden for his labours in explaining the antiquities of the hebrews ) saith , that the right observation of sabbaths consisted in the holiness of all their words and deeds , and in divine worship and prayers . all which doth plainly evidence , that they used to read the law , and interpret it to the peoples capacity , on the sabbath dayes : otherwise neither their words nor deeds had been noted for holiness : or how else could the minds of the jews have been furnished piously to conceive prayers on sabbath dayes , without the explaining of the scripture ? yea , the learned cunaeus confesses , that the levites in the synagogues did deliver to the people in the towns of judaea , the chief knowledge of all laws , both of humane and divine things : and when could the levites do this with greater profit , than on the sabbath dayes ? in a word , although we deny that at that time the talmudical interpretation of scripture was grown in use , which ▪ we confess the ancient church of the jews knew nothing of : yet we cannot affirm this of the vocal interpretation of the scriptures by the levites . but to return to our purpose ; we find that under the old testament the scriptures were read and opened in the jews assemblie , even the holy ghost being witness , although some doubt of the period of time , at which their interpretation on sabbath dayes began . as for the churches in the new testament , planted by the apostles , they could not , so long as their peace was disturbed with a storm of persecutions , meet together without very great difficulty : for which cause , as we said chap. . they had their meetings sometime on the night , and sometimes on the day ; neither again was it safe for them to hold a meeting all the day . for which cause * tertullian judges , that it was best for christians , if the lords dayes solemnities could not be celebrated on the day time , ( for persecutions whereof he speaks ) then ought they to keep them on the night , if not with every one of them , yet at least with three . these things teach us , that the church was not permitted in that age with safety , and as often as they list , to meet together on the day time , to perform the exercises of piety . he therefore that requires of us some one example for expounding scripture twice ( while the fire of persecution raged , with which that age abounded ) i desire him to tell me , whether the christians did , during that persecution , twice every lords day keep their meetings ? for if it were safe for them to meet , why may they not as well be believed to me●t for interpreting of scripture , and prayer to god , ( since these duties are joyned by the apostle , cor. . and observed by † cyprian , as he faithfully expounded the scriptures ) ? especially when it was the custom of the church , so often as scripture was read , to interpret the same . this we have largely enough shewn out of justin , origen , tertullian , ambrose , augustine , and other fathers of great authority , chap. . since therefore in the jewish , apostolical , and other churches succeeding the apostles , there followed after the reading of the scriptures , an exposition of them , it seems necessarily to follow , that if they had liberty to meet on lords dayes , then they used to treat twice out of scripture : of which there is frequent mention in their assemblies . and it 's certainly evident , from the continual practi●● of the church , that from the very apostles times , prayers and reading were reckoned both together , which were celebrated both morning and evening . no man therefore can judge it unreasonable to say , that there followed an interpretation of those things which were read : because reading was used to instruct the people . but how could the people be instructed in the scripture read , without an interpretation ? the eunuc● answered , acts . . that he could not understand what he read , except some one should guide him . yea , they were wont to treat out of the reading [ or lesson ] as was formerly said . the calamitous condition also of those times , wherein so many cruel persecutions were stirred up , required the same . daily exhortations were very needful to the christians , for to bear the cross of the gospel patiently . neither must we think that these skilful pastours who were set over the church by the apostles , and apostolical men , did not endeavour , as often as they could , to instruct the people committed to them in the matters of faith. st. cyprian , ep. . professes , that he was sore troubled , when he could not go to , and exhort every one , as the lords , and his gospel ministry required , while he was in his banishment . if it were a grief to this vigilant bishop , that because being hindred by his exile , he could not provoke all who were commended to his inspection and care , by his holy exhortations , to piety and patience ; certainly , when he was with his people , if he took care that by a reader the bare reading of the gospel was recited to them , although he stirred not them up by his exhortations to practise what they had heard read , he would never in very deed have thought , that he had shewed himself a faithful bishop . whereupon , it deservedly seems an absurd thing to mr. s. a. a man of ripe judgment , to think , that the primitive bishops faithfully fulfilling their ministry , were content with a naked reading of the scriptures , without any explaining of them to the people : which , if the bishop had not performed , although he might live innocently and without scandal , yet that conversation without preaching , would do hurt by silence , although he might do good by example , as hierom shews , ep. ad oceanum . therefore the diligent overseers of churches would never intermit this , unless they were hindred by some urgent necessity : and therefore , amongst them , after reading of scriptures , there followed an explication of them , as often as the church met . chap. x. the church used prayers on the lords day : conventicles for churches . prayers only to god : the praeses began them : he prepares the people to poure them out . sursum corda , at prayer the voice of all who were present was one : they prayed as the holy ghost suggested to them ▪ how this custome was changed . for what the church prayed . prayer in a known tongue . the posture of the body in prayer . the word amen . thus far of the ministry of the word , whereby was made a solemn observation of the lords day : the second office performed by the church on that day followeth ; this consists in prayer : and the scripture witnesseth , that the church prayed in their assemblies together to god. st. paul commands , that supplications , prayers , intercessions , and giving of thanks be made in churches , tim. . . the apostles and christians are said to continue with one accord in prayer and supplication , act. . . we read , that the church gathered at hierusalem did continue in the apostles doctrine , and fellowship , and in breaking of bread , and prayers , act. . . prayers also are every where reckoned by the fathers amongst the offices of piety celebrated on that day . when the people were congregated to perform the lords dayes solemnities , the scriptures were not onely read , but also petitions were sent away , viz. to god. tertullian de anima , c. . also apol. c. , he saith , that the church assembled into a company , that we praying may by our prayers as it were beset god about with a company made up ; that is , that the prayers of all being gathered together , we may as it were in a certain spiritual host , go unto god with one humble assault , and make him propitious to us and others , as the renowned zanchius expounds it . when the writings of the prophets and apostles were read in the church-assembly , and the same explained by the praeses , all rose up , and poured out their prayers to god , in justins age * . when julian studied to accommodate the greeks manners to the orders of the church , among other things he ordained , * that after the manner of the church , there should be certain prayers for certain houres and dayes . arnobius affirms , that the christians used prayers in their conventicles . lib. . contr . gent. in which place , arnobius calls the places w ch were assigned to the publick assemblies of christians for interpreting of gods word , prayer to god , and administring the h. eucharist , conventicula . as * lactantius , while he makes mention of a certain mans cruelty in phrygia , who burnt all the people together with the conventicle . where he speaks of the place where the church performed the exercises of religion in their assemblies . arnobius also elsewhere mentions these prayers , lib. . where he saith , that the christians with joynt prayers worshipped christ , and begged of him things just , honest , and such as he may well hear . cyril acknowledges , that christians ought on feast-dayes , to frequent the temples of god , and among other duties of religion , to insist upon prayers . lib. . in joh. c. . all these things shew , that prayers were used by the church in their publick assemblies . but christians , when they were assembled , were not intent onely upon prayers , as zonaras would have it , in can. . conc. laodic . for in the fore-going chapter we have observed out of church-records , that in the publick assembly of the church , the scriptures were both read and interpreted by the bishops , and those that were delegated to this office in the churches . in rehearsing of these prayers , eight things come especially to be spoken of , which are not unworthy our knowledge . in the first place , the primitive christians made all their prayers to god , because they knew * they could not obtain what they prayed for , of any one else , therefore in prayers they had respect to god , as being one who alone could answer their petitions . and it is a point of great folly to ask of those who are no gods , as if they were gods. clem. alexandr . strom. l. . the christians therefore at that time worshipped god alone : and the martyrs they honoured as the disciples and followers of the lord. eus . hist. l. . c. . neither had the idolatrous worship of saints crept then into the church ; which our learned divines ( for all the anger of the papists ) have copiously enough taught : and therefore i will add no more of that . secondly , prayers made in the church-assembly , were begun by him who was set over the rest , which he put up as well as he could , saith justin martyr ; for which reason , proterius bishop of alexandria , is called by niceph. hist . l. . c. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the mediator of god and men : ( althhough augustine a affirms , that none of the good and faithful christians could bear parmenianus , that made a bishop the mediatour between god and the people . ) and greg. naz. reckons this as a praise to bishops , b that they undertake the care and government of souls , and do the part of mediatours between god and men . apol. pro ●uga . which yet i think is onely to be affirmed of those , who with moses stand in the gap , to turn away the wrath of god , lest he destroy the people , psal . . . the emperours themselves do confess , in their epistle to the asian diocess , c that by bishops prayers wars are ended , invasions of angels kept off , and hurtful spirits repelled . all these things are ascribed to them , not that they procured them , but because they seriously pleaded with god in prayers , that he would avert these evils from the churches committed to their care : to whose prayers god in his infinite mercy gave an answer . so thinketh chrysostom , who tells us , that it is the part of a bishop , as an ambassadour , to intercede for a whole city , yea , for the whole world , and deprecate god , that he may be propitious to men . and when the praepositus prepared to pray with the people , before he begun , he prepared the people with a previous speech . for ambrose thought it necessary a that the preparation of the mind go before prayer , lest he that prayes to god seem to tempt him , which men led even by the onely instinct of nature know : as we may see in the pythagoreans , not suffering men to worship the immortal gods b per transitum , but perswading them to undertake that with a prepared mind . and therefore when the emperour was conversant about sooth-saying , and sacrifices , some cryed aloud , hoc age , i. e. be attentive , or set thy mind on this thing only : which saying did prepare as many as were present at sacrifices to attend them with a devout mind : for in sacred things we must not labour in transcursu , quasi , lightly , as it were , and passing by . but those whose minds are illuminated with the happy light of scripture , have more perspicuously observed the truth in this point , therefore the people of christ are perswaded to attend prayer with the whole heart , having cast aside all carnal and worldly cogitations , and that the mind should think of nothing at that time but what it prayed for only : and for this end , the priest , having premised a preface to the prayer , did prepare the minds of the brethren , by saying , sursum corda , [ i. up with your hearts ] and when the people answered , habemus ad dominum , [ i. have up , or we have them for the lord ] they were put in mind that they ought to think of nothing else but the lord. and this was the general preparation wherewith the minds of the people were excited to all the duties of religion , and by hearing thereof , they were prepared to more ardent prayer . in the third place , the peoples minds being thus excited to pray , this is worth our consideration , that of all those who were present together , there was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i. one common prayer , which they uttered with one mind , and sincere faith in jesus . so ignatius , in his epistle ad magnesianos . a clemens alexandrinus also saith , the multitude of them that prayed had as it were one common voice , and one mind . athanasius wished for this , apol. ad imperatorem constantium , that all might make one and the same voice , without a discord . cyprian , de oratione dominica , acknowledges , that in the church there was a common and publick prayer . he adds , that the apostles , acts . . continued with one accord in prayer , when they declared the instancy and concord of their prayer . for prayer being conceived of more , the more easie entrance is made unto god , according to that of matth. . . nor need any to wonder that there was one and the same prayer of the whole church being assembled , since there ought to be but one voice in the church , he that readeth speaketh alone , and he that is the bishop sitteth silent in the mean time , and he that singeth , singeth alone , and when all sing together , the voice is uttered as by one mouth , and he that preaches to the people , preacheth alone , saith chrysostom . also homīl . . in cor. he saith , common prayers were made by the priest , and others , and all made one prayer . fourthly , they prayed as the holy ghost suggested to them , a sive m●●itore , quia de pectore orabant ; i. they prayed without a monitor , because out of their heart ; that is to say , the holy ghost shewed them the way to conceive prayers in a pious manner , and by his instinct they prayed without any other monitor . after the offering of bread and wine allayed with water , the praefectus put up prayers , and giving of thanks * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i. as well as he could . if he prayed as well as he could for his might , then it seems he did not read prescribed forms of prayer , to the bare reading whereof , there was no need of such a labour . justin martyr , ap . . neither could it be otherwise , because upon a new occasion offered , forth with new prayers were required , answering to that occasion ; and for this cause they could not be alwayes the same . tertullian , as his manner is , teacheth this elegantly . there are , saith he , some things which may be prayed for according to the circumstance of every one , first premising the lawful and ordinary prayer ( he speaks of the lords prayer ) as a foundation . a liberty of accidents ; a liberty for desires to be put out into occasional prayers . christians have liberty in tertullians opinion to put up prayers to god pro re nata , which are formed according to the form of prayer prescribed by christ . so st. austin , ep. . ad probam , saith , that we may beg for the same things in these or other words , but we are not to pray for other things ; that is to say , men may use other words in prayer , than what christ used in the prayer which he prescribed the church ; but the mind ought not to be intent in praying for other things than what christ hath declared to us in that prayer . moreover , the bishops were sometimes to commend to god in prayer a those things which the people desired them , and for this cause they could not alwayes use the same prayers , because new occasions , as i aid , required new prayers . especially since t was for them , b chrysostom being witness , to pray unto god , that he might divert the evils that hung over every one . and therefore since the same evils did not alwayes occurr , the bishops alwayes prayed , as the state of the people commended to their cure did require . in the first place therefore , prayers were used according to the quality of the time , men having their minds disposed by the holy ghost to pray devoutly . but afterwards ( when through the devils subtilty divers errours in religion crept in ) in process of time it sell out , that prayers were by some brought in contrary to the faith , ( or as st. austin speaketh , some spake in their prayers contrary to the rule of faith ) the church providing for this errour , used a threefold remedy ; and in the first place they provided , that it should be lawful for none to compose forms of prayer at their pleasure , which they used in the publick assemblies , but the same ( as zonaras interprets it , those that were daily used ) should be retained in every meeting . so conc. laodic . can. . secondly , it was ordained , that they should conferr with the more able brethren about the prayers which they used in their assemblies . it was so provided in the third council of carthage , can . ● 〈…〉 it was defined , that no requests or prayers should be used in the church , but those which were approved by a synod . ( conc. milevit . . can. . ) lest any thing should be composed against the faith , either through ignorance , or less care . we meet with mention of both remedies ; namely , the second and third in concilio africano , can. . t. . but it is a question , whether in the aforesaid african canons , the reverend fathers do speak of set forms of prayers in publick liturgies , or of the prayers which he that was to treat out of scripture ( which was a common thing with treaters , as can. . we have heard out of the fathers ) did conceive at that time he came forth to speak at . some men of great account think , that they meant the former rather than the later ; because the cited words of the canons do ordain what forms of prayer they should use , whose office it was to perform acts of religion , when they stood at the altar . so conc. carthag . where they that were to treat stood not : the bishops seat who did interpret the scripture , was in the midst of the church , as we have formerly shown . this therefore was ordained by the fathers , lest as hereticks increased , and spread their heterodox opinions , the christian people who did not well enough attend their practise , should be imposed upon by hereticks . canons were established , because in that age especially , every faction did spread abroad certain forms of prayers and psalms , by which , when they were met together , they might allure unto them men that were not well enough exercised in the faith , but unwarily embraced their dreams : as historians report it fell out in chrysostoms age , not long after the aforesaid councils were held . † that , i say , these mens endeavours should be prevented , lest hereticks should spread abroad forms of liturgies not agreeing with the doctrine received from the apostles ; it was ordained , that in publick liturgies ( which were not to be prescribed by any one man ) none should have liberty to use any forms of prayers , but what were either formerly in use ( namely , before the mists of heterodoxisme had obscured the shining face of truth ) or had been approved by the most judicious brethren ; or lastly , confirmed by the authority of some synod . the very words of the cited canon do declare , that the mileritan fathers do speak of such prayers . let the place be seen , it is extant in the first tome of the councils , pag. . moreover , it appears that this was the cause of those canons , by the condition of the times in which they were ordained . for at that time the church was grievously sick of the wounds both of arrianism and pelagianism . and reason it self perswades not to restrain the cited canons to the prayers which were conceived by him that treated to the people . for those were to be conceived alwayes , as the necessity of the church did require ( as formerly tertullian taught us ) for which cause they could not alwayes be the same : but were to be varied pro re nata , and as the necessity of the people for whom the treater was to offer the sacrifice of the lips to god , required . on the contrary , if the canons speak of the treaters prayers , then this is worthy observing , that the grave fathers in those sanctions did not intend to prescribe lawes for all and every treater , in the prayers he was to conceive : but onely for those who were not well instructed in religion ; for they speak of some who name the father for the son , or the son for the father : and who had written out prayers to themselves from some other . so conc. carth. where above they ordain , lest the less exercised in religion should be imposed upon through the fraud and deceit of others , that they conferr with their wiser brethren about the prayers they had written out , before they uttered them to the people . the same is also to be said to the mileritan canon , wherein it is provided , that nothing be composed against the faith , either through ignorance or less care . and yet by those sanctions the more instructed of the brethren are not restrained to forms of prayer , unless they be approved by others . we read that certain prayers were prescribed by constantine the great to his guard , which they used on the lords day ; yet none will thence conclude , that other christians were to put up no prayers to god , but what were commanded . the cited canons are therefore to be understood either of liturgy prayers , or of the prayers of the treater , unfit through ignorance to conceive prayers , and of no others . fifthly , in their prayers conceived after this manner they prayed to god for things just , honest , and meet to be heard . arnob. cont . gent. lib. . and these they asked for all mens sakes ; not only for familiars , but enemies ; for emperours and subjects , and in their prayers they seriously pleaded with god for all others ; so arnobius , lib. . for themselves , and all every where , as justin martyr . ap. sec . for the emperours health , as tertull. apol . cap. . for their offices , for their worldly state and peace ; tertull. ibid. and especially for the church , because the whole people of christ are one . cypr. de orat. dom. sixthly , these prayers were conceived in a known tongue . origen instead of all , will teach us this , who writeth against celsus , a froward adversary of the christian name , contr. celsum . l. . where he lets all know , that the right christians did not in their prayers make use of the usual names of god in holy writ , but the greeks prayed in the greek , and the romans in the roman , and every one in his own language , and praised god according to their might : and the lord of all languages heard them pray in all languages , understanding them as well when they spake in divers , as if they all agreed in one language , that i may say so , and as men of one voice . where he teaches us , that christians , in what place soever they lived , did in their prayers use no other than their vulgar idiom . seventhly , it will not be far from our purpose , to add something of the posture of the body in conceiving of prayer . where , in the first place , it will be worth our noting , what austin excellently observed , there is no prescript posture how the body should be ordered in prayer , only that the soul being present before god , that it perform its devotion . and he addeth , that some prayed standing , some kneeling , and some lying prostrate . justin martyr relates , that they prayed standing , apol. . when we stand , saith cyprian , we ought with watchfulness , and with all our hearts , to apply our selves to prayer . but we read , that prayer was used to be made to god upon the knees more frequently ; and it appears , that this posture , or rite in prayer , was most ancient , and common in all ages . clem. alexand. strom. . saith , that they fell down upon the earth when they paryed . the christian souldiers are said kneeling on the ground ( as it is usual with christians when they pray ) to compose themselves to offer up prayers to god , in euseb . hist. . c. . arnobius also affirms , that christians , when with joynt prayers they worshipped god , they were prostrate : or as afterwards , when they prayed , they fell upon their bended knee . the church , saith epiphanius in fine panarii , commandeth prayers to be made with all diligence , and with kneeling , on set dayes . but on the lords day , in memorial of the lords resurrection , they worshipped not on their knees , and anciently they rejoyced in that immunity , from the passover till pentecost . so tertullian * . just . mart. q. . which custome being in some places decayed , the th canon of the first council of nice hath ordained to be kept every where ; although st. paul prayed kneeling on the shore of tyrus in that time which passed between the passover and pentecost , act. . . for after the dayes of unleavened bread , he sayled from philippi , acts . . and he hastned to keep pentecost at hierusalem , act. . . and he came to tyre in his journey to hierusalem , where , with others , he prayed on his knees . they were , i say , careful in prayer , that the whole body should be composed with the greatest reverence , and whether we are to pray with the face turned to the south , or the other coasts of the heaven , basil saith , it is determined by no authority of scripture , although the ancients being moved with light arguments thereto , prayed with their face turned to the east . as because the east is more excellent than other parts of the creation ; namely , in mens opinion , just . martyr , q. . or , because the light of knowing the truth , arose in the east , even as the sun doth . clem. alexand. strom. . or , because we seek for our ancient countrey , namely , paradise , which god consecrated in the east . basil . de sp. sancto . c. . &c. but of what account these goodly reasons are , it is not for me to determine ; let the church judge . from the premises it appears , that the christians prayed unto god with their faces towards the east . and for that reason the heathens did accuse the christians who prayed unto god towards the east , as if they worshipped the sun. tertull. ap . . but there is no such command from god in the scripture extant for christians . this was a tradition which one age received from another : and yet it was no tradition of faith , but only of a rite or custom : and it 's certainly evident , that god will nevertheless hear those that pray to the south or west , than those that pray towards the east . lastly , when prayers were done , the whole congregation of people cried together , amen . just . mart. ap . . athanas . ad imp. const . amen rung again like thunder , saith hierom , ( which is to be understood of the multitude of those who were present at the holy mysteries . ) these are the most observables of prayers , whether conceived on lords dayes , or other dayes , which we meet with among the ancients . chap. xi . of psalms and hymns sung on the lords day . the use of hymns was but of late time in the western churches , although baronius think otherwise . whence the matter of hymns was taken . under prayers , of which hitherto , sacred hymns also alwaies used by the church are comprehended . for the custom of rehearsing psalms in the church , is a kind of deprecating god. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . zon. in can. . conc. trull . st. paul oftener than once , mentions psalms , hymns , and spiritual songs , with which the faithful sung with grace in their heart to the lord. col. . . and ephes . . . although in both places the apostle seems to some not to speak of publick hymns sung in the church , but of private ; yet it is without controversie , that the church had her hymns in the publick assembly : which paul himself witnesseth , cor. . . when he saith . when ye come together , every one of you hath a psalm , &c. there doubtless the apostle speaks of psalms recited in the sacred assemblies of the church . therefore st. austin thinks , that the church hath our lords , and his apostles , both documents , examples , and precepts , for singing hymns and psalms . eusebius mentions hymns out of philo , which he affirms were recited by the church , hist . l. . . nepos hath recorded divers , which the brethren used in the time of dionysius . euseh . . c. . tertullian witnesseth , that in his age there were psalms and hymns sung in the publick assemblies , ap. c. . and elsewhere , when he reckons up the lords dayes solemnities , he saith psalms were sung , de anima , c. . and in the words of plinius secundus to trajan , who lived more than an age before tertullian , he acknowledgeth , that the christians had their meetings before day for singing to christ , and god. now in the time of trajan , john the apostle returned to ephesus , who was banished into the isle pathmos , when domitian was emperour . in the time of ephraemus , * they honoured their festivals with a christian dignity in singing psalms , hymns , and spiritual songs . when gregor . nazianz. teaches , how the feasts of christians are to be celebrated , he commands us , † to take hymns for timbrels , singing of psalms , for bawdy and wicked songs , &c. chrysostom devised nocturnal hymns , to suppress the arrian opinion , and to confirm his hearers in the faith . and niceph. confesses , that the catholick church used holy songs , the beginning of singing psalms and hymns being taken from thence . lib. . c. . hom. post redit . chrysostomi , witnesseth , that the church used hymns in his age . basil going through the cities of pontus , taught the people to meet together , and attend upon hymns , psalms , and prayers . ruffin . hist . eccles . lib. . cap. . & basil . ep. ad neocaesar . . from which it appears , that the custom of singing was observed even since the apostles , especially in the eastern church : and the more the church grew , the more the use of singing grew also . the western churches received singing more lately , although baronius deny it , anno sexagesimo , sect . . who thinks that damasus received not the rite of singing , which he saith did from the very beginning of instituting the see grow up in the r. church , but the psalter of the interpreters translation out of the east , from hierom , who then lived at hierusalem . but the very words of damasus will shew , that baronius being deceived in this , doth colourably beguile the reader . although baronius doubts of the truth of this epistle , which yet the pontifical book conc. t. . p. . gives credit to . the epistle of damasus ●o ▪ hierom desires , that he would send to him ▪ graecorum psallentiam , i. the singing of the greeks , ( not psalterium , i ▪ the psalter of the interpreters , as baronius would have it ) especially because the manner of singers was not used amongst them , nor the grace of an hymn was known in their mouth . damas . ep. ad hierom. the pontifical also saith , that damasus ordained , that psalms should be sung , both on the day and night by the clergy . if the singing of psalms grew up in that church , from the first instituting of the roman see , ( as baronius would have it ) with what face will the pontifical affirm , that damasus ordained , that psalms should be sung , which baronius cryes out , was done long before damasus ? which yet the pontifical ascribeth to damasus his constitution . austin relates , that ambrose bishop of millain , did first appoint the singing of hymns and psalms amongst the western people . nor doth this disagree with their opinion , who ascribe this to damasus : for they were contemporaries : and what was begun by one , might be confirmed by the others help . so polyd. virgil. l. . c. . however , it 's plain , that that manner of singing was in force with the millainoys ; for when justina persecuted ambrose , the people watched in the church , and then it was appointed , that psalms and hymns should be sung , according to the custome of the oriental countries , lest the people should pine away with the tediousness of sorrow , and from that day to this day it is retained , many , and now almost all congregations in the whole world imitating it . paulinus witnesseth also , in the life of ambrose , that in the time of justina hymns began to be sung in the church of millain , and he relates , that the devotion of this celebrity was not onely used in that church , but had spread over almost all provinces in the west . in explaining the hymns which were anciently sung of the church , we will first search into the matter of the hymns , and then into the manner of singing . as for the hymns themselves , the divine oracles being sung with a sweet voice , did animate their sounds , and therefore they sung sometimes david's psalter . aug. conf. l. c. . so theodoret saith , that flavianus and diodorus did teach , that david's psalms were to be sung . hist . l. . c. . * chrysostom , when he reproves some that sung uncomelily , mentions the very words of davids psalms , which were uttered in the singing . austin glorieth , that the divine songs of the prophets , were sung soberly in the church . ep. . c. . tertullian saith , that in the assemblies of christians , after the * manualis aqua , every one was called forth to sing to god , either out of the holy scriptures , or of his own invention . apol. cap. . sometimes also psalms were sung in the church-assembly , which were written-by the doctors of the church . socrates mentions some psalms that were written by chrysostom . lib. . cap. . eusebius , by nepos . hist . lib. . c. . conc. laod. can. . it is prohibited , that no private psalms be uttered in the church . therefore st. austin in the aforesaid place doth blame the donatists , for leaving davids psalms , and singing hymns which were invented by themselves . chap. xii . the manner of singing in the church , was , according to the vulgars capacity , modest and sober : the incommodities of a sweeter voice in singing . the profit of a well moderated singing . hymns were sometimes sung of one , sometimes of divers . antiphones , organs . how none were to sing in the church , but those that were chosen to this purpose . broken musick disallowed . a censure of that musick which is used among the papists . in the second place , this is to be observed of the manner of singing used by christians in their assemblies , although singing was every where used , yet the same manner of singing was not used by all . at least , the ancients did chiefly regard that their singing might be understood of the people , lest through the sweetness of the voice in singing , without the pious affections of the heart , they should be deceived . the corinthians , excelling in the gift of tongues , sung commonly in an unknown tongue , but paul abrogated that errour , and commanded them to use a known tongue , that the people might say , amen . cor. . . neither could they that sung to the lord in their heart , any otherwise stir up themselves by psalms , hymns , and spiritual songs . which yet was enjoyned the church by the apostles canon , col. . . eph. . . which do teach , that all the art of singing in the church , ought by the apostles sentence , to be ordered into the vulgars capacity . so was is also used in the following church . st. athanasius made the reader of the psalm to sound it sorth with so little a changing of the voice , that he was likelier to one that pronounced it , than sung it , witness austin , confess . l. . c. . st. hierom being bold upon the testimony of st. paul ( cor. . . where the apostle saith , i will sing with the spirit , and i will sing with understanding also ) teaches us , that in singing a psalm , not the sweetness of the voice , but the affection of the mind is to be observed . for it 's better to worship god in praises and hymns that are tuned in a pure mind , which god onely looketh at , than those that are sung with a loud and shrill voice : as sometime philo de plantatione noe. the africans did soberly sing their divine songs of the prophets in the church , whereas the donatists sung their immodest roarings , like songs composed by mans wit , as if they were sounding a trumpet to battel . where austin finds fault with them for two things . first , because they betook themselves to sing hymns , which they devised by their own invention , leaving the holy songs of the prophets . and secondly , because they sung them not soberly , as the church did , but as puffed up with pride . austin blames them for both . quaestiones ad justinum mariyrem , acknowledge simple singing in the church . qu. . austin relates the incommodities of a sweeter concord in singing : who was some time more moved with the singing , than the thing which was sung : for which cause , he acknowledgeth , that he sinned grievously , and had rather that he had not heard when he sang : for the contentment of his flesh beguiled him , and he gave more respect to musical delights in the church , than was seemly . for avoiding these inconveniences , it is ordained in conc. in trullo , can. . that those who sing , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i. should neither use disorderly shoutings , nor strain nature to clamour . nor is the reason of this canon assigned by zonaras , contrary to religion , or right reason . singing of psalms , saith he , is a kind of deprecating god , wherein , by suppliant prayers , we beg the pardon of sins . now it 's fit that supplicants go in humble habit , but clamours and rude shoutings are no argument of humility and modesty , but of a mind rashly vaunting , and carried away with presumption . thus zonaras . hierom is clearly of the same opinion , who thinks , that our singing must be to god , not with the voice , but the heart ; nor are we like tragedians , to anoint our throat and mouth with sweet modulation , that our theatrical tunes and songs may be heard in the church , but we are to sing with reverence , indeed , and in knowledge of the scripture . none doth better than chrysostom reprove that unseemly manner of singing , borrowed from the theatres , that signifie no certainty to us by their clamours . it is a notable place , which , though it be large , i will set down for the readers sake . there are some men , saith he , who , contemning god , and reckoning the oracles of the spirit , for common and profane , do utter disordered voices , carrying themselves no better than those that are mad , ruffling and rowling with the whole body , and shewing manners far off from a spiritual stability . o wretched and unhappy man ! thou oughtest with trembling and reverence to resound the angelical glorification , and with terrour to make confession to thy creatour , and by this to beg the pardon of sins . and here thou bringest in the fashions of mimicks and dancers , while thou throwest the hands undecently , and jumpest with the feet , and turnest about with the whole body . and how is it , that thou fearest not , nor tremblest to hear of these things against such oracles ? doest thou not think that god is invisibly present here , who measureth the motion of every man , and hath a consideration of the conscience ? doest thou not think , that the angels do stand by this stupendous table , and with reverence compass it about ? but thou dost not think on these things , because the things which are heard and seen in the theatres have darkned thy mind ; and therefore doest thou bring in that to be used in the church , which is done there ? therefore doest thou discover a disordered mind , in clamours that signifie nothing certain ? how therefore wilt thou beg the pardon of thy sins ? how wilt thou receive the lord into thy house , who dost so contemptuously offer him a prayer ? thou sayest , have mercy on me , o god , and declarest , that thy manners are far from mercy . thou criest out , save me , and expressest an outward shew far from salvation . why are thy hands spread out to pray , which are alwayes thrown aloft , and turned about in an unseemly manner . which , through the importunate impulse of a vehement and violent spirit , make a sound which signifies nothing certain ? are not those examples partly of silly women , that exercise whorish tricks in the streets , and partly of them that bawl in the theatres ? &c. these are the words wherein that grave father taxes those rude voices in singing of hymns , which signifie nothing certain ; as being such as rather become theatres , than the church of god ; because they were borrowed from thence , and are unseemly for the church of god : in which all things are to be done with reverence , because of the tremendous presence of god , who observes the motion of every one in the church , yea , he reckons those rude voices in singing , for tokens of an uncomposed mind ; which do declare , that men are rather mad , than humbly confessing their sins to god , and lowly begging pardon of god for them . but if there be any one that desires to hear the commodity of a moderated singing , consisting of a clear voice , and convenient moderation therein , let him read austins tenth book of confessions , and chap. . when i call to mind , saith he , the tears i shed at the hearing of the church-songs , in the beginning of my recovered faith , yea , and at this very time , whenas i am moved , not with the singing , but with the thing sung ; i then acknowledged the great good use of this institution . and elsewhere , confess . lib. . c. . he saith , how abundantly did i weep before god , to hear these hymns of thine , being toucht to the very quick by the voices of thy sweet church-song ! the voices flowed into my ears , and thy truth pleasingly distilled into my heart , which caused the affections of my devotion to overflow , and my tears to run over , and happy did i find my self therein . this shews , that austin did approve that sort of singing in the church , which tended to edification : by the help whereof , the hearers mind was more lift up to god ( such was the manner of singing used at millain , of which austin here speaketh ) not that which onely pleased the eares , nor that which suffered the words , when they were uttered in singing , to be heard or understood . this kind of singing , which is delicately pronounced with a certain allurement of the voice , is a delight to unregenerate eares ( for there followeth the contempt of the flesh , unto which , it was not fit to give over the soul to be effeminated ) but will be of no advantage to move the mind , from whence the calm affections of religion should be excited . then again , we must observe also , in the manner of singing then used by the church , that psalms were sung sometimes of one , sometimes by the quire , sometimes of all together . at first they sung all at once . so chrys . who saith , they had all one voice , and one heart . he adds also in the same place , he that sings , sings above , ( that is , rehearses the words of the hymn to be sung , and goes first before the rest in singing , as shortly after the words of basil will tell us ) and when all sung after him , the voice came as it were out of one mouth . when basil describes the manner of singing of psalms in his age , he saith , now when they sing , they are divided into two parts , and sing after one another by course , then this charge being committed to one of these persons , to begin before the rest in singing , then the rest sung after him ; ( but he saith , this variety of singing psalms was ordained , that now and then prayers being mixed also , they might pass the night with less wearisomness ) when day appeared , they all offered up a psalm to god , as with one mouth , and one heart . the custome of anthemns [ or antiphones ] that is , of singing verses alternately by way of answer , not onely at antioch , but in other churches , the writers of ecclesiastical history do derive from ignatius , whom they report did first institute anthemns . so socrates , hist . . . and niceph. . . although this seems improbable to divers men of no mean judgment , because responsory hymns or anthemns are not so much worth , as for their sake there must needs angels come down from heaven , and appear to sing before others ( which the aforesaid writers , searching out the reason of anthemns , do affirm ) whereas the church at that time wanted not psalms and hymns ; which the epistle of plinius secundus to trajan witnesseth ; for ignatius suffered martyrdome when trajan was emperour . and after ignatius , for a long time , there was one voice of all in the church , while they prayed to god , one prayer of all , when they sung hymns : the voice was uttered as out of one mouth , as formerly we heard out of chrysostom * the invention of harmonious tuning among the syrians , they attribute to ephraimus syrus , soz. . . but theodoret acknowledges it received from flavianus and diodorus : who having divided the quire into two parties , gave them davids psalms to be sung by course . they followed the manner of antioch , which , theodoret saith , spread afterwards to the uttermost parts of the earth , lib. . . in the western churches , platina * ascribes this to pope damasus ; whose opinion agrees with damasus his epistle to hierom , and with the pontifical , as we have formerly mentioned . platina in his life relates , that vitalianus the first pope of rome , did ordain singing , using organs ( as some would have it ) for harmony . but the author of those answers , whoever he was , ad orthodoxos , which are added to justin martyr , saith , that the custome of singing by inanimate instruments in the church , was taken away in his time , and upon that account simple prayers were retained , because songs , rattles , and organs , are fitter for children and fools than the church . leo the second brought hymns to a better concord . plat. in vita leonis . it was provided by the fifteenth canon conc. laod. that none should sing in the church , besides certain that were chosen for singing : the reason of which canon is assigned by baronius * to be this ; because , saith he , when the people and clergy sung promiscuously , through the unskilfulness of the singers , it oft fell out , that by the disordered sound of voices , the diversity marred that harmonious singing , which was congruous to the churches dignity ; therefore it was prohibited the people in the church , that none should sing but those unto whom this work was assigned . to confirm this conjecture , he hath recourse to chrysostom : the same doth binius , conc. t. . in notis conc. laodic . to me it is not manifest what was the true reason of ordaining the laodicean canon . after the laodicean council , the fore-observed testimonies have shewed us , that it was an usual thing for the christian people to sing with others in the church : but as for the place in chrysostom , cited by baronius , it brings no help at all to establish the conjecture of baronius . for in that place ( of which we have formerly heard in this chapter ) st. chrysost . only blames that unseemly manner of singing , which was borrowed from the theatres , mimicks , and dancers , and confisted of clamours which signified no certainty . but he hinders not the people from the liberty of singing in the church . this none will deny , that looks into the place of chrysostom , cited by baronius . when all is done , saith he , we forbid not jubilation ( the contrary whereto is affirmed by baronius , and his follower binius ) but a voice that signifies nothing ; not the voice of praise , but a rude voice of absurdity , the vain and rash throwing up of the hands into the air , stamping with the feet , unseemly and effeminate songs , which are the playes of them that sit idle in the theatres , and at horse-races . thus chrysostom : which is far from the sense for which baronius brought it . which doth also more evidently appear , from the end of that homily , in which he speaks to his hearers , that they would come to god with a calm and repressed voice , and not lift up their hands in disorderly motions , but present them to god both together . which things being well observed , with what face can the papists alledge chrysostom , for denying the people a liberty to sing in the church ? now from the premises it may easily be observed , that the fathers approved not of that , which they call broken musick , that consists rather in the noise of the voice , than the fervour of the spirit ; as if from such musick god neither got any praise , or the church profit . therefore passing over that , they prescribed the church simple singing . it displeased gregory the great , that those who were chosen to office of preaching , and the holy ministry , should , having that charge , betake themselves to singing : in a synod at rome , held in the time of mauritius . gregory would not have so much time taken up in singing , and almost no place left for preaching . zonaras also teacheth , that readers in the church ought rather to attend the care of singing , than the reading of holy bookes . to conclude , i leave it for others to judge , what to think of that popish singing , which is fitted to the exact measures of all kind of musick ; since cornelius agrippa , one of their own profession , hath copiously enough painted out the liberty of musick , which they allow for setting out of hymns . there is , saith he , at this day , such a licentiousness of musick in churches , that even a deal of bawdy songs on the organs , have equal place with the canon of the mass ; and they chaunt the divine offices , holy mysteries , and prayers , having hired a company of wanton musicians with a great sum of money , not to the hearers understanding , not to the elevation of the spirit , ( hearken here , you papists , that number your psalms , but love to bray them out like asses , without understanding them ) but for lecherous tickling , not with mens voices , but belluine clamours , while the boyes whine the descant , others bellow the tenor , others bark the counterpoint , others roar the treble , others grunt the base , and they make that many sounds may be heard , but no words or sentences be understood , but the authority of judgment is taken away , both from the ears and mind . thus he who warrs with you in your tents , de vanitate scientiarum , in the end of the sixteenth chapter : in which he doth paint out to the life , as they say , the bawdry of roman musick , in their holy mysteries , ( well enough befitting the babylonish whore ) and the incommodities thereof , little agreeing to the holy worship of god. and the like doth polydor virgil , de inventione rerum , lib. . c. . and these are the things which i had to mention of the two exercises of religion , comprehended under the ministry of the word , and prayer , that were to be performed upon the lords day . chap. xiii . administration of the sacraments on the lords day . the third thing among the publick exercises of religion , wherein the observation of the lords day was solemnized among the ancients , follows ; viz. the administration of the sacraments . which ( although not tied to the lords day ) were administred on the lords day , the scriptures bearing witness , acts . . the disciples being gathered together on the first day of the week , to break bread , paul preached to them , &c. where breaking of bread is not to be expounded of a domestick feast , but of the h. supper , as we have shewn book . chap. . for having continued his speech until midnight , st. paul took bread ( the comparing of ver . . with . evinces this : ) now the disciples met not at that time of night to break their daily bread . but we must make account , that there was a solemn day proclaimed amongst them , for celebrating the holy supper ; which should be more commodious than all the other : and that was the first day in the week , on which that place doth evidently enough conclude , that the church met together . and the apostle teaches , that it met in the same place to eat the lords supper . cor. . . justin , in the place above so often cited , doth witness , that the eucharist ( or as tertull . lib. . ad ux. cap. . the lords feast ) was wont to be administred by the church on the lords day . so chrys . hom. . in act. ap. ambrose delivered to the catechumeni ( whom he calls competentes , that is , those that were instructed in the christian faith , suing for baptism ) on the lords day , after the reading and treatise , the symbol of the church in the fonts ( which we understand of baptism , without which none were admitted to the eucharist . ) that the sacraments were administred on the lords day , none doubts ; concerning the administration whereof , i leave the prolix narration to be drawn out of the learned commentaries of divines ( of whom this age by the grace of god reapeth a fruitful crop ) who professedly handle common places of divinity : lest i should lose my labour , with the reader that 's well exercised in these things , and after homer write an iliad , as the proverb goes . chap. xiv . who was to be present at all the offices of the liturgy , and who not . the catechumeni , audientes , competentes , poenitentes , and their sundry degrees : namely , some lugentes , others audientes , others substrati , others consistentes , others eucharistiae participantes . at what offices these were to be present , and what not . having recited the offices which were performed in the churches publick assemblies , it will be a thing worth the labour , to advertise the reader , that all the members of the church were not all at once to be present alwayes at all these offices : which we will now shew from a more narrow observation of the persons , of which the church consisted ; the observation of which thing , because it is not obvious to all mens eyes , we think it not altogether good to pass by in silence . the whole christian people in the church were anciently distinguished into thr●● degrees . for there were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the catechumens , faithful , and penitents ; and to men as they were constituted in all those degrees , there were certain offices of the liturgy appropriated , to which they being admitted , were excluded from the rest : while , in the mean time , the faithful were present at all the rest . the catechumeni were they who first desired to become christians ; whom origen calls , them that lately were admitted , but had not obtained the symbol of lustration . they are called catechumeni , because , while they were in this class , they were by the voice instructed of others in the principles of the christian faith. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . i. no believing without catechising , saith clemens alexand. even those that were to be brought to the faith , were first to be instructed in the doctrine of the catechism : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. † catechizing leads to the faith . now the points wherein the catechumeni were instructed , are extant in const . ap. lib. ▪ c. . they were instructed , namely , in the tremendous mystery of the holy trinity , in the stupendous work of creation , and gods provid●●●e , and especially that about mankind , and ●● the general judgment to come , &c. all which are compendiously recited by augustine , lib. de fide & operibus , cap. . where he exhorteth the catechumeni , to hear how they ought to become , and live as the faithful . afterwards , that they hear what faith is , and what the life of a christian ought to be . those that were to be baptized therefore , were to be instructed in these before they desired baptisme . they that taught the persons of this order in the principles of the christian faith , were called by st. hierom , the masters of catechising , among whom were numbred origen , euseb . hist . l . c. . hierom , in catal . eccles . script . in origine . also pantaenus , eus . l. . c. . hierom confesses , that he had greg. nazianz. and didymus for his catechists in the holy scripture . now if any desire to know to what offices of the publick liturgy the catechumeni were admitted , this cannot be observed with a distinction of them , of which mention is made amongst the ancients in divers places . of the catechumeni , some were called audientes , and some competentes . those had their name from hearing the word ; because they were newly admitted only , as tiroes , or candidates of the christian faith : and therefore they were reckoned inter auditorum tyrocinia , as tertnllian speaks , while being not admitted into the auditory , they stood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i. without the compass of the temple , as dionys . areop . de hierarch . libro , c. . that is , as zonaras interprets it , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. without the temple , in the porch ; where the consistentes , according to the custome of the church , onely heard the tune of the psalms , and reading of scripture in the church ( for none , whether he were gentile , or jew , or heretick , was excluded from hearing of the word ) or the bishops sermon to the people , for instructing them . ( zonar . in can. . laodic . ) neither were they admitted to the holy things , which afterwards followed in the church-assembly . so dyonys . areop . eccles . hierarch . lib. p. . & . behold , saith augustine , after sermon , missa fit catechumenis ( i. e. the catechumeni were dismissed ) and the faithful remained . the audientes then were to come at no holy office , but the reading of the scriptures : which being ended , before the church went to prayer , or administring the eucharist , they were dismissed . and because they had liberty granted to be present at reading the scripture in the publick assembly of the church , therefore the readers were called their doctors [ or teachers . ] so optatus , in cyprian , is called doctor audientium ; because , that after he was an ordained reader , he was to read the scripture in the church-assemblies . the catechumeni , who were competentes , being well instructed in the christian saith , sued for baptisme , * and were sometimes distinguished from the catechumeni , in ambrose , lib. . ep . . having dismissed , saith he , the catechumeni , ( that is , those whom they call audientes ) to some i gave the symbole in the fonts . because , as i said , they being well instructed in the christian faith , as firm therein , they sued for baptism . aug. serm. de tempore . when the audientes were admitted , a prayer was rehearsed by a deacon , to the catechumi competentes , who were fallen on their knees , conc. neocaes . can. . and then when that ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i. let the catechumeni go out ) was pronounced , they went forth , the faithful preparing themselves to the holy eucharist , as zonar . in can. conc. neocaesar . the words of an excellent oration , uttered to the competentes , together with a perspicuous explication of them , by st. chrysostom , are extant in chrysostom , hom. . in ad cor. where the deacon admonisheth all to pray for the catechumeni , while he saith , let us stand honestly , let us pray earnestly , that the most merciful and compassionate god would hear their prayers , would open the eares of their hearts : that they may hear what the eye hath not seen , nor ear heard , nor hath entred into the heart of man , and that he would instill into them the word of truth ; that he would sow his fear in them , and confirm his faith in their minds ; that he would reveal to them the gospel of righteousness , that he would give them a divine mind , chaste thoughts , a life joyned with truth : continually to think of his things , to relish his things , to meditate of his things , to delight themselves in his law day and night . let us moreover pray for them more intensly , that he would deliver them from all evil , and dishonest matter , from every sin of the devil , and all snares of the adversary : that he would vouchsafe them in due time the laver of regeneration , and remission of sins : that he would bless their comings in , and going out , all their life , their houses and habitations . let us pray , that thou wouldest increase and bless their children , and instruct them , when they are come to age , with wisdom : that thou wouldst direct all their purposes to profit . pray ye catechumeni , to the angel of peace , that all your purposes may be peaceable to you , beg , that this may be a peaceable day , and all the dayes of your life . commend christians , your purposes , what is honest , and profitable , your selves to the living god , and his christ , &c. which being pronounced , the deacon bids them rise up , and dismisses them , having instructed them with sundry precepts . and these are the offices of the liturgy , at which the catechumeni were allowed to be present . the second degree of them that were in the church , followeth , namely , the faithful ; who were present at all the parts of the liturgy performed in that order they were recited in the precedent chapters . neither could any one of this degree depart out of the church-assembly , before all those offices were finished , as we have observed formerly , chap. . of this book , and therefore i need to add no more of them . the third degree of them , was those who were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or penitents . these being instructed in the doctrine of christian religion , and once baptized in the holy laver of baptism , they recorded their names in the church catalogue . but falling into some manifest sin ( by which they lost the common priviledges of the faithful ) they were bound of the church with spiritual bonds , till they had declared sufficient signs of their repentance . there were sundry classes of these , during the time ( which was defined by the bishops judgment : can. . concil . ancyran . ) of their publick repentance , and sundry places were assigned to them in the church . without whose observation , it will not be easie to shew what offices of the church-liturgy they had liberty to be at , and what not . for , during the repentance which was prescribed them by the bishops , they had not the liberty of all offices with the body of the church . we meet with five kinds , or classes of penitents , in the ancients . some were lugentes , some audientes , some substrati , some subsistentes , and then some that were perfectly admitted to partake of the lords body and blood. zonaras reckons three degrees of these , in can. . conc. ancyran . and the same author adds a fourth , in can. . of the same council . but all the degrees of penitents , are extant together in baronius , an . . num . . with the centur . magdeb. . c. . also . these degrees are reckoned up by the fore-mentioned historians , out of the canon , or the canonical epistle , as the greeks call it , of gregorius neocaesariensis , sirnamed thaumaturgus ( if it be that gregory , as some think not . ) the first degree of these was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or weepers , in which the lugentes [ or weepers ] having committed a sin , stood without the church , zonar . in can. . conc. neocaesar . where they asked them that entred in , with sorrow and tears , that they would draw out the bountiful mercy of god for them . weeping , saith thaumaturgus in baronius , or sorrow , is without the gate of the oratory , where the offender , as he stands , must ask the faithful as they enter in , to pray for them . let the offender , saith st. ambrose , beg pardon with teares , beg with sighs , beg that he may be pardoned at the weeping of all the people . these are said by tertullian , libro de poenitentia , cap. . to kneel to the presbyters , and charis dei , [ i. the dear servants of god. ] but here i will give the reader this advertisement , that it 's well observed by pamelius , in his notes upon this place of tertullian , that this place in some editions is faulty . for , some have it , presbyteris & aris dei adgeniculari . i. they kneeled to the presbyters and altars of god. which reading some catching at , as agreeing to their dotage , are busily diligent to desend bowing to altars , upon this testimony . so † bellarmine , and others of his opinion . now their exposition , how likely soever , is not worth a rush . for it 's clearer than the noon-day , that in this they are deceived , through ignorance of the church custome . for how could the penitents kneel at gods altars , when at that time they were not permitted to come within the rails of the clergy , as is well enough known to all that are any whit seen in church antiquity ) much less to the altar : but being placed without the auditory , as formerly we have heard out of thaumaturgus and ambrose , and falling down at the feet of them that entred in , they seriously intreated them with tears , that they would beseech god for them . the lugentes therefore were wont to kneel down to the dear servants of god , both presbyters and others , that went into the church ; for * they sued to them , besought them , fell on their knees , kissed their footsteps . afterwards , they required the patronage of the holy people to god for them . for in this business fabiola will be to us an example : who is by hierom recorded to have opened her wound to all , while she had her sides ripped open , her head bare , her mouth shut , neither did she enter into the church of the lord , but sate saparate without the tents , with myriam , moses's sister . this she did , while she stood in the order of penitents before easter , in the lateran cathedral , all the city of rome beholding her , the bishops , presbyters , and all the people weeping for her , as hierom , ibid. dionysius areopagita reproves demophilus , ( because he had kicked with his foot a presbyter , for gently receiving a man that had fallen at a priests feet . ) eu●ebius also relates , lib. . cap. ult . that natalius , a confessor of the truth , being sometime ●educed , but at length returned to the church , did in hair cloth , and sackcloth , cast himself down at the feet of pope zephirinas , with great sorrow , and tears , and fell not onely at the feet of the clergy , but laity ; so that the church of our merciful christ having mercy on him , lamented with him . from which it appears , that the penitents of this degree did communicate with the body of the church in no offices of the liturgy ; and much less went up to the altar ( forsooth ) to bow . but this by the bye . moreover , some make a doubt , whether this degree of repentance was prescribed the penitents by the primitive church , or was taken up by them of their own accord ; in whose judgment that degree of repentance , which was voluntary in the first age , was in the third age after enjoyned the penitents by the church . howbeit , every one of these degrees was a certain disposition to prepare the penitent for a farther . but in explaining of these degrees , we will follow thaumaturgus . the second degree of penitents was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or hearers . these stood within the gate , in a place which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or the porch of the temple ; hearing the scripture , ( that is , the reading of the law , prophets , and gospel , constit . apost . l. . c. . ) and the doctrines that were raised out of the scriptures : yet were they judged unworthy to be present at the prayers of the church . baron . ubi prius . so zonaras in can. . conc. nic. the third degree of these was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; or the prostrate : when they that had repented stood within the compass of the church , behind the pulpit ( separate from the place of the faithful , yet within their ●ight ) where they were present at none of the holy offices , save the reading of the holy scripture , expounding of the gospel , and prayer , that was rehearsed for them , and the perfect catechumeni , that is , the competentes , and a little while after the going out of the catechumeni , having made prayers for them ▪ they went out . can. . conc. laodic . baron . ibid. zonar . in can. . & . conc. anoyrani . here the penitents stood sorrowful , and being not yet made partakers of the eucharist , since the commission of their sin , for which they were bound of the church with spiritual bonds , they threw themselves down on the earth with weeping and lamentation : and for this prostration , the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was assigned to this degree . then on the other side , the bishop running to him lamenting , falls likewise upon the ground with pitiful lamentation ; and last of all , the whole multitude of the church falls a weeping too . after this , the bishop rises ●● first , and raises them that were fallen down , and having for a convenient time prayed for sinners that repented , he dismisses them . thus sozomen , de ecclesiae romanae consuetudine , lib. . cap. . where it's manifest he speaks of the penitents called ●ubstrati . the form of prayer used for them ( after the deacon had admonished the church to pray for them ) by the bishop , is extant constit . apost . l. . c. , & . which being ended , they went out of the church-assembly . the fourth degree was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , when they that had repented were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; because they stood with the faithful , and went not out with the catechumeni , or the penitents called substrati , baron . ibid. these were with the faithful present at prayers , but were not admitted to the holy eucharist , conc. . nic. can. . they are said to partake of prayers with the people , but without oblation . so can. . ibid. zonaras in can. . & . concil . ancyr . for which cause , st. ambrose said he could not offer , if theodosius would stand by . ambr. ep. . the last degree of penitents , was of them , who , having fulfilled the time of repentance prescribed them by the church , were by her perfectly received ; and after the aforesaid offices of the liturgy , at which the subsistentes were present , they were admitted also to participate of the lords body and bloud , with the body of the faithful . of which zonaras can. . & . concil . ancyran . there are some that distinguish not the fourth degree of penitents from the fifth . but the subsistentes are distinguished from these , can. . . conc. nic. where , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : ● . they , were partakers of prayer with the people , without offering . and so those that were placed in the last degree , were superiour to those penitents of the fourth degree , because they were admitted together with the faithful , to partake of the mysteries . yet , that i may ingeniously confess the truth , the finishing of the repentance , rather than the degree of penitents , is in this to be attended . now he that will apply his mind to weigh the aforesaid records of antiquity more narrowly , shall easily observe , who were to be present at all the exercises of religion , and who were excluded from the same , or some of them by the custom of the church , while in the mean time , the assembly of the faithful , after they were gathered into one , performed all the aforesaid offices piously , and with great devotion of mind . but to speak of these a little in transitu is enough . chap. xv. of places in which the churches publick assemblies were held . we have observed , that meetings were gathered by the church , to perform the duties of religion : and we have seen what was done in them . in the third place , something remains to be added of the places in which these meetings were kept . for a place is required where the people of god being gathered together , may exercise themselves in the things that pertain to his publick worship . and that some places designed to divine worship , are necessary , i trust no body will doubt : for without them , the publick assemblies of the faithful ( the use of which is formerly shewn ) to worship god , could not without inconvenience be held . therefore this place requireth , that something be added of their names , situation , and use , and other circumstances that declare these places . but i will spare the labour of putting these things in writing , lest i , gaggling like a goose amongst the swans , seem to stammer upon a subject which hath been happily treated on by other judicious men . others have managed the charge of describing this argument with great commendation . especially the learned hospinian , a man of profound learning , and various reading , in his learned treatise de templis . in which is described what is necessary to be known of places that are destined to the publick meetings of the church , which to me at this time is enough to point at . and thus much for the publick exercises of religion , that were observed by the church on the lords day . chap. xvi . private duties of religion to be performed on the lords day . where first is considered , the examination of what was heard . conferring upon the same . meditation of the life to come : and gathering of almes for the use of the poor . thus far of the sacred exercises of religion ( wherein the observation of this day was solemnized ) which were performed in the publick assemblies of the church ; now follow the private . those were observed of sundry members of the church , being assembled together , but these were devoutly performed by them , when they were dismissed from the publick assembly . for although they met publickly , * lest the disorderly meeting of the people should diminish their faith in christ , and to procure the greater gladness amongst them , by a mutual seeing one another ; yet their publick church meetings did not determine the sanctification of the lords day : because publick conventions were held at certain hours , and the lords day i● to be celebrated in memorial of that happy resurrection of our saviour , on a perfect and entire day , as we have shown in the first book , and fifth chapter . some things then remain to be done by christians after the church meetings are ended , and these are various . some whereof i will mention for the godlies sake ( who make conscience of sanctifying the lords day . ) first of all , they that preached the word of god in the publick assemblies , when those were ended , they did sometimes examine the people of what they had heard : which we read the ancients did perform with great industry . and for this cause , prosper , de vita contempt . lib. . cap. . contends it is , that bishops are called watchmen . because they watch the actions of all men , and with an aim of religious curiosity , spie out , how every one liveth with his houshold in his house , how with his citizens in the city : what good men they approve , they confirm by honouring them ; whom they observe to be vicious , they amend by reproving them . st. prosper judged it to be the bishops duty , whom the lord hath appointed to be the watchmen of his church , not onely to attend preaching of the word in the church assembly , but also when that was ended , and the people dismissed , diligently to observe the manners and conversation of the people , that they might promote godliness , if by any means they could , while they excited those , whom they saw to walk according to what they heard in publick , to a farther progress in godliness , and sharply admonished those that turned not what they heard into works . which office , if ever , we believe they did faithfully perform on the lords day : which we may see in st. chrysostome , who , when he observed any not to be attentive enough to his publick treatises , promised , that he would , when he had finished his treating , by interrogatories make tryal , whether they retained what they had heard . homil. . in hebr. yea , he tells them , that when the assembly was dismissed , he would discourse some time with his auditors about what they had heard ; in the conclusion of hom. . ad pop. antioch . and elsewhere he declares the reason of his diligence , hom. . ad pop. for , saith he , if it be no reproach for a physician to ask his patient how it is with him ; neither is it amiss in us to be still inquiring about our hearers salvation ; for we being thus advertised what to do , and what to leave undone , shall apply remedies according to congruous discipline . and this diligence he calls a sollicitude , not of curiosity , but provision : where , by an argument from the less to the greater , he illustrates the necessity of the aforesaid industry . for if a physician , who attends the cure of a frail body , doth diligently enquire of the state of his patients health , after he hath administred his medicines : why doth it not much more lye upon bishops , ( to whom the inspection of souls is committed ) ex officio , to observe whether their people lead their life according to what they have heard , after that they have prescribed unto them wholsome admonitions , and exhortations ? whereby on every emergent occasion they may prescribe necessary remedies . chrysostom himself confesses , that he undertook private labours in teaching some of his hearers , while he inculcated some things to them , who entred communication with him privately . thus he speaks of himself , hom. prim . de lazaro . it grieved st. cyprian to the heart , while he was in exile , that he could not have liberty to go to every one that was committed to his care , and to exhort them cording to the ministry of the lord and of his gospel . he commends the presbyters and deacons , that supplied his place , for strengthening all by their daily exhortations . ep. . if therefore cyprian set upon all that were commended to his care with his exhortations , and commended others that did the like , he thought that something more , after the church-meetings were ended , in which he could not go to them severally , was to be done by him . possidonius in the life of austin , chapter . mentions his private labours , that he frequently undertook in instructing , and exhorting the catholick people . all these vigilant fathers did not onely propound the word in church meetings , but also shewed us by their own example , that it is privately to be inculcated upon the minds of the hearers ; and their own testimonies teach us , that this was done by them daily . secondly , he that shall consult the fathers touching the observation of the lords day , will observe , that they did frequently stir up their hearers to a religious meditation and discoursing of what they had heard in the publick assembly . chrysostom more than once doth , labour what he can to perswade his hearers , that after they are returned home from the church , friends among themselves , parents with their children , masters with their servants , meditate and strive how they may do what they are taught . homil. . ad pap. antioch . which he elegantly explains by divers similitudes . even as , saith he , many that depart out of a meadow , do take a rose or violet , or some such flower , and carrying it about a while in their fingers , do depart : and others returning home out of an orchard , do carry the boughs of trees that bear fruit ; others again , bring to their kinsfolks , fragments of the table from sumptuous suppers ; so also thou , when thou depart'st , carry back an admonition to thy children , wife , and all thy kindred . for this admonition is of more use than a meadow , an orchard , and a table . these roses never wither , this fruit never falls off , these dishes never are marred . afterwards ; think what a thing it is , setting aside all other things , both publick and private , to be alwayes discoursing of gods laws , at table , and in the market , and in other conventicles , &c. homil. . ad populum . where , by an induction of divers similitudes , he declares what christians are to do , after they be returned home from the publick assembly ; namely , that they conferr at home of what they heard in the church . in the beginning also of the second homil. on john , he requires of his hearers , that they talk not only with one another publickly , but at home , of what they had heard : and when he reproves those that went out of the church , who did not well remember what they had heard , he prescribes this remedy for that malady ; namely , that when they are return'd home , they read the holy scriptures , and call their wife and children together , to confer of those things that were spoken . it 's an excellent place which the reader shall find lib. . chap. . we wish , saith origen , that you would study what you have heard ; not onely hear the word of god in the church , but in your houses be exercised , and meditate in the law of the lord day and night : for christ is there , and every where present to them that seek him . from the fore-mentioned testimonies , it appears , that the fathers treated seriously with their people , to conferr among themselves of what they had heard . now if any one think , that they meant conferring of what they had heard on other dayes than the lords dayes ; i doubt not but he is deceived , that perswades himself of this . for if they require of their hearers to confer● of the word heard on other dayes , ( which he will not deny they did , that looks into their writings ) do they therefore judge that the word of god which was handled on the lords day , must be forgotten ? nothing less ; especially when elsewhere they counsel their hearers to conferr with those that were absent , of what they heard in publick , after they were departed from the publick assembly . so chrysostom , hom. . in gen. and he sharply taxes those that did not thus , hom. . in joh. whom , when they are gone home , he affirms , they set upon no work beseeming a christian , whilst they do not search out the sense of the scriptures , which they heard in the assembly : and at length requires them , that when they are gone home , they endeavour the doing of what they are commanded , &c. hom. . in joh. bafil was of the same mind , who seriously wished , that what they had heard at both morning and evening assembly , all that might be the table talk to the hearers ; that is , when they sat down to table , they should talk of what they heard . st. austin counsels his hearers , to conferr with those that were absent , of what they heard ; and so their memory would be as his voice . praef. in psal . . and in the end of the interpretation of that psalm , he saith , as it belongeth to us to speak in the church to you , so it belongeth to you to speak of it in your houses . thirdly , because the lords day is not onely ordained for a pious celebration of the memory of christs resurrection , but also , basil the great being witness , is an image of the world to come , although it be no type of the rest and happiness in the life to come , yet , as after he explaines it , that in this daily commotion we neglect not to provide viands for a removal into that life that never will have end . basil de spiritu sancto , cap. . such viands shall he provide , that on that day , while he hath leisure from external things , shall seriously think with himself , that this is not his countrey , but he an exile ; and at length he must remove hence into heaven , the countrey of all the faithful . augustine , or whoever it was else , affirms , in the book de decem chordis , cap. . that a christian is commanded to observe the sabbath spiritually , in hope of the future rest , which the lord promiseth . and elsewhere , the lords day being consecrated by the resurrection of christ , doth not onely prefigure the eternal rest of the spirit , but body also . aug. de civitate dei , lib. . cap. . christians therefore are on this day principally to think of this eternal rest , taking an occasion from the rest of the lords day ; although , as i said , it be not properly instituted to signifie this rest , as a type of that thing . what ignatius , epist . ad magnes . delivers of the manner of observing the sabbath , may fitly be applied to the celebration of the lords day : he would have every one to keep a sabbath in a spiritual manner , in meditating of the law , not in refreshing and releasing of the body , and admiring the works of god : which especially do agree to the solemnity of a christian sabbath : on which christians are to bend their care hither , to recollect themselves , and feed their souls with the pious thoughts of that eternal rest ( of which the lords dayes rest is an image , according to basil ) in the world to come , by what means they can . therefore , when the publick meeting was ended , there followed also a pious meditation , which very well agreeth to the sanctification of the lords day , when the minds of men by hearing of the word , publick prayers , and other publick offices of religion performed on that day , are inflamed with exceeding love to desire heavenly things . and that the ancients were of that mind , the testimonies cited book . chap. . without me saying ought , do bear witness . for the fathers , as we have seen , do acknowledge , that the lords day was dedicated to divine worship , and judged that nought was to be done on that day by christians , whether in their assemblies , or after they were dismissed from them , but what tended to the salvation of the soul . this , origen alone , for all , will manifest , hom. . in num. who , while he shews in what things the observation of the christian sabbath consisteth , bids in , among other things , to think of heavenly things , to be careful about the future hope , to have before our eyes the judgment to come , and not to look at present and visible things , but at invisible and future . these things do shew , that pious meditation is of necessity to be had on the lords day : by help whereof , the minds of christians may be carried up from earthly , to heavenly things ; to the end ; that their conversation may be in heaven , from whence they look for the saviour , phil. . . even while they live on earth . chrysostom is earnest with his hearers , hom. . in gen. that they would remember what was spoken in the auditory , and that they would weigh all things with themselves , that what they had heard might settle in their thoughts . nor doth he ask this onely of them , but doth also earnestly request it of god , that not onely while they were present in the auditory , they would remember what he had said , but that they would weigh them at home by themselves , and in the market , and wheresoever they did abide . hom. . ad pop. now if a religious meditation on the lords day of what we have heard , be a way to the eternal observation of a sabbath in the heavens for christians , ( for whom there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , remaineth a sabbatism , heb. . . ) if they are to have before their eyes the future hope , and the tremendous judgment on that day , and to exhilerate their minds with the thoughts of a future life ; if they are to hearken to what is said with an attentive mind , not onely while they are present in the auditory , but after their their departure thence , where-ever they abide , they be to call to mind what they have heard . lastly , if those vigilant fathers were earnest with god , that their auditors minds might be perswaded to do this , all which are manifest by the cited testimonies : then , not without cause , have we affirmed , that when the publick assemblies are ended , meditation upon what we have heard is of necessity required of christians . fourthly , we read that gifts , which afterwards they called collects , were given on the lords day , for the use of the poor . so st. paul gave order , cor. . . that upon the first day of the week every one of you lay by you in store as god hath prospered him , &c. the apostle did very fitly make choice of a day of a sacred assembly for gathering almes on . that the minds of christians might , by hearing the word , publick prayers , and holy lessons had on that day , be the better inflamed to best●● them upon the poors use . add also the consent of the antient church . justin martyr , ap. . saith , that when the church was met on the sunday , there was a larger contribution , as their ability would bear , and what they so gathered , they committed to him that was the praepositus , to be bestowed for the use of all that were poor . tertullian also mentions this custome , in apol. and others that flourished after him in the church . which is so manifest , that i suppose none will make doubt of the same . these are some of sundry things , wherein the ancients , after the publick assemblies were ended in the church , bestowed their principal pains . which things , whoever considerately weigheth , he will easily grant , that the private observation of the lords day was not unknown to the fathers ; because their hearers were sometime examined of what they had heard , when the assemblies were ended ; and the bishops admonished them to conferr one among another of those things ; and they required them to refresh their minds with divine meditations out of the word , which they heard in the publick assembly ; and carefully bestowed several things that conduced to the comfort of the poor . and let these things briefly suffice to be spoken about the publick and private celebration of the lords day festival . chap. xvii . the conclusion . he that will not refuse to weigh seriously with himself the testimonies of scripture , and the holy fathers , thus far mentioned , shall not deny , that the lords day was solemnized by the church , in the very apostles age , and successively . he cannot but acknowledge , that its holy observation was instituted of god. he will easily perceive what hinders its solemnity , and in what things its solemn sanctification , whether publick or private doth consist . in asserting whereof , though i entred into a certain sea of disputations , yet have i sayled it through by the grace of god , in a short course . and i have affirmed nothing without the perspicuous testimony of notable authority : but we have missed it sometimes , lest any should believe , that we ( silly men of inferiour note , betaking our selves to what is plain ) do undertake an exquisite piece of work : who indeed have thrust out into the world nothing but our tumultuary commentations , and intended onely to stirr up the wits of others . now if there be any that is rather desirous of a worldly liberty , or carnal rest , than of divine truth ; who relisheth not what hath been said , i will take my leave of him with that grave sentence of st. austin , if he have any thing more to say , for my part , i know it not , let him wrangle with the scriptures , and the fathers that piously interpret them , not with us . and i humbly beg it of the lord , who is the author of this solemnity , that he would govern the church with his spirit , and stirr up the minds of men boldly to exercise piety , that what god hath cleansed , they call not common . whatever my blear-eyes have observed to be laid up in the deep records of honourable antiquity , ( which they that love the truth , cannot but highly prize ) upon this holy subject , i have brought it out to light ; that it may be manifested to all who truly ●avour of godliness , how much honour , not onely reason it self ▪ but the consent of all good men , and learned , do attribute to so solemn a festival . and if i have mistaken any thing here , i do not withdraw my self from the censure of the orthodox church , but submit my self very willingly to its sentence . sith with all godly and modest men , i heartily desire to remember that of the comedian , humanum est ▪ errare . i. it 's a point of mans frailty to mistake . neither is there here , as gregory nyssen , a pronouncing of sentence , but an exercitation , and disputation . i , having by the conduct of the most ancient fathers , like them who are half ▪ blind , entred a wood , have brought into this bundle what i thought to be most congruous for declaring the exercises of this holy solemnity . whilst that i observed sometimes the fathers did not altogether agree among themselves , i have embraced that , which was observed by men of more sound judgement , and more congruous to the practise of the universal church . if any one blame me , for not demonstrating the holy practise of the church , in these questions , more copiously , and with more testimonies of the ancients ; i hope in this to find pardon from the courteous ; since i purposed to do in this business , what isychius , in levit. l. . cap. . relates of image-makers and painters : who , when they begin of any thing their art requireth , do at first set out some rough draughts of an image or picture ▪ onely shadowed out in its lineaments , which afterwards , in process of the work , are perfected , by adding of the several parts , and are , as it were , brought to their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in like manner have i also given onely some testimonies upon this holy subject , for a taste , that all in a sort may understand , that the chief fathers of the ancient church did embrace and religiously retain the very same practise of piety in sanctifying of the lords day , which at this day is maintained by a perpetual observation , with all the friends of sincere religion ( some whereof , to the great dolour of my mind , i see to be wavering about this question , and am troubled at others that indulge the liberty of the flesh too much ) in the catholick church . but i commend in the name of god this office to others , who are well exercised in observing the monuments of the purer church , that for the ability granted to them by the lord , for profiting the church , they would not refuse to bring to light those things which may conduce to the glory of god , in observing the solemnity of his day . indeed , i judge , they would in this do a thing very acceptable to god , the author of the lords day solemnity ; profitable to the church , the faithful observer of this solemnity , and very well becoming the christian religion , of which this solemnity was alwayes a token . i silly man have here , so far as the labours of my charge would bear , according to my weakness , of which i am very well conscious , done in a sort , as some dyers , who prepare a cloth to receive a colour , and commit it to the labour and art of others , to put upon it the gloss . and this i believe i have done through the grace of god ▪ by the consummation of these testimonies , that now with little ado the friendly reader , careful of this solemnity , may observe , whether they who endeavour to adorn the lords day festival , fetch the truth out of its fountains , or they who delight to subvert it , that they may seek novelty ( as sometime optatus said of the donatists , lib. . ) in the bowels of antiquity ? he that views the premises , without a prejudiced mind , will find this . i have therefore been careful to produce the very testimonies of the fathers themselves , that to their words , and not my relation , or conclusions inferred from their words by me , credit might be given . in the mean time , god grant that of his infinite mercy he would cure the exulcerated manners of this age , which are impatient of sound doctrine . through jesus christ our lord , to whom , with the father , and the holy ghost , the author of the lords day solemnity , be glory for ever . amen . august . de trinit . ● . . c. . no sober man will hold an opinion against reason ; no christian man against scripture ; no peaceable man against the church . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e sozom. . . ep. ad alex. * ut profit hominibus , si fieri potest , multis ; si minus , paucis ; si minus , proximis ; si minus sib● senec. de ●tio sapientis . ps . . . ●onc . ma●●s● . . c. . conc. paris can. . notes for div a -e a ignat. epist . ad magn. c. . l. . c. . chrysost . hom . . in gen. t. macrob. saturn . l. . c. . p. . the sum of those things handled in this book . why mention of the day is more frequently made in the latter than former councils . a an. dom. . b can. . c an ▪ 〈…〉 ▪ a an. . b can. . how other churches may be bound to provincial assemblies . t. p . exempl . profession . in conc. . tolet. conc t. . p. . a cypr. ep. . b cypr. ep. . a cypr. ep. . sect . . b l. . c. . what vve are to think of the canons that ordained some incon . siderable things about observing the lords day . can. . so conc. african . can. . notes for div a -e a hom. . c. . p. . the extraordinary time for divine worship . a tertul. apol. cont . gentes . c. . the ordinary time for the worship of god. the meetings that were held by the apostles . a ioh. . . b l. . in jo● . c. . p. . a ioh. . b act. . . c in levit. l. . c. . a cor. . , . ioh. . contr. ebion . haer . . ●● . . ●ibi prius . how the apostles and other christeans were present at the jews synagogues . act. . . hom. . in act. tert. lib. de idol . c. . dial. cum tryphon . all interpreters of scripture are not at one with themselves . cor. . . socr. hist . l. . c. . hom. . in cor. aug. prolog . in retract . aug. ibid. ap. mar●●rat . ● . calvin ▪ sozom. hist . . c. . act. . . is considered . hom. . in act. ep. . cor. . , . de specta . cap. . hom. . ● . . a suidas . a baron . an. . n. . b hom. . in cor. rev. . . c wallaeus de . praec . c. . doth learnedly confute some of the foolish expositions which some make of the name of this day . the christians met on the sabbath . a l. . c. . feria ▪ b epist . ad jan. . . cap. . a lib. . in gal. c. . the ancients celebrated the sabbath ▪ not as an holy day . * eus . . . a an. . n. . . b l. . c. ●● . the ancients fasted on the sabbath . aug. ep. . a paul. de vit . ambros . b ep. . c bar. . n. . . conc. eliber . can . . conc. agatheus . can . . the difference between observing . the sabbath and lords day . . the sabbath was not observed every where . . they met not every sabbath . . all exercises of religion were not performed on the sabbath . a ep. . c. . b hist . lib. . c. . * synaxes . c apol. . . meetings on the sabbath were free . a hom. . in gen. a item concil . trull . can. . concil . sard. can. . . though they met on the sabbath , yet they abstained not from labour on that day . a hist . l. . c. . b ens . de vit . const . l. . c. . c hist . l. . c. . anniversary feusts were not equalled to the lords day . a just . mart. quad orth . . a ep. . b aug. epist . . c ep. . d in luc. l. . c. . anniversary feasts not to be preferred to the lords d●● . sozom. l. . c. . a de natio . baptistae . hom. . b de nat. dom. hom. . it is uncertain which of the anniversary feasts do excell . a orat. pro basilio . b orat. . in pasch . mention of observing the lords day may be me● with in the chief of the fathers a epist . ad magnes . an . . an. . an. . a eus . hist . l. . c. . b ann. de idol . c. . c an. . an . . d hist . l. . c. . an . ● . e epist . . an . . f serm. de ●leemasyn . an . . g l. . ep. . an. . an. . cod. l. . t it . de feriis lege● septima . a leo constit . . the authority of the lords day depends not on the determination of emperours . a l. . c. . 〈…〉 law-suits on the lords day . a sozom. . c. . b euseb . de vit . constant . l. . c. . a ●od . de feriis , l. . tit . . christians were punished for observing the lords day . b tertul. ap . advers . gen . c. . a an. . n. , &c. what it is dominicum agere . an. . num . . a lib. . ●● gal. b de fuge● vet . a sect. . b ●● . . a bar. an . . n. . b bar. an . . n. . c n. . a n. . & . n. . b 〈…〉 . . c 〈…〉 . d 〈…〉 . e 〈…〉 ● . f 〈…〉 . christs resurrection the cause of this solemnity . lords day is prima sabbati . a hom. ● . in cor. a luk. . . b contr. haer. l. . c. . why called the lords day . a euseb . de vit . const . l. . c. . b q. ex utroque , q. . c de verbis apostoli serm . it 's called sunday . a ap. adv . gent. c. . b dial. ad tryphon . c hieron . in ps . . t. . a ambros . serm. . b aug. contra faust . man. l. . c. . c aug. imp . in e●●rr . in ps . . d ep. . de idol . cap. conc. . de lazaro . . . p. . a in ps . . b athan. de sab. & circum . hom. . in num . why the lords day is seldome called the sabbath by the ancients . dial. cum● tryphone . ep. . a exercit. . ad bar. a l. . c. . b part . . qu. . a macrob. saturn . l. . c. . b lev. . a l. . c. . the whole day to be sanctified to god. de civit. dei. l. . c. . serm. de temp. . ibid. a hom. . in numer . a l. . c. . b an . . cap. . c macrob. saturn . l. . c. . a hierom in is . . an. . b an. . conc. tur. nothing but the works of piety is to be done on the lords day . con. foro. ejuti . can. . an. . an. . can. . an. . ep. l. . c. . indict . . an. . a concil . maliscon . . cap. . apud zenoad . cor ▪ . ● . . . leo const . . . hom. . in joan. hom. . in matth. job ▪ . christs instituting of the lords day by the apostles . the apostles prerogatives , cor. . . a epist . ad tralle●●● . b ofi● . l. . c. ● . c serm. . d hom 〈…〉 in math. mark . . e ad●…res . 〈…〉 f 〈…〉 . epist . ad theophil . 〈…〉 . . ● . ●● . whatever is ordained by the apostle : , is divine . a de prascripti adv . haer . c. . ep. wi●t●niensis in resp . ad epist . petri motinaei . leo constitut . . ubi supra . hexa . l. . c. . a hom. . a p. . hom. . in gen. the sabbath was observed from the beginning of the world . 〈◊〉 jud. c. . l. . ● . . de mundi ●pificio . tr●ct . . in joh. a an. . biblioth . pal. t. . l. . b an. . contr. marcion . l. . c. . an. . c de spiritu s. sect . . an . . a l. . de div . praem . c. . an . . b d● sab. & ●ircum . c de resur . ch●isti , o●at . . d hom . in gen. an. . ep. . a quaest . . in gen. an. . quest . : in exod. a part. . quast . . fol. . an. . ubi supra adam had need of the sabbath . . . . t●● sabbath observed , though no mention of its observation occurr . de bello juda c● , l. . c. ● . the th day celebrated amongst the heathens . a stroncat lib. . b l. . c. . sueton. in tiber. why the beathen are not upbraided with the abuse of the sabbath . ubi supra dissert . de sab. c. . the authorities are weighed which deny that the patriarchs kept the sabbath . a advers . jud. c. . &c. . ubi prius . a adv. jud. c. . a qu. . fol. . a in gal. . b in sent . ▪ distinc . : q. unica . a in gal. . how the sabbath is a sign between god and the church . pet. . ● . a lib. 〈…〉 c. ● the cessation of the jewish sabbath , col. . . ambros . in . col. . epist . . c. . ● . . a ep. . ad fidum . b ep. adv . jud. c. . the father● affirm not simply that the sabbath is abrogated . c hil. prolog . in psalm . exposit . a ● . . c. . a tract . . in joh. & de decem chordis . c. . b hom. in num. a de sab. & circumcis . b ep. . c in ps . . hom. . in joh. the ordaining of the lords day is gathered from scripture . rev. . . cor. . . hom. . in corin. ubi supra ap. adv ▪ gen . c. . act. . in praec . c. . it s institution is divine . epis . winton . resp . ad ep. petri m● ▪ linaei ▪ de die dominicae determ . infant-baptisme justified . baptisme not to be repeated . ps . . . sabb. circum . obj. resp . a hom. in gen. b eus . orat . de laudibus constant . circa finem . c constit . . a decivit . dei , l. . c. . b aug. ep. ● . c. . c ep. . a quast . ex utr●que mix● . cap. . b can. . c hom. de human . chr. gener . divers badges of the lords day . leo ep. . ● . . can. . hier. in gal. the church cannot change the lords day to another . athan. apol. . a prolog ▪ in psalmos . how far we must rest from labour on the lords day . a can. . b macrob. saturn . l. . c. . a plut. in num. pom. b lib. . c. . in joan. we must rest from gainful labour . a de civit . dei. ● . . c. . b a●●● ▪ cont . gentes l. ● . c hom . in num. a hom. . in cor. tom. . hom . . a place of chrysostom in hom . . ●● matth. 〈◊〉 . a centur. magdeb. . c. . de cerem . b strom. . . pag. . resp . ad qu. . ubi supra . distinct . . cap denique hom. . in num. † ep. lib. . c. . the place of gregory weighed . a serm. de temp. . eus . de vit . const . l. . c. . the sense of can. of the counc . of laodicea considered . carthag . concil . can. . ap . zonar . conc. matisc . . can. . is explained . gunt . ep. ad episc . p. . a maetth . . . b ad ●● ▪ ● . . c. . c cod. li. . tit. . de feriis , leg . . ● countrey men are bound to sanctifie the lords day . a can. . b macrob. saturn . l. . c. . c hom. . in num. a l. . c. . b l. . c. . c de praepar . evan. l. . c. . a orat. de laud. const . b hist . l. . c. . the indulgence granted by constantine the great , is examined , a de vita const . l. . c. . b an. . n. . this indulgence revoked . an. . an. . an. . an. . an. . paula her fact in hierom is examined . can. . * make prayer . hier. in tes . . * they that lived in a monastery together . epst . . epist . ad● casulanum ▪ cent. . c. . de moribus christianorum ▪ canon conc. aurel . is considered . a hierom ep. ad euagr. manumissions performed on the lords day . conc. t. . p. . a soz. l. . ap. zon●ram . cod. l. , tit . . leg . . mat. . . a cyril lib. . in joh. c. . a orat. , in iulian. . ubi supra . hom. de eleemos . . l. . p. . servants not to be called off from sanctifying the lords day . ser. . ubi supra . can. . hom. . in gen. a dist . . cap. deui● ▪ we ough● not to fast on the lords daye b ep. ad phil. an. . c in can. . conc. in tralla . aug. ep. . ep. . a ep. ad lucin. a aug. ep. . * de civ . dei , lib. . cap. . a possid . de vita aug. c. . b paulin. de vit . amb. c an. . n. . idem . a possid de vita aug. cap. . a an. . n. . b ep. . ibidem . hierom in is . . hom. . in joh. a hom. . in johan . b l. . in jo. c. . ● cod. l. . tit . . de feriis . l. . a c●● . . circa an. . an. . a damasc de haeic . aug. devera rel . c. . tert. adv . gen. c. . hom. . de laz t. . p. . * basil . ep. . ad s. gregor . orat. . in jul. . 〈…〉 serm. de cruce dom. hom. . in cor. * in ps . . a sympos . l. . q. . a polid. vir. de invent . rerum , l. . c. . b tert. de specta . . a tertul. de spectac . c. . four kinds of sights anciently . ap. adv . gent. c. . * tert. de spect . c. . it is not for christians to be present at sights . can. . can. . ap . zona . * cypr. de spectac . no worldly pleasures to be used on the lords day . de spec . c. . ubi prius . hom. . in matth. * chrysost hom. . in ioh. * de spec . ser. . no dancing after church-meetings . * tertul. de spec . . sect : . * chrys . hom. . t. . † tertul. de anima , c. . lords day solemnities publick assemblies on the l. day . in lev. l. c. c. . they met oftener in the following , than in the former church the church met twice on the lords day . meetings in the night . vigils . in math. . bas . in ps . t. . ap. adv . gen. c. . certain hours appointed for publick meeting● . a ath. ap. . a de anima , c. . meetings in the morning . b nic. . . c ep. . can. . apud . zon. meetings in the vening . socr. hist . l. . c. . ep. . in ps . . * ap. . † serm. in ●es qui in feris tantum con●… a 〈…〉 in l●… . c. ●● . reading of scripture . * tert. ad ux . l. . c. . what scripture was read in the apostles age . * euseb . hist . . c. . * cap. . † hom. . in num. * ap. adv . gent. c. . † de praep . evangel . l. . c. . humane writings read in the church . l. . c. . a tract . . in joh. a ep. . deacons read the scriptures . b ep. ad sabin . an. . who the audientes were . readers stood in sight of the people . cyp ▪ ep. . the scripture being read , was interpreted . a just . mart. apol. . b ep. . l. . c de civit. der , l. . c. ● . clerici , whence se so called . ad nepoti . the name of bishop . * prosper . de v. . co●… l. . c. . in job . * aug. ep. a l. . b in ps . . conc . . de parte ps . circa finem . c adv. jovinianum , lib. . d lib. . de trinit . non procul ab initio . e ep. ad dracontium . a ep. l. . ep . . presbyters explained the scriptures . b tract . . 〈…〉 math. act. . . . a possid . de vit . aug. c. . au. . an. . tim. . . deacons also expounded scriptures . catechists did the same . theodoret l. . c. . t. . conc. tertull. adv . gent. apolic . . the study both of praying and teaching is commended to the ministers of the word from the apostle in act. . . † hom. . in coloss . * de bono pudicitiae . * de doctrin . christiana l. . c. . &c. . † de verbis domini , serm. . texts of their treatises . a ap c. . b l. . ep. . de baptis . scripture was to be applied to the peoples use . * serm. ad eos qui in festis tantum conveniunt . t. . p. . treaters sometimes stood , and sometimes sate . hierom. in gal. . or. . in plagam grandinis . they conclude the treatise with prayer after treateng they sung psalms . ep. . ad neo caesari . how reading may be called preaching . act. . . de heres . their treatises were not long . * aug. ep. . † hexam . hom. . * hom. . de lazaro , . . p. . * chrys . hom. . de verbis isaiae , t. . p. ● . † hom. . in num. a ser. . de verb. dom. treatises not tyed to an hour●● . a ep. . no going out before the treatise ended . hom. . in matth. the ancients treated out of scriptures every day . a ca● . . concil . in trullo . two treatises on the lords day . hom. . ● . . p. . clj. answ . socr. . . it is considered whether interpreting of the law wus in use before the babylonish captivity . object . answ . sanctifying of the sabbath , not in meer idle . ●ess . deut. ● . hom. . de lazar. t. . p. , hom. . in num. de sabb. & circum * iu ps . . on the sabbath a holy convocation . the levites were to teach the law. * mat. . mar. . . luk. . joh. . , , . luk. . , , . use of synagogues before the babylonish captivity . de rep. hebr. l. . c. . l. . contra appion . de vitae mosis , l. . de rep. hebr. l. . c. . * de fuga in persecution . c. ult . † sect. . de bono pudiciti● . prayers had by the church assembled . * ap. . * niceph. . . conventitula what . * ● . . c. . prayer only to god. * tert. ap . c. . the praefectus begun prayer . * ap. . a ● . . cont . parmen . ep. c . b orat. c theod. . . the praefectus prepared the people to prayer . a exhort . ad virgines . b plut. in numa pomp. cypr. de orat. dom ▪ o●e voice of all in prayer . a strom. hom. . in cor. a tert. ap . . prayers suggested by the holy ghost . * pro virin . de orat. c. . a aug de eccl dogm . c. . b de sac . dot . . how this custom was changed . de bapt. contra do ●tat . lib. . c. . a● . . a● . . can. . † soer . l. . c. . nic. l. . c. . euseb . de vit . const . l. . c. . for what the church prayed . prayer in a known tongue . lib. . ad simp. q. . de orat. dom. cont. gen. l. . * de c●rona militum . of praying with the face to the east . basil . de sp. sanct. c. . see other reasons of the same weight , in damascen de orthodfide . l. . c. . amen . lib. . ad galat. hymns sung in thē church-assembly . ep. . c. . tertull. apol c. . * serm. de cruce domini . † ora. . socr. . . conc. t. . p. . conf. l. . c. . the matter of hymns . * hom. de verb. is●ae . l . p . * this manualis aqua was for washing the hands with , to distinguish it from their baths , which they used before supper . singing to the vulgars capacity . hier. ep. ad rustic . aug. ep. . c. . the inconveniency of a sweet voice in ▪ singing . conf. l. . c. . chrys . hom . . de verb. isaiae , t. . p. . the good use of a well moderated singing . aug. conf. l. . t. . hom. . in cor. . ep. ad neo caes . . * chrys . hom. . in cor. the author of harmonious tuning . * in vita damas . organs . just. mart. q. . how none but a few should sing in the church . * an. . n. . hom. . de verb. isa . the church could not endure broken musick . li. . ep . . in can. . conc. lao. a censure of the musick among the papists ap. . ep. lib. . ep . . contra celsum , l. . p. . † clem. al. paed . t. . in catal. eccl. scr. in clem. apol. ad damien ▪ lib. d● poenit. c. . conc. ● : carthag : can. . serm. de temp. . ep. . * aug. retr . lib. . c. . an oration over the catechumeni . the degrees of penitents . de paenit . lib. . c. . † bell. d● missa . l. . c. . * ambros . de poenit. l. . c. . epitaphi fabiolae ▪ epist . ad demoph . the penitents called audientes . substrati . ●ubsist●●tes . * hier. in gal. . after the publick treatises followed examination of what was beard . conferring of what they heard . hom. . in math. hom. . in levit. object . answ . hom. . hexaem . meditation of the life to come . alms gathered . aug. in ps . . theses sabbaticæ, or, the doctrine of the sabbath wherein the sabbaths i. morality, ii. change, iii. beginning. iv. sanctification, are clearly discussed, which were first handled more largely in sundry sermons in cambridge in new-england in opening of the fourth commandment : in unfolding whereof many scriptures are cleared, divers cases of conscience resolved, and the morall law as a rule of life to a believer, occasionally and distinctly handled / by thomas shepard ... shepard, thomas, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing s estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) theses sabbaticæ, or, the doctrine of the sabbath wherein the sabbaths i. morality, ii. change, iii. beginning. iv. sanctification, are clearly discussed, which were first handled more largely in sundry sermons in cambridge in new-england in opening of the fourth commandment : in unfolding whereof many scriptures are cleared, divers cases of conscience resolved, and the morall law as a rule of life to a believer, occasionally and distinctly handled / by thomas shepard ... shepard, thomas, - . 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the sabbaths i. morality . ii. change. iii. beginning . iv. sanctification . are clearly discussed . which were first handled more largely in sundry sermons in cambridg in new-england in opening of the fourth commandment . in unfolding whereof many scriptures are cleared , divers cases of conscience resolved , and the morall law as a rule of life to a believer , occasionally and distinctly handled . by thomas shepard , pastor of the church of christ at cambridge in new england . what evill thing is this that ye do , and prophane the sabbath day ? did not your fathers thus , and did not our god bring all this evil upon us , and upon this city ? yet ye bring more wrath upon israel by prophaning the sabbath . nehem. , . if ye hallow the sabbath to do no work therein , then shall there enter into the gates of this city kings and princes . jer. . . . london , printed by t. r. and e. m. for iohn rothwell . sun and fountain in pauls church-yard . . the preface of the author to the reader . that a seventh part of time hath been religiously and universally observed both under the law and under the gospel , is without all controversie ; the great doubt and difficulty which now remaines concerning this time , is the morality of it , whether it was thus universally observed in the christian churches by unwritten tradition , or by divine commission ; whether from the churches custome or christs command . whether as a moral duty , or as a humane law ; for although some would make ●he observation of such a portion of time the soure fruit of the ebionites superstitious doctrines , yet all the ancient and best writers in the purest times do give such honour to it , that whoever doubts of it must either be utterly ignorant , or wilfully blinded in the knowledge of the histories and doctrines of those times ; and must desire a candle to shew him the sunne at noone day : clemens onely seemes to cast some staine upon it by making all dayes equall , and every day a sabbath ; but upon narrow search , his meaning may appeare , not to deny the observation of the day , but onely to blame the froth and vanity of sundry christians , who , if they externally observed the day , they cared not how they lived every day after : nor is it to be wondred at , if origen turne this day sometime into an allegory and a continuall spirituall rest-day , who miserably transformes ( many times ) the plainest scriptures into such shapes , and turnes their substance into such shadowes , and beating out the best of the kernels , feeds his guests with such chaffe and husks ; and although many other festivals were observed by those times , which may make the sabbath suspected to be borne out of the same womb of humane custome with the rest , yet we shall finde the seventh dayes rest to have another crowne of glory set upon the had of it by the holy mēn of god in those times then upon those which superstition so soone hatcht and brought forth , so that they that reade the histories of those times in observing two sabbaths in some places , easter , whitsunday , yea divers ethnick and heathenish dayes , will need no other comment on those texts of paul , wherein he condemnes the observation of dayes ; which beginning to flie abroad in the day light of the apostles , might well out-face the succeeding ages , and multiply with more authority in darker times ; yet so , as that the seventh dayes rest ( call it what you will ) still kept its place and ancient glory , as in the sequell shall appear . when therefore the good will of him who dwelt in the burning bush of the afflicted primitive churches , gave princes and emperours to be their nursing fathers ; pious constantine among other christian edicts , injoynes the observation of the lords day : wherein ( if he was bound by his place to be a nourishing father ) he went not beyond his commission , in swadling and cherishing this truth and appointment of christ , and not suffering it to dye and perish through the wickednesse of men ; the power of princes extending to see christs lawes observed , though not to impose any humane inventions and church constitutions of their own . it s true indeed that this princely edict was mixed with some imperfection and corruption , it following too short in some things , and extending too far in others ; but there is no just cause for any to stumble much at this , that knowes the sick head and heart by the weak and feeble pulse and crasie temper of those clouted , though otherwise triumphing times . the successours of this man-child ( borne out of the long and weary throwes of the poore travelling church ) were inlarged generally in their care and conscience to preserve the religious honour due to this day , untill the time of charles the great , who in the latter end of his reign observing how greatly the sabbath was profaned ( especially by the continuance and leaudnesse of church-men ) did therefore call five nationall councels ( which i need not here mention ) in all which the sabbath is advanced to as strict observation to the full , as hath been of late yeers condemned by some in the sabbatarian reformers : that it is a wonder how any man should cast off all shame , and so far forget himselfe , as to make the sabbath a device of fulco , or peter bruis , eustachius , or the book at golgotha , and put the visor of novelty upon the aged face of it , as if it were scarce known to any of the martyrs in queen maries time , but receiving strength and growth from master perkins , was first hatcht and received life from under the wings of a few late disciplinarian zelots . and it cannot be denied but that the sabbath ( like many other precious appointments and truths of god ) did shake off her dust , and put on her comely and beautifull garments , and hath been much honoured and magnified since the times of the reformation ; the doctrine and darknesse of popery ( like that of the pharisees ) not only obscuring the doctrine of faith , but also of the law and obedience of faith , and so hath obscured this of the sabbath ; only herein they did excell their forefathers the scribes and pharisees , for these added their own superstitious resting from things needfull and lawfull to their meerly externall observation of the day ; but they ( unto their eternall observation of the name of the day ) added their abominable prophanations to it , in may-games and may-poles , in sports and pastimes , in dancing and revellings , and so laid it level , and made it equall ( in a manner ) to the rest of their holy dayes ; that as they came to shuffle out the second commandment almost out of the decalogue , so in time they came to be blinded with that horrour of darknesse , as to translate the words of the commandment into some of their catechismes , remember to keep the holy festivals , and therefore those worthies of the reformation who have contended for all that honour which is due to this day , are unjustly aspersed for pleading for a jewish and superstitious strictnesse , when the cause they handle is no other in truth , then to vindicate the sabbath both in the doctrine and observation of it from papists prophanesse ; and therefore all the world may see that under pretence of opposing in others a kinde of iudaizing upon this day , the adversaries of it do nothing else but maintain a grosse point of practicall popery , who are by law most ignorant and grosse prophaners of this day , and therefore when many of christs servants are branded and condemned for placing so much of religion in the observation of this day , and yet bishop white and some others of them shall acknowledge as much as they plead for , if other ▪ festivals be taken in with it ordained by the church , ( as that they are the nursery of religion and all vertue , a meanes of planting faith and saving knowledge , of heavenly and temporall blessings , and the prophanation of them hatefull to god and all good men that feare god ▪ and to be punished in those which shall offend ) they do hereby plainly hold forth ▪ what market they drive to , and what spirit acts them in setting up mans posts by gods pillars , and in giving equall honour to other festivals and holy dayes , which those whom they oppose do maintaine as due to the sabbath alone , upon better grounds . the day star from on high visiting the first reformers in germany enabled them to see many things , and so to scatter much , yea most of the popish and horrible darknesse which generally overspread the face of all europe at that day ; but diverse of them did not ( as well they might not ) see all things with the like clearnesse , whereof this of the sabbath hath seemed to be one : their chiefe difficulty lay here ; they saw a morall command for a seventh day , and yet withall a change of that first seventh day , and hence thought that something in it was morall in respect of the command , and yet something ceremoniall because of the change : and therefore they issued their thoughts here , that 〈◊〉 was partly morall and partly ceremoniall , and hence their observation of the day hath been ( answerable to their judgments ) more lax and loose ; whose arguments to prove the day partly ceremonial , have ( upon narrow examination ) made it wholly ceremoniall ; it being the usuall unhappinesse of such arguments as are produced in defence of a lesser errour , to grow big with some man-child in them , which in time growes up ; and so serve onely to maintaine a farre greater ; and hence by that part of the controversie they have laid foundations of much loosnesse upon that day among themselves , and have unawares laid the corner stones of some grosse points of familisme , and strengthned hereby the hands of arminians , malignants and prelates , as to prophane the sabbath , so to make use of their principles for the introduction of all humane inventions under the name and shadow of the church ; which if it hath power to authorize and establish such a day of worship : let any man living then name what invention he can , but that it may much more easily be ushered in upon the same ground : and therefore though posterity hath cause for ever to admire gods goodnesse for that abundance of light and life poured out by those vessels of glory in the first beginnings of reformation , yet in this narrow of the sabbath it is no wonder if they stept a littele beside the truth ; and it is to be charitably hoped and beleeved , that had they then foreseen what ill use some in after ages would make of their principles , they would have been no otherwise minded then some of their followers and friends especially in the churches of scotland and england , who might well see alittle farther ( as they use to speake ) when they stood upon such tall mens shoulders . it s easie to demonstrate by scripture and argument as well as by experience , that religion is just as the sabbath is , and decays and growes as the sabbath is esteemed : the immediate honour and worship of god which is brought forth and swadled in the three first commandments , is nurst up and suckled in the bosome of the sabbath : if popery will have grosse ignorance & blind devotion continued among its miserable captives , let it then be made ( like the other festivals ) a merry and a sporting sabbath ; if any state would reduce the people under it to the romish faith and blinde obedience againe , let them erect ( for lawfull pastimes and sports ) a dancing sabbath ; if the god of this world would have all professours enjoy a totall immunity from the law of god , and all manner of licentiousnesse allowed them without check of conscience , let him then make an every-day sabbath : if there hath been more of the power of godlinesse appearing in that small inclosure of the british nation then in those vast continents elsewhere , where reformation and more exact church-discipline have taken place , it cannot well be imputed to any outward meanes more , then their excelling care and conscience of honouring the sabbath and although master rogers in his preface to the . articles injuriously and wretchedly makes the strict observation of the sabbath the last refuge of lies by which stratagem the godly ministers in former times being drivē out of al their other strong holds , did hope in time to drive out the prelacy and bring in againe their discipline ; yet thus much may be gathered from the mouth of such an accuser that the worship and government of the kingdome and church of christ iesus is accordingly set forward as the sabbath is honoured ; prelacy , popery , prophanesse must down and shall down in time , if the sabbath be exactly kept . but why the lord christ should keep his servants in england and scotland to cleare up and vindicate this point of the sabbath , and welcome it with more love then some precious ones in forraigne churches , no man can imagine any other cause then gods own free grace and tender love , whose wind blowes where and when it will ; deus nobis haec otia fecit , and the times are coming wherein gods work will better declare the reason of this and some other discoveries by the british nation , which modesty and humility would forbid all sober minds to make mention of now . that a seventh dayes rest hath ( therefore ) beene of universall observation is without controversie ; the morality of it ( as hath been said ) is now the controversie ; in the primitive times when the question was propounded servasti dominicum ? hast thou kept the lords day ? their answer was generally this , christianus sum , intermittere non possum ; i. i am a christian , i cannot neglect it : the observation of this day was the badge of their christianity . this was their practise ; but what their judgment was about the morality of it is not safe to enquire from the tractates of some of our late writers in this controversie ; for it is no wonder if they that thrust the sabbath out of paradise , and banish it out of the world untill moses time , and then make it a meere ceremony all his time till christs ascension , if since that time they bring it a peg lower , and make it to be a humane constitution of the church , rather then any divine institution of christ iesus ; and herein , those that oppose the morality of it by dint of argument , and out of candor and conscience propose their grounds on which they remaine unsatisfied , i do from my heart both highly and heartily honour , and especially the labours of master primrose and master ironside , many of whose arguments and answers to what is usually said in defence of the morality of the day , who ever ponders them , shall finde them heavie ; the foundations and sinewes of whose discourses i have therefore had a speciall eye to in the ensuing theses , with a most free submission of what is here returned in answer thereto , to the censure of better minds and riper thoughts , being verily perswaded that whoever finds no knots or difficulties to humble his spirit herein , either knows not himselfe , or not the controversie : but as for those whose chiefe arguments are reproaches and revilings of embittered and corrupt hearts , rather then solid reasons of modest minds ; i wholly decline the pursuit of such creatures whose weapons is their swell , and not any strength , and do leave them to his tribunall who judgeth righteously , for blearing the eyes of the world , and endeavouring to exasperate princes , and make wise men beleeve that this doctrine of the sabbath is but a late novelty , a doctrine tending to a high degree of schisme , a phanatick iudaizing , like his at tewksbury sabbata sancta colo . i. e. a peece of disciplinary policy to advance presbytery , a superstitious seething over of the hot or whining simplicity of an over-rigid , crabbed , precise , crack-brain'd puritanicall party : the righteous god hath his little dayes of judgment in this life to clear up and vindicate the righteous cause of his innocent servants against all gainsayers , and who sees not ( but those that will be blinde ) that the lord hath begun to do something this way by these late broyles ? the controversie god hath with a land , is many times in defence of the controversies of his faithfull witnesses , the sword maintaines argument , and makes way for that which the word could not ; those plants which ( not many yeers since ) most men would not beleeve not to be of gods planting ) hath the lord puld up : the three innocent fire-brands so fast tyed to some foxes tayles , are now prety well quencht , and the tayles almost cut off ; this cause of the sabbath also the lord iesus is now handling ; god hath cast down the crownes of princes , stained the robes of nobles with dirt and blood ; broken the croziers , and torne the miters in peeces for the controversie of his sabbath , jer. . . he hath already made way for his discipline also ( which they feared the precise sabbath would introduce again ) by such a way as hath made all hearts to ake , just according to the words never to be forgotten , of mr. udal in his preface to the demonstration of discipline . the councel of matiscon imputed the irruption of the goths into the empire , to the prophanation of the sabbath . germany may now see , ( or else one day they shall see ) that one great cause of their troubles is , that the sabbath wanted its rest , in the dayes of their quietnesse . england was at rest , till they troubled gods sabbath . the lord iesus must reign ; the government of his house , the laws of his kingdom , the solemn days of his worship must be established ; the cause of his suffering and afflicted servants ( not of our late religious scorners at ordinances , lawes and sabbaths ) who are now at rest from their labours , but in former times wept , and prayed and petitioned , and preacht and writ , and suffered , and dyed for these things , and are now crying under the altar , must and shall certainly be cleared before men and angels : heaven and earth shall passe away , before one tittle of the law ( much lesse a whole sabbath ) shall perish . but while i am thus musing , me thinks no measure of tears are sufficient to lament the present state of times , that when the lord iesus was come forth to vindicate the cause and controversie of sion , there should rise up other instruments of spiritual wickednesses in high places , to blot out the name and sweet remembrance of this day from off the face of the earth ; the enemies of the sabbath are now not so much malignant time-servers , and aspiring brambles whom preferment principally byassed to knock at the sabbath ; but those who have eaten bread with christ , ( a generation of professing people ) do lift up their heel against his sabbath : so that what could not formerly be done against it by angels of darknes the old serpent takes another course to effect it by seeming angels of light ; who by a new device are raised up to build the sepulchres of those who persecuted the prophets in former times , & to justifie all the books of sports , & the reading of them yea all the former & present profanations , yea scoffs & scorns against the sabbath day . for as in former times they have ceremonialized it out of the decalogue , yet by humane constitutiō have retained it in the church ; so these of later times have spritualized it out of the decalogue , ye out of of all the churches in the world . for by making the christian sabbath to be only a spirituall sabbath in the bosome of god out of heb. . they hereby abolish a seventh dayes sabbath , and make every day equally a sabbath to a christian man. this i hope will be the last , but it is the most specious and fairest colour and banner that ever was erected to fight under against the christian sabbath ; and is most fit to deceive not only some sudden men of loose and wanton wits , but especially men of spirituall , but too shallow minds . in times of light ( as these are reputed to be ) satan comes not abroad usually to deceive with fleshly and grosse forgeries , and his cloven foot , ( for every one almost would then discerne his haltings ) but with more mystical , yet strong delusions , and invisible chaines of darknesse , whereby he bindes his captives the faster to the judgment of the great day . and therefore the watchword given in the bright and shining times of the apostle , was , to try the spirits ; and , believe not every spirit ; and take heed of spirits , who indeed were only fleshly and corrupt men , yet called spirits , because they pretended to have much of the spirit , and their doctrines seemed only to advance the spirit ; the fittest and fairest cobwebs to deceive and intangle the world in those discerning times , that possible could be spun out of the poysonfull bowels of corrupt and ambitious wit. the times are now come , wherein by the refined mysticall divinity of the old monks , not only the sabbath , but also all the ordinances of christ in the new-testament are allegorized and spirituallized out of the world : and therefore 't is no marvel when they abolish the outward sabbath because of a spirituall sabbath in christ , if ( through gods righteous judgment blinding their hearts ) they be also left to reject the outward word , because of an inward wo●d to teach them ; and outward baptisme and lords supper , because of an inward baptisme by the holy ghost and spirituall bread from heaven the lord christ iesus ; and all outward ordinances , ministries , churches , because of an inward kingdome and temple : and the argument will hold strongly , that if because they have an inward sabbath of rest in the bosome of christ ( which i deny not ) that they may therefore cast away all externall sabbaths , they may then very well reject all outward baptisme , lords supper , all churches , all ordinances , because herein there is also the inward baptisme , spirituall feeding upon christ and inward kingdome and temple of god. but thus they wickedly separate and sever what god hath joyned and may well stand together , through the madnesse of which hellish practise i have long observed almost all the late and most pernicious errours of these times arise ; and those men who have formerly wept for gods precious sabbaths and ordinances , and have prayed for them , and pleaded for them , and have offered their lives in sacrifice for them , and fought for them , yea , that have felt perhaps the comfort , sweetnesse , and blessing of gods sabbaths , yea the redeeming and saving-power of gods ordinances to their owne soules ; yet through pretences of more spirituall enjoyments above , and beyond , and without all these , they can part with these their old friends without weeping , and reject them as polluted rags , and fleshly formes , and dark vailes and curtaines which must be drawne aside , that so they may not hinder the true light from shining in them . this therfore is the reason why the love of man● at this day is grown cold toward the external sabbath ; because the internall and spirituall sabbath is now all in all : and therefore many men walk either with bold consciences , and will observe no sabbath ; or else with loose consciences , thinking it lawfull to observe it ( if men will injoyn it ) but no● thinking that they are tyed and bound therunto from any precept of god. that place of hebrews . which they so much stick to ▪ wants not light to demonstrate that the sabbatisme there may well agree not onely with the internall , but the outward christian sabbath : but some of the ensuing theses will serve to cleare up these things . this onely i feare ; that because of these indignites done thus to gods sabbaths even by the under-workings of some of gods owne people , that the time hastens , wherein if no man should speake , yet the right hand of the sore displeasure of a provoked god by plagues and confusion upon the glory of all flesh , will plead for his own name , and for that in speciall which is engraven upon the forehead of his holy sabbaths . jerusalem remembred with regret of heart , in the dayes of her affliction and misery , all her pleasant things , and especially this of the sabbath , lam. . . if the dayes of our rest and quietnesse cannot make us to relish the good things of his temple in the fruition of our sabbaths ; then doubt not of it , but that the dayes of our affliction shall make a remnant to remember that they were pleasant things : of all the mercies of god to israel , this is reckoned to be one of the greatest , that he gave his lawes to israel , psal. . , . and of all lawes , this of the sabbath ; ( for so the remnant of the captivity acknowledged it , nehem. . . who perhaps had far lower thoughts of it before their bondage . and if the very making of it known be such a sweet mercy , what then is the rest and peace of it , the blessing and comfort of it ? for which i doubt not but many thousands are admiring god in heaven at this day . and shall a shady imagination of an every-day-sabbath , make us sell away for nothing such a heavenly and precious season , and make it common ? the lord iesus wisht his disciples to pray that their flight from jerusalem might not be in winter , nor on the sabbath-day , matth. . . accounting it a great misery , that his people should lose the publike benefit ( through the disturbance of any ) of one sabbath-day ; ( for be it iewish or christian sabbath , i now dispute not ; sure i am it was a sabbath-day , which it seemes was to continue after christs ascension to the father , and therefore not wholly ceremonial ) and shall we account it no affliction or misery to fight or flie , to ride or go , to work or play , to heare the word in publike , or stay at home upon the sabbath-day ? is it no mercy in these dayes to injoy many sabbaths , which was so sore a misery in christs account , and in the apostles dayes to lose but one ? if mans heart be lost in the necessary cumbers of the weeke , ( upon the sabbath ) the lord is wont to recall it again to him ; if any feare that the time of grace is past , the continuance of the sabbaths , ( the speciall seasons of grace ) confutes him ; if a mans soul be wearied with daily griefs and outward troubles , the bosome of iesus christ ( which is in speciall wise opened every lords day ) may refresh him ; and shall we have and professe so little love to such a time , ( more precious then gold to humbled hearts ) as to cast away such a rich portion of precious time , and make it common under a pretence of making every day a sabbath , which is either impossible to do ▪ or sinfull : the loudest voice ( one of them of the love of christ , which now sounds in the world continually in the yeers of his people , is this , come into my bosome ye weary sinners and enjoy your rest ; and the next voice to that is this of the sabbath to call us off from all occasions , and then to say to us , come to me my people , and rest in my bosome of sweetest mercy all this day : which call would not be a mercy , if it were every day ; for then our owne occasions must be neglected , which the wise and fatherly providence of god forbids ; and spirituall work onely minded and intended , which god did never command : nor should any marvel that the voyce of the law should containe such a voyce of love , and therefore should not think that this controversie about the law ( or for this one law of the sabbath is unfit and unsutable to these evangelicall and gospel times : for although the law is dreadfull and full of terrour as considered without christ , and is to man fallen a voyce of words and a voice of terrour and feare , which genders unto bondage ; yet as it is revealed with reference to christ , and a people in christ , so every commandment doth spirare amorem ( as he speaks ) and breaths out christs love , for which the saints cannot but blesse the lord with everlasting wonderment that ever he made them to know these heart-secrets of his good will and love , especially then when he writes them in their hearts , and thereby gives unto them the comfort thereof . and verily if it be such a sweet voice of love to call us in to this rest of the day , certainly if ever the enlish nation be deprived of these seasons ( which god in mercy forbid ) it will be a black appearance of god against them in the dayes of their distresse , when he shall seeme to shut them out of his rest in his bosome by depriving them of the rest of this day . what will ye do in the solemne day , in the day of the feast of the lord ? for lo they are gone because of destruction ; egypt shall gather them , memphis shall bury them , their ●ilver shall be desired , nettles shall possesse them ; thorns shall be in their tabernacles ; the dayes of visitation are come , the dayes of recompence are come , israel shall know it ; the prophet is a foole , the spiritual man is mad , for the multitude of thine iniquity , and the great hatred . hos. . , , . but let men yet make much of gods sabbaths , and begin here ; and if it be too tedius to draw neere to god every day , let them but make conscience of trying and tasting how good the lord is but this one day in a week , and the lord will yet reserve mercy for his people , jer. , , . . for keep this , keep all ; lose this , lose all : which lest i should seeme to pleade for out of a frothy and groundlesse affection to the day , and lest any in these times should be worse then the crane and the swallow who know their times of returne , i have therefore endeavoured to cleare up those foure great difficulties about this day in the theses here following . . concerning the morality . . the change. . the beginning . . the sanctification of the sabbath . being fully perswaded that whosoever shall break one of the least commandements , and teach men so , shall be called least in the kingdom of god. i do therefore desire the reader to take along with him these two things . . suspending his judgment concerning the truth and validity of any part or of any particular thesis , untill he hath read over the whole ; for they have a dependance one upon another for mutuall clearing of one another ; and lest i should bis coctum apponere , and say the same thing twice , i have therefore purposely left out that in one part , and one thesis which is to be cleared in another , either for proofe of it , or resolution of objections against it ; and although this dependance may not so easily appeare ( because i have not so expressely set downe the method ) yet the wise-hearted i hope will easily finde it out , or else pick out and accept what they see to be of god , in such a confused heap ; for it was enough to my ends if i might lay in any broken pieces of timber to forward this building , which those that are able to wade deeper into this controversie , may please to make use of ( if there be any thing in them , or in any of them ) in their owne better and more orderly frame ; for it hath been , and still is my earnest desire to heaven that god would raise up some or other of his precious servants to cleare up these controversies more fully then yet they have beene , that the zeale for gods sabbaths may not be fire without light , which perhaps hath hitherto been too little through the wickednesse of former times , encouraging the books one way , and suppressing those of most weight and worth , for the other . . to consider that i do most willingly give way to the publishing of these things ; which i could in many respects have much more readily committed to the fire then to the light ; when i consider the great abilities of others ; the need such as i am have to sit down and learn ; the hazards and knocks men get only by coming but into the field in polemical matters , and the unusefulnesse of any thing herein for those in remote places where knowledge abounds , and where to cast any thing of this nature , is to cast water into the sea ; i confesse i am ashamed therefore to be seene in this garment ; and therefore that i have thus farre yeelded , hath beene rather to please others then my selfe , who have many wayes compelled me hereunto ; the things for substance contained herein were first preached in my ordinary course upon the sabbath dayes in opening the commandments ; the desires of some students in the colledge , and the need i saw of resolving some doubts arising about these things in the hearts of some ordinary hearers among the people , occasioned a more large discussing of the controversie ; to which i was the more inclined , because one among us ( who wanted not abilities ) was taken away from us , who had promised the clearing up of all these matters ; when therefore these things were more plainly and fully opened and applyed to the consciences of some more popular capacities as well as others , i was then put upon it to reduce the doctrinall part of these sermons upon the fourth commandment , into certaine theses for the use of some students desirous thereof ; when being scattered and coming to the view of some of the elders in the country , i was by some of them desired to take off some obscurity arising from the brevity and littlenesse of them by greater enlargements and a few more explications of them which promising to do , and then coming to the bearing of many ; i was then desired by all the elders in the country , then met together to commit them to publike view ; which hitherto my heart hath opposed , and therefore should still have smothered them , but that some have so farre compelled me , as that i feared i should resist and fight against god , in not listning to them ; in which many things are left out , which perhaps might be more usefull to a plaine people , which then in the application of matters of doctrine were publikely delivered ; and some few things are added , especiall in that particular wherein the directive power of the moral law is cleared against the loose wits of these times . we are strangers here ( for the most part ) to the books and writings which are now in europe , but it s much feared that the increase and growth of the many tares and errours in england , hath been by reason of the sleepinesse of some of the honest husbandmen ; and that those who are best able to pluck them up , have not seasonably stood in the gap , and kept them out by a zealous convicting and publike bearing witnesse against them by word and writing , and that therefore such as have with too much tendernesse and complyance tolerated errours , errour will one day grow up to that head that it will not tolerate or suffer them to speak truth ; we have ● proverb here , that the devil is not so soon risen but christ is up before him ; and if any of his precious servants have slept and lien longer a be● then their master hath done , and have not spoke● or printed soone enough for iesus christ in other matters , yet oh that in this matter of the sabbat● god would betimes awaken ; and that these weak●nesses might stirre up their strength : for i muc● feare and foresee that if it be not done , there is a● houre and a nick of temptation in such a juncture 〈◊〉 times approaching , wherein the enemy will come 〈◊〉 like a flood , and rise up from all quarters against the doctrine of the sabbath , and then farewell all the good dayes of the son of man , if this be lost , which then men shall desire to see and shall not see them . i have therefore been the more willing to let my owne shame and weaknesse appeare to the world ( if so it be found ) if this might be any meanes of doing the least good for keeping up the price of gods sabbaths in the hearts of any ; i have therefore spent the more time about the morality of the sabbath , because the clearing up of this , gives light to all the rest . the generall contents of the theses concerning the morality of the sabbath . . god is the superiour disposer of mans time . thes. . man who is made next to god , and to return to his rest at the end of the larger circle of his life , is to return to him at the end of the lesser circle of eve●y week . thes. . what a moral law is not . , . how a divine law may be said to be moral . what a moral law is strictly taken . . a moral law considered in a strict sense is not good meerly because commanded , but is therefore commanded because it is good . . what is that goodnesse in a moral law for which it is commanded . . by what rules may that goodnesse be known , which are foure . , divers consectaries flowing from the description of a moral law. . that divine determination of something in a law doth not alway take away the morality of it . . that those are not moral laws only , which are known to all men by the light of corrupt nature . . that the whole decalogue in all the parts of it is the moral law of god : thes. . where objections are answered to . . three sorts of laws which were among the jewes , moral , ceremonial , judicial . . the true state of the question whether the sabbath be a moral or ceremonial law. . the agreement on all hands how far the law of the sabbath is moral . . something general is agreed on , and whether it lies under this general , viz. a seventh day . . the chief means of resolving this controversie in opening the meaning of the fourth commandment . . the things which are moral in the fourth commandment , are either primarily or secundarily moral . . those things which are primarily & generally moral in the forth commandment , are . . a time of worship . . a day . . a th day determined . . not the worship it self , but only the solemne time of it is required in the fourth commandment . . how holy duties are for time . . instituted worship is not directly required in the fourth , but in the second commandment , wherein the meaning of the second commandment is occasionally cleared against wallaeus . . if the moral worship it self be not required herein , much lesse is the whole ceremonial worship . . neither the publike worship only , nor jewish holy dayes required in this fourth commandment . not a part of a day , but a whole day is moral by the fourth commandment . . gods wisdome did rather choose a whole day together for special worship then borrow a part of every day . . the sin of familists and others who allow god no special day , but make all dayes equal . . how any day is said to be holy , and that though all places are alike holy , yet all dayes are not therefore alike holy . , . answer to such scriptures as seem to make all dayes alike holy under the new testament . , . to . the chief reason why some abolish the day of the sabbath in the fourth commandment , is because they abandon the whole decalogue it self as any rule of life unto his people . . an inward sabbath may well consist with a sabbath day . . the great controversie whether the law be a rule of life to a beleever , discussed in sundry theses . . the spirit is not the rule of life . . not the will of gods decree , but the will of his command is the rule of life . . the fundamental errour of antinomians . . the rule of the law is kept in christ as matter of our justification , not sanctification . . how christ is our sanctification as well as our justification . . duties of christian thankfulnesse to god were not performed by christ for beleevers under that notion of thankfulnesse , but by way of merit . . whether a beleever is to act in vertue of a command . . the sin of those who affirme that christian obedience is not to be put forth by vertue of a command . . to act by vertue of a commandment , and by vertue of gods spirit , are subordinate one to another . . whether the law is our rule as given by moses on mount sinai , or only as it is given by christ on mount sion . . how works and law-duties are sometime commended and sometime condemned , . the new creature how it is under the law. . how the children of god under the old testament were under the law as a schoolmaster , and not those of the new. . how the gospel requires doing , and how not , and about conditional promises in the gospel . . various motives to obedience from the law and gospel , from god as a creator , and from christ as a redeemer , do not vary the rule . . unbelief is not the only sin . . three evils arising from their doctrine who deny the directive use of the moral law. . the sin of such as deny the humbling work of the law under gospel ministrations . . their errour who will not have a christian pray for pardon of sin , or mourn for sin . . whether sanctification be a doubtful evidence , and may not be a just evidence , and whe●●er the gospel and all the promises of it belong to a sinner as a sinner , and whether sight of corruption be ( by the gospel ) the setled evidence of salvation as some plead for . . whether the first evidence be without the being , or only the seeing of grace . . the true grounds of evidencing gods love in christ , cleared . . . not only a day , nor only a sabbath day , but a seventh day determined is the last thing generally moral in the fourth commandment . . . that which is particularly moral herein , is this or that particular seventh day . . the morality of a sabbath may be as strongly and easily urged from the commandment of observing that particular seventh day from the creation , as the morality of a day . . it is not in mans liberty to take any one of the seven dayes in a week to be the christian sabbath . . a determined time is here required , but not what nature , but what counsel shall determine , and consequently this or that seventh day . . the force of gods example in resting the seventh , and working six dayes , how far it extends . . no reason that god must have a seventh yeer , because he will have a seventh day . how a circumstance of time is capable of morality . . the law of the sabbath is a homogeneal part of the moral law , and is therefore moral : and whether it be moral in respect of the letter . . whether the decalogue is said to be the moral law in respect of the greater part only . . the law of the sabbath hath equal glory with all the other nine morals , and hath therefore equal morality . . the sabbath was given as a moral law to man in innocency . . the sabbath said to be sanctified , gen. not meerly in a way of destination or anticipation . . adam in innocency might need a sabbath . . no types of christ given to man in innocency . . the sabbath was no type in respect of its original institution . . the heathens by the light of corrupt nature had some kind of knowledge of the sabbath . . the law of nature diversly taken , and what it is . . no argument to prove the sabbath ceremonial , because christ appointed no special day for the lords supper . . no argument to prove the sabbath ceremonial , because it is reckoned among the ceremonials . . christ is not said to be the lord of the sabbath , because it was ceremonial . . though the sahbath be made for man , yet it is not therefore ceremonial . . a fond distinction of the sabbath in sensu mystico & literali . . although we are bound to rest every day from sin , yet we are not therefore to make every day a sabbath . . the sabbath was not proper to the jewes , because they only were able ( as some say ) to observe the exact time of it . . an answer to m. carpenters and heylins new invented argument against the morality of the sabbath . finis . part . i. the morality of the sabbath . wherin the chief arguments used by gomarus , mr. primrose , mr. ironside , mr. broad , with sundry others against it , are briefly answered , the reasons for it more fully cleared : wherein also the great controversie , whether the whole moral law contained in the decalogue be a rule of life to a beleever , is occasionally and distinctly handled . the morality of the sabbath . thesis . time is one of the most precious blessings , which worthlesse man in this world enjoyes , a jewell of inestimable worth , a golden stream dissolving , and as it were , continually running downe by us , out of one eternity into another ; yet seldome taken notice of untill it is quite passed away from us ; man ( saith solomon ) knowes not his time , eccles . . . it is therefore most just and meet , that he who hath the disposing of all other things lesse precious and momentous , should also be the supreme lord and disposer of all our times . thesis . he who is the disposer of all our times , is the soveraigne lord of our persons also , and is therefore the utmost and last end of both : for if our persons and all our times bee of him , they are then to be improved for him , as he sees most meer . thesis . now although all creatures in the world , are of god , and for god , so that being of him , they receive their being from him as their first efficient , and being for him , are therefore * preserved and governed by him , as their utmost end ; yet no other inferiour visible creature is set so near to god , and consequently is not in that manner for god , as man is . thesis . for although all inferiour creatures are made lastly for god , yet they are made nextly for man ; but man havin● nothing better than himselfe , between him and god , therefore made , both lastly and nextly for god , and hence is , that no inferiour creature , which comes out and issu●eth from god , hath such a reflux and returne againe bac● unto god , as man hath ; because , in and by this reflux an● returne into him , mans immortall being is eternally pre●served , like water running into the sea againe , from whence it first came . thesis . for whatever is set next , and as it were contiguous to e●ternall , is eternall ; omne contiguum ae●erno spirituali est a●ternum ( say some ) and hence it is that the soule is eternall because it is made nextly for god , and as it were con●tiguous to him . the body also shall bee eternall , be●cause contiguous to the eternall soule : but no other in●feriour creatures are thus eternall : for although they b● made nextly for man , yet so , as that they are firstly for th● body , which is of it selfe mortall , and not eternall , an● therefore not being contiguous to that which is spirituall● eternall , are not so themselves ▪ and the reason of this i● because all inferiour creatures , as they come out from god , so their motion is toward man , for whom they a●● nextly made , and they go out strait forward from god as it were in a strait line toward man , to the last end an● terme of which strait line when they are come , in the ser●vice of man , they then cannot proceed any further , and d● therefore perish and cease to be , without reflecting , or re●turning back againe immediately unto god. but ma● being made immediately and nextly for god , hath therfor● his motion so toward god , as that he returnes immediatel● unto him againe , and is not led in a strait line , but led ( 〈◊〉 it were ) about in a circular motion , and hence returning immediately to him , he is hereby eternally preserved i● him , for whom he is immediately made , and unto whom h● is nextly contiguous , as hath been said . thesis . now although in this returne of man to god , ( suppo●sing it to be internall , regular and spirituall ) mans blesse● being once lost is hereby recovered and preserved in god yet when man is left unto himselfe , the motions of his soul out of this circle , in straying from god , are innumerable and would be endlesse , if god who set him next unto him selfe , did not some time or other , recall , returne , and ●ead him back again ( as it were in a heavenly circle ) into himself . thesis . look therefore as when man hath run his race , finished his course , and passed through the bigger and larger circle of his life , he then returnes unto his eternall rest ; so it 〈◊〉 contrived and ordered by divine wisdom , as that he shall ●n a speciall manner returne unto and into his rest once ●t least within the lesser and smaller circle of every week , ●hat so his perfect blessednesse to come might be foretasted every sabbath day , and so be begun here : that looke as man standing in innocency , had cause thus to returne ●rom the pleasant labours of his weekly paradise imployments , ( as shall be shewn in due place ) so man fallen , much more from his toilsome and wearisome labours , to this his rest again : and therefore , as because all creatures were made for man , man was therefore made in the last place after them ; so man being made for god and his worship , thence it is that the sabbath ( wherein man was to draw most neare unto god ) was appointed after the creation of man , as * peter martyr observes : for although man is not made for the sabbath meerly in respect of the outward rest of it , as the pharisees dreamed , yet hee is made for the sabbath in respect of god in it , and the holinesse of it , to both which then the soule is to have its weekly revolution back againe , as into that rest , which is the end of all our lives , labour , and in speciall of all our weekly labour and work . thesis . as therefore our blessed rest in the fruition of god at the end and period of our lives , is no ceremony , but a glorious privilege , and a morall duty , it being our closing with our utmost end to which we are called : so it cannot be that such a law which cals and commands man in this life to returne to the same rest for substance every sabbath day , should bee a ceremoniall , but rather a morall and perpetuall law : unlesse it should appeare that this weekly sabbath like the other annuall sabbath , hath been ordained and instituted principally for some ceremonious ends , rather than to be a part , and indeed the beginning of our rest to come ; there being little difference between this and that to come , but onely this , that here our rest is but begun , there it is perfected ; here it is interrupted by our weekly labours , there it is continued , here we are led into our rest by meanes and ordinances , but there we shall bee possessed with it , without our need of any helpe from them ; our god who is our rest , being then become unto us immediately all in all. thesis . were it not for mans worke and labour ordained and appointed for him in this life , he should enjoy a continuall sabbath , a perpetuall rest. and therefore wee see , that when mans life is ended , his sunne set , and his worke done upon earth , nothing else remaines for him , but only to enter into his perpetuall and eternall rest : all our time should be solemne and sacred to the lord of time , if there were no common worke and labour h●re , which necessarily occasions common time ; why then should any think that a weekly sabbath is ceremoniall , when , were it not for this lifes labour , a perpetuall and continuall sabbath would then be undoubtedly accounted morall . it s hard for any to thinke a servants awfull attendance on his lord and master at certaine speciall times not to bee morally due from him ; who but for some more private and personall occassions allowed him to attend unto , should at all times continually be serving of him . thesis . the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and no scripture phrase , and therfore not proper , fitly and fully to expresse the question in controversie , to wit , whether the fourth commandment bee a morall precept . the best friends of this word finde it slippery , and can hardly tell what it is , and what they would have to be understood by it , and hence it is become a bone of much contention , a fit mist , and swampe , for such to fight in , who desire so to contend with their adversaries , as that themselves may not bee known , either where they are , or on what ground they stand : yet it being a word generally taken up , and commonly used , it may not therefore be amisse , to follow the market measure , and to retaine the word with just and meet explications thereof . thesis . they who describe a morall law , to bee such a law as is not typically ceremoniall , and therefore not durable , doe well and truely expresse what it is not , but they doe not positively expresse what it is . thesis . some describe and draw out the proportions of the morall law , by the law of nature , and so make it to bee that law , which every man is taught by the light of nature . that which is morally and universally just ( say some ) which reason , when it is not mis-led , and the inward law of nature dictateth , by common principles of honesty , or ought to dictate unto all men without any outward usher : it is that ( say others ) which may be proved not only just but necessary , by principles drawne from the light of nature , which all reasonable men , even in nature corrupted , have still in their hearts , which either they doe acknowledge , or may at least bee convinced of without the scriptures , by principles still left in the hearts of all men . but this description seems too narrow : for . although it be true that the law naturall is part of the law morall , yet if the law morall be resolved into the law of nature only , and the law of nature bee shrunke up and drawne into so narrow a compasse , as what the principles left in corrupt man onely suggest and dictate ; then it will necessarily follow , that many of those holy rules and principles are not the law of nature , which were the most perfect impressions of the law of nature , in mans first creation and perfection , but now by mans apostacy are obliterated and blotted out , unlesse any shall thinke worse than the blinde papists , either that mans minde is not now corrupted by the fall , in losing any of the first impressions of innocent nature ; or shall maintaine with them , that the image of god ( of which those first impressions were a part ) was not naturall to man in that estate . . it will then follow that there is no morale discipline , ( as they call it ) that is , nothing morall by discipline informing , or positively morall , but onely by nature dictating , which is crosse not onely to the judgements , but solid arguments of men judicious and most indifferent . . if that onely is to be accounted morall which is so easily knowne of all men , by the light of nature corrupted , then the imperfect light of mans corrupt minde must bee the principall judge of that which is morall , rather than the perfect rule of morality contained in the scripture , which assertion would not a little advance corrupt and blinde nature , and dethrone the perfection of the holy scripture . thesis . they who define a morall law , to be such a law as is perpetuall and universall , binding all persons in all ages and times , doe come somewhat nearer to the marke , and are not far off from the truth , and such a description is most plaine and obvious to such as are not curious : and in this sense our adversaries in this cause affirme the sabbath not to be morall , meaning , that it is not a law perpetuall and universall . others on the contrary affirming that it is morall , intend thus much , that it is perpetuall and universall , a law which bindes all persons , all times , and in all ages , and herein lies the chiefe matter of controversie at this day . now in what respect and how far forth the law of the sabbath is perpetuall , shall be hereafter shewn ; mean while it may not be amisse to enquire more narrowly into the nature of a morall law . for though a law primarily morall is perpetuall , yet perpetuity seems to bee an adjunct rather than of the essence of a morall law , and the difficulty will still remaine untouch'd , viz. to know when a law is perpetuall , and what is internall and intrinsicall to such a law as makes it perpetuall or morall ; whereinto i would not search , lest i should seem to affect curiosity , but that our criticall adversaries put us upon it , with whom there is nothing lost in case we● gaine nothing by wrastling a little with them upon their owne grounds , where for a while we shall come up to them . thesis . a divine law may be said to be morall two wayes , . more largely and generally morall . . more strictly and specially morall . thesis . a law generally morall is this , that the whole soveraign will of the lord be done and submitted unto by every creature ; and in this large sense every law of god whether ceremoniall , judiciall , or for speciall triall , may be said to be morall , because the soveraigne will of god is in all these lawes to be adored : it is a morall duty that gods will be done , and hence it is that so far forth as the will of god is in them , so far forth to yield obedience to them is a morall duty , but the question is not about this morality , nor what things are thus morall . thesis . a law more strictly and specially morall , which concernes the manners of all men , and of which wee now speake , may bee thus described , viz. it is such a law , which is therefore commanded because it is good , and is not therefore good meerly because it is commanded . thesis . this is austins description of it long since , whom most of the schoolmen follow , which learned * cameron with sundry late wri●●● confirme , and which our adversaries in this controversie plead hard for , and unto which the evidence of scripture and reason seemes to incline : for laws meerly judiciall and ceremoniall are good lawes , deut. . , . but this was meerly because they were commanded , and therefore it had been simply evill to burne incense , offer sacrifice , or performe any ceremoniall duty in the worship of god , unlesse they had been commanded . what is there therefore in morall lawes which is not in those lawes ? verily this inward goodnesse in them which others have not , and because of which goodnesse they are therefore commanded : for to love god , to honour parents , to preserve the life of man , to be mercifull and bountifull and just in all our dealings , &c. are inwardly good , and are therefore commanded , and are therefore morall laws : and hence we see that when the apostle would set forth the glory and excellency of the morall law ( for of no other law can he speake , rom. . , . ) he gives these titles to it , that it is holy , just and good : which holines , justice and goodnesse , he opposeth to his owne morall ( not ceremoniall ) wickednesse : i am carnall ( saith he ) but the law is holy , just and good . and look as it was evill in it selfe for to have a nature contrary to the law , so the law which was contrary to that nature , was good in it selfe and was therefore commanded , and therefore in this thing , morall lawes are in a higher degree good , than such as were onely ceremoniall , which were therefore good meerely because commanded . the prophet micah therefore perceiving how forward many were in ceremonial duties & sacrifices , in opposition hereunto , he tels them , the lord hath shewed thee , o man , what is good ( speaking of morall duties , of shewing mercy , and walking humbly with god , micah . . ) was not sacrifice and offerings good , as well as mercy and walking humbly ? yes verily , but herein lies the difference ( as our most orthodox generally make it ) sacrifice and offerings were not per se and in themselves good , but onely as commanded for higher ends , and to further morall obedience , ier. . , , and . , . isa. . , , psal. . , , . but such morall obedience as th● prophet mentions , viz. to shew mercy and to walk humbly , were good in themselves , and were therefore commanded of god , and here called by the prophet good . the summe of morall obedience is love to god and man , matth. . but what love is this ? surely t is in such things ●● are in themselves lovely , and consequently in themsel●●● good , for otherwise ceremoniall obedience should be a part of morall obedience , because in performing such obediences is meerely ceremoniall , wee shew our love to god also , it being a branch of love to have respect unto all gods commandments , deut. . , , . with , . onely herein our love toward god appeares in ceremoniall duties , because these lawes are commanded , our love appeares in the other , because the things commanded are also lovely in themselves ▪ the image of god is good in it selfe , as god himselfe is good in himselfe , now the morall law is an exact rule of nothing else but gods image , as is evident , eph. . . where the image of god is made to consist in holinesse and righteousnesse , the first table being the rule of the one , the second table being the rule of the other ; and hence it followes undenyably , that morall lawes , respecting onely gods image , have respect onely to such things as are good in themselves , and wherein we resemble and are made like unto god. some things ( saith cameron ) are good in themselves , viz. such things wherein gods image shines forth , as hee is holy , just and good , colos. . . ephes. . . some things are indifferent , neither good nor bad in themselves , but meerely as commanded or forbidden , which also bear not gods image , unlesse it be sub ratione entis , but not sub ratione boni moralis , i. e. they resemble god as he is a being , but not as he is holy , just and good in himselfe , the rule of which resemblance is the morall law , which therefore commands things because they are good . thesis . god out of his absolute soveraignty could have made lawes binding all persons in all ages ( and in this respect morall ) without having any more goodnesse in them , then meerely his owne will , but it is his will and good pleasure to make all lawes that are morall to be first good in themselves for all men , before he will impose them upon all men . and hence it is a weaknesse for any to affirme , that a morall law is not such a law which is therefore commanded because it is good , because ( say they ) t is not the goodnesse of the thing , but the soveraigne will of god which makes all things good ; for it is the soveraigne will of god ( as is proved ) to make every morall law good , and therefore to command it , rather than to make it good by a meer commanding of it . thesis . the will of god is indeed the rule of all goodnesse , and consequently of all morall lawes , but we know there is voluntas decreti , and voluntas mandati , the first of which , viz. the will of gods decree ( as it appeares in the execution of it ) makes a thing to be good , whether it bee creature or law : the second of these , viz. the will of gods command , enjoynes the practise of such a duty , the rule and law to guide which is first made good ( if it bee a morall law ) by the wisdome and power of the will of gods decree ; so that the will of god appearing in both these ( viz. gods decreeing and commanding will ) is the compleat rule of every morall law : so that as no law is morally good meerly because it is commanded , so neither is it thus good unlesse also it be commanded . gods will in all morall laws , is first to make them good , and then to command them , when they are thus far made good ; both which together make up a morall law . thesis . t is true that sin is the transgression of gods law ; there is nothing therefore sinfull but it is the transgression of some law , and hence there is no obedience good , but what is conformable unto some law . but wee must know that as transgression of any law doth not make a thing morally sinfull ( for then to breake a ceremoniall law would be a morall sinne ) so also obedience to every law doth not make a duty morally lawfull and good ( for then obedience to a ceremoniall law , must be a morall obedience ; ) morall transgression therefore is a breach of such a law , which forbids a thing because it is evill , as morall obedience is our conformity to such a law which commands a thing because it is good : not that anything is morally evill in it selfe before it be forbidden , for then there should bee a morall sinne before , and without any law to forbid it , which is most absurd , but because a thing is evill in it selfe , and is therefore forbidden , it is therefore morally evill : god may and doth make it fundamentally evill before it be forbidden , but it is not morally evill untill it be forbidden . the like may be said concerning moral obedience according to any morall law : no man should therefore thinke , that this description given of a morall law , should give occasion to any to imagine , that some things are morally good or evill , before any law passe upon them , and that therefore there are some duties , and some sinnes , which are so without and before any law of god. for wee see that things good in themselves must be commanded , else they are not morall duties , yet withall they are therefore commanded because they are good in themselves . it s true that by the verdict of some of the schoolemen , some duties are morally good , before any law commands them ( as to love and magnifie god ) and that some sinnes ( as to curse and blaspheme god ) are morally evill , before any law forbids them : but ( to omit other answers ) if such suppositions may bee rationally made ( which some deny ) yet it may bee upon good grounds denyed , that any duty can be morally good , or any sinne morally evill , untill some law passe upon them either to command or forbid the same . 't is indeed sutable and meet in nature for man to love god , and unsutable and unmeet to blaspheme and hate god ; but such sutablenesse or unsutablenesse , as they make things fundamentally good or evill , so they cannot make any thing morally good or evill , unlesse we suppose some law ; for it would be in this case with man as 't is in brute creatures , who doe many things unnaturall ( as to eate up and destroy their owne young ) which yet are not morally sinfull , because they are not under any morall law ; and * one of the most ancient and best of the schoolemen , though he thinks that the observance of the sabbath before moses time was not secund●m rationem praecepti , or debitè fieri , i. was not actually commanded ; yet that it was secundum rationem honesti , hoc est dignè steri . i. it was congruous , and a thing meet and worthy to bee observed even from the first creation : but will any of our adversaries hence say , that because it was meet and worthy to bee observed , that therefore it was a morall law from the beginning of the world , while it had no command ( as is by them supposed ) to be observed ? for it must be something meet and congruous , and worthy to be observed of man , which when it is commanded makes it to be a morall law , for then the law commands a thing that is good , and because 't is good i● is therefore commanded , which goodnesse wee must a little more narrowly now enquire into . thesis . if it be demanded therefore , what is that goodnesse in a morall law for which it is therefore commanded ? the answer is given by vasques , suarez , smifinga , and most of the schoolemen , and sundry of our owne writers , that it is nothing else , but that comely sutablenesse and meetnesse in the thing commanded unto humane nature as rationall , or unto man as rationall , and consequently unto every man. when i say , as rationall , i understand as master ironside doth , viz. as right reason neither blinded nor corrupted doth require . when i say as sutable to man , and consequently to every man , i hereby exclude all lawes meerely judiciall and evangelicall from being morall , the first of which are sutable to some men onely , the other are not sutable to men as men , but to man as corrupt and fallen ; and therefore binde not all men , but onely those among whom they are sufficiently and actually promulgated , as is evident , rom. . iohn . . . but morall lawes are sutable to all men , and have an inward meetnesse and congruity to be observed of all men : for look as when the lord gives laws to any particular nation , whether immediately by himself , or mediately by man , he ever makes them sutable to the peoples peace and good of that nation ; so when he makes lawes binding all mankinde in all nations , he makes them sutable to humane nature or all mankinde therein . and look as nationall lawes binde not meerly by the meere will of the law-giver , but from the * goodnesse and sutablenesse in the thing unto their common good ; so here morall lawes which concerne all nations , bind not meerly because of the will of god ( which of it selfe is sufficient to binde all men , if he had pleased to put no more in morall lawes ) but also because of some goodnesse in the things commanded , which is nothing else but such sutablenes as is mentioned unto the common good of man. what this sutablenesse to humane nature is , we shall shew , in due place ; meane while , i doe not understand by sutablenesse to humane nature , the inclination of humane nature now corrupted by sinne ; for infused and supernaturall vertues and graces ( to which therefore humane nature is not inclined ) are ( as vasquez truly and strongly maintaines ) in some sense naturall and good in themselves , not because humane nature is inclined to them , but because they are very congruous and consentaneous thereunto , and perfecting humane nature , as such , and consequently sutable thereunto : a good is said to be utile & delectabile in respect of some profit or delight which comes to man by it , but bonum honestum in genere moris ( as suarez and his fellowes call it ) consists in a kinde of decency , comlinesse and sweet proportion between such an act , and such a nature as acts by right reason ; to which nature it is exceeding comely and suitable , whether any profit or delight come thereby yea or no. as now in the divine nature , it 's exceeding beautifull and comely for it ( and therefore good in it selfe ) to bee bountifull and mercifull , and to doe good unto the creature , although no profit could come to him thereby : it is gods nature , as i may so say , so to doe ; so 't is in humane nature , it 's a comely thing to honour parents , reverence gods name , to bee loving and mercifull to all men , in heart , word and deed ; to give god a fit and the most meet proportion of time for solemne service of him , who allowes us many dayes to serve our owne good ; this is good nature , and being thus seemly and suitable to it , this and such like things are therefore good in themselves , though perhaps neither profit or pleasure should come unto man hereby : and hence it 's well observed by some of the schoolemen , that right reason doth not make a thing morall , but only judgeth and discerneth what is morall ; for right reason doth not make a thing suitable , but onely seeth whether it be so or no , a thing may bee suitable before right reason see it , yet when 't is presented to reason it sees it suitable , as the wall is white before the eye see it , yet when the eye doth see it , it appeares white also : it may bee a meet and comely thing to give god a seventh part of our time , though no mans reason can of it selfe find out such a meet proportion , yet when reason sees it , it 's forced to acknowledge a comlinesse of equity , and suitablenesse therein , as shall hereafter appeare . thesis . but here let it bee observed , that although all morall lawes are thus suitable to mans nature , yet they are not all alike suitable thereunto , and consequently not equally good in themselves ; for some lawes are more immediately suitable and good , others mediately : and as wallaeus well observes out of scotus , that there is a double morality , the first is de lege naturae strictè sumpta , i. e. such laws as are so deeply engraven upon nature , as that these principles cannot bee blotted out , but by abolishing of nature . the second is , de lege naturae latè sumpta , and these lawes doe much depend upon the will of the law-giver , but yet they are very congruous and suitable to humane nature , even from the light of those principles of nature . and hence i suppose it will follow , that the law for a seventh part of time to be dedicated to god , may well bee a morall law , although it depends much upon the will of the law-giver , and is not so immediately written upon mans heart , nor so equally suitable to humane nature , as the law of love and thankfulnesse to god our creator is : for ( as cameron well observes ) that some things which are good in themselves have more of gods image stamped upon them , some have lesse of it : and hence it is that though all morall lawes are good in themselves , yet not equally so ▪ there is more unsuitablenesse to hate and curse god , than to lust after another mans house or servant , and yet both are evill in themselves and breaches of morall rules . thesis . hence therefore it followes , that because morall precepts are of such things as are good in themselves , they are therefore perpetuall and unchangeable , and because they are in this respect good in themselves , to wit , because they are suitable and comely to mans nature as rationall ; hence also they are universall : so that perpetuity and universality seem to be the inseperable adjuncts , rather than the essence of a morall law : yet when they are called perpetuall and unchangeable , wee must understand them in respect of gods ordinary dispensation ; for hee who is the great law-giver , may and doth sometime extraordinarily dispense with morall lawes . abraham might have kill'd his sonne by extraordinary dispensation : adams sonnes and daughters did marry one another by speciall commission , which now to doe ordinarily would bee incestuous , and consequently against a m●●●ll law , as is evident , leviticus . onely let it bee here remembred that when i call morall lawes perpetuall and universall , that i speake of such lawes as are primarily morall , which doe firstly and originally suit with humane nature : for lawes as are at second hand morall and as it were accidentally so , may be changeable as hereafter shall appeare . thesis . how these things may evince the morality of a seventh part of time , will be difficult to conceive , unlesse further enquiry be made , to wit , when and by what rules may it be knowne that any law is sutable and agreeable unto humane nature , and consequently good in it selfe ? for resolution of which doubt , there is great silence generally in most writers : bishop white endeavours it by giving three rules to cleare up this mist ; but ( pace tanti viri ) i much feare that he much darkens and obscures the truth herein , and muds the streames . for . because the sabbath is not simply morall , but hath something positive in it , he therefore makes it temporary , as appeares in his conclusion of that discourse : when as 't is evident by his own confession , that some lawes positively morall are generall and universall . for lawes positively morall ( he saith ) are either personall onely , as was abrahams comming out of his owne countrey , gen. . . some are for one nation or republick onely , exod. . , ● . some are common and generall for all mankinde , as the law of polygamy . . hee seemes to make lawes simply and intirely morall to bee such as are in their inward nature morally good , before and without any ex●ernall imposition of the law-giver : now if by externall imposition he meanes the externall manner of mosaicall administration of the law , there is then some truth in what he affirmes ; for doubtlesse before moses time the patriarchs had the law revealed after another manner ; but if by externall imposition bee meant externall revelation , whether immediately by god himselfe unto mans conscience , or mediately by man , then it 's most false that any thing can be morally good or evill , much lesse entirely and simply so , before and without some such law : for though it may be good and sutable to man before a law pas●e upon it , yet nothing can be morally good or evill without some law , for then there should bee some sinne which is not the transgression of a law , and some obedience which is not directed by any law , both which are impossible and abominable . . he makes morall lawes by externall imposition and constitution onely , to be such , as before the externall imposition of them , are a diaphorous , and good or evill onely by reason of some circumstance . when as we know that some such lawes as are most entirely morall , yet in respect of their inward nature generally considered , they are indifferent also : for not to kill and take away mans life is a morall law intirely so , yet , in the generall nature of it , it is indifferent , and by circumstance may become either lawfull or unlawfull ; lawfull in case of warre or publick execution of justice ; unlawfull out of a private spirit and personall revenge . in one word , the whole drift of his discourse herein , is to shew that the sabbath is not morall , and this he would prove because the sabbath is not simply and entirely morall , ( which is a most feeble and weake consequence ) and this hee proves , because the sabbath day hath ( in respect of its inward nature ) no more holines and goodnes than any other day , all the dayes of the week being equally good by creation . but he might well know that the day is not the law of the fourth commandment , but the keeping holy of the sabbath day , which is a thing inwardly good , and entirely morall if wee speak of some day : nay , ( saith the bishop ) the law of nature teacheth that some sufficient and convenient time bee set apart for gods worship ; if therefore some day be morall , although all dayes by creation be indifferent and equall , according to his owne confession , what then should hinder the quota pars , or the seventh part of time from being morall ? will he say because all dayes are equally holy , and good by creation ? then why should hee grant any day at all to bee entirely morall in respect of a sufficient and convenient time to bee set apart for god ? if hee saith the will and imposition of the law-giver abolisheth its morality , because he bindes to a seventh part of time ; then we shall shew that this is most false and feeble in the sequell . thesis . there are therefore four rules to guide our judgments aright herein , whereby we may know when a law is sutable and agreeable to humane nature , and consequently good in it selfe ; which will bee sufficient to cleare up the law of the sabbath , to be truely morall ( whether in a higher or lower degree of morality it makes no matter ) and that it is not a law meerly temporary and ceremoniall . . such lawes as necessarily flow from naturall relation , both between god and man , as well as between man and man ; these are good in themselves , because sutable and congruous to humane nature : for there is a decency and sweet comlinesse to attend to those rules to which our relations binde us . for from this ground the prophet malachy cals for feare and honour of god as morall duties , because they are so comely and seemly for us , in respect of the relation between us , if i be your lord , and master and father , where is my feare ? where is my honour ? mal. . . love also between man and wife is pressed as a comely duty by the apostle , from that near relation betweene them , being made one flesh , ephes. . , . there are scarce any who question the morality of the duties of the second table , because they are so evidently comely , suitable and agreeable to humane nature , considered relatively , as man stands in relation to those who are or should bee unto him as his owne flesh ; and therefore he is to honour superiors , and therefore must not kill , nor steale , nor lye , nor covet , nor defile the flesh , &c. but the morality of all the rules of the first table is not seen so evidently , because the relation between god and man , which makes them comely and suitable to man , is not so well considered : for if there be a god , and this god be our god , according to the first commandement , then it 's very comely and meet for man to honour , love , feare him , delight , trust in him , &c. and if this god must be worshipped of man , in respect of the mutuall relation between them , then 't is comely and meet to worship him with his owne worhsip , according to the second commandment , and to worship him with all holy reverence according to the third commandment ; and if he must be thus worshipped , and yet at all times ( in respect of our necessary worldly imploiments ) cannot be so solemnly honoured and worshipped as is comely and meet for so great a god , then 't is very fit and comely for all men to have some set and stated time of worship , according to some fit proportion , which the lord of time onely can best make , and therefore a seventh part of time which he doth make , according to the fourth commandment . . such lawes are drawne from the imitable attributes and works of god , are congruous and suitable to mans nature : for what greater comelinesse can there be , or what can be more suitable to that nature , which is immediately made for god , then to be like unto god , and to attend unto those rules which guide thereunto ? hence to be mercifull to men in misery , to forgive our enemies and those that doe us wrong , to be bountifull to those that be in want , to be patient when we suffer evill , are all morall duties , because they are comely and suitable to man , and that because herein hee resembles and is made like unto god : hence to labour six dayes and rest a leventh is a morall , because a comely and suitable duty , that because herein man followes the example of god , and becomes most like unto him . and hence it is that a seventh yeare of rest cannot be urged upon man to be as much morall as a seventh day of rest , because man hath gods example and patterne in resting a seventh day , but not in resting any seventh yeare ; god never made himselfe an example of any ceremoniall duty , it being unsuitable to his glorious excellency so to doe , but onely of morall and spirituall holinesse ; and therefore there is somewhat else in a seventh day that is not in a seventh yeare : and it is utterly false to thinke ( as some doe ) that there is as much equity for the observation of the one as there is of the other . and here by the way may bee seen a grosse mistake of mr. primrose , who would make gods example herein not to be morally imitable of us , nor man necessarily bound thereunto , it being not naturally and in respect of it selfe imitable , but onely because it pleased god to command man so to doe : as also because this action of god did not flow from such attributes of god as are in their nature imitable , as mercy , bounty , &c. but from one of those attributes as is not imitable , and which wee ought not to imitate , viz. his omnipotency . but suppose it did flow from his omnipotency , and that wee ought not to imitate his omnipotency , and that wee who are weaknesse it selfe cannot imitate omnipotent actions , yet its obvious to common sense , that such acts which arise from such attributes as cannot be imitated of us , in respect of the particular effects which are produced by them , yet in the actings of such attributes there may be something morally good which is imitable of us . as for example , though wee are not to imitate god in his miraculous works ( as in the burning of sodome and such like ) yet there may bee that justice and wisedome of god shining therein which wee ought to imitate , for wee ought to see before we censure and condemne , as god did in proceeding against sodome : so 't is in this extraordinary worke of making the word , wherein although we are not to goe about to make another world within that time as god did , yet therein the labour and rest of god was seene , which is imitable of man ; which labour and rest as they are morall duties , so they are confirmed by a morall example , and therefore most seemly and comely for man to imitate from such an example : and whereas hee affirmes that this example was not morall , because it was not it self imitable , being grounded onely upon gods free will : the reason is weake ; for to labour in ones calling is without controversie a morall duty ( as idlenesse is a morall sin ) yet if one would aske why man is to labour here , and not rather to lead a contemplative life in the vision and fruition of god immediately ? i suppose no reason can be given , but the good pleasure of god , who in his deepe wisdome saw it most meet for man to spend some proportionable time in labour for himselfe , and some in rest for god , whereunto he gave man such an eminent example from the beginning of the world . master primrose cannot deny but that a convenient time for labour and rest in generall , is morall : but ( saith he ) if god had not declared his will by a commandment particularly to labour six dayes and rest the seventh , the jewes would not have thought themselves bound to this observation from gods example onely ; which shewes that there is no morality in it to bind the conscience for ever . but it may be as well doubted whether acts of bounty and mercy ( to which hee thinks wee are bound meerely from gods example ) in respect of the particular application of these acts , to enemies of god and of our selves as well as to friends , be of binding vertue meerly by gods example , unlesse we had a commandment thereunto : for in morall precepts , as the thing is commanded because it is good , so 't is not morally good * unlesse it be commanded : but suppose that gods example of labour six dayes and rest the seventh , should not have been binding as other examples , unlesse there had been a commandment for so doing , yet this is no argument that this example is not morall at all , but onely that it is not so * equally morall and knowne to be so , as some other duties bee ; for man may spend too much time in labour , and give god too short or too little time for rest , if therefore hee wants the light of a commandment or rule to direct and guide him to the fittest and most meet proportion of time for both , is hee not apt hereby to break the rule of morality , which consists ( as hath been shewne ) in that which is most suitable , comely and convenient for man to give to god or man ? the commandment therefore in this case measuring out and declaring such a proportion , and what time is most convenient and comely for man to take to himselfe for labour , or to give to god for rest , it doth not abolish the morality of the example , but doth rather establish and make it : it sets out the most comely and meet proportion of time for labour and rest , and therefore such a time as is most good in it selfe , because most comely and proportionable , which being therefore commanded is a morall duty in man , and the example hereof morally binding in god. . such lawes which mans reason may see , either by innate light , or by any other externall helpe and light to bee just and good and fit for man to observe , such lawes are congruous and suitable to humane nature . i say by any external helpe , as well as by innate light , for neither internall nor externall light doe make a thing just and suitable to man , no more than the light of the sun or the light of a lanthorne doe make the kings high-way to the city , but they onely declare and manifest the way , or that which was so in it selfe before : hence it comes to passe that although mans reason cannot see the equity of some lawes , antecedenter by innate light , before it bee illuminated by some externall light , yet if by this externall light the minde sees the equity , justice , and holinesse of such a law , this may sufficiently argue the morality of such a law , which was just and good , before any light discovered it , and is now discovered onely , not made to be so , whether by internall or externall light : and hence aquinas well observes , that morall lawes ( which hee makes to be such as are congruous to right reason ) sometimes are such , as not onely command such things which reason doth , readily see to bee comely and meet , but also such lawes about which mans reason may readily and easily erre and go astray from that which is comely and meet . and hence it is , that although no reason or wit of man could ever have found out the most just and equall proportion of time , or what proportion is most comely and suitable , or that a seventh part of time should have been universally observed as holy to god ; yet if any externall light and teaching from above , shall reveale this time , and the equity and suitableness of it , so that reason shall acknowledge it equall and good , that if we have sixe dayes for our selves , god should have one for himselfe , this is a strong argument that such a command is morall , because reason thus illuminated cannot but acknowledge it most meet and equall : for though reason may not by any naturall or innate light readily see that such a division of time is most suitable , and yet may readily erre and misconceive the most suitable and convenient proportion and division of time , it 's then a sufficient proof of the morality of such a command , if the congruity and equity of it be discerned consequenter only ( as we lay ) and by externall light . . what ever law was once writ upon mans heart in pure nature is still suitable and congruous and convenient to humane nature , and consequently good in it selfe and morall . for whatever was so writ upon adams heart , was not writ there as upon a private person , but as a common person , having the common nature of man , and standing in the roome of all mankinde : hence as nothing was writ then but what was common to all men , so such things thus writ were good for all men and suitable to all men , it being most injurious to god , to think that any thing evill should be imprinted there : if therefore it bee proved that the law of the sabbath was then writ upon mans heart , then it undenyably followes that it is meet and suitable to all men still to observe a sabbath day ; and indeed to the right understanding of what is suitable to man as man , and consequently morall , there is nothing more helpfull , than to consider of our primitive estate and what was suitable to our nature then ; for if that which is morall in marriage is to be searched for , in the first and ancient records of our first creation by the appointment of our saviour ; i then know no reason ( whatever others object ) but morality in all other lawes and duties is there to bee sought also ; for although our originall perfection is now defaced and lost , and in that respect is a merum non ens , ( as some call it ) yet it had once a being , and therefore in this controversie we may lawfully enquire after it , considering especially that this being which once it had , may be suffiently knowne by the contrary being of universall corruption that is in us now , as also by the light of the scriptures , in which the searcher and maker of all hearts declares it unto us , and indeed there are many morall duties which will never appeare good and suitable to man , but rather hard and unreasonable ( because impossible ) untill we see and remember from whence we are fallen , and what once we had . thesis . if therefore a morall law command that which is suitable to humane nature , and good in it selfe , then it followes from hence , ( which was toucht before ) that divine determination of something in a law , doth not alway take away morality from a law , for divine determination is many times no more but a plain and positive declaration of that which is suitable , just and good and equall for man to observe : now that which points out and declares unto us the morality of a law , cannot possibly abolish and destroy such a law . for a morall law commanding that which is suitable and good ( as hath been shewne ) it is impossible that the commandment which determineth and directeth to that which is good , that by this determination it should overthrow the being of such a good law , nay verily particular determination and positivenesse ( as some call it ) is so farre from abolishing , as that it rather addes to the being , as well as to the clearing up and manifestation of such a law . for if it be not sufficient to make a morall law , that the thing be good in it selfe , but that also it must be commanded ; then the commandment which many times onely detemines to that which is good ( and consequently determination ) doth adde unto the being of a morall law . thesis . there is scarce any thing but it is morally indifferent , untill it falls under some divine determination : but divine determination of twofold . . of such things which are not good , fit or needfull for man to observe without a command , as sacrifices and sacraments , and such likes : now herein , in such lawes , positive determination may be very well inconsistent with morality ; and it may bee safely said that such a law is not morall , but rather positive , and thus the learned sometimes speak . . of such things as are equall , good in themselves , needfull and suitable for man ; and here particular determination and morality may kisse each other , and are not to be opposed one to another : and hence it is that if gods commandment positively determines us to observe any part of instituted worship ( suppose sacraments or sacrifices ) yet such lawes are not morall ( although it bee morall in generall to worship god after his owne will ; ) because the things themselves are not good in themselves nor needfull : but if god shall determine us to observe a sabbath day , this determination doth not take away the morality of the command ; because it being good in it selfe to give god the meetest and fittest proportion of time for holy rest , and the commandment declaring that this seventh part , or so , is such a time , hence it comes to passe that this time is good in it selfe , and therefore determination by the commandment in this case , doth not abolish the morality hereof . it is a morall duty to pay tribute to caesar , to give to caesar that which is caesars : hence because a man may give too much or too little to him , that determination which directs us to that particular which is caesars due and most meet for him to receive , and us to give , that is best in it selfe , and is therefore morall ; so prayer is a morall duty , but because a man may bee tempted to pray too oft , or else too seldome , hence determination of the fittest and this fittest season , makes this or that morall . so 't is here in the sabbath . i doe willingly and freely professe thus farre with our adversaries of the morality of the sabbath ; that it is a morall duty to give god some time and day of holy rest and worship , as 't is morall to give caesar his due , and to pray to god : but because we may give god too many dayes , or too few , hence the determination of the most meet and fittest proportion of time , and particularly of this time , makes this and that to be also morall . if no day at all in generall was good and fit for man to give to god , and god should notwithstanding command a seventh day , then the commandment of such a day with such positive determination could not bee morall any more then the determination of sacrrifices and such like . but every day ( say some of our adversaries ) some day ( say others of them ) being acknowledged to be equall , just and good , and most meet to give to god , hence it is that determination of a seventh day doth not abolish but clear up that which is morall , because it points out unto man that which is most meet and equall : hence therefore it follows , that a seventh day is therefore commanded because it is good , and not good meerly because commanded . determination also , declaring what is most meet , declareth hereby that this commandment is also morall , and not meerly positive and ceremoniall : which not being well considered by some , this fourth commandment ( having some more positivenesse and determination then divers of the rest ) hath therefore been the chiefe stumbling stone and rock of offence to many against the morality of it , by which they have miserably bruised themselves , while they have endeavoured to destroy it , upon so grosse a mistake . thesis . it is true that god out of his absolute soveraignty and good pleasure of his will , might have determined us to observe a fourth , a ninth , a twentieth part of our time in holy rest more or lesse , as well as to a seven●h ; yet let us consider of god as acting by counsell , and weighing and considering with himselfe , what is most meet and equall , and what proportion of time is most fit for himselfe ; and then ( with leave of better thoughts when i see better reason ) i suppose no man can prove ( unlesse hee bee made privy to the unknowne secrets of the wisdome of god ) that any other proportion had been as meet as this now made by the actuall determination of god ; there was not therefore the meer and soveraigne will of god which thus determined of this seventh part of time , but also the wisedome of god , which considering all things saw it most mee● and suitable for man to give , and god to receive from man , and therefore being commanded , and thus particularly determined , becomes morall . thesis . if that commandment be morall which is therefore commanded because it is good , then hence it followes in the second place , that such lawes onely are not morall lawes , which are known to all men by the light of corrupt nature : for as hath been already said , a law may bee holy , just , good , suitable and meet for all men to observe , whether the light of corrupt nature , by awakening or sleeping principles ( as some call them ) know it or no , and such a comelinesse and suitablenesse in such a law is sufficient to make it morall . there were many secret morall sinnes in paul which he never saw , nor could have seene by the light of corrupt nature , untill the law fell upon him with mighty efficacy and power , romans . for god is not bound to crook his morall lawes to what our corrupt mindes are actually able of themselves to see , any more than to what our corrupt wils are actually able to doe : if the light of nature be imperfect in us since the fall ( which no wise man doubts of ) then there may be many things truely morall , which the light of nature now sees not , because 't is imperfect , which in its perfection it did see , and this consideration of the great imperfection of the light of nature , is alone sufficient for ever to stop their mouthes and silence their hearts , who goe about to make an imperfect light and law of nature , the perfect rule and onely measure of morall duties ; and who make so narrow a limitation of that which is morall to that which is thus imperfectly naturall : 't is not now lex nata , but lex data , which is the rule of morall duties : the holy scriptures containe the perfect rule of all morall actions , whether mans corrupted and imperfect light of nature see them or no. it is a common , but a most perilous , and almost groundlesse mistake of many in this controversie , who when they would know what is morall and what is not so , of such things as are set downe in the scriptures , they then ●lye to the light of corrupt nature , making it to bee the supream judge hereof , and there fall to examining of them , whether they are seen by the light of nature or no , which is no lesse folly than to set up a corrupt and blinde judge to determine and declare that which is morall , to make the perfect rule of morality in scripture to bow downe its back to the imperfection and weaknesse of nature , to pull out the sunne in heaven from giving light , and to walke by the light of a dim candle , and a stinking snuffe in the socket almost gone out ; to make the horne-book of naturall light , the perfection of learning of the deepest matters in morall duties ; to make aristotles ethicks as compleat a teacher of true morality , as adams heart in innocency ; and in a word to make man fallen and in a manner perfectly corrupt and miserable , to bee as sufficiently furnished with knowledge of morall duties , as man standing , when he was perfectly holy and happy : imagine therefore that the light of nature could never have found out one day in seven to bee comely and most meet for man to give unto god ; yet if such a proportion of time be most meet for man to give to god , and it appeares so to be when god reveales it , it may and should then be accounted a morall law , although the light of nature left in all men could never discerne it . the schoolmen , and most of the popish generation not considering these things ( which notwithstanding are some of their owne principles ) have digged pits for themselves , and made snares for some of their followers , in abolishing the fourth commandment from being ( in the true sense of it ) morall , because they could not see how such a speciall part of time , viz. a seventh part , could be naturall , or by the light of corrupt nature discernable ; which things so discernable they sometimes conclude to be onely morall . but how farre the light of corrupt nature may discerne this proportion , shall be spoken to in its proper place . thesis . if lastly , those things which are thus commanded because they are good , be morall , then the whole decalogue may hence appeare to be the morall law of god , because there is no one law in it , which is therefore good onely because 't is commanded , but is therefore commanded , because it is good and suitable to humane nature : when i say , suitable to humane nature , i doe not meane humane nature considered absolutely , but relatively , either in relation to god , or relation unto man : for not onely the light of nature , but of common sense also , beare witnesse that every precept of the second table , wherein man is considered in relation to man , is thus farre good : for how comely and good is it to honour parents , to be tender of other mens lives and comforts , to preserve ones selfe and others from filthy pollutions , to doe no wrong but all the good we can to other mens estates ? &c. nor doe i thinke that any will question any one commandment of this table to bee good and suitable to humane nature , unlesse it be some nimrod or brennus ( that professed he knew no greater justice than for the stronger , like the bigger fishes of the sea , to swallow up the lesser in case they bee hungry ) or some turkish tartar or caniball , or some surfetted professor , transformed into some licentious opinionist , and so growne master of his owne conscience , and that can audaciously out-face the very light of nature and common sense , through the righteous judgement of god blinding and hardning his heart : and if the commandments of the second table be thus farre good in themselves , are not those of the first table much more ? is love to man ( when drawne out into all the six streames of the second table ) good in it selfe , and shall not love to god , drawn out in the foure precepts of the first table , as the spring from whence all our love to man should flow , much more ? are the streams morally sweet , and is not the spring it self of the same nature ? love to god , and love to man are the common principles ( saith aquinas truely ) of the law of nature ; and all particular precepts ( saith hee perhaps unawares ) are conclusions flowing from these principles , out of matth. . and are the principles good in themselves , and suitable to humane nature , and doe not all the conclusions participate of their nature ? for what are all particular precepts , but particular unfoldings of love to god , and love to man ? if all the precepts of the second table be morall , which doe onely concerne man , why should any of the first fall short of that glory , which doe immediately concerne god ? shall man have six , and all of them morally good , and god have but foure , and some one or more of them not so ? is it comely and good to have god to be our god in the first commandment , to worship him after his owne minde in the second , to give him his worship with all the highest respect and reverence of his name in the third , and is it not as comely , good and suitable , that this great god and king should have some magnificent day of state to be attended on by his poore servants and creatures , both publikely and privately , with speciall respect and service , as oft as himselfe sees meer , and which we cannot but see and confesse to be most equall and just , according to the fourth commandment ? if mans life must bee divided into labour and rest , is it not equall and good if wee have six dayes , that god should have a seventh ? if the bruit beasts could speake they would say that a seventh dayes rest is good for them , exod. . . and shall man ( who hath more cause and more need of rest , even of holy rest ) say that it is not good for him even to rest in the bosome of god himselfe , to which he is called this day ? take away a sabbath , who can defend us from atheisme , barbarisme , and all manner of devilisme and prophanesse ? and is it evill thus to want it , and shall it not be good to have it ? i confesse if god had commanded a perpetuall sabbath , it had not then been good but sinfull to observe any set sabbath : but if god will have man to labour for himselfe six dayes , and this labour be morally good being now commanded ; why is it not then as good to observe a seventh in rest to god , being also commanded of him ? thesis . it is therefore at least an indigested assertion of those who affirme that the decalogue sets out the precepts of the law of nature , and yet withall doth superad certaine precepts proper to the jewish people ; in which last respect they say all men are not bound to the observance thereof ( and they produce the fourth commandment for proof ) but in respect of the first they are : but although in the application of a law , something may bee proper to the jewish people , yet ( with leave of the learned ) there is never a law in it but it is morall and common to all : for to make any law in the decalogue proper , is an assertion springing from a false and blinde principle , viz. that that law onely is morall which is naturall ; not naturall , as suitable to humane nature , but which is seene and knowne by the common light of corrupt nature without the helpe of any externall usher or teacher . if also any lawes in the decalogue be proper , how will any finde out and discerne morall lawes which concerne all , from proper laws which appertaine onely to some ? for if god hath made such a mingling , and not severed morall lawes by themselves , then man hath no law or revelation by any dictinct and severed lawes left unto him to discerne lawes proper and peculiar , from laws morall and common , which how pernicious it may bee to mens soules to bee left to such uncertainty , as also how injurious to god and crosse to his maine ends in discovering morall lawes , let the wise consider ; for if they say that wee must flye for help herein to the light of corrupt nature , then as hath been shewn , an imperfect light , and a blinde guide , and a corrupt judge must be the chief rule of discerning that which is morall , from that which is peculiar and proper , for doubtlesse such a kinde of light is the light of corrupt nature . thesis . some thinke that those commandments onely are morally good , which the gospel hath declared and confirmed to be so : and by this shift they thinke to avoid the absurdity of flying to the blinde guide of corrupt nature to judge of these colours , viz. what is morall and what is not , mr. primrose therefore excludes the fourth commandment from being morall , the other nine being ratified by the light of the gospell , which this ( he saith ) is not : but if his meaning be that there must be a generall ratification of lawes morall by the verdict of the gospell , then the fourth commandment cannot be excluded from being morall , because it hath a ratification in generall from the gospell : for therein wee read that the morall law is holy , just and good , rom. . and that christ came not to destroy the least jot or tittle of the law , matth. . much lesse a whole law of the fourth commandment . in the gospel also god promiseth to write his law upon our hearts , wherein the fourth commandment is not excepted . but if his meaning be● this , that the gospell must particularly mention , and so make a particular ratification ( as it were ) by name of every morall law , then his assertion is unsound ; there being many judiciall lawes of moses , of which some are wholly morall , others containing in them something of common and morall equity , which we have no expresse mention of in the blessed gospell : and let him turne over al the leaves of the gospell , hee shall not finde that proportion of time which himselfe affirmes to be morall in the fourth commandment , to bee expressely and particularly mentioned in the gospell ; and therefore that also must be excluded from being morall upon his owne principles , as well as what we contend for in this commandment so to bee . thesis . some of those who maintaine the law of the sabbath to be ceremoniall , affirme that every law in the decalogue is not morall upon this ground , to wit , because the law is called gods covenant , which covenant they shew from sundry instances , not only to comprehend moralls , but also ceremonialls : for they make it the excellency of the decalogue to comprehend , as a short epitome , all gods ordinances , both morall and ceremoniall , which epitome is more largely opened in the writings of moses , where not onely morall , but also ceremoniall lawes are expressed and dispersed . and hence they thinke that as the other nine are the summary and epitome of all morall ordinances , so the fourth commandment which was kept with the practise of ceremonies , was the summary and epitome of all the ceremoniall ordinances , and hence the fourth commandment becomes ceremoniall . but for answer to this wily notion , unjustly father'd upon austin and calvin by some , it may thus farre be granted , that as the word law is sometimes taken more strictly for the decalogue onely , rom. . . iames . . and sometimes more largely , for the whole doctrine contained in all the writings of the old testament , wherein the gospel also is comprehended , psal. . . psalme . . , . so the word covenant is sometime taken more strictly for the covenant of works , which is contained compendiously in the decalogue onely , writ by the finger of god , in two tables , deut. . , exod. . . and sometime more largely for all the holy writings of moses , exodus . , . and . . levit. . . ier. . . now although all the writings of moses may be called the covenant , as it is largely taken ; and so the covenant comprehends not onely morall , but ceremoniall lawes ; yet they are never called that covenant which was writ by the finger of god in two tables of stone , and given to moses : and in this strict sense the word covenant comprehends no other lawes but morall , nor can the places and texts which they alleadge evince the contrary , for in that place of exodus . . it is not said that the tables of the covenant , but the booke of the covenant was read in the audience of all the people ; which booke , we readily acknowledge to comprehend ceremonials as well as morals , but not the tables of the covenant , of which the question now is : so also when the lord saith , exod. . . that he will make a covenant , his meaning is that he will revive his covenant by writing ( as it is there set downe in the same chapter ) in which writing it is very true that there is mentioned made of many ceremoniall lawes ; but suppose this covenant written by moses comprehends sundry ceremoniall lawes , will it therefore follow that the tables of the covenant written with the finger of god did the like ? no such matter , and therefore there is an * expresse difference put in the same chapter , verse , . between the covenant written by moses , and the ten commandments written by the finger of god. but secondly , let it be granted that the decalogue comprehends summarily all the lawes which are particularly dispersed here and there in the writings of moses , yet it doth not follow that there must bee one ceremoniall law written by the finger of god , and lifted up in the decalogue to be the epitome and summarie of all ceremoniall lawes elsewhere explained in the writings of moses : for all lawes , whether ceremoniall or judiciall , may be referred to the decalogue as appendices to it or applications of it , and so to comprehend all other lawes as their summary . but such a summary will no way enforce a necessity of making any one of them the epitome of ceremonialls , and the other nine of them of the morals , for we know that many judiciall lawes are comprehended under morall lawes , being referred as appendices thereunto by calvin , martyr , chemnitius , ames , and sundry others , and yet it will not follow from hence that one of the lawes in the decalogue must be a judiciall law as the summary of all judicials , which are branches of the covenant as well as master primrose his ceremonials . thesis . it should not seem strange that that law which in the generall nature of it is moral , may in the particular application of it be unto a thing ceremoniall , and in this respect it cannot be denyed but that the morall law may comprehend all ceremoniall lawes ; but it will not hence follow ( as mr. primrose inferres ) that one law in the decalogue must be ceremoniall as the head and summary of all ceremoniall lawes , because we say ceremoniall lawes may bee comprehended under some morall law , as speciall applications thereof : ex gr . it is a morall law to worship god according to his owne will , and not after mans inventions , as the second commandment holds it forth : now in the application of this law the lord points out his owne instituted worship in sundry significant ceremonies , sacrifices , sacraments , &c. which particular institutions ( though ceremoniall ) are to be referred unto , and are comprehended under the second commandment which is a morall law : for if god will be worshipped with his owne worship according to this commandment , then its necessary for the lord to shew ( and that under his commandment ) what those institutions be , wherein he will bee worshipped , many of which are ceremoniall , which are therefore directly comprehended here . thesis . there is therefore no necessity of making one law in the decalogue to bee ceremoniall , that it may be the summary head of all ceremonials , viz. because ceremonialls are branches of the covenant , which is the decalogue ; for upon the like ground there must bee one judiciall law also as the summary of all judicials , nay one evangelicall law also as the head of all evangelicals , sprinkled here and there in moses his writings , of which we read iohn . . rev. . , , . with deut. . , . gal. . . with gen. . . for judicials and evangelicals are branches of the covenant , as well as ceremonials , if mr. primrose his principle be true ; but if by his owne confession nine of them are morals , and one of them only the head of ceremonialls , how shall judiciall and evangelicall summaries come in ? which either he must make room for in the decalogue , or acknowledge his foundation to be rotten , upon which he hath built up one ceremoniall law among the nine moralls . thesis . it is true , that among men , the same body of lawes may be framed up of divers articles , as mr. primrose pleads , but that the decalogue was such a body as had ceremonials mixt with morals , it can never be made good by any colour of proof , except it be that which we have shewn will as strongly enforce an introduction of some one judiciall and another evangelicall law into the decalogue , as well as one ceremoniall ; but such a confusion of law and gospell , evangelicals and judicials , ceremonialls and morals , the blessed god abhorres : for it neither suits with gods wisedome and end in giving the law , nor yet with mans weaknesse ( which god pitties ) to make such a jumbling and confusion of things together : for who can then tell what law is morall and what evangelicall , and what ceremoniall , unlesse it be ( as was shewn ) by flying for light to the dictates and instinct of nature , to shew unto poore deceitfull man , what lawes are morall and what not , wherein the remedy would have been as bad as the disease ? thesis . if there must be one law in the decalogue , ceremoniall , that so the more authority may bee procured hereby ( as mr. primrose pleads ) unto all gods ordinances , and therefore one of the ceremonials was written in the decalogue with gods owne finger , and honoured with the like prerogatives as the morall lawes were , which were immediately spoken by god himselfe : then ( if this reasoning be solid ) why was not one judiciall and another evangelicall precept alike honoured also ? for was there not as much need to procure authority to this as well as to ceremonials ? and yet wee see their authority was sufficiently procured without being shusted into the decalogue , and so might ceremonialls also . thesis . there were three sorts of laws which are commonly knowne , and which were most eminently appearing among the jewes , . morall . . ceremoniall . . judiciall . thesis . the morall respected their manners as they were men , and are therefore called morall . the ceremoniall respected them as a church , and as such a kinde of church . the judicial as a common wealth , and as that particular common-wealth . morall laws were to govern them as an human society . ceremoniall as a sacred society , judiciall as a civill society : thus the learned speak , and being candidly understood , are true . thesis . the morall law contained in the decalogue , is nothing else but the law of nature revived , or a second edition and impression of that primitive and perfect law of nature , which in the state of innocency was engraven upon mans heart , but now againe written upon tables of stone , by the finger of god. for man being made in the image of god , he had therefore the law of holines , and righteousnes , in which gods image consisted , written in his heart : but having by his fall broken this table , and lost this image , neither knowing or doing the will of god through the law of sinne now engraven on it : hence the lord hath in much pitty made knowne his law again , and given us a faire copy of it in the two tables of stone , which are the copy of that which was writ upon mans heart at first , because the first table containes love to god in holinesse ; the second , love to man in righteousnesse : which holinesse and righteousnesse are the two parts of gods image which was once engraven upon mans soule , in his primitive and perfect estate , ephes. . . nor indeed doe i see how that popish argument will be otherwise answered , pleading for a possibility in man to keep the law perfectly in his lapsed and fallen estate in this life , for , say they , god makes no lawes of impossible things , it being unjust for god to require and exact that of a man which hee is not able to doe : to which it is commonly and truely answered , that man had once power to keep the law in his innocent estate , and hence though man be not able to keep it now , yet god may require it , because hee once gave him power to keep it ; and that therefore it is no more unjust to exact such obedience which hee cannot performe , than for a creditor to require his money of his broken debtor , or spend-thrift , who is now failed ( as they say ) and not able to repay . man therefore having once power to keep the law , and now having no power , this argues strongly that the law of the decalogue contains nothing but what was once written as a law of life upon his heart in his innocent estate : for i see not how gods justice can be cleared if he exacts such obedience in the decalogue which is impossible for man to give , unlesse the very same law and power of obedience was written upon his heart at first : and therefore it is a wilde notion of theirs who thinke that the covenant of works which god made with adam , is not the same for matter with the covenant of works exprest in the morall law ; for wee see that there is the same image of holinesse and righteousnesse required in the tables of stone , as the condition of this covenant , which was once written upon mans heart , and required in the same manner of him . now this law thus revived and reprinted is the decalogue , because most naturall and suitable to humane nature , when it was made most perfect , therefore it is universall and perpetuall ; the substance also of this law being love to god and man , holinesse toward god , and righteousnesse toward man , matt. . , . luke . hence also this law must needs bee morall , universall and perpetuall , unlesse any should bee so wicked as to imagine it to be no duty of universall or perpetuall equity , either to love god , or to love man , to performe duties of holinesse toward the one , or duties of righteousnesse toward the other : hence again , the things commanded in this law are therefore commanded because they are good , and are therefore morall , unlesse any shall think that it is not good in it selfe to love god or man , to be holy or righteous ; and which is still observable , there is such a love required herein , and such a lovelinesse put upon these lawes , as that by vertue of these all our obedience in other things , which are not moral , becomes lovely ; for there were many ceremoniall observances , in which and by which the people of god exprest their love to god , as mr. primrose truely concludes from deut. . , , , , , . and matth. . , , . but yet this love did arise by vertue of a morall rule , for therefore it was love to worship god in ceremoniall duties , because it was lovely to worship god with his own worship ( of which these were parts ) which is the moral rule of the second commandment . and hence master primrose may see his grosse mistake in making one law of the decalogue ceremoniall , because the summary of the decalogue being love to god and love to man , and our love to god being shewne in ceremoniall as well as in morall duties , because our love is seen & shewn in our obedience to all the commandments of god , ceremonial as well as moral . for though there be love in ceremonial dutys , it is not so much in respect of themselves , as in respect of some morall rule by vertue of which such duties are attended . thesis . the ceremoniall law consisting chiefly of types and shadowes of things to come , heb. . . and therefore being to cease when the body was come , col. . . was not therefore perpetuall ( as the law morall ) but temporary , and of binding power onely to the nation of the jewes and their proselytes , and not putting any tie upon all nations , as the morall law did . every ceremoniall law was temporary , but every temporary law was not ceremoniall ( as some say ) as is demonstrable from sundry judicials , which in their determinations were proper to that nation , while that jewish polity continued , and are not therefore now to be observed . thesis . the iudiciall lawes some of them being hedges and fences to safeguard both morall and ceremoniall precepts , their binding power was therefore mixt and various , for those which did safeguard any morall law ( which is perpetuall ) whether by just punishments or otherwise , doe still morally binde all nations : for as piscator argues , a morall law is as good and as precious now in these times as then , and there is as much need of the preservation of these fences to preserve these lawes , in these times , and at all times , as well as then , there being as much danger of the treading downe of those lawes by the wilde beasts of the world , and brutish men ( sometimes even in churches ) now as then ; and hence god would have all nations preserve these fences for ever , as hee would have that law preserved for ever which these safeguard : but on the other side these judicialls which did safeguard ceremoniall laws , which wee know were not perpetuall , but proper to that nation , hence those judicials which compasse these about are not perpetuall nor universall ; the ceremonialls being pluckt up by their roots , to what purpose then should their fences and hedges stand ? as on the contrary the morals abiding , why should not their judicials and fences remaine ? the learned generally doubt not to affirme , that moses judicials binde all nations , so farre forth as they containe any morall equity in them , which morall equity doth appeare , not onely in respect of the end of the law , when it is ordered for common and universall good , but chiefely in respect of the law which they safeguard and fence , which if it bee morall , it 's most just and equall , that either the same or like judiciall fence ( according to some fit proportion ) should preserve it still , because 't is but just and equall , that a morall and universall law should bee universally preserved : from whence by the way , the weaknesse of their reasonings may bee observed , who that they may take away the power of the civill magistrate in matters of the first table ( which once he had in the jewish common-wealth ) affirm that such civill power , then , did arise from the judiciall , and not from any morall law : when as it 's manifest that this his power in preserving gods worship pure from idolatrous and prophane mixtures , according to the judiciall lawes , was no more but a fence and safeguard set about morall commandments ; which fences and preservatives are therfore ( for substance ) to continue in as much power and authority now , as they did in those dayes , as long as such lawes continue in their morality , which these preserve : the duties of the first table being also as much morall as those of the second , to the preserving of which later from hurt and spoil in respect of their morality , no wise man questions the extent of his power . thesis . if therefore the question be now made , whether the law of the fourth commandment be morall or no , we must then remember that the true state of the question is not in this , to wit , whether the law of the sabbath be a principle of the light of nature , knowne and evident of it selfe , or at least such as every man that hath the use of reason may readily finde out , without some externall revelation ( as mr. ironside injuriously states it wrastling herein with his own shadow , with many others of his fellowship in this controversie . ) for morality ( as hath been declared ) is of larger extent then such naturality . but the question is , whether it is one of those lawes which is therefore commanded , because it is holy , just and good in it selfe , whether man see it by any previous light of corrupt nature , i or no ; and being thus commanded as such a law , whether it be not therefore of perpetuall and universall obligation , binding all nations and persons in all ages , in their hearts , lives , manners , to the observance thereof , as a part of that holinesse we owe to god , and which god requires of all men according to rules of morall equity : or on the contrary whether it be not rather a typicall , ceremoniall , figurative and temporary precept , binding onely some persons , or that one nation of the jews for some time , from the obedience of which law , christians ( in respect of any law of god ) are now exempted ? thesis . for clearing up whereof , it may not be amisse to take notice of the agreement ( at least in words ) herein , on all hands , even by those who oppose that morality of the sabbath which we plead for . all sides agree in this , viz. that the law of this fourth commandment concerning the sabbath , is morall . but as the differences about the meaning of tu es petrus are many , so here the difficulty lies to know , how , and in what sense and respect it may bee called morall ; for master ironside expressely consents in this , viz. that all the commandments of the decalogue are morall , but every one in his proportion and degree , and so ( saith he ) is that of the sabbath , it is morall for substance , but not for circumstance . master primrose also ( when he is awake ) expressely confesseth thus much , viz. that the sabbath is morall in its foundation , end , marrow and principall substance ; and that a stinted time is morall , and grounded on the principles of nature ; and therefore the gentiles ( saith he ) had their set dayes of religion : and this ( he tels us ) is ratified by the gospel , which commendeth to the faithfull the assembling of themselves together for word and sacraments , and consequently that they have appointed times to attend upon them , wherein the word of god be read and preached as under the old testament every sabbath day : nay he yields yet more , viz. that not onely stinted times , but that also there should be a convenient proportion and suitable frequency of time for gods service , now under the gospell , as under the law ; and therefore affirmes , that the jewish annuall feasts , and new moons , being but once a yeare or once a moneth , and so being rare and seldome , could not teach us the convenient and most suitable frequency of gods publick service , as the sabbath did , which returned weekly , and therefore he saith that the commandment runs not thus , viz. remember to keep the new moons , but remember to keep holy the sabbath day . so that by mr. primrose concession , not onely a time , but a stinted time , not onely a stinted , but also such a convenient proportion and suitable frequency of time , as is once in seven dayes , is morally holy by vertue of the fourth commandment . gomarus also concludes that the publick worship of god required in the fourth commandment , cals for observation , not onely of certain , but also of sufficient dayes for worship ; and what these sufficient dayes bee , is to bee gathered from the fourth commandment , viz. that they bee not more rare and lesse frequent , then the weekly sabbaths of the israelites , because , if god ( as he shewes ) challenged a weekly sabbath of a stiffe-necked people laden with the burden of many other festivals and ceremonies , how then should christians , freed from their yoaks and burdens , have them lesse frequent ? master breerwood also to the like purpose professeth , that christians should no● bee lesse devout and religious in celebrating the lords day , then the jews were in celebrating their sabbath , and his reason ( labouring with some spice of a contradiction ) is this , viz. because the obligation of our thankfulnesse to god is more then theirs , although the obligation of his commandment to us in that behalfe is lesse : for i confesse it s beyond my shallownesse to conceive , how the thankfulnesse should bee more and the commandment lesse ; unlesse he will imagine some such popish work , as exceeds the command . wallaeus comes almost quite over the threshold unto us , and maintains upon solid arguments , that by the force and analogy of this fourth commandment , all the true worshippers of god , are bound to the exact observation of one day in the circle and compasse of seven ; and then he produceth a cloud of witnesses , both ancient fathers , and the chief of our late reformers , testifying to th● same morality of one day in seven , which himself maintaines ; that whoever shall read him herein , would wonder how it should ever enter into the hearts of learned men ( as white , rogers , dow , the * historian , and many others ) to imagine and go about to befoole the world , as if the morality of a seventh day was the late and soure fruit growing out of the crabbed and rigid stock of some english puritans and reformers , wherein they are forsaken of all their fellowes , whom in all other things they so much admire in other reformed churches . it being therefore confessed on all hands that the sabbath is morall ( though i confesse at other times our adversaries unsay this at least in their arguments ; ) the controversie therefore onely lies in this , viz. how and in what respect it should be so ? thesis . the generall consent herein also is this , to wit , that the morality of the sabbath chiefly is in respect of some generality , or in respect of something which is more generall in this commandment , rather then in respect of that particular day which the commandment doth also point at : for if the morality of it did lie in observing that particular day only , how could there bee a change of that day to another ? for if the morality of a sabbath was limited unto a particularity , or to that one particular day , it is then impossible that any other day to which that first is changed , should be morall by vertue of the same commandment : but wee shall shew in fit place , that the day is lawfully changed and morally observed , and therfore that which is in this commandment firstly morall , must of necessity be somewhat more generall . thesis . the generall which we acknowledge to be morall in this command ( rightly understood ) is a seventh day . our adversaries would make it more generall , and resolve it into a day or some day for solemne worship , yet when they are forced to see and acknowledge by the dint of argument , that this is too generall , because thus the commandment may be observed , if one day in a thousand , or once in ones life it be sanctified ; they doe therefore many times come nearer to us , to somewhat lesse generall then a day , viz. to a stinted , fixed and appointed day , and to such an appointed day as containes a sufficient proportion of time for god , with convenient frequency , no lesse frequent then theirs in the old testament , which was every seventh day , as may be seen thesis . and truly thus much being acknowledged by them , one would think that the controversie ( with this sort of men ) was brought unto a comfortable and quiet issue and full agreement , but it is strange to see how contrary the language is of these men sleeping , from what it is when they are awake : they strike fiercely at a seventh day , and a determined time , as impossible to be morall , when they meet with them in the darke , and yet we see , acknowledge them ( in effect ) to be morall , when they meet with them sometimes in the light . thesis . but because a seventh day may be accounted convenient by some , and morall by others , and because the determination of it may bee made by some , either more lax or narrow , viz. either to any day in seven , which man or the church may appoint ; or to such a seventh day as god shall determine , it is therefore needfull for the clearing up of this controversie , to seek out with an impartiall and sober mind , the true meaning of the fourth commandment , and to enquire more particularly and exactly what is required it it , and what is commanded by vertue of it , which some able men not taking a right observation of in the dark and tempestuous times of controversie , have therefore made miserable shipwrack , not onely of the truth , but also of themselves , and souls of others . thesis . the things which are morally enjoyned in this commandment , are these two , . some things are primariò ; i. primarily , firstly and more generally morall . . some things are secundariò ; i. secondarily , derivatively and consequently morall . a time , a day , a seventh day of rest are in the first respect moral , but in the other respect this or that particular seventh day may be said to be morall : things primarily morall are perpetuall ; things secondarily morall are not necessarily so : as for example , to honour superiors and fathers , whether of common-wealth or family , is primarily morall , but to honour these or those particular superiors is secondarily morall , because our honouring of them ariseth from that primary and generall law of morall equity , viz. that if our fathers are to be honoured , then in the second place it followes , that these and those particular persons being our lawfull fathers , are to be honoured also : to honor our fathers whom god hath set over us , is perpetuall ; to honour these or those particular fathers , is not perpetuall , because themselves are not perpetuall but changeable . it was a morall duty to honour this particular king david , but it was not perpetuall , for when david was taken away , they were not bound to honour king david any more , when king solomon his sonne became his successor : nor was it a ceremoniall duty to honour this or that particular king , because it was changeable from one to another , but it was a morall duty so to doe ; wherein the law and rule is not changed ( it being primarily morall ) but onely the object , which wee are bound to honour secondarily in respect of the generall rule : so 't is in this law of the sabbath ; to keep a day , a seventh dayes sabbath , is perpetual , it being primarily morall , but to observe this or that particular day , is of it selfe changeable being secondarily morall : for if it bee a morall duty to sanctifie a seventh day which god shall appoint , then it 's morall ( as it were ) in the second place to sanctifie this or that seventh interchangeably which god doth appoint , and yet it doth not follow that this or that particular seventh is in it selfe ceremoniall , because it is changeable● for in such a change the morall rule is not changed , but the morall object onely to which it is morally applyed ; the duty is not changed , but onely the day : and in this respect it should not seem hard to make somethings morall which are not perpetuall ; for lawes primarily morall are properly perpetuall , but lawes secondarily morall , not necessarily so , but changeable , because , as hath been said , herein there is no change of the rule , but onely of the object or application of the rule , which may be variously and yet morally observed . thesis . this distinction of things primarily and secondarily morall is taken from the truth of things , and which those who study this controversie will see themselves forced unto by the shifts and fallacies of the adversaries of the truth herein ; the commandments of god are exceeding broad according to davids measure , psalme . and very comprehensive , and hence the generals include many particulars , and sometime the particulars have a speciall respect to things more general , as is evident in the second and fifth commandment , which synechdoche , master broad acknowledgeth to bee in all other commands except the sabbath , wherein he wil have no generall understood , but onely a commandment to observe that particular day onely , that so he may go one step further then some of his betters , and utterly abolish the morality of this command : but whether this commandment is so narrowly restrained , will appeare more fully in shewing the truth of this distinction out of the cōmandment , more particularly . thesis . those things first which are primarily and more generally morall , and morally commanded , are these three , . that there be some solemne convenient time set apa●t for gods worship . . that this time be not any small pittance of time , but a solemne day of worship , bearing the most meet proportion to those dayes man hath for himselfe . . that this day be not any day indefinitely which man sees meet , but ( as 't is in the commandment ) the sabbath or rest day , which god himself interprets and determines to a seventh day . some of our adversaries in this controversie , will not acknowledge any set time or day to be morall by vertue of this commandment , because they think that that particular seventh day from the creation is onely commanded but now abolished under the gospel ; and it onely is commanded ( they say ) because it is onely expressed and made mention of in the commandment ; i confesse that that particular seventh is expressed and pointed at , but not onely expressed ( as wee shall shew in fit place ) but suppose it were granted , that that seventh onely is expressed , yet it will not follow that therefore a seventh day , and consequently a day , and consequently a time of worship is excluded : for look as 't is in the second commandment , we see the worship of a graven image is particularly forbidden , and yet that which is more generall , is also herein forbidden , viz. the worship of god by humane inventions : and why may not the like generall bee enjoyned by commanding that particular seventh in the fourth commandment ? others of our adversaries , on the contrary , acknowledge therefore , that in this particular seventh ( which they make ceremoniall ) something more generall and morall is herein required , but this generall they limit to a time or some day of worship , but a seventh day which is more generall then that particular seventh , yet lesse generall then a day or time , they fly from this as from some serpent or bugbear , and will not admit it as any thing generally morall in this commandment : but it is very observeable in this controversie , that upon the same grounds on which they would exclude this generall of a seventh from being morall , they may as well exclude their owne generals , viz. a time or a day from being morall : for if they thinke it irrationall , that because a particular seventh day is required , that therefore a seventh day more generall cannot be commanded ; why is it not as irrationall upon the same ground to exclude a time , a day also ? surely a seventh day lyes nearer the bosome of a particular seventh , and is of nearer kin to it then a day . and i marvaile that they should gather a solemne time and day of worship , which is more generall , rather then a seventh out of that particular day , as not possibly to be intended , although in a manner expressed in the commandment it selfe . i know there are some who thinke that there is nothing generally morall in this commandment , but a seventh day ; which unlesse it bee well and warily explicated , i then crave leave to concur thus farre with our adversaries , viz. that a solemne time , and a day of worship are generally morall in this command , but not onely morall , but that a seventh day also which god shall determine is generally , yea principally morall also in this commandment . thesis . first therefore , that which is most generally morall in this command , is that which is called tempus cultus or the time of worship ; now this time must either be indeterminate time , which necessarily attends all acts of worship , and duties of piety , or else determinate and solemne time . indeterminate time is not required here , because to make a speciall commandment about such a time , would be both needlesse and ridiculous , for if it bee impossible that any duty should bee performed without such time , then where-ever that duty is required , the time which necessarily attends it must bee supposed and enjoyned in the same commandment : some determinate and solemne time is therefore herein generally , though not onely commanded . thesis . t is a scruple to some to know to what commandment solemne time should be referred ; to which the answer is easie ; that the same things may bee referred in severall respects unto severall commandments , and so may this : solemne time may be referred to the second commandment , where solemne worship ( in respect of the meanes of worship ) is required , in some respect to the first commandment , which requiring us to acknowledge god as our soveraigne lord and happinesse , he would have us therefore to have some full scope of time to be serlous and solemnly taken up in the worship of him : but it 's referred to this fourth cōmandment as it stands in a generall reference and relation to a seventh dayes sabbath , wherein this generall of solemne time is swallowed up and preserved ; and verily if the six days labour be required in the fourth commandment , in case it be done in reference to the seventh days rest , much more all solemne time of worship , as it stands in reference to a sabbath day . thesis . the worship it selfe therefore is not required in this commandment , if only the time of worship be enjoyned : and if ignorance or prejudice did not by asse and sway mens judgements from the naked and genuine meaning of each commandment , it would soon appear that the whole worship of god it selfe , is contained in the three first commandments , and therefore nothing left that could possibly be enjoyned by the fourth , but onely the time : i know a time of worship may in some respect be called worship , but the worship it selfe in all other respects is not required in this but in other commandments ; for in the first commandment we are to have god to be our god , by love of him , trust to him , delight in him , &c. ( which nature , as it were , cals for , if god be our god ) then all that which we call naturall worship , is required here : and if devised formes of worship bee forbidden in the second commandment , which are of humane invention and institution , then all gods instituted worship must bee commanded herein : and if vaine and irreverent manner of worship be forbidden in the third commandment , then all common worship as some call it , or rather all that holy and reverend manner of worship which we owe to god is required in the same command ; and if all naturall , instituted and common worship or holy manner of worship be required in the three first commands , i marvaile then how any worship ( any further then as a time of worship , may be called worship , ) can be required in this fourth command , the time therefore , and not the worship it selfe is required herein : for if any worship be required , it 's either the whole worship of god , or some speciall kinde of worship ; if the whole worship , then there should be no worship of god required directly in the three first commandments , but the very same which is commanded in the fourth also , which grosse tautology is most absurd to imagine in the short summe of these ten words ; but if any speciall kinde of worship should be required and not the whole , then the sabbath day is sanctified to some one kind of worship , rather then to the exercise of all kind of worship , which is most false and prophane : for who will affirme that the sabbath is to bee sanctified , suppose by that kinde of worship which is publick , and not private also , by externall , and not by internall worship also ; by naturall worship in love and fear god , &c. and not with instituted in the use of all gods ordinances , and that with all holy preparation and reverence also ? thesis . the exercise of worship is one thing , the worship it selfe is another ; 't is most true that the holy exercise of all worship is here required , but most false that the worship it selfe is so : the worship it self is required in the three first commands , but the speciall exercise of all this worship at such a time , is required in the fourth command : the exercise of holinesse and holy duties is here required as the end , and a holy rest as a meanes thereunto , and in this respect it is true which wallaeus observes , viz. that it is not a bare and naked circumstance of time , but the rest it self from labour , and the application of the day to holy uses which is here enjoyned ; but doth it therefore follow that the worship it self , and the holy duties themselves are here directly commanded ? which he seemes to maintain : no verily , no more then that works of mercy in the second table , are required in this fourth command of the first table , because the exercise of mercy and love as well as of piety and necessity is required also in this command . thesis . it is generally and frequently affirmed by those who seek to support the morality of the sabbath , to wit , that the exercise of worship and holy duties at this time , is required for the duties sake , as at other times , the time is required for the times sake ; by which words they seem to make the bare circumstance of time to bee required here ; but this assertion had need be understood with much candor , and the true explication of it ; for in some sense its most true which our saviour affirms , that man is not made for the sabbath or the time of it , mark . . thesis . this time therefore may be considered two wayes , . abstractly . . concretely . . abstractly , for the bare circumwance of time , abstracted and stript from all other considerations , and so it is very absurd to imagine all the holy duties of the sabbath to be for the time , as if god and all his holy worship should give homage unto , and attend upon a naked empty circumstance : time in this respect is rather for the worships sake . . concretely , as it is wholly sanctified and set apart for god , or as it is a holy time ; set a part for holy rest , that so man might attend upon god : and in this respect all holy duties are for this time , because in this respect they are for god who is all in all in holy time : and therefore wallaeus need not put us upon search to see whether the holy rest of the day be required in the second or any other command , for 't is not affirmed by any , that the naked circumstance of time is here onely required , without any holy rest ; but that a holy time of rest is herein commanded , and therefore to bee referred to this command : hence also it is most false which some affirme , viz. that the rest from ordinary labours on this day , as it is connected with holy duties of worship without which they cannot be performed , is as necessary now , as when the jewish sabbath was in being ; but otherwise out of these duties there is no holy time of rest commanded . for such a restraint of time to holy duties as makes the time holy for the duties sake , so that no time is holy but in the performance of holy duties , and these duties ( upon narrow examination ) onely publick duties , doth but open a gap for licentiousnesse , voluptuousnesse , sports , may-poles and dog-markets , and such like prophanesse , out of the time of holy publick worship ; or what private worship each man shall think most meet . for in this sense holy duties are for the time , because the whole day being sanctified , holy duties are therefore to attend , and in this respect are for this time ; and not the time for them , viz. that when the time of the exercise of some holy duties doth cease , the time of holy rest or holy time must then cease also . thesis . nor should it seeme strange that holy duties should attend holy time , and be for the sake of such time ; because , although it bee true that this time is sanctified , that man may performe holy duties , yet man is now called to the performance of all holy duties , that he may lastly honour god in all holinesse in such a speciall time : which time if any humane power onely should put any holinesse in , and it therefore should be attended on , what would it bee else but an observing of dayes and times , condemned by the apostle , romans . gal. . which dirty ditch of observing times , they unawares fall into who plead against a determined sabbath , sanctified of god , and yet would have some time and day observed by the appointment of men : for the observation of such dayes which god shall appoint , cannot be condemned as an observing of times : but the observation of dayes which humane wisedome shall think fit may be quickly reduced to such a transgression . thesis . if any think that there is a peculiar manner of holinesse , and of worshipping god herein required , which is not required in any other commandment ; it may bee readily granted , if by peculiar manner of sanctification , be meant a more speciall degree and manner of exercising the whole worship of god , in respect of such a time : but it doth not therefore follow , that any new kinde of worship ( which wallaeus hence pleads for ) is required herein : for this higher degree and speciall manner of worship is not the substance of any new worship , it being onely a peculiar degree of worship , and therefore varies not the kinde : and if the three first commandments enjoyne the worship it selfe , then they doe command the highest measures and degrees also severally , for where any duty is required , the highest degree and extension of it is also therewithall required . hence therefore it still followes , that this peculiar manner of exercising holy duties upon this day , is chiefely with reference and relation to the time which god hath sanctified , that herein hee might be in a speciall manner worshipped and served : and verily wallaeus foreseeing the blow , had no other way to expedite himselfe from making the three first commandments , either to be meere cipers , or the fourth commandment from labouring with a needlesse tautology , but by flying for refuge to this peculiar manner of holines which he thinks is required herein , and not in any of the rest ; but what hath been said may be sufficient to clear up the ungroundednesse of this mistake . thesis . a little errour is a great breeder , and begets many more ; and hence it is that wallaeus among many others , that he might make the worship it selfe to be required in the fourth commandment , disputes therefore against those who place the instituted worship of god ▪ directly under the second commandment , which if hee could make good , he had then the fairer probabilities to shew that the worship it selfe was required directly in the fourth command ; which principle if it was granted , would expose the morality of the sabbath to sorer blowes and bruises then perhaps appears at first blush : it may not therefore be amisse , but bee rather of speciall use for the clearing up both of the meaning and morality of the fourth command , to demonstrate , that the instituted worship of god , ( which wallaeus cals , cultus externus & instrumentalis salutis nostrae , per auditum verbi & sacramentorum usum , &c. ) is directly required in the affirmative part of the second command . thesis . the clearing up of this , depends much upon a right and true understanding of two things in the second commandment ; . what the graven image and likenesse is . . what is meant by those words . [ love me and keep my commandements . ] thesis . first , graven images , after which the whole world almost hath been enticed , and gone a whoring from the true worship of god ; were worshipped two wayes : . terminativè , i. when people terminated their worship upon the dumb idols themselves , as if they were gods , without looking any further to any god more supreame and glorious : this is the sinne of many of the ignorant sort of papists by bellarmine's owne confession , as also many of the brutish sort of the blinde heathens : and this kinde of worship and idolatry is directly forbidden , not in the second , but in the first commandment ; and that appeares upon this undenyable ground , to wit , that if the first commandment expressely enjoynes us to have no other god but jehovah , to trust in , pray to , love , feare no other god but jehovah , then for any to have and worship such images as their gods which are not jehovah , is directly forbidden here : hence therefore it undenyably follows , that by the making to our selves a graven image , in the second commandment , somewhat else must be understood then the worshipping of images terminatively as gods . . or else they were worshipped relativè , i. relatively or in reference to the true god , as meanes and helps , in which , at which , and by which , the true god was worshipped : and thus the learned and well instructed papists maintaine their abominable worship of images , whether graven or painted , crosses , crucifixes , &c. to be good and lawfull ; for say they , we doe not worship , nor are wee so senselesse as to honour the image , or crucifix it self , but onely as helps to devotion , to carry our hearts to god and christ , resembled by these images : thus also the jewes of old , they did never worship the images themselves , but god in them and by them : they were not growne so soon , so extreamly sottish , as to thinke that the golden calfe was the true god himself which brought them a few weeks before out of the land of egypt , but it was a visible help to carry their hearts to god onely , and therefore the feast was proclamed to iehovah , exod. . , . micha's idolatrous mother professeth that shee had dedicated the eleven hundred shekels of silver to iehovah to make a molten image , iudg . . she was not simple ( no not in those confused and blinde times ) to thinke that the image was iehovah , nor did her son micah think so , and therefore he doth not say , now i know that the teraphim will blesse me , but that iehovah will now blesse me , having set up an image for his service . nay verily , the wisest and best instructed among the heathens did never think that the idols and images themselves were god , but they only worshipped god by them ; which if any doubt of , let him but read doctor rainolds , who by pregnant and most evident proofs demonstrates , that neither the iewes , nor the heathens in their deepest apostacies , did ever worship their images any other wayes then relatively , as helps and meanes of the worship of the true god ; and hereby sets forth the abominable idolatry of the romish church , for such a worship of their images , which even themselves condemne in the idolatrous iews and heathens , who had as much to say for their image worship as the papists have : hence therefore it followes , that if the graven image in the second commandment , was not worshipped as god , but onely as a means devised and invented by man to carry the heart unto god , then ( by a usuall synechdoche in every command ) all humane inventions and institutions , and devised meanes of worship , or of carrying the heart better unto god , are forbidden in this commandment ; and if all humane institutions and devised meanes of worship , be herein directly forbidden , then certainly all divine institutions and meanes of worship , and consequently all gods instituted worship , in ministry , sacraments , &c. is directly commanded in the affirmative part of this second command ; and consequently not in the fourth command : and if all orthodox divines condemn the popish relative worship of images , as directly crosse and contrary to the second command , i then see no reason why any should question , but that all the instituted meanes of worship ( images as it were of gods owne devising ) should belong to the affirmitive part of the same command . the second thing to be explained in this commandment is , what is love to god and keeping of his commandments , which we read of in the close of the commandment ? love to god is here opposed to hatred of god , and those that love him , to those that hate him : now this hatred is not hating of god at large ( for there is a hatred of god in every sinne , prov. . . and . . ) but in particular , when it appeares in this particular sin of setting up of images and mens inventions , forbidden in this commandment , which therefore sets down the proper punishment for this sin : so by love of god , is not meant love of god at large ( which is seen in keeping every command ) but in particular , when we love god in his owne ordinances and institutions . look therefore as hatred of god in setting up mans inventions and institutions ( which superstitious persons thinke to be much love to god ) is here condemned in the negative part of the commandment ; so on the contrary , love to god in closing with him and seeking of him in his owne institutions , whether word or sacraments , &c. is here enjoyned in the affirmative part of this command , and consequently not ( as wallaeus would have it ) in the affirmative part of the fourth command , keeping my commandments being set downe as a fruit of this love , and both together being opposed to hatred of god : hence by commandments , cannot be meant in generall , all the ten commandments ( as some imagine upon miserable weake grounds , which i lift not to mention ) but in speciall , gods institutions and ordinances commanded in speciall by him , to which humane inventions and images of mens heads and hands , are commonly in scripture opposed , and are therefore condemned , because not commanded , or because none of his commandments , ier. . . deut. . , . matth. . . if therefore ( againe ) gods institutions and commandments are here enjoyned in this second commandment , they cannot bee directly required in the fourth command . these things being thus cleared , the objections of wallaeus are easily answered : for first , he saith , that from the negative part of this second commandment cannot be gathered such an affirmative part as this is , viz. that god will be worshipped by the word and sacraments . but that this assertion thus barely propounded , but not proved , is false , appeares from what hath been said concerning the true meaning of the negative part of this command : for if humane inventions , under the name of graven image bee forbidden , then divine institutions , such as word and sacraments bee , are here commanded , and from that negative any ordinary capacity may readily see what the affirmative is . hee saith again secondly , that if instituted worship was contained under the affirmative part of the second commandment , then this commandment is mutable , because god was thus worshipped one way before christ , and another way since christ ; but ( saith he ) the second commandment is morall , and therefore immutable , and therefore such mutable worship cannot be enjoyned herein . but we have * formerly shewne that although this commandment be morall and immutable in respect of it selfe , yet in respect of the application of it to this or that object or thing commanded , it may be in that respect mutable : for it is an immutable law that god must be worshipped with his owne worship , such as hee shall institute ( and this is the summe of the second commandment it selfe ) yet the things instituted ( wherein there is onely an application of the command ) may be mutable : the second commandment doth not immutably binde to the observance of this or that particular instituted worship onely : but to observe gods instituted worship , and to attend his appointments , which is the onely morall law and rule in the affirmative part of this command . hee thirdly objects , that the worshipping of god in word and sacraments , &c. is never opposed in all the scripture to the worshipping of images . but this is false ; for gods institutions ( of which word and sacraments are a part ) are frequently opposed to humane inventions , the worship appointed by god to the worship devised by man : images of gods devising , are oft opposed to images of mens owne inventing ; the voice of god which was onely heard with the eare , is opposed to an image or similitude which might bee seen , deut. . . a graven image , a teacher of lies , is opposed to the lords teaching of truth , and also to his presence in his temple , which was the seat of instituted worship , habak . . , , . the worship of images which god would have abolished , is opposed to the worship of god by sacrifices and ceremonies , in the place which god should chuse , deuter. . . to . but yet he tels us , that to worship god in images , and to worship him in spirit and truth ( which is inward worship ) are opposite : as also the lifting up of pure hands in every place , john . . tim. . . hee tels us also that acknowledging of god in his immensity and infinite majesty , are opposed to image-worship , rom. . , , . isa. . . bee it so : but will it therefore follow , that to worship god according to his own institutions ▪ is not to worship him in spirit and in truth ? is it rather a carnall than a spirituall worship , to attend on god in word and sacraments ? may we not lift up pure hands in the use of gods own institutions ? is not gods immensity and majesty acknowledged and seen in the use of his owne ordinances , as well as creatures and providences ? i confesse the blinder sort of heathens might worship stocks and stones and images of creeping things , and four-footed beasts , in the place of god himselfe terminatively , and god might account of all their image-worship as such , though used relatively , and hence the opposition may well bee made between worshipping them as god , and an infinite god ; and this worship ( as was said ) fals then under the first commandment : but assuredly this image-worship which the apostle condemnes , rom. . , . in debasing the infinite majesty , and limiting it to this and that image wherein they did worship it , is forbidden ( being only relative worship ) in the second command : for i think the apostle in rom. . hath an eye principally at the most lascivious idolaters in the world , viz. the egyptians , among whom principally we read of those images of creeping things and foure-footed beasts , in their hier●gliphicks : and yet we know that all that base worship did set out something or other of the deity , which therein ( and so relatively ) they did worship . but i must not enter into the discourse of these things here : sufficient is said to cleare up this point , viz. that gods instituted worship fals directly under the second , not fourth command . thesis . it is true , that the exercise of publick worship of many together , is to be at this time upon the sabbath , but doth it follow that therefore this publick worship it self falls directly under this command ? for if publick assemblies bee ( as some think ) a part of naturall worship , so as that the light of nature directs all men dwelling together as creatures , to worship god together publickly as creator , then this worship fals directly under the first ( not fourth ) commandment , where natural worship is directly commanded ; but if publick assemblies be considered as distinct churches politically united and combined , publickly to worship god ; then such churches considered thus as politicall , not mysticall assemblies , do fall directly under the second command , as parts of instituted worship : for as all devised formes of churches , whether diocesan , provinciall , nationall , universall ( being the inventions of man to further the worship of god ) are condemned directly in the second command : 〈◊〉 all such churches as are framed into a spituall policy , after the fashion and patterne of the word and primitive institution , are ( with leave of erastus and his disciples ) enjoyned in the same commandment , and therefore not in the fourth . gomarus and master primrose therefore do much mistake the mark , and scope of the fourth commandment , who affirme , that as in the three first commandments , god ordained the inward and outward service , which hee will have every particular man to yeeld to him in private and severally from the society of men every day , so in the fourth commandment he enjoyneth a service common and publick , which all must yeeld together unto him , forbearing in the mean while all other businesse . but why should they think that publick worship is more required here than private ? will they say that the sabbath is not to bee sanctified by private and inward worship , as well as by publick and externall worship ? is not private preparation , meditation , secret prayer and converse with god , required upon this day , as well as publick praying and hearing the word ? if they say that these are required indeed , but 't is in reference to the publick , and for the publick worship sake , it may be then as easily replyed , that the publick worship is also for the sake of the private , that each man secretly and privately might muse and feed upon the good of publick helps ; they are mutually helpfull one to another , and therefore are appointed one for another , unlesse any will thinke that no more holinesse is required upon this day than while publick worship continues ; which we hope shall appeare to bee a piece of professed prophanesse : in the meane while , looke as they have no reason to thinke that private worship is required in this command , because the exercise of private worship is at this time required ; so they have as little reason to thinke that the publick worship it selfe is herein enjoyned , because the exercise of it is to be also at such a time . it is therefore the time , not the worship it self , either publick or private , which is here directly commanded : although it be true that both of them are herein indirectly required , viz. in relation to the time. thesis . if therefore the morall worship it self , whether publick , externall or private , be not directly required in this fourth command , much lesse is the whole ceremoniall worship here enjoyned , as master primrose maintaines , for the whole ceremoniall worship , both in sacrifices , ceremonies , type● , &c. was significant , and were , as i may so say , gods images , or media cultus , meanes of worship , by carrying the minde and heart to god , by their speciall significations , and therefore were instituted worship , and therefore directly contained under the second , and therefore not under the fourth command : and if there bee but nine commandments which are morall , and this one ( by his reckoning ) is to bee ceremoniall , and the head of all ceremonials , and that therefore unto it all ceremoniall worship is to appertaine , then the observation of a sabbath is the greatest ceremony , according as wee see in all other commandments , the lesser sinnes are condemned under the grosser , as anger under murder , and lust under adultery ; and inferiour duties under the chief and principall , as honouring the aged and masters , &c. under honouring of parents ; and so if all ceremonialls are referred to this , then the sabbath is the grossest and greatest ceremony one of them ; and if so , then 't is a greater sinne to sanctifie a sabbath at any time , than to observe new moones and other festivals , which are lesse ceremoniall , and are therefore wholly cashiered , because ceremoniall ; and if so , why then doth master primrose tell us , that the sabbath is morall for substance , principall scope and end , and that its unmeet for us to observe fewer dayes than the iewes , in respect of weekly sabbaths ? why is not the name and memoriall of the sabbath abandoned wholly and utterly accursed from off the face of the earth , as well as new moones and other jewish festivals , which upon his principles are lesse ceremoniall than the weekly sabbath ? it may be an audacious familist , whose conscience is growne iron , and whose brow is brasse , through a conceit of his immunity from , and christian liberty in respect of any thing which hath the superscription of law or works upon it , may abandon all sabbaths together with new moones equally : but those i now aime at , i suppose dare not , nor i hope any pious minde else , who considers but this one thing , viz. that when the lord commands us to remember to keep the sabbath holy , hee must then ( according to this interpretation ) command us , that above all other commandments wee observe his ceremoniall worship ( which they say is here enjoyned ) rather than his morall worship which they acknowledge to be enjoyned in all the other nine commands , at the gate of none of which commands is written this word remember ; which undoubtedly implyes a speciall attendance to bee shewne unto this , above any other ; for as wee shall shew , keepe this , keep all , break this , slight this , slight all ; and therefore no wonder if no other command hath this word remember writ upon the portall of ●t , which word of fence , denotes speciall affection and action in the hebrew language : but i suppose it may strike the hardest brow and heart with terrour and horrour , to go about to affix and impute such a meaning to this commandment , viz. that principally above all other duties we remember to observe those things which are ceremoniall : for although the observation of ceremonies bee urged and required of god , as master primrose truely observes from psalme . . ieremiah . : ioell . . malachy . , , , , . yet that god should require and urge the observation of these above any other worship , is evidently crosse to reason , and expresly crosse to scripture , isaiah . , , , , . isaiah . . psalme . . ieremiah . . amos . . micah . . to remember therefore to keepe the sabbath , is not to remember to observe ceremoniall duties . thesis . nor should it seem strange , that jewish holy dayes are not here enjoyned , where a holy time , a sabbath day is commanded : for those jewish holy dayes were principally instituted ( as wallaeus well observes ) for signification of christ and his benefits ( as may appeare from ● cor. . . luke . . hebrewes . . ) and therefore being significant were parts of instituted worship , belonging to the second , not fourth command , but the sabbath day ( as shall be shewn ) is in its originall institution and consecration of another nature and not significant : yet this may bee granted , that ceremoniall holy dayes may be referred to the fourth command , as appendices of it ; and if calvin , vrsin , danaeus and others aim● at no more , it may bee granted , but it will not follow from hence that they therefore belong to the second command indirectly , and directly to the fourth ( which master primrose contends for ) but rather directly to the second , and reductively and indirectly , as appendices to the fourth : which appendices , as they may be put to , so they may be taken off againe , the morall commandment remaining entire : even as we know calvin referres many ceremoniall duties as appendices to such commands , concerning the morality of which master primrose doubts not : and therefore for him to thinke that the sabbath comprehends all iewish festivall dayes , upon this ground , viz. because the sabbath is joyned with , and put in among the reckoning of such festivals , leviticus . isaiah . , . hath no more force in it , than by retorting the argument , and upon the like ground prove it to be morall , because it is joyned with morall commandments , as honouring of parents , leviticus . . and prayer , isaiah . . and by his owne confession with the other nine which are all of them morall also . thesis . secondly , not onely a solemne time , but more particularly a solemne day , a whole day of worship is here also required by vertue of this fou●th command ; and the lord gives us good reason for it , that if he gives us many whole dayes for our owne work , then ( not some part of a day ) but a day , a whole day , according to the reason and expresse words of the commandment , should bee marked out and set apart for his work and service : if that place , isaiah . , . will not demonstrate a seventh dayes sabbath under the new testament , yet ●●sufficiently and fully clears the point in hand , viz. that a sabbath day is to be observed by the sonnes of the stranger or gentiles who are called strangers to the common-wealth of irsael , ephesians . . and indeed wallaeus freely confesseth and proveth that a whole day is here required ; and if a whole day , i hope none will think that the time out of publick assemblies is common and prophane , if a whole day be holy : and therefore mr. primrose tels us , that the gentiles having no other law but the light of nature , have appointed set dayes , for the exercise of their religion , and that as the jews had their set days , ( which we know were whole dayes ) so should christians have theirs , for their publick assemblies under the gospel ; which i hope must be therefore whole dayes also : it is also considerable that if the three first commandments requiring gods worship , do consequently require some time for that worship ( as being a necessary adjunct to all actions whether morall or civill , and without which they cannot be performed ) then the fourth command , must require somewhat more particularly than a time of worship : and therefore they that place the morality of the fourth command in requiring onely a time of worship ( because say they a time of worship is necessary , ) may upon this ground wholly and perfectly abolish the fourth command as superfluous and needlesse , because such a time of worship is required in all other commandments necessarily . they may also imagine as great a morality in the command of building the temple the place of worship , because a place of worship is necessary as well as a time : it is not therefore a time , but such a time as is preserved in a day even in a whole day for worship which is here commanded . thesis . the wise god could have appointed some part of every day to be kept holy rather than a whole day together ; but his wisdome saw this proportion of time every day to be more unmeet , in respect of mans daily cumbers , which doe so easily intangle mans thoughts and affections , so as within some smal piece of a day he cannot ordinarily nor so easily recover and unloose himselfe to find the end of a sabbath service , which is most sweet and full rest in the bosome of his god , as he may within the compasse of a whole day set a part for that end : or suppose he could so doe in a piece and part of a day , yet gods name should lose by it , if he should not have the ho●●ur of some solemne day , which wee see doe serve to adv●●ce the names of idoll gods , and men on earth : it 's meet and just that gods name should be magnified by us commonly every day , by setting a part some time which we may well spare ( as whet to the sithe ) out of our callings for god , and this doth honour him , but a day , much more . thesis . they therefore who maintaine that a seventh day is not morall , because it is but a circumstance of time , may as well abolish time to be morall , or any day to be morall , because a day ( let it fall out when it will ) is but a circumstance of time ; which notwithstanding they account to be morall in this command ; but we know that much morality lyes in circumstances , and why a day sanctified may not bee as much morall as a duty , i yet see not . thesis . the familists and antinomians of late , like the manichees of old , do make all dayes equally holy under the gospel , and none to bee observed more than another by vertue of any command of god , unlesse it be from some command of man to which the outward man they think should not stick to conforme , or unlesse it be pro re nata , or upon severall occasions , which speciall occasions are onely to give the alarums for church meetings and publick christian assemblies : an audacious assertion , crosse to the very light of nature among the blind heathens , who have universally allowed the deity whom they ignorantly worshipped , the honour of some solemn dayes ; crosse to the verdict of popish schoolmen and prelatists , whose stomacks never stood much toward any sabbath at all ; crosse to the scope of the law of the sabbath , which if it hath any generall morality ( not denyed scarce to any of moses judicials , ) surely one would think it should lie in the observation of some day or days , though not in a seventh day , for which now we do not contend . crosse also to the appointment of the gospel , foretold by isaiah and ezekiel , isa. . , . ezek. . . made mention of by our saviour to continue long after the abolishing of all ceremonies by his death , mat. . . who therefore bids them pray , that their flight may not be in the winter , nor on the sabbath day , which whether it be the jewish or christian sabbath , i dispute not , only this is evident , that he hath an eye to some speciall set day , and which was lastly ordained by christ , and observed in the primitive churches , commonly called the lords day , as shall be shewn in due place , and which notion under pretence of more spiritualnes in making every day a sabbath ( which is utterly unlawfull and impossible , unlesse it be lawfull to neglect our own work all the week long and without which there can be no true sabbath ) doth really undermine the true sabbath , in speciall set days ; and look as to make every man a king & judge in a christian common-wealth , would be the introduction of confusion , and consequently the destruction of a civill government , so to crown every day with equall honour unto gods set dayes and sabbaths which he hath anointed and exalted above the rest , this anarchy and confusion of dayes , doth utterly subvert the true sabbath : to make every day a sabbath , is a reall debasing and dethroning of gods sabbath . thesis . 't is true , that every day considered materially and physically , as a day , is equally holy , but this is no argument to prove that therefore every day is morally and theologically holy ; for those things which of themselves are common , may by divine appointment superadded to them become holy , witnesse the dedicated things of the temple , and so 't is in dayes and times ; under the old testament we see some dayes were more holy by gods appointment then others , and yet all dayes then were materially and alike holy . thesis . 't is true , that under the new testament , all places ( in a safe sence ) are equally holy ; but it doth not follow from h●nce ( as our adversaries would inferre ) that therefore all times are so ; and wallaeus himself confesseth the argument to be invalid : for it was not easie nor meet , but very dissonant from divine and heavenly wisdome , to appoint in his word all particular places where his people should meet , their meetings being to bee in so many thousand severall countries , and various situations , which places are indeed for their generall nature commanded and necessary , but in respect of application to circumstances of this and that place and countrey , the variation of them is almost endlesse , and therefore very incongruous and uselesse to set them downe in the word : but it was not so in respect of solemne time , or a solemne day of worship , for herein the lord might easily appoint a particular day to be observed , according to the rising and setting of the sunne proportionably throughout all the world : and the scripture hath expressely fore told in respect of place , that neither in ierusalem , iudea , nor samaria , but that in every place incense should bee offered up to god , malach. . . but it hath not so spoken , but rather the contrary in respect of time . thesis . nor is any time morally holy , in this sense , viz. instrumentally holy , or as an instrument and meanes by which god will convey any spirituall and supernaturall grace ( as sacraments now doe , and sacrifices of old did ) but being sanctified of god , they are holy seasons , in which , god is pleased to meet and blesse his people rather then at other times and dayes of our owne devising , or of more common use ▪ reserving onely the lords prerogative to himselfe , to work at other times also more or lesse as he sees meet . indeed it 's true , that by our improvement of our time , and of such times , the lord sweetly conveyes himself to us , yet still 't is not by time it self , nor by the day it self , but as he conveyes himself to us by holy things , and at holy places ( as the ark and temple ) so in holy times . thesis . there are indeed sundry scriptures , which to one who is willing to have all dayes equall , may carry a great bredth , and make a specious shew ; and i ingeniously confesse , that upon a rigidum examen of them , they are more weighty and heavy than the disputers in this controversie usually feele them , and therefore they doe more lightly cast them by and passe them over : and it is to bee wished , that those who doe not think that all dayes are equall , yet will not acknowledge a seventh day to be morall , had not put weapons unawares into the hands of others , strengthening them thereby to destroy the morality of any day , and so to lay all dayes levell , for i scarce know an argument or scripture alledged , by any germane writer , against the morality of a seventh day , but it strikes directly against the morality of any day , which yet they acknowledge to be morall . thesis . the fairest colour and strongest force from gal . . and col. . . lies in the gradation which some suppose to be intended in both those places . ye observe ( saith the apostle ) dayes , and moneths , and times , and yeares , gal. . . wherein the apostle seemes to ascend from the lesser to the greater , from dayes ( which are lesse then moneths , and therefore weekly sabbath dayes ) to moneths , from moneths or new moones , to times , which are higher then moneths , and by which is meant their annuall feasts and fasts , ordered according to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or fittest seasons of the yeare ; and from times he ascends yet higher to yeares , viz. their sabbaticall yeares , because they were celebrated once in many years , sometime seven , sometime fifty years : by which gradation it seems evident , that the observation of dayes ( which are lesse than moneths ) and therefore of weekly sabbaths , are hereby condemned . the like gradation is urged from col. . . where the apostle seems to descend from condemning the greater to the condemnation of the lesser : let no man judge you ( saith the apostle ) in respect of a holy day , new moon , or sabbath dayes : there holy dayes seem to bee their annuall or sabbaticall dayes , their new moones are lesse than them , being every moneth ; and therefore by sabbath days ( they inferre ) must needs be meant the weekly sabbaths , lesse than new moones : indeed some understand by dayes and times ( in gal. . ) heathenish dayes , but hee speaking of such dayes as are beggerly rudiments , under which not the heathens , but the children of the old testament were in bondage , verse . hee must therefore speak not of heathenish but of iewish dayes . i know also that some understand that of col. . . to be meant of iewish and ceremoniall sabbaths , which were annuall , but this , the apostles gradation seems to overthrow . thesis . to both these places therefore , a threefold answer may bee given : first , admit the gradation in them both , yet by dayes , gal. . . is not necessarily meant , all weekly sabbath dayes , for there were other dayes ceremoniall which the iewes observed , and which the iewish teachers urged , besides the sabbath ; to instance onely in circumcision which they zealously prest , gal. . . which we know was limited unto the eighth day , and which they might urge as well as circumcision it selfe . however , look as the apostle when he condemnes them for observing times , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies fit seasons , he doth not therin condemn them for observing all fit seasons ( for then wee must not pray nor heare the word in fit seasons ) but hee condemnes the iewish ceremoniall times and seasons ; so when he condemnes the observation of dayes , the apostle doth not condemne the observation of all dayes ( for then dayes of fasting and feasting must be condemned , as well as dayes of resting , under the new testament ) but the observation of ceremoniall dayes , which the iewes observed , and false teachers urged : and indeed the apostle speaks of such dayes as were beggerly elements and rudiments : now iames speaking of the morall law , which comprehends sabbath dayes , hee doth not call it a beggerly law , but a roiall law , iam. . . . nor doth hee make subjection thereunto , to be the bondage of servants ( as that was , gal. . . ) but the liberty of children , and therefore called a royall law of liberty . secondly , suppose the weekly sabbath bee here comprehended under dayes , as also that by sabbaths is meant weekly sabbaths , col. . . yet hereby cannot be meant the christian sabbath , but the iewish sabbath : for the apostle condemnes that sabbath and those sabbath dayes , which the iewish teachers pleaded for , among the colossians ; now they never pleaded for the observation of the christian sabbath , but were zealous and strong procters for that particular seventh day from the creation , which the iewes their fore-fathers for many yeares before observed , and for the observation of which , some among us of late begin to struggle at this day : now , as was said , admit the gradation ; we doe not observe the iewish sabbath , nor judge others in respect of that sabbath , no more than for observing new moones , or holy dayes , we do utterly condemne the observation of that sabbath : if it bee said , why , doe we not observe new moones and holy dayes as well , by substituting other dayes in their roome , as we doe a christian sabbath in the room of that iewish sabbath ? wee shall give the reason of it in its proper place , which i mention not here , lest i should bis coctam apponere . these places therefore are strong arguments for not observing that seventh day which was iewish and ceremoniall , but they give no sufficient ground for abandoning all christian sabbaths under the gospel . thirdly , there is a double observation of dayes ( as wallaeus and davenant well observe ) . morall . . ceremoniall . now the apostle in the places alledged , speakes against the ceremoniall and pharisaicall observation of dayes , but not morall : for dayes of fasting are to be observed under the gospel ( the lord christ our bridegroom being now taken from us , when our saviour expressely tels us that then his disciples , even when they had the greatest measures of * christs spirituall presence , should fast , matth. . , . ) but wee are to observe these dayes , with morall , not ceremoniall observation , such as the iewes had , in sackcloth , ashes , tearing haire , rending garments , and many other ceremoniall trappings ; we are to rend our hearts , and cry mightily unto god upon those dayes , which is the morall observance of them : so 't is in respect of the sabbath , no sabbath day under the gospel is to bee observed with ceremoniall or pharisa●call observation , with jewish preparations , sacrifices , needlesse abstinence from lawfull worke , and such like formalities ; but doth it hence follow that no dayes are to bee observed under the gospel with morall observation , in hearing the word , receiving the sacraments , singing of psalms ? &c. there was no morality in the new moons , by vertue of any speciall commandment , and therefore it is in vaine to aske , why new moons may not be observed still , as well as sabbaths ? provided that it be observatione morali , for there is a morality in observing the sabbath , and that by a speciall command , which is not in new moons and holy dayes ; and therefore as we utterly abandon all that which was in the sabbath ceremoniall , so we doe and should heartily retaine and observe that which is morall herein , with morall observance hereof . thesis . there were among the jews , dayes ceremonially holy , as well as meats ceremonially uncleane , now in that other place which they urge against the observation of any dayes under the gospel , rom. . . therein dayes ceremoniall are compared with meats ceremoniall , and not morall days with ceremoniall meats . it is therefore readily acknowledged that it was an errour and weaknesse in some , to think themselves bound to certaine ceremoniall dayes , as well as it was to abstain from certain ceremoniall meats ; but will i● hence follow that it is a part of christian liberty & strength to abandon all dayes as ceremoniall ? and that it is a part of christian weaknes to observe any day under the gospel ? this verily hath not the face of any reason for it from this scripture , wherein the apostle ( doubtlesse ) speaks of ceremoniall , not morall dayes , as ( shall appear ) our christian sabbaths be : and look as it is duty ( not weaknesse ) sometime to abstaine from some meats , as in the case of extraordinary humiliation , as wee see in daniel , dan . and . so it may be duty ( not weaknesse ) still to observe some dayes ; i say not the seventh day , for that is not now the question , but some dayes are or may be necessary to bee observed now . thesis . if any man shall put any holinesse in a day which god doth not , and so think one day more holy than another , this is most abominable superstition , and this is indeed to observe dayes ; and of this the apostle seems to speak , when he saith , ye observe dayes : but when the lord shall put holines upon one day more then upon another , we do not then put any holines in the day , but god doth it , nor doe we place any holines in one day more then in another , but god placeth it first , and this is no observation of dayes , which the apostle condemns in those that were weak ; but of the will of god which he every where commands . thesis . there is ( as some call it ) sabbathum internum & externum , i. an internall and externall sabbath ; the first ( if i may lawfully call it a sabbath ) is to be kept every day in a speciall rest from sin ; the second is to bee observed at certaine times and on speciall days ; now if that other place , isa. . . ( which is much urged for the equality of all days ) be meant of a continuall sabbath , so that those words , from sabbath to sabbath , if they signifie a constant continuall worship of god indefinently , then the prophet speaks of an internall sabbath , which shall in speciall be observed under the gospel ; but this doth not abolish the observation of an externall sabbath also , no more then in the times before the gospel , when the people of god were bound to observe a continuall sabbath and rest from sin , and yet were not exempted hereby from externall sabbaths , onely because more grace is poured out upon the people of god under the new testament then under the old , and under some times and seasons of the new testament , and some people , more then at and upon others : hence this prophesie points at the times of the gospell , wherein gods people shall worship god more spiritually and continually then in former times : but if by this phrase from sabbath to sabbath , be meant , succession , i. one sabbath after another successively , wherein gods people shall enjoy blessed fellowship with god from sabbath to sabbath , successively in the worship of him , one sabbath after another ; then this place is such a weapon in their owne hands against themselves , as that it wounds to the heart that accursed conceit , that all dayes should be abandoned by those under the new testament : but suppose that by sabbath , is not meant the weekly sabbath ( for then , say some , what will you understand by new moons which are conjoyned with them ? ) yet these two things are evident , . that sabbaths and new moons were set times of worshipping god under the old testament . . that it is usuall with the prophets to vaile , ( and not alway to type out ) the worship , and so the times of worship which were to be under the new testament , under the ordinances of god observed in the old , as may appeare isa. . . mal. . . as also by ezekiels temple , and such like : hence then it followes , that although this place should not evict a seventh dayes sabbath , yet it demonstrates at least thus much , that some let times and dayes shadowed out under the name of new moons and sabbaths , are to be observed under the new testament , and this is sufficient to prove the point in hand , that all daies are not equall under the gospell . thesis . the kindome of heaven indeed doth not consist in meat and drink , as the apostle saith , rom. . . i. in the use of externall indifferent things , as those meats and drinks , and some kind of dayes were , or if in some sense it did , yet not chiefely in them , as if almost all religion did chiefely consist in them : but doth it from hence follow , that it consists not in things commanded , nor in any set dayes of worship which are commanded ? if because the kingdom of god consists in internall peace and righteousnesse , and joy of the holy ghost , that therefore all externall observances of times and duties of worship are not necessary to be attended by gospel-worshippers ( as some secretly imagine ) then farewel all externall preaching , sacraments , profession and confession of the name of christ , as well as sabbaths : and let such artists of licentiousnesse bring in all prophanesse into the world again , by a law from heaven , not condemning the acts of the outward man , though never so abominable , in abstinence from which ( by this rule ) the kingdome of heaven doth not consist . is it no honour to the king of glory ( as it is to earthly princes ) to be served sometimes upon speciall festivals , in speciall state , with speciall and glorious attendance by his people , as well as after a common and usuall manner every day ? we have seen some who have at first held community of dayes onely , to fall at last ( through the righteous judgment of god blinding their hearts ) to maintaine community of wives ; and that because the kingdome of god hath ( as they have thought ) consisted no more in outward relations ( as that is between husbands and wives ) than in the observation of externall circumstances and dayes . thesis . but this is not the ordinary principle by which many are led to maintaine an equality of dayes under the gospel : but this chiefely , viz. that the morall law is not to bee a christians rule of life ; for we aknowledge it to be no covenant of life to a beleever , that either by the keeping of it he should be justified , or that for the breach of it he should be condemned ; but they say that when a believer hath life by the covenant of grace , the law is now not so much as a rule of life to such a one ; and then 't is no wonder if they who blow out the light of the whole morall law from being a light to their feet and a lamp to their paths , if they hereby utterly extinguish this part of it , viz. the commandment of the sabbath : this dashing against the whole law , is the very mystery of this iniquity , why some doe cashier this law of the sabbath : and they doe but hide themselves behinde a thread , when they oppose it by their weapons , who therefore abandon it , because it alone is ceremoniall , above any other law . thesis . the sabbath ( saith one ) is perpetuall and morall , but not the sabbath day , the sabbath ( which some make continuall and inward onely ) is perpetually to be observed , but not the sabbath day ; a sabbath is by divine ordination , but a sabbath day is to be observed onely as a humane constitution . but they should doe well to consider , whether that which they call an inward continuall sabbath be inconsistent with a speciall day ; for i am sure that they under the old testament were bound equally with us to observe a continuall sabbath in resting from all sinne , and resting in god by iesus christ , heb. . , . yet this did not exempt them from observing a speciall day : a speciall day is a most powerfull meanes to sabbatize every day ; why then may not a sabbath and a sabbath day consist together ? an every day sabbath is equally opposite to a time occasionally set , as to a set day , which the commandment enjoyns ; and therefore if it exempts a christian from observing a set day , it sets him free also from all observation of any such set time ; for if because a christian sabbath ought to bee continuall , and that therefore there ought to bee no set dayes , then there should not bee any occasionally set times for the worship of god , because these neither can be continuall ; and if there ought to be no such set times , we may then bid good night to all the publick worship and glory of god in the world , like the men with one eye to him who put his other eye quite out : and if any here reply that there is not the like reason , because holy time and days are not necessary , but holy duties are necessary , and therefore require some occasionall set time for them : i answer , that let the difference be granted , yet that which i now dispute on is , this ground and supposition onely , viz. that if all set dayes are to bee abandoned , because a christians sabbath ought to bee continuall and inward , then all occasionall set times also are to bee abandoned upon the same ground , because these cannot bee continuall and inward no more than the other : as for them who think no holy day necessary , but holy duties lawfull every day , we have already and shall hereafter cleare up more fully in its proper place : mean while it is yet doubtfull to me , whether those who follow master saltmarsh and some others , will acknowledge the lawfulnesse of any occasionall set times for publick worship , of hearing the word and prayer , &c. for he makes the bosome of the father to bee the christian sabbath , typified in the seventh day of the first creation , and he makes the six dayes of worke to be a type , not onely of the lord iesus in his active and fulfilling administrations while he was in the flesh , but also to be a figure of the christian in bondage , or ( to use his own words ) of a christian under active and working administrations , as those of the law and gospel are , as all formes of worship , duties , graces , prayer , ordinances , &c. from whence it will follow ( from his principles , for i know not his practice ) that all formes of worship , duties , graces , prayer , ordinances , are then to cease , as types and shadowes and figures , when once the substance is come , to wit , when they come in this life to the highest attainment , which is the bosome of the father , which bosome is the true sabbath of a christian man. now i confesse that the bosome of god in christ is our rest , and our all in all in heaven , and our sweet consolation and rest on earth , and that we are not to rest in any meanes , ordinances , graces , duties , but to look beyond them all , and to be carried by them above them all , to him that is better than all , to god in christ jesus ; but to make this bosome of god a kinde of canker-worme to fret and eat out the heart and being not only of all sabbaths and ordinances of worship , but also of all duties and graces of gods spirit , nay of christ jesus himself , as he is manifested in the flesh , and is an externall mediator , whom * some lately have also cast into same box with the rest , being sent onely ( as they think ) to reveale , but not to procure the fathers love of delight , and therefore is little else than a meere forme , and so to cease when the father comes in the room of all formes , and so is all in all , this i dare say is such a high affront to the precious bloud of christ , and his glorious name and blessed spirit of grace , that he who hath his furnace in zion , and his fire in ierusalem , will not beare it long , without making their judgements and plagues ( at least spirituall ) exemplary and wonderfull , and leading them forth in such crooked wayes , with the workers of iniquity , when peace shall be upon israel : are these abstracted notions of a deity ( into the vision and contemplation of whose amazing glory ( without seeing him as he is in christ ) a christian ( they say ) must be plunged , lost , and swallowed up , and up to which hee must ascend , even to the unaproachable light ) the true and onely sabbath ? are these ( i say ) the new and glorious light breaking out in these dayes , which this age must wait for ? which are nothing else ( upon narrow search ) than monkish imaginations , the goodly cob-webs of the brain-imagery of those idolatrous and superstitious hypocrites the anchorites , monks and fryers ; who to make the blinde and simple world admire and gaze upon them , gave it out hereby , like simon magus , that they were some great ones , even the very power and familiars of god. surely in these times of distraction , warre and bloud , if ever the lord called for sackcloth , humiliation , repentance , faith , graces , holinesse , precious esteem of gods ordinances , and of that gospel which hath been the power of god to the salvation of thousands , now is the time ; and must gods people reject these things as their a. b. c ? and must the new light of these times be the dreames and visions and slaverings of doting and deluded old monks ? shall the simplicity of gospel-ministery bee rejected , as a common thing , and shall harphius his theologia mystica , augustinus elutherius , iacob behmen , cusanus , raimundus sebund , theologia germanica , and such like monk-admirers , be set up as the new lights and beacons on the mountaine of these elevated times ? surely ( if so ) god hath his time and wayes of putting a better relish to his precious gospel , and the crosse of christ , which was wont in pauls time to be plainly preached , without such popish paintings , and wherein gods people knew how to reconcile their swe●● rest in the bosome of the father , and their sabbath day . thesis . if sinne ( which is the transgression of the law ) bee the greatest evill , then holines ( which is our conformity to the law ) is our greatest good . if sin be mans greatest misery , then holinesse is mans greatest happinesse : it is therefore no bondage for a christian to be bound to the observance of the law as his rule , because it onely binds him fast to his greatest happinesse , and thereby directs and keeps him - safe from falling into the greatest misery and woe : and if the great designe of christ in comming into the world , was not so much as to save man from affliction and sorrow ( which are lesser evils ) but chiefely from sinne ( which is the greatest evill ) then the chiefe end of his comming was not ( as some imagine ) to lift his people up into the love and abstracted speculation of the father above the law of god : but into his owne bosome onely , where only wee have fellowship with the father above the law of sinne . thesis . the bloud of christ was never shed to destroy all sense of sin and sight of sinne in beleevers , and consequently all attendance to any rule of the law , by which means chiefely sinne comes to be seen : but he dyed rather to make them sensible of sinne , for if he dyed to save men from sin ( as is evident , iohn . . tit. . . ) then hee dyed to make his people sensible of sinne , because hereby his peoples hearts are chiefely weaned and sever'd from it and saved out of it ( as by hardnesse and unsensiblenesse of heart under it , they chiefely cleave to it and it to them ) and therefore we know that godly sorrow workes repentance , never to be repented of , cor. . . and that pharaoh's hardnesse of heart strengthened him in his sin against god unto the last gasp , and hence it is also that the deepest and greatest spirit of mourning for sin is poured out upon beleevers , after god hath poured out upon them the spirit of grace , as is evident , zach. . , . because the bloud of christ which was shed for the killing of their sinne , now makes them sensible of their sinne , because it 's now sprinkled and applyed to them , which it was not before , for they now see all their sins aggravated , being now not onely sinnes against the law of god , but against the bloud and love of the son of god : it is therefore a most accursed doctrine of some libertines , who imagining that ( through the bloudshed and righteousnes of christ in their free justification ) god sees no sinne in his justified people , that therefore themselves are to see no sinne , because now they are justified and washed with christs bloud ; and therefore lest they should be found out to bee grosse liars , they mince the matte● , they confesse that they may see sinne by the eye of sense and reason , but ( faith being crosse to reason ) they are therefore to see the quite contrary , and so to see no sinne in themselves by the eye of faith ; from whence it followes that christ shed his bloud to destroy all sight and sense of sin to the eye of faith , though not to the eye of reason , and thus as by the eye of faith they should see no sin , so ( it will follow ) that by the same bloud they are bound to see no law , no not so much as their rule , which as a rule is index sui & obliqui , and in revealing mans duty declares his sinne . i know that in beholding our free justification by the bloud of christ , we are to exclude all law from our consciences as a covenant of life , not to see or feare any condemnation for sinne , or any sinne able to take away life : but will it hence follow that a justified person must see no sinne by the eye of faith , nor any law as his rule to walke by , to discover sinne ? and is this the end and fruit of christs death too ? surely this doctrine , if it be not blasphemous , yet it may be knowne to be very false and pernicious , by the old rule of judging false doctrines , viz. if either they tend to extenuate sinne in man , or to vilifie the precious grace of jesus christ , as this doctrine doth . thesis . if sinne be the transgression of the law ( which is a truth written by the apostle with the beams of the sunne , iohn . . ) then of necessity a beleever is bound to attend the law as his rule , that so he may not sinne or transgresse that rule , psalme . . for whoever makes conscience of sinne , cannot but make conscience of observing the rule , that so he may not sinne , and consequently whoever make no conscience of observing the rule doe openly professe thereby that they make no conscience of committing any sinne , which is palpable and downe-right atheisme and prophanesse ; nay it is such prophanesse ( by some mens principles ) which christ hath purchased for them by his bloud ; for they make the death of christ the foundation of this liberty and freedome from the law as their rule ; the very thought of which abominable doctrine may smite a heart , who hath the least tendernesse , with horrour and trembling . porquius therefore a great libertine , and the beelzebub of those flies in calvins time , shuts his sore eyes against this definition of sinne , delivered by the apostle , and makes this onely to be a sinne , viz. to see , know , or feele sinne , and that the great sinne of man is to thinke that he doth sinne , and that this is to put off the old man , viz. non cernendo amplius peccatum , i. by not seeing sinne . so that when the apostle tels us that sinne is the trangression of the law , porquius tels us , that sinne is the seeing and taking notice of any such transgression ; surely if they that confesse sinne shall finde mercy , then they that will not so much as see sinne shall finde none at all : a beleever indeed is to dye unto the law , and to see no sinne in himselfe in point of imputation ( for so he sees the truth , there being no condemnation to them in christ jesus ) but thus to dye unto the law , so as to see no sinne inherent in himselfe , against the law , this is impious ( for so to see no sinne and die unto the law is an untruth , if the apostle may be believed , iohn . . ) those that so annihilate a christian , and make him nothing and god all , so that a christian must neither scire , velle or sentire any thing of himselfe , but he must be melted into god , and dye to these ( for then they say he is out of the flesh ) and live in god , and god must bee himselfe , and such like language , which in truth is nothing else but the swelling leaven of the devout and proud monks , laid up of late in that little peck of meale of theologia germanica , out of which some risen up of late have made their cakes , for the ordinary food of their deluded hearers : i say these men had need take heed how they stand upon this precipice , and that they deliver their judgements warlly , for although a christian is to bee nothing by seeing and loathing himselfe for sinne , that so christ may bee all in all to him ; yet so to bee made nothing , as to see , know , thinke , feele , will , desire nothing in respect of ones selfe , doth inevitably lead to see no sinne in ones selfe , by seeing which the soule is most of all humbled , and so god and jesus christ is most of all exalted ; and yet such a kind of annihilation the old monks have pleaded for , and preached also ( as i could shew abundantly from out of their own writings ) insomuch that sometime they counsell men not to pray , because they must be so farre annihilated , as nihil velle ; and sometimes they would feigne themselves unable to beare the burthen of the species of their own pitchers in their cels from one end of them unto another , because forsooth they were so farre annihilated ( as neither to vel●● so neither to scire or know any thing beside god , whom they pretended to be all unto them , and themselves nothing , when god knowes these things were but braine bubbles , and themselves in these things as arrand hypocrites as the earth bore , and the most subtle underminers of the grace of christ , and the salvation of mens soules . thesis . a true beleever , though he cannot keep the law perfectly , as his rule , yet he loves it dearely , he blames his owne heart when he cannot keep it , but doth not find fau●l with the law as too hard , but cries out with paul , the law is holy and good , but i am carnall : hee loves this coppy though hee can but scribble after it ; when therefore the question is made , viz. whether a beleever be bound to the law as his rule ? the meaning is not whether he hath power to keep it exactly as his rule , or by what meanes hee is to seek power to keep it ; but the question is , whether it bee in its self a beleevers rule ; for to be a rule is one thing , but to be able to keep it , and by what meanes we should keep it , whether by our own strength or no , or by power from on high , is another . thesis . if the apowle had thought that all beleevers were free from this directive power of the law , he would never have perswaded them to love , upon this ground , viz. because all the law is fulfilled in love , gal. . , . for they might then have c●st off this argument as weak and feeble , and have truely said ( if this principle were true ) what have wee to with the law ? thesis . there is the inward law written on the heart , called the law of the spirit of life , rom. . . and there is the outward law revealed and written in the holy scriptures , now the externall and outward law is properly the rule of a christian life , and not the internall and inward law ( as some conceive ) for to outward law is perfect , in that it perfectly declares what is gods will and what not ; but the inward law ( as received and writ in our hearts ) is imperfect in this life , and therefore unfit to bee our rule : the inward law is our actuall ( yet imperfect ) conformity to the rule of the law without , it is not therfore the rule it selfe : the law within is the thing to bee ruled , psal. . . psalme . . . the outward law therefore is the rule : the law of the spirit of life ( which is the internall law ) is called a law , not in respect of perfect direction ( which is essentiall to the rule ) but in respect of mighty and effectuall operation , there being a power in it as of a strong law effectually and sweetly compelling to the obedience of the law : for as the law of sinne within us ( which the apostle calls , the law of our members , and is contrary to the law of our mindes , or the law of the spirit of life within us ) is not the rule of knowing and judging what sinne is , but the law of god without , romans . . and yet it is called a law , because it hath a compulsive power to act and encline to sin , like a mighty and forcible law ; so the law of the spirit of life , the law of our mindes , is called a law , not that it is the rule of a christians life , but that it compels the heart , and forceth it like a living law to the obedience of that directing rule ( when it ●s made known to it ) from without : it is therefore a great mistake to thinke , that because god translates the law without into a beleevers heart , that therefore this heart-law is his only or principall rule of life , or to imagine that the spirit without the externall law is the rule of life ; the spirit is the principle indeed of our obedience , whereby we conforme unto the rule , but it is not therefore the rule it selfe . it is true indeed , . that the spirit inclines the heart to the obedience of the rule ; . it illuminates the minde also many times to see it by secret shinings of preventing light , as well as brings things to their remembrance , which they knew before : . it acts them also sometime , so as that when they know not what to pray , it prompts them , romans . . when they know not what to speake before their adversaries , in that day it 's given to them , matth. . . when they know not whither to goe nor how to goe , it 's then a voice behinde them , and leads them to fountaines of living waters , isaiah . . revel . . . but all these and such like quickning acts of the spirit , doe not argue it to be our rule , according to which wee ought to walke , but only by which or by meanes of which we come to walke , and are enclined , directed and inabled to walke according to the rule , which is the law of god without . for the pilot of the ship is not the compasse of the ship , because that by the pilot the ship is guided : nor doth it argue that the spirit is our rule , because he guides us according to the rule : it is not essentiall to the rule to give power to conforme unto it , but to be that according to which we are to be conformed : and therefore it 's a crazy argument to prove the law of the spirit to be the rule of our life , because it chiefly gives us power to conforme unto the rule ; for if the law be that according to which are to bee guided , although it should give us no power , yet this is sufficient to make it to be our rule . thesis . the spirit of god which writ the scriptures , and in them this rule of the holy law , is in the scriptures and in that law , as well as in a beleevers heart ; and therefore to forsake and reject the scriptures or this written rule , is to forsake and reject the holy spirit speaking in it as their rule ; nay , 't is to forsake that spirit which is the supreme judge , according to which all private spirits , nay all the actings , dictates , movings , speakings of gods owne spirit in us , are to be tried , examined and judged . to the law and the testimony , was the voice of the prophets in their dayes , isa. . . the lord christ himselfe referres the jewes to the searching of scriptures concerning himself , iohn . . the men of bereah are commended for examining the holy and infallible dictates of gods spirit , in pauls ministery , according to what was written in the scriptures of old . it is therefore but a cracking noise of windy words for any to say that they open no gap to licentiousnesse by renouncing the written and externall law as their rule , considering that they cleave to a more inward and better rule , viz. the law of the spirit within : for ( as hath beene shewne ) they doe indeed renounce the holy spirit speaking in the rule , viz. the law without , which though it be no rule of the spirit ( as some object ) yet it is that rule according to which the spirit guides us to walke , and by which we are to judge whether the guidance bee the spirits guidance or no. thesis . some say , that the difference between the old testament dispensation and the new , or pure gospel and new covenant , is this , to wit , that the one , or that of moses was a ministery from without , and that of christ from within : and hence they say that the meer commandments or letter of scripture , is not a law to a christian why he should walke in holy duties , but the law written on our hearts , the law of life . but if this bee the difference between the old and new testament dispensation , the ministery of the old , and the ministery of the new , then let all beleevers burn their bibles , and cast all the sacred writings of the new testament & old , unto spiders and cobwebs in old holes and corners , and never be read , spoken or meditated on , for these externall things are none of christs ministery , on which now beleevers are to attend : and then i marvaile why the apostles preached , or why they writ the gospel for after times ( for that was the chiefe end of their writing , as it was of the prophets in their times , isaiah . . ) that men might beleeve , and beleeving have eternall life , and know hereby that they have eternall life , iohn . . iohn . . for either their writing and preaching the gospell was not an externall and outward ministry ( which is crosse to common sense ) or it was not christs ministery , which is blasphemous to imagine : and it is a vain shift for any to say , that although it was christs ministery , yet it was his ministery as under the law and in the flesh , and not in meere glory and spirit : for its evident that the apostles preachings and writings , were the effect of christs ascension and glory , ephes. . . . when hee was most in the spirit , and had received the spirit that hee might poure it out by this outward ministery , acts . . and it is a meer new-nothing and dream of master saltmarsh and and others , to distinguish between christ in the flesh and christ in the spirit , as if the one christ had a divers ministery from the other : for when the comforter is come ( which is christ in the spirit ) what will he doe ? he will lead ( it s said ) unto all truth , iohn . but what truth will he guide us into ? verily no other ( for substance ) but what christ in the flesh had spoken , and therefore it 's said , that he shall bring all things to your remembrance , whatsoever i have said unto you , john . . and therefore ( if i may use their phrase ) christ in the spirit leads us to what christ in the flesh said ; inward christ leads the faithfull to the outward ministery of christ ; christ in the spirit to christ speaking in the letter , the spirit of truth to the word of truth , the spirit within to the word without , by which we shall be judged at the last day , iohn . . and therefore certainly are to be regulated by it now . thesis . it is true , that the faithfull receive an unction or an anoin●ing of the spirit , which teacheth them all things ; but is this teaching immediate or mediate ? if immediate , why doth iohn tell them that he writ to them that hereby they might know they had eternall life , iohn . . but if it be mediate , viz. by the word externally preacht or writ , then the externall word still is to be our rule , which the anointing of the spirit helps us to know : it is true , the apostle saith , iohn . . that they being taught of the spirit , did not need that any man should teach them ; what then ? was their teaching therefore immediate ? no verily , for the apostle explaines his meaning in the words following , viz. otherwise , and after another way and manner , then as the spirit taught them , for so the words runne , you need not that any man should teach you , but as the anointing teacheth you all things , and is truth . for if ministers are to preach and write in demonstration of the spirit , then those that heare them and are taught by them , need no man to teach them otherwise , than as the same spirit in the same demonstration teacheth them all things : it might bee truely said that the men of bereah did need no man to teach them otherwise than as the spirit in comparing and searching the scriptures did teach them the things which paul spake . and calvin well observes upon this place , that the scope of the apostle in these words , is to confirme his doctrine which he writ to them , it being no unknowne thing , but a thing known to them by the anointing of the spirit , which either they had received by former ministery of the word , or which now they might receive by this writing : as therefore the spirit leads us to the word , so the word leads us to the spirit , but never to a spirit without and beyond the word , i meane so farre forth as that the outward administration of christ in the flesh or in the word or letter must cease , and be laid aside , when the inward administration of christ in the spirit comes . thesis . it 's as weak an argument to imagine , that wee are not to be led and guided by any outward commands , in our obedience unto god ( because god is to worke all our workes for us , and because we are not to live , but christ is to live in us ) as to thinke that we are not to look to any promises without us to direct and support our faith , because christ is also to fulfill and accomplish all the promises for us : for if the question be , by what are we to live ? the apostles answer is full , gal. . , . that as hee did not live but by the faith of the son of god , so are we : but if the question be , according to what rule are we to live , and wherein are wee to live ? the answer is given by david psalme . , . thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently , oh that my heart were directed to keep thy statutes . deal bountifully with thy servant that i may live and keep thy word , ver . . let thy mercy come to me that i may live , for thy law is my delight , vers . . so that if the question be , what is the rule of faith by which we live ? the answer is , the gospel , phil. . . but if the question be , what is the rule of life it self ? the answer is , the morall law ; and of this later is the controversie . thesis . the commanding will of god , called voluntas mandati , is to be our rule , and not the working will of god , voluntas decreti , or the will of gods decree : for we cannot sinne by fulfilling the one , but wee may sin in fulfilling the other . gods secret and working will was fulfilled when iosephs brethren sold him into egypt , and when nebuchadnezzar afflicted gods people seventy yeares , as also when the scribes and pharisees caused christ to bee crucified : yet in all these thing● they sinned and provoked gods wrath against them ; how ? was it in crossing and thwarting gods working will or the will of gods decree ? no verily , for it 's expressely said , that christ was crucified according to the determinate counsell and will of god , acts . . it was therefore by crossing gods commanding will. it is therefore a hellish device of libertines to exempt men from all law , and from the sense of all sinne : because ( say they ) all things good and evill come from gods will , and all things that are done are wrought by him , and all that he doth is good , and therefore all sinfull actions are good , because god workes them ; for what have we to doe to take the measure of our wayes by his working will ? gods will is his owne rule to work with , not our rule to worke by : our actions may bee most sinfull when his working in and about these may bee most just and holy , for though god purposeth to leave the creature to fall and sin , yet he so purposed it , as that it should be onely through their owne fault that so they sinne : and although a christian is to submit humbly to the just dispensations of god when he leaves it to any evill , yet gods working will in all such dispensations must not be our rule , for then wee must will not onely our owne sinne , but our owne affliction and perdition for ever , for all these are contained under his working will : it is therefore a most subtle and pernicious practice in many , who when they are overtaken with any sin , or hampered with sinne , they wash all off from themselves , and lay all the blame ( if any be ) upon god himself , saying , the lord left mee and he doth not helpe mee , and he must doe all , and hath undertaken to doe all , if therefore i sin , upon him be the blame , or if there be any upon them it is but little : but why should any judge of the evill of their sinne by gods working will , for that is not your rule , but the commanding will of god , according to which samuel convinced saul ( when he was left of god to spare agag ) that his disobedience against the commandment was rebellion , and as the sinne of witchcraft in the eyes of god , samuel . . thesis . it is a great part of christs love to command us to doe any thing for him , as well as to promise to doe any thing for us : when the king of glory hath given us our lives by promise , it s then the next part of his speciall grace and favour to command us to stand before him and attend upon his greatnesse continually . they that see how justly they deserve to bee forsaken of god and given over to their owne hearts lusts , and to be for ever sinning and blaspheming god in hell , where god will never command them to think of him , speak of him , doe for him , pray to him more , cannot but account it a high and speciall favour of jesus christ to command them any thing , or bid them doe any thing for him ; a poore humbled prodigall will account it great love to bee made a hired servant ; iohn baptist will count it a high favour if he may but untie christs shoe-latchet , and bee commanded by him to doe the meanest worke for him : david wondred at gods grace toward him , that god should command him , and in some measure enable him to offer willingly , lord , ( saith he ) what are wee ? i doe therefore marvaile how any can pretend that they are acted by the love of christ , and not by the law of commands , considering that there is so much love in this for christ to command , and how they can professe their relish of preaching gods free grace and love , and yet cannot away with sweet and gracious exhortations pressing to holinesse and holy duties , in the revealing and urging of which there is so much free-grace and heart-love of christ jesus ; surely if the love of christ is to lead us , then the commands of christ ( wherein hee discovers one chiefe part of his love ) are to guide us and be a rule of life unto us , the man who in his cool and deliberate thoughts imagines that a christian under the rule of the law , is a christian under bondage , may be justly feared that himself is still under the bondage of sin and satan , and never yet knew what the true love of christ iesus is to this day . thesis . the fundamentall errour of antinomians ariseth from this , in imagining the great difference between the law and gospell to be this , viz. that the law requires doing , but the gospel no doing , and that all beleevers being under the gospell are therefore under no law of doing : but wee must know that as the gospell exacts no doing that thereby we may be just , so it requires doing also when by christ iesus we are made just : for if the gospell command us to be holy as god is holy , pet. . . and perfect as our heavenly father is perfect , matth. . . then the gospel doth not onely require doing , but also as much perfection of doing as the law doth ; the law and the gospell require the same perfection of holinesse , onely here is the difference ( which many have not observed ) the gospel doth not urge this perfection nor require it of us as the law doth ; for the law calling and urging of it that so hereby we may be made just , it therefore accepts of nothing but perfection , but the gospell requiring it because wee are perfectly just already in christ , hence though it commands as much as the law , yet it accepts of lesse , even the least measure of sincerity and perfection mixed with the greatest measure of imperfection . thesis . the law ( say some of the antinomians ) is to bee kept as an eternall rule of righteousnesse , but their meaning then is , that beleevers are thus to keep it in christ who hath kept it for them , and if they meant no more but that christ hath kept it for righteousnesse to their justification , they speak truely : but their meaning herein is not only in respect of their justification , but also in respect of their sanctification , for they make christs righteousnesse to bee materially and formally their sanctification : hence they say , a beleever hath repented in christ , and mortified sinne in christ , and that mortification and vivification is nothing but a beleeving that christ hath mortified sinne for them , and beene quickned for them , and that that sanctification which is inherent in christ , and not that which is inherent in us , is an evidence of our justification . but this principle which confounds a christians justification , and sanctification , as it casts the seed of denying all inherent graces in a beleever , so it layes the basis of refusing to doe any duty , or conforme to any law in our owne persons : for if this principle bee true ( which no orthodox writer doubts of ) viz. that we are to seek for no righteousnesse in our selves to our justification , because wee are perfectly just and made righteous for that end in christ , then it will undenyably follow that wee are not to seek for any holinesse and sanctification in our selves , because we are perfectly sanctified also in christ iesus , who hath repented , and beleeved , and mortified sinne perfectly for us in his owne person ; look therefore as the perfection of christs righteousnesse to our justification , should make a christian abhorre any personall righteousnesse of his owne to his justification , so if wee bee perfectly sanctified in christ , then perfection of christs holinesse to our sanctification should make a beleever not onely renounce the law , but to abhor all personall holines through the spirit to our sanctification , and then a beleever must abhor to seek any love or feare of god in his heart , which is not painted but professed prophanesse , and the inlet not per accidens but per se , to all manner of loosenesse and wickednesse in the world . thesis . wee deny not but that christ is our sanctification as well as our righteousnesse , cor. . . but how ? not materially and formally , but virtually and meritoriously , and ( with meet explications ) exemplarily : our righteousnesse to our justification is inherent in him , but our sanctification is inherent in our selves , yet it is derived from him , and therefore it is virtually and meritoriously onely in him : and hence it is that wee are never commanded to justifie our selves , unlesse it be instrumentally and sacramentally , when as we are commanded by faith to wash our selves , isa. . . and as paul at his baptisme was commanded to wash away his sinnes , acts . . but wee are frequently and abundantly exhorted to repent , beleeve , mortifie our affectiions upon earth , to walke in newnesse of life , to be holy in all manner of conversation , &c. because these things are wrought by christ in us to our sanctification , and not wrought in christ for us as our righteousnesse to our justification . thesis . they that are in christ are said to be compleat in christ , col. . . and that they receive all grace from his fulnesse , iob. . . so that is seemes that there is no grace in themselves , but it is first in him , and consequently that their sanctification is perfected in him : but wee must know that though the perfection and fulnesse of all grace is first in christ , yet that beleevers have not all in him after one and the same manner , nor for the same end : for our righteousnesse to our justification is so in him as never to be inherent in us , in this or in the world to come , but our righteousnesse to our sanctification is so farre in him , as that it is to be derived and conveyed unto us , and hence it is formally in our selves , but meritoriously and virtually onely in him : even as our resurrection and glorification at last day , are not so in christ as never to bee derived to us ( for then the resurrection were past already ) but they are so in him as that they are to bee conveyed to us , and therefore they are meritoriously and virtually in him , and we are meritoriously and virtually risen in him : a christian therefore may be compleat in christ , and yet not be perfectly formally sanctified in christ , our sanctification being compleated in him after another manner , and for other ends than our justification . thesis . the chiefe end of christs first comming was to lay down his life a ransome for many in way of satisfaction and merit , phil. . . matth. . . now by this satisfaction hee did two things , . he brought in such a righteousnesse before god as might merit mercy and make us just : now this is wholly in christ out of our selves ; but because there was a righteousnesse of new obedience and thankfulnesse to be wrought in us for this love , therefore , . by the same satisfaction hee hath merited ( not that this new obedience might justifie us or make us accepted ) but that it might be accepted though imperfect and polluted with sinne , peter . , . as also that it might bee crowned and recompenced : now hence it followes that the lord jesus hath not performed our duty of thankfulnesse and new obedience for us ( sub hoc formali ) or as of thankfulnes ; for though christ was thankfull and holy for us , yet it was not under this notion of thankfulnesse for his owne love to us , for this is personally required of us , and it sounds very harsh to say that christ walked in all holy thankfulnesse to himselfe , for his love to us ; but hee was thus thankfull for us , sub ratione meriti , or in way of merit , it being part of that satisfaction which justice exacted . all that which might satisfie justice , and merit any mercy , christ did for us in himselfe ▪ but he did not beleeve and repent , and performe duties of thankfulnesse for us , because these and such like are not to satisfie justice , but follow as fruits of that satisfaction , and therefore are wrought within us , and so are personally required of us , and therefore when a christian findes a want of these things in himselfe , he is not to comfort himselfe with fond thoughts of the imputation of these in christ onely unto him , but he is to look up to christ jesus for derivation of these out of christ into himselfe ; otherwise by making christ his sanctification , onely in way of imputation , he doth really destroy christ from being his sanctification ; for if christ be our righteousnesse onely by imputation , then if christ be our sanctification , it must be by derivation from him , which they must needs destroy who make him their sole sanctification by meere imputation . thesis . spirituall errours like strong wine make mens judgements reele and stagger , who are drunken therewith : and hence the antinomians speake so variously in this point that we know not where to finde them , or what they will stand to : for sometime they will say that a beleever is free from the law in all its authority and offices , but this being too grosse , at other times they speake more warily , and affirm that a christian is to observe the law as his rule personally , thus farre forth , viz. to doe what is commanded , but not in vertue of a command : the spirit , say they , will binde and conforme their hearts to the law , but they are not bound by any authority of the law to the directions thereof ; the spirit , they say , is free , and they are under the government of the spirit , which is not to be controled and ruled by any law . now if by vertue of a command they meant , by vertue of our owne naturall strength and abilities looking to the command , so it 's true that that a beleever is not so bound to act by vertue of the law , for then he was bound to conforme to the law pharisaically , for what is our strength but weaknesse and sinne ? but if by vertue of a command they meane thus much , viz. that a beleever is not bound by the commanding power of any law to conforme thereunto , onely the spirit will conforme his heart thereunto , so that hee shall doe the things ( perhaps ) which the law requires , but not because the law requires or commands them to be done : if this , i say , be their meaning ( as surely it seemes to bee ) then the mystery of this iniquity is so plain , that he that runnes may read it : for hence it undeniably followes , that in a case a beleever fall into any sinne , of whordome , murder , theft , witchcraft , &c. these wicked acts though they be sins in themselves ( because they are against the law ) yet they are not sinnes unto him , because he is now set free from the law , and not bound to the obedience of it by vertue of any command : for where there is no law , there is no transgression ; and if there bee no law which bindes him , there is no transgression then at least unto him : they are sinnes indeed in themselves , but not unto him , they are sinnes ( as some say ) to sense , but not to faith , sinnes in the conversation , but not to conscience , sinnes before men ( because they may crosse their lawes ) but not sinnes before god , who exempts them from all law : and it is in vaine here to reply , that they may bee sinnes to him , because they may be against the law of the spirit which is his rule ; for we have already shewn , that although the spirit be the principle by which we obey , yet it is not our rule according to which we are to obey : indeed it is an high aggravation of sinne when it is against the spirit , but to crosse the spirit doth not firstly make these things sinfull , nor could they be sinnes unlesse they crosse such a spirit as speakes in and by some holy law , the very essence of sinne lying in the transgression ( not of any law ) but of the law , i. the known morall or evangelicall law . againe , if these and such like be sinnes , because they are onely against the law of the spirit , then it is no sinne to bow downe before an image , to commit filthinesse , theft , &c. supposing that the spirit shall suspend his act and not restraine ; nay then it will follow that sinnes of ignorance ( of which the spirit hath not convinced a christian ) are no sins , nor to be repented of , which is expressely crosse to the holy practice of david , who knowes his errours ? lord cleanse me from my secret sinnes . if sinne therefore be the transgression of the law ( whether the spirit worke upon a christian or no ) then certainely , if he be under no commanding power of the law , hee cannot be guilty or be said to commit any sinne , and then the conclusion is this , that every beleever neither hath sin , or should say he doth sin , no not when he commits murder , adultery , and the foulest enormities in the world : which doctrine , though so directly and expressely against the light of scripture , the confessions of all the saints , yea of the light of nature and common sense , and is the very filth of the froth of the sume of the bottomlesse pit ; yet some there are who are not ashamed to owne it , the very 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and depth of a perfect familist consisting in this , viz. when a man can sinne and never feele it , or have any remorse or sorrow for it , and when one hath attained to this measure , he is then deified , and then they professe the godhead doth petere fundum animae ( as they call it ) when beleeving that he hath no sinne , he can therefore neither see it or feele it . from which depth of darknesse the god and father of mercies deliver his poore people in these corrupting times , and i with that those who defend this kinde of a beleevers immunity from the law , did not lay this corner stone of hell and perdition to their followers ; i am sure they lead them hereby to the mouth of this pit , who upon this principle , refuse either to mourne for sinne , or pray for pardon of sinne , or to imagine that god afflicts for sin , being now freed from the mandatory power of any law of god , they being now not bound to act by vertue of any command . thesis . if god did worke upon beleevers as upon blo●ks or brute creatures , they might then have some colour ●o cast off all attendance to the directive power of the law , and so leave all to the spirits omnipotent and immediate acts , as the starres who being irrationall and uncapable of acting by any rule , they are therefore acted and run their course by the mighty word of gods power , and therefore attend no rule ; but beleevers are rationall creatures , and therefore capable of acting by rule , and they are also sanctified and delivered from the power of their corrupt nature , and therefore have some inherent power so to act , for if they be not now dead in trespasses and sinnes , they have then some new life , and therefore some inherent power to act , according to the rule of life ; the image of god renewed in them , is ( in part ) like to the same image which they had in the first creation , which gave man some liberty and power to act according to the will of him that created him : and if the first adam by his fall conveyes to us , not onely condemnation , but also an inherent power of corruption , then the second adam , the lord iesus , much more conveyes unto all his posterity , not onely justification , but also some inherent power of grace and holinesse , which is begun here and perfected in glory , for as sinne hath abounded , so grace aboundeth much more : and yet suppose they had no inherent power thus to act , yet they have an adherent power , the lord christ iesus , by faith in whose name they may and shall receive power to act : and therefore , although god works in us , both to will & to do of his good pleasure , yet this hinders not , but that we are to work out our salvation with feare and trembling , by attending the rule , by vertue of which we are bound to worke , both by putting forth that power which we have already received from god , as also in fetching in that power we have not yet received , but is reserved daily in christs hands for us , to enable us thereunto . thesis . if they that say a beleever is not to act by vertue of a command , do mean this only , viz. that he is not to act by vertue of the bare letter and externall words and syllables of it , they then speak truely , for such kinde of acting is rather witchery than christianity , to place power and vertue in bare characters and letters , which though mighty and powerfull by the spirit , yet are empty and powerlesse without it : but if their meaning be that wee are not to act by vertue of any command in any sense , then the assertion is both pernicious and perilous , for the lord iesus being the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or first subject of all grace and gracious efficacy and power ; hence it s true , wee are not to make the command of god the first principle of our obedience , for this is proper unto christ by the spirit , iohn . . iohn . , . . tim. . . ephes. . . rom. . . but because the lord iesus conveyes by his spirit vertue and efficacy through his word , not onely words of promise , but also words of command ( as is evident , ier. . . acts . , . mat. . . psalme . . ) hence it is that a beleever is bound to act from a command , though not as from a first , yet as from a second principle , though not as from the first efficient , yet as from an instrument in the hand of christ , who in commanding of the duty works by it , and enables to it ; and therefore we see abraham comes out of his owne countrey , because called and commanded of god to follow him he knew not whither , heb . . and peter cast his net into the 〈◊〉 , meerely because he was commanded , luke . . and david desired , oh that my heart were directed to keep thy precepts , because god had commanded , psa. . . there is a vertue , a vis or efficacy in the finall cause , as well as in the efficient to produce the effect , and every wise agent is bound to act by vertue or for the sake of his utmost and last end . now the naked commandment of the lord , may bee and should be the chiefe motive and last end of our obedience to his highnesse ; for whatever is done meerely because of gods command , is done for his glory ( which glory should be our utmost end in all our obedience : ) and hence it is that that obedience is most absolute and sincere ( whether it be in doing or suffering the will of god ) which is done meerely in respect of commandment and will of god ; when the soule can truely say , lord , i should never submit to such a yoke but meerely for thy sake , and because it 's thy will and thou dost command it : what is it to love christ ? but to seek to please him and to give contentment to him ; what is it to seek to give contentment to him , but to give contentment to his heart or his will ? and what is his will , but the will of his commandment ? if therefore it bee unlawfull to act by vertue of a command , then it is unlawfull , . to love christ , . to be sincere before christ. . or to act for the glory of christ. and hence it is that let a man do the most glorious things in the world out of his owne supposed good end ( as the blind papists doe in their will-works and superstitions ) which god never commanded , nay let him doe all things which the law of god requires , give his goods to the poore , and his body to bee burnt , and yet not doe these things because commanded , let him then quit himselfe from hypocrisie and himselfe from being a deep hypocrite in all these if he can : surely those who straine at this gnat , viz. not to doe a duty because commanded , will make no bones of swallowing down this camell , viz. not to forsake sinne , because 't is forbidden , and whosoever shall forsake sinne from any other ground , shewes manifestly hereby that hee hath little conscience of gods command ; i know the love of christ should make a christian forsake every sin , but the last resolution and reason thereof is because his love forbids us to continue in sinne ; for to act by vertue of a command , is not to act onely as a creature to god considered as a creator , but by vertue of the will and commandment of god in a redeemer , with whom a beleever hath now to doe . thesis . to act therefore by vertue of a command , and by vertue of christs spirit , are subordinate one to another , not opposite one against another● , as these men carry it . this caution being ever remembred , that such acting bee not to make our selves just , but because we are already just in christ ; not that hereby wee might get life , but because we have life given us already ; not to pacifie gods justice , but to please his mercy , being pacified toward us by christ already ; for as iunius well observes a great difference between placare deum , and placere deo , i. between pacifying god and pleasing god , for christs bloud onely can pacifie justice when it is provoked , but when revenging justice is pacified , mercy may be pleased with the sincere and humble obedience of sons , col. . . heb. . . when a beleever is once justified hee cannot be made more just by all his obedience , nor lesse just by all his sins in point of justification , which is perfected at once : but he who is perfectly justified is but imperfectly sanctified , and in this respect may more or lesse please god or displease him , be more just or lesse just and holy before him : it is i confesse a secret but a common sinne in many , to seek to pacifie god ( when they perceive or feare his anger ) by some obedience of their own , and so to seek for that in themselves chiefely which they should seek for in christ , and for that in the law which is onely to be found in the gospel ; but corrupt practises in others should not breed ( as usually they doe ) corrupt opinions in us , and to cast off the law from being a rule of pleasing god , because it is no rule to us of pacifying of god : for if wee speak of revenging ( not fatherly ) anger , christs bloud can onely pacifie that , and when that is pacified and god is satisfied , our obedience now pleaseth him and his mercy accepts it as very pleasing , the rule of which is the precious law of god. thesis . they that say the law is our rule as it is given by christ , but not as it was given by moses , doe speak niceties , at least ambiguities ; for if the lord christ give the law to a beleever as his rule , why should any then raise a dust , and affirme that the law is not our rule ? for the law may be considered either materially , or in it selfe , as it containes the matter of the covenant of works : and thus considered , a beleever is not to be regulated by it , for he is wholly free from it as a covenant of life ; or it may be considered finally , or rather relatively , as it stood in relation and reference unto the people of the god of abraham , who were already under abrahams covenant , which was a covenant of free-grace , viz. to be his god and the god of his seed , gen. . . and in this latter respect the law , as it was given by moses , was given by christ in moses , and therefore the rule of love toward man ( commanded by moses ) is called the law of christ , gal. . . for the law as it was applyed to this people , doth not run thus , viz. doe all this , and then i will be your god and redeemer ( for this is a covenant of workes ) but thus , viz. i am the lord thy god ( viz. by abrahams covenant ) who brought thee out of the land of egypt , and house of bondage , therefore thou shalt doe all this . if therefore the law delivered by moses , was delivered by christ in moses , then there is no reason to set christ and moses together by the eares , in this respect i now speake of , and to affirme that the law , not as delivered by moses , but as given by christ , is our law and rule . thesis . the law therefore which containes in it selfe absolutely considered ( which luther cals moses mosissimus ) the covenant of works , yet relatively considered as it was delivered by moses to a people under a covenant of grace ( which the same author cals moses aaronicus ) so it is not to bee considered onely as a covenant of workes , and therefore for any to affirme that the law is no covenant of works , as it is delivered on mount sion , and by jesus christ , and that it is a covenant of works onely , as it is delivered on mount sinai and by moses , is a bold assertion both unsafe and unsound : for if as it was delivered on mount sinai , it was delivered to a people under a covenant of grace , then it was not delivered to them onely as a covenant of workes , for then a people under a covenant of grace , may againe come under a covenant of works , to disanull that covenant of grace , but the apostle expressely affirmes the quite contrary , and shewes that the covenant made with ahraham and his seed ( which was to be a god to them , gen. . . ) and which was confirmed before of god in christ , the law which was foure hundred and thirty yeares after ▪ cannot disanull , gal. . . now that the people were under a covenant of grace when the law was delivered on mount sinai , let the preface of the ten commandments determine , wherein gods first words are words of grace , i am the lord thy god , &c. and therefore thou shalt have no other gods but mee , &c. i know paraeus , zanchy and others affirme , that the law is abrogated as it was in the hands of moses , but not as it is in the hand of christ , but their meaning is at sometime in respect of the manner of administration of the law under moses , and when they speake of the morall law simply considered , yet it never entred into their hearts , that the law as delivered on mount sinai was delivered onely as a covenant of works , as some would maintain . thesis . but there is a greater mystery intended by some in this phrase , as given by christ , for their meaning is this , to wit , as christ by his spirit writes it in our hearts , not any way a rule as written by moses : a beleevers heart ( saith master saltmarsh ) is the very law of commands , and the two tables of moses , and in this respect it becomes not ( saith he ) the glory of christ to be beholding to any of the light upon moses face . it seemes then that the law written is not to be a christians rule , but onely so farre as it is written in the heart , a most accursed assertion ; for how and why did christ jesus himselfe resist temptation to sinne ? was it not by cleaving to the written word ? matth. . . and was not this done for our imitation ? why did david and christ iesus delight to doe gods will ? was it not this , because it was written of them that so they should doe ? psa. . , . did not the law in their hearts make them thus cleave to the written law without ? why did paul perswade children to honour their parents ? was it not , because this was the first commandment with promise ? ephes. . . had it not been more evangelically spoken to perswade them rather to look to the law of moses written on their hearts within , to direct them hereunto , rather than to be beholding for any light upon moses face to direct them herein ? how comes it to passe that paul preacheth no other thing but what was in the old testament of moses and the prophets , who were onely the interpreters of moses ? acts . . how is it that christ himselfe borrowes light from moses , psalmes and all the prophets , to cleare up his resurrection and suffering , luke . , ▪ if no light must bee borrowed from the face of moses ? if indeed wee were perfect in this life as wee shall bee in heaven , there would then bee no need of the writings of the apostles , prophets , or moses , of law or gospell , but we being but imperfectly enlightned , it 's no lesse than extreame ingratitude and unthankfulnesse to preferre our owne imperfect and impure light , before that perfect , spotlesse and heavenly law and counsels of god without us : which when the most perfect beleever doth see he may cry out with paul , the law is holy but i am carnall : what is this but painted popery , to make the spirit within to be the supreame iudge and superiour to the spirit of god in the written word without ? onely they shrine it up in the popes private conclave and kitchin , or somewhat worse , but these in a company of poore , imperfect , deluded , and perhaps corrupted men : it 's true the covenant of grace ( strictly taken ) in the gospel , needs not to borrow any light from the covenant of works in the law , but yet for all this the grace of god appearing in the gospel , will have us to walk worthy of god unto all well pleasing according to the law , tit. . , . and to mourne bitterly that we are so unlike the will and image of god revealed in the law , rom. . , . thesis . the apostle paul as he sometimes condemnes works and sometime commends them , so he sometimes rejects the law , and sometimes commends the law , sometime hee would have beleevers dye to the law , and sometime hee exhorts them to live in all holy obedience to it ; the apostle therefore must speak of the law under various considerations , or else must speake daggers and flat contradictions , and therefore of necessity wee are to consider the law not alway under one respect , but variously ; for consider the law as a covenant of workes , or as the way unto or matter of our justification , and so works are condemned and the law is rejected and abrogated , and so we are to die to the law , but consider the law as a rule of life to a person justified already , and so the law is to be received , and works are to bee commended , and we are to live thereunto . thesis . when the gospel nakedly urgeth beleevers to good workes and obedience to the law , it is then considered onely as a rule of life , but when wee meet with such scriptures as set the law and christ , the law and grace , the law and promise , the law and faith , &c. at opposition one against another , then the law in such places is ever considered as a covenant of life , from which we are wholly freed , and unto which we should be wholly dead , that we● may be married unto christ , rom. . . hence therefore their arguings are feeble and weak , who would prove a christian to be wholly free from the directive power of the law , because a christian is said not to be under the law but under grace , rom. . . and because the law was given by moses , but grace and truth came by jesus christ , iohn . . and because the inheritance is not by the law , but by promise and by faith , gal. . . . for these and such like scriptures speake of the law as standing in opposition to christ , and therefore speake of it as of a covenant of life , by which men seek to be justified : from which ( we grant ) a beleever is wholly freed , and unto which hee is not bound , nay hee is bound to renounce it , and cast out this bond-woman , but all this doth not prove that he is free from it as his rule of life . thesis . the law and mans sinfull heart are quite opposite one to another , rom. . , , , . but when ( through the grace of christ ) the heart is changed , so as there is a new nature or new man in a beleever , then there is a sweet agreement between this new nature and the law , for ( saith paul ) i delight in the law of god in my inner man : it is therefore a most false assertion to say , that the old man of a beleever is to be kept under the law , but the new man or new nature is above all law , for though the new nature bee above it as a legall covenant , yet it never comes to be willingly under it as a rule untill now : an imperfect new nature is infinitely glad of the guidance of a holy and most perfect law . psalme . . thesis . it is very evident that the children and sonnes of god under the new testament are not so under the law as the children and sonnes of god were under the old testament , for the apostle expressely tels , gal. . . that before the faith came , we ( i. the children of the old testament ) were shut up and kept under the law , and were under it as under a schoolmaster , verse . and these of whom the apostle thus speaks are not onely wicked and carnall jewes , but the deare children of god and heires of eternall life in those times , as is evident from gal. , , . but the apostle speaking of the sonnes of god in gospel-times , since faith is come and revealed , speakes as expresly that we are now no longer under the law as under a schoolmaster , gal. . and that now when the fulnesse of time is come , god sent his sonne , to redeem them that were under the law , that we might receive the adoption of sonnes , gal. . , , . which though it bee true of all men by nature , viz. that they are under the law , yet an impartiall cleare eye will eas●ly discerne that the apostles dispute is not of our being under the law by nature meerely , but of being under the law by peculiar dispensation , which was the state not only of the jewish church , but of the children of god , heires of the promise ( and consequently such as were beleevers ) in this church , in those old testament times ; wee are not therefore now in these new testament times under the law as they were , the great difficulty therefore remaines to know how we are not under the law as they were . those who say we are not under the ceremonial law as they were , doe speak truely , but they doe not resolve the difficulty in this place ; for certainly the apostle speaks , not onely of the ceremoniall law , but also of that law which was given because of transgressions , gal. . . and which shut up ( not onely the jewes ) but all men under sinne , verse . which being the power of the morall law chiefely , the apostle must therefore intend the morall law , under which the old testament beleevers were shut up , and we now are not : the doubt therefore still remaines , viz. how are we not now under the morall law ? will any say that we are not now under the malediction and curse and condemnation of it , but the jewes under the old testament were thus under it , even under the curse of it ? this cannot be the meaning , for although the carnall jewes were thus under it , yet the faithfull ( whom the apostle cals the heire and lord of all , gal. . . ) were not thus under it , for beleevers then were as much blessed then with faithfull abraham , as beleevers now , cap. . . how then are we not now under it as they were ? is it in this , that they were under it as a rule of life to walk by , and so are not we ? thus indeed some straine the place , but this cannot bee it ; for the apostle in this very epistle presseth them to love one another , upon this ground , because all the law is fulfilled in love , cap. . , . and this walking in love according to the law , is walking in the spirit , verse . and they that thus walke in the spirit , according to the law , are not ( saith the apostle ) under the law , which cannot , without flat contradiction , be meant of not being under the rule or directive power of it ; and it would bee a miserable weake motive to presse them to love , because all the law is fulfilled in love , if the law was not to bee regarded as any rule of life or of love ; for they might upon such a ground easily and justly object , and say , what have we to doe with the law ? if we therfore as well as they , are thus under the law as a rule of life , how are wee not under it as they were ? is it because they were under it as a preparative means for christ , and not wee ? they were under the humbling and terrifying preparing worke of it , but not we : there are some indeed who think that this use of the law under the gospel is but a back-doore , or an indian path , or a crookt-way about , to lead to jesus christ ; but certainly these men know not what they say , for the text expressely tels us , that the scripture hath concluded ( not onely the jewes ) but all under sinne , that so the promise by faith , might be given to them that beleeve , gal. . . so that the law is subservient to faith and to the promise , that so hereby not onely the jewes , but all that god saves might hereby feele their need , and fly by faith to the promise made in iesus christ ; and verily if christ be the end of the law to every one that beleeves , rom. . . then the law is the meanes ( not of it selfe , so much as by the rich grace of god ) not onely to the iewes , but to all others to the end of the world , to lead them to this end christ iesus : if therefore the faithfull under the new testament , are thus under the preparing worke of the law , as well as those under the old , how were they therefore so under the law , as we are not , and wee not under it as they were ? i confesse the place is more full of difficulties than is usually observed by writers upon it , onely for the clearing up of this doubt , omitting many things , i answer briefely , that the children of the old testament were under the law and the pedagogy of it , two wayes , after which the children of the new testament are not under it now , but are redeemed from it . . as the morall law was accompanied with a number of burdensome ceremonies , thus wee are not under it , thus they were under it ; for we know this law was put into the ark , and there they were to look upon it in that type , if any man then committed any sinne against it , whether through infirmity , ignorance or presumption , they were to have recourse to the sacrifices and high priests yearely , and to their bloud and oblations : they were to pray ( which was a morall duty ) but it must bee with incense and in such a place : they were to be thankfull ( another morall duty ) but it must bee testified by the offering up of many sacrifices upon the altar , &c. they were to confesse their sinnes ( a morall duty also ) but it must be over the head of the scape-goat , &c. thus they were under the law , but we are not : and as 't is usuall for the apostle thus to speak of the law in other places of the scripture , so surely hee speakes of it here , for hence it is that in the beginning of this dispute , cap. . . hee speaks of the morall law which was given because of transgressions ; and yet in the close of it , gal. . . he seemes to speak only of the ceremoniall law , which he cals the elements of the world , under which the children were then in bondage , as under tutors and governours ; which implies thus much , that the children of the old testament were indeed under the morall law , but yet withall as thus accompanied with ceremoniall rudiments and elements fit to teach children in their minority : but now in this elder age of the church , although we are under the morall law in other respects , yet wee are not under it as thus accompanied . . in respect of the manner and measure of dispensation of the morall law , which although it had the revelation of the gospel conjoyned with it ( for moses writ of christ , iohn . . and abraham had the gospell preached to him , gal. . . and the unbeleeving jewes had the gospel preached , heb. . . ) yet the law was revealed and pressed more clearely and strongly , with more rigour and terrour , and the gospel was revealed more obscurely and darkly in respect of the manner of externall dispensation of them in those times ; there were three things in that manner of dispensation , from which ( at least ex parte dei revelantis ) we are now freed . . there was then much law urged , externally , clearly , and little gospel so clearely revealed , indeed gospel and christ iesus was the end of the morall law and the substance of all the shadowes of the ceremoniall law , but the externall face of these things was scarce any thing else but doing and law , by reason of which there is a vaile spread over the hearts of the lewes in reading the old testament unto this day , as is evident cor. . . so that the inside or end of the morall law being gospel , and the out-side and meanes appointed to this end being law , hence the gospel was then lesse clearly , and the law was more clearely revealed in those times ; to say that iesus christ and his benefits , or eternall life were then dispensed under a covenant of works , or sub conditione perfectae obedientiae ( as some eminent worthies affirm ) is such an errour which wise and able men might easily fall into by seeing how much law was revealed and urged in those times ; for though the law simply considered in it selfe contained the matter of the covenant of works , yet considered relatively in respect of the people of god , and as they were under abrahams covenant of grace , so it was given to them as a rule of perfect righteousnesse , by both which they might the better see their owne weaknesse and unrighteousnesse ●nd flye to christ ; and therefore the apostle , gal. . . cals the promise which was made to abraham , the covenant , and gives not this title to the law , but calls it the law which ( he saith ) could not disanull the covenant , confirmed in christ : and although it be propounded to them in way of covenant , exod. . . yet this is to be understood ( as some thinke ) of evangelicall keeping covenant , not of legall ; or if of legall , yet then it is not propounded simply as a covenant of works , to convey christ to them , but ex hypothesi or upon supposition , that if they did think to be gods people and have him to be their god , by doing ( as iunius observes the carnall jewes did thinke and hope so to have him , and as that young man thought , mat. . . ) as chamier observes ) that then they must keep all these commandments perfectly , and to bee accursed if they did not continue therein : i dare not therefore say , that christ and eternall life were dispensed in a covenant of works , under which covenant the iewes were shut in old testament times : but rather this , that the law was more strongly pressed as a yoke upon their shoulders , and that this law which containes the covenant of works was more plentifully revealed and insisted on , and the gospel more sparingly and darkly : but now in gospel times the day-starre is risen ( though in few mens hearts ) yet in the doctrine and cleare revelation of it therein , and therefore the gospel is called the mystery hidden from ages and generations past , but now is made manifest to his saints , col. . ● . which cannot bee meant as if they had no knowledge of it , for abraham saw christs day , and there is a cloud of witnesses in the old testament who dyed in faith , heb. . but not such cleare knowledge of it as now : they were therefore then under the law as servants ( because so much working and doing was urged and chiefely revealed ) but indeed were sonnes and heires : but wee now are not so under it , but are as sonnes having the lord iesus and our fathers face in him clearely revealed , and faith in him chiefely and most abundantly urged in his blessed gospel : and thus the apostle tels us in this text , gal. . . with . . that the heires of the promise under the old testament were as servants , but by christ● comming we are now as sonnes ; look also as they are said to be under the law , not as if they had no gospel revealed or no use of the gospel , but onely because the gospel was more darkly revealed , and the law more plentifully urged , so we are said not to be under the law , not as if there was no law or no use of the law belonging to us , but because now the gospel is more clearely revealed , and the law not externally so proposed and imposed as it was upon them . . the law was a schoolmaster , tutor and governour to lead them unto christ to come , for so the apostle tels us in this place , gal. . . that before faith came , we were shut up under the law , unto the faith , which should afterward be revealed : thus the ceremoniall law pointed to christ to come , the morall law discovered mans sinne and misery , and need of christ who was to come ; nay , all the promises were made with reference to iesus christ to come : but now the fulnesse of time being come , that the sonne of god is come , now we are no longer under the law after this manner , neither ceremoniall or morall law are of any use to us to lead us unto christ to come , for christ is already come : and hence it is that beleevers now are said to be rather under the gospel than under the law , and beleevers under the old testament to be rather under the law than under the gospel : because although these had the efficacy of christs redemption , yet they were not yet actually redeemed , because the redeemer was not yet come into the flesh , and in this respect they were under the rigour of the law , and hence it was fit that they should bee handled as servants , and the law and curse thereof principally revealed : but now christ being come , and having actually redeemed us , having been ( not onely virtually but actually ) made righteousnesse and a curse for us : now therefore is the time that we should see christ iesus with open face , and hear principally concerning faith and the fathers love in him : now christ is revealed chiefely ( being come ) the end of the law , then the law was revealed chiefely ( christ being not yet come ) as the meanes to this end : looke therefore as the promise before christ , of which the apostle speaks , gal. . , , , , . was fulfilled in christ being come ( as divines speak ) rather than abolished , and yet abolished as it was a promise of grace to come : so the morall law is rather fulfilled than abolished in christ being come , and yet as it did lead unto christ to come , it is abolished to us now under the gospel . . the law being principally revealed , and yet so revealed as to lead unto christ jesus to come , hence ariseth a third thing of the law from which we are now delivered , viz. they were therefore under more terrour and feare of the law than we are ( on gods part revealing the gospel more clearely ) in these times ; and therefore saith the apostle , gal. . , , . that when the fulnesse of time came , god sent his sonne to redeeme us from under the law , that wee might receive the adoption of sonnes , and thereby the spirit of sonnes crying , abba , father : could not they who were sonnes under the law call god father ? yes verily , doubtlesse thou art our father say they , isaiah . . but they having lesse light they had more feare and lesse of the spirit of adoption , i say still ( ex parte dei revelantis ) than we have in these dayes : we are not therefore so under the law , i. the feare and terrour of the law as they were : the summe of all this is , that although we are not so under the law , . so accompanied , and . so dispensed , as they were under the old testament , yet this hinders not but that we are under the directive power of the law as well as they . thesis . the apostle speakes of a law written and engraven on stones , and therefore of the morall law , which is now abolished by christ in the gospel , cor. . , , , . is the morall law therefore abolished as a rule of life now ? no verily , but the meaning of this place is ( as the former , gal. . . ) for the apostle speaking of the morall law by a synecdoche , comprehends the ceremoniall law also , both which the false teachers , in those times urged as necessary to salvation and justification at least together with christ , against whom the apostle here disputes : the morall law therefore is abolished first as thus accompanied with a yoke of ceremonies , secondly , as it was formerly dispensed , the glorious and greater light of the gospel now obscuring that lesser light under the law , and therefore the apostle , vers . . doth not say that there was no glory shining in the law , but it had no comparative glory in this respect , by reason of the glory which excelleth : and lastly the apostle may speak of the morall law considered as a covenant of life which the false teachers urged , in which respect he cals it the ministry of death and the letter which killeth , and the ministers of it ( who were called nazarei and minei as bullinger thinks ) the ministers of the letter , which although it was virtually abolished to the beleeving jews before gospell times ( the vertue of christs death extending to all times ) yet it was not then abolished actually untill christ came in the flesh , and actually undertooke to fullfill this covenant for us to the utmost farthing of doing and suffering which is exacted , and now it is abolished both virtually and actually , that now we may with open face behold the glory of the lord as the end of the law for righteousnesse to every one that doth beleeve . thesis . the gospell under which beleevers now are , requires no doing ( say some ) for doing is proper to the law ; the law promiseth life , and requires conditions : but the gospell ( say they ) promiseth to work the condition , but requires none , and therefore a beleever is now wholly free from all law : but the gospell and law are taken two waies . . largely , the law for the whole doctrine contained in the old testament , and the gospell for the whole doctrine of christ and the apostles in the new testament . . strictly , the law pro lege operum ( as chamier distinguisheth ) and the gospell pro lege fidei , i. for the law of faith : the law of works strictly taken is that law which reveals the favour of god and eternall life upon condition of doing or of perfect obedience : the law of faith strictly taken is that doctrine which reveals remission of sins , reconciliation with god by christs righteousnesse onely apprehended by faith : now the gospell in this latter sence excludes all works , and requires no doing in point of justification and remission of sins before god , but only beleeving : but take the gospel largely for the whole doctrine of gods love and free grace , and so the gospel requires doing ; for as 't is an act o● gods free grace to justifie a man without calling for any works thereunto ; so 't is an act of the same free grace , to require works of a person justified , and that such poor sinners should stand before the son of god on his throne , to minister unto him , and serve him in righteousnesse and holinesse all the daies of our lives , tit. . . and for any to think that the gospell requires no conditions , is a sudden dream against hundreds of scriptures , which contain conditionall yet evangelicall promises , and against the judgement of the most judicious of our divines , who in dispute against popish writers cannot but acknowledge them , only thus , viz. conditions and promises annexed to obedience are one thing ( saith learned perable ) and conditions annexed to perfect obedience are another : the first are in the gospel , the other not : works are necessary to salvation ( saith chamier ) necessitate praesentiae not efficientiae ; and hence he makes two sorts of conditions , some antecedentes which work or merit salvation , and these are abandoned in the gospel , other● ( he saith ) are consequentes which follow the state of a man justified , and these are required of one already justified in the gospell : there are indeed no conditions required of us in the gospel , but those onely which the lord himselfe shall or hath wrought in us , and which by requiring of us he doth worke will it therefore follow that no condition is required , in us : but because every condition is promised ? no verily , for requiring the condition is the meanes to worke it ( as might be plentifully demonstrated ) and meanes and end should not be separated . faith it selfe is no antecedent condition to our justification or salvation , take antecedent in the usuall sence of some divines for affecting or meriting condition , which iunius cals essentialis conditio : but take antecedent for a means or instrument of justification , and receiving christs righteousnesse , in this sence it is the only antecedent condition which the gospel requires therein , because it do●h only antecedere or go before our justification ( at least in order of nature ) not to merit it but to receive it , not to make it but to make it our own , not as the matter of our righ●eousness or any part of it , but as the only means of apprehending christs righteousnesse , which is the only cause why god the father justifieth , and therefore as christs righteousnesse must go before , as the matter and moving cause of our justification , or that for which we are justified ; so faith must go before this righteousnesse as an instrument or applying cause of it , by which we are justified , that is , by meanes of which we apply that righteousnesse which makes us just . 't is true god justifies the ungodly , but how ? not immediately without faith , but mediately by faith , as is most evident from that abused text , rom. . . when works and faith are opposed by the apostle in point of justification , affirming that we are justified by faith not by works , he doth hereby plainly affirm and give that to faith which he denies to works ; look therefore as he denies works to be antecedent conditions of our justification , he affirms the contrary of faith , which goes before our justification , as hath been explained : and therefore as doe and live hath been accounted good law , or the covenant of works , so beleeve and live hath been in former times accounted good gospel , or the covenant of grace , untill now of late this wilde age hath found out new gospels that paul and the apostles did never dream of . thesis . a servant and a son may be set to do the same work , and have the same rule given them to act by ; but the motives to this their work , and the stripes and punishments for neglect of their work , may be various and divers ; a son may be bound to it , because he is a son and beloved ; a servant may be bound to do the same work , because he is hired and shall have wages ▪ if the son neglect his work , his punishment is only the chastisement of a father for his good ; if a servant be faulty , he is turned quite out of doors : so although beleevers in christ , and those that are out of christ haue divers and various motives to the obedience of the law of god , yet these do not vary the rule ; the law of god is the rule to them both , although they that be out of christ have nothing but fear and hope of wages to urge them , and those that are in christ should have nothing but the love of a father , and the heart-bloud mercy of a tender saviour and redeemer to compell them : the one may be bound to do , that so they may live , the other may be bound to do , because they do live ; the one may be bound to do , or else they shall be justly plagued , the other may be bound to do the same , or else they shall be mercifully corrected : it is therefore a meer feeblenesse to think ( as some do ) that the law or rule is changed , because the motives to the obedience of it , and punishment for the breach of it , are now ( unto a beleever ) changed and a●t●ed ; for the commandment urged from ch●ists love , may binde strongly yea most strongly to doe the same thing which the same commandment propounded and received in way of hi●e , may binde also unto . thesis . some think that there is no sin but unbelief ( which is a sin against the gospel only ) and therefore there being no sin against any law ( christ having by his death abolished all them ) the law cannot be a rule to them . an adulterous and an evill generation made drunk with the cup of the wine of the wrath of god , and strong delusion , do thus argue : are drunkenesse , whoredom , lying , cheating , witchcraft , oppression , theft , buggery , no sins , and consequently not to be repented of , nor watcht against , but only unbelief ? is there no day of judgement , wherein the lord will judge men ( not only for unbelief ) but the secrets of all hearts , and whatever hath been done in the body , whether good or evil , according to pauls gospel ? rom. . . cor. . . how comes the wrath of god to be revealed from heaven , not only against unbelief , but against all unrighteousnesse and ungodlinesse of man ? rom. . if there was no sin but unbelief , how can all flesh , jews and gentiles become guilty before god , that so they may beleeve in the gospel ( as 't is , rom. , , ● , ) if they are all guiltlesse untill unbelief comes in ? there is no sin indeed which shall condemn a man in case he shall beleeve ; but will it follow from hence that there is no sin in a man but only unbelief ? a sick man shall not die in case he receive the physick which will recover him ; but doth it follow from hence that there is no sicknesse in him , or no such sicknesse which is able to kill him , but only his wilfull refusing of the physick ? surely his refusing of the physick is not the cause of his sicknesse which was before , not the naturall ( for that his sicknesse is ) but only the morall cause of his death . sin is before unbelief comes , a sick sinner before a healing saviour can be rejected ; sin kils the soul , as it were , naturally , unbelief morally ; no sin shall kill or condemn us if we beleeve ; but doth it follow from hence that there is no sin before or after faith , because there is no condemning sin unlesse we fall by unbelief ? no such matter , and yet such is the madnesse of some prophets in these times , who to abandon , not only the directive use of the law , but also all preparing and humbling work of the law , and to make mens sinning the first foundation and ground of their beleeving , do therefore either abolish all the being of any sin , beside unbelief , or the condemned estate of a man for sin , yea for any sin , untill he refuse christ by unbelief ; for publishing which pernicious doctrines it had been well for them if they had never been born . thesis . one would wonder how any christians should fall into this pit of perdition , to deny the directive use of the law to one in christ , if either they read ps. . with any savour , or the epistles of iohn & iames with any faith ; in which the law is highly commended , and obedience thereto urged as the happinesse and chief evidence of the happinesse of man ; but that certainly the root of this accursed doctrine is either a loose heart , which is grown blind and bold and secretly glad of a liberty , not so much from the law of sin , as from the law god ; or if the heart be sincere in the main , yet it slights the holy scriptures at present , and makes little conscience of judging in the matters of god according unto them ; for if it did , it could hardly fall into ●his dirty ditch , out of which the good lord deliver , and out of which i am perswaded he will deliver in time all those that are his own : for i much question the salvation of that man , who lives and dies with this opinion : and as every errour is fruitfull , so this is in speciall ; for from this darkning the directive use of the morall law , arise ( amidst many others ) these ensuing evils , which are almost , if not altogether deadly to the souls men ; they are principally these three . thesis . the first is a shamefull neglect ( in some affecting foolishly the name of new testament ministers ) of a wise and powerfull preaching of the law , to make way by the humbling work of it , for the glorious gospel , and the affectionate entertainment thereof : for through the righteous judgement of god , when men once begin to abandon this use of the law as a rule , they abolish much more readily this use of the law to prepare men thereby for the receiving of christ : i know there are some who acknowledge this use of the law to be our rule , but not to prepare ; but how long they may be orthodox in the one ▪ who are heterodox in the other , the lord only knows ; for i finde that the chief arguments against the one , do strike strongly against the other also : it 's an easie thing to cast blocks before the blinde , and to cast mists before the face of the clearest truth , and to make many specious shews of new testament ministry , free-grace and covenant , against this supposed legall way and preparing work ; but assuredly they that have found and felt the fruit and comfort of this humbling way ( for which i doubt not but that thousands and thousands are blessing god in heaven that ever they heard of it ) do certainly and assuredly know , that these men ( at least doctrines in this point ) are not of god : the word in these mens mouths being flat contrary to the mercifull , and the for ever to be adored work of god in their hearts : when the spirit comes , his first work ( if christ may be beleeved ) even when he comes as a comforter , is , to convince the world of sinne , iohn . . . which we know is chiefly by the law , rom. . . and shall the ministers ( not of the letter but of the spirit ) refuse to begin here ? especially in these times of wantonnesse , contention , confusion , famine , sword and bloud , wherein every thing almost cries aloud for sackcloth , and therefore not for tiffany and silken sermons : as if this corrupt and putrifying age stood only in need of sugar to preserve and keep them sweet from smelling : as if sublime notions about christ and free grace , covenant of grace , love of the father , the kingdome within , and ch●istian exc●llencies and priviledges , were the only things this age stood in need of , and not in any need of searchings with candles , terrours , shakings , ●ence of sin , or forewarnings of wrath to come : as if this old world did need no noah to fortell them of flouds of fire and wrath to come : or as if the men of sodom and princes of gomorah , should do well to mock at lot for bidding him to hasten out of the city , because god would destroy it : as if the spirit of paul in these times should not know the terrour of the lord , and therefore perswade men , cor. . . . but only the love and free-grace of the lord jesus , and therefore to exhort men , nay rather therefore to relate to men stories and notions about ●ree-grace , generall redemption , the mystery of the fathers love , and the christ in you and in the spirit ( not the person of christ or christ in the flesh ) the hope of glory : what will the lord jesus one day say to these sleepy watchmen , that never tell the secure world of their enemies at the door ? i finde divers colours and pretences for this course of daubing . . some say this savours of an old testament spirit , which was w●nt to wound and then to heal , to humble and then to raise , to preach law and then gospell ; but now we are to he ministers of the new testament ; and let no law be heard of . i confesse those that preach the law as the means of our justification , and as the matter of our righteousnesse without christ , or together with christ , as the false teachers did , cor. . may well be called ( as paul cals them ) ministers of the letter , not of the spirit , of the old testament , not of the new ; but to preach christ plainly and with open face the end of the law , and to preach the law as the means to prepare for , and advance christ in our hearts , can never be proved to be the old testament ministry , or to put a vail upon mens hearts that they cannot see the end of the law ( as the old testament vail did , cor. . . ) but it is to take away the vail of all conceit of mans own strength and righteousnesse , by seeing his curse , that so he may s●● to the end thereof the lord jesus , and embrace him for righteousnesse : for the apostle doth not call them ministers of the letter and of the old testament , because they did preach the law to humble and leade unto christ ; but because they preached the law for righteousnesse without christ , whom he calls the spirit , vers . . and therefore cals them the ministers of the letter , and their ministry of death and condemnation , there is something in the law which is of perpetuall use , and something which is but for a time : the vis coactiva legis ( as some call it ) i. the force of the law to condemn and curse , to hold a man under the curse , and to hold a man under the power of sin , which the apostle cals the strength of the law , cor. . . is but for a time , and is but accidentall to the law , and may be separated from it , and is separated indeed from it as soon as ever the soul is in christ , rom. . . he is then free from the obligation of it to perform personall and perfect obedience to it , that so he may be just ; also from the malediction and curse of it , if he be not thus just : but that which is of perpetuall use in it , is not only the directive power of it , but this preparing and humbling vertue of it ; for if all men by nature , jewes and gentiles are apt to be puft up with their own righteousnesse , and to blesse themselves in their own righteousnesse , and so to feel no such need of christ , then this humbling work of the law to slay men of all their fond conceits and foolish confidences in their own righteousnesse , and to make men feel the horrible nature of sinne , by revealing the curse and malediction due to it , is of morall and perpetuall use : and hence it is that though the gospell strictly taken ( as is intimated thesis . ) hath no terrour properly in it , because thus it reveals nothing but reconciliation through christs righteousnesse applyed by saith ; yet the gospel largely taken , for that doctrine which reveals the glad tidings of christ already come , so there is terrour in it , because in this respect the gospell makes use of the law and confirms what is morall and perpetuall therein : the sin and terrour which the gospell ( largely taken ) makes use of out of the law , are but subservient to the gospel strictly taken , or for that which is principally and most properly gospel , for thereby the righteousnesse and free-grace and love of the lord jesus , and pretiousnesse and greatnesse of both are the more clearly illustrated : the law of it selfe wounds and kils and rather drives from christ then unto christ ; but in the hand of the gospel ▪ or as christ handles it , so it drives the soul unto christ , and ( as hath been shewn ) is the means to that end : and 't is a most false and nauseous doctrine to affirm that love only drawes the soul to christ , unlesse it be understood with this caution and notion , viz. love as revealed to a sinner , and condemned for sin ; which sin and condemnation as the law makes known , so the gospel makes use of to drawn unto christ : if indeed the gospel did vulnerare ut vulneraret , i. wound that it may wound and terrifie only ( which the law doth ) then it ( saith chamier ) was all one with law which bellarmine pleads for ) but when it wounds that it may heal , this is not contrary but agreeable to the office of a good physitian whose chiefe work is to heal , and may well sute with the healing ministry of the lord jesus ; and hence we see that although christ was sent to preach the gospel , yet he came to confirm the law in the ministry of the gospel , and therefore shews the spirituall sins against the law more clearly , and the heavy plagues for the breach of it more fully then the scribes and pharises : he that is angry with his brother is a murderer , and he that cals him fool is in danger of hell fire , mat. . . peter was no minister of the old testament , because he first convinced and prickt the iews to the heart for their murder of christ iesus . paul was no such minister , neither ( when as he would evince our justification by christs righteousnesse only ) in that he begins and spends so much time in proving gentiles and iews to be under sin and wrath , notwithstanding all the excuses of the one and priviledges of the other ; as appears in his three first chapters to the romans : but herein they were gospel preachers . nor can it with any colour of reason be thought that the prophets in the old testament were herein ministers of the letter , viz. when they did first wound and then heal , first humble by the law and then revive by the gospel . mr. saltmarsh hath been so blinded with this notion of the old testament ministry , that to make this use of the law in preaching the gospel , or to hold forth the promises of grace to them that are qualified with the grace of the promise ( as the old testament prophets did ) is to give ( as he thinks ) the wine of the gospel burning hot , as the covetous gentleman did to his guests , and another ( whom i spare to name ) professeth , that the old testament ( because it urgeth the law to humble ) containeth little good news but much bad news ; but ●ow when christ saith , go preach the gospel , thereby he would have them ( he saith ) ministers of the new testament to preach glad tidings ( nothing but gospel ) but no had bidings ( not a jot of the law ) untill men positively reject the glad tidings of the gospel . if these men speak true , then neither peter in his preaching , nor paul in his writings , nor christ himself in his ministry were ministers of the new testament , but did overheat their wine and preach much bad tidings to the people of god : verily if this stuff be not repented of , the lord hath a time to visit for these inventions . . some object , gal. . , . that the children of the old testament were under the law , as their pedagogue to lead them to christ ; but now ( the apostle saith ) we are no longer under this schoolmaster , who are sons of god in the new testament . be it so that the sons of god under the new testament are past the terrouring of this schoolmasters is it not therefore the work of the new testament ministry to preach the law unto servants and slaves to sin and satan in new testament times ? no ( saith the same au●hor ) for this is to preach bad news ; this is no good news to say thou art condemned for these things , for the gospel saith thus , thou poor drunkard , thou proud woman here is a gracious god that hath loved thee , and sent christ to die for thee , and ministers to make it known to thee , and here is everlasting salvation by him only , because thou art a sinner ; thou art now free from damnation : fear not that , christ hath loved thee , therefore obey him ; if not , thou shalt not be damned , that is done away already , &c. i would know whether a proud woman , or a poor drunkard , a villain , who never yet beleeved , are in a state of condemnation , i or no ? i have read indeed that there is no condemnation to them that are in christ , rom. . . but never of any such freedom to them that are out of christ , unlesse it was only in destination and merit ; and i have read that we are by nature children of wrath , while dead in sin , eph. , , . but never of this , viz. that we are in favour while we be in our sin , much lesse that we are to beleeve this , because we are such : if therefore such persons be in a state of wrath and death and condemnation , is not this like the old false prophets , crying peace , peace and salvation , where there is no peace ? there is no peace to the wicked saith my god , isa. . ult . isa. . ult . this is truth before they reject the gospel , is it not ? this the law saith ( say some ) true , but is not this confirmed by the ministry of the gospel also ? iob. . ult . he that beleeves not , the wrath of god abides upon him , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , it was upon him before he did beleeve , and when he beleeves not it abides where it did : must the ministers of the new testament therefore preach lies and falshoods , and tell proud women and poor drunkards and villains before they refuse the gospel by unbelief , that the lord iesus loves them , and that they need not fear condemnation , when the scripture hath shut up all men under it , that the promise by faith might be given to those that beleeve , and them only ? what is this gospel ministry but to tell men they are whole , and not sick to death , but healed before they come to the physitian , the lord iesus ? surely that is gospel ministry which advanceth christ not onely in word , but in power in the hearts of poor sinners ; but doth this ministry advance the physitians custome and honour , which where it comes must first tell all the crue of wretched drunkards , proud persons and villains , that they are already well and whole , loved and pardoned , blessed and saved , before ever they come to the lord jesus ? suppose therefore ( as some may say ) that servants and slaves to sin may have the law preacht to them , yet the sons and children of god have no use of it in that respect now ; 't is true , i grant , not as the servants have under the new testament , nor yet as the sons of god had under the old , for the children of god under the old testament had need of this schoolmaster to leade them to christ to come , and ad christum typecum , i. to christ typed out in sacrifices and oblations , high priest and altar , and so it led them to christ afar off , and as it were a great way about ; but it doth not follow that there is no use of the law therefore to be a schoolmaster still to leade unto christ immediatly and already come ; those that are servants to sin under the new testament have need of the law to shew them the condemnation and curse under which they lie by nature , and are now actually under : but the sons of god , ( for whom christ is made a curse ) are not thus under it , and therefore have not this use of it , but only to shew that curse and condemnation which they do of themselves deserve ; and therefore the holy apostle , when he was in christ , and did live unto god , he shewes us how he did live unto god , viz. by dying to the law , and how he did die to the law , and that was by the law , i. as it did shew him his condemnation ; he did live to god in his justification ; as it did shew him his sin , and wants , and weaknesse , it made him die unto it , and expect no life from it , and so live unto god in his sanctification ; for so the words are , i through the law am dead to the law , that i may live unto god , gal. . . the issue therefore is this that if the doctrine be taken strictly pro lege fidei ( as chamier cals it ) or that doctrine which shews the way of mans righteousnesse and justification only , there indeed all the works of the law , all terrours and threatnings are to be excluded , and nothing else but peace , pardon , grace , favour , eternall reconciliation to be beleeved and received ; and therefore it 's no new testament ministry to urge the law , or to thunder out any terrour here , for in this sence it 's true ( which is commonly received ) that in the law there are terrours , but in the gospel none ; but if the gospel be taken largely for all that doctrine which brings glad tidings of christ already come , and shews the love of god in the largest extent of it , and the illustrations and confirmations of it from the law , then such servants of jesus christ , who hold forth the law to make way for grace , and to illustrate ch●ists love , must either be accounted new testament ministers , or else ( as hath been shewne ) christ jesus and his apostles were none . thesis . the second is a professed neglect , and casting off the work of repentance and mourning for sin : nay of asking pardon of sin ; for if the law be no rule to shew man his duty , why should any man then trouble himself with sorrow for any sin ? for if it be no rule to him , how should any thing be sin to him ? and if so , why then should any ask pardon of it , or mourn under it ? why should not a man rather harden his heart like an adamant , and make his forehead brasse and iron , even unto the death , against the feeling of any sin ? but what doctrine is more cross● to the spirit of grace in gospel times , then this ? which is a spirit of mourning , z●c . . , . what doctrin more crosse to the expresse comand of christ from heaven then this ? who writes from heaven to the church of ephesus to remember from whence she is fallen and repent , rev. . . what doctrine more crosse to the example of holy men then this ? who after they were converted , then repented and lamented most of all , ier. . . . cor. . . , . what doctrine more crosse to the salvation of souls , the mercy of god , and forgivenesse of sin ? for so the promise runs , if we confesse our sinnes , he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sins , joh. . . what doctrine so crosse to the spirit of the love of christ shed abroad in the heart , that when a mans sins are greatest ( which is after conversion , because now against more love and more nearnesse to jesus christ ) that now a beleevers sorrow should be least monkish and macerating ? sorrow indeed is loathsome , but godly sorrow is sweet and glorious ; doubtlesse those mens blindenesse is exceeding great , who know not how to reconcile joy and sorrow in the same subject , who cannot with one eye behold their free justification , and therein daily rejoyce , and the weaknesse and imperfection of their sanctification with another eye , and for that mourn . thesis . the third thing is , a denying sanctification the honour of a faithfull and true witnesse , or cleare evidence of our justification : for if a beleever be not bound to look unto the law as his rule , why should he then have any eye to his sanct●fication , which is nothing else but our habituall conformity to the law , as inherent corruption is nothing else but habituall disagreement with it : although sanctification be no part of our righteousnesse before god , and in this sence is no evidence of our justification , yet there is scarce any clearer truth in all the scrip●u●e then this , viz. that it is an evidence that a man is in a justified estate ; and yet this leven which denies the law to be a christians rule of life , hath sowred some mens spirit● against this way of evidencing . it is a doubtfull evidence ( saith d● crisp ) an argument , not an evidence , it is a carnall and an inferiour evidence , the last and the least , not the first evidence ; it is an evidence if justification be first evident ( say den and saltmarsh ) some men may be led to these opinions from other principles then a plain denyall of the directive use of the law , but this i feare lies undermost ; however let these two things be examined . . whether sanctification be a doubtfull evidence : . whether it be a carnall , inferiour , and may not be a first evidence . thesis . if to be under the power and dominion of sin and originall corruption , be a sure and certain evidence of actuall condemnation , so that he that saith he knows christ and hath fellowsh●p with him , and yet walks in darknesse , and keeps not his commandments , is a lyar , ioh. . . & . . why may not sanctification then ( whereby we are set free from the power of sin ) be a sure and certain evidence of our actuall justification ? for hereby we know that we know him , if we keep his commandements , joh. . whereby it is manifest that the apostle is not of their mindes who think the negative to be true , viz. that they that keep not christs commandments are in a state of perdition , but they will not make the affirmative true , viz. that they that keep his commandments may thereby know that they are in a state of salvation : if jesus christ be sent to blesse his people in turning them from their iniquities , act. . ult . then they that know they are turned from their iniquities by him , may know certainly that they are blessed in him ; and if they be not thus turned they may know certainly that they are yet accursed ; if godlinesse hath the promises of this life , and that which is to come , tim. . . and if the free grace and actuall love of god be revealed clearly to us only by some promise , how then is sanctification ( so near akin to godlinesse ) excluded from being any evidence ? is there no inherent grace in a beleever that no inherent sanctification can be a true evidence ? verily thus some do think ; but what is this but an open gracelesse profession , thrr every beleever is under the power of inherent sin , if he hath not the being of any inherent grace ? or if there be any inherent grace , yet it is ( say some ) so mixt with corruption , and is such a spotted and blurd evidence , that no man can discern it ? i confesse such an answer would well become a blinde papist who never knew where grace grew ( for so they dispute against certitudo salutis certitudine fidei , when the conclusion of faith ariseth from such a proposition as is the word of god , and the assumption the testimony of gods spirit to a mans own experience of the work of god in his heart ) but it ill beseems a minister of the gospel of christ to plead for such popish ignorance in a christian as can see no further then his own buttons , and that cannot discern by the spirit of god the great and wonderfull change from darknesse to light , from death to life , from satan to god , the visible work of god , and graces of the spirit of god , the things ( which the apostle cals love ) are fr●ely given to them of god. cor. . . peters was imperfect , blotted and mixed , and yet he could say , lord , thou knowest i love thee . ioh. . , the poor doubting mourning man in the gospel had some faith , and was able to see it and say certainly , lord , i beleeve , help my unbeleef . could paul discern ( without extraordinary revelation because he speaks as an ordinary christian ) an inner man and a law in his minde , delighting in the law of god , yet mixed with a law in his members , leading him captive into the law of sin , and cannot we ? and yet the doctor doth cast such stains upon sincerity , universall obedience , love to the brethren , &c. and heaps up the same cavils against the truth of them in the souls of the saints , as the devil himself usually doth by sinfull suspitions and suggestions , when god lets him loose for a season to buffet his people , that so they may never know ( if it were possible ) what great things the lord hath done for their souls : and whoever reades his book shall finde that he makes a beleever such a creature as cannot tell certainly whether he be a sincere-hearted man or an arrand hypocrite , whe●her he be under the power of sin and satan or not : whether one man can be discerned from another to be a saint or a devill , or whether he hath any charity and goes love to them that are saints from them that are not : and so abou● to befool and non-plus and puzzle the people of god ( as the story relates of the german woman desirous to rid the house of her husband ) who first making him drunk , and casting him into a sleep did so shave him , and dresse him , and cut and clip him , that when he awakened , he knew not what to thinke of himselfe , or to say who he was : for by looking upon and in himself , he thought he was the womans husband , and yet by his new cut and habit , he almost beleeved that he was a fryar , as his wife affirmed : sanctification is an evidence alway in it selfe of a justified estate , although it be not alway evident unto us , and therefore what though a christian sees his sanctification and graces to day , and cannot see them , but is doub●full about them , suppose to morrow ? shall he therefore reject it as a doubtfull evidence ; which is ever clear enough in it self , though not alway to our discerning ? for i would know what evidence can there be of a justified estate , but partly through dimnesse and weaknesse of faith ( which is but imperfect and therefore mixt with some doubtings all a mans life , sometime or other ) and partly through the wise and adored providences of god to exercise our faith , but that some time or other it cannot be discerned ? is the immediate testimony of gods spirit ( which some would make the only evidence ) alway evident , and the shinings , sheddings and actings of it never suspended , but that by some means or other they will be at a losse ? why then should sanctification be excluded as a doubtfull evidence , because sometime it is , and at other times not discerned ? i know there are some who perceiving the conceived uncertainty of all such evidences , have therefore found out a strange catholicon for these sick times , a sure way of evidencing and leding all mens consciences in a way of peace and unshaken assurance of the love of christ ; and therefore they make ( which i name with horrour ) the sight of corruption and sinfull pollution , through the promise of the gospel , the certain and setled evidence of life and salvation , which opinion the least i can say of it , is that which calvin said in the like case , to be exundantis in mundum suroris dei slagellum . wo to the dark mountains of wales , and the fat valleys , towns and cities in england , and sea coasts and ilands in america , if ever this delusion take place : and yet this flame begins to catch , and this infection to spread , and therefore i finde m. saltmarsh and w. c. to speak out , and openly to own that which the familists in former times have either been ashamed or afraid to acknowledge , and that is this , viz : that the promise of the gosp●l do belong to a sinner , quâ sinner , or as a sinner ; and that the law speaks good news to a righteous man , quatenus a righteous man ; but the gospel quite contrary , it is to a man quatenus a sinner , not as a regenerate man , or as an humble man , or as a saint , or as a beleever , but as a sinner ; and hence they infer , that a christian will never have any setled peace , but be off and on , as a bone out of joint , in and out , in and out , a reed tossed with the winde , never knit to christ , if they lay hold on christ and gods love under any other consideration then as to sinners ● and therefore though they see no good in themselves , though they be not humbled , broken-hearted sinners ( as one preacher tels them ) nor beleeving sinners ( as another preacher tels them ) yet if they see themselves sinners , they must know a sinner is the proper object of the gospel , and therefore this is ground enough to beleeve : so that if the devil tell a man that he is no saint , if the soul can say , i am a sinner , if the devil say thou art an hypocrite , i but an hypocrite is but a sinner still ; though i be not a broken-hearted sinner , this will be ( they say ) a refuge of peace to retreat unto in all temptations ; and when men have learnt this lesson , their souls will not be in and out any more , but have constant peace : for though they have no interest in christ as saints , yet they have reall interest in the promises of christ as sinners : hence also they say , that no minister is to threaten or declare the curse and wrath of god against drunkards and sinners as such , untill first christ be offered in the gospel , and they refuse him , and that if any do this , they are ministers of the old testament not of the new . sic de●init in piscem mulier formosa ; let us therefore see what chaff and what corn , what truth and what falsehood there is in this n●w divinity . it is true , . that the gospel reveals the free grace and love of god , the death of christ and salvation by him for sinners , and that all those that are or shall be saved , are to acknowledge and aggrava●e gods love toward them , in casting his eye upon them when they were sinners notwithstanding all their si●s ; this the scripture everywhere holds forth , rom. . , . tim. . . . 't is true also , that the gospel makes an offer of christ , and salvation and remission of sins to all sinners , where it comes , yea , to all sinners as sinners and as miserable , yea , though they have sinned long by unbeleef , as is evident , hos. . . rev. . . ier. ● . isa. . . all are invited to come unto these waters freely without money or price : these things no man doubts of that knows the gospel : but the question is not whether remission of sins and reconciliation in the gospel belong to sinners ? but whether they belong to sinners immediately as sinners ? not whether they are merited by christs death , and offered out of his rich grace immediately to sinners ? but whether they are actually and immediately their own , so as they may challenge them thus as their own , from this as from a full and sufficient evidence , viz. because they are sinners and because they see themselves sinners ? for we grant that jesus christ came into the world actually to save sinners , yet mediatly by faith , and then they may see salvation : that he justifieth also the ungodly ; but how ? immediatly ? no , but mediatly by faith , rom. . . and that where sin abounds , grace abounds ; to whom ? ●o all sinners ? no ; but mediatly to all those only who by ●aith receive this grace , rom. . . so that the gospel reveals no actuall love and reconciliation immediatly to a sinner as a sinner , but mediatly to a sinner as a beleeving and broken-hearted sinner ; and the scripture is so cleare in this point , that whoever doubts of it , must caecutire cum sole , and we may say to them as paul to the galathians , o foolish men , who hath bewitched you that you should not see this truth ? for though christ came to ●ave sinners , yet he p●ofesseth that he came not to call the righteous , but the sick sinners , mat. . . though god justifieth the ungodly , yet 't is such an ungodly man as beleeveth in him , whose faith is imputed unto righteousnesse , rom . . though grace abounds where sin abounds , yet 't is not to all sinners ( for then all should be saved ) but to such as receive abundance of grace by faith , rom. . . although god holds forth christ to be a propitiation for sinners , yet it 's expresly said to be mediatly through faith in his bloud , rom. . . : although the scripture hath concluded all under sin , that the promise might be given , yet it is not said to be immediatly given to sinners as sinners , but mediatly to all that beleeve ; and in one word , though it be true that christ died for sinners and enemies , that they might have remission of sins ( then procured and merited for them ) yet we never actually have , nor receive ●his remission ( and consequently cannot see it ) as our own , untill we doe beleeve ; for unto this truth ( saith peter ) do all the prophets witnesse that whosoever beleeveth in him shall receive remission of sins , act. . . and hence it is that as all the prophets preached the actual favour of god only to sinners as beleevers , so the apostles never preached it in new testament times otherwise ; and hence peter , act. . . doth not tell the sorrowfull jews that they were sinners , and that god loved them , and that christ had died for them , and that their sins were pardoned because they were sinners , but he first exhorts them to repent , that so they might receive remission of sins ; nor doth paul tell any man that salvation belonged to him , because he is a sinner , but if thou beleeve with all thy heart thou shalt be saved , rom. . , , . if the love of god be revealed to a sinner as a sinner , this must be either , . by the witnesse of the law ; but this is impossible , for if the curse of god be herein revealed only to a sinner as a sinner , then the love of god cannot ; but the law curseth every sinner , gal . . or . by the light and witnesse of the gospel ; but this cannot be ; for it reveals life and salvation only to a beleever , and confirms the sentence of the law against such a sinner as beleeves not , ioh. . , . he that beleeves not is condemned already , not only for unbeleef ( as some say ) for this doth but aggravate condemnation ) but also for sin , by which man is first condemned before he beleeves , if the apostle may be beleeved , rom. . . and if a man be not condemned for sin before he beleeve , then he is not a sinner before he beleeve , for look as christ hath taken away any mans condemnation in his death , just so hath he taken away his sin . . or else by the witnesse and testimony of gods spirit : but this is flat contrary to what the apostle speaks , gal. . . with . ye are all the sons of god by faith in christ iesus , and because ye are sons ( not sinners ) he hath sent the spirit of his son crying , abba , father , gal. . , , , and verily if the love of god belong to sinners as sinners , then all sinners shall certainly be saved ( for a quatenus ad omne val●● consequentia ) so that by this principle , as sinne hath abounded actually to condemn all , so grace hath abounded actually to save all , which is most pernicious : nor do i know what should make men embrace * this principle , unlesse that they either secretly think that the strait gate and narrow way to life is now so wide and broad , that all men shall in gospel times enter in thereat , which is prodigious , or else they must imagine some arminian universall redemption and reconciliation , and so put all men in a salvable and reconciled estate ( such as it is ) before faith , and then the evidence and ground of their assurance must be built on this false and crazy foundation , viz. iesus christ had died to reconcile ( and so hath reconciled ) all sinners . but i am a sinner , and therefore i am reconciled : if this be the bottome of this gospel-ministry and preaching free grace ( as doubtlesse 't is in some ) then i would say these things only . . that this doctrine under a colour of free-grace doth as much vilifie and take off the price of free grace in christs death , as any i know , for what can vilifie this grace of christ more , then for christ so to shed his bloud as that peter and abraham in heaven shall have no more cause to thank iesus christ for his love therein , then iudas and cain in hell ? it being equally shed for one as much as for the other . . that this is a false bottom for faith to rest upon , and gather evidence from : for . if christ hath died for a●l , he will then certainly save all : for so paul reasons , rom. . . and . . he hath given his sonne to death for us , how shall ●e not but with him give us all other things , and therefore he will give faith , and give repentance , and give perseverance , and give eternall life also ; which is most false . . if he did not pray for all , then he hath not died for all , ioh. . . which scripture never yet received scarce the shew of a rationall answer , though some have endeavoured it with all wilinesse . . that whereas by this doctrine they would clear up the way to a full and setled evidence and christian assurance , they do hereby utterly subvert the principall foundation of all setlednesse , and assurance of faith , which is this , viz. that if jesus christ be given to death for me , then he will certainly give all other things to me , if we were reconciled to god by the death of his son , much more shal we be saved by his life , if christ hath died and risen for us , who then shall condemn ? who shall then seperate us from gods love ? rom. . . rom. . , . but if they hold no such principles , i would then know how any man can have evidence of this , viz. that god loves him , and that christ hath died for him while he is a sinner , and as he is a sinner ? or how any minister of the new testament can say to any man ( under the power of his sins and the devil ) that he is not condemned for his sins , but that god loves him , and that christ hath died for him , without preaching falsehoods , and lies , and dreams of their own heart ? for . god hath not loved nor elected all sinners , nor hath christ died for all sinners . . if every man be in a state of condemnation before he beleeve the gospel , then no man can be said to be in a state of reconciliation , and that god hath loved him untill he refuse the gospel ▪ but every man is in a state of condemnation before he beleeve , because our saviour expresly tel us , that by faith we passe from death to life , ioh. . . and he that hath not the son , hath not life , ioh. . . and therefore if those be ministers of the new testament who first preach to all the drunkards and whoremongers and villaines in a parish , that god loves them , and that they are reconciled by christ death , and that they may know it because they are sinners , then let the heavens hear , and the earth know that all such ministers are false prophets , and cry peace , peace , where god proclaims wrath ; and that they acquit them whom god condemns : and if they be ministers of the old testament spirit , who first shew men their condemned estate , and then present god as wroth against them , while they be in their sin , that so they may prize and fly to favour and free grace , then such are ministers of the old testament and not of the new , because they preach the truth ; and if preaching the truth be an old testament ministry , no wise man then i hope will desire the new wine , for the old is better : while the lion sleeps and god is silent , and conscience slumbers , all the beasts and wilde sinners of the world ( and many preachers too ) may think that there is no terrour in god , no curse , or wrath upon themselves in the midst of the rage , increase , and power of all their sins ; but when this lion roars , and god awakens , and conscience looks above head , they shall then see how miserably they have been deceived , they may slight sin , abolish condemnation , talk of and wonder at free-grace now , and beleeve easily , because they are sinners , but certainly they shall be otherwise minded then : some men may have good ends in preaching gods free-grace after this manner in the gospel , and make the gospel a revelation of gods actuall love to sinners as sinners ; and make a christians evidence of it nothing else but the sight of his sin , and of his being under the power of it , but little do they think what satan the father of this false doctrine aims at , which are these four things chiefly . . that sanctification , faith , &c. might be no evidence at all to a christian of a good estate , for this they say is a doubtfull evidence and an unsettling way of assurance ; because they will hereby be as bones out of joynt , in and out ; humbled to day , and then comforted , but hard-hearted to morrow , and then at a losse : whereas to see ones self a sinner , that is a constant evidence , for we are alway sinners , and the gospel proclaims peace to sinners as sinners . . that so men may keep their lusts and sins and yet keep their peace too , for if peace be the portion of a man under the power of sin and satan ; look then , as he may have it , why may he not keep it upon the same terms : and therefore w. c. saith , that if conscience object , thou art an hypocrite ( perhaps truly ) yet a hypocrite is but a sinner , and gods love belongs to sinners as sinners : and if this be thus , what doth this doctrine aim at , but to reconcile god and belial , christ and mammon ? not onely to open the door to all manner of wickednesse , but to comfort men therein , . that so he may bring men in time purposely to sin the more freely , that so they may have the clearer evidence of the love of god ; for if gods love be revealed to sinners as sinners ▪ then the more sinfull the more clear evidence he hath of gods love ; and therefore one once intangled with these delusions , was inticed to commit a grosse wickednesse , that more full assurance might be attained . . that so the true preaching and ministry of the gospel of gods free-grace might be abolished ( at least despised ) which is this , viz. thou poor condemned sinner , here is christ jesus , and with him eternall remission of sins and reconciliation , if thou believe and receive this grace offered humbly and thankfully ; for this is gospel , mat. . . mark. . . rom. . , , , . rom. . , . act. . . and hence mr. w.c. hath these words . that if the gospel hold forth christ and salvation upon beleeving ( as many saith he , preach ) it were then little better tidings then the law . ah wretched & unworthy speech , that when jesus christ himselfe would shew the great love of god unto the world , ioh. . . he makes it out by two expressions of it , . that the father sent his only son ; . that whosoever did beleeve , in him ( or if they did beleeve in him ) they should have eternall life ; the lord shews wonderfull love , that whoever beleeve may have christ and eternall life by beleeving ; but this doctrine breathing ou● gods dearest love , by this mans account is little better then law , which breaths out nothing but wrath : but why doth he speak thus ? because ( saith he ) it is as easie to keep the ten commandements as to beleeve of ones self : very true , as to beleeve of ones self , but what is this against the preaching and holding forth christ and salvation upon condition of beleeving ? for is not this preaching of the gospel the instrument and means of working that faith in us , which the lord requires of us in the gospel ? and must not jesus christ use the means for the end ? were not those three thousand brought into christ by faith , by peters promise of remission of sins upon their repentance ? were not many filled with the holy ghost when they heard this gospel thus preached upon condition of beleeving ? act. . . doth not the apostle say that the gospell is the power of god to salvation , because therein is christs righteousnesse revealed ( not to sinners as sinners ) but from faith to faith ? the condition of works is impossible to be wrought in us by the spirit , but the condition of faith ( though it be impossible for us to work it in our hearts ) yet it is possible , easie and unusuall for god to work it by requiring of it , ier. . ▪ which is no prejudice to gods free-grace , because faith is purposely required and wrought , because it chiefly honours and advanceth free-grace , rom. , . the promise is of faith that it might be by grace : if mr w.c. will not preach christ upon beleeving , how will he or any man else preach it ? will they tell all men that god loves them , and that christ hath died for them , & that he that gives grace and salvation will work faith in them ? truly thus w.c. seems to affirm ; but if they shall preach so to all sinners as sinners , and tell ●hem absolutely god will work faith in them also , i suppose that the church wals and plentifull and abundant experience would testifie against this falsehood ; and the scripture testifies sufficiently , that every man shall not have faith to whom the gospel is preached : now i do beseech the god and father of lights to pitty his straying servants who are led into these deep and dangerous delusions thorow feeble mistake of the true difference between old and new testament ministries , and that he would pity his people for whose sins god hath let loose these blinding anct hardning doctrines , by means of which they are tempted to receive that as the gospel of truth , which is but a meer lye , and to take that as an evidence of salvation that is in truth the evidence of perdition and condemnation , as hath been shewn . thesis . the second thing remains to be cleared , whether sanctification may not be a first evidence and therefore more then a carnall inferiour and last evidence , as mr saltmarsh cals it : for if it be ( not a doubtfull ) but a clear and certain evidence in it self ( as hath been proved ) why may it not be a first evidence ? why may not the spirit of god who works it in a person justified , first reveal it as an evidence that he is justified ? what mortall man can limit the spirit of god , to what evidence he shall first bring in to the conscience of a justified estate ? for let sanctification be taken in the largest sense , for any work of saving grace wrought in the elect ( whether in vocation to faith , or in sanctification which ( strictly taken ) followes our justification by faith ) and take evidence not for evidence of the object ( for christ jesus in his free-grace must be seen first as the ground on which faith rests ) but for evidence of testimony to the subject , and then i thus argue , that this first evidence of speciall actuall love in beholding gods free-grace to a sinner , it is either . without the being of faith and other graces . or . without the seeing of them only , the eye looking up only to christ and free-grace . but this first evidence is not without the being of faith and holinesse ; for then it should be to a man actually under the power of sin and his filthy lusts and the devil ; which hath been already proved in the former thesis to be a meer delusion : there being no such word of the gospel which reveals gods free love and actual reconciliation to a sinner as a sinner , and as under the power of his sins , but the gospel rather reveals the quite contrary ; and to affirm the witnesse of the spirit clears this up , is to pretend a testimony of the spirit contrary to the testimony of the world ; and yet i strongly fear and do fully beleeve that this is the first evidence which some men plead for , viz. to see gods love toward them , while they neither see grace or any change of heart in them : or have grace , but are still under the dominion of their sin . and on the other side , if any affirm that this evidence is not without the being of grace but onely without the seeing of it : so that a christians first evidence is the seeing of gods free grace out of himself , without seeing any faith or grace in himself , and seeing nothing else but sin in himself , this i confesse is nearer the truth , but it is an errour which leads a man to a precipice and near unto the pit : for if this be so , then these things will unavoidably follow . . that a christian must see the love of god toward him in christ , and yet must not see himself to be the person to whom this love onely belongs : for ( according to this very opinion it self ) it belongs only to a beleever , and one that hath the being of grace , and not to a sinner as a sinner . . then a christian must not see the love of christ and free grace of god by that proposition or testimony of the spirit which reveals it , and that is this , tu fidelis , thou beleever called and sanctified , art freely beloved : and thus a man must not see his estate good by the light of the spirit , nay thus a christian must receive the testimony of the spirit which assures him that he is loved without understanding the meaning of the spirit , which is ( not thou sinner as such ) but thou beleever art beloved : not thou that hast no grace , but thou that hast the being of it , art beloved . . then the first evidence is built upon a meer weaknesse , nay upon an untruth and falsehood ; for it is a meer weaknesse not to see that which we should see , viz. the being of faith and grace in the heart , in which respect the promise is sealed , and if any man by not seeing it shall think and say there is no grace , no faith , no sanctification , and now he sees gods love to such a one , and he thinks himself to be such a one when he sees gods free grace , and hath this first evidence , it is a falsehood and an untruth , for it is supposed to be there in the being of it all this while ; suppose therefore that some christians at their first return and conversion to god or afterward , have grace and faith , but see it not in their assurance of gods love ( the eminency of the object and good of it swallowing up their thoughts and hearts from attending themselves ) yet the question is quo jure , they do not see , nay should not see and take notice of the being of them in themselves ? is not this a meer weaknesse and falsehood which is now made the mystery of this first evidence ? and indeed somewhat like cusanus his summa sapientia , which he makes to be this ▪ viz. attingere illud quod est inattingibile inattingibiliter , that a christian must see and touch gods deep love , and yet neither see not touch nor feel any change in himselfe , or any being of grace , when in truth it is there ; in which respect also gods free-grace and love is revealed . . if this be the first evidence , then no minister , no nor any apostle of christ jesus , can give any first evidence of gods love by the ordinary dispensation of the gospel ; for although a minister may say . thou art a sinner , therefore the lord jesus may save thee , yet he cannot say upon that ground that therefore the lord jesus will save him , for then every sinner should be saved : no minister can say to any unbeleever , christ hath redeemed thee , therefore beleeve , or say absolutely thy sins are pardoned , for then he should preach contrary to the word which expressely tels us , that he that beleeves not is already condemned . no minister can say god will work faith in all you that are sinners , as hath been shewn ; but they can say , thou beleever are pardoned , thou that art sanctified art reconciled , &c. it is therefore an evill speech of one lately in print , who cals that a bastard assurance , arising from a lying spirit , which first proceeds from the sight of any grace , and thence concludes they are justified and shall be saved . for i would thus argue , that this worke of grace ( suppose love to the saints , hunger and thirst after righteousnesse , universall respect to all gods commandments , &c. ) it is either common to hypocrites and unsound , or else it is peculiar to the elect and sincere ? if the first , then it cannot be either first or second evidence : it can be no evidence at all either without or with seeing , first , gods free love to sinners as sinners ; if the second , then either gods promise ( made to such as are hungry and humble , and have a work peculiar to gods elect in them ) must be fals ( which is blasphemous to imagine ) or else whensoever it is seen , whether first or last , it must needs be a most blessed and sweet , and sure evidence : for when we say that such a work of grace may be a first evidence , we do not mean , as if the work simply considered in it self could give in any evidence , but only as the free promise of grace is made to such as have such a work of grace ; this promise we say to such persons , whensoever they see this work , gives in full and clear evidence of their blessed estate : and if the word of grace to a sinner as a sinner , may give in a first evidence ( as some imagine ) then much more may it give in evidence● , where there is not only the word of grace , but also the spirit of grace , yea the work of grace to assure the conscience : and for any to affirm that faith and sanctification are good evidences , if justification be first evident , is but a quirk of frothy wit ; for it may be as safely affirmed on the contrary , that justification is a good evidence , if faith and sanctification he first evident ; for 't is not these simply , but the promise which is our evidence , which is never to a sinner as such : i shall therefore conclude these things with shewing the true grounds of effectuall evidence of the love of christ. thesis . the free-grace of god in christ ( not works ) is the only sure foundation of justifying faith , or upon which faith is built , rom. . , . pet. . , , . mat. . . this free-grace therefore must first be revealed by the spirit of god in the ministry of the gospel in order unto faith , rom. . , . eph. . . which generall revelation of free-grace , some make to be the first evidence on which faith rests , and thus far it is true ; but now this free-grace is revealed two waies . . in the free offer of it to be our own by receiving it , act. . . gal. . . . in the free promise of it revealing it as our own already , having actually and effectually received it , ioh. . . rom. . , . ioh. . . the free offer of grace ( containing gods call , commandment and beseechings to beleeve and be reconciled ) gives us right to this possession of christ or to come and take and so possesse christ jesus by faith . ierem. . . cor. . . rom. . , . the free promise of grace ( containing revealed immutable purposes and actual assurances of present and future grace ) gives us right to the fruition of christ , or to enjoy christ as a free gift when 't is offered ; the command and desire of the donor to receive it to be our own , gives us right and powet to possesse it : and when it is received , his promise to us assuring us that it is and shall continue our own , gives us right and priviledge to enjoy it and make use of it . for by two immutable things ( the promise confirmed by oath ) we have strong consolation who have fled for refuge to the hope before us , heb. . , , . the free offer is the first ground of our faith , why we receive christ to be our own : but the free promise is the first ground of the assurance of faith , why we are assured and perswaded that he is our own already : for the gospel containing three things , . the revelation of christ : . the offer of christ. . the promise of christ to all those that receive this offer ; hence faith ( which runs parallell with the gospel , the proper object of it ) first sees christ , secondly receives christ , thirdly is assured of the love of christ having received him . the free offer of grace being made to the soul because it is poor and sinfull , cursed and miserable , and that therefore it would receive christ , hence it is that in this respect the soul is not bound first to see some good in it self and so to receive him , but rather is bound ( at first breathings of god upon it ) rather to see no good , i. nothing but sin and perdition , death and darknesse , enmity and weaknesse , and therefore to receive him , luk. . . revel . . , . gal. . . rom. . . hos. . . but the promise of free-grace being actually given to the soul ( and not declared only as it is in the free offer , because it hath received christ already by which he is actually its own ) hence it is that in this respect , the soul is bound to see some good or saving work of grace in it self first , and so embrace and receive the promise and christ jesus in it : so that although in receiving christ to be our own , we are to see no good in our selves wherefore we should receive him or beleeve in him ; yet in receiving him as our own already , we must first see some good ( the work of free grace in us ) or else we have no just ground thus to receive him : no man can challeng any promise belonging to him without having a part in christ the foundation of them ; no man can have christ but by receiving of him or beleeving in him , ioh. . . hence therefore they that say that the first evidence of gods love and free grace or actuall favour , i● to a sinner as a sinner , had need consider what they say ; for is it to a sinner as possest with christ and receiving of him , or as dispossest of christ not having of him , but rather refusing and rejecting of him . if they say the first , they then speak the truth , but then they raze down their own pernicious principle , that christ and gods love belongs to them as sinners : if they affirm the latter , then they do injuriously destroy gods free grace and the glory of christ , who think to possesse promises without possessing christ , or to have promises of grace , without having christ the foundation of them all . for though the common love of god ( as the bare offer of grace is ) may be manifested without having christ , yet speciall actuall love cannot be actually our own , without having and first receiving of him : and if the spirit of god convince the world of sin ( and consequently of condemnation ) while they do not beleeve , ioh. . . i wonder how it can then convince them of pardon of sin and reconciliation , before they do beleeve ? unlesse we will imagine it to be a lying spirit , which is blasphemous . these things not considered of , have and do occasion much errour at this day in the point of evidencing , and hath been an inlet of deep delusion , and open gaps have been made hereby to the loose waies and depths of familism and grosse arminianism , and therefore being well considered of , are sufficient to clear up the waies of those faithfull servants of the lord ( who dare not sow pillows , nor cry peace to the wicked , much lesse to sinners as sinners ) both from the slanderous imputation of legall ministrations after an old testament manner , as also of making works the ground of faith , or the causes of assurance of faith ; the free offer being the ground of the one , and the free promise the cause and ground of the other : briefly therefore . . the free offer of grace is the first evidence to a poor lost sinner that he may be beloved . . the receiving of this offer by faith ( relatively considered in respect of christs spotlesse righteousnesse ) is the first evidence shewing why he is beloved , or what hath moved god actually to love him . . the worke of sanctification ( which is the fruit of our receiving this offer ) is the first evidence shewing that he is beloved . if therefore a condemned sinner be asked whether god may love him , and why he thinks so ? he may answer , because jesus christ is held forth and offered to such a one : if he be further asked , why or what he thinks should move god to love him ? he may answer , because i have received christs righteousnesse offered , for which righteousnesse sake only i know i am beloved , now i have received it : if he be asked lastly , how he knows certainly that he is beloved ; he may answer safely and confidently , because i am sanctified : i am poor in spirit , therefore mine is the kingdom of heaven : i do mourn , and therefore i shall be comforted : i do hunger and thirst , and therefore i shall be satisfied , &c. we need in time of distresse and temptation all these evidences , and therefore it is greatest wisdom to pray for that spirit , which may clear them all up unto us , rather then to contend which should be the first . and thus we see that the whole morall law is our rule of life , and consequently the law of the sabbath , which is a branch of this rule : we now proceed to shew the third branch , of things generally and primarily morall . thesis . thirdly , not only a day , nor only a rest day , but the rest day or sabbath day ( which is expressed and expressely interpreted in the commandment to be the seventh day , or a seventh day of gods determining , and therefore called the sabbath of the lord our god ) is here also enjoined and commanded , as generally morall . for if a day be morall , what day must it be ? if it be said , that any day which humane wisdom shall determine , whether one day in a hundred or a thousand , or one day in many years ; if this only be generally morall , then the rule of morality may be broken because the rule of equality may be thus broken by humane determination : for it may be very unequall and unjust to give god one day in a hundred or a thousand for his worship , and to assume so many beside to our selves for our own use . there is therefore something else more particularly , yet primarily morall in this command , and that is the sabbath day , or such a day wherein there appears an equal division , and a fit proportion between time for rest and time for work , a time for god and a time for man , and that is a ●●venth day which god determines : a fit proportion of time for god is morall because equal , man cannot determine nor set out this proportion , god therefore only can and must , a day therefore that he shall determine is morall , and if he declares his determination to a seventh , a seventh day is therefore morall . gomarus confesseth that by the analogy of this commandment , not one day in a thousand , or when man pleaseth , but that one day in seven is morall , at least equal , fit , and congruous to observe the same : and if the analogy he speaks of ariseth virtute mandati divini , or by vertue of gods commandment , the cause is in effect yielded ; but if this analogy be made virtute libertatis humanae , so that humane liberty may do well to give god one in seven , because the jews did so , and why should christians be more scant ? then i see not but humane liberty may assume power to it self to impose monthly and annuall holy daies as well , because the jews had their new moons and yearly festivals ; and by analogy thereof , why may not christians who have more grace poured out upon them , and more love shewn unto them under the gospel , hold some meet proportion with them therein also , as well as in sabbaths ? but it can never be proved that god hath left any humane wisdom at liberty to make holy daies , by the rule of jewish proportions : beside , if humane wisdom see it meet and congruous to give god at least one day in seven , this wisdom and reason is either regulated by some law , and then 't is by vertue of the law of god , that he should have one day in seven , or 't is not regulated by a law , and then we are left to a loose end again , for man to appoint what day he sees meet in a shorter or a longer time , his own reason being his only law ; and this neither gomaras nor the words of the commandment will allow , which sets and fixeth the day , which we see is one day in seven , which not man but god shall determine and therefore called the sabbath of the lord our god. thesis . the hardest knot herein to unloose , lies in this , to know whether a seventh day in generall which god shall determine , or that particular seventh day from the creation be here only commanded ; the first seems ( in mr. primrose apprehension ) to writhe and wrack the words of the commandment ; the second ( if granted ) abolisheth our christian sabbaths . thesis . for clearing up of this difficulty therefore , and leaving the dispute of the change of the sabbath to it 's p●●per place , it may be made good , that not that seventh day from the creation , so much as a seventh day which god shall determine ( and therefore called the seventh day ) is primarily morall , and therefore enjoyned in this commandment , for which end let these things be considered and laid together . . because the expresse words of the commandment do not run thus , viz. remember to keep holy that seventh day , but more generally , the sabbath day ; 't is in the beginning and so 't is in the end of this commandment , where it is not said that god blessed that seventh day , but the sabbath day , by which expression the wisdom of god , as it points to that particular seventh day that it should be sanctified : so it also opens a door of liberty for change , if god shall see meet , because the substance of the commandment doth not only contain that seventh day , but the sabbath day , which may be upon another seventh , as well as upon that which god appointed first : and that the substance of the command is contained in those first words , remember the sabbath day to keep it holy , may appeare from the repetition of the same commandment , deut. . . where these words , as the lord thy god commanded thee , are immediately inserted before the rest of the words of the commandement be set down , to shew thus much : that therein is contained the substance of the fourth command : the words following being added only to presse to the duty , and to point out the particular day , which at that time god would have them to observe . . because in the explication of those words [ the sabbath ] it is not called that seventh , but the seventh , for so the words runne , six daies shalt thou labour , but the seventh day is the sabbath of the lord thy god , the meaning of which is thus much , to wit , that man taking six daies to himself for labour , that he leave the seventh to be the lords : now unlesse any can shew that no other day but that seventh could be the seventh for rest , nor no other six daies but those six daies going before tha● seventh could be the six daies for labour , they can never prove that this fourth commandment hath only a respect to that particular seventh , and it is no small boldnesse necessarily to limit where god hath left free : for we know that if god will , man may take other six daies for labour , and leave another seventh for god , then those six daies and that seventh day only . . the change of the sabbath undeniably proves thus much ( if it can be proved ) that the morality of this command did not lie in that particular day only : for if that only was morall , how could it be changed ? and if it did not lie only in that seventh , wherein then did it more generally lie ? was it in a day more largely or in a seventh day more narrowly ? now let any indifferent conscience be herein judge , who they be that come nearest to the truth , whether they that fly so far from the name seventh , which is expresly mentioned in the commandment , or they that come as near it as may be ? whether they that plead for a seventh of gods appointing , or they that plead for a day ( but god knowes when ) of humane institution ? and it 's worth considering why any should be offended at the placing of the morality of the command in a seventh , more then at their own placing of it in a day ; for in urging the letter of the commandment to that particular seventh , to abolish thereby the morality of a seventh day , they do withall therein utterly abandon the morality of a day ; for if that seventh only be enjoyned in the letter of the commandment ▪ and they will thence inferre , that a seventh therefore cannot be required , how can they upon this ground draw out the morality of a day ? . because ( we know ) that ratio legis est anima legis , i. the reason of a law is the soul and life of the law : now let it be considered , why god should appoint the seventh rather then the ninth or tenth or twentieth-day , for spirituall rest ? and the reason will appear not to be gods absolute will meerly , but because divine wisdom having just measures and ballances in its hand , in proportioning time between god and man , it saw a seventh part of time ( rather then a tenth of twentieth ) to be most equall for himself to take , and for man to give : and thus much the words of the commandment imply , viz. that it is most equall if man hath six , that god should have the seventh : now if this be the reason of the law , this must needs be the soul and substance of the morality of the law , viz. that a seventh day be given to god , man having six , and therefore it consists not in that seventh day only : for the primary reason , why god appointed this or that seventh , was not because it was that seventh , but because a seventh was now equall in the eye of god for god to take to himself , man having the full and fittest proportion of six daies together for himself ; and because a seventh was the fittest proportion of time for god , hence this or that individual and particular seventh in the second place fall out to be morall , because they contain the most equall and fittest proportion of a seventh day in them ; there was also another reason why that seventh was sanctified , viz. gods rest in it , but this reason is not primary as hath been said , and of which now we speak . . because if no other commandment be in the decalogue , but it is comprehensive , and looking many waies at once , why should we then pinion and gird up this only to the narrow compasse of that seventh day only ? . because our adversaries in this point are forced sometime to acknowledge this morality of a seventh with us : we have heard the judgement of gomaras herein , thesis . and m. primrose who speaks with most weight and spirit in this controversie , professeth plainly , that if god give us six daies for our own affairs , there is then good reason to consecrate a seventh to his service , and that in this reason there is manifest justice and equity which abideth for ever , to dedicate to god precisely a seventh day after we have bestowed six daies upon our selves : it cannot be denied ( saith he ) but that it is most just ; now if it be by his confession , . just , . most just . . manifestly just . . perpetually just , to give god precisely one day in seven : the cause is then yeelded : the only evasion he makes is this , viz. that though it be most just to give god one day in seven , yet it 's not more just , then to give god one in six , or five , or four , there being no naturall justice in the number of seven more then in the number of six or four : but the answer is easie , that if man may give unto god superstitiously too many , or prophanely too few : and if the appointment of god hath declared it self for a seventh , and that the giving of this seventh be most just and equall , then let it be considered , whether it be not most satisfactory to a scrupling conscience , to allow god a seventh day which he hath appointed , which is confessed to be most just and perpetually equall , and consequently morall : and if there be a morall and perpetuall equity to give god one day in seven , then 't is no matter whether there be any more naturall equity therein , then in one in five or six : the disputers of this worl● may please themselves with such speculations and shifts , but the wisdom of god , which hath already appointed one day in seven rather then in six or ten , should be adored herein , by humble mindes , in cutting out this proportion of time , with far greater equity then man can now readily see . . because deep corruption is the ground of this opinion , the plucking up of gods bounds and land-marks of a seventh , is to put the stakes into the churches hands , to set them where she pleaseth ; or if she set them at a seventh , where god would have them , yet that this may be submitted to , not because god pleaseth , but because the church so pleaseth ; not because of gods will and determination , but because of the churches will and determination , that so it being once granted , that the church hath liberty to determine of such a day , she may not be denied liberty of making any other holidaies , or holy things in the worship and service of god ; and that this is the main scope and root of this opinion is palpably evident from most of the writings of our english adversaries in this controversie . thesis . a seventh day therefore is primarily morall , yet ( as was formerly said thesis . . ) there is something else in this commandment which is secundarily morall , viz. this or that particular seventh day , i will not say that it is accidentally morall ( as some do ) but rather secundarily , and consequently morall : for it is not morall firstly , because it is this particular seventh , but because it hath a seventh part of time , divinely proportioned and appointed for rest , falling into it , and of which it participates : to give almes to the needy is a morall duty , and primarily morall ; but to give this or that quantity may be morall also , but it is secundarily morall , because it flowes ex consequenti , onely from the first ; for if we are to give almes according to our ability and others necessity , then this or that particular quantity thus suting their necessity must be given : which is also a morall duty , so 't is in this point of the sabbath . thesis . hence it follows , that this commandment enjoynes two things : . more generally a seventh . more particularly this or that seventh , and in speciall that seventh from the creation , this or that seventh are to be kept holy , because of a seventh part of time appointed falling into them : a seventh day also is to be kept holy by vertue of the commandement ; yet not in generall , but with speciall eye and respect to that particular seventh , wherein this generall is involved and preserved . that seventh from the creation is commanded , because of a seventh falling into it ; and a seventh also is commanded , yet with a speciall eye to that seventh wherein it is involved : and therefore 't is a vaine objection to affirm , that if a seventh be commanded , that then ●o particular seventh is ; or if any particular seventh be so , that then a seventh is not ; for the commandement we see hath respect to both ; for what is there more frequent in scripture then for generall duties to be wrapt up and set forth in some particular things , instances and examples , and consequently both commanded together ? and after narrow search into this commandement we shall finde both the generall and particular seventh , not onely inferring one the other , but both of them in a manner expresly mentioned . thesis . when those that plead for the morality of the fourth command , in respect of a seventh day , would prove it to be morall , because it is part of the decalogue and set in the heart of it , with a speciall note of remembrance affixed to it , &c. mr. ironside and others doe usually dash all such reasonings out of countenance , with this answer , viz. that by this argument , that particular seventh from the creation is morall , which we see is changed ; for ( say they ) that also is set in the heart of the decalogue , with a speciall note of remembrance also . but the reply from what hath ben said is easie , viz. that that also is indeed morall ; only 't is secondarily morall , not primarily ; and therefore ( as we have shewn ) was mutable and changeable , the primary morality in a seventh immutably remaining ; the morall duty of observing a seventh day is not changed , but only the day . if mr. primrose could prove that there is nothing else commanded in this fourth command , but only that particular seventh from the creation , he had then enough to shew that ( this day being justly changed ) the commandment is not morall of perpetuall , but out or this particular seventh which now is changed ; himself acknowledgeth that out of it may be gathered the morality of a day , and why not of a seventh day also as well as of a day ? he saith that it is a bold assertion to say that this genus of a seventh is herein commanded : but why is it not as bold to affirm the same of a day ? for out of that particular seventh whence he would raise the genus of a day , we may as easily , and far more rationally collect the genus of a seventh day . thesis . nor will it follow that because a seventh is morall , that therefore any one of the seven daies in a week may be made a christian sabbath : for . we do not say that it is any seventh , but a seventh determined and appointed of god for holy rest , which is herein commanded . . the lord hath in wisdom appointed such a seventh as that man may have six whole daies together to labour in : and hence it follows that divine determination without crossing that wisdom , could not possibly fall upon any other daies in the cycle of seven , but either upon the last of seven which was the jewish , or the first of seven which now is ( as shall be shewn ) the christian sabbath . . as god hath appointed one day in seven for mans rest , so in his wisdom he so orders it , as that it shall be also a day of gods rest , and that is not to be found in any day of the week , but either in the last of seven , wherein the father rested , or in the first of seven wherein the son rested from his work also . thesis . 't is true that the sabbath day and that seventh day from the creation , are indifferently taken sometimes the one for the other , the one being the exegesis or the explication of the other , as gen. , , . exod. . . and elsewhere ; but that it should be only so understood in this commandment , creda● iudaeus apella — non ego , as he said in another case ; i see no convicting argument to clip the wings of the scripture so short , and to make the sabbath day and that seventh day of equall dimensions : although it cannot be denied , but that in some sense the sabbath day is exegeticall of the seventh day , because the commandment hath a speciall eye to that seventh from the creation , which is secundarily morall , yet not excluding that which is more generally contained in that particular , and consequently commanded , viz. a seventh day or the sabbath day . thesis . m. primrose would prove the exegesis , that by the sabbath day is meant that seventh day only from the creation , because god actually blessed and sanctified that sabbath day , because god cannot actually blesse a seventh , being an unlimited , indefinite and uncertain indetermined time : the time ( saith he ) only wherein he rested , he only actually blessed , which was not in a seventh day indetermined , but in that determined seventh day : but all this may be readily acknowledged and yet the truth remain firm ; for that particular seventh being secundarily morall , hence as it was expressely commanded , so it was actually and particularly blessed ; but as in this seventh a generall of a seventh is included , so a seventh is also generally blessed and sanctified . otherwise how will m. primrose maintain the morality of a day of worship out of this commandment ? for the same objection may be made against a day , which himself acknowledgeth , as against a seventh day which we maintain ; for it may be said , that that day is here only morall wherein god actually rested , but he did not rest in a day indefinitely , and therefore a day is not morall ; let him unloose this knot , and his answer in defence of the morality of a day will help him to see the morality of a seventh day also : that particular day indeed wherein god actually and particularly rested , he particularly blessed , but there was a seventh day also more generall which he generally blessed also ; he generally blest the sabbath day , he particularly blest that sabbath day , and in blessing of that he did virtually and by analogy blesse our particular christian sabbath also , which was to come : as moses in his actuall blessing of the tribe of levi , deut. . , . he did virtually and by analogy blesse all the ministers of the gospel not then in being : and look as when god commanded them to keep holy the sabbath in ceremoniall duties , he did therein virtually command us to keep it holy in evangelicall duties ; so when he commanded them to observe that day because it was actually appointed and sanctified and blessed of god , he commanded us virtually and analogically therein to observe our seventh day also if ever he should actually appoint and blesse this other . thesis . the distribution of equity and justice consists not alway , in puncto indivisibili , i. in an indivisible point , and a set measure ; so as that if more or lesse be done or given in way of justice , that then the rule of justice is thereby broken , ex . gr . it 's just to give alms and pay tribute ; yet not so just , as that if men give more or lesse , that then they break a rule of justice ; so 't is in this point of the sabbath , a seventh part of time is morall , because it is just and equall for all men to give unto god , who have six for one given them to serve their own turn , and do their own work in , yet it is not so just but that if god had required the tribute of a third or fourth part of our time , but it might have been just also to have given him one day in three or two or four , for in this case positive determination doth not so much make as declare only that which is morall : and therefore if mr primrose thinks , that a seventh part of time is not morall , upon this ground , viz. because it is as equall and just to dedicate more time to god , and that a third or fourth day is as equall as a seventh , it is doubtlesse an ungrounded assertion ; for so he affirms , that although it be most just to give god one day in seven , yet no mo●e just then to ded●cate to him one day in three or six : and suppose it be so , yet this doth not prove that a seventh day is not morall , because it is as equall to give six as seven , no more then that it is no morall duty to give an alms , because it may be as equall to give twenty pence as thirty pence to a man in want : if furthermore he think that it is as equall and just to give god more daies for his service , as one in seven , out of humane wisdom and by humane consecration , not divine dedication , then it may be doubted whether one day in two or three or six is as equall as one day in seven ; for as humane wisdom , if lest to it self , may readily give too few , so it may superstitiously give too many ( as hath been said : ) but if four or three or six be alike equall in themselves to give to god , as one in seven , then if he thinks it a morall duty to observe any such day in case it should be imposed and consecrated by humane determination , i hope he will not be offended at us if we think it a morall duty also to observe a seventh day , which we are certain divine wisdom hath judged most equall , and which is imposed on us by divine determination : we may be uncertain whether the one is as equall , as we are certain that a seventh day is . thesis . actions of worship can no more be imagined to be done without some time , then a body be without some place , and therefore in the three first commandments , where gods worship is enjoined , some time together with it is necessarily commanded ; if therefore any time for worship be required in the fourth command ( which none can deny ) it must not be such a time as is connaturall & which is necessarily tyed to the action ; but it must be some solemne and speciall time , which depends upon some speciall determination , not which nature , but which counsel determines ; determination therefore by counsel of that time which is required in this command doth not abolish the morality of it , but rather declares and establisheth it . god therefore who is lord of time , may justly challenge the determination of this time into his own hand , and not infringe the morality of this command , considering also that he is more able and fit then men or angels to see , and so cut out the most equall proportion of time between man and himself ; god therefore hath sequestred a seventh part of time to be sanctified , rather then a fifth , a fourth , or a ninth , not simply because it was this seventh , or a seventh , but because in his wise determination thereof , he knew it to be the most just and equall division of time between man and himself ; and therefore i know no incongruity to affirm , that if god had seen one day in three or four , or nine , to be as equall a proportion of time as one day in seven , that he would then have left it free to man to take and consecrate either the one or the other ( the spirit of god not usually restraining where there is a liberty ) and on the other side , if he had seen a third or fifth or ninth or twentieth part of time more equal then a seventh , he would have fixed the bounds of labour and rest out of a seventh ; but having now fixed them to a seventh , a seventh day is therefore morall , rather then a fourth or sixt or ninth day , because it is the most equall and fittest proportion of time ( all things considered ) between god and man ; the appointment therefore of a seventh rather then a sixt or fourth ▪ is not an act of gods meer will only ( as our adversaries affirm , and therefore they think it not morall ) but it was and is an act of his wisdom also according to a morall rule of justice , viz. to give unto god that which is most fit , most just and most equall ; and therefore although there is no naturall justice ( as mr primrose cals it ) in a seventh simply and abstractly considered , rather then in a sixth or tenth , yet if the most equall proportion of time for god be lotted out in a seventh , there is then something naturall and morall in it rather then in any other partition of time , viz. to give god that proportion of time which is most just and most equall ; and in this respect a seventh part of time is commanded because it is good ( according to the description of a morall law ) and not only good because it is commanded . thesis . 't is true , that in private duties of worship , as to reade the scriptures , meditate , pray , &c. the time for these and the like duties is left to the will and determination of man according to generall rules of conveniency and seasonablenesse set down in the word ; mans will ( in this sence ) is the measure of such times of worship , but there is not the like reason here , in determining time for a sabbath , as if that should be left to mans liberty also ; because those private duties are to be done in that time , which is necessarily annexed to the duties themselves , which time is therefore there commanded , where and when the duty is commanded : but the time for a sabbath is not such a time as naturally will and must attend the action , but it 's such a time as counsell ( not nature ) sees most meet , and especially that counsell which is most able to make the most equall proportions of time , which we know is not in the liberty or ability of men or angels , but of god himself , for do but once imagine a time required out of the limits of what naturally attends the action , and it will be found necessarily to be a time determined by counsell : and therefore our adversaries should not think it as free for man to change the sabbath seasons , from the seventh to the fifth or fourth or tenth day , &c. as to alter and pick our times for p●ivate duties . thesis . there is a double reason of proposing gods example in the fourth command , as is evident from the commandment it self : the first was to perswade , the second was to direct . . to perswade man so to labour six daies together , as to give the seventh , or a seventh appointed for holy rest unto god ; for so the example speaks , god laboured six daies , and rested the seventh , therefore do you do the like . . to direct the people of god to that particular seventh , which for that time when the law was given god would have them then to observe , and that was that seventh which did succeed the six daies labour : and therefore for any to make gods example of rest on that seventh day , an argument that god commanded the observation of that seventh day only , is a groundlesse assertion , for there was something more generally aimed at by setting forth this example , viz. to perswade men hereby to labour six daies , and give god the seventh , which he should appoint , as well as to direct to that particular day which for that time ( it 's granted ) it also pointed unto ; and therefore let the words in the commandment be obse●ved , and we shall finde mans duty . more generally set down , viz. to labour six daies , and dedicate the seventh unto god , and then follows gods perswasion hereunto from his own example , who when he had a world to make , and worke to doe , he did labour six daies together , and rested the seventh ; and thus a man is bound to do still : but it doth not follow , that he must rest that particular seventh only , on which god then rested ; or that that seventh ( though we grant it was pointed unto ) was only aimed at in this example : the binding power of all examples whatsoever ( and therefore of this ) being ad speciem actus ( as they call it ) to that kind of act , and not to the individuum actionis only , or to every particular accidentall circumstance therein ; if indeed man was to labour six daies in memoriall only of the six daies of creation , and to rest a seventh day in memoriall only of gods rest and cessation from creation , it might then carry a faire face , as if this example pointed at the observation of that particular seventh onely ; but look as our six daies labour is appointed for other and higher ends , then to remember the six daies worke of god , it being a morall duty to attend our callings therein ; so the seventh day of rest , is appointed for higher and larger ends ( as didoclavius observes ) then onely to remember that notable rest of god from all his works , it being a morall duty to rest the seventh day in all holinesse . thesis . it was but accidentall , and not of the essence of the sabbath day , that that particular seventh from the creation should be the sabbath ; for the seventh day sabbath being to be mans rest day , it was therefore suitable to gods wisdom to give man an example of rest from himselfe , to encourage him thereunto ( for we know how strongly examples perswade ) now rest b●ing a cessation from labour , it therefore supposes labour to goe before ; hence god could not appoint the first day of the creation to be the sabbath , because he did then but begin his labour ; nor could he take any the other daies , because in them he had not finished his work , nor rested from his labour , therefore gods rest fell out upon the last of seven succeeding six of labour before ; so that if there could have been any other day as fit then for exemplary rest as this ; and as afterward it sell out in the finishing of the work of redemption , it might have been as well upon such a day as this , but it was not then so : and hence the rest day fell as it were accidentally upon this : and hence it is that gods example of rest on that particular day doth not necessarily binde us to observe the same seventh day : morall examples not alway binding in their accidentals ( as the case is here ) although it be true that in their essentials they alway do . thesis . there is no strength in that reason , that because one day in seven is to be consecrated unto god , that therefore one yeere in seven is to be so also , as of old it was among the jew●● for beside what hath been said formerly , viz. that one yeere in seven was meerly ceremoniall , one day in seven is not so ( saith wallaeus ) but morall ; god gave no example ( whose example is onely in morall things ) of resting one yeere in seven , but he did of resting one day in seven . i say , beside all this , it is observable what iunius notes herein , the lord ( saith he ) challengeth one day in seven jure creationis , by right of creation ; and hence requires it of all men created : but he challenged one yeere in seven , jure peculiaris possessionis , i. by right of peculiar possession , the land of canaan being the lords land in a peculiar manner , even a type of heaven , which every other country is not ; and therefore there is no reason that all men should give god one seventh yeer , as they are to give him one seventh day : by the observation of one day in seven ( saith he ) men professe themselves to be the lords , and to belong unto him , who created and made them ; and this profession all men are bound unto : but by observation of one yeere in seven , they professed thereby that their countrey was the lords , and themselves the lords tenants therein , which all countreys ( not being types of heaven ) cannot nor ought to doe ; and therefore there is not the like reason urged to the observation of a seventh yeere , as of a seventh day . thesis . look therefore as 't is in the second commandement , although the particular instituted worship is changed under the gospel , from what it was under the law , yet the generall duty required therein of observing gods own instituted worship is morall and unchangeable : so t is in the fourth commandement , where though the particular day be changed , yet the duty remains morall and unchangeable in observing a seventh day ; there is therefore no reason to imagine that the generall duty contained in this precept is not morall , because the observance of the particular day is mutable ; and yet this is the fairest colour , but the strongest refuge of lies which their cause hath , who hold a seventh day to be meerly ceremoniall . thesis . if it be a morall duty to observe one day in seven , then the observation of such a day , no more infringeth christian liberty , then obedience to any other morall law , one part of our christian liberty consisting in our conformity to it , as our ●ondage consists in being left to sinne against it ; and therefore that argument against the morality of one day in seven is very feeble , as if christian liberty was hereby infringed . thesis . it was meet that god should have speciall service from man , and therefore meet for himselfe to appoint a speciall time for it : which time though it be a circumstance , yet it s such a circumstance as hath a speciall influence into any businesse , not onely humane , but also divine , and therefore if it be naturally , it may be also ethically and morally good , contributing much also to what is morally good ; and therefore the determination of such a time for length , frequency , and holinesse , may be justly taken in among the morall laws : he that shall doubt of such a powerfull influence of speciall time for the furthering of what is specially good , may look upon the art , skill , trade , learning , nay grace it self perhaps , which he hath got by the help of the improvement of time : a prophane , and religious heart , are seen and accounted of according to their improvements of time , more or lesse , in holy things : time is not therefore such a circumstance as is good only because commanded ( as the place of the temple was ) but it is commanded because it is good , because time , nay much time , reiterated in a weekly seventh part of time , doth much advance and set forward that which is good . thesis . . that law which is an homogeneall part of the morall law , is morall : but the fourth commandment is such a part of the morall law , and therefore it is morall ; i do not say that that law which is set and placed among the morall laws in order of writing ( as our adversaries too frequently mistake us in ) that it is therefore morall , for then it might be said as wel that the sabbath is ceremoniall , because it it is placed in order of writing among things ceremoniall , lev. . but if it be one link of the chain , and an essentiall part of the morall law , then it s undoubtedly morall ; but so it is , for its part of the decalogue , nine parts whereof all our adversaries we now contend with confesse to be morall ; and to make this fourth ceremoniall , which god hath set in the heart of the decalogue , and commanded us to remember to keep it above any other law , seems very unlike to truth , to a serene and sober minde , not disturbed with such mud , which usually lies at the bottome of the heart , and turns light into darknesse : and why one ceremoniall precept should be shuffled in among the rest which are of another tribe , lineage and language , hath been by many attempted , but never soundly cleared unto this day : surely if this commandment be not morall , then there are but nine commandments left to us of the morall law , which is expresly contrary to gods account , deut. . to affirm that all the commands of the decalogue are morall , yet every one in his proportion and degree , and that this of the sabbath is thus morall , viz. in respect of the purpose and intent of the lawgiver , viz. that some time he set apart , but not morall in respect of the letter in which it is exprest : it is in some sence formerly explained , true , but in his sence who endeavours to prove the sabbath ceremoniall , while he saith it is morall , is both dark and false : for if it be said to be morall only in respect of some time to be set apart , and this time an individuum vagum , an indeterminate time , beyond the verges of a seventh part of time ; then there is no more morality granted to the fourth commandment , then to the commandment of building the temple and observing the new moons , because in gods command to build the temple : the generall purpose and intention of the lawgiver was that some place be appointed for his publike worship , and in commanding to observe new moons , that some time be set apart for his worship , and so there was no more necessity of putting remember to keep the sabbath holy , then to remember to keep holy the new moons : and look as the commandment to observe new moons , cannot in reason be accounted a morall commandment , because there is some generall morality in it , viz. for to observe some time of worship , so neither should this of the sabbath be upon the like ground of some generall morality mixed in it ; and therefore for m ironside to say that the law of the sabbath is set among the rest of the morall precepts , because it is mixtly ceremoniall , having in it something which is morall , which other ceremoniall commands ( he saith ) have not , is palpably untrue ; for there is no ceremoniall law of observing jewish moons and festivals , but there was something generally morall in them , viz. that ( in respect of the purpose and intention of the law-giver ) some time be set apart for god , just as he makes this of keeping the sabbath . thesis . to imagine that there are but nine morall precepts indeed ; and that they are called ten in respect of the greater part according to which things are usually denominated , is an invention of m. primrose , which contains a pernicious and poysonfull seed of making way for the razing out of the decalogue more laws then one : for the same answer will serve the turn for cashiering three or four more , the greater part ( suppose six ) remaining morall , according to which the denomination ariseth : for although it be true that sometime the denomination is according to the greater part , viz. when there is a necessity of mixing divers things together as in a heap of corn with much chaff , or a butt of wine where there be many lees , yet there was no necessity of such a mixture and jumbling together of morals and ceremonials here : m. primrose tels us that he doth not reade in scripture , that all the commandments are without exception called morall , and therefore why may there not ( saith he ) be one ceremoniall among them ? but by this reason he may as well exclude all the other nine from being morall also ; for i reade not in scripture that any one of them is stiled by that name , morall : and although it be true which he saith , that covenants among men consist sometime together of divers articles , as also that gods covenant ( taken in some sence ) sometimes did so ; yet the covenant of god made with all men ( as we shall prove the decalogue is ) ought not to be so mingled , neither could it be so without apparent contradiction , viz. that here should be a covenant which bindeth all men in all things to observe it , and yet some part of it being ceremoniall , should not binde all men in all things it commands : nor is there indeed any need of putting in one ceremoniall law , considering how easily they are and may be reduced to sundry precepts of the morall law as appendices thereof , without such shuffling as is contended for here . thesis . if this law be not morall , why is it crowned with the same honour , that the rest of the morall precepts are ? if its dignity be not equall with the rest ▪ why hath it been exalted so high in equall glory with them ? were the other nine spoken immediatly by the voice of god on mount sinai with great terrour and majesty before all the people ? were they written upon tables of stone with gods owne finger twice ? were they put into the arke as most holy and sacred ? so was this of the sabbath also : why hath it the same honour , if it be not of the same nature with the rest ? thesis . our adversaries turn every stone to make answer to this known argument , and they tell us that it 's disputable and very questionable whether this law was spoken immediatly by god and not rather by angels : but let it be how it will be , yet this law of the sabbath was spoken and written , and laid up as all the rest were , and therefore had the same honour as all the rest had which we doubt not to be morall ; and yet i think it easie to demonstrate that this law was immediatly spoken by god , and the reasons against it are long since answered by iunius , on heb. . , . but it's uselesse here to enter into this controversie . thesis . nor do i say that because the law was spoken by god immediatly , that therefore it is morall ; for he spake with abraham , iob , moses in the mount , immediatly about other matters then morall laws ; but because he thus spake and in such a manner openly and to all people , young and old , jews and proselyte gentiles then present , with such great glory and terrour and majesty . surely it stands not ( saith holy brigh●man ) with the majesty of the universall lord who is god not only of the jews but also of the gentiles , speaking thus openly ( not privately ) and gloriously and most immediatly , to prescribe laws to one people only which were small in number , but wherewith all nations alike should be governed : mr ironside indeed thinks that the lord had gone on to have delivered all the other ceremonials in the like manner of speech from the mount , but that the fear and cry of the people ( that he would speak no more to them ) stopt him ; but the contrary is most evident , viz. that before the people cried out , the lord made a stop of himself , and therefore is said to adde no more , deut. . , it was a glory of the gospel above all other messages in that it was immediatly spoken by christ , heb. . . & . . and so gods immediate publication of the morall law puts a glory and honour upon it above any other laws ; and therefore while mr ironside goes about to put the same honour upon ceremoniall laws , he doth not a little obscure and cast dishonour upon those that are morall , by making this honour to be common with ceremoniall and not proper only to morall laws . thesis . nor do i say that the writing of the law on stone argues it to be morall ( for some laws not morall were mediatly writ on stone by ioshuah , josh. . . ) but because it was writ immediatly by the finger of god on such tables of stone , and that not once but twice ; not on paper or parchment , but on stone , which argues their continuance ; and not on stone in open fields , but on such stone as was laid up in the ark , a place of most safety , being most sacred , and a type of christ who kept this law , and upon whose heart it was writ , psal. . , . to satisfie justice , and to make just and righteous before god , all that shall be saved , of all whom the righteousnesse of this law , according to justice was to be exacted ; what doe these things argue , but at least thus much , that if any law was to be perpetuated , this surely ought so to be ? mr. primrose tels us , that the writing upon stone did not signifie continuance of the law , but the hardnesse of their stony hearts , which the law writ upon them was not able to overcome ; and t is true that the stony tables did signifie stony hearts , but its false that the writing on stone did not signifie continuance also , according to scripture phrase : for all the children of god have stony hearts by nature ; now god hath promised to write his law upon such hearts as are by nature stony , and his writing of them there implies the continuance of them there ; so that both these may stand together , and the similitude is fully thus , viz. the whole law of god was writ on tables of stone , to continue there : so the whole law of god is writ on stony hearts by nature to continue thereon . thesis . only morall laws , and all morall laws , are thus summarily and generally honoured by god ; the ten commandements being christian pandects and common heads of all morall duties toward god and men : under which generals , all the particular morall duties in the commentaries of the prophets and apostles , are virtually comprehended and contained ; and therefore mr. primrose's argument is weake , who thinks that this honour put upon the decalogue doth not argue it to be morall , because then many other particular morall laws set down in scripture , not in tables of stone , but in parchments of the prophets and apostles , should not be morall : for we doe not say that all morall laws particularly were thus specially honoured , but that all and only morall laws summarily were thus honoured ; in which summaries , all the particulars are contained , and in that respect equally honoured : it may affect ones heart with great mourning , to see the many inventions of mens hearts to blot out this remembrance of the sabbath day ; they first cast it out of paradise , and shut it out of the world untill moses time ; when in moses time it s published as a law , and crowned with the same honour as all other morall laws , yet then they make it to be but a ceremoniall law , continuing onely until the comming of christ ; after which time it ceaseth to be any law at all , unlesse the churches constitution shall please to make it so , which is worst of all . thesis . every thing indeed which was published by gods immediate voyce in promulgating of the law , is not morall and common to all ; but some things so spoken may be peculiar and proper to the jews , because some things thus spoken were promises or motives only , annexed to the law to perswade to the obedience thereof ; but they were not laws ; for the question is whether all laws spoken and writ thus immediately were not morall ; but the argument which some produce against this is , from the promise annexed to the fifth command , concerning long life , and from the motive of redemption out of the house of bondage , in the preface to the commandments , both which ( they say ) were spoken immediatly , but yet were both of them proper unto the iews : but suppose the promise annexed to the fifth commandement be proper to the jews , and ceremoniall , as master primrose pleads ( which yet many strong reasons from eph. . . may induce one to deny ) what is this to the question , which is not concerning promises , but commandements and laws : suppose also that the motive in the preface of the commandments literally understood is proper to the jews ; yet this is also evident , that such reasons and motives as are proper to some , and perhaps ceremoniall , may be annexed to morall laws which are common to all ; nor wil it follow , that laws are therefore not common , because the motives thereto are proper : we that dwel in america may be perswaded to love and feare god ( which are morall duties ) in regard of our redemption and deliverances from out of the vast sea storms we once had , and the tumults in europe which now are , which motives are proper to our selves . promises and motives annexed to the commandements , come in as means to a higher end , viz. obedience to the laws themselves ; and hence the laws themselves may be morall , and these not so , though immediatly spoken , because they be not chiefly nor lastly intended herein . i know wallaeus makes the preface to the commandments a part of the first commandment , and therefore he would hence infer , that some part ( at least ) of a commandment is proper to the jews ; but if these words contain a motive pressing to the obedience of the whole , how is it possible that they should be a part of the law or of any one law ? for what force of a law can there be in that which only declares unto us who it is that redeemed them out of egypts bondage ? for it cannot be true ( which the same author affirms ) that in these words is set forth only who that god is whom we are to have to be our god in the first commandement ; but they are of larger extent , shewing us who that god is whom we are to worship , according to the first commandement , and that with his own worship according to the second , and that reverently according to the third , and whose day we are to sanctifie according to the fourth , and whose wil we are to doe in all duties of love toward man , according to the severall duties of the second table ; and therefore this declaration of god is no more a part of the first then of any other commandment , and every other commandement may challenge it as a part of themselves as well as the first . thesis . it is a truth as immovable as the pillars of heaven , that god hath given to all men universally a rule of life to conduct them to their end : now if the whole decalogue be not it , what shall ? the gospel is the rule of our faith , but not of our spirituall life , which flows from faith , gal. . . ioh. . . the law therefore is the rule of our life ; now if nine of these be a compleat rule without a tenth , exclude that one , and then who sees not an open gap made for all the rest to goe out at also ? for where wil any man stop , if once this principle be laid , viz. that the whole law is not the rule of life ? may not papists blot out the second also , as some of cassanders followers have done all but two ; and as the antinomians at this day do all ? and have they not a good ground laid for it , who may hence safely say that the decalogue is not a rule of life for all ? mr. primrose , that he might keep himselfe from a broken head here , sends us for salve to the light of nature and the testimony of tbe gospel , both which ( saith he ) maintain and confirm the morality of all the other commandements , except this one of the sabbath . but as it shall appeare that the law of the sabbath hath confirmation from both ( if this direction was sufficient and good ) so it may be in the mean time considered why the gentiles who were universall idolaters , and therefore blotted out the light of nature ( as mr. primrose confesseth ) against the second commandment , might not as wel blot out much of that light of nature about the sabbath also ; and then how shall the light of nature be any sufficient discovery unto us of that which is morall and of that which is not ? thesis . there is a law made mention of , iam. . . whose parts are so inseparably linked together that whosoever breaks any one is guilty of the breach of all , and consequently whosoever is called to the obedience of one , is called to the obedience of all , and consequently all the particular jaws which it contains are homogeneall parts of the same totum or whole law : if it be demanded , what is this law ? the answer is writ with the beams of the sun , that 't is the whole morall law contained in the decalogue : for . the apostle speaks of such a law which not only the jews but all the gentiles are bound to observe : and for the breach of any one of which , not only the jews but the gentiles also were guilty of the breach of all , and therefore it cannot be meant of the ceremoniall law which did neither binde gentiles or jews at that time wherein the apostle writ . he speaks of such a law as is called a royall law , and a law of liberty , vers . . . which cannot be meant of the ceremoniall law in whole or in part , which is called a law of bondage , not worthy the royall and kingly spirit of a christian to stoop to , gal. . . . 't is that law by the works of which all men are bound to manifest their faith , and by which fa●●h is made perfect , vers . . which cannot be the ceremoniall nor evangelicall , for that is the law of faith : and therefore it 's meant of the law morall . . 't is that law of which , thou shalt not kill nor commmit adultery are parts , vers . . now these laws are part of the decalogue only , and whereof it may be said , he that said thou shalt not commit adultery , said also , remember to keep the sabbath holy : and therefore the whole decalogue , and not some parts of it only , is the morall law , from whence it is manifest that the apostle doth not speak ( as m. primrose would interpret him ) of offending against the word at large , and of which the ceremoniall laws were a part , but of offending against that part of the word , to wit , the morall law , of which , he that offends against any one is guilty of the breach of all ; hence also , his other answer fals to the dust , viz. that the fourth command is no part of the law , and therefore the not observing of it is no sinne under the new testament , because it was given only to the jews and not to us : for if it be a part of the decalogue , of which the apostle only speaks , then 't is a meer begging of the question to affirm that it is no part of the law of christians : but we see the apostle here speaks of the law , and the royall law , and the royall law of liberty : his meaning therefore must be of some speciall law which he cals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the law : now if he thus speaks of some speciall law , what can it be but the whole decalogue , and not a part of it only ? as when he speaks of the gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , he means not some part , but the whole gospel also : and if every part of the decalogue is not morall , how should any man know from any law or rule of god what was morall , and what not ; and consequently what is sinful , and what not ? if it be said , the light of nature ; we have proved that this is a blind and corrupt-judge , as it exists in corrupt man : if it be said by the light of the gospel , this was then to set up a light unto christians to discern it by , but none to the jews while they wanted the gospel , as dispensed to us now : many morall laws also are not mentioned in the gospel , it being but accidentall to it to set forth the commandements of the law. thesis . if christ came to fulfill and not to destroy the law , mat. . . then the commandement of the sabbath is not abolished by christs comming ; if not one jot , prick or tittle of the law shall perish , much lesse shall a whole law perish or be destroyed by the comming of christ. thesis . 't is true indeed , that by law and prophets is sometimes meant their whole doctrine , both ceremoniall , and morall , and propheticall , which christ fulfilled personally , but not so in this place of matthew ; but by law is meant the morall law , and by prophets those propheticall illustrations and interpretations thereof , in which the prophets do abound ▪ for . the lord christ speaks of that law only , which whosoever should teach men to break and cast off , he should be least in the kingdom of heaven , matth. . . but the apostles did teach men to cast off the ceremoniall law , and yet were never a whit lesse in the kingdom of heaven . . he speaks of that law by conformity to which all his true disciples should exceed the righteousnesse of scribes and pharisees : but that was not by being externally ceremonious or morall , but by internall conformity to the spiritualnesse of gods law , which the pharisees then regarded not . . christ speaks of the least commandements , and of these least commandments , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , now what should those least commandements be , but those which he afterward interprets of rash anger , adulterous eyes , unchaste thoughts , love to enemies ? &c. which are called least , in opposition to the pharisaicall doctors conceits in those times , who urged the grosse duties commanded , and condemned men onely for grosse sins forbidden ; as if therein consisted our compleat conformity to the law of god : and therefore by the least of those commandments is meant no other then those which he afterward sets down in his spirituall interpretation of the law , vers . . never a one of which commandments are ceremoniall , but morall laws ; and although mr. primrose thinks that there is no connexion between the seventeen , and the other expositors verses of the law which follow , yet whosoever ponders the analysis impartially , shall finde it otherwise : even from the verse to the end ; the conclusion of which is , to be perfect as our heavenly father is perfect , who is never made a pattern of perfection to us in ceremoniall , but only in morall matters : 't is true indeed ( which some object ) that there is mention made of altar and sacrifice , vers . which were ceremonials : but there is no law about them , but only a morall law of love is thereby prest with allusion to the ceremoniall practice in those times : he speaks also about divorce , but this is but accidentally brought to shew the morality of the law of adultery ; the law of retaliation wants not good witnesses to testifie to the morality of it , but i rather thinke 't is brought in to set forth a morall law against private revenge . our saviour indeed doth not speak particularly about the law of the sabbath , as he doth of killing and adultery , &c. but if therefore it be not morall because not spoken of here , then neither the first , second , or fift command are morall , because they are not expresly opened in this chapter ; for the scope of our saviour was to speak against the pharisaicall interpretations of the law , in curtalling of it , in making grosse murder to be forbidden , but not anger ; adultery to be forbidden , but not lust ; which evil they were not so much guilty of in point of the sabbath : but they rather made the phylacteries of it too broad by overmuch strictnesse , which our saviour therefore elsewhere condemns , but not a word tending to abolish this law of the sabbath . thesis . if therefore the commandment is to be accounted morall , which the gospel reinforceth , and commends unto us ( according to mr. primrose principles ) then the fourth commandment may wel come into the account of such as are morall ; but the places mentioned and cleared out of the new testament evince thus much : the lord jesus comming not to destroy the law of the sabbath , but to establish it : and of the breach of which one law he that is guilty , is guilty of the breach of all . thesis . if the observation of the sabbath had been first imposed upon man since the fall , and in speciall upon the people of the jews at mount sinai , there might be then some colour and reason to cloath the sabbath with rags , and the worn-out garments of ceremonialnesse : but if it was imposed upon man in innocency not only before all types and ceremonies , but also before all sin : and upon adam as a common person , as a commandement not proper to that estate , nor as to a particular person and proper to himselfe : then the morality of it is most evident ; our adversaries therefore lay about them here , that they might drive the sabbath out of paradise , and make it a thing altogether unknown to the state of innocency : which if they cannot make good , their whole frame against the morality of the sabbath , fals flat to the ground ; and therefore it is of no small consequence to clear up this truth , viz. that adam in innocency , and in him all his posterity were commanded to sanctifie a weekly sabbath . thesis . one would thinke that the words of the text , gen. . , . were so plain to prove a sabbath in that innocent estate , that there could be no evasion made from the evidence of them ; for it is expresly said , that the d●y the lord rested , the same day the lord blessed and sanctified ; but we know he rested the seventh day immediatly after the creation , and therefore he immediately blessed and sanctified the same day also : for the words runne copulatively , he rested the seventh day , and he blessed and sanctified that day ; but its strange to see not only what odde evasions men make from this cleare truth , but also what curious cabilismes and fond interpretations men make of the hebrew text , the answer to which learned rivet hath long since made , which therefore i mention not . thesis . the words are not thus copulative in order of story , but in order of time ; i say not in order of story and discourse ; for so things far distant in time , may ●e coupled together by this copulative particle and , as mr. primrose truly shews , exod. . , . sam. . . but they are coupled and knit together in respect of time ; for it is the like phrase which moses immediatly after useth , gen. . , . where t is said , god created man in his image , and blessed them , and called their names , &c. which were together in time ; so t is here , the time god rested , that time god blessed ; for the scope of the words , gen . , , . is to shew what the lord did that seventh day , after the finishing of the whole creation in six dai●s , and that is , he blessed and sanctified it . for look as the scope of moses in making mention of the six daies orderly , was to shew what god did every particular day ; so what else should be the scope in making mention of the seventh day , unlesse it was to shew what god did then on that day ? and that is , he then rested , and blessed and sanctified it , even then in that state of innocency . thesis . god is said , gen. . , , . to blesse the sabbath as he blessed other creatures , but he blessed the creatures at that time they were made , gen. . , . and therefore he blessed the sabbath at that time he rested ; shall gods work be presently blessed , and shall his rest be then without any ? was gods rest a cause of sanctifying the day many hundred yeers after ( as our adversaries say ) and was the●e not as much cause then when the memory of the creation was most fresh , which was the fittest time to remember gods work in ? m. primrose tels us that the creatures were blessed with a present benediction , because they did constantly need it ; but there was no necessity ( he saith ) that man should solemnize the seventh as soon as t is made ; but as we shall shew that man did then need a speciall day of blessing , so t is a sufficient ground of believing that then god blessed the day when there was a full and just , and sufficient cause of blessing , which is gods resting ; it being also such a cause as was not peculiar to the jews many hundred yeers after , but common to all mankinde . thesis . the rest of god ( which none question to be in innocency immediatly after the creation ) was either a naturall rest ( as i may call it ) that is , a bare cessation from labour , or a holy rest , i. a rest set apart in exemplum , or for example , and for holy uses ; but it was not a naturall rest meerly : for then it had been enough to have said , that at the end of the sixt day god rested ; but we see god speaks of a day ▪ the seventh day . god hath rested with a naturall rest or cessation from creation ever since the end of the first sixt day of the world untill now ; why then is it said that god rested the seventh day ? or why is it not rather said that he began his rest on that day , but that it is limited to a day ? certainly this argues that he speaks not of naturall rest meerly , or that which ex natura re● follows the finishing of his work , for it 's then an unfit and improper speech to limit gods rest within the ci●cle of a day ; and therefore he speaks of a holy rest then appointed for holy uses as an example for holy rest ; which may well be limited within the compasse of a day ; and hence it undeniably follows , that if god rested in innocency with such a rest ; then the seventh day was then sanctified , it being the day of holy rest . thesis . it cannot be shewn that ever god made himself an example of any act , but that in the present example there was and is a present rule , binding immediatly to ●ollow that example : if therefore from the foundation of the world , god made himself an example in six daies labour and in a seventh daies rest , why should not this example then and at that time of innocency be binding ? there being no example which god sets before us , but it supposeth a rule binding us immediatly therunto ? the great and most high god could have made the world in a moment or in a hundred years , why did he make it then in six daies , and rested the seventh day , but that it might be an example to man ? it s evident that ever since the world began , mans life was to be spent in labour and action which god could have appointed to contemplation only ; nor will any say that his life should be spent only in labour , and never have any speciall day of rest ( unlesse the antinomians , who herein sin against the light of nature ) if therefore god was exemplary in his six daies labour , why should any think but that he was thus also in his seventh daies rest ? pointing out unto man most visibly ( as it were ) thereby on what day he should rest : a meet time for labour was a morall duty since man was framed upon earth , god therefore gives man an example of it in making the world in six daies : a meet time for holy rest , the end of all holy and honest labour , was much more morall ( the end being better then the means ) why then was not the example of this also seen in gods rest ? m. ironside indeed is at a stand here , and confesseth his ignorance in conceiving how gods working six daies should be exemplary to man in innocency , it being not preceptive but permissive only to man in his apostasie . but let a plain analysis be made of the motives used to presse obedience to the fourth command and we shall finde ( according to the consent of all the orthodox not prejudiced in this controversie , that gods example of working six daies in creating the world , is held forth as a motive to presse gods people to do all their work within six daies also ; and the very reason of our labour and rest now , is the example of gods labour and rest then , as may also appear , ex. . . and to say that those words in the commandment ( viz. six daies thou shalt labour ) are no way preceptive but meerly promissive , is both crosse to the expresse letter of the text , and contrary to morall equity to allow any part of the six daies for sinfull idlenesse or neglect of our weekely work , so far forth as the rest upon the sabbath be hindered hereby . thesis . the word sanctified is variously taken in scripture , and various things are variously and differently sanctified : yet in this place when god is said to sanctifie the sabbath , gen. . , . it must be one of these two waies : either , . by infusion of holinesse and sanctification into it , as holy men are said to be sanctified : or , . by separation of it from common use , and dedication of it to holy use , as the temple and altar are said to be sanctified . thesis . god did not sanctifie the sabbath by infusion of any habituall holinesse into it , for the circumstance of a seventh day is not capable thereof , whereof only rationall creatures , men and angels are . thesis . it must therefore be said to be sanctified in respect of its separation from common use , and dedication to holy use , as the temple and tabernacle were , which yet had no inherent holinesse in them . thesis . now if the sabbath was thus sanctified by dedication ; it must be either for the use of god or of man , i. either that god might keep this holy day , or that man might observe it as a holy day to god , but what dishonour is it to god to put him upon the observation of a holy day ? and therefore it was dedicated and consecrated for mans sake and use , that so he might observe it as holy unto god. thesis . this day therefore is said to be sanctified of god that man might sanctifie it and dedicate it unto god ; and hence it follows , that look as man could never have lawfully dedicated it unto god , without a precedent institution from god , so the institution of god implies a known command given by god unto man thereunto . thesis . 't is therefore evident that when god is said to sanctifie the sabbath , gen. . , . that man is commanded hereby to sanctifie it , and dedicate it to the holy use of god : sanctificare est sanctifica ● mandare , saith iunius : and therefore if m primrose and others desire to know where god commandeth the observation of the sabbath in gen. . . they may see it here necessarily implied in the word sanctifie : and therefore if god did sanctifie the sabbath immediatly after the creation , he commanded man to sanctifie it then ; for so the word sanctified is expressely expounded by the holy ghost himself , deut. . . we need not therefore seek for wood among trees , and enquire where and when and upon what ground the patriarchs before moses observed a sabbath , when as it was famously dedicated and sanctified , i. commanded to be sanctified from the first foundation of the world . thesis . our adversaries therefore dazled with the clearnesse of the light shining forth from the text , gen. . . to wit , that the sabbath was comman●ed to be sanctified before the fall , do fly to their shifts and seek for refuge from severall answers ; sometimes they say 't is sanctified by way of destination , sometimes they ●ell u● of anticipation , sometime they think the book of genesis was writ after exodus , and many such inventions ; which because they cannot possibly stand one with another , are therefore more fit to vex and perplex the mind , then to satisfie conscience ; and indeed do argue much uncertainty to be in the mindes of those that make these and the like answers , a● not knowing certainly what to say , nor where to stand : yet let us examine them . thesis . to imagine that the book of genesis was writ after exodus , and yet to affirm that the sabbath in genesis is said to be sanctified and blest , only in way of destination , i. because god destinated and ordained that it should be sanctified many years after ; seems to be an ill favoured and mishapen answer , and no way fit to serve their turn who invent it : for if it was writ after exodus ; what need was there to say that it was destinated and ordained to be sanctified for time to come ? when as upon this supposition the sabbath was already sanctified for time past , as appears in the story of exodus . . and therefore m. primrose translates the words thus , that god rested , and hath blessed and hath sanctified the seventh day , as if moses writ of it as a thing past already ; but what truth is there then to speak of a destination for time to come ? i know iunius so renders the hebrew words , as also the word rested , but we know how many waies some of the hebrew ●enses look , nor is it any matter now to trouble our selves about them , this only may be considered ; that it is a meer uncertain shift to affirm that genesis was writ after exodus ; m. ironside tels us he could give strong reasons for it , but he produceth none ; and as for his authorities from humane testimonies , we know it is not fit to weigh out truth by humane suffrages ; and yet herein they do not cast the scale for genesis to be writ after exodus ; for although beda , abulensi● , and divers late jesuites do affirm it ; yet eusebius , catharinus , alcuinns , a lapide , and sundry others , both popish and protestant writers , are better judgmented herein ; and their reasons for genesis to be the first-born as it is first set down , seem to be most strong : the casting of this cause therefore depends not upon such uncertainties ; and yet if this disorder were granted , i● will do their cause no good , as , if need were , might be made manifest . thesis . m. ironside confesseth , that gods resting and sanctifying the sabbath , are ●●etaneous , and acknowledgeth the connexion of them together at the same time , by the c●pulative and , and that as god actually rested , so he actually sanctifed the day : but this sanctification which he means is nothing else but destination , or gods purpose and intention to sanctifie ●t afterward : so that in effect this evasion amounts to thus much , viz. that god did actually purpose to sanctifie it , about . years after the giving of the law , but yet did not actually sanctifie it , and if this be the meaning , it is all one as if he had said in plain terms , viz. that when god is said to sanctifie the sabbath , he did not indeed sanctifie it , only he purposed so to do , and although m. primrose and himself tels us that the word sanctifie signifies in the originall some time to pr●pare and ordain : so it may be said that the word signifies sometimes to publish and proclaim : if they say that this latter cannot be the meaning , because we reade not in scripture of any such proclamation that this should be the sabbath , the like may be said ( upon the reasons mentioned ) concerning their destination of it thereunto : again , if to sanctifie the day be only to purpose and ordain to sanctifie it , then the sabbath was no more sanctified since the creation , then ab aeterno , and before the world began , for then god did purpose that it should be sanctified : but this sanctification here spoken of seems to follow gods resting which was in time , and therefore it must be understood of another sanctification then that which seems to be before all time : again as god did not blesse the sabbath in way of destination , so neither did he sanctiffe it in way of destination : but he did not blesse it in way of destination , for let them produce but one scripture where the word blessed is taken in this sence , for a purpose only to blesse : indeed they think they have found out this purpose to sanctifie in the word sanctified . isa. . . but where will they finde the like for the word blessed also ? for as the day was blessed so it was sanctified , and yet i think that the medes and persians in isa. . . are not called gods sanctified ones , because they were destinated to be sanctified for that work , but because they were so prepared fo● it as that they were actually separated by gods word for the accomplishment of such work : but our adversaries will not say that god did thus sanctifie the sabbath in paradice by his word : and yet suppose they are called his sanctified ones in way of destination , yet there is not the like reason so to interpret it here , for in isa. . . god himselfe is brought in immediatly speaking , before whose eternall eyes all things to come are as present , and hence he might call them his sanctified ones , but in this place of gen. . . moses ( not god immediatly ) speaks of this sanctifying in way of historicall narration only ; this destination which is stood so much upon is but a meer imagination . thesis . it cannot be denied but that it is a usuall thing in scripture to set down things in way of prolepsis and anticipation , as they call it , i. to set down things aforehand in the history , which many years hapned and came after in order of time , but there is no such prolepsis or anticipation here ( as our adversaries dream ) so that when god is said to sanctifie the sabbath in genesis , the meaning should be , that this he did . years after the creation , for this assertion wants all proof , and hath no other prop to bear it up , then some instances of anticipations in other places of scripture : the jesuites from some unwary expressions of some of the fathers , first started this answer , whom gomarus followed , and after him sundry others prelatically minded : but rivet , ames , and others have scattered this mist long since , and therefore i shall leave but this one consideration against it , viz. that throughout all the scripture we shall not finde one prolepsis , but that the history is evident and apparently false , unlesse we do acknowledge a prolepsis and anticipation to be in the story : so that necessity of establishing the truth of the history , only can establish the truth of a prolepsis in the history : i forbear to give a taste thereof by any particular instances , but leave it to triall ; bu● in this place alledged of gen. . . can any say that the story is apparently false , unlesse we imagine a prolepsis ? and the sabbath to be first sanctified in mount sinai , exod. . for might not god sanctifie it in paradise , as soon as gods rest , the cause and foundation of sanctifying of it , was existing ? will any say with gomarus that the sabbath was first sanctified , exod. . because god blessed them so much the day before with manna , whenas in the commandment it selfe , exod. . the reason of it is plainly set down to be gods resting on the seveth day , and sanctifying of it long before ? thesis . there is not the least colour of scripture to make this blessing and sanctifying of the day to be nothing else but gods magnifying , and liking of it in his own mind , rejoycing and as it were glorying in it , when he had rested from his works , and yet m. primrose casts this block in the way for the blind to stumble at , supposing that there should be no such anticipation as he pleads for : for surely if god blessed and sanctified the day , it was a reall and an effectuall sanctification and blessing , but this magnifying and glorying in it , in gods minde , is no reall thing in the blessed god , he having no such affections in him , but what is said to be in him that way is ever by some speciall effects : the simple and pure essence of god admitting no affections , per modum affectus sed affectus , as is truly and commonly maintained . thesis . if god sanctified and commanded adam to sanctifie the sabbath , it was either that he himselfe should observe it personally , or successively in his posterity also : now there is no reason to thinke that this is a command peculiarly binding adam himselfe only , there being the same cause for his posterity to observe a sabbath , as himselfe had , which was gods example of labour and rest ; and if this was given to his posterity also then it was a morall duty , and not a point of meer order proper to adam to attend unto : yet mr. primrose for feare lest he should shoot short in one of his answers , wherein he tels us , that it did derogate much from the excellency of adams condition to have any one day for god appointed unto him : yet here notwithstanding hee tels us , that if god had appointed such a day , it was no morall thing , nor yet a ceremony directing to christ , but only as a point of order , which god was pleased then to subject him unto : and that a man may as well conclude that it was a morall thing to serve god in eden , because it was a place which god had appointed adam to serve him in , as the seventh day to be morall because it was the time thereof : but this assertion is but a meer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; for the text tels us expresly , that god did both blesse and sanctifie the seventh day in a speciall manner , as a thing of common concernment , but is never said to blesse and sanctifie the place of eden . all men in adam were made in the image of god , and was there but one thing in innocency wherein god made himself eminen●ly exemplary in labour and rest ? & shal we think that that one thing was rather a point of order proper to adam , then a part of gods image common to all ? the appointment of that royall seat of eden , was an act of heavenly bounty , and therfore might well be proper to him in that estate ; but the appointment of the time for gods speciall honour , was an act of justice , made and built upon a rule of common equity , as may appear out of the second edition of this law in the fourth commandment , and therefore might well be morally binding unto all , and not a point of meer order only for adam to observe . thesis . if adam had stood , all mankinde might , and perhaps should have observed that particular seventh day for ever on earth : but look as adam observed it not meerly because it was that seventh ( as hath been shewn ) which was but secundarily and as it were accidentally morall : but because it was the seventh day appointed of god , which is firstly and primarily morall : so although we now do not observe that seventh day which adam did , yet the substance of the morality of this command given unto him is observed still by us , in observing the seventh day which god hath appointed , to which the equity of this command bindes generally all mankinde : hence therefore it is of little force which some object , that if the commandment to man in innocency be morall , that then we are bound to observe the same seventh day , which adam in innocency did : this is oft laid in our dish ; but the answer is easie from what hath been said . thesis . if because we reade not any expresse mention that the patriarchs before moses time did sanctifie a sabbath , that therefore the sabbath was not sanctified at that time , we may as well argue that it was not observed all the time of the judges , nor of the books of samuel , because no express mention is made in those books of any such thing : for if it be said that there is no doubt but that they observed it because it was published on mount sinai , the like we may say concerning the patriarchall times , who had such a fam●us manifestation of gods minde herein , from the known story , commandment and example of god in the first creation , gen. . . it is not ●aid expresly that abram kept the sabbath , but he is commended for keeping gods commandments , gen. . . and is not the sabbath one of those commandments , the breach of which is accounted the breaking of all ? exod. . , . and may we lawfully and charitably think that abram neglected other morall duties because they are not exp●esly mentioned ? again it may be as well doubted of , whether the patriarchs observed any day at all ( which our adversaries confesse to be morall ) because it n●ither is exp●esly mentioned● : again it may be said with as good reason , th●● the sacrifices which they offered were without warrant from god , because the commandment for them is not expresly mentioned : but we know that abel by faith offered , and faith must arise from a precedent word : so that as the approved practise of holy men doth necessarily imply a command , so the command given ( as hath been shewn ) to adam , doth as necessarily inferre a practise : again if no duties to god were performed by the patriarchs , but such as are expresly mentioned and held forth in their examples , we should then behold a strange face of a church for many hundred years together , and necessarily condemn the generatio● of the just ▪ for living in grosse neglects and impieties , t●ere being many singular and speciall duties which doubtlesse were done that were not meet particularly to be mentioned in that short epitome of above years together , in the book ●f genesis : and therefore for m. ironside and primrose to conclude that the keeping of the sabbath had certainly been mentioned if it had been observed , is very unsound . m. primrose thinks that if the sabbath had been observed , it had been then mentioned , because lesser things then the sabbath are made mention of , there being also frequent occasion to speak of the sabbath , and that moses and the prophets would have pressed the observation of it from the patriarchs example if they had so practised . but what is this kinde of arguing , but to teach the holy ghost , what and when and how to speak ? for there be many lesser matters exprest in many other historicall parts of the scripture , and good occasion as man may fancy to speake of the sabbath , and yet we see it is past by in ●●ence : but it is no wonder if he who questions whether there were any daies of fasting and prayer for yeeres together , because they are not expresly mentioned , if that he doubts also whether there were any sabbath all that time , upon the same ground : but can any question that considers the sorrows of those times , which all ages have put men to seek god in such duties , but that they had such daies of fasting , as well as their betters in evangelicall times , when the bridegroom was gone . thesis . it is not improbable but that the sacrifices of cain and abel , gen. . . were upon the sabbath day , the usuall stated time then for such services ; for that which our translation renders , in processe of time , the hebrew cals it , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. the end of daies ; and why may not this be the end of the daies of the week ( a known division of time , and most famous from the beginning of the world , as r●vet demonstrates out of the best antiquaries ) rather then at the end of the moneths of the yeere ? but 't is not good to wrastle with probabilities , of which many are given , which do rather darken then clear up this cause : this only may be added , that suppose the patriarks observed no sabbath from mans fall to moses time ; yet it will not follow that man in innocency was a stranger to it , because man in his apostacy forgot , or did not regard to keep it . thesis . . if therefore it was a duty which adam and his posterity were bound to keepe by a law given them in innocency : then it undeniably follows , that the observance of a sabbath doth not depend upon great numbers of people to sanctifie it ; for at first creation the number was but two , and yet they both were bound to observe it then : nor yet is it to be cast aside through any mans freedom from worldly imcumbrances , whereby he hath liberty to serve god more frequently every day ; for thus it was also in the state of innocency , and yet the sabbath to be observed then : it is therefore unsound which m. primrose affirms herein , viz. that the consecration of a certain day for gods service is not necessary , but then only , when many troop together and make up the body of a great assembly ; and that therefore it may be doubted whether the patriarks having but small families and little cumber , observed any sabbath , but rather served god alike every day with great ease and assiduity ; and that therefore there was no need nor cause of a sabbath till they became a numerous people at mount sinai . but beside what hath been said , how will it appeare that the posterity of seth called the sons of god , gen. . , . were not a numerous people ? or that abrahams family was so small ? out of which he could gather three hundred fighting men to pursue five mighty princes in battell ? but suppose they were few , yet have not small companies , and particular persons as much need of the blessing of a sabbath ? and speciall communion with god therein , as great numbers and troops of people ? is not the observation of the sabbath built upon better and surer grounds mentioned in scripture , then bignesse of number , and freedom from cumbers , not mentioned at all ? thesis . if adams fall was before the sabbath ( as mr. broad and some others otherwise orthodox in this point of the sabbath , conceive , by too much inconsiderate wresting of psal. . . iohn . . ) yet it will not hence follow that he had no such command in innocency to observe the sabbath before his fall : for whether man had fallen or no , yet the thing it selfe speaks that god was determined to work six dayes in making the world , and to rest and so to sanctifie the seventh , that hee might therein be exemplary to man ; and consequently god would have given this law , and it should have been a rule to him whether he fell or no ; and indeed the seventh daies rest depends no more upon mans fall , then the six daies worke of creation , which we see were all finished before the fall ; the seventh daies holinesse being more sutable to that state then the six daies labour , to which we see he was appointed , if gods example had any force to direct and lead him thereunto . againe , if the law of labour was writ upon his heart before he was actually called forth to labour , viz. to dresse and keep the garden , gen. . . why might not also the law of holy rest be revealed unto him by god , and so answerably writ upon his heart before he fell , or came actually to rest upon the sabbath ? little of adams universall obedience to the law of workes , was as yet actuall while he remained innocent ; and yet all his obedience in time to come was writ upon his heart the first moment of his creation in the image of god , as it were aforehand , and why might not thi● law of the sabbath be writ so aforehand ? and therefore m. broad need not trouble himself or others in enquiring whether god sanctified the sabbath before or after the first seventh day wherein god rested ; and if before it , how adam could know of the sabbath before gods compleat rest upon the first seventh day , the cause of it ? for god was as well able to make adam privy to his counsell aforehand concerning that day , before gods rest on it , which was a motive to the observance of it , as he was to acquaint his people with his purpose for a holy passeover before the occasion of it fell out : mr. broad indeed tels us that its most probable that god did not blesse and sanctifie the first sabbath or seventh day of rest , because it is not said that god blessed the sabbath because he would , but because he had rested in it ; but by his leave it is most proper to say that god at the end of the six daies worke had then rested from all his works ; and thence god is said to sanctifie and rest the seventh day ; his cessation from worke which is the naturall rest being the cause of resting the seventh day with a holy rest ( as we have shewn ) and therefore there is no reason to stay till the seventh day was past and then to sanctifie it against the next seventh day ; the first seventh day , upon the ground mentioned , being first sanctified , and which adam might be well enought acquainted with aforehand , as hath been shewn . thesis . if the scriptures may be judge of the time of mans fall ( which yet is not momentous to cast the balance either way in this controversie ) it will be found that neither angels nor men did fall the sixt day before the sabbath ; for then god looked upon all his works , and they were very good , gen. . . and therefore could not as yet be bad and evill by any sin or fall ; and now because it 's more then probable that if adam had compleatly sanctified and stood one sabbath , he had stood immutably , as i think might be demonstrated ; he therefo●e not standing a whole seventh day , for then he could not have fallen , and yet not being fallen the sixt day , he therefore fell upon the sabbath day , that as the breach of every other command was wrapt up in that first sin , so this of the sabbath . the objections against this from iohn . . that satan was a murderer from the beginning , and from psal. . . that man in honour did not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or abide one night in that estate , with some other conjecturall reasons taken from some of the schoolmens obs and sols are easily answered by a serious and sober minde , and therefore i leave them . thesis . adams soul ( say some ) did not need a sabbath , because every day was a sabbath to him ; nor did his body need it , because it was impassible , say some , nor subject to wearinesse in its work , say others truly : to what purpose then should any sabbath be appointed unto him in that estate ? but we must know , that the hebrew word for sabbath , signifies holy rest , and therefore as rivet well shews , it 's called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 menuchah , which signifies common rest from wearinesse ; hence it follows that the sabbath being originally sanctified for holy rest , not for common rest or rest from naturall wearinesse in labour ; adam might therefore stand in need of a sabbath , though his body was not subject to any wearinesse in or after his labour . hence also although he was to live holily every day , yet this hinders not but that his soul might then have need of the holy rest of a sabbath : for . adam was to serve god in a particular calling then , as is manifest from , gen ▪ . . for he was then to keep and dresse the garden , and to act with and under god in the government of many inferiour creatures , gen. . . and thus his time being filled in serving god with all holinesse in his calling , he might need a sabbath ; nor was it lawfull for him to turn daies of work in his calling into daies of rest , and so to keep a sabbath every day , no not in that innocent and happy estate : for if it was contrary to adams holy estate to work six daies , how could it be agreeable or sutable to the holinesse of god to work six daies ? if god did labour six daies and rested a seventh without any need of a rest in respect of any wearinesse in his work , why might not , nay why should not man imitate and be like to his god in labour and rest , although he was not subject to any wearinesse in his holy work ? . though every day was to be spent in holinesse mediatly , both in seeing god in the creatures and meeting with god in his labour and calling : yet it was not unsutable , nay it was very needfull in that estate to have one day in the week for more immediate and speciall converse with god , and for god more immediatly and specially to converse with him . nor indeed was it suitable to gods wisdom to confine mans holinesse either then or now , either to holy labour only , or to holy rest only , for then he should not have been so like unto god who was exemplary holy unto man in both . speciall time for action wherein he closed with god more mediatly throughout the six daies labour , might well stand with speciall time for contemplation of god upon the sabbath , wherein he was to enjoy god more immediatly . adam did not need a sabbath upon the same ground of weaknesse that we do , viz. because we cannot be earnest enough ( as m. primrose objects ) in holy services to god upon the week daies , but we see it did not sute gods wisdom nor mans holy estate , then to be intent and earnest only in the enjoyment of his rest , to which his intention on his calling and labour then , could not be any hinderance when the sabbath came ; being free from such clogs of sin then , as we are now prest down withall : and therefore it is an unworthy expression , but oft used by the same author and others : viz. that it did derogate from the excellency of adams condition to observe a seventh daies sabbath , and that the determination of a time then , did argue adams inability , or want of inclination and affection to serve god ordinarily , and that the observance of a sabbath is a mark of a servile condition , as of other holy daies under the law ; and that if adam was able to serve god continually , that it was then needlesse to limit him to a particular day ; and that if a day were needfull god would have left the choice thereof to his own freedom , considering the wisdom and godlinesse wherewith god had endowed him : these and such like expressions are but hay and stubble , which the light of the truth delivered may easily consume . thesis . 't is true the saints and angels in heaven have no set sabbath ; but doth it therefore follow that the state of innocency on earth , should have been in all things like ( and particularly in this ) to the sta●e of glory in heaven ? no such matter ; for should there have been no marriage , no dressing of the garden , no day nor night , &c. in paradise ? because there is no marriage nor dressing of gardens , nor weeks , nor reckonings of day and night in heaven ? if god hath work for adam to do , not only upon the sabbath , but upon the week daies also , why might he not be said to glorifie god without stint or ceasing , as the angels do in heaven , unlesse m. primrose will say that adams marriage and dressing the garden , was a stinting and ceasing from glorifying god ; which either he must affirm , or else his argument fals flat upon all four , who thinks that adam could not have any set day for a sabbath , because then he should not be like the saints and angels in heaven , who glorifie god continually without stint or ceasing . thesis . they that think that the sabbath was not given to adam , because it was given as a peculiar perogative and priviledge to the jews : and they that think that it was the jews prerogative and priviledge because of such scriptures as affirm that god gave unto them his sabbaths , exod. . . nehem. . . ezek. . . and such like ; they may as well imagine that neither the whole decalogue or any part of it did belong to adam , because the very same thing is affirmed of it , viz. that he gave his laws to iacob , his statutes and judgements to israel , psal. . . to them also it 's said were committed the oracles of god , rom. . . the sabbath therefore is not said to be given to them as a peculiar propriety to the jews no more then other parts of the decalogue , but as a speciall mercy , yea as a sweeter mercy in some respect then the giving of any other laws , it being the sweetest mercy upon earth to rest in the bosom of god ( which the law of the sabbath cals to ) and to know that it is our heavenly fathers minde that we should do so upon every sabbath day in a speciall manner , without the knowledge of which law we have lesse light of nature to hold the candle to us to the observance of it , then from any other laws to direct us to the obedience of them . thesis . it is affirmed ( but unwarily ) by some , that the tree of life in paradise was a type of christ , and thence some would infer , that it was not unsutable to adams estate and condition in innocency , to be taught by types , and that the sabbath might therefore be ceremoniall , supposing that it was observed by adam in his innocent estate : but although the tree of life and sundry other things in paradise , are made similitudes to set forth christ jesus in his church by the holy ghost , rev. . yet it 's a grosse mistake and most absurd to make every metaphor or similitude and allusion , to be a type : for the husbandman sowing of the seed is a similitede of preaching of the word , mat. . and yet it 's no type of it , an effectionate lover and husband is in sundry scriptures a similitude and resemblance of christs affection and love to his church and spouse , the head and members of mans body are similitudes of christ the head and the church his members ; but will any affirm that these are also types of christ ? and just thus was paradise and the tree of life in it , they were similitudes to which the holy ghost alludes in making mention of christ and his church , but they were no types of them : there was typus fictus in them or arbitrarius ( which is all one with a similitude ) but there was no typus destinatus therein , being never purposely ordained to shadow out christ : for the covenant of works by which adam was to live , is directly contrary to the covenant of grace by faith in christ , rom. . . by which we are to live , christ is revealed only in the covenant of grace , and therefore could not be so revealed in the covenant of works directly contrary thereunto . adam therfore was not capable of any types then to reveal christ to him : of whom the first covenant cannot speak , and of whom adam stood in no need , no not so much as to confirm him in that estate , for ( with leave ) i think that look as adam breaking the first covenant by sinne , he is become immutably evill and miserable in himself , according to the rule of justice in that covenant ; so suppose him to have kept that covenant , all his posterity had been immutably happy and holy , ( not meerly by grace ) but by the same equity and justice of that first covenant , and hence it follows that he stood in no need of christ or any revelation of him by types , no not to confirm him in that covenant : i know in some sence whatever god communicates to his creature in way of justice , may be saîd to be conveyed in a way of grace , if grace be taken largly for that which is conveyed out of gods free will and good pleasure , as all things in the world are , even to the acceptance of that wherein there is most merit , and that is christs death and satisfaction for sinne : but this is but to play with words ; for it 's clear enough by the apostles verdict that grace strictly taken , is opposite to works , rom. . . the law of works which only reveals doing and life , to the law of faith which only reveals christ and life ; under which covenant of grace adam was not , and therefore had no types then to shadow out christ : to say that paradise and the tree of life were types by way of anticipation ( as some lately affirm ) is as much as to say that they were not types then : and therefore neither these nor the sabbath were ceremoniall then , and that is sufficient for what we aim at ; only 't is observable that this unsound expression leads into more palpable errours ; for as they make the tree of life typicall by anticipation , so they make the marriage of adam and eve , and consequently the marriage of all mankinde typicall , and then why should not all marriages cease , when christ the antitype is come ? nay they make the rivers and precious stones and gold in paradise thus typicall of christ and his church , rev. . and then why may they not make the angels in heaven typicall , because men on earth who pour out the vials are resembled to them ? and why may not men riding upon white horses be typicall , because christ is so resembled ? rev. . . pererius who collects out of hugo de vict . a type of the whole new creation , in all the works of six daies first creation , may please himself ( as other popish proctors do ) with such like shady speculations and phantasmes , and so bring in the seventh day for company to be typicall also ; but a good and healthfull stomack should be exceeding fearfull of a little feeding on such windy meat : nor do i think that hugo's new creation is any more antitypicall to the first six daies creation , then damascenes types in the fourth commandment , who makes , thou , thy son , thy daughter , thy servant , the stranger , to be types of our sinfull affections of spirit , and the oxe and the asse figures of the flesh and sensuall part● both which he saith must rest upon the sabbath day . thesis . if therefore the sabbath was given to adam in innocency before all types , nay before the least promise of christ , whom such types must shadow forth , then it cannot be in its first and native institution typicall and ceremoniall , but morall : and therefore in it's first and originall institution , of which we speak , it did not typifie either our rest in christ from sinne in this life , or our rest with god in heaven in another life , or any other imagined rest , which mans wit can easily invent and invest the sabbath with : but look as our saviour in reforming the abuses in marriage c●ls us to the first institution ; so to know what is perpetuall in the sabbath , it 's most safe to have recourse hither ; which when it was first observed we see was no way typicall , but morall ; and if man no way clogg'd with sin and earth had then need of a sabbath , have not we much more ? thesis . as before the fall , the sabbath was originally and essentially morall , so after the fall it became accidentally typicall , i. it had a type affixed to it , though of it's own nature it neither was nor is any type at all : god affixed a farther end unto it after the fall , to be of farther use , to type out somewhat to gods people , while in the substance of it it remaineth morall , and hence it is that a seventh day remains morall and to be observed , but not that seventh day which was formerly kept ; nor have we that end of resting which was under the law , but this end only , that we might more immediatly and specially converse with god , which was the main end of the sabbaths rest before mans fall ; for if the sabbath had been essentially typicall , then it should be abolished , wholly , and no more remembrance of it then of new moones and jubilees , but because it was for substance morall , being extant before the fall , and yet had a type affixed to it after the fall , hence a seventh day is still preserved , but that seventh day is now abolished : and hence new moons and other jewish festivals as they are wholly ceremoniall in their birth , so they are wholly abolished ( without any change of them into other daies as this of the sabbath is ) in their very being . thesis . there are sundry scriptures alledged to prove the sabbath to be typicall and ceremoniall , out of the old and new testament , as isa. . . gal , . . rom. . , . col. . . but if we suppose that these places be meant of the weekly sabbath ( which some deny ) and rigidly urge them , we may quickly presse blood instead of milke out of them , and wholy abol●sh ( as wallaeus well observes ) the observation of any christian sabbath : but this one consideration of a type affixed to it to make it so far forth ceremoniall , and therefore alte●●ble , which for substance is morall , may be as a right th●ed to lead us into a way of truth in this great contoversie , and to untie many knots , which i see not how possibly they can be otherwise unloosed , and therefore we may safely say , that that seventh day is abolished , because it hath a type affixed to it ; but that a seventh daies sabbath is still continued wherein there is no type at all . thesis . if any say , why was now the ceremony affixed , washt off and removed after christs comming , and so that seventh day still continued : as we see publique prayer is still used , but the type of incense removed , and the first-borne still retaine that which is morall , the type affixed to them being now abolished ? the reason of this is , because there is a necessity of the being of both , both prayer and first-born ; for publique prayer must be , and first-born must be , and they cannot be changed into any other ; but there was no necessity of the continuance of that first seventh day to be the sabbath ▪ nay there was some cause to change it , and another day might be our sabbath as wel as that first : look therefore as the lord could have kept the temple at ierusalem , meerly as a place of worship , which at this day in the generall is necessary , and have washed and wiped off the typicall use of it in respect of christ ; yet the wisdom of the lord abolished the very being of the temple , because that place might be as well changed into another ; and least through the typicalnesse of it mans corrupt heart should abuse it , so i may say concerning the sabbath , it did not sute with the wisdom of god to wipe off the ceremony affixed to that seventh day , when it might well be changed , and so keep that day , considering how apt mens ceremonious and superstitious hearts are to abuse such times or places , unlesse the very types be abolished with the things themselves . thesis . 't is true , the sabbath is called a sign between god and us , exod. . . ezek. . . but it doth not follow that therefore it is originally significative and typicall ; for it may be only accidentall ●o , by reason of a type and signe affixed ; yet upon narrow search of this place so much stood upon , no type at all can hence be proved , because a signe is mentioned : for it is not necessary to think that that it is a typicall and sacramentall signe , as circumcision and the passeover were ; for it might be only an indicant sign and declarative , as num. . . & . . and as the fruits of gods regenerating spirit are signs of our translation from death to life , ioh. , . which signes still continue : and if it be such a signe , it is rather a strong argument for the continuance of the sabbath , then for any abolition or change thereof . thesis . the sabbath being no visible signe of invisible grace , it cannot therefore be any sacramentall sign or typicall , t is therefore an indicant and declarative signe of our communion with god , and god with us , of our interest in him , and of his in us : and therefore in those places , exod. . . and ezek. . . where t is called a sign , it is not made a signe simply and nakedly considered in it selfe ( as all sacramentall and typicall signes be ) but it is so called in respect of our keeping of it , or as it is observed and kept ; and therefore it runs in way of promise , ezek. . . if ye hallow my sabbaths they shall then be a signe between me and you , and you shall know ( hereby ) that i am the lord your god ; and although the sabbath it selfe be called a signe , exod . yet it is explained vers . . to be such a signe as to know hereby that the lord our god sanctifies us ; and in ezek. . . that we may know hereby that he is the lord our god : for we know he is the lord our god if he sanctifies us ; and that we are his people , if we sanctifie , or be sanctified of him ; and in this respect it becomes not onely a signe , but a mutuall signe between god and us , and in no other respect ( as wallaeus would stretch it ) and hence it is that whoever makes a conscience of sanctifying the sabbath aright , shall not long want assurance of gods love , by this blessed signe . thesis . what type should be affixed to the sabbath , and of what it is thus typicall and significative , is not a little difficult to finde out , and being found out to prove it so to be ; in handling the change of the sabbath i shall positively set down what i apprehend ; only at the present it 〈◊〉 not be amisse to cast in a few negatives of what it is not ; for mens wits in imagining types and allegories are very sinfully luxurant , unlesse god check them in such kinde of divinity . thesis . the type lies not in the day of worship ; for the greatest adversaries of the sabbath place a morality therein ; nor doth it lie in a seventh day ; for though seven be made a number of perfection ; yet what sober minde ever made a type of seven , more then of six or ten ? some have made the week a short summary and epitome and resemblance of that old prophesie of the worlds continuance for . yeares ( a thousand years being with god but as one day ) and the seventh thousand the great day of rest and peace to the weary world ; but this is a doubtfull assertion at best , or if true , yet it is not therefore properly a type , or if it be , yet not such a type as was to cease at the comming of christ ( as our adversaries would have the sabbath ) but when the antitype is come of that seven thousand years : if therefore it lies any where , it is in it as in a rest day , or a day of rest . thesis . some make the rest of the sabbath , a type of christs rest in the grave , and if it could be proved , i durst not oppose it ; but it is but gratis dictum , affirmed by some godly learned , who herein symbolize with popish postillers , who please themselves much in this and such like allegoricall significations of the sabbaths rest : for if christ did neither enter into the state of rest till his resurrection , nor into the place of rest untill his ascension , how then could the rest of the sabbath type out his rest in the grave , which was part of his most heavy labour of humiliation , act. . . and no part of his rest , unlesse it was in respect of cessation therein from actions of naturall life ? but the rest of one day is very unfit to resemble and type out the rest of three daies in the grave ; and why may not christs rest from labour in his sleep be as well the antitype , as christs rest from the actions of this life in his grave ? thesis . why may not our labour in the six daies be made a type of our labou●ing in sin , as well as the sabbath a type of our sanctification and rest from sin ? as some would have it ; why may not our libertines make abstinence from adultery forbidden in the seventh command , a type of our spirituall chastity ( as the gnosticks did of old ) as well as the rest from labour on the sabbath a type of our rest from sin ? and by this liberty how easie is it for f●othy allegorizing wits , which my heart abhors , to typifie ( as it were ) and allegorize all the commandments out of the world . the●●● . the rest on the sabbath may be considered either in respect of gods example in himself , or his command to man out of himself : now the rest of the sabbath as it is exemplary in god cannot be a type of any thing , because god never made himself an example of any ceremoniall thing ; gods own immediate acts cannot without much injury to god be made types and ceremonies ; if therefore there be any thing of the rest of the sabbath typicall , it is so in respect of mans rest on it commanded unto him of god : but whether and what it doth typifie , we shall speak to in its * proper place . thesis . there wants not sufficient proof that the gentiles generally practised and approved a seventh daies sabbath , and that it was highly honoured among them as very sacred : this truth both tertullian , eusebius , iosephus and philo have formerly affirmed ; aretus also , especially learned rivet , have lately vindicated and made good against all the exceptions of gomarus and others ; insomuch as that the last refuge both of gomarus and primrose is this , viz. that all those heathens who writ about the sabbath and in honour of it , received not their light from nature , but from the writings of the iewish common-wealth , all those heathenish testimonies about the sabbath , being published and writ long after the delivering of the law upon mount sinai : and therefore they think this no argument to prove that this law was practised ever since the world began , or that it was known by the light of nature , by which it might be evinced to be morall : but by this answer we shall scarce know any thing to be according to the light of nature by the writings of the heathens , for all their writings are since moses time , if they be of any credit ; but suppose they did not know it by the working power of the light of nature , yet if they approved of , and honoured this day when it was made known by other means , so that rhey knew it by the approving light of nature , as the authors alleaged make good , it s then sufficient to prove the seventh day morall , even by the light of nature : and although seneca and some others scoft at the jewish sabbaths , as if they lost the seventh part of their time thereby ; yet we know that mens lusts wil give them leave to scoffe at that which yet their consciences chastise them for ; beside i think those scoffs were not so much at the seventh day as at their ●●ict and ceremonious observance thereof , as also of their seventh yeeres , wherein it s no wonder if that the light of nature should not so clearly see . thesis . the light of nature in the gentiles , especially in matters of the first table , was very imperfect , dim , and corrupt ; hence it is that we cannot expect to ●inde any perfect light of nature in matters of the sabbath ; some glimmerings and dark practices herein are sufficient to prove that this law is naturall , although the exact proportion of time for rest should not or could not by any reasoning of corrupt nature be perfectly found out ; their observation of holy daies and festivals did argue some imperfect light of nature left , concerning the sabbath , which once nature had more perfectly , as old walls and rubbish doe argue old and great buildings in former times ; but suppose they could not finde out exactly the seventh part of time , and so dedicate it to god for his sabbath ; yet the want of such light argues only the want of perfection of the light of nature , which we should not expect to finde in the present light of nature in matters of the first table , and in this of the sabbath ; and therefore t is no argument to prove the sabbath not to be of the law of nature , because the perfect knowled of the exact time thereof is not left in corrupt nature now . thesis . suppose the gentiles did neither know , nor were ever reproved particularly by any of the prophets for breaking the sabbath ; yet this doth not argue that they were not bound to sanctifie a sabbath , and that it was no sin for them to neglect the sabbath : for it was a priviledge of the jews to have gods oracles revealed to them , and especially this of the sabbath , nehem. . . rom. . . so it was a curse upon the gentiles to live without christ , and so also without sabbaths , ephes. . . the times of which ignorance god is said to wink at , acts . . not by excusing them for the breach of sabbath or other sins , but by not reproving them for it , as neither he did for many other morall transgressions , which notwithstanding were sins . the patriarchs were not condemned expressely till moses time ( by mr. primrose account ) for their polygamie , that we read of , and yet it was a sin all that time against the very first institution of marriage ; and why might not the breach of the sabbath be a sin much more longer among the gentiles , and yet none of the prophets reprove them particularly for the same ? and therefore m. primrose hath no cause to mark this argument with chalke , and with all attention , as he cals it ; viz. that the breach of the sabbath among the gentiles was no sin , because it was not any where particularly reproved by the prophets of god : for we see by what hath been said upon what weake crutches it stands . thesis . the gentiles shall not be condemned only for what they did actually know , and did not practice ; but also for what they did not actually know , yet might and should have known : the gentiles did know that that some daies were to be kept holy to god ( saith m. primrose ) and they should have known the fittest proportion and most suitable frequency of such daies , which the same author acknowledgeth to be morall ; therefore they should have known the seventh daies sabbath , and possibly might have known it if they had not held truth in righteousnesse , but made improvement thereof ; for in this sense habenti dabitur , to him that hath shall be given , to wit , more of the same kind of l●ght , whether naturall , morall , or evangelicall ; if common light in all these , more common light ; if speciall light in them , they shall then have more speciall and saving light . thesis . as it is no argument that that law is according to the light of nature , which the gentiles generally practised ( for then polytheisme and sacrificing of beasts , yea wil-worship should be according to the light of nature , because these sins were generally practised ) so it is no argument that that law is not according to the light of nature which they generally neglected ; and therefore suppose the gentiles never observed a sabbath , yet this is no argument that it is therefore no morall law. i know m. primrose thinks that the sacrifices were by an instinct of nature , because it dictates that all sinnes whereof mortall men are guilty , are to be expiated by sacrifice and offerings to god offended : which assertion hath some truth in it , if those words by sacrifices and offerings be left out ; for what light of nature could make men think that an infinite deity offended could be pacified by such carnall observances as the sacrifices of brute beasts , and their blood , which never offended ? this custome the gentiles might retain as a relique of former instruction and institution , by their first fathers after the flood : which being matters meerly ceremonious , might be retained more firmly then other morall duties of great consequence ; however we see that the practice of the gentiles is no fit guide to direct that which is according to the law and light of nature . thesis . if more narrow enquiry be made , what the law of nature is ? these distinctions must be observed . . the law of nature is either of pure , or corrupt nature . the law of pure nature was the law of god writ on adams heart in innocency , which was nothing else but that holy bent and inclination of the heart within , to act according to the holy law of god revealed , or covenant made with him without , and thus aquinas places the law of nature in this inclination . the law of corrupt nature is that dimme light left in the minde , and morall inclination left in the will in respect of some things contained in the law of god , which the apostle cals conscience , rom. . . which naturall conscience is nothing but the remnants and generall principles of the law of pure nature , left in all men since the fall , which may be increased by more knowledge of the law of god , or more diminished and defaced by the wickednesse of man , titus . . . the law of corrupt nature is taken either more largely , or strictly . as it is taken more largely , so it comprehends all that which is agreeable and sutable to naturall reason , and that from a naturall innate equity in the thing , when it is made known , either by divine instruction or humane wisdom , although it be not immediatly known by the light of nature , and thus many judiciall laws are naturall and morall ( though positive ) and of binding nature unto this day . as it is taken strictly , so it comprehends no more but what nature immediatly knows , or may know without externall instruction , as parents to be honoured , mans life to be preserved . . the law of nature strictly taken , are either principles of nature , or conclusions from such principles . the principles of the law of nature are in some respect many , yet may be reduced to this one head , viz. that good is to be followed , evill to be avoided . conclusions are deductions from those principles , like severall streames from the same spring , which though lesse evident then the principles , yet may be readily found out by discourse and sad search . . conclusions arising from these principles , are more immediate , or mediate . immediate are made ( by aquinas ) to be two . . love god with all thy heart . . love thy neighbour as thy selfe . mediate are such as arise from the former principles , by means of those two more immediate conclusions : and of this kinde are some ( as he thinks ▪ ) yea , all the laws of the decalogue , if right reason may be judge . now to apply these . thesis . if the question be whether the sabbath be known by the light of pure nature ? the answer is , yea ; for adams minde knew of it , and his heart was inclined and bent to the keeping of it , although it be true that now this light in corrupt nature ( as in many other morall duties ) is almost wholly extinct and worn out , as hath been formerly shewn ; and to speak plainly , this great and first impression left on mans heart in pure nature , is the first rule according to which we are now to judge of what is the law of nature , and it serves to dash to peeces and grinde to powder and dust most effectually and strongly , the dreams and devices of such as would make the sabbath not morall , because not naturall , or not easily known by the present light of corrupt nature , when as corrupt nature is no perfect copy , but a blotted discovery of some part of the light of nature , which was fully imprinted at large in pure nature : and therefore it is no wonder , if our adversaries so much oppose the commandment of the sabbath in the state of innocency : such therefore as are otherwise orthodox in this point , and yet make this description of the law of nature ( viz. which was written on mans heart in his first first creation ) to be both uncertain and impertinent , doe unwarily pull down one of the strongest bulwarks , and the first that ever god made to defend the morality of the sabbath : there is indeed no expresse scripture which makes this description of the law of nature ( as they object ) and so it is of many other things which are virtually and for substance contained in the scripture , although there be no formall description set down of the same , and the like i say of this description here . thesis . if we speak of the law of nature strictly taken , for that which is immediatly and readily known by the common light of nature in all men , then it may be safely affirmed , that although the sabbath should not be in this sence naturall , yet it will not follow that it is not therefore morall : for the moral law once writ on mans heart in pure nature is almost blotted out ; only some rudera and old rubbish is left of it in a perverse minde and a corrupt heart , eph. . . we see the wisest of the heathens making those things to be morall vertues ( iunius instanceth in the law of private revenge , and we know they magnified will-worship ) which the scripture condemns as morall vices and sins : god would have common-wealths preserved in all places of the world , from the inundation and deluge of mans wickednesse , and therefore he hath generally printed the notions of the second table upon mens hearts to set bounds ( as by sea-banks ) unto the overflowings thereof , and hence it is that they are generally known : but he would not have churches every where , and therefore there is but little known concerning matters of the first table , and consequently about this law of the sabbath , which notwithstanding may be morall although it be not so immediatly known . thesis . if we speak of the law of corrupt nature largely taken , for that law which when 't is made known by divine determination and declaration is both sutable and congruous to naturall reason and equity , we may then say that the law of the sabbath is according to the light of nature , even of corrupt nature it self : for do but suppose that god is to be worshipped , and then these three things appear to be most equall . . that he is not only to have a time , but a speciall time and a fit proportion of time for worship . . that it 's most meet that he should make this proportion . . the lord having given man six daies and taken a seventh to himself , mans reason cannot but confesse that it is most just to dedicate that time to god : and for my own part i think that in this respect the law of the sabbath was as fairly writ on mans hea●● in innocency as many other morall laws , which none question the morality of at this day : but disputes about this are herein perhaps uselesse . thesis . the sacrament of the lords supper may be administred ( meet circumstances concurring ) every lords day , nay upon the week daies often , as they did in the primitive persecutions : and hence our saviour limits no time for it , in the first institution thereof , as he did for the passeover of old , but only this , as oft as you doe it , doe it in remembrance of me : hence it will follow , that now under the gospel there is no set sabbath ( as m. primrose would ) because our saviour at the first institution of the lords supper limits no particular day for the celebration thereof , as once he did for the passeover ; for though there is an appointed speciall time ( as shall hereafter appeare ) for the publique exercise of all holy duties not being limited to those times , but enlarged to other times also ; hence there is no reason why our saviour should institute a set sabbath , when he instituted the lords supper , as the proper time of the celebration thereof , as it was in case of the passeover . thesis . it is no argument to prove the sabbath to be ceremoniall , because it is reckoned among ceremonials , viz. shew-bread and sacrifices , as m. primrose and wallaeus urge it out of mat. . , , . for . upon the same ground fornication and eating of idolothytes are ceremoniall , because they are ranked among ceremonials , viz. bloud and things strangled , act. . . . upon this ground the sabbath hath no morality at all in it , no more then shew-bread and sacrifices which were wholly ceremoniall . . the sabbath is in the same place reckoned among things which are morall , as pulling a sheep out of a pit upon the sabbath day , an act of humanity ; why may it not then be as well accounted morall ? . one may as well argue that the not keeping company with publicanes and sinners was a ceremoniall thing , because the lord jesus useth the same proverbiall speech , i will have mercy not sacrifice , mat. . . upon which he defends the lawfullnesse of pulling the ears of corn upon the sabbath day , in this mat. . . the scope therefore of this place is not to shew the nature of the sabbath day , whether it be ceremoniall or morall , but the lawfullnesse and morality of his act in eating the ears of corn upon this day ; and thus the arguments of our saviour are very strong and convicting to prove the morality of such an act , but no way to prove the ceremoniality of the sabbath : for that is the scope of our saviour , that mercy to the hungry is to be preferred before the sacrifice of bodily resting upon the sabbath . m. primrose indeed replies hereto and tels us , that mercy is to be preferred before sacrifice or ceremoniall duties , but not before morall duties , and therefore christ preferring it before the rest on the sabbath , the sabbath could not be morall : but we know that mercy in the second table is sometimes to be preferred before morall duties in the first table : a man is bound to neglect solemn praier sometime to attend upon the sick ; it 's a morall duty to sanctifie some day for a sabbath ( saith m. primrose ) and yet suppose a fire be kindled in a town upon that day , or any sick to be helped , must not mercy be prefer'd before hearing the word ? which himself will acknowledge to be then a morall duty . thesis . when christ is said to be lord of the sabbath , mat. . the meaning is not as if he was such a lord as had power to break it , but rather such a lord as had power to appoint it , and consequently to order the work of it for his own service . m. primrose thinks that he is said to be lord of it , because he had power to dispense with the keeping of it , by whom & when he would : and that christ did chuse to do such works upon the sabbath day , which were neither works of mercy or necessity , nay , which were servile , which the law forbade : for christ ( saith he ) as mediatour had no power to dispense with things morall , but he might with matters ceremoniall , and therefore with the sabbath . how far christ jesus might and may dispence with morall laws , i dispute not now , i think biell comes nearest the truth in this controversie ; only this is considerable , suppose the sabbath was ceremoniall , yet it 's doubtfull whether christ jesus who came in the daies of his flesh to fulfill all righteousnesse , could abolish or break the law ceremoniall untill his death was past , by which this hand-writing of ordinances was blotted out , colos. . . and this middle wall of partition was broken down , ephes. . , , . but let it be yeelded that christ had power to break ceremoniall laws then before his death , yet in this place there is no such matter ; for the words contain a clear proof for the right observance of the sabbath against the over-rigid conceptions of the superstitious and proud pharisees , who as they thought it unlawfull for christ to heal the sick upon the sabbath , so to rub out , and eat a few corn ears upon it , although hunger and want ( and perhaps more then ordinary in the disciples here ) should force men hereunto , which was no servile work ( as mr primrose would ) but a work of necessity and mercy in this case ; and our saviour proves the morality of it , from the example of david eating the shew-bread , and those that were with him , preferring that act of mercy before sacrifice and abstinence from shew-bread ; and hence our saviour argues , that if they attending upon david might eat the shew-bread , much more his hungry disciples might eat the corn while they attended upon him that day , who was lord of the sabbath , and that they might be the better strengthened hereby to do him service : these things being thus ; where now is there to be found any reall breach of the sabbath , or doing of any servile work , or maintenance of any unnecessary work , which the fame learned and acute writer imputes to our saviour ? which i had almost said is almost blasphemous . thesis . it 's no argument that the sabbath is not morall , because it 's said , mark . . that man is not made for it , but it for man ; for saith mr ironside , man is made for morall duties , not they for man : for let the sabbath be taken for the bare rest of the sabbath , as the pharisees did , who placed so much religion in the bare rest , as that they thought it unlawfull to heal the sick on that day , or feed the hungry ; so man is not made as lastly for the b●re rest , but rather it for man and for his good ; but if by sabbath be meant the sanctification of that rest , so man is made for it , by mr primrose own confession : nor our saviour speaks of the sabbath in the first respect ; for the rest of it is but a means to a further and a better end , viz. the true sanctification of it which the pharisees little lookt unto , and therefore he might well say that the sabbath was made for man , the rest of it being no further good then as it was helpfull to man in duties of piety or mercy required of man , in the sanctification thereof : m. primrose confessing that man is made for the sanctification of the sabbath , would therefore winde out from this , by making this sanctification on the sabbath to be no more then what is equally required of man all the week beside : but he is herein also much mistaken ; for though works of piety and mercy are required every day , yet they are required with a certain eminency and specialty upon the sabbath day , and thence 't is that god cals mens to rest from all worldly occasions ( which he doth not on the weeke daies ) that they might honour god in speciall upon the sabbath , as shall hereafter appear . thesis . it 's a monkish speculation of m. broad to distinguish so of the sabbath in sensu mystico , and sensu literali , as that the mysticall sense like the lean and ill-favoured kine in pharoah's dream shall eat up the literal sense , and devour gods blessed and sweet sabbath ; for the lord never meant by the sabbath such a mysticall thing as the resting from the works of the old man only every day , no more then when he commands us to labour six daies , he permits us to labour in the works of the old man all the six daies . thesis . for though it be true that we are to rest every day from sin , yet it will not hence follow , that every day is to be a christians sabbath , and that no one day in seven is to be set apart for it : for . upon the same ground adam should have had no sabbath , because he was to rest from sin every day . . the jews also before christ , should have rejected all sabbaths , because they were then bound to rest from sin as well as christians now . . upon the same ground there must be no daies of fasting or feasting under the gospel , because we are to fast from sinne every day , and to be joyfull and thankfull every day . i know some libertines of late say so ; but upon the same ground there should have been none under the law neither , for they were then bound as well as we to fast from sin . . hence neither should any man pay his debts , because he is bound to be paying his debt of love to god and all men every day . . hence also no man should pray at any time in his family , nor alone by himself solemnly , because a christian is bound to pray continually : and indeed i did not think that any forehead could be so bold and brazen as to make such a conclusion ; but while i was writing this , came to my hearing concerning a sea-man who came to these coasts from london , miserably deluded with principles of familisme , who when an honest new-english man his cabbin-mate invited him to go along and pray together , considering their necessities , he would professedly refuse to doe it upon this ground , viz. dost not pray continually ? why then should we pray together now ? . the commandment of the sabbath doth not therefore presse us to rest only from such works as are in themselves evil , which god allows at no ti●● ▪ but from the works of our callings and weekly imployments which are in themselves lawfull and of necessity to be attended on at some time . it is therefore a loose and groundlesse assertion to make every day under the gospel to be a christians sabbath day . thesis . to think that the sabbath was proper to the jews , because they only were able to keep and exactly observe the time of it , being shut up ( as m. primrose saith ) within a little corner of the earth , and that the gentiles therefore are not bound to it , because they cannot exactly observe the time of it , in severall quarters of the earth so far distant , is a very feeble argument : for why might not all nations exactly observe the rising and the setting of the sun according to severall climates by which the naturall day and so this of a sabbath is exactly measured ? and which god hath appointed ( without limitation to any hour ) to be the bounds of the sabbath as it sooner or later rises or sets ? were not the mariners of the men of iudah bound to observe the seventh day in all the severall coasts where they made their voyages ? did god limit them to the rising or setting sun of iudaea only ? what colour is there to think thus of them ? indeed it 's true that in some habitable northern coasts , the sun is not out of sight some moneths together , but yet this is certain , if they know how the year spends into moneths , they can exactly reckon the weeks of those moneths , and therefore can exactly tell you the daies of which those weeks consist , and therefore they have their exact rules and measures to know east and west , the place of the sun-rising and sun-setting , and consequently to know the sabbath daies ; and yet if they should not exactly know it , their will to do it is herein ( as in other things ) accepted of god. thesis . if this truth concerning the morality of the sabbath did depend upon the testimony of ancient writers , it were easie to bring them up here in the rear , notwithstanding the flourishes of the great historian ; but this hath been done sufficiently by others , nor doth it sute our scope who aim at only the clearing up of the meaning of the fourth command , which must stand firm ; the heaven and earth shall fall asunder , the lord will rather waste kingdomes and the whole christian world with fire and sword , then let one tittle of his law perish ; the land must rest when gods sabbaths cannot , lev. . . and although i wish the ministry of christ jesus a comely and comfortable maintenance , as may richly testifie his peoples abundant thankfullnesse , for the feet of those his messengers as preach peace , yet me thinks it argues great blindnesse in those men who plead for a morality in a tenth pigge or sheaf of corn , and yet will acknowledge no morality in a seventh day . thesis . i shall therefore conclude and shut up these things with answer to m. carpenters and heylins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an argument against the sabbath , which they have gone compassing the whole earth and heavens about to finde out , never heard of till their daies , and now it 's brought to light . i would not make mirth with it ( as some have done and left the scruple untoucht ) but in words of sobriety , and seriousnesse and plainnesse . if the sabbath or lords day ( say they ) be morall , then the morall law is subject to manifold mutation , because the nations issuing out of noahs ark spread themelves from thence over the face of the whole earth , some farther , some at a shorter distance , whereby changing the longitude with their habitation , they must of necessity alter the differences of times , neither can any exactly and precisely observe any one day , either as it was appointed by moses , or as it was instituted by christs apostles afterwards , by reason of the manifold transportation of colonies , and transmigration of nations , from one region into another , whereby the times must necessarily be supposed to vary . the answer is ready and easie , viz. although the nations issued out of noahs ark , and spread themselves over the face of the whole earth , some farther , some at a shorter distance , and thereby changing their longitude altered the differences of time , some beginning the day sooner , some later , yet they might observe the same day ; for the day is regulated and measured by the sun , and the sun comes to one meridian sooner or later then to another , and hence the day begins in one place sooner or later then in another , and so the beginning of the day is ( respectively ) varied , but yet the day it self remains unchangeably the same : what though our countreymen in old england begin their sabbath above . hours before us in new , they beginning at their evening , we at our evening , yet both may and do observe the same day : all nations are bound to keep holy a seventh part of time ; but that time must be regulated by the sun , neither is it necessary that the same individuall . hours should be observed by all , but the same day as it is measured by the sun in this or that place , which may begin in places more easterly many hours sooner then in other places more westerly ; a day is not properly time but a measure of time , and therefore the manifold transportation of colonies , and transmigration of nations from one region unto another , hinder not at all , but that they may exactly and precisely observe the same day , which was instituted and appointed : for although the time of the beginning of the day be varied , yet the day it self is not , cannot be varied or changed . now whereas they say , that if any man should travell the world about , a whole day must needs be varied , and if two men from the same place travell , the one eastward , the other westward , round about the earth , and meet in the same place again , they shall finde that he who hath gone eastward hath gotten , and the other going westward hath lost a day in their account ; yea , the hollanders after their discovery of fretum de mayre , comming home to their countrey , found by comparing their accounts with thtir countreymen at home , that they had lost a day , having gone westward , and so compassed the earth round . i answet , what though a traveller varying perpetually the quantity of the day , by reason of his continuall moving with or against the suns motion , in time get or loose a day in his account , is the day therefore of it's own nature variable or changeable ? god hath placed the sun in the firmament , and appointed it for times and seasons , and in speciall for the regulating of the day ; and as the motion of the sun is constant , so there is an ordinary and constant succession of daies without variation ; for unlesse the suns course be changed , the day which is regulated by it , is not changed , now if any shall travell round about the world , and so anticipate or second the diurnall motion of the sun , and thereby varying continually the quantity of the day , at length gain or loose a day , according to their reckoning , they may and ought then to correct their accounts : gregory the . having found the julian year to be too great for the motion of the sun , cut off ten daies by which the aequinoxes and solstices had anticipated their proper places , that so the year might be kept at it's right periods : and is it not as good reason that a traveller who opposing the suns diurnall course continually shortens somewhat of his day , till at last in compassing the earth round he gains a whole day , should cut off in his accounts that day which he hath gained by anticipating the suns course , and so rectifie his account of the day ? for in every region and countrey whatsoever and howsoever situate , as men are to begin the day at that time when the day naturally begins in that place , so likewise they are to reckon and count the daies as they are there regulated and ordered by the sun , and that should be the first or second day of the week to them , which is naturally the first or second day of the week to that place where they are : and thus their doubts are easily satisfied when they return to the place from whence they first came . but if any shall say it 's very difficult for men thus to rectifie their accounts , and to observe that time in every place which was at first instituted , and it 's probable that the nations in their severall transmigrations and transportations never used any such course . the answer is obvious ; mens weaknesse , or neglect and carelessenesse to do what they ought , is not a sufficient argument to prove that not to be their duty ; besides 't is not probable that any nations were thus put to it to travell round about the whole earth ( although some particular persons in this later age have sailed round about it ) and therefore could not vary a whole day possibly , but going some eastward , some westward , some southward , some northward , they spread themselves over the face of the whole earth , some at a shorter , some at a farther distance , and so some began the day sooner , some later , and yet all ( as hath been shewn ) might observe the same day : the morality of the sabhath is not built upon astronomicall or geometricall principles , and therefore it cannot fall by any shady speculations so far fetcht . here ends the morality of the fourth commandment : the change of the sabbath follows . the change of the sabbath . wherein the true grounds of the change of the day are plainly opened . sundry scriptures also ( usually alledged ) for this change are more fully cleared and vindicated from what mr. brabourne and mr. primrose have alledged against the same . the second part. london , printed for iohn rothwell . . the generall contents about the change of the sabbath . . svfficient light in the scriptures for the change of the sabbath . thes. . . apostolicall unwritten-traditions no ground for the change of it . thes. . . neither churches custome , or any imperiall law ground of the change of it . thes. . . how the observation of the christian sabbath ariseth from the fourth commandement . thes. . . how 〈◊〉 day in the week may be called the seventh day . thes. , . . the will of god the efficient cause , the resurrection of christ the morall cause of the change of the sabbath . thes. . . the asce●tion no ground of the change of the sabbath . thes. . . the 〈…〉 spoyled in his first creation by the sin of man , hence the day of rest may be well changed . thes. . . neither the three dayes resting of christ in the grave nor the . yeers of christs labour , the ground of our labour and rest now . thes , . . not only christs resurrection , but an affixed type to the first sabbath , is the ground of the abrogation of it . thes. . . what the affixed type to the sabbath is . thes. . . the meer exercises of holy duties upon a day are not any true ground to make such a day the christian sabbath . thes. . . how holy duties on a day may evince a sabbath day . thes. . . the first day of the week honour'd by the primitive churches from the commandment of the lord iesus . thes. . . the apostles preaching on the iewish sabbath , doth not argue it to be the christian sabbath . thes. . . the first day of the week proved to be the christian sabbath by divine institution . thes. . . the first place alledged for the christian sabbath , acts . . cleared by nine considerations . thes. . . the second place from cor. . , . cleared from seven considerations . thes. . . the third scripture . rev. . . cleared by two 〈◊〉 branches . thes. . . how the christian sabbath ariseth from the fourth commandment , although it be not particularly named in it . thes. . . the error of those , especially in the eastern churches , who observed two sabbaths . thes. . . how the work of redemption may be a ground for all men to observe the sabbath . thes. . . how far the iudgement of god upon prophaners of the lords day is of force to evince the holinesse of the sabbath . thes. . the change of the sabbath . thesis . the change of this day from the last to the first of the week , although it be confirmed by an ancient custome , yet the true reason and grounds of so great a change are not so fully known : sacred writings not so expresly setting down ( as it doth in some things of lesse concernment ) the causes hereof . and many of the arguments heaped up , and multiplyed by some for the change of it , which may seem of great weight , while they want an adversary at the other end of the scale to ballance them : yet upon sad examination and search into them they prove too light , and consequently occasion the temptation of scrupling the truth and validity of others more cleare . we are therefore with more warinesse and humility of mind to search into this controversie , and with much thankfulnesse and modesty to accept that little light which god gives us in greater , as well as of much light which he is pleased to lend us in smaller matters . pascimur apertis , exercemur obscuris , was his speech long since concerning the scriptures . there is no truth so clear , but mans loose wit can invent and mint many pernicious cavils against it ; and therefore in those things which shine forth with lesse evidence , it is no wonder if it casts such blots and staines upon them as that they can fear 〈…〉 discerned , nil magis inimicum veritati , acumine 〈…〉 therfore be wise with sobriety , & remember that in this and such like controversies , the scriptures were not written to answer all the scruples and objections of cavillers , but to satisfie and stablish the consciences of poor beleevers . and verily when i meet with such like speeches and objections as these , viz. where is it expressely said that the old sabbath is abrogated ? and what one scripture is there in the n. testament declaring expressely that the lords day is substituted and put in its roome ? i cannot from such expressions but think and fear that the ignorance of this change in some doth not spring so much from deficiency and want of light on gods part , but rather from perversnes on mans part , which will not see nor own the t●uth , because it is not revealed and dispensed after that manner and fashion of expression as mans wit and phantasie would have it : like naaman , who , because the prophet went not about the cure of his leprosie in that way and fashion which he would have him , did not therefore ( for a time ) see that way of cure which god had revealed to him . for the holy ghost is not bound to write all the principles of religion under common-place heads , nor to say expressely , in this place of scripture you may see the old sabbath abrogated , and the new instituted ; for we find no such kind of expressions concerning pauls epistles and many books of scripture , that this or that epistle or book is canonical ; which yet we know to be so by other evidences . we know also that the holy ghost by brief hints of truth , gives occasion of large comments ; and by writing about other matters tanquam aliud agens , it brings forth to light by the by revelations of great concernment , which it saw meet purposely in that manner to make known . and as in many other things it hath thus done , so especially in this of the sabbath . so that if our hearts like locks were fitted to gods key , they would be soon opened to see thorough the difficulties of this point ; which i confesse of all practicall points hath been most fu●l of knots and difficulties to my own weaknesse . thesis . to make apostolicall unwritten inspirations notified and made known in their dayes to the churches , to be the cause of the change of the day , is to plough with a popish heifer , and to cast that anchor on which deceivers rely , and by which they hope to save themselves when they know not how otherwise to defend their falshoods . thesis . to make ecclesiasticall custome , established 〈◊〉 by the imperiall law of constantine , to be the 〈◊〉 of the change , is to make a prop for prelacy , and a step to popery , and to open a gap to all humane inventions . for if it be in the churches power to appoint the greatest holy day ; why may not any other rite and ceremony be imposed also ? and if it be free to observe this day or not in respect of it selfe , because it wants a divine institution , and yet necessary to observe it in respect of the churches custome and constitution ( as some pretend ) why may not the chu●ches commandment be a rule of obedience in a thousand things else as well as in this ? and so introduce will-worship , and to serve god after the tradition of men which god abhors ? thesis . the observation of the first day of the weeke for the christian sabbath ariseth from the force of the fourth commandment , as strongly as the observation of the media cultus , or means of worship now under the new testament , doth from the force of the second commandment ; only let this be supposed , that the day is now changed ( as we shall hereafter prove ) as also that the worship it self is changed by divine institution ; for gospel-institutions when they be appointed by divine and soveraign authority , yet they may then be observed and practised by vertue of some morall law. the gospel appointed new sacraments , but we are to use them by vertue of the second commandment : so here the gospel appoints a new seventh day for the sabbath , but it stands by vertue of the fourth commandment : and therefore the observation of it is not an act of christian liberty , but of christian duty imposed by divine auth●rity and by vertue of the moral law. thesis . for the morality of the fourth commandment ( as hath been proved ) being preserved in observing not that sabbath only , nor yet a sabbath meerly when man sees meet : but in observing the sabbath , i. e. such a sabbath as is determined and appointed of god , ( which may therefore be either the first or last of the seven dayes ) hence it is that the first of the seven , if it be determined and instituted of god under the new testament , ariseth equally from the fourth commandment , as the last seventh day did under the old testament ; and therefore it is no such piaculum nor delusion of the common people , as mr. brabourne would make it , to put the title of the lords sabbath upon the lords day , and to call it the sabbath day ; for if it be borne out of the same wombe the first seventh was , if it arise ( i mean ) from the same commandment , remember to keep holy the sabbath day ; why may it not bear the name of the sabbath n●w , as the first-born did in former times ? thesis . if the lord would have man to worke six dayes together , according to his own example , and the morality of the fourth commandement , that so a seventh day determined by himselfe might be observed ; hence it is that neither two sabbaths in a week can stand with the morality of the fourth commandement , nor yet could the former sabbath be justly changed into any other day then into the first day of the week ; the first day could not belong to the week before ; for then there should be eight days in a week ; and if it did belong to the week following , then ( if we suppose that the second day had been the sabbath ) there must be one working day , viz. the first day to go before it , and five working dayes after it , and so there should not nor could not be six working dayes continued together , that the seventh might be the lords according to the morality of the fourth commandement . and hence it is that no humane or ecclesiasticall power can change the sabbath to what day of the week they please , from the first , which now is . thesis . it should not seem an uncouth phrase , or a hard saying , to call the first day of the weeke a seventh or the seventh day : for though it be the first absolutely in order of existence from the creation , yet relatively in way of relation , and in respect of the number of seven in a week , it may be invested with the name and title of a seventh , even of such a seventh as may lawfully be c●owned and annointed to be the sabbath day ; for look as noah , though he was the first in order of yeares and dignity of entrance into the ark , yet he is called the eight , pet. . . in that he was one of them ( as the learned observe ) qui octonarium numerum perficiebant , or who made up the number of eight : so it is in respect of the first day , which in divers respects may be called the first , and yet the seventh also . mr. brabournes argument therefore is of no solidity , who goes about to prove the christian sabbath to be no sabbath ▪ because , that sabbath which the fourth commandement injoynes is called the seventh day ; but all the evangelists cal the lords day the first day of the week , not the seventh day . for he should remember that the same day in divers respects may be called the first day , and yet the seventh day ; for in respect of its naturall existence and being , it may be and is called the first day , and yet in respect of divine use and application , it may be and is called the seventh day , even by vertue of the fourth commandement , which is the lords day , which is confessed to be the first day . thesis . for although in numero numerante ( as they call it , ) i. e. in number num●●ing there can be but one seventh , which immediately follows the number six : yet in numero numerato . i. e. in number numbred , or things which are numbred , ( as are the dayes of the week ) any of the seven may be so in way of relation and proportion . as suppose seven men stand together , take the last man in order from the other six , who stand about him , and he is the seventh : so againe take the first in order , and set him apart from the six who stand below him , and if the number of them who are taken from him make up the number of six , he then may and must necessarily be called the seventh . just thus it is in the dayes of the week ; the first sabbath from the creation might be called the seventh day in respect of the six dayes before it ; and this first day of the week may be called the seventh day also , in respect of the six working dayes together after it . that may be called the last seventh ; this the first seventh , without any absurdity of account which some would imagine : and if this first day of the week is called the eight day according to ezekiels prophesie of evangelicall times , and his reckoning onward from the creation , ezek. . . why may it not then in other respects put on the name of a seventh day also ? thesis . the reason why the lord should depose the last seventh , and exalt and crowne the first of seven to be the day of the christian sabbath , is not so well considered , and therefore to be here narrowly examined . for as for those easterne christians , who in the primitive times observed two sabbaths in a week , the jewish and the christian , doubtlesse their milke sod over , and their zeale went beyond the rule . the number of jewes who were beleevers , and yet too too zealous of their old customes , we know , did fill those places in their dispersion and before more then the westerne and more remote parts , and therefore they might more powerfully infect those in the east ; and they to gaine or keep them , might more readily comply with them . let us therfore see into the reason● of this change from one seventh unto another . thesis . the good will of him who is lord of the sabbath , is the first efficient and primary cause of the institution of a new sabbath ; but the resurrection of christ being upon the first day of the week , mark . . is the secondary , morall or moving cause hereof : the day of christs resurrection being christs joyfull day for his peoples deliverance , and the worlds restitution and new creation , it is no wonder if the lord christ appoint it , and the apostles preach and publish it , and the primitive christians observe it as their holy and joyfull day of rest and consolation . for some notable work of god upon a day , being ever the morall cause of sanctifying the day : hence the work of redemption being finished upon the day of christs resurrection , and it being the most glorious work that ever was , and wherein christ was fi●st most gloriously manifested to have rested from it , rom. . , hence th● lord christ might have good cause to honour this day above all others : and what other cause there should be of the publike solemne assemblies in the primitive churches , up●n the first day of the week , then this glorious work of christs resurrection , upon the same day which began their great joy for the rising of the sun of righteousness , is scarce imaginable . thesis . no action of christ doth of it selfe sanctifie any time ; for if it did , why should we not then keepe as many holy dayes every year as we find holy actions of christ recorded in scripture , as the superstitious crew of blind papists do at this day ? but if god who is the lord of time shall sanctifie any such day or time wherein any such action is done , such a day then is to be kept holy ; and therefore if the will of god hath sanctified the day of christs resurrection , we may lawfully sanctify the same day ; and therefore mr. brabourne doth us wrong , as if we made the resurrection of christ , meerly to be the cause of the change of this day . thesis . why the will of god should honour the day of christs resurrection as holy , rather then any other day of his incarnation , birth , passion , ascension : it is this ; because christs rising day was his resting or sabbath day , wherein he first entred into his rest , and whereon his rest began . for the sabbath or rest-day of the lord our god , only can be our rest-day according to the fourth commandement . hence the day of gods rest from the work of gods rest from the work of creation , and the day of christs rest from the work of redemption , are only fit and capable of being our sabbaths . now the lord christ in the day of his incarnation and birth did not enter into his rest , but rather made entrance into his labour and sorrow , who then began the wo●k of humiliation , gal. . , . and in the day of his passion , he was then under the so●est part and feeling of his labour , ●n bitter agonies upon the crosse and in the garden . and hence it is that none of those days were consecrated to be ou● sabbath or rest-dayes , which were days of christs labour and sorrow ; nor could the day of his ascension be fit to be made out sabbath , because although christ then and thereby entred into his place of rest ( the third heavens ) yet he did not then make his first entrance into his estate of rest , which was in the day of his resurrection ; the wisedome and will of god did therefore choose this day above any other to be the sabbath day . thesis . those that goe about ( as some of late have done ) to make christs ascension-day the ground of our sabbath-day , had need be fearefull left they lose the truth and goe beyond it , while they affect some new discoveries of it , which seems to be the case here . for through christ at his ascension entred into his place of rest , yet the place is but an accidental thing to christs rest it selfe , the state of which was begun in the day of his resurrection ; and therefore there is no reason to prefer that which is but accidental above that which is most substantiall ; or the day of entrance into the place of his rest in his ascension , before the day of rest in his resurrection : beside , it s very uncertain whether christ ascended upon the first day of the week ; we are certain that he arose then ; and why we should build such a vast change upon an uncertainty , i know not . and yet suppose that by deduction and strength of wit ●t might be found out , yet wee see not the holy ghost expressely setting it down , viz. that christ ascended upon the first day of the week , which if he had intended to have made the ground of our christian sabbath , he would surely have done : the first day in the week being ever accounted the lords day in holy scriptures ; and no other first day do we find mentioned on which he ascended , but only on that day wherein he arose from the dead . thesis . and looke as christ was a lambe slaine from the foundation of the world meritoriously , but not actually : so he was also risen againe in the like manner from the foundation of the world meritoriously , but not actually . hence it is that look as god the father actually instituted no sabbath day , untill he had actually finished his work of creation , so neither was it meet that this day should be changed , untill christ jesus had actually finished ( and not meritoriously only ) the work of redemption or restoration : and hence it is that the church before christs coming might have good reason to sanctifie that day , which was instituted upon the actuall finishing of the work of creation , and yet might have no reason to observe our christian sabbath ; the work of restoration and new creation , and rest from it , not being then so much as actually begun . thesis . whether our saviour appointed that first individuall day of his resurrection to be the first christian sabbath , is somewhat difficult to determine ; and i would not tie knots and leave them for others to unloose ; this only i aime at , that although the first individuall day of christs resurrection should not possibly be the first individuall sabbath , yet still the resurrection of christ is the ground of the institution of the sabbath , which one consideration dasheth all those devices of some mens heads , who puzzle their readers with many intricacies and difficulties , in shewing that the first day of christs resurrection could not be the first sabbath , and thence would inferre that the day of his resurrection , was not the ground of the institution of the sabbath , which infer●nce is most false ; for it was easie with christ to make that great worke on this day to be the ground of the institution of it , some time after that work was past. thesis . the sinne and fall of man having defaced and spoyled ( de jure though not de facto ) the whole worke of creation , as that learned * bishop well observes ; it was not so meet therefore that the sabbath should be ever kept in respect of that work , but rather in respect of this new creation or restoration of all things by christ , after the actuall accomplishment thereof in the day of his resurrection . but look as god the father having created the world in six dayes , he rested therefore and sanctified the seventh : so this work being spoiled and marred by mans sin , and the new creation being finished and ended , the lord therefore rested the first day of the week , and therefore sanctified it . thesis . the fourth commandment gives in the reason why god sanctified the seventh day from the creation , viz. because god rested on that day , and as it is in exod. . . was refreshed in it , that is , took a complacency and delight in his 〈◊〉 so done and so finished . but the sin of man in falling from his first creation , made god repent that ever he made man , gen. . and consequently the world for man , and therefore it tooke off that complacency or rest and refreshing in this his work ; if therefore the lord betake himselfe to work a new work , new creation or renovation of all things in and by his son , in which he will for ever rest , may not the day of his rest be then justly changed into the first of seven , on which day his rest in his new work began , whereof he will never repent ? if the lord vary his rest , may not be vary the time and day of it , ? nay must not the time and day of our rest be varied , because the ground of gods rest in a new work is changed ? thesis . as it was no necessary duty therefore , perpetually to observe that seventh day wherein god first rested , because his rest on that day is now changed ; so also it is not necessary orderly to observe those six dayes of labour , wherein he first laboured and built the world , of which for the sin of man he is said to have repented ; yet notwithstanding , though it be no necessary duty to observe those particular six dayes of labour , and that seventh of rest , yet it is a morall duty ( as hath been proved ) to observe six dayes for labour , and a seventh for rest ; and hence it follows that although the lord christs rest on the day of his resurrection ( the first day of the week ) might and may justly be taken as a ground of our rest on the same day ; yet his labour in the work of redemption three and thirty yeers and upward , all the dayes of his life and humiliation , could not nor cannot justly be made the ground or example of our labour , so as we must labour and worke thirty three yeeres together before we keep a sabbath the day of christs rest. because although god could alter and change the day of rest without infringment of the morality of the fourth commandment ; yet he could not make the example of christs labour thirty three yeers together , the ground or example of our continuance in our work , without manifest breach of that morall rule , viz. that man shal have six dayes together for labour , & the seventh for rest. for man may rest the first day of the week , and withall observe six dayes for labour , and so keep the fourth commandment ; but he cannot labour . yeers together , and then keep a sabbath without apparent breach of the same commandment : and therefore that argument of master brabourne against 〈◊〉 christian sabbath melt● into vanity , wherein he urgeth an equity of the change of the dayes of our 〈◊〉 , either three dayes onely together ( as christ did lie in the grave ) or . yeers together ( as he did all the dayes of his humiliation ) in case we will make a change of the sabbath , from the change of the day of christs rest. and yet i confesse ingenuously with him , that if the lord had not instituted the first day of the week to be our christian sabbath , all these , and such like arguings and reasonings were invalid to prove a change ; for mans reason hath nothing to do to change dayes without divine appointment and institution : these things onely i mention why the wisdome of god might well alter the day . the proofs that he hath changed it , shall follow in due place . thesis . the resurrection of christ may therefore be one ground , not onely of the sanctification of the christian sabbath , but also a sufficient ground of the abrogation of the jewish sabbath . for , first , the greater light may darken the lesse , and a greater work ( as the restoration of the world above the creation of it ) may overshadow the lesse , ierem . , . exod. . . secondly , mans sinne spoyled the first rest , and therefore the day of it might be justly ab●ogated . for the horrible wrath of god had been immediatly poured out upon man ( as might be proved , and as it was upon the lapsed angels ) and consequently upon all creatures for mans sake , if christ had not given the father rest , for whose sake the world was made , revel . . . and by whose meanes and mediation the world continues as now it doth , ioh. . . thesis . yet although christs resurrection be one ground not onely of the institution of the new sabbath , but also of the abrogation of the old , yet it is not the onely ground why the old was abrogated ; for , ( as hath been shewen ) there was some type affixed to the jewish sabbath , by reason of which there was just cause to abrogate , or rather ( as calvin calls it ) to translate the sabbath to another day . and therefore this dasheth another of mr. brabournes dreames , who argues the continuance of the jewish sabbath , because there is a possibility for all nations still to observe it . for ( saith he ) cannot we in england as well as they at jerusalem remember that sabbath ? secondly rest in it . thirdly , keep it holy . fourthly , keep the whole day holy . fifthly , the last of seven . sixthly , and all this in imitation of god. could no nation ( saith he ) besides the iewes observe these six things ? yes verily that they could in respect of naturall ability ; but the question is not what men may or might do , but what they ought to do , and should do . for besides the change of gods rest through the work of the sonne , there was a type affixed to that jewish sabbath , for which cause it may justly vanish at christs death , as well as other types , in respect of the affixed type , which was but accidentall ; and yet be continued and preserved in another day , being originally , and essentially moral : a sabbath was instituted in paradise , equally honoured by god in the decalogue with all other moral lawes , foretold to continue in the dayes of the gospel by ezekiel and isaiah , ezek. . ult . isa. . . . and commended by christ , who bids his people pray , that their flight may not be in the winter or sabbath-day , as it were easie to open these places against all cavils ; and therefore it is for substance moral . yet the word sabbatisme , heb. . . and the apostles gradation from yeerely holy-dayes to monthly new-moons , and from them to weekly sabbaths , which are called shadowes of things to come , colos. . . seemes strongly to argue some type affixed to those individual sabbaths , or jewish seventh dayes ; and hence it is perhaps that the sabbath is set among moral lawes in the decalogue , being originally and essentially moral , and yet is set among ceremonial feast-dayes , levit. . , . because it is accidentally typical . and therefore mr. brabourne need not raise such a dust , and cry out , oh monstrous ! very strange ! what a mingle-mangle ! what a h●tch-potch have we here ! what a confusion and jumbling of things so farre distant , as when morals and ceremonials are here mingled together ! no verily , we do not make the fourth commandment essentially ceremonial ; but being acidentally so , why may it notwithstanding this be mingled among the rest of the morals ? let one solid reason be given , but away with words . thesis . if the question be , what type is affixed and annexed to the sabbath ? i think it difficult to find out , although mans wanton wit can easily allegorize and readily frame imaginations enough in this point . some thing it typified christs rest in the grave ; but i feare this will not hold , no more then many other popish conjectures , wherein their allegorizing postillers abound . bullinger and some others think that it was typical in respect of the peculiar sacrifices annexed to it , which sacrifices were types of christ , numb , . . and although much might be said for this against that which mr. brabourne replies , yet i see nothing cogent in this ; for the multiplying of sacrifice ( which were 〈…〉 ) on this day proves rather a specialty of worshipping god more aboundantly on this day , then any ceremonialnesse in it ; for if the offering of sacrifices meerly , should make a day ceremonial , why did it not make every day ceremonial in respect of every dayes offering of the morning and evening sacrifice ? some think that our rest upon the sabbath ( not god the fathers rest , as mr. brabourne turnes it ) was made not onely a resemblance , but also a type of our rest in christ , of which the apostle speaks , heb. . . which is therefore called a sabbatisme , v●r . . or a keeping of a sabbath at the word signifies . what others would inferre from this place to make the sabbath to be meerly cermonial : and what mr. brabourne would answer from hence , that it is not at all ceremonial , may both of them be easily answered here again as already they have been in some of the former theses . some scruples i see not yet through about this text , inforce me herein to be silent , and therefore to leave it to such as think they may defend it , as one ground of some affixed type unto the jewish sabbath . thesis . learned iunius goes before us herein , and points out the type affixed to that sabbath ; for , besides the first institution of it in paradise , he makes two other causes which he calls accessory , or affixed and added to it . . one was civill or civil ; that men and beasts might rest from their toilsome labour every week . . ceremoniall or ceremonial ; for their solemne commemoration of their deliverance out of egypt , which we know typified our deliverance by christ , deut. . . some think indeed that their deliverance out of egypt was upon the sabbath day ; but this i do not urge ; because though it be very probable , yet it is not certaine ; onely this is certaine , that they were to sanctifie this day because of this their deliverance ; and 't is certaine this deliverance was typical of our deliverance by christ : and hence 't is certaine that there was a type affixed to this sabbath ; and because the scripture is so plain and expresse in it , i 〈◊〉 inclined to think the same which iunius doth , that this is the type rather then any other i have yet heard of : against which i know many things may be objected ; onely it may be sufficient to clear up the place against that which mr. brabourne answer● to it . thesis . the deliverance 〈◊〉 of egypt , saith he , is not 〈…〉 as the ground of the institution of the sabbath , but onely as a motive to the observation thereof ; as it was more generall in the preface to the decalogue to the obedience of every other command which notwithstanding are not ceremonial ; for god saith , i am the lord who brought thee out of egypt , therefore keepe thou the first , the second , the third , the fifth , the sixth , as well as the fourth commandment ; and therefore ( saith he ) we may make every commandment ceremonial as well as the sabbath , if the motive of deliverance out of egypt makes the sabbath to be so . this is the substance and sinewes of his discourse herein ; and i confesse its true , their deliverance out of egypt was not the first ground of the institution of it , but gods rest after his six dayes labour ; yet it was such a ground as we contend for , viz. a secondary and an annexed or affixed ground . and that it was not a motive only to observe that day ( as it is in the preface to the decalogue ) but a superadded ground of it , may appear from this one consideration , viz. because that very ground on which the lord urgeth the observation of the sabbath in exod. . , it is wholly left out in the repetition of the law , deut. . . and their deliverance out of egypt put into the rome thereof : for the ground in exod. . . is this , six daies god made heaven and earth , and rested the seventh day and sanctified it ; but instead of these words , and of this ground , we finde other words put into their roome , deut. . . remember thou wast a servant in the land of egypt , and that the lord brought thee out thence with a mighty hand , therefore the lord thy god commandeth thee to keepe the sabbath . which seems to argue strongly that these words are not a meer motive but another ground of the observation of the sabbath . and why might not the generall motive in the preface of the decalogue , serve as a sufficient motive to the obedience of this commandment , if there was no more but a motive in these words of deutr. and therefore i suppose this was also the ground and affixed type unto the jewish sabbath . thesis . but still the difficulty remains ; for master brabourne will say that those were but humane reasons ; but what ground is there from scripture for the institution of another sabbath , as well as of the abrogation of the old ? which if it be not cleared . i confesse this cause sinks ; here therefore let it be again observed , that we are not to expect such evidence from scripture concerning this change , ( as fond and humorous wit sometimes pleads for ) in this controversie , namely , that christ should 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 , as it were upon mount zion , and proclaime by word or writing in so many expresse words , that the iewish sabbath is abrogated , and the first day of the week instituted in its roome to be observed of all christians to the end of the world . for t is not the lords manner so to speak in many other things which concerne his kingdome , but as it were occasionally , or in way of history , or epistle to some particular church or people ; and thus he doth concerning the sabbath : and yet wisdomes mind is plain enough to them that understand . nor do i doubt but that those scriptures which are sometimes alledged for the change of the sabbath , although at first blush they may not seeme to heare up the we●ght of this cause , yet being throughly considered , they are not onely sufficent to stablish modest minds , but are also such as may 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or stop the mouths even of wranglers themselves . thesis . i doe not thinke that the exercise of holy duties on a day argues that such a day is the christian sabbath day ; for the apostles preached commonly upon the jewish sabbath , sometime upon the first day of the week also : and therefore the bare exercise of holy du●ies on a day is no sufficient argument that either the one or the other is the christian sabbath ; for then there might be two sabbaths , yea many sabbaths in a week , because there may be many holy duties in severall dayes of the week , which we know is against the morality of the fourth commandment . thesis . yet notwithstanding although holy duties on a day doe not argue such a day to be our sabbath ▪ yet that day which is set apart for sabbath services rather then any other day , and is honoured above any other day for that end , surely such a day is the christian sabbath . now , if it may appear that the first day of the week was thus honoured , then certainly it is to be accounted the christian sabbath . thesis . the primitive patterne churches thus honoured the fi●st day of the weeke ; and what they practised without reproof , that the apostles ( who planted those churches ) enjoyned and preached unto them so to do ; at least in such weighty matters as the change of dayes , of preferring one before that other which the lord had honoured before ; and what the apostles preached , that the lord jesus commanded matth. . . go teach all nations that which i command you : unlesse any shall think that the apostles sometime went beyond their commission to teach that to others which christ never commanded , which is blasphemous to imagine ; for though they might erre in practise as men , and as peter did at antioch , and paul and barnabas in their contention ; yet in in their publike ministry they were infallibly and extraordinarily assisted , especially in such things which they hold forth as patterns for after times : if therefore the primitive churches thus honoured the first day of the week above any other day for sabbath services , then certainly they were instituted and taught thus to do by the apostles approving of them herein ; and what the apostles taught the churches , that , the lord iesus commanded to the apostles . so that the approved practise of the churches herein shewes what was the doctrine of the apostles ; and the doctrine of the apostles shewes what was the command of christ : so that the sanctification of this fi●st day of the week is no humane tradition but a divine institution from christ himselfe . thesis . that the churches honoured this day above any other , shall appeare in its place , as also that the apostles commanded them so to doe . yet mr. primrose saith that this latter is doubtful : and mr. ironside ( not questioning the matter ) fals off with another evasion , viz. that they acted herein not as apostles , but as ordinary pastours , and consequently as fallible men , not only in commanding this change of the sabba●h , but in all other matters of church government ( among which he reckons this of the sabbath to be one ) which he thinks were imposed according to their private wisdome as most fit for those times , but not by any apostolicall commission as concerning all times . but to imagine that matters of church-government in the apostles dayes wete coats for the moon in respect of after-times , and that the form of it is mutable ( as he would have it ) i suppose will be digested by few honest and sober minds in these times , unlesse they be byassed for a season by politick ends , and therefore herein i will not now contend ; one●y it may be considered whether any private spirit could abolish that day , which from the beginning of the world god so highly honoured , and then honour and advance another day above it , and sanctifie it too ( as shall be proved ) for religious services . could any do this justly but by immediate dispensation from the lord christ jesus ? and if the apostles did thus receive it immediately from christ , and so teach the observation of it , they could not then teach it as fallible men , and as private pastors , as he would have it ; a pernicious conceit , enough to undermine the faith of gods elect in many matters more weighty then this of the sabbath . thesis . to know when and where the lord christ instructed his desciples concerning this change , is needlesse to enquire . it is sufficient to beleeve this , that what the primitive churches exemplarily practised , that was taught them by the apostles who planted them ; and that whatsoever the apostles preached , the lord christ commanded , as hath been shewen . yet ▪ if the change of the sabbath be a matter appertaining to the kingdome of god , why should we doubt but that within the space of his forty dayes abode with them after his resurrection , he then taught it them , for 't is expressely said that he then taught them such things , acts . thesis . when the apostles came among the jewes , they preached usually upon the jewish sabbaths , but this was not because they did thinke or appoint it herein to be the christian sabbath , but that they might take the fittest opportunity and season of meeting with , and so of preaching the gospel to the jewes in those times . for , what power had they to call them together when they saw meet ? or if they had , yet was it meet for them thus to do , before they were sufficiently instructed about gods mind for setting apart some other time ? and how could they be sufficiently and seasonably instructed herein without watching the advantage of those times which the jewes yet thought were the only sabbaths ? the dayes of pentecost , passeover and houres of prayer in the temple , are to be observed still as well as the iewish sabbath , if the apostles preaching on their sabbaths argues the continuance of them , as mr. brabourne argues , for we know that they preached also and went up purposely to ierusalem at such times to preach among them as well as upon the sabbath dayes : look therefore as they laid hold upon the dayes of pentecost and passeover as the fittest seasons to preach to the jewes , but not thinking that such feasts should still be continued , so it is in their preaching upon the jewish sabbaths . thesis . nor did the apostles sinfully iudaize by preaching to the iewes upon their sabbaths ( as mr. brabourne would inferre ) ; supposing that their sabbaths should not be still observed , they should then iudaiz and after ceremonies , saith he , and so build up those things which they laboured to destroy : for , suppose they did observe such dayes and sabbaths as were ceremonial for a time , yet it being done not in conscience of the day , but in conscience of taking so fit a season to preach the gospel in , it could not nor cannot be any sinful iudaizing , especially while then , the iews were not sufficiently instructed about the abolishing of those things . for mr. brabourne could not but know that all the iewish ceremonies being once the appointment of god , were to have an honourable burial , and that therefore they might be lawfully observed for a time among the iewes , untill they were more fully instructed about them ; and hence paul circumcised timothy because of the iewes , acts. . . and did otherwise conforme to them , that so he might winne and gaine the more upon them : and if paul observed purposely a iewish ceremony of circumcision , which was not necessary , nay which was not lawfull to be observed among the gentiles , galat. . . and yet he observed it to gaine the iewes : why might not paul much more preach the gospel , which is in it selfe a necessary duty , upon a iewish sabbath which fell out occasionally to him , and therefore might lawfully be observed for such an end among the iewes , which among the gentiles might be unlawful ? suppose therefore that the apostles might have taught the iewes from house to house ( as mr. brabourne argues against the necessity put upon the apostles to preach upon the iewish sabbath ) yet what reason or conscience was there to lose the opportunity of publike preaching for the more plentiful gathering in of soules , when many are met together , and which may lawfully be done , and be contented onely to seek their good in such private waies ? and what although paul did assemble the chiefe of the iewes together at rome when he was a prisoner , to acquant them with civill matters about his imprisonment , acts. . . yet had he power to do thus in all places where he came ? or was it meet for him so to do ? did not he submit the appointment of a sacred assembly to heare the word rather unto them , then assume it to himself , acts . it is therefore false and unsound which master brabourne affirmes , viz. that paul did preach on the iewish sabbath in conscience of the day , not merely with respect of the opportunity he then tooke from their owne publike meetings then to preach to them ; for ( saith he ) paul had power to assemble them together upon other dayes : this , i say , is both false : for he that was so much spoken against among them , might not in all places be able to put forth such a power ; as also 't is unsound ; for , suppose he had such a power , yet whether it was so mee● for him to pu●●t forth in appointing other times , may be easily judged of by what hath been said . thesis . nor is there a foundation here laid of making all other actions of the apostles unwarrantable or unimitable ( as mr. brabourne saith ) because we are not to imitate the apostles herein in preaching upon the iewish sabbaths . for no actions either of christ or the apostles which were done meerly in respect of some speciall occasion , or speciall reason , are , eatenus , or in that respect binding to others : for , the example of christ eating the lords supper onely with men , not women , in an upper chamber , and towards the dark evening , doth not bind us to exclude women , or not to celebrate it in other places and times ; because we know that these actions were meerly occasioned in respect of speciall reasons ( as the eating of the passeover with ones own family , christs family not consisting of women ) so it is here in respect of the sabbath ; the apostles preaching upon the iewish sabbaths was meerely occasionall , by occasion of the publique meetings ( their fittest time to doe good in ) which were upon this and any other day . thesis . now although the iewes observing this day , the apostles observed it among the iewes by preaching among them ; yet we shall finde that among the christian gentile churches and believers ( where no iudaisme was to be so much as tolerated for a time ) not any such day was thus observed , nay another day , the first day in the weeke is honoured and preferred by the apostles above any other day in the weeke for religious and sabbath services . for , although holy duties doe not argue alway a holy day ; yet when wee shall finde the holy ghost single out and nominate one particular day to be observed and honoured rather then any other day , and rather then the iewish seventh day it selfe for sabbath services and holy duties : this undeniably proves that day to be the christian sabbath : and this we shall make evident to be the first day of the weeke . which one thing seriously minded ( if proved ) doth utterly subvert the whole frame and force of master brabournes shady discourse for the observation of the jewish sabbath , and most effectually establisheth the christian sabbath . master braburne therefore herein bestirs his wits , and tells us on the contrary that paul preached not onely to the iewes , but even unto the gentiles upon this iewish sabbath rather then any other day ; and for this end brings double proof● ; one is acts . , . where the gentiles are said to desire paul to preach to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i. e. the weeke betweene , or any day betweene till the next sabbath ( as some translate it ) or ( if master brabourne will ) the next sabbath , or iewish sabbath , when almost all the city came out to heare paul , who were most of them gentiles , not iewes . be it so , they were gentiles indeed ; but as yet no church or christian church of gentiles actually under christs government and ordinances , among whom ( i say ) the first day of the weeke was so much honoured above any other day for sacred assemblies . for , 't is no wonder if the apostles yield to their desires in preaching any time of the weeke , which they thought the best time , even upon the iewish sabbath ; among whom the iewes being mingled , they might have the fitter opportunity to preach to them also , and so become all things to all men to gaine some . his second proofe is , acts , . and here he tells us that paul and timothy preached not to the iewes , but to the gentiles , upon the sabbath day . i confesse they are not called iewes no more then 't is said that they were gentiles ; but why might not lydia and her company be iewes or iewish proselytes , vvho vve know did observe the iewish sabbath strictly till they were better instructed , as they did all other jewish ceremonies also ? for lydia is expressely said to be one who worshipped god befo●e paul came . master brabourne tels us , they were no iewish proselytes , because they had no iewish synagogue , and therefore they were faine to goe out of the city into the fields , beside a river , to pray . i confesse the text saith that they went out to a river side where prayer was wont to be made ; but that this was the open fields , and that there was no oratory , house , or place of shelter to meet and pray in , this is not in the text , but its master brabournes comment and glosse on it . but suppose it was in the open fields , and that they had no synagogue : yet will it follow that these were not iewes ? might not the iewes be in a gentile city for a time without any synagogue ? especially if their number be but small , and this small number consist chiefly of women , as it seemes this did , whose hearts god touched , leaving their husbands to their owne waies ? if they were not iewes or rather iewish prosely●es , why did they choose the sabbath day ( which the iewes so much set by ) rather then any other , to pray and worship god together in ? but verily such answers as these wherewith the poor man abounds in his treatise , make me extreamly fear that he rather stretcht his conscience , then was acted by a plaine deluded conscience in this point of the sabbath . thesis . . it remains therefore to prove that the first day of the week is the christian sabbath by divine institution ; and this may appeare from those three texts of scripture ordinarily alledged for this end . i. acts . . ii. cor. . . iii. revel . . . which being taken joyntly together , hold these three things : . that the first day of the week was honoured above any other day for sabbath services in the primitive churches practise , as is evident , acts . . . that the apostles commanded the observation of this day rather then any other for sabbath-services , as is evident , cor. . , . . that this day is holy and sanctified to be holy to the lord above any other day , and therefore it hath the lords name upon it ( an usual signe of things holy to him ) and therefore called the lords day , as is evident , revel . . but these things need more particular explication . thesis . in the first of these places , acts . . these particulars are manifest . . that the church of troas ( called disciples ) publikely and generally now met together , so that it was no private church-meeting ( as some say ) but generall and open , according as those times would give leave . , that this meeting was upon the first day of the week , called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : which phrase although gomarus , primrose , heylin , and many others go about to translate thus , viz. upon one of the dayes of the week . yet this is sufficient to dash that dream ( besides what else might be said ) viz that this phrase is expounded in other scriptures to be the first day of the week , luke , . iohn , . but never to be found throughout all the scriptures expounded of one day in the week . gomarus indeed tels us of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 luke . . & . . & . . which is translated quodam die , or a certain day ; but this will not help him , for this is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 't is in this place . . that the end of this meeting was holy duties , viz. to break bread , or to receive the lords supper , as the phrase is expounded , acts . . which was therefore accompanied with preaching the word and prayer , holy preparation and serious meditation about those great mysteries . nor can this breaking of bread be interpreted of their love-feasts or common suppers , as gomarus suspects . for their love-feasts and common suppers were not of the whole church together ( as this was ) but in several houses , as mr. cartwright proves from acts . . and although the corinthians used their love-feasts in publike , yet they are sadly reproved for it by the apostle , cor. . . and therefore he would not allow it here . . 't is not said that paul called them together , because he was to depart the next day , or that they purposely declined the lords supper till that day , because then paul was to depart ( as master primrose urgeth ) but the text speaks of it as of a time and day usually observed of them before , and therefore it is said that when they came together to break bread ; and paul therefore took his opportunity of preaching to them , and seemes to stay purposely , and wait seven dayes among them , that he might communicate with them , and preach unto them in this ordinary time of publike meeting , and therefore though he might privately instruct and preach to them the other seven dayes , yet his preaching now is mentioned in regard of some speciall solemnity of meeting on this day . . the first day was honoured above any other day for these holy duties ; or else why did they not meet upon the last day of the week , the iewish sabbath for these ends ? for if the christian churches were bound to observe the iewish sabbath , why did they not meet then and honour the seventh day above the first day ? considering that it was but the day before , and therefore might easily have done it , more fitly too , had that seventh day been the christian sabbath . . why is the first day of the week mentioned which is attributed onely in the new testament to the day of christs resurrection , unlesse this day was then usually honoured and sanctified for holy duties called here breaking of bread by a synecdoche of a part for the whole , and therefore comprehends all other sabbath duties ? for there is no more reason to exclude prayer , preaching , singing of psalmes , &c. because these are not mentioned , then to exclude drinking of wine in the sacrament , ( as the blinde papists do ) because this neither is here made mention of . master primrose indeed tels us that it may be , the first day of the week is named in respect of the miracle done in it upon eu●ichus : but the text it plaine , the time of the meeting is mentioned , and the end of it to break bread , and the miracle is but brought in as a particularly event which happened on this day , which was set apart first for higher ends . . nor is it said in the text that the church of troas me● every day together to receive the sacrament ( as master pr●mrose suggests ) and that therefore this action of breaking bread was done without resp●ct to any particular or special day , it being performed every day . for , i do not finde that the primitive church received the lords supper every day : for though it be said , acts● . ● . that the church continued in the apostles fellowship and breaking of bread ; yet it is not said that they broke bread every day : they are indeed said to be daily in the temple , verse . but not that they brake bread every day in the temple , or from house to house ; or if they should , yet the b●eaking of bread in this verse is meant of common not sacred bread , as it is verse . where i think the bread was no more common , then their continuance in the apostles droctrine and fellowship was common ; and therefore in this . verse , the phrase is altered , and the * original word properly signifies ordinary bread for common nourishment , and yet suppose they did receive the sacrament every day , yet here the breaking of bread is made mention of as the opus diei , or the speciall businesse of the day ; and the day is mentioned as the special time for such a purpose ; and hence no other day ( if they break bread in it ) is mentioned , and therefore it s called in effect the day of meeting to break bread : nor do i finde in all the scripture a day distinctly mentioned for holy duties ( as this first day of the week is ) wherein a whole people or church meet t●gether for such ends ; but that day was holy : the naming of the particular day for such ends , implies the holinesse of it , and the time is purposely mentioned , that others in after times might purposely and specially observe that day . , nor is it said that the disciples met together , the night after the first day ; but it s expressely said to be upon the first day of the week : and supp●se ( as mr. brabourne saith ) that their meeting was no● together in the morning , but onely in the evening time to celebrate the lords supper , a little before the shutting in of the day : yet it s a sufficient ground for conscience to observe this day above any other for holy services , although every part of the day be not filled up with publike & church duties ; for suppose the levites on the jewish sabbath should do no holy publike duty on their own sabbath untill the day was farre ●pent ; will mr. brabourne argue from thence , that the jewish sabbath was not wholly holy unto god ? but againe , suppose the latter part of the day was spent in breaking of bread , yet will it follow that no other part of the day was spent before , either in any private or publique holy duties ? possibly they might receive the lords supper in the evening of this sabbath ( for the time of this action is in the general indifferent ) yet might they not spend the rest of the morning in publike duties , as we know some do now in some churches , who are said to meet together to break bread the latter part of this day , and yet sanctifie the sabbath the whole day before . suppose it be not expressely said that they did shut up shopwindwes at troas and forsake the plough and the wheele , and abstaine from all servile work ; yet if he beleeves that no more was done this day but what is expressely set downe , mr. brabourne must needs see a pitiful face of christ in the lords supper , and people comming ●ushing upon it without any serious examination or preparation or singing of psalms , because no such duties as these are mentioned to be upon this day . . lastly , master primrose like a staggering man knowes not what to fasten on in answer to this place , & therefore tels us that suppose it was a sabbath , yet that it might be taken up from the churches liberty and custome , rather then from any divine institution : but besides that which hath been said to dasht his dreame , thes. . the falsenesse of this common and bold assertion will appeare more fully in the explication of the second text , cor. . , . which now followes , wherein it will appeare to be an apostolical ( and therefore a divine ) institution from jesus christ. thesis . in the second of the places therefore alledged , cor. . , . these things are considerable to prove the first day in the week to be the christian sabbath , and that not so much by the churches practise , as by the apostles precept ; for , . although it be true , that in some cases collections may be made any day for the poore saints ; yet why doth the apostle here limit them to this day for the performance of this duty ? they that translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon one day of the week , do miserably mistake the phrase , which in scripture phrase onely signifies the first day of it , and beat their forheads against the maine scope of the apostle , viz. to fixe a certaine day for such a duty as required such a certaine time : for , they might ( by this translation ) collect their benevolences one day in foure or ten yeers , for then it should be done one day in a week . : the apostle doth not onely limit them to this time , but also all the churches of galatia , verse . . and consequently all other churches if that be true , cor. . , . wherein the apostle professeth he press●th not one church , that he may ease another church , but that there be an equality : and although i see no ground from this text , that the maintenance of the ministry should be raised every sabbath day ( for christ would not have them reckoned among the poore , being labourers worthy of their hire ) and although this collection was for the poore saints of other churches , yet the proportion strongly holds , that if there be ordinary cause of such collections in every particular church , these collections should be made the first day of the week , much more carefully and religiously for the poore of ones own church ; and that in all the churches of christ jesus to the end of the world . . the apostle doth not limit them thus with wishes and counsels onely to do it , if they thought most meet , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , verse . as i have ordained , or instituted ; and therefore bindes their consciences to it ; and if paul ordained it , certainly he had it from christ jesus who first commanded him so to appoint it ; who professeth , that what he had received of the lord , that onely he commanded unto them to do , . cor. . . . if this day had not been more holy and more fit for this work of love then any other day , he durst not have limited them to this day , nor durst he have honoured this day above any other in the weeke , yea above the iewish seventh day . for we see the very apostle tender alway of christian liberty , and not to binde were the lord leaves his people free : for thus doing he should rather make snares then lawes for churches , cor. . . . and go expressely against his own doctrine , galat. . . who bids them stand fast in their liberty , and that in this very point of the observation of dayes , galat. . . but what fitnesse was there on this day for such a service ? consider therefore . . that the apostle doth not in this place immediatly appoint and institute the sabbath , but supposeth it to be so already ( as mr. primrose is forced to acknowledge ) and we know duties of mercy and charity , as well as of necessity and piety , are sabbath duties ; for which end this day ( which beza finds in an ancient manuscript to be called the lords day ) was more fit for those collections then any other day ; partly because they usually met together publikely on this day , and so their collections might be in greater readinesse against pauls coming : partly also that they might give more liberally , at least freely , it being supposed that upon this day , mens hearts are more weaned from the world , and are warmed by the word and other ordinances , with more lively faith and hope of better things to come , and therefore having received spirituall things from the lord more plentifully on this day , every man will be more free to impart of his temporal good things therein for refreshing of the poore saints , and the very bowels of christ iesus . and what other reason can be given of limiting this collection to this day ? i confesse i cannot honestly ( though i could wickedly ) imagine . and certainly if this was the end , and withall the iewish day was the christian sabbath , the apostle would never have thus limited them to this day , nor honoured and exalted this first d●y before that iewish seventh ; which if it had been the christian sabbath , had been more fit for such a work as this , then the first day ( if a working day ) could be . . suppose therefore that this apostolical and divine institution is to give their collections , but not to institute the day ( as master primrose pleads ) suppose also that they were not every lords day or first day , but sometime upon the first day : suppose also that they were extraordinary , and for the poor of other churches , and to continue for that time onely of their need : suppose also that no man is injoyned to bring into the publike treasury of the church , but ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) privately to lay it by on this day by himselfe ( as mr. brabourne urgeth against this text ) yet still the question remaines unanswered , viz. why should the apostle limit them to this day , either for extraordinary or private collections , and such special acts of mercy , unlesse the lord had honoured this day for acts of mercy ( and much more of piety ) above any other ordinary and common day ? what then could this day be but the christian sabbath imposed by the apostles ; and magnified and honoured by all the churches in those dayes ? i know there are some other replies made to this scripture by master brabourne ▪ but they are wind-egges ( as plutarch calls that philosophers notions ) and have but little in them , and therefore i passe them by as i do many other things in that book as not worth the time to name them . . this lastly i adde , this first day was thus honoured either by divine or humane institution : if by divine , we have what we plead for ; if by humane custome and tradition , then the apostle assuredly would never have commended the observation of this day , who elsewhere condemnes the observation of dayes , though the dayes were formerly by divine institution . ye observe ( saith he ) dayes and times : and would he then have commended the observation of these dayes above any other which are onely by humane , but never by divine institution ? it s , strange that the churches of galatia are forbidden the observation of dayes , galat. . . and yet commanded , cor. . . . a more sacred and solemne observation of the first daye of the week rather then any other ! surly this could not be , unlesse we conclude a divine institution hereof . for we know how zealous the holy apostle is every where to strike at humane customes , and therefore could not lay a stumbling block ( to occasion the grievous fall of churches ) to allow and command them to observe a humane tradition , and to honour this above the seventh day for such holy services ar are here made mention of . but whether this day was solemnely sanctified as the sabbath of the lord our god , we come now to inquire . thesis . in the third text , revel . . . mention is made of the lords day , which was ever accounted the first day of the week : it seems therefore to be the lords day , and consequently the sabbath of the lord our god. two things are needfull here to be considered and cleared . . that this day being called the lords day , it is therefore set apart and sanctified by the lord christ as holy . . that this day thus sanctified is the first day of the week , and therefore that first day is our holy or sabbath day . thesis . the first difficulty here to prove and cleare up , is , that , this day which is here called the lords day , is a day instituted and sanctified for the lords honour and service above any other day . for , as the sacrament of bread and wine is called the lords supper , and the lords table , for no other reason but because they were instituted by christ , and sanctified for him and his honour ; so what other reason can be given by any scripture-light why this is called the lords day , but because ●t was in the like manner instituted and sanctified as they were ? master brabourne here shifts away from the light of this text , by affirming that it might be called the lords day in respect of god the creator , not christ the redeemer , and therefore may be meant of the iewish sabbath which is called the lords holy day , isaiah . but why might he not as well say that its called the lords supper & table in respect of god the creator , considering that in the new testament since christ is actually exalted to be lord of all , this phrase is onely applyed to the lord christ as redeemer ? look therefore as the jewish sabbath being called the lords sabbath , or the sabbath of iehovah , is by that title and note certainly known to be a day sanctified by iehovah , as creator ; so this day being called the lords day , is by this note as certainly known to be a day sanctified by our lord jesus as redeemer . nor do i finde any one distinct thing in all the scripture which hath the lords superscription or name upon it ( as the lords temple , the lords offerings , the lords people , the lords priests &c. ) but it is sanctified of god and holy to him : why is not this day then holy to the lord , if it equally bears the lords name ? master primrose indeed puts us off with another shift , viz. that this day being called so by the churches customs ; john therefore calls it so in respest of that custome which the church then used , without divine institution . but why may he not as well say that he calls it the lords table in respect of the churches custome also ? the designation of a day , and of the first time in the day for holy publike services is indeed in the power of each particular church ( suppose it be a lecture , and the houres of sabbath-meetings ) but the sanctification of a day , if it be divine worship , to observe it if god command and appoint it ; then surely it is wil-worship for any humane custome to institute it . now , the lords name being stamped upon this day and so set apart for the honour of christ , it cannot be that so it should be called in respect of the churches customes ; for surely then they should have been condemned for wil-worship by some of the apostles ; and therefore it is in respect of the lords institution hereof . thesis . the second difficulty now lies in clearing up this particular , viz. that this day thus sanctified was the first day of the week , which is therefore the holy day of the lord our god , and consequently , the christian sabbath : for this purpose let these ensuing particulars be laid together . . that this day of which iohn speaks , is a known day , and was generally known in those dayes by this glorious name of the lords day , and therefore the apostle gives no other title to it but the lords day , as a known day in those times ; for the scope of iohn in this vision is as in all other prophetical visions when they set down the day and time of it , to gain the more credit to the certain●y of it , when every one sees the truth circumstantiated , and they heare of the particular time ; and it may seem most absurd to set down the day and time for such an end , and yet the day is not particularly known . . if it was a known day , what day can it be either by evidence of scripture or any antiquity but the first day of the week ? for , . there is no other day on which mention is made of any other work or action of christ which might occasion a holy day , but onely this of the resurrection , which is exactly noted of all the evangelists to be upon the first day of the week , and by which work he is expressely said to have all power given him in heaven and earth , matt. . . and to be actually lord of dead and living , rom. . . and therefore why should any other lords day be dreamed of ? why should master brabourne imagine that this day might be some superstitious easter day , which happens once a yeer ? the holy ghost on the contrary , not setting downe the month or day of the yeer , but of the week wherein christ arose , and therefore it must be meant of a weekly holy day here called the lords day . . we do not read of any other day ( besides this first day of the week ) which was observed for holy sabbath duties and honoured above any other day for breaking of bread , for preaching the word ( which were acts of piety ) nor for collections for the poor ( the most eminent act of mercy ) why then should any imagine any other day to be the lords day , but that first day ? . there seems to be much in that which beza observes out of an ancient greek manuscript wherein that first day of the week , cor. . . is expressely called the lords day , and the syriack translation saith that their meeting together to receive the sacrament , cor. . . was upon the lords day ; nor is there any antiquity but expounds this lords day of the first day of the week , as learned rivet makes good against gomarus , professing , that quotquot interpretes hactenus fuerunt , haec verba de die resurrectionis domini intellexerunt ; solus quod quidem sciam , cl. d. gomarus contradixit . . look as iehovahs , or the lords holy day , isaiah . . was the seventh day in the week then in use in the old testament , so why should not this lords day be meant of some seventh day ( the first of seven in the week which the lord appointed , and the church observed under the new testament , and therefore called ( as that was ) the lords day ? . there can be no other day imagined but this to be the lords day ; indeeed gomarus affirms that it s called the lords day , because of the lord jesus apparition in vision to iohn , and therefore he tell us that in scripture phrase , the day of the lord is such a day wherein the lord manifests himselfe either in wrath or in favour , as here to iohn . but there 's a great difference between those phrases , the lords day , and the day of the lord , which it is not called here . for such an interpretation of the lords day , as if it was an uncertaine time , is directly crosse to the scope of iohn in setting downe this vision , who to beget more credit to it , tels us , first , of the person that saw it , i iohn ver . . secondly , the particular place , in paimo . thirdly , the particular time , the lords day . these considerations do utterly subvert mr. brabournes discourse to prove the jewish sabbath to be the lords day , which we are still to observe , and may be sufficient to answer the scruples of modest and humble minds ; for if we aske the time of it ? it is on the first day of the week . would we know whether this time was spent in holy duties and sabbath services ? this also hath been proved . would we know whether it was sanctified for that end ? yes verily , because it s called the lords day , and consequently all servile work was and is to be laid aside in it . would we know whether 't is the christian sabbath day ? verily if it be the day of the lord our god ( the lords day ) why is it not the sabbath of the lord our god ? if it be exalted and honoured by the apostles of christ above the jewish sabbath for sabbath duties , why should we not beleeve but that it was our sabbath day ? and although the word sabbath day , or seventh day be not expressely mentioned , yet if they be for substance in this day , and by just consequence deduced from scripture , it is all one as if the lord had expressely called them so . thesis . hence therefore it followes , that although this particular seventh day , which is the first of seven , be not particularly made mention of in the fourth commandment ; yet the last of seven being abrogated , and this being instituted in its roome , it is therefore to be perpetuated and observed in its roome . for though it be true ( as mr. brabourne urgeth ) that new institutions cannot be founded , no not by analogy of proportion , meerly upon old institutions ; as because children were circumcised , it will not follow that they are therefore to be baptized : and so because the iewes kept that seventh day , that we may therefore keep the first day . yet this is certaine , that when new things are instituted not by humane analogy , but by divine appointment , the application of these may stand by vertue of old precepts and general rules , from whence the application even of old institutions formerly arose . for we know that the cultus institutu● in the new testament in ministry and sacraments , stands at this day by vertue of the second commandment , as well as the instituted worship under the old. and though baptisme stands not by vertue of the institution of circumcision , yet it being de novo instituted by christ as the seale of initiation into christs mystical body , cor. . . it now stands by vertue of that general rule by which circumcision it selfe was administred , viz that the seale of initiation into christs body be applyed to all the visible members of that body : and hence children are to be now baptized , as once they were circumcised , being members of christs body . so the first day of the week being instituted to be the lords day or lords sabbath , hence it followes that if the first seventh which is now abrogated , was once observed , because it was the lords sabbath or the sabbath day which god appointed ; by the very same rule , and on the very same ground we also are bound to keep this first day being also the sabbath of the lord our god , which he hath now appointed anew under the new testament . thesis . it is true , that some of the primitive churches in the eastern parts , did for some hundred of yeers observe both sabbaths , both iewish and christian. but they did this without warrant from god ( who allowes but one sabbath in a week ) and also against the rule of the apostles ; for i think that paul foreseeing this observation of dayes and iewish sabbaths to be stirring and ready to creep into the church , that he did therefore condemne the same in his epistles to the galatians and colosians ; and that therefore christian emperours and councels in after-times did well and wisely both to condemn the observations of the one and withal honour the other . thesis . although the work of redemption be applyed unto few in respect of the special benefits of it ; yet christ by his death is made heire and lord of all things , bring now set down at the right hand of god , and there is some benefit which befalls al the world by christs redemption ; and the government of all things is not now in the hand of god as creator , but in the hand of a mediator , heb. . , . heb. . . . iohn . . . colos. . . . tim. . . iohn . . . and hence it is no wonder if all men as well as a few elected , selected and called , be commanded to sanctifie the lords day , as once they were the jewish seventh day ; the work of christ being in some respect of as great extent through all the worke of creation as the work of the father . and therefore it is a great feeblenesse in master brabourne to go about to vilifie the worke of redemption , and extoll that of creation above it ; and that therefore the sabbath ought still to be kept in reference to the work of creation which concernes all men , rather then in respect of redemption , which he imagines concerneth onely some few . thesis . the lord christ rested from the work of redemption by price , upon the day of his resurrection ; but he is not yet at rest from the work of redemption by power , untill the day of our resurrection and glory be perfected . but it doth not hence fellow ( as master primrose imagines ) that there is no lords day instituted in respect of christs resurrection because he hath not , nor did not then ●est from redemption by power ; for look as the father having rested from the works of creation might therefore appoint a day of rest , al●hough he did not , nor doth not yet rest from providence , john . . so the lord christ having finished the great worke of redemption , he might justly appoint a day of rest , although his redeeming workly by power was yet behind . thesis . the heavie and visible judgements of god revealed from heaven against prophaners of this our lords day sabbath will one day be a convincing argument of the holinesse of this day , when the lord himselfe shall have the immediate handling and pressing of it . mean while i confesse my weaknesse to convince an adversary by it ; nor will i contend with any other arguments from antiquity for the observation of this day ; but these may suffice , which are alledged from the holy word . the beginning of the sabbath wherein five severall opinions about the beginning of the sabbath are set down ; the arguments commonly used for the four first of them are answered ; and the truth of the fifth , for its beginning in the evening , confirmed . by thomas shepard , pastor of the church of christ at cambridge in new-england . the third part. london , printed for iohn rothwell . . the generall contents concerning the beginning of the sabbath . . five severall opinions concerning the beginning of the sabbath , thesis . . the time for beginning of the sabbath not according to the various customs of divers nations , thesis . . the time of the artificiall day not the beginning and end of the sabbath as it begins and ends , thesis . . the beginning of the sabbath not midnight , thesis . . the morning doth not begin the sabbath , thesis . . that place of mat. . . usually alledged for the beginning of it in the morning , cleared , thesis . . the resurrection of christ not aymed at by the evangelists to be made the beginning of the day , although it be of the change of it , thesis . . john . cleared , thesis . . pauls preaching till midnight no argument of the beginning of the sabbath in the morning , thesis . . the various acception of the word day and morrow , to answer many proofs alledged for beginning the sabbath in the morning , thesis . . some that hold in the beginning of the sabbath was from even to even untill christs resurrection , and then the time was changed , confuted , thesis , . . there is not the like reason for the sabbath to begin at the first moment of christs entrance into his rest , as for the first sabbath at the beginning of fathers rest , thesis . the reasons for the change of the day are not the same for the change of the beginning of the day , thesis . . the conceived fitnesse for the beginning of the sabbath in the morning rather then in the evening is a vanity , thesis . . the evening begins the christian sabbath , thesis . . the place gen. . cleared , thesis . . the darkenesse mentioned gen. . . was not punctum temporis , thesis . . the separation of light and darkenesse , gen. , . cleared thesis . . . levit. . . prov●s the beginning of the sabbath at evening thesis . . nehemiah an exemplary pattern beginning the sabbath at evening , thesis . . those that prepared for the buriall of chri●t began their sabbath in the evening , thesis . . . christs lying three dayes in the grave , thesis . . those nothern countries who have the sun in view divers weeks together in a yeer yet know when to begin the day , thesis . the beginning of the sabbath . thesis . it s a holy labour ( saith one ) to enquire after the beginning of holy rest. the sabbath cannot be so sweetly sanctified unlesse we know the time when to begin and end it the different apprehensions of such as have inquired after the truth in this particular , have mad way for the more clear and distinct knowledge of it ; it being the priviledge of truth to be more purified and shine the brighter by passing thorough the heats and fires of mens contentions and disputations . thesis . there being therefore five severall opinions concerning this particular , it may not be unusefull to bring them all to the balance and touchstone , that so by snuffing the candle , and rejecting that which is false , the light of truth may shine the brighter at last . thesis . some there be who make the time mutable and various ; affirming , that god hath not fixed any set time , or that he stands upon , or would have his people troubled with such niceties ; so long as the day be observed ( say they ) it is no matter when it be begun : nor do they make this variation to be according to that which god allows ( suppose from sun to sun , sooner or later as the time of the yeere is ) but according to the civill customs of severall nations , as they variously begin or end their daies among whom they live ; as suppose they live among romans , ( they think ) they may begin it at midnight ; if with babylonians , at sun-rising ; if among grecians , at sun-set ; if among umbrians and arabians , at mid-day . thesis . if the scripture had left us such a liberty as this , viz to measure the beginning of the day according to humane custome ; a scrupulous conscience ( i think ) might have a most and ready quieting answer here : but it will be found too true , that though civill and common time may admit of such variations as may best suit with their manner and occasions , yet sacred and holy time is not dependent upon humane customs , but upon divine institutions : for which purpose god hath made the lights of heaven to be for seasons , gen. . . to be guides and helps to begin and end the seasons and daies which he shall appoint . thesis . t is true , that it suits not with gods wisdome to determine all particular circumstances of things ( which are almost innumerable and infinite ) by the expresse letter of the scripture ; and therefore he hath left us a few generall rules to direct us therein ; yet for the lord to leave the determination of some circumstances to humane liberty , would be very perilous . the temple was but a circumstance of place , and king vzziah in in offering incense , varied onely in a circumstance of person , yet we know that the ten tribes were carried away captive for not sacrificing at the temple , and vzziah smitten with leprosie till his death : so the lord having determined the seventh day to be his , what now should hinder but that he should determine the beginning also thereof ? thesis . if god hath been accurately carefull to fix the beginning of other feasts and holy daies , far inferior unto this , as appeareth levit. . . exod. . . why should we think that the lord is lesse carefull about the beginning of his sabbath ? thesis . if the lord hath not left it to humane wisdome to set down the bounds , and limits of holy places ( as appears in the temple , tabernacle , and all their appurtenances ) why should we think that he hath left it to mans wisdome to limit and determine holy time ? thesis . if the lord will have a speciall time of worship once within the circle of seven daies , and not appoint the time for the beginning and end of it , might he not lose much of the beauty of the holinesse of the day , every thing being beautifull in its season ? may not man begin the day at such a season as may not be beautifull ? thesis . the deputation of time for holy uses upon occasion is allowed to man ; yet sanctification of time , and to set the bounds and limits of it , is left to no man : sanctification not only positive , but relative ( as here in the sabbath ) being as proper to the holy ghost , as creation to the father , and redemption to the son. thesis . application of holy time to the performance of holy duties on the sabbath , ( as to fix what houres to meet in upon that day ) is left to humane prudence from generall rules of conveniency , order , comelinesse : but consecration of constant and fixed time is the lords propriety , not onely of the middle , but of the beginning and end thereof . thesis . the scriptures have left the determination of the beginning of the sabbath no more to civill nations and their customs , then to particular churches , and each particular person ; for they may all equally plead against the the lord● strictnesse to any exact begining of time ▪ but if such a loose liberty were granted , a world of confusion , scandall , and division would soon appeare ; for some persons might then begin it at midnight , some at mid-day ; some might m●asure the beginning of the sabbath according to their sleeping sooner or latter on the sabbath day morning ; some might be plowing or dancing and drinking , when others are praying and hearing of the word ; and who could restraine them herein ? for they might plead the sabbath is not yet begun to them . thesis . if therefore god hath sanctified a set time , he hath set and sanctified the bounds and limits of that time : and to begin the time when we lift , it may sometime arise from weaknesse , but usually t is a fruit of loosnesse of heart , which secretly loves to live as it lists , which would not conform to gods rule , and therefore will crook and bend the rule to its humour ; which will not come up to gods time , and therefore make god to come downe to theirs . thesis . o here there be who give god the honour of determining the beginning and end of the day , but they cut him short of one halfe of it , in that they make the artificiall day , or the day-light , from sun-rising to sun-setting , to be the day of his sabbath . thus some affirm downright . others more modestly say , h●t mans conscience ought not to be scrupulous nor trouble it selfe , if conscienciously give god the honour of the sabbath day-light , having some generall preparations for it the night before , and good affections the night after . thesis . but if the day-light be the measure of the sabbath , those that live in some pa●ts of the russia and east-land must have once a yeere a very long sabbath : for there are some times of the yee●e wherein they have day-light a moneth together . thesis . if god give us six naturall daies to labour in , is it not fit that the seventh day should beare an equall proportion with every working day ? and therefore it is not an artificiall , but a naturall day , consisting of twenty four houres , which we must in conscience allow unto god to be the sabbath day . thesis . it is true that the night is given to man to rest in , it being most fit for that end ; but it is not necessary that all the week●ly nights be spent in sleep , for we then do labour , and gods providence puts men generally upon it to labour in their callings earely and la●e those nights , and the lord allows it ; nay it would be sin and idlenesse in many not to doe it ; besides , that sleep and rest which is to be taken in the night , it is in ordine ▪ or in re●erence to day-labour , and is as a whet thereunto and in this respect the whole weekly night as well as the day is for labour ; as the sleep we take on sabbath night is in ordine , or with respect to spirituall rest , and so that whole naturall day is a day of spirituall rest . it is therefore a vain thing for any to make the nights of the six working daies to be no part of the six working daies , because ( they say ) they are given to man to rest and sleep in ; for upon the same ground they may make the artificiall daies no daies of labour neither , because there must be ordinarily some time taken out of them to eat , drink , and refresh our weak bodies in . thesis . if nehemiah shut the gates of the city when it began to be dark least that night time should be prophaned by bearing burdens in it , then certainly the time of night was sanctified of god as well as the day ; to say that this act was but a just preparation for the sabbath , is said without proofe : for , if god allows men six daies and nights to labour in , what equity can there be in forbidding all servile worke a whole night together which god hath allowed man for labour ? and although we ought to make preparation for the sabbath , yet the time and measure of it is left to each mans christian liberty ; but for a civill magistrate to impose twelve houres preparation for the sabbath , is surely both against christian liberty , and gods allowance also : again , nehemiah did this , lest the men of tyre should occasion the jews to break the sabbath day by bringing in wares upon that night ; so as if that night therefore had not been part of the sabbath , they could not ther●●y provoke the jews to prophane the sabbath day , by which nehemiah tels them they had provoked the wrath of god. thesis . a whole naturall day is called a day though it take in the night also , because the day-light is the chiefest and best part of the day , and we know that the denomination of things is usually according to the better part ; but for mr. brabourne to affirm , that the word day , in scripture , is never taken but for the artificiall day or time of light , is utterly ●alse , as might appeare from sundry instances ; it may suffice to ●ee a cluster of of seven daies which comprehended their nights also , exod. . , , . , . thesis . to affirme that the sabbath day onely comprehends the day-light , because the fi●st day in gen. began with morning light : is not only a bad consequence ( supposing the ground of it to be true ) but the ground and foundation of it is as certainly false , as to say that darknesse is light ; for its evident that the first day in genesis began with that darknesse which god calls night , psal. . . and to affirme that the first day in genesis . begins with morning light , is as grossely false , as it is apparently true that within six daies the lord made heaven and earth , ex. . for before the creating of that light which god calls day , the heavens and with them the angels , and the earth or fi●st matter called the deepe , which was overspread with darknesse , were created : either therefore the lord did not create the world in six dayes , or t is untrue that the first day in genesis began with morning light : and i wonder upon what grounds this notion should enter into any mans head : for though god calls the light day and the darkenesse night , ( as we shall doe when speake of the artificiall day ) yet withall he called the evening of the morning the first day ; and what was this evening and morning ? surely it s all that space of time wherein the lord did his first dayes work ; now it s evident that part of the first daies work was before god created the light : and what though evening be oftentimes taken for the latter part of the daylight ? yet it s too well known to those who have waded the deepe in this controversy , that it is oftentimes taken not only for the bound between light and darkenesse , . e. the end of light and beginning of darknesse , ios. . , . psal. . . but also for the whole time of darknesse , as t is here in this first of genesis , and as we shall prove in due place ; and therefore to affirm that the hebrew word used by moses for evening , not to be naturally applyable to the night , because it signifies a mixture of light and darknesse in the notion of it , is a grosse mistake ; for the hebrew word gnereb , doth not signifie a mixture of light and darknesse , but onely a mixture , because it is the beginning of darkenesse wherein all things seeme to be mixed and compounded together , and cannot be clearly and distinctly discerned in their kinds and colours , if buxtorfius may be believed ; as is also evident , is. . . and to affirm that the day is before the night ; even in this first of genesis , because mose● sometimes sets the day before the night ; it may seeme 〈…〉 an argument as to say that the evening is before the morning , because moses here sets the evening before the morning ; but this will not seeme rationall to them who make the evening to comprehend the latter part of the day-light , and the morning the first part of it : lastly , to make the light to begin the day , because the time of light is a certaine principle of compu●ation ( the space of darknesse before that light was created being unknown ) is all one , as if one should affirme that the time of day-light was not the beginning of the day , because the space of that is also as much unknown . for if we know that darknes was before light , though we may not know how long it continued , yet we do know certainly that the first day began with darknesse , and that this darknesse and light made up the space of houres , or of a naturall day ( as in al other daies works of creation ) and which is sufficient to break down this principle , viz. that the first day in genesis began with morning light. thesis . some say the sabbath is significative of heaven , and therefore it onely comprehends the day light which is fit to signifie the lightsome day of heaven , which darknesse is not : but why may not night-time signifie heaven as well as day-time ? for heaven is a place of rest , and the night is the fittest time for rest , after our weary labours in the day . who teacheth men thus to allegorize ? how easily a thing is it thus to abuse all the scripture ? and yet suppose it should signifie heaven , yet why may not the sabbath continue the space of a naturall as well as of an artificiall day , considering that the naturall day of the world or of both hemispheres consists onely of light , which these men say is significative of heaven ? thesis . we may and do sanctifie time by sleeping on the sabbath night , as well as by shewing workes of mercy , and doing workes of necessity upon the sabbath day , or as we may do by eating and drinking ; for to take moderate sleepe is a worke not only of necessity but also of mercy to our selves ; and therefore to abolish the sabbath night from being any part of the sabbath , because we cannot ( as some think ) sanctifie time by sleeping no more then by working , is very unsound . thesis . moses indeed tells the people , ex. . . that to morrow is the lords sabbath , but he doth not say that the day time onely was the only time of the sabbath , or that the day light begins and ends the sabbath ; but he mentions that time , because on that daylight of the seventh day they were apt and inclined to go out ( as in other daies , ) to gather manna , and so to breake the sabbath ; and it is as if we should say to one who was ready to ride out on the sabbath morning about wordly occasions , do not stir out , for to morrow is the sabbath ; that so we may hereby prevent the breach of the sabbath in that thing , especially at that time wherein one is most inclined so to do . thesis . to imagine that the sabbath must be contained within the bounds of daylight , because christ iesus arose at breake of day , mat. . . is of no more force then as if one should conclude the containment of it within the bounds of some darknesse , and twylight ; for its evident that he arose about that time . thesis , . there is no more necessity of sanctifying a day and a halfe by beginning the day at evening , then by beginning it at morning light ( for thus some argue ) for what is said of the evening of both hemisphers , that the second evening would begin houres after the first , if the sabbath was sanctified to begin at the evening of both hemispheres , and so there would be a day and halfe sanctified ; the like ( i say ) may be averred of the morning , supposing that both hemispheres should begin their sabbath at the morning of both hemispheres ; but we know , that the sabbath day is sanctified to begin and end according to the setting and rising sun in each hemisphere and longitude of places respectively . thesis . if evening , morning , light and night , made up every day the creation , why shall we think but that the sabbath day also consisted of the same parts ? and if the whole world was made in six daies , and these daies be only such as consist of day-light , when then was the third heaven and chaos made which did exist before light ? those fathers and schoolemen who set such narrow bounds to the day , had need consider of it , least their answer be like his who hearing a simple preacher desiring the continuance of the life of the king so long as sun and moone endured ? and being askt , if that should be so when should his son raigne ? he replyed , it may be the preacher thought that he might rule by candle-light . thesis . suppose therefore that there was no publick worship in the temple ( as one objecteth ) among the iewes in the night-time , yet it will not follow from hence that the sabbath was to continue no longer then day-light ; for the sabbath might be sanctified privately in the night , as well as more publickly in the day ; and thus the iewes were wont to sanctifie their sabbaths . and so should we , is. . . psal. . . psal. . . . thesis . t is true that its very good to prepare for , and end the sabbath with holy affections ; yet if a seventh part of weekly time be due to god , as six parts of it are due to us , thorow the goodnesse of god ; then let god be glorified as god , and the whole day allowed him as his day ; let caesar have his due , and god his . thesis . others allow the lord his whole time , but they thinke that he hath fixed the beginning of it at the gates of midnight , which midnight they call morning or morning midnight , or midnight morning , and therefore they imagine out of gen. . that the morning was halfe night wherein time began , and halfe , day ; six houres night from midnight to six , and six houres day from six to midday : and by the same proportion , the evening to begin at midday , and so to continue six houres day from to six , and six houres night from six to midnight , and therefore they say that god is said to stretch the north uppon the empty , iob. . . because first beginning of the notion of time began from the north point , when darknesse was first upon the face of the deepe , and from this north point in the revolution of the heavens we do account it midnight , as being opposite to the south which in the course of the sun is at midday : and therefore also ( they say ) that evening is never taken in all the scripture for the whole night : but as evening begins at midday so morning begins at midnight . thesis . but if the first day and consequently the sabbath day should begin at midnight , it were meet to give a demonstration that this first darknesse should continue just six houres , or halfe the time of such a night when the sun is in the aequinoctiall ; but although it be certaine that the first time began in darknesse , yet it s wholly uncertaine whether this darknesse continued but six houres . zanchius and many others have very good cards to shew that this first darknesse continued a compleat night of houres ; others on the other hand make it far lesse ; certaine it is , it continued some considerable space of time , in that it hath the name of night put upon it ; but that it should be just six houres , neither can mans reason demonstrate it , nor hath god in any scripture revealed it , but it is a meere uncertainty , and therefore an ill foundation for setling the beginnning of the sabbath upon . thesis . some would prove the sabbath to begin at midnight because christ arose at midnight , and he arose at midnight because sampson a type of christ carried away the gates of gaza at midnight , iudg. , . but such allegoricall reasonings were fit tooles for blind monkes in former times to delude the simple people with ; i suppose men are wiser now then to be fed with wind and chaffe , and to build their faith upon cozening allegories of humane wit , by which as the blind monkes of old did feede the people , so the familists now deceive the world : both which are the fruits of gods heavy curse upon their hearts , who because they did not love the truth to seed upon it , are therefore fed with vanity of mind . thesis . t is true paul preached till midnight , acts . . but doth it hence follow that the sabbath was to end at midnight ? no verily , for the beginning and end of the sabbath is not measured by mans preaching a longer or a shorter time ; paul might have continued preaching longer then the sabbath or midnight , the case being extraordinary in respect of his departure the next day never to see their faces more . and he might have continued a shorter time then the sabbath continued , as our saviour himselfe did before sun-set , mark . . . for the bounds of of continuance of the sabbath are not set according to the beginning and end of any mans preaching , which is so exceeding uncertaine : pauls long sermon was not continued and ended at midnight purposely , and because so long the sabbath continued ; but occasionally , in regard of his finall departure from them the next day ; and hence in respect of this extraordinary cause he continued so long at it , which in ordinary course had bin very unseasonable . thesis . it is not said in the first of genesis that the morning and the evening were the first day , as if the day should begin at morning midnight : but the evening and the morning were the first day ; and therefore its strange that any should derive the beginning of the sabbath from morning midnight out of this text : the graecians because they begin the day at the evening of sunset . did therefore orderly call their naturall day * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is it probable that moses would speake disorderly , & ordine retrogrado here ? and not rather according to the interpretation of daniel , who calls daies by name of ghne●eb boker , which signifies evenings mornings , because the evening , not the morning , much lesse midnight-morning is to begin the day , dan. . . thesis . it is true that sometimes those things which are first in order of t●me , are spoken of last in order of story ; and therefore it s no solid argument to prove that the evening is before the morning , meerly because the evening is set downe first before the morning , unlesse it can be proved that the story sets down such things ( and so this in particular ) orderly ; which i supp●se is evident . because the first darknesse is called night , and also comprehends the whole time of night , as light comhends the whole time of the day , gen. . , . now i doe not find in all the scripture , nor is any man i thinkable to shew that the whole night is taken for the morning , and therefore the first darknesse could not possibly begin at the morning or midnight morning , . because the scope of moses in this chapter is to set down not onely the work of creation , but the exact order of it , and consequently of the order of time , which was consecrated with the world ; first the beginning of it , then the succession and vicissitude of it , first in the dark night , then in the light day , and ( which is all one ) first in the evening , then in the morning , . because the evening may be the end of the artificiall day ; but i know no proofe from any instance in scripture to make it the end of the naturall day , of which moses here speakes ; and therefore as evening cannot end the day , so midnight morning cannot be●in it . thesis . to affirme that the evening is never taken in scripture for the whole night , and that therefore by the evening we are to understand six houres day , and six houres night , as the consequence is most weake , so the assertion is most false , as may appear to any who seriously ponders these and such like scriptures , hab. . . ps. . . iob. . . deut. . , . zach . . isa. . . thesis . nor can it be proved that the evening begins at mid-day , which is their principall argument to prove that the morning begins at midnight . thesis . for though it be said , ex. . , . ex. . . that the lambe was to be slaine betweene the two evenings ( as t is in the hebrew ) yet neither these , or any such scriptures are able to prove that one of those evenings must necessarily begin at mid-day ; but onely this that some part of the afternoone when the sun was in his declining , was one of these evenings ; and some of the iewish rabbins , begin it at noone , yet it is without warrant from scripture , and they are overwhelmed with crosse testimonies from most of their fellowes , who begin it some about one , some about two of the clock in the afternoone , and iosephus ( who knew best his countreymens manners ) and who is one of most credit in his writings , tells us that they began their first evening about three of the clock in the afternoone . thesis . we read indeed of the shadowes of the evening , ier. . . but it doth not hence follow that the evening begins at mid-day , but rather some time after it , the shadowes of the evening being the shadowes of the day declining , which therefore grow long ; but mid-day is no time of declining shadowes . thesis . although the evening may be called by humane custome all that part of the day wherein we wish men good . even from noone till sun-set , yet it s then called the evening in respect of the artificiall not naturall day , of which moses speakes when he divides the day into morning and evening , part of which afternoone is also called evening by the holy ghost in scripture ; because it is either approaching or hastning toward the evening of the naturall day , or contiguous to it : even as part of the dark night is sometime called morning , because it is either contiguous or not far from the morning light , and men are then usually up , and preparing for it . thesis . and as no text can be produced to prove that the evening begins at mid-day ; so neither can any be alledged to prove the morning to begin at mid-night . the scripture ( speaking properly ) putting an expresse difference betweene mid-night , coc●-crowing , and morning , marke . . thesis . and therefore to translate the words in gen. : so was the evening , so was the morning the first day ; and then and this glosse and interpretation , viz. that out of the premisses of night and day , so was the evening mixed of them both ; so was the morning also compounded of both , to wit of night and light : this i say is but words ; here is no proofe for such an interpretation . iunius translation is best and most cleare , and rationall , viz. so was the evening and the morning of the first day : for as hath bin said the whole time of night is never called by the name of morning ; let any man shew the leaft tittle in any scripture it , and i will yeeld to them in this cause . thesis . to affirme that the division of the naturall day , gen. . into day and night , was for civill use , and into evening and morning for religious use , in respect of the evening and morning s●crifice along time after , is just such a device as his who would needs thinke that the first day of the we●ke was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , because god foresaw and ordained the change of the sabbath unto that first day ; for we know , god speak●s of t●hings as they were then in their nature when they did first exist , before sacrifices were thought of ; adam called the names of things according to their natures and special use , and is it credible that before his fall where there was no use of sacrifices , that he should know of morning and evening sacrifi●es in which respect it was called evening morning ; and yet suppose it was in respect of religious use that these names are given to each day , yet why must not the evening begin the day rather then the morning ? it being as hath bin proved , fi●st in being as it is fi●st in naming . thesis . 't is true , the time before day , marke . . is called early morning , and we read of the morning watch before day light , ex. . , yet these places no way prove that which they are produced for , viz. that morning begins at midnight : that christ went to prayer at midnight , because he went to it in the early morning , or that the morning watch began at midnight ; for we know it was some time after it ; these places indeed shew thus much , that sometime before day-light is sometime called morning , which is readily acknowledged in the respects forementioned . thesis . the angels indeed were created together with the third heaven , gen. . . in the beginning of time ; for being incorruptible ( as the third heaven is ) they could not be afterward created out of the first matter , as all this visible and corruptible world was ; therefore the earth is said to be dark and void ( i. e. of all inhabitants and beautiful forms ) in opposition to the third heaven which was made with it , which was lightsome and full of inhabitants , viz. the angels ; and if it was a kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world , surely this kingdom had a king then , and this king had his subjects ; who could they then be but angels ? but to infer from hence that this time of darknesse wherein the angels were created , should be morning , and that therefore they are called by iob the morning stars , iob. . , . as some imagine , will follow no more then as if one should affirm that the king of babel ( called lucifer ) was certainly born in the morning , because he also is called a morning star , isa. . for who sees not but that the speech is metaphoricall in both ? glorious excellency above others being bestowed on them , as speciall brightnesse and lustre is given to the morning star . thesis . belshazar is said to be slain in the night , dan. . . which the prophet isaiah has foretold should be in the morning , isa. . . but will it follow hence that this morning is the time of midnight ? might it not be after midnight as well ? for the text is silent ; and yet i do not think that the word morning in isay is meant of midnight nor any part of any night , but by a metaphor the apparent time of the beginning of his misery ( the light of the morning manifesting all things apparently ) the lord also alluding to the manner of humane judicatures ; who were wont to passe the sentence and inflict it in the morning as the scripture frequently holds forth . thesis . though also it be true that the lord smote the egyptians at midnight , and that the israelites were prohibited from stirring out of doors till morning , exod. . , , . and yet that they did stir up one another to depart before morning-light ; yet it will not hence follow ( as some would infer ) that midnight was the beginning of their morning : for then , . they might have risen at midnight just then when god was destroying the egyptians first born , for that was part of the morning by this account . . they are prohibited from stirring out of doors till morning as of themselves : yet if god and pharoah and moses will force them out , there is no rule broken by stirring out in such a case before day light morning . , 't is more then probable that there was some good space after midnight before they stird out , which is said to be in the morning watch ; for the deaths stroak was at midnight after which pharoah and his councel must fit and consult , and conclude what to do , and send for moses ; after which there must be some time for moses to acquaint the israelites to make them fit and ready to depart their departure ; therefore in the morning was not at midnight which began this morning , . pharoah sends for moses after midnight , yet this time is called night psal. . . and not morning ; and indeed properly it was not so , onely called so by an improper speech . thesis . when iob saith that god stretcht out the north upon the empty , iob . . ●tis not spoken of the empty chaos , for iob hath no occasion to speak thereof , nor is it his scope ; but of the places near the north pole which are void and empty of inhabitants , none being able now to dwell in that frigid zone . thesis . if god hath set any time to begin the sabbath , surely 't is such a time as may be ordinarily and readily known , that so here ( as well as in all other ordinances ) the sabbath may be begun with prayer , and ended with praise : but if it should begin at midnight , what man of a thousand can readily tell the certain time when it begins , that so they may in a holy manner begin the sabbath with god ? all men have not the midnight clocks and bells to awaken them , nor can the crowing of cocks herein give a certain sound ; a poor christian man had need be a good and watchful mathematician that holds this opinion , or else i see not how he will know when midnight is come ; and if he cannot , then it s very considerable and to me unquestionable , that that cannot be the beginning of holy time which cannot be begun in a holy manner : there was never any ordinance of god but it was so ordered as that it might ordinarily be begun and ended with god ; which makes me question that the beginning of it at morning midnight cannot be of god. thesis . others there be who do not begin the sabbath at morning midnight , but begin and end it at morning light , at the rising of the sun and the light of it : who indeed are assisted with better proofs and stronger arguments then any of the rest , and therefore need tryall , and we have need to know what weight they are of . as also to be accurately wary least the rule of love be broken towards such gracious and learned servants of god● considering how much they have to say in this point , in which case , much love , respect and indulgence hath been ever accounted necessary by men of moderate and sober minds . thesis . the six working dayes being considered absolutely in themselves , in this respect it is no matter whether they begin at eving or morning , or midnight , or mid-day , nor is it in this respect a sin to begin and end the dayes according to the custome of the civil nation where we live ; but because these dayes are to be considered relatively in respect of the seventh day , hence the week dayes are so to be begun , as that their relation to the seventh be not disturbed , so as that the bounds and limits of the sabbath be not impared or transgressed : for there is no religious necessity to begin and end civill time with sacred : nor is it so uncomely as it may seem at first blush to give god and caesar their due : civil accompts to the one , and sacred to the other ; for when the iews were subdued by the romans , they might and did begin their reckonings of civill time as the romans did , and yet reserve the bounds of sacred time wholly unto god. they did the like in england many years since , saith mr. fox , and that their civil dayes began in the morning , and religious dayes in the evening ; and when they did thus variously begin their days , there was no such undecent disproportion of times as reverend mr. cleaver imagines , in the like case , if holy time should not begin with morning which he pleads for . thesis . the principall foundation of this opinion , are the words of the four evangelists , mat. . . mark ● . , . luke . . iohn . . among all which that of mat. . . hath most weight , wherein 't is said , in the end of the sabbath as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week , &c. from whence it seems to follow that if the sabbath day did end at the dawning of the first day of the week , that then the dawning of the day-light of the first day , must be the beginning of the sabbath day , or of the christian sabbath . thesis . the consideration of this scripture hath caused some , very judicious , ( viz. beza , iunius and others ) who conceive the sabbath to begin at even , to affirm upon very probable grounds , that there was among the iews , at this time under their roman bondage a double account , and reckoning of the dayes of the week . . civill . . sacred account . according to sacred account ( they say ) the church of god began their sabbath at evening , not morning , which they demonstrate from sundry pregnant texts in the old and new testament ; but according to the civill account of the romans who gave the precedency to the morning before the evening , they begun it therefore in the morning , and according to this latter account they suppose the evangelists to speak . thesis . but if the severall texts be duly examined , rightly compared and sincerely interpreted , there will not appear a necessity of such an account from this place , but rather that these texts which are ordinarily produced to evince the beginning of the sabbath at morning , will bring in strong evidence to demonstrate its beginning rather on the evening before . thesis . for this dawning toward the first day of the week is meant of the artificiall day , or the light of the first day of the week , as the word dawning implies , and the evidence of their fact in comming to the sepulcher demonstrates as much ; for it is not the scope of the evangelist to set down when the first day of the week began , but at what time of the first day of the week such and such actions ●ell out : any thing done in any time of the day , whether at six , or nine , or two of the clock may be said to be done that day ; but it will not follow that they are therefore done in the beginning of that day : i meete with two exceptions here . . some say that it might be meant of the artificiall day if the words had run thus , viz. at the dawning of the day ; or the first day of the week about the dawning of the day ; but the dawning toward the first day , this phrase ( they say ) seems to describe beginning of such a day a● stands in relation to the whole week , and all the other dayes of the week , which are to be taken for naturall dayes : but , . there is i hope a first artificiall day of the week as well as a naturall . . this artificiall day doth not in this account exclude the night before as part of this first day , and consequently the naturall day consisting of night and light ; therefore it may well stand in relation to the other dayes of the week which were naturall ; for although the evangelist sets down particularly when these things about the resurrection of christ happened to be , viz. at the dawning towards the first day of the week , yet we that begin the sabbath at evening may and do use the same phrase , and yet so speake of the artificial day upon which some event begins , as not to exclude the night before upon which the naturall day begins . . compare the evangelists ; and the dawning in matthew towards the first day , will be found to be all one with this phrase , viz. the first day about or at the dawning of it : for that which matthew calls dawning to the first day , marke calls early in the morning , the first day of the weeke at the rising of the sunne ; and luke calls upon the first day of the week very early in the morning : whence it is evident that matthews drawning to the first day is all one with about the rising of the sun upon the first day : so that this difference between dawning toward the first day , and dawning upon the first day seemes to be an english cabalisme , and a meere curiosity exhaled and extracted out of the words , rather then any solid truth which the text holds forth or the spirit of god aimed at . . a second exception is ; that though the word day in scripture be taken for the artificiall day , yet never when the word first , second , or third day , &c. are joyned together ; and they point us to the first of genesis , where when the first or second day is mentioned , it s constantly meant of a naturall and not an artificiall day . but . this is a great mistake ; for the day for the levites travell ( which was not in the night but upon the artificiall day ) is called the fourth day , iudg. . . and the th day , verse . . this artificiall day may be called the first day as that it may involve the night before , ( where we make the sabbath to begin ) as well as the night after , on which they make the sabbath to end ; and thus the naturall day may be here comprehended also ( which they plead for ) the same day which artificially begins at day-light , may naturally begin the night before . thesis . if we should suppose that this day is meant of the artificiall day , yet there is a harder knot to be unloosed in the words of matthew , who affirms that this day-light or day-dawn was the end of the sabbath . whereby it seems that the sabbath began at the dawning of the day before , and therefore it ends at the dawning of the first day following : and hence they infer that the day-light of this first day cannot belong to the night of the jewish sabbath , which immediately went before . and i confesse the argument is strong and undeniable , as the words lie under the glosse . we must therefore enquire more narrowly into the true translation of the words , and their meaning . thesis . that therefore which we translate the end of the sabbath , is in the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . which words are variously translated ; we shall onely observe that the gr. word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath a double signification , in frequent use among greek writers . . s●mewhile it signifies late time , or the extream and last time of the continuance of any thing : as , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i. e. the late time , or latter time of the day . . sometime it signifies a long time after : as , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i. a long time after the trojan war : now in this place it is to be translated and in this latter sence , thus , a long time , or a good while after the sabbath was ended , as it began to dawn to ●h● first day of the week , &c. which interpretation if it be made good will clear up this difficulty , viz. that the jewish sabbath did not end at the dawning of the first day of the week , but long before : nor indeed durst i incline to this interpretation , if i did not see the evangelists ( the best interpreters one of another ) making the same to my hand . thesis . for first , mark , who writ after matthew , and is best able to interpret his words , expresly saith , that the sabbath was past when the women came to the sepulchre ; his words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the sabbath being past , mar. . . hence therefore , if matthews words should be translated , late on the sabbath , or towards the end of the sabbath , then the sabbath was not already past ( as mark affirms ) but drawing toward an end . mark therefore telling us , that the sabbath was ended , and yet not telling us when it ended , why should we not harmonize the evangelists by mathews words , which tels us that it was long before ? . the time of the coming of some of the women to the sepulchre , as it was upon the first day of the week , so it was some time within the night : and hence mark tels us it was very early , mark . . which cannot be at the rising of the sun onely when t is said also that they came to the sepulchre ; for that is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , valde mane , or very early . again , luke tels us that it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , very early or in the depth of the night ; for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 frequently signifies the time of the night when cocks crow . i forbear to instance in greek writers , because the evangelist iohn clears up this most fully , who expresly saith , that it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , it being yet dark : and though it be said mark . . that the women came to the sepulchre about rising of the sun ; yet piscator and others interpret that of their last actuall coming to it ; their preparation for it being very early , while it was yet dark night ; and it seems there was two comings by several of them to the sepulchre : for its evident that mary ( who had most affection ) came to the sepulchre while it was yet dark , the rest of them possibly preparing thereunto . however the evangelists be reconciled , this is evident , that the first stirring of the women about that work from which they abstained upon the sabbath day , was very early in the depth of the morning darknesse , before the day-light , when some would begin the christian sabbath : and from hence it follows , . that if the sabbath was not past even before this dark time of the night began , but rather ended when the first day of the week began to dawn : then it will follow , that these holy women did not rest the sabbath according to the commandment ; for we see they are this night busie about those things which they did forbear to do because of the sabbath , luke . . . hence it will also follow , that if the sabbath was not ended before this dark time of the night , but onely at the dawning of the day-light , then our saviour could not arise from the dead the first day of the week , but within the dark night of the jewish sabbath : for mary came when it was dark , and the lord christ was risen before she came , and how long before no man can tell ; but its evident that christ arose the first day of the week , mark . . and therefore the sabbath was ended long before . . if therefore the sabbath was past at the dark time of the night , how then can the sabbath begin at morning light ; and if it was past when it was thus dark , when then could the sabbath end , but when this night did first begin ? and if this was so , it was then truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a good while after the sabbath was ended when this dawning toward the first day began , according to the interpretation given . thesis . it is true indeed that this time of darknesse is called morning ; and hence some would infer that the sabbath begins in the morning : but suppose it be so called , yet it is not called morning light , at which time they plead the sabbath should begin ; and it is improperly called morning , because ( as hath been formerly shewn ) it is preparatively so , men usually preparing them for the work of the day-light following . morning is also frequently taken in scripture for any early time , eph. . . and so this night of the first day of the week , wherein the women arose to their work , was an early time , and therefore called morning . again , suppose a double morning be acknowledged ( as there was a double evening ) yet it will not follow that this morning belongs onely to the day following , for it may belong to the night before ; for as where there are two evenings spoken of , the former belongs to the day , the latter to the night : so if we grant two mornings , the latter morning may belong to the day ensuing , and the former to the night preceding ; if therefore any plead for the beginning of the sabbath at the morning light , these places of the evangelist will not bear them out in it , it being dark morning when christ arose ; if they say it begins in the dark morning , then let them set exactly the time of that dark morning wherein christ arose , and when they would begin it ; but no wit of man i feare is able to demonstrate this . thesis . and surely its of deepe consideration to all those who would have the beginning of the sabbath to be just at the time of the resurrection of christ , on the morning , that not any one of the evangelists do set forth , or ayme to set forth the exact time of christs resurrection : they tell us indeed the exact time of the womens preparation , and comming to the sepulchre , and of the earthquake and feare of the souldiers , and that these things were done in the morning ; but none of them points out the time of christs rising ; nor is it their scope to shew exactly when he rose , but only to shew that he was risen and that he appeared to many being risen , who came to seek for him . now assuredly , if it had been the mind of god that his people should begin the sabbath when christ began his resurrection , he would have pointed out the exact time when he did arise , that so they might exactly begin the sabbath ; but none of the evangelists point out the time , nor is it their scope exactly so to doe ; nay , they do exactly point out when other matters hapned about the womens comming to the sepulchre , but this is not made mention of ; onely we may gather by laying many things together about what time it should be , & therefore i marvell at them who would prove the beginning of the sabbath at the time of christs resurrection from the four evangelists speaking exactly to the time of the womens rising in the morning to visit christs sepulchre , but not a word of the main thing this drives at , which is the exact time of christs rising . thesis . those that would have the sabbath begin at morning , alledge iohn . . . where t is said , that the same day at even , which was the first day of the weeke , iesus came among his disciples , when the doors were shut , which ( say they ) was within night ; and therefore the night following belongs to the day before , which was the christian sabbath : which place compared with luke . . does further cleare up ( as they say ) this truth ; for the two disciples who went to emaus and met christ , are said to return to the disciples when they are thus met together ; which evening cannot ( say they ) be possibly meant of the first evening before sun-light was set , because the day being far spent , ver . . and they constrained him to abide with them ( which argues that it was late ) and the distance of emaus from ierusalem being sixty furlongs , or eight miles excepting a half ; so that it was impossible for them to travell so long a journey in so short a time , within the compasse of the first evening ; hence therefore it s meant of the second evening , which was within night , which yet we see belongs to the day before . but there are many things considerable to evacuate the strength of these reasonings . thesis . for first , this invitation our saviour had to stay by the two disciples , was probably to some repast , some time after high noon ; possibly to a late dinner rather then a late supper toward the latter evening ; and if so , then the disciples might easily come from emaus to ierusalem before sun-set within the former evening ; for the word toward evening , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be as well understood of the first evening toward two or three of the clock , as of the second ; and if it be objected , that before the first evening the day could not be said to be far spent ; yet if the words be well observed , no such translation can be forced from them , for the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . i. the day hath declined ; which is truely said of any time after high-noon , and therefore might be a fit season to presse our saviour to eat ; as may appeare by comparing this with a parallel scripture . iudges . , . which is almost word for word with this place of luke : for the levites father invites him to eat something after his early rising , vers . . which was too soon for supper , and therefore seems to be rather to a dinner which they tarried for untill after high-noon , or as 't is in the originall , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. untill the day declined , ( just as it is here in luke ; ) and then when dinner was ended he perswades him to stay still , because the day was weake , and ( as we translate it ) toward evening ; ( as here the disciples tell our saviour ) and yet after these perswasions to tarry , as late as it was he departed and came to ierusalem before night , and from thence to gibeah ( without any miracle too ) before sun was set , or the latter evening ; and verily if we may give credit to topographers , gibeah was almost as far from bethlem ( from whence the levite came ) as ierusalem was from emaus : and therefore if the levite came with his cumber and concubine so many miles before the second evening , notwithstanding all the arguments used from the day declining , and that it was toward evening ; why may we not imagine the like of these disciples at emaus much more ? who had no cumber , and whose joy could not but adde wings to a very swift returne to the eleven before the second evening , notwithstanding the like arguments here used in luke , . . and yet secondly suppose that they invited our saviour to supper , yet the former evening beginning about two or three of the clock in the after noon , our saviour might stay some time to eat with them , and yet they be timely enough at ierusalem before the second evening : for suppose our saviour stayd an houre with them or more , after two or three of the clock , yet if a strong man may walke ordinarily three mile an houre , why might not the tydings of this joyfull news make them double their pace , whether on foot or horseback , no mention is made of either , and so be there within an houre and half or thereabout before the second evening could come ? thesis . and although our saviour appeared to them when the dores were shut , yet it is not said that the dores were shut because it was night , but for feare of the iewes and their pursevants ; that they might not rush in suddenly upon them , which they might doe in the day as well as in the night : and though this was a poore safeguard from their enemies yet it was some , and the best which they had , or at least could thinke of at such a time ; and if our saviour came to them when they were at supper , mark. . . and if the ordinary time of the iewes supper was a little after or about sunset ( as might be demonstrated ) then the second evening was not as yet begun , no not when christ came , much lesse before the other two came , who were there from emaus before . thesis . it is said by some that if it was not very late , then the arguments of the disciples to perswade christ to stay were weake ; but it seemes ( say they ) they were strong because it s said they constrained him ] but we know that much affection will some time urge a weake argument very far , for stay of some speciall friend ; and when arguments will not prevaile , it will hold them and constraine them by force ; and thus it seemes the disciples dealt with our saviour ; their constraining him was not so much by force of argument as violence and force of love , for so the words in the originall ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) properly signifies : and hence it seemes that there was day enough above head to travaile farther in ; otherwise what need such violent perswasions to stay with them ? and for any to say , that the paralell of the levites fathers perswasions to stay , upon weake grounds , is not the same with this , because his arguments might sure well not to begin a long journey when it was past noone , which was the case there ; but it s a reason of no force to perswade to go farther when a man is in a journey already : which is the case here , i say this answer is against the practise of love in common experience ; men weary in their journey may stand in more need of perswasions to stay then they that have not begun to travaile at all , nor was the levites journey long from bethlem to gibeah . thesis . nor is it an argument of any weight from iohn . . because the two disciples are said to abide with christ that day , that therefore the night following did belong to that day ( they staying as it is supposed all night ) and consequently that the day begins in the morning ; for these disciples comming to christ at the tenth houre or foure of the clock in the afternoone , there were then two houres remaining untill night ( the iewes artificiall day continuing from six to six ) within which time our saviour ( who can do much worke in a small time ) might sufficiently instruct them ( for that time ) within the space of two houres ; and why might they not depart before the night came , and so stay with him onely so short a time ? and yet if they did stay that night , they might notwithstanding be said to stay that artificiall day onely , without reference to any night before or after , or to any part of the morning following that night , when 't is probable they departed if they did stay with him all that night . thesis . those who think that paul would never have preached till midnight acts . . if that night had not been part of the sabbath which began the morning before , much lesse would he after this long sermon have communicated with them in the sacrament , ver . . unlesse it had been the sabbath day , may do well to consider these things . . that the cause of taking in so much of the night following for preaching till midnight was extraordinary , viz. pauls early departure never to see their faces more ; and to say that if this night was no part of the sabbath , it was then unreasonable to hold them so long at it , is an assertion which wants reason , if we do but consider the shortnesse of his time , the largenesse of pauls heart , speaking now for his last , and the sweetnesse of their affections as might easily enable them to continue till midnight and upward , with cheerfulnesse , and without thinking the duty tedious , and unreasonable long . paul therefore might begin his sermon some part of the day-light , which was part of the sabbath day , and continue it till midnight following , and yet this night be no part of the christian sabbath , because it was an extraordinary cause which prest him hereunto . . that there is nothing in the words which will evince the sabbath to continue so long as pauls sermon did ; for suppose those who begin the sabbath at evening , that it should be said of such , that being met together the first day of the week to break bread , their teacher being to depart on the morrow , preached ▪ unto them and continued his speech till midnight , will this argue a continuance of the same day ? no verily , and the like reason is here . . that the lords supper might be and was administred before pauls sermon ; for there is a double breaking of bread in the text : the one is of common bread , verse . after paul had preached ; the other is of holy bread in the eucharist , verse . for the syriak calls tha● breaking of the bread which is mentioned verse . the eucharist or lords supper ; but that which is mentioned , verse . common bread ; and the greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , implies as much , and hence also it s spoken of one man principally , viz. that when he had broken bread and eaten , and talked a long time till breake of the day , he then departed , it being some ordinary repast for paul after his long preaching and before his long journey , and is not therefore any sacramentall eat●ng ; the manner of which is wont to be exprest in other words then as they are here set down ; if therefore pauls eating verse ▪ . was common bread , it cannot be then affirmed that the eucharist was then administred after sermon at midnight , and yet they pertaking of the sacrament this day , verse . it seems therefore that it was administred some time before this extraordinary course of preaching began . thesis . nor will it follow that the sabbath begins in the morning , because the morning is set before the night in the psalm for the sabbath , psal. . , . for . the scope of the psalmist is not to set forth when the sabbath begins : but how it is to be sanctified , and that is , not onely by shewing forth the loving kindnesse of god every morning or day time ( for that perhaps , many will readily do ) but also in the night , when men may think it too unseasonable or too late : and therefore in a holy gradation from the lesse to the greater , he first makes mention of the morning . . the hebrew word for every night , is , in the nights ; and therefore ( suppose that this psalm is specially applyable to the sabbath , which we know some question ) yet this place will as soon evince the sabbath to begin in the night before the morning , and to be continued in sweet affections the night after , as that it should begin in the morning and be continued the night after ; so that this place will not clear this cause , nor is there any weight in such kind of reasoning● . thesis . nor will it follow from levit. . . with . , . and ex. ▪ . that because the ●●esh of the peace offrings was to be eaten the same day , and nothing to be left untill the morning ( something like this being spoken also of the passeover ) that the day therefore begun in the morning : for in leviticus there is a double commandment , . to eat the flesh of their peace offerings the same day ; but yet because when they have eaten , some bones and o●fals might remain , hence , . they are commanded to leave nothing till the morning , which doth not argue that they had liberty to eat it as long as they might keep it , but that as they had liberty no longer then the same day to eat it , so nor liberty any longer then the next morning so much as to keep any of the relicks of it : and as for the passeover ( a place much urged by some ) they were to kill it on the fourteenth day , exod. . . which they might eat the night following , verse . yet so as to leave nothing of it till the morning , verse . this night following i● not therefore any part of the fourteenth , but of the th . day : for at midnight there was a cry verse , . and this night they went from 〈◊〉 to succoth , verse . with . and this time is expresly called the morrow after the passeover , numb . . . nor is there any inconvenience or rule broken to kill the passeover upon one day and continue eating of it some part of another , the passeover being a feast of more dayes then one . thesis . nor doth it follow that because our saviour tells peter , mark . . luke . . that this day , even this night ( viz. of the passeover ) he should deny him , that this night therefore was any part of the precedent day ; for it may be as fairly interpreted to belong to the day following that night . nor is it necessary to determine this word day always to a determinate time of houres , of which the night was a part , but onely of a speciall season of time : for so t is frequently figuratively taken without any respect to a day of or hours , viz , for a speciall season of time wherein some speciall providence of god doth appeare and is put into execution , as isay . . and . . and ▪ . exod. . . sam. . , . sam. . , , . thesis . it answers many objections produced against the beginning of the day in the evening , for the morning , to consider , that the word day is frequently taken in scripture for an artificiall day , and that the word morrow frequently signifies a new artificiall day , which in respect of , and reference unto , the artificiall day going before or following after , is no part thereof ; but as the proverbe is , to morrow is a new day : and thus t is taken , iohn . . iohn . . act. . , . sam. . . acts . . . sam. . , . exod. . . . deut. . , . iosh. . . and . . exod. . . , , . with . to . exod. , ult . with . , , . deut. . . . whence onely let this be noted that to argue from hence , that to morrow morning or to morrow day light is the beginning of the naturall day , because it s called a new or another day , is not solid : nor also that although the night following the artificiall day , be not so frequently called to morrow , yet sometime it is so called , sam. . . where the evening of their morrow stopt david , i. that night . thesis . there are some who confesse that the jewish sabbath began at the evening ever since the creation unto the time of christs resurrection ▪ but now they tell us that it begins in the morning , because of christs resurrection ( the cause of it ) which began then ; so that as this makes the change of the day , so it makes a change of the beginning of the day from evening till morning when the resurrection of christ began : but the feeblenesse of this opinion will appear from these ensuing considerations . thesis . . consid. that the foundation of this opinion is exceeding rotten , viz. that the day must not begin , untill that work which occasions the change doth actually exist . but we know that the passeover began before the work which did occasion it , did actually exist , viz. the angels passing over the israelites at midnight , exod. . . with , , . and . . indeed the christian sabbath day is not before the day of christ resurrection ; yet the beginning of this day may be before the beginning of the resurrection , as it was in the passeover . . consid. that if any of the evangelists had intended a new beginning of the sabbath at morning , that they would then have set down the exact time of the lords resurrection ; but none of them do this ; they set down the time of other things to prove that christ was risen , but not the exact time of the resurrection , for its wholly uncertain ; certain it is , that it was before day-light began ; for mary came and found him risen while it was yet dark , iohn . . and how long he was risen before , who can determine ? . consid. that if christs resurrection began the sabbath , so that in that moment and point of time wherein christ arose the christian sabbath began , then christ could not lie three dayes in the grave ; for either he lay three dayes according to the jewish account , beginning the day at evening ; and then the third day on which christ arose ( which also was the first day ) must begin at evening as we plead for ; or else he must lie three days according to the new account , which begins the third day in the morning , leaving out the night before as not appertaining to any part of the week before or after ; but according to this reckoning its impossible that christ should lie three days in the grave , he may be then indeed said to arise the third day , but not to lie any part of the third day , because lying in the grave implies some time of continuance therein upon the third day ; but how could this be , when they say that the moment of christs resurrection began the day of our christian sabbath ? . consi . if the jewish sabbath was the last day of the week , and began and ended at evening , then the christian sabbath must either begin at evening when the jewish sabbath ended , or the first day of the week cannot be the christian sabbath , but onely a part of the first day , and part of the second day ; for the night which goes before the christian sabbath , either . they must make it to belong to the jewish sabbath , and then that sabbath must be sanctified . hours , and so it must be more then a day which is sanctified , which is absurd ; or . they must make it belong to the christian sabbath , and then they cannot make it begin in the morning ; or ● . they must leave it out from all weekly account , and so take in the night following ( which is part of the second day ) as part of the sabbath . . consid. that the seventh part of time cannot be orderly given to god , but it must be either the first or last seventh ( as hath been shewn ) and the morality of the fourth commandment cannot be observed without giving to god either of these ; if therefore the jewish sabbath ended at even , the christian sabbath must immediately succeed it , and begin it then , or else a morall rule is broken . . if the jewish sabbath began and ended at even , and the christian sabbath bega● at morning , what must become of that night which is between them both , and to what day of the week must it belong ? if any say , that t is no matter whether it belong to any or no , so long as time runs on ; this answer will not suffice ; for though time runs on , yet what orderly time is there here which is running on ? time consists of yeers , and yeers of moneths , and moneths of weeks , and weeks of dayes ; to what day or what week then must this night belong ? they that maintain this opinion do roundly affirm , that it s no absurdity to leave that one night out from weekly , nor as pertaining to any week before or after , but say it was lost : alas poor forlorn night that art thus strangely forsaken ; what a strange kind of night is this which belongs to no day ? what a mishapen lump of time art thou , and yet how canst thou be part of time , that art part of no day , but onely ( as they say ) of time flowing and running on , without head or foot , week or day ? thesis . they tell us , that in joshua's time , when the sunne stood still , and in hezekiah's time , when the sunne went back , that there was as great a perverting of the order of time as this comes to ; and that there is as good reason to alter the time upon such a special and wonderfull occasion as christs resurrection , as there was to disorder the course of time then : but the weaknesse of this answer may appear from these things . . that in the dayes of ioshuah and hezekiah , there was no such monstrous mishapen piece of time cut out , as here is imagined ; for though the sunne stood still , suppose about twelve hours in ioshuas time , and so made a day of hours ; ye● these twelve hours were part of that day , and of that which ordinarily makes the day , viz. the motion of the sun aboue the earth , which is ordinarily once in houres , onely the lord stopt it a while , and so made it a longer day , and yet measured by the ordinary measure of a day , viz. the sunne compassing the earth ; which this night is not . . though some part of the weekly time was changed in some respect ; yet no part of sacred and sabbath time was perverted by either the sunnes standing still , or its going back , because though these things were longer then ordinary , yet they were but ordinary daies in this sence , viz. because there was no more to either day then that which ordinarily makes a day , to wit , that space of time wherein the sun circularly compasseth the whole earth . for though a seventh part of time be morally due to god , man having six daies for himselfe ; yet this is to be understood , as each day is measured by , and made up of the whole compleat motion of the sunne circling the earth ; now though these daies were longer then usuall in those famous times , yet they were onely such daies as were made by this motion ; and hence there was no change or perverting of the time of the sabbath , but god hath his due then orderly . but here we must make a new and strange beginning of time , by leaving out a whole night , and denying god a seventh day according to ordinary account and reckoning , and must fall to a disorderly beginning , upon pretence of a more then ordinary occasion ; which yet we see was not so in those extraordinary times of hezekiah and iosuah . . in the daies of iosuah and hezekiah there was some necessity of prolonging those daies and that in a course of providence , supposing that god would worke wonders by his providence ; but what necessity is there to begin the day when christ did first arise ? for this action falling out upon the first day , might sanctifie the whole day which in ordinary course should have begun at evening : we see the whole fifth of november is sanctified , upon an occasion , which hapned about nine or ten of the clock : and the evening of the passeover was sanctified before the angel passed over the israelites at midnight , which was the occasion of the sanctification of that day : what need or necessity was there to leave a whol night out of weekly account , and lose such a part of precious treasure ? . it was for the manifestation of the marvellous glory of god in the eyes of all the world , good and bad ; to make that violation ( as it were ) of the course of time in 〈…〉 of iosuah and hezekiah ; but what glory doth christ ga●● in the eyes of others , by making the day to begin at the time of his resurrection by the losse of the whole evening before , out of the account of weekely time ? or what glory doth christ loose if he should begin the day at evening when the iewish sabbath ended , when as the whole day thu● i● celebrated and sanctified for his glory in respect of his resurrection upon this day ? and therefore 't is a great mistake , to imagine as much reason for the violation of the course of time in respect of christ resurrection ) which makes so little for the glory of christ ) as there was for the variation of time in the daies of iosuah and hezekiah , which made so apparently and evidently and exceedingly for the glory of god and the honour of those who were types of christ ? thesis . to say that there is a necessity of beginning the christian sabbath , when christ first entered into his rest ( the first moment of his resurrection ) because the father began the jewish sabbath the first moment of his rest after his six daies labour , is not solid nor sound : for there was a necessity for god the father to begin his rest at the end of his work● : otherwise a morall rule had not bin observed , viz. that a seventh p●●t of time be sanctified ; for six dayes being finished in creating the world , there was now a necessity of sanctif●ing the seventh day wherein his rest began , least a morall rule should be exemplarily broken ; but there was no such necessity here ; for the whole evening of the first day may be sanctified upon occasion of christs rest on some part of that day , and no morall rule broken hereby : nay there had bin a morall rule broken if the christian sabbath had not begun upon this evening ; because hereby god should have lost a sabbath day within the compasse of seven dayes as they are measured by the sun ; and this is directly crosse to the morality of the fourth command ; for if a whole night be lost ( as these men reckon ) only time flowes on ( they say ) then it must be full seven daies and a halfe before god have a sabbath to begin : and this absurdity in the course of time , i believe will not be found , in iosuahs time nor in altering the beginning of the yeere in moses time exod. . for ●o morall rule was 〈◊〉 upon by these and such like alterations . thesis . it is an ungrounded assertion to say that the reasons of the change of the day are the same for the change of the beginning of the day ▪ 〈◊〉 . there was a type affixed ( as hath bin shewen ) to that it 〈◊〉 sabbath ▪ but i never yet heard of any type in respect of the beginning of the sabbath . . divine will and 〈◊〉 on changed 〈…〉 viz. that god hath one day in seven given him : but god could not begin the sabbath with excluding the evening before christ arose without breach of this rule , as hath bin shewen● the day might be kept and changed without breach of that rule , but the beginning could not be changed but there would necessarily follow some breach thereof . thesis . to thinke that the sabbath must needs begin in the morning , because we read not expressely after christs resurrection , that the night should belong to the day following , nor is there any instance thereof as in the old testament and before christs resurrection it may be ( they confesse ) undeniably so found ] i say , to thinke the sabbath must begin in the morning upon this ground , is somewhat like to his conceit who finding in the old testament that the seventh day is to be sanctified ; but not finding this expression , after christs resurrection , hence he thought there was now no seventh day to be sanctified . those who can answer this objection , may know how to answer thereby their own argument for the beginning of it at morning , which is just like unto it : if indeed there were cleare scriptures for the beginning of it at morning in the new testament , and none to shew the beginning of it at evening , the argument had much weight ; but this hath not yet appeared : old testament evidences are not apocrypha proofes in morall matters , in these mens consciences , who thus argue for the morning . thesis . to argue the beginning of the sabbath at morning , from the congruity and fitnesse of the season for holy time rather then evening , is no way faire nor rationall : for . there may be as much said ( perhaps more ) for the fitnesse and congruity of the evening , if this arguing were evicting ; but we know the ground of all superstition hath bin humane wisdome , which puts out the eagles eyes when it goes about to mend them ; and when it would better gods worship by ●oodly seeming● and trapings , it then destroyes it , at least corrupts it ; this only may be said that just as we lie downe with our hearts over night , so we finde them commonly in the morning ; the beginning of the sabbath at evening will force us in conscience ●o lie down over nigh with sabbath hearts , which marvellously prepares for the receiving of sabbath blessing● the day ensuing . thesis . if therefore the sabbath doth not begin , neither according to the custome of civill nations , nor at midnight , nor morning , what time then must it begin at ( from any colour of scripture , ) but onely in the evening ? at evening therefore after the setting of the light of the body of the sun , wherein darknesse begins to be predominant over the light the sabbath begins now , as the iewish sabbath began in former times , and here let me say that old testament proofes may be in this as in many other things , new testament rules . thesis . if the jewish sabbath did begin and end at evening , which was the last day of the weeke , then the christian sabbath the first day of the weeke which immediately succeeds the last , is to begin at evening also ; ●f the sabbath in the fi●st institution began at evening , why should not the christian sabbath be conformed as neere as may be to the first institution ? but we see out of gen. . that as all other daies began at the evening or darke night , so it was not orderly or possible according to the morall rule god acted by , that the sabbath should begin upon any other time then the evening , nor is it improbable but that ezekiel fortells this that in the christian church , as the gate for the sabbath should not be shut untill the evening , ezek. . , . so by just proportion the time for opening of it , was the evening before , when the sabbath began . thesis . now although some deny the beginning of the sabbath in gen. . to be in the evening ( deceiving themselves and their readers with the ambiguity and various acceptation of the words evening and morning ) yet this is most evident , that the first day began with night or darkenesse which is called night , gen. . , . and consequently ended with day-light ; let evening and morning therefore be taken how they will , yet its sufficient to prove that which we aime at , viz. that as the first day began with night , and ended at the end of day light , so by just consequence every other day did , even the sabbath it selfe , which still begins the beginning of night , which is all that which we meane by evening , when we say that it begins then ; which also the holy ghost calls darkenesse , which darkenesse , gen. . . he calls night , vers . . and which night is all one with evening . thesis . and if the naturall ( which some call civill , others the compound ) day began first in the evening , then surely it continued so ; or if not , then this disorderly practise should have bin regulated againe , according to the first patterne , as the abuses crept into the lords supper were by paul. cor. . . and as errors about marriage wereby our saviour , telling them that a● initio non suit sic . thesis . nor should it be a wonder why the wise creator should begin time with darkenesse , or the lesse noble part of the day , no more then why the lord should begin the world with a rude and confused chaos before a glorious world ; the progresse of his wisdome in making the whole world being for the most part from more imperfect things to perfect , from the chaos to beauty ; from the servants , and furniture , to man the lord and master of this great house ; and so here , from darknesse to light ; the sabbath also being a day of rest , was it not most proper to begin it then when man begins his rest which is the night ? when also god began rest from his work in the first creation . thesis . some convinced by the evidence of the text , that darkenesse was before light , yet wrastle with their wits to make it neither part of the night nor part of time , but only punctum temporis , and by this shift would make the first day to begin in the morning-light , thesis . but was ever any punctum temporis ( which is thought to be no part of time ) called by the name of night as this darkenesse is ? gen. . , . with . was the world made in six dayes and is there a heaven and earth made within the time of this darkenesse , and yet this time of darkenesse to be no part of time , but onely a mathematicall point , but no reall part of succeeding time ? zanchy long since hath largely confuted and crusht this egge-shell , where the reader may looke ; there was not indeed any celestiall motion of the heavens to measure this time by , ( for master weemes objects tempus est mensura motus ) but by this argument there was no time till the fourth day , when the sun and starrs were created , nor is time properly mensura mo●us , but as eternity is the indeterminate duration of a thing together , so time is the determinate duration of things by succession : which was evidently since time began on the first moment of creation . thesis . others who acknowledge this first darkenesse to be part of time , yet will not have it to be part of the night-time ; because light ( the habit ) they say must go before darkenesse ( the privation ) because also this first darkenesse is not so called night , but the separated darkenesse , gen. . . when god separated the light into one hemisphere , and darknesse into another . thesis . but this arguing is almost against the expresse letter of the text , gen. . wherein it is most evident that light was created , after darknesse had bin some time upon the face of the deepe ; which darknesse cannot be part of the day-light , no more then blindnesse is a part of sight and therefore is a part of the night , before this conceived separated darkenesse could exist . beside the separation of darknesse from light doth not make any new darkenesse which is a new denominated darkenesse , but is the same darkenesse which was at first , onely the separation is a new placeing of it , but it gives no new being to it . thesis . suppose also that light and darknesse are contraria privantia , yet 't is not true either in philosophy or divinity , that the habit must alway actually goe before the privation in the same subject ; for the privation may be first if it be in subjecto capaci ; i. e. in a subject capable of the habit ; for silence may be before speech in a man , and blindnesse and deafenesse in a man who never saw nor heard a word , because man is a subject capable of both , and so here darknesse might be before light , because this subject of the first matter was capable of both . thesis . nor is it true in divinity that the darkenesse and light were at first separated into two hemispheres ; or if they were , yet what orthodox writer affirmes that the supposed separated darkenesse onely is called night ? thesis . for looke as the darkenesse did overspread the whole chaos ▪ and all the dimensions of it at the same time ; why might not the light the habit be extended as far as was the privation before , and that at the same time ? there being no globe or dense body of earth and waters ( existing as now they doe ) at that time created , and consequently no opake and solid body to divide betweene light and darkenesse and so to seprate them into two hemispheres , as by this meanes it is at this day , unlesse we imagine miracles without necessity ; and that god then miraculously did it when there was no necessity of it . for the element of fire being figuratively called light , it being ( as iunius shewes ) proprietas essentialls ignis ; being also created in the superiour part of the vast chaos ; might therefore be cast downe by a mighty hand of god ( there being no ordinary meanes of sun or stars yet created to do it ) into all the inferiour chaos , and so make day . and the ascending of this light upwards againe might make it to be night : and therefore although god separated between light and darkenesse , yet this separation se●mes to be rather in respect of time , then in respect of place , or two hemispheres : for the light when it was east downe , separated and scattered the darkenesse , and so excluded it , so that when there was light , there was no darknesse ; when darkenesse , there was no light ; and thus they succeeding and excluding one another , the lord is said to separate them one from another , but not into two imagined hemispheres , by which imagination of two hemispheres it will be also very difficult to set downe when it was day and when it was night , at this time of the creation ; because in respect of one part of the chaos it might be called day , in respect of the other hemisphere of the chaos it might be called night : and therefore it seems more suitable to the truth , that the descending of the light , made day thorowout the whole chaos remaining , and the ascending of it to its proper place successively made night ; which as it answers many curious questions about the nature and motion of this light , so it yeelde a more then probable argument , that if the day-light continued twelve houres ( which none question ) why should not each night continue as long , and therefore that the first darknesse did continue such a time before the creation of the light ? thesis . but suppose this locall separation into two hemispheres was granted , yet it will not follow from hence that this separated darknesse onely is called night , and that the darkenesse before was no part of it : for if the day and night began at the imagined division of light and darknesse , then ( this division being in an instant of time ) neither could the day be before the night , nor the night before the day , but both exist and begin together ; and then it will follow that the beginning of the first day was neither in the morning nor evening , in darknesse nor light , in night nor day ; but that it began in the morning and evening , day-light and dark night , together ; which is too grosse for any wise man to affirm , nor would the god of order do it . againe , if the first darkenesse which was pr●eexistent to this hemisphericall light and darknesse was no part of the night , then much lesse was it any part of the first day-light ; and so no part of the naturall day ; which if any should affirm , they must deny the creation of the world in six dayes ; for its evident that the heavens and earth were made in the time of the first darknesse . thesis . to say that this first darknesse was part of the morning , and did belong to the morning-light , as now some time of darknesse in the the morning is called morning , and therefore is called the womb of the morning , psal. . . is a meer shift to prove the beginning of time to be in the morning , and an evasion from the evidence of truth . for . this first darknesse must either be the whole night , consisting as the light did of about twelve houres ; and then it cannot possibly be called morning or belong thereunto ; or it must be part of the night , and that which came after the light another part of it , and then we may see a monstrous day which hath part of its night before it , and part after it ; beside its contrary to the text , which makes the whole morning together , and the whole evening together , the whole day-light together , and so the whole night together . . that darknesse which by an improper speech we make to belong to the morning , in our ordinary account , is the latter part of the night or of the darknesse ; but we read not in all the scripture , nor is it suitable to any solid reason , to make the first beginning of night or darknesse as part of the morning : now this first darknesse ( which is the beginning of darknesse ) is called night , at least is the beginning of night ; and therefore cannot be called morning , but evening rather , as we usually call the first beginning of darknesse after day light . thesis . that expresse commandment lev. . to celebrate the ceremoniall sabbath from even to even doth strongly prove the beginning of the morall sabbath at the same time ; for why else is it called a sabbath of rest , but because it is to be spent in duties of humiliation , as the other sabbath in duties suitable to the nature of it ? and hence the lords care is greatly exact herein , . that no servile work be done , because it is a sabbath . verse , . . that it be spent and sanctified from even to even , ( meaning ) like as you do your weekly sabbaths . and hence the lord saith not , you shall celebrate your day of atonement from even to even , but ( the lord usually wrapping up arguments in his words ) your sabbath : as if he should say , you would account it a prophane thing not to celebrate your ordinary weekly sabbath from even to even , or to do any servile work on that day : this day is a sabbath , and therefore you must sanctifie it from even to even , and therefore do no servile work herein . thesis . to imagine ( as some do ) that the ordinary sabbath began at another time , because here god makes a new command , that it be from even to even , in opposition to the other sabbaths beginning ; and that otherwise it had been enough to say , you shall celebrate this day as a sabbath : one may from the same ground imagine , that in other sabbaths they might do any servile work , because here also 〈◊〉 are forbidden it ; for it may be as well said , that other 〈◊〉 had been enough to say , you shall sanctifie this day as you do other sabbaths : here therefore is no new institution of time from the beginning of the sabbath , but of a new ordinance , together with the application of time according to common and ordinary account : and the lord expresseth from even to even ( which makes up a naturall day ) left mans heart ( which is soon weary of duties of humiliation ) should interpret it of an artificiall day ; to prevent which mistake the lord had good reason to set the distinct bounds of it from even to even . thesis . nor can this evening , be fairly interpreted of the former even before sun set , as taking in that also ; for this evening is to begin at the evening of the ninth day , verse . which evening of the ninth day is not the evening of that day about two or three of the clock , ( for the tenth day onely is called the day of atonement , verse . and therefore part of the ninth day is no part of the atonement day ) but as iunius well expounds it , at the evening of the ninth day , puta qua nonus dies definit , at that nick of time , which is the communis terminus of the end of the ninth day and beginning of the tenth , you shall then celebrate your sabbath : which curious exactnesse of the lord , is partly to expresse his zeal for the full and plenary observation of the day , that he may not lose a moments time of honour , as also to shew what care they should have of holding out from the first point to the last period of that sabbath . thesis . and therefore it is a groundlesse deduction from the text , to make this day to be of extraordinary length , and so an unfit measure for our ordinary sabbath . and to say that there was a ceremony in beginning this day at even , is but gratis dictum , and can never be made good , unlesse it be by such fetches of wit which can mould the plainest history into the image of a goodly allegory , a most impudent course of arguing in austins judgement , and in his time . thesis . if the sabbath do not begin at evening , why did nehemiah ( an exemplary magistrate ) command the gates to be shut , when the gates of ierusalem began to be dark before the sabbath ? nehem. . . was it not left the sabbath should be prophaned that night , by bringing in of wares and burdens thorow the gates , as well as in the ensuing day ? is it not expresly said , that he set his servants at these gates that there might be no burden brought in upon the sabbath day ? is it not expresly said that he set the levites to keep the gates to sanctifie the sabbath day ? verse , . now if this 〈◊〉 was no part of the sabbath , how could they then be said to sanctifie the sabbath thereby ? thesis . to imagine that nehemiah did this to prevent the prophaning of the sabbath day after , is as if a man should shut his doors at noon against such thieves as he knows will not come to hurt him untill mid-night be past . it would be weaknesse in a magistrate to take away any considerable part of the week which god allows for labour to prevent that evil on the sabbath which he knows he is sufficiently able to prevent at the approach of the day it self : for nehemiah might easily have shut the gates in the morning , if the sabbath had not begun before ; and might have better done it , then to cut so large a thong out of the week time to prevent such defilement of the sabbath day . thesis . when therefore the gates of ierusalem began to be dark , or as iunius renders the words , quum abumbrarentur portae , i. when they were shaddowed by the descent of the sun behind the mountains which compassed ierusalem , and so did cast a shadow of darknesse upon the gates of the city , somewhat sooner then in other places lesse mountainous ; this shadow , being no part of the dark night , is truly said to be before , or ( as the hebrew is ) before the face or looking out of the sabbath ; for although the sabbath be said to begin at sun-set , yet t is to be understood not of the setting of the body of the sun visibly , but of the light of the sun when darknesse begins to be predominant over the light , and men are forced to forsake their work ; now just before this nehemiah shut the gates , at the common term and end of the six daies labour , and the seventh dayes rest ; and therefore t is a weak objection which some make , to say that this evening was not part of the sabbath , because the gates are said to be shut before the sabbath . thesis . it s said the women who prepared spices for our savio●●● body , that they rested the sabbath , which is evident to be in the evening ; and this they did not superstitiously ( as some say ) but according to the commandment , luk. . , , , . if therefore these women began to rest according to the commandment of god upon the evening , then the evening by the same commandment is the beginning of the holy rest of the sabbath . it is not onely the commandment of god , that one day in seven be sanctified , but also that it be sanctified from even to even . thesis . now that they began to rest in the evening is evident from these considerations : . that our saviour dyed the ninth hour . luke . , . which was about three of the clock in the afternoon . a little after , this ioseph begs his body and takes it down because it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or preparation for the sabbath mark . . in which preparation it s said that the sabbath did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , draw on , shine forth luke . . now this shining or breaking forth of the sabbath cannot be meant of the day light morning shining forth ; for its a meare dream to think , that ioseph should be so long a time in doing so little work , from saturday in the afternoon untill the next morning light , onely in taking of christ from the crosse , wrapping him in linnen , and laying him in his own sepulchre , which was not far off , but neer at hand also . iohn . . the shining forth of the sabbath also stop● the women from proceeding to annoint christs body , after they had brought their spices ; and therefore if the shining forth of the sabbath had been the morning after , they might certainly have had sufficient time to do that work in ; the shining forth therefore of this sabbath was in the latter evening in which the sabbath began ; and it s said to shine forth by a metaphor , because it did then first appear , or draw on ; or , as piscator and sundry others think , because about that time the stars in heaven , and the lamps and candles in houses began to shine forth ; which is just then when darknesse is predominant , which is the beginning of the sabbath at evening time . . if that evening had not begun the sabbath , why did not the women ( who wanted neither conscience nor affection , nor opportunity ) annoint his body that evening , but defer it untill the night after ? what could stop them herein , but onely the conscience of the commandment , which began the sabbath that evening ? . either the sabbath must begin this evening , or they did not rest the sabbath according to the commandment ; for if they began to keep the sabbath at morning light , then if they rested according to the commandement , they must keepe it untill the next morning light after ; but its manifest that they were stirring , and in preparing their oyntments long before that , even in the dark night before the light did appeare , as hath been formerly shewn . thesis . why the women did not goe about to embalme christs body the beginning of the dark evening after the sabbath was past , but staid so long a time after till the dark morning , cannot be certainly determined ; perhaps they thought it not suitable to a rule of god and prudence , to take some rest and sleep first , before they went about that sad work ; and might think ●he morning more fit for it then the dark evening before , when their sorrowfull hearts and spent spirits might need mercy to be shewn them , by taking their rest awhile first . they might also possibly think it offensive to others presently to run to the embalming of the dead , as soon as ever the sabbath was ended , and therefore stayed till the dark morning , when usually every one was preparing and stirring toward their weekly work . thesis . the lord christ could not lie three daies in the grave , if the sabbath did not begin at evening ; and for any to affirm , that the dark morning wherein he arose was part of this first day and did belong thereunto , is not onely to overthrow their own principles , who begin the sabbath at the beginning of day light morning , but they also make the beginning of the sabbath to be wholly uncertain ; for who can tell at what time of this dark morning our saviour arose ? thesis . t is true , there are some parts of the habitable world , in russia , and those northern countries , wherein for about a moneths time the sun is never out of sight ; now although they have no dark evening at this time , yet doubtlesse they know how to measure their naturall daies by the motion of the sun ; if therefore they observe that time which is equivalent to our dark evenings , and sanctifie to god the space of a day , as t is measured by the circling sun round about them , they may then be said to sanctifie the sabbath from even to even , if they do that which is equivalent thereunto ; they that know the east , west , south , north points , do certainly know when that which is equivalent to evening begins , which if they could not do , yet doubtlesse god would accept their will for the deed in such a case . thesis . if therefore the sabbath began at evening from adams time in innocency till nehemiahs time , and from nehemiahs time till christs time , why should any think but that where the jewish sabbath the last day of the week doth end , there the christian sabbath the first day of the week begins ? unlesse any can imagine some type in the beginning of the sabbath at evening ; which must change the begining of the day , as the type affixed did change the day : or can give demonstrative reasons that the time of christs resurrection must of necessity begin the christian sabbath , which for ought i see cannot be done . and therfore it is a groundlesse assertion , that the reasons of the change of the day are the same for the change of the beginning of it ; and that the chiefe of the reasons for the evening , may be as well applyed against the change of the day it selfe , as of the time of it : but sufficient hath been said of this . i shall onely adde this , that there is no truth of christs , but upon narrow search into it , hath some secret knots and difficulties , and so hath this about the beginning of the sabbath ; t is therefore humility and self-deniall to follow our clearest light in the simplicity of our hearts , and to wait upon the throne of grace with many tears for more cleare discoveries untill all knots be unloosed . finis . the sanctification of the sabbath . wherein the true rest of the day , together with the right manner of sanctifying of the day , are briefly opened . by thomas shepard , pastor of the church of christ at cambridge in new-england . the fourth part. london , printed for iohn rothwell . . the generall contents upon the sanctification of the sabbath . . the word sabbath what it signifies , thesis . . all weekly labour for the rest of the sabbath , thesis . . the rest of the sabbath , the meanes for a higher end , thesis . . as strict a rest now required as was formerly among the iewes , and those places cleared which seeme contrary , thesis , . . what worke forbidden on the sabbath day , thesis . . servile worke forbidden , and what is a servile worke , thesis . , . . the holinesse required upon the sabbath in five things , thesis . . a lamentation for prophanation of the sabbath . the sanctification of the sabbath . thesis . the word sabbath properly signifies , not common , but sacred or holy rest. the lord therefore enjoyns this rest from labour upon this day , not so much for the rest sake , but because it is a medium or means of that holinesse which the lord requires upon this day ; otherwise the sabbath is a day of idlenesse , not of holinesse ; our cattell can rest but a common rest from labour as well as we ; and therefore its mans sin and shame , if he improve the day no better then the beasts that perish . thesis . and as the rest of the day is for the holinesse of it , so is all the labour of the week for this holy rest ; that as the end of all the labour of our lives is for our rest with christ in heaven , so also of the six daies of every weeke for the holy rest of the sabbath , the twilight and dawning of heaven . for the eighth commandement which would not have us steale , commands us therefore to labour for our families and comforts in all the seasons of labour . this fourth command therefore which not onely permits but commands us to labour six daies , must have another respect in commanding us to labour , and a higher end , which cannot be any thing else but with respect to the sabbath ; that as we are to watch unto prayer , so we are to worke unto the sabbath , or so worke all the weeke day that we may meet with god , and sanctifie the sabbath day . thesis . as therefore the holinesse of the sabbath is morall , because it is the end of the day ; so is the rest of the sabbath ( the immediate means to that end ) morall also . looke therefore what ever holy duties the lord required of the iewes , which were not ceremoniall , the same duties he requires of us upon this day ; so what every rest he required of them for this end , he exacts of all christians also . thesis . those that make the sabbath ceremoniall , imagine a stricter rest imposed upon the iewes then christians are now bound unto ; because they place the ceremonialnesse of the sabbath in the strict rest of it ; but we are bound to the same rest for substance of it ; and the ground for a stricter rest then we are bound unto , will be found too light if well pondered . thesis . for though it be sayd that the iewes might not bake , nor seeth meat upon this day , exod. . . no nor make a fire upon it , ex. . . no nor gather sticks upon it without death . numb . . . . ( all which things christians now , may lawfully do ) yet none of these places will evince that for which they are alledged . thesis . for first it is not said , exod. . . bake and seeth that to day which may serve you next day : but , that which remains ( viz. which is not sod nor baked ) lay it up untill the morning , and consequently for the morrow of the next day , which being thus laid up , i doe not finde that they are forbidden to bake , or seeth that which remaines upon the next day ; but rather if they must use it the next day , they might then bake it or seeth it that day also , as they did that of the sixt day , and without which they could not have the comfortable use of it upon the sabbath day : indeed it was as unlawfull to grind and beate the manna in mills and morters , mentioned numb . : . upon this day , as now to thrash and grind corne this day ; the meale therefore which did remaine , is not forbidden to be baked or sod upon this day ; nor would gods speciall and miraculous providence appeare in preserving it from wormes and stinking , if there had been any b●king of it the day before , and not rather upon the sabbath day . thesis . although also they were forbidden to kindle fire upon this lay , exod. . . in respect of some use , yet they are not forbidden so to do in respect of any use whatsoever . for there was fire kindled for the sabbath sacrifices , and it would have bin a breach of the rule of mercy , not to kindle a fire for the sick and weake in the wildernesse . nehemiah also a man most strict and zealous for the sabbath , yet had such provision made every day as could not be drest nor eaten without some fire upon the sabbath day , neh. . . and the sabbath not being a fast but a feast in those times as well as those , hence it s not unsutable to the time to have comfortable provisions made ready , provided that the dressing of mea● be not an ordinary hindrance to publike or private duties of holinesse upon this day , exod. . . this kindling of the fire here forbidden must therefore be understood in respect of the scope of the place , viz. not to kindle a fire for any servile work , no not in respect of this particular use of it , viz. to further the building of the sanctuary and tabernacle , made mention of in this chapter : for it s said whosoever shall do any worke therein , ( . any servile worke which is more proper for the weeke time ) shall be put to death , verse . there is therefore either no dependance of these words in the third verse with those in the second , or else we must understand it of kindling fires restrictively , for any servile worke which is there forbidden not only the iewes but us christians also : thesis . the man that gathered sticks on the sabbath , numb . . . was put to death ; what for gathering of sticks onely ? why then did not the just god put them to death who were the first offenders ( and therefore most fit to be made examples ) who went out to gather manna upon this day ? exod. ● . this gathering of sticks therefore , though little in it selfe , yet seemes to be aggravated by presumption ; and that the man did presumptuously breake the sabbath , and therefore it s generally observed that this very example followes the law of punishing a presumptuous transgressor with death in this very chapter : and though it be said that they found a man gathering sticks , as if it were done secretly , and not presumptuously , yet we know that presumptuous sins may be committed secretly as well as openly , though they are not in so high a degree presumptuous as when they are done more openly : the feare of the law against sabbath breakers , might restrain the man from doing that openly , which before god was done proudly , and presumptuously ; and though moses doubted what to do with the man , who had that capitall law given him before against sabbath breakers , yet they might be ignorant for a time of the full and true meaning of it , which the lord here seemes to expound , viz. that a sabbath breaker sinning presumptuously is to be put to death : and although it be doubted whether such a law is not too rigorous in these times , yet we do see that where the magistrate neglects to restraine from this sinne , the lord takes the magistrates work into his own hand , and many times cuts them off suddenly who prophane his sabbath presumptuously : and t is worth enquiring into whether presumptuous sabbath breakers are not still to be put to death : which i doubt not but that the lord will either one day cleare up , or else discover some specialty in the application of this judiciall law to that polity of the iewes , as most fit for them , and not so universally fit for all others in christian common-vvealths : but this latter i yet see no proofe for : nor doe i expect the clearing up of the other while the temper of the times is loose and luke-warme . thesis . considering therefore that some vvorke may be done upon the sabbath , and some not , and that mans heart is apt to run to extreames , either to grosse prophanesse or pharisaicall strictnesse ; vve are therefore to enquire , what workes we must rest from , and what not from , upon the sabbath day . thesis . if the scriptures may be judge herein , we shall finde that vvhen they forbid all manner of worke , they interpret this of servile worke. the vvorke forbidden in the annuall sabbaths , ( vvhich did but shaddow out the rest on this sabbath ) it is servile vvorke , levit. . , . and hence the rest on the sabbath ( in this fourth command ) is opposed to the labour on the weeke daies vvhich is properly servile , lawfull to be done then , but unlawfull upon the sabbath day . thesis . the schoolmen , and some of their late idolizers ( like the pharises of old ) over blind in interpreting the spiritualnesse of the law of god , describe a servile worke in that manner , so as that the grinding of water-mills and wind-mills , as also the counsells of lawyers to their clients , the herring trade of fishermen , are with them no servile works on this day ; and indeed they scarce make any worke servile , but what is slavish and externall bondage and burden . thesis . but if we consult with scriptures and the very words of this fourth commandement , we shall finde two things concurring to make up a servile worke . . if any worke be done for any worldly gaine profit , or livelyhood to acquire and purchase the things of this life by ; ( which is the principall end of weeke day labour , eph. . . thes. . . ) this is a servile worke , all one with what the commandement calls thy work : hence buying , selling , sowing , reaping , which are done for worldly gaine , are unlawfull on this day , being therefore servile works : hence also worldly sports and pastimes ( which are ordained of god to whet on worldly labour , not necessary every day but onely at some seasons ) are therefore most proper appurtenances unto daies of labour , and are therefore unlawfull upon this day : holy times are no more to be sported on , then holy places ; hence also on the other side , to rub the eares of corne , to dresse meat for comfortable nourishment of man , because they respect not worldly gaine , are no servile workes nor yet unlawfull , but may be more lawfully done for the comfort of man then to lead his horse to the water this day , luke . . & . & . . hence also such works as are done onely for the preservation of the creatures , as to pull a sheepe out of a ditch , to quench fire in a towne , to save corne and hay from the sudden inundation of water , to keepe fire in the iron mills , to sit at sterne and guide the ship , and a thousand such like actions ( being not done properly for worldly gaine ) are not unlawfull ; god himselfe not ceasing from workes of preservation , when he did from those of creation : hence also such works as are not works of immediate worship , but onely required necessarily thereto , as killing the sacrifices in the temple , travelling a sabbath daies journey to the publique assemblies , being no servile workes for outward gaine , are not unlawfull upon this day . . such worldly works , which though they be not done for worldly gaine or profit , yet if by a provident care and foresight they might be done as well the weeke before , or may as well be done a week after the sabbath , these also are servile works : for thus the commandment expresseth it , six daies thou mayst doe all thy work , ( meaning which can be done as well the week before ) and if all cannot be done , it may therefore be as well done the week after . hence the building of the tabernacle ( which was not so much for mans profit as gods honour ) because it might be done upon the six daies seasonably enough ▪ hence it is prohibited upon the sabbath day , exod. . if a man hath corn in the field , though he may pretend that the weather is uncertain , and it is ready to be brought into the barn , yet he is not to fetch it in upon the sabbath day , because there is no eminent danger of spoyle the munday after , and then he may fetch it in as well as upon that day : the like may be said concerning sea mens setting sayle upon the sabbath day , though they be uncertaine of a faire gale upon the day after . yet we must trust gods providence , who almost in all such matters keeps us at uncertainties : hence also the sweeping of the house ought not to be done now , if it may as well be done the day before : so also to buy any things at shops , or to wash clothes ; if they may be done the week before or after , they must not be done upon this day : hence on the other side works of necessity , which cannot be so conveniently don● the day before or after , are not unlawfull upon this day , as to flie in persecution , to watch the city , to fight with the enemy , math. . . kings . . hence also works of necessity , not onely for preservation of life , but also for comfort and comelinesse of life , are not unlawfull : for t is a grosse mistake to thinke that works onely of absolute necessity are allowed onely upon this day : for to lead an ox to water , which in the strictest times was not disallowed of , is not of absolute necessity ; for it may live more then a day without it ; onely its necessary for the comfort of the life of the beast : how much more is allowed to the comfort of the life of man ? the disciples possibly might have lived longer then the sabbath without rubbing corn eares , and men may live on sabbath daies generally without warm meat , yea ●hey may fast perhaps all that day ; yet it is not unlawfull to eate such meat , because its necessary for the comfort of life . hence also to put on comely garments , to wash hands and face , and many such things as are necessary for the comelinesse as well as the comfort of life , are not unlawfull now : there is sometime an inevitable necessity by gods providence , and sometime a contracted necessity through want of care and foresight ; in this case the work may sometime be done , provided that our neglect beforehand be repented of : in a word , he that shall conscientiously endeavour that no more work be done on the sabbath then what must be done for the ends mentioned , that so he may have nothing else to doe but to be with god that day , shall have much peace to his own conscience herein , against satans clamours : hence lastly , not onely outward servile work , but servile thoughts , affections , and cares , are to be cast off this day from the sight of god , as others are from the eyes of men ; servile thoughts and affections being as much against the fourth commandement as unchaste and filthy thoughts against the seventh . thesis . that we are to abstaine from all servile work , not so much in regard of the bare abstinence from work , but that having no work of our own to mind or do , we might be wholly taken up with gods worke , being wholly taken off from our own , that he may speak with us , and reveale himselfe more fully and familiarly to us ( as friends do when they get alone ) having called and carried us out of the noyse and crowd of all worldly occasions and things . thesis . holy rest therefore being for holy work , it may not be amisse to enquire what this work is , and wherein it consists : for which end i shall not instance in any the particular severall duties in publique and private , of holinesse and mercy , because this is to be found in all who write upon this subject : i shall onely speake of that kind of holinesse which the lord requires in all publique and private duties , and is to run thorow them , and as it were animate them ; and in truth to finde out this , and observe this , is one of the greatest difficulties ( but yet the greatest excellency ) of a christian life . it consists therefore in these five things , thesis . the first ; the holinesse upon this day ought to be immediate : i doe not meane , without the use of publique or private means , but in respect of worldly things : for we are commanded to be holy in all manner of conversation all the week in our worldly affaires , pet. . . holinesse is to be writ upon our cups and pots , and hors-bridles , and ploughs , and sickles , zach. . . . but this holinesse is more immediate ; we enjoy god by and in the creature , and in our weekly occasions and providences : but do we think that there is no more holinesse required upon the sabbath ? verily every day then should be our christian sabbath , which is most false ; and therefore some more immediate holinesse is required now on this day which is not then , nor required of us every week day ; and what can this be but drawing neer to god this day more immediately , and as neer as mortall man can do , and casting aside the world and getting out of it , and so to be neere god in prayer , in hearing the word , in meditation , & c ? psal. . . . if it were possible to be with and enjoy christ in heaven where there are no meanes we should this day long for it , and prize it ; but because this cannot yet be , and that the lord comes down from heaven to us in his ordinances , and thereby makes himselfe as neer to us as he can in this fraile life ; hence we are not onely to draw neer to ordinances , but to god and christ in them , upon this day , and so be as neere them with greatest immediatenesse that we can , psalm . . , . psalm . . , , . adam did enjoy god in his calling the week day , but this was not so immediate as he was to have upon the sabbath day . thesis . the second is this holinesse ought not only to be immediate , but also speciall , and in our endeavours after the highest degree , and with the greatest intention of holinesse : for we are bound every day to be holy in more immediate and neere approaches to god some time or other of the day ; but now we are called to be more specially holy , because both the day and our selves are now set apart for it in a more speciall manner : we are to love , feare , delight in god , and pray to him , and muse on him every day , but now in a more speciall manner all these are to be done ; the sabbath is not onely called holy , but holinesse to the lord , exod. . . which shewes that the day is exceeding holy , and suitably our affections and hearts ought therefore so to be : the sacrifice on this day was to be doubled , numb . . . the lord would have double honour from us this day : that as in the weeke time we are sinfully drowned in the cares of this world and affections thereto : so upon every sabbath we should be in a holy manner drowned in the cares and thoughts and affections of the things of god ; and hence we are commanded to call the sabbath our delight , and not to think our own thoughts , or doe our own workes this day , esay . . david said psalm . . that he would goe to the altar of god ( the place of publique worship ) to god his joy , yea his exceeding joy : so are we not onely to draw neere to altar , word , sacraments , prayer , but to god in them ; nay to god in them as our exceeding joy , our exceeding love , our exceeding feare , &c. especially upon this day ; there is scarse any week but we contract soyle from our worldly occasions , and by touching worldly things ; and we suffer many decayes and lose much ground by temptations herein ; now the lord pitying us , and giving us a sabbath of recovery , what should we doe now but return , recover , and renew our strength , and like the eagle cast our bils , and stand before our god and king this day of state and royall majesty , when all his saints compass● his throne and presence , with our most beautifull garments , mourning , especially that we fall so farre short of sabbath acts and services ? we should not content our selves with working-day holinesse , joyes , feares , hopes , prayers , praises : but sabbath joyes , feares , praises , must be now our ornaments , and all within us must be raised up to a higher straine : that as god gives us this day , speciall grace , means of grace , seasons of grace , speciall occasions of grace , by reviewing all our experiences the week past , so there is good reason that the lord should be honoured with speciall holinesse this day . thesis . the third is ; this holinesse ought to be not onely immediate and speciall , but constant and continued , the whole day together . for upon every day of the week we are to take some time for converse with god ; but our worldly occasion soon call us off , and that lawfully ; but sabbath holinesse must be constant and continued all the day ; if the lord was so strict that he would not lose a moments honour in a ceremoniall day of rest , levtt . . ● . what shall we thinke the lord expects upon this day which is morall ? the lord would not be honoured this day onely by fits and flashes , and sudden pangs , which passe away as the early dew ; but as t is in the psalme for the sabbath , it s good to sing of his loving kindnesse in the morning , and of his faithfulnesse every night , psal. . , . and though this be a wearisome thing to the flesh to be so long pent in , and although we cannot perfectly doe it , yet it s a most sweet and glorious work in it selfe , to think that the infinite glorious god should call a poor sinfull creature to be with him and attend upon him all the day long ; to be ever with the lord is best of all , but next to that to be with him a whole day together : they that see how fit they are to be for ever banisht from the presence of the most high , and how exceeding unworthy to come into it , cannot but infinitely and excessively prize that love of jesus christ , this day to come and enter into his rest , and lie in his very bosome , all the day long , and as a most loving friend loth to part with them , till needs must , and that the day is done . thesis . the fourth is , this holinesse ought not onely to be immediate , speciall and constant , but all these holy duties are thus to be performed of us as that hereby we may enter into rest ; so as that our soules may finde and feele the sweet of the true rest of the sabbath ; and therefore it must be a sweete and quieting holinesse also : for the sabbath is not only called a sabbath of rest in respect of our exemption from bodily labour , but because it is so to be sanctified as that on this day we enter into rest , or such a fruition of god as gives rest to our soules ; otherwise we never sanctifie a sabbath aright , because we then fall short of this which is the maine end thereof , untill we come so to seeke god as that we finde him , and so finde him as that we feele rest in him , in drawing neare to him and standing before him : that as god after his six daies labour did rest and was refreshed in the fruition of himselfe , so should we after our six daies labour also , be refreshed in the presence of the lord ; that in case we want meanes upon the sabbath , yet he may be in lieu of them unto us ; and in case we have them and finde but little by them conveyed to us , yet that by that little we may be carried on the wings of faith beyond all meanes unto that rest which upon this day we may find in his bosome : that as christ after his labours entred into his rest , heb . so we ought to labour after the same sabbatisme begun here on earth , but perfected in heaven ; that after all the weary steps we tread , and sinnes and sorrowes we finde all the weeke , yet when the sabbath comes we may say returne unto thy rest oh my soule . the end of all labour is rest ; so the end of all our bodily and spirituall labour , whether on the weeke-daies of sabbath day , it should be this rest : and we should never think that we have reached the end of the day untill we taste the rest of the day : nor is this rest a meteor in the ayre and a thing onely to be wisht for , but can never be found ; but assuredly those who are wearied with their sinnes in the weeke and wants on the sabbath , and feele a neede of rest and refreshing , shall certainly have the blessing , viz. the rest of these seasons of refreshing and rest , and the comforts of the holy ghost filling their hearts this day . isa. . , , . isa. . , , , . isa. . , . psal. . , . not because of our holinesse which is spotted at the best , but because of our great high priests holinesse , who hath it written upon his forehead to take away the iniquity of all our holy offerings : ex. . . . and who hath garments of grace , and bloud to cover us and to present us spotlesse , before the face of that god whom we seeke and serve with much weakenesse , and whom at last we shall finde , when our short daies worke here is done , and our long looked for sabbath of glory shall begin to dawn . thesis . now when the lord hath inclined us thus to rest and sanctifie his sabbath , what should the last act of our holinesse be bvt diffusive and communicative , viz. in doing our utmost that others under us or that have relation to us , that they sanctifie the sabbath also , according to the lords expresse particular charg in the commandement ; thou , thy sonne , thy daughter , thy servants , the stranger within thy gates ; the excellency of christs holinesse consists in making us like himsele in holinesse ; the excellency and glory of a christians holinesse is to endeavour to be like to the lord christ therein : our children , servants strangers who are within our gates , are apt to prophane the sabbath ; we are therefore to improve our power over them for god , in restraining them from sinne , and in constraining them ( as farre as we can ) to the holy observance of the rest of the sabbath ; least god impute their sinnes to us who had power ( as eli in the like case ) to restrain them and did not ; and so our families and consciences be stained with their guilt and bloud . thesis . and if superiours in families are to see their gates preserved unspotted from such provoking evils , can any thinke but that the same bond lies upon superiours in common wealths , who are the fathers of those great families , whose subjects also are within their gates and the power of their jurisdictions ? the civill magistrate though he hath no power to impose new lawes upon the consciences of his subjects , yet he is bound to see that the lawes of god be kept by all his subjects ; provided alwaies that herein he walke according to the law and rule of god , viz. that . . ignorant consciences in cleare and momentous matters be first instructed . . doubting consciences have sufficient means of being resolved . . bold and audacious consciences be first forewarned : hence it is that though he hath no power to make holy daies and to impose the observation of them upon the consciences of his subjects , ( because these are his own lawes ) yet he may and should see that the sabbath day ( the lords holy day ) that this he observed , because he doth but see to the execution of gods commandement herein . by what rule did nehemiah not onely forbid the breach of the sabbath , but did also threaten bodily punishment upon the men of tyre ? ( although they were heathens , yet were they at this time within the gates and compasse of his jurisdiction : nehem. . . ) certainly he thought himselfe bound in conscience to see that the sabbath should not be prophaned by any that were within his gates , according to this fourth commandement . if kings and princes and civill magistrates have nothing to do in matters of the first table ( and consequently must give any man liberty to prophane the sabbath that pretends conscience , ) why then doth ieremy call upon princes to see that it be not prophaned , with promise of having their crownes and kingdomes preserved from wrath if thus they do , and with threatning the burning up and consuming of city and kingdome if this they do not ieremy ? . . . . if civill magistrates have nothing to do herein , they then have nothing to do to preserve their crownes , kingdomes , sceptets , subjects from fire and bloud and utter ruine : nehemiah was no type of christ , nor were the kings of israel bound to see the sabbath kept as types of christ , but as nursing fathers of the common-wealth , and because their own subjects were within their gates and under their power ; and therefore according to this morall rule of the commandement , they were bound not onely to keepe it themselves , but to see that all others did so also . 't is true , civill magistrates may abuse their power , judge , amisse , and thinke that to be the command of god , which is not ; but we must not therefore take away their power from them , because they may pervert it and abuse it ; we must not deny that power they have for god , because they may pervert it and turne the edge of it against god : for if upon this ground the magistrate hath no power over his subjects in matters of the first table , he may have also all his feathers pul'd from him , and all his power taken from him in matters of the second table ; for we know that he may work strange changes there and perve●t justice , and judgement exceedingly : we must not deny their power because they may turne it awry and hurt gods church and people by it , but ( as the apostle exhorts , tim● . . . ) to pray for them the more , that under them we may live a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty : it s a thousand times better to suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake and for a good conscience , then to desire and plead for toleration of all consciences , that so ( by this cowardly device and lukewarme principle ) our owne may be untoucht : it was never heard of untill now of late that any of gods prophets , apostles , martyrs , faithfull witnesses , &c. that they ever pleaded for liberty in errour , but onely for the truth , which they preacht and prayd for , and suffered for unto the death ; and their sufferings for the truth with zeale , patience , faith , constancy , have done more good , then the way of universall toleration is like to doe , which is purposely invented to avoyd trouble . truth hath ever spread by opposition and persecution ; but errour being a child of satan hath fled ▪ by a zealous resisting of it . sick and weake men are to be tender'd much , but lunatick and phranti●● men are in best case when they are well fettered and bound : a weake conscience is to be tendered , an humble conscience tolerated ; errours of weaknesse not wickednesse are with all gentlenesse to be handled ; the liberty given in the raign of episcopacy for sports and pastimes , and may-games upon the lords day , was once loathsome to all honest minds ; bat now to allow a greater liberty , to buy , sell , plow , cart , thrash , sport , upon the sabbath day , to all those who pretend conscience , or rather , that they have no conscience of one day more then another , is to build up iericho , and babel againe , and to lay foundations of wrath to the land , for god will certainly revenge the pollutions of his sabbaths : if god be troubled in his rest , no wonder if he disturbes our peace : some of the ancients thinke that the lord brought the flood of waters upon the sabbath day as they gather from gen. . . because they were growne to be great prophane●s of the sabbath ; and we know that prague was taken upon this day . the day of their sinne , began all their sorrowes which are continued to this day to the amazement of the world : when the time comes that the lords precious sabbaths are the dayes of gods churches rest , then shall come in the churches peace , psal. . . . the free grace of christ must first begin herein with us , that we may finde at last that rest which this evill world is not yet like to see , unlesse it speedily love his law more , and his sabbaths better . i could therefore desire to conclude this doctrine of the sabbath with teares , and i wish it might be matter of bitter lamentation to the mourners in sion , everywhere to behold the universall prophanation of these precious times and seasons of refreshing , toward which , through the abounding of iniquity , the love of many who once seemed zealous for them , is now grown cold : the lord might have suffered poore , worthlesse , sorrowfull man to have worne and wasted out all his daies in this life in wearinesse , griefe , and labour , and to have filled his daies with nothing else but work , and minding of his own things , and bearing his own necessary cumbers and burdens here , and never have allowed him a day of rest untill he came up to heaven at the end of his life ; and thus to have done would have been infinite mercy and love , though he had made him grind the mill only of his own occasions , & feele the whip and the lash onely of his daily griefs and labours , untill dark night came ; but such is the overflowing and abundant love of a blessed god , that it cannot containe it selfe ( as it were ) so long a time from speciall fellowship with his people here in a strange land , and in an evill world , and therefore will have some speciall times of speciall fellowship and sweetest mutuall embracings ; and this time must not be a moment , an houre . a little , and then away againe ; but a whole day , that there may be time enough to have their fill of love in each others bosome before they part ; this day must not be meerly occ●sionall at humane liberty and now and then , least it be too seldome , and so strangenesse grow between them ; but the lord ( who exceeds and excels poor man in love ) therefore to make all sure he sets and flxeth the day , and appoints the time , and how to meet , meerly out of love , that weary man may enjoy his rest , his god , his love , his heaven , as much and as often as may be here , in this life , untill he come up to glory , to rest with god ; and that because man cannot here enjoy his daies of glory , he might therefore foretaste them in daies of grace ; and is this the requitall , and all the thanks he hath for his heart-breaking love ? to turne back sweet presence and fellowship , and love of god in them , to dispute away these daies with scorne and contempt , to smoke them away with prophannesse , and madde mirth , to dreame them away with vanity , to drinke , to sweare , to ryot , to whore , to sport , to play , to card , to dice , to put on their best apparrell that they may dishonour god with greater pompe and bravery , to talke of the world , to be later up that d●y then any other day of the weeke , when their own irons are in the fire , and yet to sleepe sermon , or scorne the ministery , if it comes home to their consciences ; to tell tales , and breake jests at home , or ( at best ) to talke of forraigne or domesticall newes onely to passe away the time , rather then to see god in his workes and warme their hearts thereby : to thinke god hath good measure given him , if they attend on him in the foore●oone , although the after-noone be given to the devill , or sleepe , or vanity , or foolish pastimes ; to draw neere to god in their bodies , when their thoughts , and hearts and affections are gone a hunting or ravening after the world the lord knowes where , but farre enough off from him : do you thus requite the lord for this great love , oh foolish people and unwise ? do you thus make the daies of your rest and joy , the daies of the lords sorrow and trouble ? do you thus weary the lord when he gives rest unto you ? was there ever such mercy shewen , or can there be any greater love upon earth , then for the lord to call to a wicked sinfull creature , which deserves to be banisht for ever out of his presence , to come unto him , enter into his rest , take his fill of love , and refresh it selfe in his bosome in a speciall manner all this day ? and therefore can there be a greater sinne above ground committed out of hell then thus to sinne against this love ? i do not thinke that the single breach of the sabbath ( as to sport or feast inordinately ) is as great a sinne as to murther a man ( which some have cast out to the reproach of some zealous for the observation of the sabbath day , truly the lord knows ) for i believe their milk sod over , if thus they said ; but i speak of the sabbath under this notion and respect , and as herein gods great love appeares to weary , sinfull , restlesse man , as a day wherein all the treasures of his most rich and precious love are set open ; and in this respect let any man tell me what greater sinne he can imagine , then sinnes against the greatest love ? the same sinnes which are committed upon other daies in the weeke are then provoking sinnes ; but to commit these sinnes upon the sabbath day , is to double the evill of them : drinking and swearing , and rioting , and vaine talking , &c. are sinnes on the weeke-day , but they are now but single sinnes ; but these are such like sinnes on the sabbath day are double sinnes , because they are now not only sinnes against gods command , but also against gods sabbaths too , which much aggravates them ; and yet men mourn not for these sinnes ; had the lord never made knowne his sabbaths to his churches and people in these daies , they might then have had some excuse for their sinne ; but now to prophane them since god hath made them knowne to us ; especially the english nation and people to do it , upon whom the lord hath shined out of heaven with greater light and glory in this point of the sabbath , above any other places and churches in the world , what will they have to say for themselves , with what fig-leaves will they hide this nakednesse before the tribunal of god ? the lord might have hid his sabbaths from us and gone to another people , that would have beene more thankfull for them , and glad of them then we have beene ; and yet he hath beene loth to leave us ; and doe we thus require the lord ? surely he hath no need of the best of us , or of our attendance upon him upon these daies ; it s onely his pitty , which seeing us wearied with sorrowes and wearying our selves in our sinnes , makes him call us back to a weekly rest in his bosome , who might have let us alone and tyred out our hearts in our own folly and madnesse all our daies ; and do we thus requite the lord ? certainly the time will come wherein we shall thinke ( as once ierusalem did in the daies of her affliction ) of all our pleasant things we once had in the daies of our prosperity ; ●ertainly men shall one day mourne for the losse of all their precious time , who mispend it now , and ( above al times ) for the losse of their precious pleasant sabbath seasons of refreshing , which once they had given them to finde rest and peace in ; when ●he smoke of their tormenting everlasting burning shall ascend for ever and ever , wherein they shall have no rest day nor night ; you shall remember and thinke then with teares trickling down your dry che●ks , of the sabbaths ▪ the pleasant sabbaths that once you had , and shall never see one of those daies of the sonne of man more : you shall mourne then to see abrahams bosome a farre off , and thousand thousands at rest in it , where you also might have bin as well as they if you had not despised the rest of god here in the bosome of his sabbaths . you shall then mourne and wring your hands , and teare your haire , and stampe and grow mad , and yet weepe to think that if you had had a heart to have spent that very time of the sabbath in seeking god , in drawing neare to god , in resting in god , which you dispend in idle talke , and idlenesse , in rioting and wantonnesse , in sports and foolishnesse upon this day , you had then been in gods eternall rest in heaven , and for ever blessed in god. it s said ierusalem remembred in the day of her affliction all her pleasant things , when the enemy did mock at her sabbaths ; and so will you remember with sad hearts the loose of all your pretious seasons of grace , especially then , when the devills and heathens and damned out●asts , who never had the mercy to enjoy them , shall mo●k at thee for the losse of thy sabbaths . verily i cannot thinke that any men that ever tasted any sweetnesse in christ or his sabbath , and felt the unknown refreshings of this sweet rest , but that they will mourne for their cold affections to them and unfruitfull spending of them before they die ; otherwise never goe about to bleare mens eyes with discourses and invectives and disputes against them , or with carnall excuses for your licentious spending of them ; for doubtlesse you taste not , and therefore know not what they are ; and you will one day be found to be such as speake evill of the things you know not . heare ye despisers and wonder , and perish ; is the infinite majesty and glory of god so vile in your eyes that you do not thinke him worthy of speciall attendance one day in a weeke ? doth he call you now to rest in his bosome , and will you now kick his bowels , despise this love , and spit in his face ? doth he call upon you to spend this day in holinesse , and will you spend it in mirth , and sports and pastimes and in all manner of licentiousnesse ? hast thou wearied god with thine iniquities , and thy selfe in thine iniquities all the weeke long ( for which god might justly cut thee off from seeing any more sabbath ) and doth the lord jesus ( instead of recompencing thee thus ) call you back againe to your resting place ? and will you now weary the lord againe , that he cannot have rest or quiet for you one day in a weeke ? oh that we could mourne for these things : and yet walke abroad the face of the whole earth at this day , and then say where shall you finde almost gods sabbaths exactly kept ? viz. with meet preparation for them , delight in them , with wonderment and thankfulnesse to god after the enjoyment of them ? all the world knowes to whom the barbarous turks do dedicate their frydayes , the jewes also how they sanctifie their saturdayes , to the lord iehovah indeed , but not unto the lord their god. what account the papists put upon the sabbath's not only their writings ( which level it with all other holy-dayes ) but also their loose practice in sports and revellings upon this day beare sufficient witnesse : and oh that we had no cause to wash off this spot with our teares from the beautifull and pleasant face of the glorious grace and peace , which once shined in the german churches , by whose graves we may stand weeping and say , this is your misery for this your provoking sin : scotland knows best her own integrity , whose lights have been burning and shining long in their clearnesse in this particular . but england hath had the name , and worn this garland of glory , wherewith the lord hath crowned it above all other churches . but how hath that little flock of slaughter , which hath wept for it , and preacht , and printed , and done and suffered for it , beene hated and persecuted ? who have been the scorne and shame , and reproach of men , but a company of poor weaklings , for going out a few miles to hear a faithful , painful preacher , from those idle shepheards , who either could not feed them with knowledge and understanding at home or else would not do it through grosse prophanesse , or extream idlenesse ? and now , since god hath broken the yoke of their oppressors , and set his people at liberty to returne to sion and her solemne assemblies as in dayes of old , and hath given to them the desires of their hearts , that they may now be as holy on the sabbath as they will , without any to reproach them , at least to countenance such reproaches of them : now i say when one would think the precious sabbaths ( which so many of gods servants in former time have brought down to this generation , swiming in their teares and prayers , and which many in these dayes have so much looked and longed for ) that every eye should be looking up to heaven with thankfulnes for these , and that every heart should embrace gods sabbaths with teares of joyfulnesse , and bid this dear and precious friend welcome , and lie and rest in their bosome ; and so i doubt not but that england hath yet may a corner ful of such precious jewels , to whom gods sabbath● are yet most precious and glorious , and who cannot easily forget such blessed seasons and meanes in them , whereby ( if ever the lord did good unto them ) they have been so oft refreshed , and wherein they have so oft seen god , wherein they have so oft met with him , and he with them ; but whose heart will it not make to relent and sigh , to hear of late a company ( not of ignorant debosht persons , malignants , prelatical , and corrupt and carnal men ) but of such who have many of them in former times given great hopes of some feare of god , and much love to gods ordinances and sabbaths ; and now ( what hurt the sabbaths ordinances of the lord jesus therein have done them , i know not , but ) it would break ones heart to see what little care there is to sanctifie the sabbath , even by them who think in their judgments that the day is of god. what poore preparation for it , either in themselves or families ! what little care to profit by it , or to instruct and catehize their families , and to bring them also it love with it ! what , secret wearinesse and dead-heartednesse ( almost wholly unlamented ) remains upon them ! what earthly thoughts , what liberty in speech about any worldly matter , presently after the most warning sermon is done ! that the lord jesus hath scarce good carcasses and outsides brought him which cannot but threaten more crows to pick them unlesse they repent : and yet this is not so sad as to see the loosenesse of mens judgments in this point of the sabbath , whereby some think a sabbath lawful , but not necessary ( in respect of any command of god ; ) nay some think it superstition to observe a weekly sabbath , which should be every day ( as they imagine , ) they have allegorized gods sabbaths , and almost all gods ordinances out of the world , and cast such pretended antichristian filth and pollution upon them , that spiritual men must not now meddle with them ; nay verily , all duties of the moral law , and fruitful obedience and holy walking , and sanctification , graces , and humiliation , and such like , are the secret contempt of many , and the base drudgery for a ●ll-horse and legal christian , rather then for one that is of an evangelical frame ; and herein satan now appears with the ball at his foot , and seems to threaten in time to carry all before him , and to kick and carry gods precious sabbaths out of the world with him , and then farewel dear lord jesus with all thy sweet love and life , if sabbaths be once taken from us by the blind and bold disputings of wretched men ; authority as yet upholds them ( which is no small mercy ) and the savour of christs sweetnesse in them , and the external brightnesse of the beauty of them , do still remaine on many with that strength and glory , that it is not good policy for the prince of darknesse now to imploy all his forces against the gates of the sabbath : but the time hastens wherein the assault will be great and fierce , and i much fear that for the secret contempt of these things , the lord in dreadful justice will strengthen delusions about this day to break forth and prosper ; and then pray you poor saints of god and hidden ones , that your flight may not be in the winter , nor on the sabbath day : but woe then to them that give su●k , woe then to the high ministry that should have kept these gates , woe then to that loose and wanton generation rising up , who think such outward formes and observation of dayes to be too course and too low and mean a work for their enobled spirits which are now raised higher and neerer god then to look much after sabbaths or ordinances , graces or duties , or any such outward forms ; for i doubt not but if after all the light and glory shining in england concerning gods sabbaths , if yet they are not thereby become precious , but that the lord will make them so by his plagues , if this sin once get head , god will burne up the whole world , and make himself-dreadful to all flesh , untill he hath made unto himself a holy people , and a humble people , that shall love the dust , and take pleasure in the very stones of his house , and love the place where his honour dwels , and long for the time wherein his presence and blessing shall appear and be poured out upon the sabbath day . it 's matter of the greatest mourning , that they above all other should trouble gods rest , wherein perhaps their souls have found so much rest , or might have done ; that in these times , wherein the lord jesus was coming out to give unto his house his ordinances , and unto his people his sabbaths and dayes of rest every way , that now they above all others should offer to pull them out of his hand , tread them under foot , and hereby teach all the prophane rout in the world to do the like with a quiet conscience , and without any check by their reasonings ; that now when god is wasting the land , and burning down its glory , for the sins against his sabbaths , that just at this time , more then ever , they should rise up to polute and prophane this day . the lord grant his poor people to see cause at last to mourn for this sin , that the rest of the sabbath may be rest to their souls , especially in this weary hour of temptation , which is shaking all things , and threatens yet greater troubles unto all flesh . the lord jesus certainly hath great blessings in his hand to poure out upon his people in giving them better dayes , and brighter and more beautiful sabbaths , and glorious appearances ; but i fear , and therefore i desire that this unwise and unthankful generation may not stand in their own way , lest the lord make quick work , and give those things to a remnant to enjoy , which others had no hearts to prize . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e * deus qu● principium dat esso qua finis firmat & stabilit esse datum : gibbe●● . de lib. dei & creat . field of the church , chap. . * tu hic ord●nem considera , alia creantur prepter hominem , ideo post illa co●ditur homo . homo vero ad dei cultum , ideo statem post illius creationem sabbathi benedictio , & sanctificatio inducitur . pet mart. in prac m. aug. de lib. arb li. ca. . * camer in matth . c●●●et . pral . in ●●p . mat. . * alex hal. pa●t . . q. . art. . irons q . cap. . * driedo de lib. christ. lib. . cap. . vasquez . to. . dis. . suarez metaph . disp. . sect. . surifing● . de deo. tract . . disp. . sect. . wal. disser● de . prac . ca. . came● . pra● ▪ in mat. ca. . white treat . of sab. day . p. . ibid. prim. par . . cap. . sect. , , . ibid. * vid. thes. . * p●aecopt●rum m●ralium t●●p●ex est gradus , &c. aqui. . q. ● , art . . aquin. . . q. . art . . & ar● . ● . vid. course of conformity . pag. . aqui● . , , q. . art. . zanchy in . praec . prim. . par . cap. . s. . irons . quest . ● . cap. . * so iuni●● , w●llet , in loc . prim. part . . cap. . s. . par . . cap. . l. . pisc. pr●fat . on exod. vid. pisc. pr●f . in exod. vid iun. de pol. mos. irons . quaest . . cap. . irons . quast . . cap. . prim. par . . cap. . sect. , . gom. invest . orig. sab. ca breer . p. , wal. dissers . de pr●c . . c . * heylin . broad . tract . de sob . cap. . wal. diss . de pr●● . cap. . wal. ibid. do● . wal. dissert . de . praec . c . in hoc quarto praecept● aliquem peculiarem sanctificationis modum mandar● quae in aliis praeceptis non mandatur , a nobis qu●que extra controversiam deb●t coll●●ari , ●um in his decem verbis tautologia supervacu● non committ●●ur . wal. ibid. wal. diss . de praes . cap. vid rain . de eccles. rom. idol . l. . c. . object . . object . . * vid. thes. object . . gom. inv. sent . & orig. sab. ca . prim ▪ par . . cap. . sect. . prim. par . . cap. . s. , , . ibid. sect. . wal. dissert . de . p●aec . wal. diss . de pr●● . cap. ▪ prim. part . c. . . . daven in col. . wall. in . praec . * iohn . ● . h. den. saltmarsh sparkles of glory . p . * i. s. calv. adv . liber● . vid. taule●i vit● . saltmarsh sparkles p. . town . ans. to tayl. psal. . . ☜ iun. thes. de bon . oper . saltmarsh overflowing of christs bloud . bulling . in loc . chamie● d● oper . necess . cap. . cham. de oper. nec●s . cap. . ps. . , ioh. . , & . . thes. . ● , . isa. ● . . thes. . , , . * viz. that the gospel belongs to sinners as sinners . no universall redemption the ground of faith . prim. part . . cap. . s. . prim. part . . cap. ● . s. . part. . cap. . s. . wal. dis●ert . cap. . jun. annal. explic. in lev. . prim. part . . cap. . jun. paral. b. manus● : of sab. wal. di●● . de . prae● . cap. . prim. part . . cap. . s. . prim. part . . cap. . s. . irons . q. cap. . jun. in gen. . irons . q. cap. . gomar . inv. se●● . & orig. sab. . prim. part . . cap. . s. . prim. part . . cap. . s. . prim. part . . cap. . s. . irons . q. cap. . prim. par● . . cap. ● s. . broad . tract . c. . ibid. greg. val. tom. . disp . . q. . alex. ales. part . q. . ri●et . in com. . ibid. s . ibid. s. . irons . q. cap. . damas. ● ●id . orth. cap. . * change of sabbath aret. loc . com. de sab. rivet . in com. & dissert . de orig . sab. prim. part . . cap. . s. . prim part . . cap. . s. . aqu● ● , ● . q. . art . . prim. part . . cap. . prim. part . . cap. . wal. diss . de . prae . cap. . prim. part . . cap. . s. . notes for div a -e vide spri●● on sabb. ironsides answer to argum. qu. . c. . austin . prim. part - cap. ● . hey . lin . hist. l. . * lake theses . jun. ann. in gen. . . iron . qu. . cap. . gomar . invest . sent. & orig . sab. cap. . primr . par . . cap. . primr . par . ● cap. . ibid. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . primr . par . . c. . primr . par . . cap. . rivet dissert . de orig . sab. cap. . notes for div a -e opin . . opin . . t. brabourne . i.n. nehem , . . opin . . * cor. . . opin . . weemes on the fourth command . vid. iun. in loc . august . ep . .